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Primary sourceSpeech4 March 1841

Inaugural Address of William Henry Harrison

William Henry Harrison · 4 March 1841

Harrison's inaugural speech, delivered outdoors in cold rain on March 4, 1841, setting out his Whig view of limited presidential power.

Harrison delivered this address himself upon taking office, making it a direct statement of his political principles.

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About this source

What it is

This is the text of the speech William Henry Harrison gave on March 4, 1841, when he took office as president. It is held by the Library of Congress and is the longest inaugural address ever given by a US president.

Why it matters

The speech laid out Harrison's Whig beliefs about a limited executive branch and included his pledge to serve only one term. It reflects the political arguments of the era between Whigs, who feared strong presidential power, and their opponents.

Look closer

  • Why might a new president want to promise limits on his own power?
  • What does the length and formality of the speech suggest about the occasion?
  • How might the weather conditions described in the curator's note have affected how this speech was remembered?

This speech is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of William Henry Harrison on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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