Yesterday was the United States 57th Presidential Inauguration, and second Presidential Inauguration for Barack Obama, the 44th President of the United States. It was a day full of celebration, with some of the fanciest celebrations taking place in the evening at Inaugural Balls.
Since I live in Washington, DC I was able to go down to the National Mall (the National Mall is a large open area in the center of the city in front of the Capitol Building – it isn’t a shopping mall), and watch the inauguration. I wasn’t close enough to the Capitol Building to really see anything that was happening, but luckily for me and the 800,000 other people watching from the mall there were large TVs (called jumbotrons) set up so we could see and hear what was going on at the Capitol Building.
Before going into a little of what happens at an American presidential inauguration, let’s just do a little math. As I said at the beginning of this post this is America’s 57th Presidential Inauguration, but Barack Obama is only our 44th President of the United States. Why is that? This is because every 4 years an Inauguration Ceremony is held whether we elect a new president or re-elect our previous president. There have been 17 American presidents who have been elected to a second term, 4 vice-presidents who took over office for a president who were then were elected to a second term, and 1 man who was elected president 4 times! (The United States now only allows presidents to serve 2 terms.) So, those are the numbers and that is why we have had more inaugurations in the United States than we have had presidents.
Now, let me tell you a little about an American Presidential Inauguration. The main purpose of the inauguration is the swearing-in ceremony. The swearing in ceremony is when the president takes the oath of office and officially becomes the president for the next 4 years. The oath of office is a pledge or promise to be president. Every American president since George Washington has made the same oath of office, which is:
“I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.”
The vice-president also takes this same oath. Taking the oath of office is the main event of the Inauguration Ceremony, but many other activities also take place. The ceremony usually begins with a prayer, which is called an invocation. Then there may be a patriotic song that is sung or played. Next the vice president is sworn in, by taking the oath of office. Then there may be another patriotic song. Following this the president is sworn in. The oath of office is taken with his right hand raised and left hand on the Bible. After taking the oath of office, the president gives a speech. This speech is called the inaugural address. Following the inaugural address there is often another patriotic song. Sometime presidents ask a poet to write a poem specially for the inauguration, and if they do it is read after the inaugural address. The official Inauguration Ceremony concludes with a prayer. The concluding prayer is called a benediction. And finally one last song is sung, the American national anthem.
Once this important ceremony is completed, the fun begins with special lunches, a parade, and parties into the evening/night. The fanciest of these parties are called balls. At a ball people are required to wear formal clothing. Men often wear tuxedos and women wear long dresses.
