1

John Quincy Adams’ alligator

Image: Robert Zunikoff

Adams kept an alligator in the White House bathtub, a gift from Marquis de Lafayette. Guests were reportedly startled by the reptile for months before it was relocated.

However, recent historians believe the story may be more myth than fact, reflecting the perceived eccentricity of both Adams and Lafayette rather than actual events.

2

Theodore Roosevelt’s badger

Image: Vincent van Zalinge

It’s clear that Teddy Roosevelt was an animal lover, keeping some of the most bizarre and unusual pets in White House history.

When Roosevelt’s children received a badger named "Josiah" from a girl in Kansas, the president didn’t hesitate to welcome it into the family home. The mischievous animal, however, often nipped at people’s ankles—including White House staff.

3

Martin Van Buren’s tiger cubs

Image: Mystery Cat

Yes—tiger cubs, plural. The Sultan of Oman gifted Van Buren two tiger cubs, but Congress demanded he surrender them to a zoo, citing laws against presidential gifts.

Van Buren fought to keep them but ultimately lost, and the cubs ended up in a public collection, marking one of the earliest disputes over presidential ethics and gifts.

4

Andrew Jackson’s parrot

Image: Ilona Frey

Jackson’s parrot, "Polly" learned to swear so well that it had to be removed from his funeral for cursing during the ceremony.

Known for his fiery temper, Jackson likely found the bird’s language amusing. Polly’s notorious vocabulary made it one of the earliest infamous pets in U.S. political lore.

5

James Buchanan’s elephant

Image: Wolfgang Hasselmann

This was a case of "almost." The King of Siam offered Buchanan a herd of elephants, suggesting they could breed in America. However, Buchanan politely declined—perhaps recalling Van Buren’s short-lived tiger ordeal? Still, he did maintain other exotic animals in Washington.

6

Abraham Lincoln’s turkey

Image: Tyler Jamieson Moulton

Lincoln’s son Tad named their Thanksgiving turkey "Jack" and begged his father to spare it—a story said to inspire the later turkey pardon tradition.

Jack roamed the White House freely and even followed Tad around, charming guests with his odd pet status.

7

Calvin Coolidge’s raccoon

Image: Joshua J. Cotten

Originally sent to be eaten at Thanksgiving—yes, eating raccoon wasn’t that unusual back then—"Rebecca" the raccoon was spared and became a pet. Coolidge even walked her on a leash around the White House gardens.

Rebecca had a custom house and enjoyed baths. Coolidge adored animals and also kept a wallaby, a bobcat, and even pygmy hippos!

8

Theodore Roosevelt’s hyena

Image: Matt Burke

By modern standards, it sounds insane, but Roosevelt was once gifted a hyena named "Bill" by an Ethiopian emperor—and he found the animal surprisingly affectionate.

Bill often roamed the White House lawn freely before eventually being sent to the Smithsonian, adding another chapter to Roosevelt’s legendary fascination with wildlife.

9

Woodrow Wilson’s sheep

Image: Sam Carter

During World War I, Wilson let sheep graze the White House lawn to save labor and raise war funds by auctioning their wool.

The move doubled as an environmental gesture and patriotic fundraiser. "Old Ike," a ram, became infamous for butting staff members and reporters alike.

10

Theodore Roosevelt’s bear cub

Image: Alla Kemelmakher

A black bear named "Jonathan Edwards" was among Roosevelt’s pets, inspired by his love of hunting and the outdoors.

Though kept briefly, the bear contributed to Roosevelt’s reputation as an adventurer—one that even inspired the creation of the "Teddy bear."

1

Sleep routine

Image: Tina Witherspoon

Your body is a routine animal. If you eat at a certain time, you’ll probably feel hungry around that same time the next day. If you go to sleep at a certain hour, you’ll likely feel sleepy at that same hour the next day.

Use this to your advantage by sticking to a consistent sleep schedule , both for going to bed and for waking up. If you do this consistently, your body will embrace this routine, and it will start to come naturally.

2

Food and drinks

Image: Kelsey Chance

Avoid going to bed shortly after a large meal. Your digestive system will stay active for a long period of time potentially keeping you awake until it finishes processing the food and drink you've consumed.

The same goes for alcohol: while it might make you feel drowsy at first, it can disrupt your sleep later in the night.

3

Create a good sleeping environment

Image: Ainur Iman

A dark, quiet, and cool bedroom makes for a good sleeping environment . Your senses will continue capturing and processing any light or sound present in your bedroom, which is why it is important to minimize these distractions as much as possible.

4

Avoid long naps

Image: Tânia Mousinho

This one is quite straightforward: your body only requires a certain amount of sleep , and if you use up a large portion of it during the day, you may find yourself staying awake longer at night. While a short, 20-minute nap during the day can help restore your energy, a longer rest period will subtract from your nighttime sleep.

5

Physical activity

Image: Chander R

Regular physical activity and spending time outside every day are great ways to promote better sleep at night. However, it’s important to avoid physical exercise if you are too close to your bedtime to avoid overstimulation.

6

Avoid going to bed with worries

Image: Yohann LIBOT

Whatever worries you may have in your life, try to avoid thinking about them while you're trying to sleep. Stressful thoughts can delay sleep and create anxiety , leading to less-than-optimal rest. Instead, write down any issues you need to deal with and save them for the next day.

7

Light exposure

Image: Gabe

Spending time in natural sunlight or bright light during the day can help keep your circadian rhythm healthy and, in turn, improve your daytime energy and enhance the quality and duration of your sleep at night.

In contrast, avoid exposure to screens for at least half an hour before going to bed. Nighttime light exposure can have the opposite effect from daytime exposure because it reduces your levels of melatonin, which helps you relax and get deep sleep.

8

No alcohol before bedtime

Image: Vinicius amnx Amano

As mentioned earlier, drinking alcohol before bedtime is not recommended . Alcohol can cause or worsen symptoms of sleep apnea, increase snoring, and disrupt normal sleep patterns. It also alters nighttime melatonin production, which plays a key role in regulating your body’s circadian rhythm.

9

A good bed and pillow

Image: Andrew Neel

Poor-quality bedding can lead to increased lower back pain , making it harder to sleep well. Firm and medium-firm mattresses are available at different price ranges and can be a good choice for comfort and to avoid back pain.

Pillows should not cause neck pain, either. Find a pillow that isn’t too high and offers comfort for your sleep style. It will make for a better rest, and your body will thank you in the morning.

10

No liquids right before bed

Image: Steve Johnson

There’s nothing wrong with being hydrated during your sleep time, but having to get up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom is not great. If this happens repeatedly, it can negatively affect your sleep quality and daytime energy.

To minimize interruptions, try reducing your fluid intake in the last hour before bed . This can help lower the chances of waking up during the night.

11

Good sleeping temperature

Image: Vin Jack

One way to guarantee uncomfortable sleep is a bedroom that’s either too cold or too hot . The ideal temperature can vary based on the individual, but most research suggests that sleeping in a cooler room—around 65 to 68 degrees—is optimal.

12

At least seven hours of sleep

Image: sq lim

Each age group requires a different amount of sleep each night, but for most people, seven hours is the bare minimum to ensure proper rest. If you have a specific wake-up time, calculate a target bedtime that allows for at least seven hours of sleep . Give yourself extra time before bed to wind down and prepare for sleep whenever possible.

1

The criminal Veep

America never lacked politicians who were suspected criminals —vice presidents included— but not every day is the second most important person in the nation formally accused of murder. It is a known fact that Aaron Burr, America’s third vice president, fatally shot founding father Alexander Hamilton in a duel in 1804. What many don’t know is that he was formally indicted for that murder in New York and New Jersey , but he fled to South Carolina and never stood trial, and the charge was eventually dropped. He was also accused of treason, but we can’t say that he was unique among politicians in that sense.

2

The first Veep that was actually elected

Did you know that, in the beginning, vice presidents were not elected as running mates of a presidential candidate? For the first three presidencies, the position was filled by the runner-up, which created endless conflicts. After all, who wants to work with the guy who beat you? After Thomas Jefferson struggled to govern with Aaron Burr as his second, he pushed for the 12th Amendment, which allowed vice presidents to be elected on their own . For his next term, Jefferson chose George Clinton as running mate —not only because he was popular, but also because his age (65 years old) made it unlikely that he would challenge Jefferson’s successor, James Madison, for the presidency. In the end, Jefferson didn’t have to worry about it because Clinton was the first vice president to die while in office in 1812.

3

The unelected Veep

In 1973, Vice President Spiro Agnew resigned under accusations of corruption. The newly ratified 25th Amendment stated that the president, Richard Nixon, had to nominate someone for the position, to be later ratified by Congress. He chose Gerald Ford, at the time the House Minority Leader , and widely respected by his peers. Less than a year later, Nixon was forced to resign due to the Watergate scandal, and Ford assumed the presidency, making him the only vice president and president who was not elected.

4

The first Veep to have a ‘Second Gentleman’

We’ve had many memorable First Ladies in our history, but, seeing that we never had a female President, we don’t know what that role would look like in a reversed situation. But what about a Second Gentleman? In 2021, Kamala Harris was the first woman to serve as Vice President, and her husband, Doug Emhoff, became the first ‘Second Gentleman’ of the nation , which meant that the acronym for the position (SLOTUS) had to be updated to SGOTUS.

5

The first Veep to be a proper Veep

Where does the use of "Veep" for vice president come from? In 1949, Alben W. Barkley was elected as VP under President Harry S. Truman. Barkley thought that ‘Mr. Vice President’ was a mouthful, and it sounded too formal. His grandson suggested the term Veep (after the VP initialism) , which became popular when Barkley told the story to the press. Although the following vice president, Richard Nixon, refused to use the term out of respect for Barkley, it has become the common phrase used to informally refer to vice presidents.

6

The shortest Veep-to-President pipeline

Out of the fifteen vice presidents to later become president, nine of them did so due to the president dying or resigning. The 10th Vice President, John Tyler, was not only the first Veep to assume the role after the President’s death, but also the Veep with the shortest tenure in American history. After only 31 days in office, in 1841, he became president due to the passing of William Henry Harrison , setting the precedent that vice presidents who assumed the presidency were official and not just acting presidents.

7

The first Veep to live at Number One Observatory Circle

Unlike presidents, vice presidents didn’t always have an official residence. Up until 1974, when Congress designated Number One Observatory Circle as the official residence of the vice president , Veeps lived in their own houses. At the time, Vice President Nelson Rockefeller refused to move in and only used the house for entertaining guests. Walter Mondale was the first vice president to officially move in with his family in 1977.

8

The Veeps that had to step down

Only two out of the 50 vice presidents in American history resigned their position. In 1832, Andrew Jackson’s vice president, John C. Calhoun, resigned during his second term to accept a seat in the Senate after a series of political differences with Jackson. In 1973, Spiro Agnew was accused of corruption and bribery , and charged with tax evasion. He resigned and pleaded no contest to the charges. His President, Richard Nixon, would also resign less than a year later.

9

The Nobel Veeps

Only two vice presidents were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize: Charles G. Dawes received the prize in 1925 for the "Dawes Plan", an initiative to stabilize the German economy after WWI , while Al Gore received it in 2007 —jointly with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change— for his efforts towards the conscientization of man-made climate change . Some also include Theodore Roosevelt in this list on account of his having served as vice president, but at the moment of receiving the prize in 1906, he was serving his second term as president.

10

The youngest and oldest Veeps

According to the Constitution, the minimum age requirement for the vice president is 35 years old. The youngest ever vice president in office was John C. Breckinridge at 36 years old , serving under James Buchanan in 1857, followed by Richard Nixon and J.D. Vance, who both assumed the role at 40 years old. The oldest vice president to take office was Alben Barkley, who in 1949 served under Harry S. Truman at 71 years old , followed by Charles Curtis at 69 years old.