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vice president of the United States of America
vice president of the United States of America
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John Adams Thomas Jefferson Burr, Aaron George Clinton, detail of an oil painting by Ezra Ames, 1814; in the collection of The New-York Historical Society. Elbridge Gerry, detail of an oil painting by James Bogle, 1861, after a portrait by John Vanderlyn; in Independence National Historical Park, Philadelphia. Tompkins, Daniel D. John Calhoun Martin Van Buren. Johnson, Richard John Tyler, oil painting by Hart, c. 1841–45; in the Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia, U.S.
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vice president of the United States of America

United States government
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vice president of the United States of America, officer next in rank to the president of the United States, who ascends to the presidency on the event of the president’s death, disability, resignation, or removal. The vice president also serves as the presiding officer of the U.S. Senate, a role that is mostly ceremonial but that gives the vice president the tie-breaking vote when the Senate is deadlocked.

The position of vice president also exists in the executive structure of many other governments and businesses.

Jacqueline Kennedy and Lady Bird Johnson stand by President Lyndon B. Johnson as he takes the oath of office aboard Air Force One after the assassination of John F. Kennedy, November 22, 1963.
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Who Becomes President After the President and Vice President?

The table provides a list of vice presidents of the United States.

Vice presidents of the United States
no. vice president birthplace term presidential administration served under
*Died in office.
**Resigned from office.
John Adams
 1 John Adams Mass. 1789–97 George Washington
Thomas Jefferson
 2 Thomas Jefferson Va. 1797–1801 John Adams
Burr, Aaron
 3 Aaron Burr N.J. 1801–05 Thomas Jefferson
George Clinton, detail of an oil painting by Ezra Ames, 1814; in the collection of The New-York Historical Society.
 4 George Clinton N.Y. 1805–09 Thomas Jefferson
George Clinton, detail of an oil painting by Ezra Ames, 1814; in the collection of The New-York Historical Society.
 George Clinton N.Y. 1809–12* James Madison
Elbridge Gerry, detail of an oil painting by James Bogle, 1861, after a portrait by John Vanderlyn; in Independence National Historical Park, Philadelphia.
 5 Elbridge Gerry Mass. 1813–14* James Madison
Tompkins, Daniel D.
 6 Daniel D. Tompkins N.Y. 1817–25 James Monroe
John Calhoun
 7 John C. Calhoun S.C. 1825–29 John Quincy Adams
John Calhoun
 John C. Calhoun S.C. 1829–32** Andrew Jackson
Martin Van Buren.
 8 Martin Van Buren N.Y. 1833–37 Andrew Jackson
Johnson, Richard
 9 Richard M. Johnson Ky. 1837–41 Martin Van Buren
John Tyler, oil painting by Hart, c. 1841–45; in the Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia, U.S.
 10 John Tyler Va. 1841 William Henry Harrison
Dallas, George
 11 George Mifflin Dallas Pa. 1845–49 James K. Polk
Millard Fillmore
 12 Millard Fillmore N.Y. 1849–50 Zachary Taylor
William Rufus de Vane King.
 13 William Rufus de Vane King N.C. 1853* Franklin Pierce
Breckinridge, John C.
 14 John C. Breckinridge Ky. 1857–61 James Buchanan
Hamlin, Hannibal
 15 Hannibal Hamlin Maine 1861–65 Abraham Lincoln
Andrew Johnson
 16 Andrew Johnson N.C. 1865 Abraham Lincoln
Colfax, Schuyler
 17 Schuyler Colfax N.Y. 1869–73 Ulysses S. Grant
Wilson, Henry
 18 Henry Wilson N.H. 1873–75* Ulysses S. Grant
Wheeler, William
 19 William A. Wheeler N.Y. 1877–81 Rutherford B. Hayes
Chester A. Arthur
 20 Chester A. Arthur Vt. 1881 James A. Garfield
Hendricks, Thomas
 21 Thomas A. Hendricks Ohio 1885* Grover Cleveland
Morton, Levi
 22 Levi Morton Vt. 1889–93 Benjamin Harrison
Adlai Stevenson
 23 Adlai E. Stevenson Ky. 1893–97 Grover Cleveland
Hobart, Garret
 24 Garret A. Hobart N.J. 1897–99* William McKinley
Theodore Roosevelt
 25 Theodore Roosevelt N.Y. 1901 William McKinley
Fairbanks, Charles
 26 Charles Warren Fairbanks Ohio 1905–09 Theodore Roosevelt
James Sherman
 27 James Sherman N.Y. 1909–12* William Howard Taft
Thomas Marshall.
 28 Thomas R. Marshall Ind. 1913–21 Woodrow Wilson
Coolidge, Calvin
 29 Calvin Coolidge Vt. 1921–23 Warren G. Harding
Dawes, Charles G.
 30 Charles G. Dawes Ohio 1925–29 Calvin Coolidge
Curtis, Charles
 31 Charles Curtis Kan. 1929–33 Herbert Hoover
Garner, John Nance
 32 John Nance Garner Texas 1933–41 Franklin D. Roosevelt
Wallace, Henry A.
 33 Henry A. Wallace Iowa 1941–45 Franklin D. Roosevelt
Harry S. Truman
 34 Harry S. Truman Mo. 1945 Franklin D. Roosevelt
Alben Barkley.
 35 Alben W. Barkley Ky. 1949–53 Harry S. Truman
Richard Nixon
 36 Richard M. Nixon Calif. 1953–61 Dwight D. Eisenhower
Lyndon B. Johnson
 37 Lyndon B. Johnson Texas 1961–63 John F. Kennedy
Hubert Humphrey
 38 Hubert H. Humphrey S.D. 1965–69 Lyndon B. Johnson
Spiro Agnew
 39 Spiro T. Agnew Md. 1969–73** Richard M. Nixon
Gerald Ford
 40 Gerald R. Ford Neb. 1973–74 Richard M. Nixon
Nelson Rockefeller
 41 Nelson A. Rockefeller Maine 1974–77 Gerald R. Ford
Walter Mondale
 42 Walter F. Mondale Minn. 1977–81 Jimmy Carter
George Bush.
 43 George Bush Mass. 1981–89 Ronald Reagan
Dan Quayle.
 44 Dan Quayle Ind. 1989–93 George Bush
Al Gore
 45 Albert Gore Wash., D.C. 1993–2001 Bill Clinton
Cheney, Dick
 46 Dick Cheney Neb. 2001–09 George W. Bush
Joe Biden
 47 Joe Biden Pa. 2009–17 Barack Obama
Mike Pence
 48 Mike Pence Ind. 2017–21 Donald Trump
Kamala Harris
 49 Kamala Harris Calif. 2021– Joe Biden
The Editors of Encyclopaedia BritannicaThis article was most recently revised and updated by Amy Tikkanen.