The presidency of William Howard Taft began on March 4, 1909, when William Howard Taft was inaugurated the 27th president of the United States and ended on March 4, 1913.
1909
March 4 - The Inauguration of William Howard Taft takes place. April 7 - Taft orders that the deaf be allowed to take the civil service exam.John V. Van Cleve and Barry A. Crouch, A Place of Their Own: Creating the Deaf Community in America (Gallaudet University Press, 1989), pp157–158 April 19 - Taft attends a Major League Baseball game with Vice President James S. Sherman, the first such game to be spectated by a president."Taft at Ball Game; No Hoodoo, He Hopes", New York Times, April 20, 1909 April 30 - Taft has the city of La Bova renanmed to Balboa in the Panama Canal Zone.The Panama Gateway (C. Scribner's Sons, 1915), p95 May 17 - First Lady Helen Herron Taft suffers a stroke that leaves her partially paralyzed and speech impaired for the following year. May 22 - Taft orders 700,000 acres of federal land be opened for settlement in and around the Pacific Northwest.Gorton Carruth, et al., The Encyclopedia of American Facts and Dates (Thomas Y. Crowell, 1962) p416 May 26 - Taft chooses the design of the Lincoln cent. June 16 - Taft recommends to Congress that an income tax amendment be made to the Constitution."Income Tax", Encyclopedia Americana (1919), vol. 14, p744 June 28 - Taft hosts the first meal to be served on the roof of the White House."Dine On White House Roof", New York Times, June 29, 1909, p1 July 12 - Taft establishes the Oregon Caves National Monument and Preserve. July 15 - Taft contacts Prince Chun to request American involvement in the financing of Chinese railways.Feng-Hua Huang, Public Debts in China (Columbia University Press, 1919), p37 August 2 - The United States Army purchases the world's first military plane from the Wright brothers. July 31 - Taft establishes the Mukuntuweap National Monument, which would become Zion National Park. August 2 - The Lincoln Center is made available to the public. August 5 - Taft signs the Payne–Aldrich Tariff Act into law. August 7 - Taft relocates to his Summer White House in Beverly, Massachusetts."President Greets Family at Beverly", New York Times, August 8, 1909, p1; "Cabinet Officers Off For Vacations", p3 September 14 - Taft embarks on a tour throughout the United States. September 21 - Taft establishes the Shoshone Cavern National Monument. September 23 - Taft opens the Gunnison Tunnel in Colorado."Taft Opens Tunnel That Diverts River", New York Times, September 24, 1909, p1 September 27 - Taft sets aside over 3 million acres of land as the country's first Naval oil reserve.Lita Epstein, C.D. Jaco, and Julianne C. Iwersen-Niemann, The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Politics of Oil (Alpha Books, 2003), pp131–132; Samuel P. Hays, Conservation and the Gospel of Efficiency: The Progressive Conservation Movement, 1890–1920 (University of Pittsburgh Press, 1999), pp 89–90 October 16 - Taft meets with Mexican President Porfirio Díaz in El Paso, Texas. He becomes the first sitting president to visit a foreign country when he dines with Díaz in Ciudad Juárez."Taft and Diaz Meet; Talk of Friendship", New York Times, October 17, 1909, p1 November 1 - Taft establishes the Gran Quivira National Monument. November 10 - Taft returns to Washington, D.C. following his tour. November 18 - The United States sends two warships to Nicaragua following the execution of two Americans. November 21 - The United States demands reparations from Nicaragua for the killing of Americans. December 1 - The United States ends diplomatic relations with Nicaragua."Taft Breaks With Zelaya" , New York Times, December 2, 1909, p1 December 7 - Taft delivers the 1909 State of the Union Address. December 13 - Taft nominates Horace Harmon Lurton to the Supreme Court of the United States. December 16 - Nicaraguan dictator José Santos Zelaya resigns under pressure from the American military. December 20 - Horace Harmon Lurton is confirmed as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court.
1910
January 1 - Taft invites the public into the White House to celebrate the new year. January 3 - Presidents of the major railroad companies meet with Taft to request he call off antitrust litigation."Railroad Leaders Appeal In Person",, Indianapolis Star, January 4, 1910, p2 January 7 - Taft has Forestry Director Gifford Pinchot fired, setting off the events of the Pinchot–Ballinger controversy. February 1 - Secretary of State Philander C. Knox embarks on a tour of Central and South America. April 14 - Taft establishes the tradition of the president throwing the ceremonial first pitch."President Taft Throws First Ball Over Plate", Atlanta Constitution, April 15, 1910, p 13; John Sayle Watterson, The Games Presidents Play: Sports and the Presidency (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2006) p 84 April 22 - Leonard Wood takes office as Chief of Staff of the United States Army. April 25 - Taft nominates Charles Evans Hughes to the Supreme Court of the United States. May 2 - Horace Harmon Lurton is sworn in as an associate justice of the Supreme Court. May 3 - Taft visits his hometown of Cincinnati and requests that he be treated without presidential honors. June 20 - Taft signs the Enabling Act of 1910 into law."Signs With Eagle's Feather", New York Times, June 21, 1910, p3 June 25 - Taft signs the Federal Corrupt Practices Act, the Mann Act, and the Postal Savings Bank Act into law. June 27 - Robert A. Taft accidentally strikes a pedestrian with his car. President Taft offers compensation in addition to covering medical expenses.Michael L. Bromley, William Howard Taft and the First Motoring Presidency (McFarland & Co. 2003), pp276–277; "Robert Taft in AutoRuns Over Laborer", New York Times, June 28, 1910, p1 July 2 - Taft sets aside nearly 8.5 million acres as federal land in Alaska. July 7 - Taft sets aside over 35 million acres of federal land in the Western United States for coal mining. July 28 - Taft establishes the Eldorado National Forest. November 8 - Democrats take control of the House of Representatives in the 1910 United States elections. November 10 - Taft embarks on the USS Tennessee to visit the Panama Canal. November 14 - Taft arrives in Panama on board the USS Tennessee. November 16 - Speaking in Panama City, Taft reiterates that the United States will not annex Panama."Pledge to Panama; Mr. Taft Tells Isthmians We Do Not Seek Annexation", Washington Post, November 17, 1910, p1 November 20 - The Mexican Revolution begins. November 23 - Taft returns to the United States following visits to Panama and Cuba."Taft Home Again From Panama Trip", New York Times, November 24, 1910, p8 December 1 - Taft hosts a debutante ball at the White House for his daughter Helen Taft."Miss Taft's Debut", Washington Post, December 2, 1910, p. 1 December 6 - Taft delivers the 1910 State of the Union Address. December 12 - Taft nominates Willis Van Devanter and Joseph Rucker Lamar to the Supreme Court and nominates Associate Justice Edward Douglass White as Chief Justice of the United States. White is confirmed as Chief Justice the same day. December 15 - Willis Van Devanter and Joseph Rucker Lamar are confirmed as Associate Justices.
1911
March 1 - Taft signs the Weeks Act into law. March 4 - Taft calls a special session of Congress to address unresolved issues."President Calls a Special Session", New York Times, March 5, 1911, p1 March 7 - The United States military mobilizes along the Mexican border as the Mexican Revolution risks spilling over into the United States. March 12 - Richard A. Ballinger resigns as Secretary of the Interior amid scandal. March 13 - Walter L. Fisher takes office as Secretary of the Interior. May 21 - Jacob M. Dickinson is no longer Secretary of War. May 22 - Henry L. Stimson takes office as Secretary of War. May 23 - Taft dedicates the New York Public Library alongside Andrew Carnegie."City's $29,000,000 Library Is Opened" , New York Times, May 24, 1911 June 17 - Robert M. La Follette announces his candidacy for the Republican presidential nomination. July 14 - Aviator Harry Atwood flies from Boston to the White House, breaking the record for the longest airplane flight."Taft Greets Atwood after Rainy Flight" , New York Times, July 15, 1911 August 4 - Taft meets with Admiral Tōgō Heihachirō of Japan."Admiral Togo Here as Nation's Guest", The New York Times, August 4, 1911, p1 August 11 - Taft travels to his Summer White House in Beverly, Massachusetts."President Goes to Beverly", The New York Times, August 11, 1911 August 15 - Taft vetoes statehood of Arizona and New Mexico over a provision in the Arizona Constitution allowing judicial recall."President Vetoes the Statehood Bill", The New York Times, August 16, 1911, p1; Steven L. Piott, Giving Voters a Voice: The Origins of the Initiative and Referendum in America (University of Missouri Press, 2003) p145 September 15 - Taft embarks on a tour across the United States."President Taft Ends His 15,000 Mile Tour", The New York Times, November 12, 1911 October 14 - Taft breaks ground on the Panama–Pacific International Exposition that would take place in 1915. October 16 - Two men place dynamite on a railroad in California ahead of Taft's car. Security guard Abe Jenkins discovers the dynamite before the president arrives."Dynamite Mines Menaced Taft" , New York Times, October 17, 1911 October 26 - Taft files an antitrust suit against U.S. Steel. November 2 - Taft inspects the Naval fleet as he receives a 3,690 gun salute."Taft Reviews Mighty Fleet", New York Times, November 3, 1911 November 9 - Taft dedicates Lincoln Memorial Hall in Hodgenville, Kentucky."Lincoln Memorial Dedicated by Taft", New York Times, November 10, 1911 November 12 - Taft returns to the White House after 87 days away. December 5 - Taft delivers the 1911 State of the Union Address.
1912
January 6 - New Mexico is admitted as the 47th state. January 18 - Taft pardons Charles W. Morse, believing him to be terminally ill. February 6 - Taft declares his intention to name William Cather Hook as a Supreme Court nominee. He rescinds the suggestion following backlash from the African-American community."Drops Judge Hook; May Name Nagel" , New York Times, February 8, 1912 February 14 - Arizona is admitted as the 48th state. February 19 - Taft nominates Mahlon Pitney to the Supreme Court of the United States. February 22 - Former President Theodore Roosevelt announces his candidacy for the Republican presidential nomination. March 2 - Taft urges that American citizens prepare to evacuate Mexico as the Mexican Revolution escalates."Taft Orders Citizens to Quit Mexico", Milwaukee Sentinel, March 3, 1912, p. 1 March 13 - Mahlon Pitney is confirmed as an Associate Justice. March 14 - Taft issues an embargo on weapon sales to Mexico."Troops to Stop All Arms into Mexico", New York Times, March 15, 1912 March 19 - North Dakota hosts the first ever statewide primary. Taft finishes third behind Theodore Roosevelt and Robert M. La Follette."Beat Roosevelt in North Dakota". The New York Times, March 20, 1912. April 17 - Julia Lathrop becomes the first woman to lead a federal agency in the United States as director of the United States Children's Bureau."Makes Woman Bureau Chief – Miss Lathrop, Named by Taft, is First to Head Federal Department", The New York Times, April 18, 1912 May 11 - The Territory of Alaska is incorporated into the United States. June 3 - Taft welcomes visiting German Naval officers in Hampton Roads."German Naval Visitors Welcomed By the President", New York Times, June 4, 1912 June 5 - U.S. Marines land in Cuba. June 19 - Taft signs into law the eight-hour workday for federal employees. June 22 - The Republican National Convention nominates Taft as its presidential candidate.