Weird History Every US President's Handwriting
List Rules Vote up the most impressive John Hancocks of commanders in chief.
You can tell a lot about a person based on their signature, which is nearly as unique as a fingerprint. According to handwriting analysts, how people cross their Ts, slant their names, and space the letters in their signatures can reveal details about their personalities.
Some of the most-viewed signatures throughout history belong to United States presidents. Presidential signatures show a variety of handwriting techniques: quick, nearly illegible scribbles; long, swooping flourishes; and neatly ordered, compact strokes.
But how do they compare to each other? Which president had the best penmanship? Who had the worst? How does George Washington's handwriting compare to Donald Trump's? And how many presidents have worse penmanship than you?
James A. Garfield
Age: Dec. at 50 (1831-1881)
Birthplace: Ohio, United States, with Territories, Cuyahoga County, Moreland Hills
Andrew Jackson
Age: Dec. at 78 (1767-1845)
Birthplace: Waxhaws
Zachary Taylor
Age: Dec. at 66 (1784-1850)
Birthplace: Contiguous United States, United States of America, United States, with Territories, Barboursville, + more
John Quincy Adams
Age: Dec. at 81 (1767-1848)
Birthplace: Eastern United States, Braintree, New England, Norfolk County, United States of America, + more
