Chester Arthur – 152.3
Chester Arthur, the 21st President of the United States, was born in Vermont to an Irish immigrant couple who came to the United States as children. While he was constantly informed that he “looked like a president,” he only appeared in the role when President James Garfield passed away in 1881, when he became president. The vice president-turned-president had been in the White House from 1881 to 1885, and he is best remembered for the passage of the Pendleton Act, which was signed into law in 1885. He ensured that citizens would be able to gain positions in the federal government through a system that was focused on merit rather than their political affiliations and connections. The Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act also mandated the use of tests to screen applicants for positions in the civil service. During his administration, Arthur also enacted the nation’s first federal immigration legislation, which was intended to prevent “paupers, criminals, and lunatics” from entering the country. Did you know that Chester Arthur possessed an IQ of 152.3 points? Even for a president, that is an extremely high number.
Chester Arthur
