Only four sitting vice presidents -- John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Martin Van Buren and George Bush -- were elected directly to the presidency in the entire history of the nation.

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It was played at the inaugurations of Presidents Martin Van Buren in 1837 and John Tyler in 1841, according to historians, and during the administration of President James Polk from 1845 to 1849 it became routinely played any time the president entered a room during public occasions.

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