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Question: Why did the president start his term on jan 20 after truman when it used to start on march 4th!?
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The change occurs earlier than Truman!. In 1933 the 20th Amendment was ratified; it moved the date to the start and end of presidential terms to January!. This was to shorten the term of lame-duck presidencies (time during which there is an outgoing president rendered powerless because there is already a new president-elect!.

Because FDR was in office for so long, and because Truman takes office during FDR's term, we actually don't see a new president come in January until Eisenhower!. However, FDR and Truman were sworn in for their new terms in January, starting with FDR's 1936 term!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

To shorten the time the incumbent serves as a "lame duck" president!. In the 1800s and early 1900s communication and the travel time to Washington were much longer than it is today necessitating a longer time between the election and the inauguration!.Www@QuestionHome@Com