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Weather, death, war: How history changed Inauguration Day (Photos)

By WTOP Staff

Megan Cloherty, wtop.com

WASHINGTON – Death, weather, technology and religion: All have changed the course of presidential history on Inauguration Day.

From the first inaugural ball to the first live webcast of the president’s swearing -in, historians have catalogued the changes to how America has observed the change in leadership. The coldest inauguration, the warmest, the first where African Americans took part, the first to be photographed — from the first to the 57th, the ritual has changed nearly every four years.

Below is a look back at the photographs, lithographs, etchings, drawings and paintings that captured 29 presidential inaugurations where significant changes were made to Inauguration Day tradition.

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(Copyright 2013 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved.)

Emergency guide: What you should do to prepare for emergencies

By WTOP Staff
WASHINGTON — Do you know what you'd do if an emergency hits? What if you're at work, your spouse is stuck in traffic and your children are in school? There's no way to plan for every emergency, but you can make sure you're prepared for different scenarios, including making a plan for your family and building a kit of emergency supplies.
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