The Importance of January 20th
According to the Constitution, the Inauguration of the President occurs on January 20 at 12:00 noon. Since this date falls on a Sunday, the president will take the oath of office in a private ceremony at the White House and the public ceremony will take place on Monday, January 21, 2013 at noon.
Constitutional Amendment XX – Section 1
The terms of the President and the Vice President shall end at noon on the 20th day of January, and the terms of Senators and Representatives at noon on the 3rd day of January, of the years in which such terms would have ended if this article had not been ratified; and the terms of the successors shall then begin.
2013 Presidential Inaugural Theme:
Faith in America’s Future
The theme, or focus, of Inauguration Day 2013 is a recognition and honor of our county’s perseverance, or determination, to have a successful government, run by the people. Our history as a country has not been easy, but due to our strong desire to succeed, we have worked through many hard times and have become a world leader.
Additionally, this inauguration takes place 150 years after the Capitol Dome was completed and the Statue of Freedom was placed at the top of the dome. This happened even thought the Civil War was happening at the same time. Abraham Lincoln said, “If people see the Capitol going on, it is a sign we intend the Union shall go on.”
For more information about the Inauguration, see the links on the right side of the page under Inauguration.