On January 20th, Barack Obama will be inaugurated as our president.

Washington, D.C. is preparing to host a big party with millions of guests. The occasion is the swearing-in of a new president, and it is even more historic because it is the first African American president. Up to 4 million people were predicted to be in Washington for the event on January 20th. Obama said he wanted his inauguration to be open to all Americans, not just the rich and powerful. Would you like to see this event in person?

The ceremony of swearing in a new president is called the inauguration. Every president takes the oath of office when he is sworn in, and here you see the words to that oath. What part of this oath do you think is most important? The oath is a promise that the president will do everything he can to obey and protect the Constitution. All presidents except one, Franklin Pierce, have taken the oath on a Bible, although this is not a requirement. Barack Obama will take the oath on the same Bible that Abraham Lincoln used when he was sworn into office in 1861. Why do you think Obama chose to use this Bible to take his oath? Every inauguration has a theme, and this one's theme is celebrating the 200th anniversary of Lincoln's birth.

After the president is sworn in, the U.S. Army Band will play something called "ruffles and flourishes" on drums and bugles. Then the band will play the song reserved only for the president of the United States: "Hail to the Chief." Why do you think there are so many traditions surrounding the inauguration of a new president?