A research project from years ago was a 4-5 year study of Presidents, for a history book I wrote for each of my grandchildren. If there is an interest, I'll post some of the things I learned concerning each one - [fortunately I had finished it prior to the 'thing' in office now].
Anyway - here goes;
It's been said that Lawyers make up the majority of politicians, I guess to perpetuate their livelyhood, [make the laws they can attack in court].
Well here is a run down of the Previous professions of Presidents;
George Washington ---------------- Surveyor,Farmer/plantation owner, Soldier
John Adams ----------------------- Lawyer
Thomas Jefferson ----------------- Writer, inventor, lawyer, architect
James Madison -------------------- Lawyer
James Monroe --------------------- Lawyer
John Quincy Adams ---------------- Lawyer
Andrew Jackson ------------------- Soldier, Lawyer
Martin VanBuren ------------------- Lawyer
William H. Harrison ----------------- Soldier
John Tyler ------------------------- Lawyer
James Polk ------------------------ Lawyer
Zachary Taylor -------------------- Soldier
Millard Fillmore --------------------- Lawyer
Franklin Pierce --------------------- Lawyer
James Buchanan ------------------- Lawyer
Abraham Lincoln ------------------- Merchant, Laborer, Lawyer
Andrew Johnson ------------------- Tailor
Ulysses S. Grant ------------------- Soldier
Rutherford B. Hayes ---------------- Lawyer
James Garfield --------------------- School Teacher, Minister
Chester Arthur -------------------- School Teacher, Lawyer, collector of tarriffs
Grover Cleveland ------------------- Sheriff, Lawyer
Benjamin Harrison ------------------ Lawyer, Journalist
William McKinley -------------------- Lawyer
Theodore Roosevelt ---------------- Public Offical, Rancher
William H. Taft --------------------- Lawyer, Judge, dean of Law School at University of Cincinnati
Woodrow Wilson ------------------- Lawyer, Professor, President of Princeton University
Warren Harding -------------------- Newspaper Editor
Calvin Collidge --------------------- Lawyer
Herbert Hoover --------------------- Engineer
Franklin Roosevelt ------------------ Lawyer, Asst. Sec. Navy
Harry Truman ---------------------- Farmer, Men's Clothing Retailer, Senator
Dwight D. Eisenhower -------------- Soldier, Army Chief of Staff, President of Columbia University
John F. Kennedy ------------------- Writer, Congressman, Senator
Lyndon Johnson ------------------- Public Official
Richard Nixon ---------------------- Lawyer
Gerald Ford ------------------------ Lawyer, Congressman
James Carter ---------------------- Farmer, Writer, Governor
Ronald Reagan --------------------- Actor & Broadcaster, president of screen actors guild, Governor
George H.W. Bush ------------------ Businessman, Ambassador, CIA Director
Willliam Clinton --------------------- Lawyer, Law lecturer, Governor
George W. Bush -------------------- Businessman, Governor
[I did add this, only to let the grandkids know what was listed as his background at the time for history].
Barack Obama --------------------- Lawyer, Civic Organizer, Senator