Generations of American Leaders: Entry Into Leadership

Entry Into Leadership

For each generation, we calculate the share of leadership it possesses when its oldest members reach age 42. The share is calculated separately for three U.S. bodies: all senators, all representatives, and all governors. “National” leadership shares are the unweighted average of the shares in these three bodies.

We also list the first year in which each generation has any leaders, how many entered office in that year, and their average age in that year.

Entry Into Leadership Share When Oldest Members Reach Age 42 by Generation
Generation	Share (%)
Share calculation not applicable, as these generation’s oldest members reached age 42 before 1789.
Awakening¹	1701–1723	—	—	—	—
Liberty¹	1724–1741	—	—	—	—
Republican¹	1742–1766	—	—	—	—
Compromise	1767–1791	35.2	33.3	29.4	34.3
Transcendental	1792–1821	41.6	22.6	20.8	37.0
Gilded	1822–1842	31.6	12.5	25.0	27.0
Progressive	1843–1859	25.1	4.8	15.8	20.5
Missionary	1860–1882	22.8	6.5	11.1	18.9
Lost	1883–1900	14.8	4.7	10.4	12.7
GI	1901–1924	18.8	6.5	6.3	15.6
Silent	1925–1942	20.0	10.5	12.0	17.6
Boom	1943–1960	23.1	8.7	7.8	19.3
Generation X	1961–1981	10.0	2.0	2.0	8.0
Millennial	1982–2003	10.6	3.0	1.9	8.5

First Leaders Year, Number, and Average Age by Generation
Generation		Year	Count	Avg Age
Name	Birth Years	Year	Count	Avg Age
Calculations reflect only leaders’ who held office in or after 1789.
Awakening¹	1701–1723	1789	2	67.0
Liberty¹	1724–1741	1789	48	53.0
Republican¹	1742–1766	1789	62	39.0
Compromise	1767–1791	1795	2	27.0
Transcendental	1792–1821	1819	1	27.0
Gilded	1822–1842	1849	2	27.0
Progressive	1843–1859	1873	6	28.5
Missionary	1860–1882	1889	2	28.5
Lost	1883–1900	1913	4	30.0
GI	1901–1924	1929	1	27.0
Silent	1925–1942	1953	1	27.0
Boom	1943–1960	1971	1	27.0
Generation X	1961–1981	1993	2	31.5
Millennial	1982–2003	2013	1	30.0

Generation		Share (%)
Name	Birth Years	Rep.	Sen.	Gov.	Nat’l
Share calculation not applicable, as these generation’s oldest members reached age 42 before 1789.
Awakening¹	1701–1723	—	—	—	—
Liberty¹	1724–1741	—	—	—	—
Republican¹	1742–1766	—	—	—	—
Compromise	1767–1791	35.2	33.3	29.4	34.3
Transcendental	1792–1821	41.6	22.6	20.8	37.0
Gilded	1822–1842	31.6	12.5	25.0	27.0
Progressive	1843–1859	25.1	4.8	15.8	20.5
Missionary	1860–1882	22.8	6.5	11.1	18.9
Lost	1883–1900	14.8	4.7	10.4	12.7
GI	1901–1924	18.8	6.5	6.3	15.6
Silent	1925–1942	20.0	10.5	12.0	17.6
Boom	1943–1960	23.1	8.7	7.8	19.3
Generation X	1961–1981	10.0	2.0	2.0	8.0
Millennial	1982–2003	10.6	3.0	1.9	8.5