Joe Biden frowns and Kamala Harris smiles

Brian Cahn/ZUMA Wire

Article Options

Presentation View
Teaching Resources

Reading Level

Focusing on the Future

Joe Biden and Kamala Harris will soon be sworn in as the nation’s new leaders.

January 18, 2021
By Yvette Berland

As You Read, Think About: In what ways did the 2020 presidential election make history?

DOMINICK REUTER/AFP via Getty Images

Joe Biden and his wife, soon-to-be first lady Jill Biden

Joe Biden will soon have a new place to call home: the White House. In November, Biden was elected the 46th president of the United States. In a record-setting election, Biden defeated President Donald Trump, receiving more votes than any presidential candidate in history.

On January 20, Biden and his vice president, Kamala Harris, will be inaugurated, or sworn in, and officially begin their new jobs. Biden says he wants to unite the country after a challenging election season.

“I will work as hard for those who didn’t vote for me as those who did,” he said in a speech on November 7.

Joe Biden will soon have a new place to call home: the White House. In November, Biden was elected the 46th president of the United States. In a record-setting election, Biden defeated President Donald Trump. Biden received more votes than any presidential candidate in history.

On January 20, Biden and his vice president, Kamala Harris, will be inaugurated, or sworn in. Then they will officially begin their new jobs. Biden says he wants to unite the country after a challenging election season.

“I will work as hard for those who didn’t vote for me as those who did,” he said in a speech on November 7.

Making History

OLIVIER DOULIERY/AFP via Getty Images

Kamala Harris and her husband, Doug Emhoff, whose title will be second gentleman

Biden is no stranger to the White House. He served as vice president under President Barack Obama from 2009 to 2017. Before that, Biden represented his home state of Delaware in the U.S. Senate for 36 years. At age 78, he will be the oldest person ever sworn in as president.

Harris is also making history. The U.S. senator from California will be the first woman to ever serve as vice president. She’s also the first Black person and the first Asian American to hold the second-highest position in the federal government. Harris wants to inspire more female leaders to follow in her footsteps.

“Every little girl watching tonight sees that this is a country of possibilities,” Harris said during her victory speech.

Biden is no stranger to the White House. He served as vice president under President Barack Obama from 2009 to 2017. Before that, Biden represented his home state of Delaware in the U.S. Senate for 36 years. At age 78, he will be the oldest person ever sworn in as president.

Harris is also making history. The U.S. senator from California will be the first woman to ever serve as vice president. She’s also the first Black person and the first Asian American to hold the position. The vice president is the second-highest position in the federal government. Harris wants to inspire more female leaders to follow in her footsteps.

“Every little girl watching tonight sees that this is a country of possibilities,” Harris said during her victory speech.

The Next Steps

Biden has been busy since his victory. For example, he’s been putting together a team of advisers known as the Cabinet. Each adviser, called a secretary, will oversee one of 15 government departments, such as defense and education.

But Biden technically won’t become president until Inauguration Day. In a ceremony at the U.S. Capitol, he will take the oath of office, promising to “preserve, protect, and defend” the U.S. Constitution. It’s the same pledge made by every president, beginning with George Washington in 1789.

After taking the oath, Biden will give his inaugural address. During this speech, the new president will lay out his goals for the country for the next four years. One of the top items on his agenda is coming up with a plan to end the spread of Covid-19. Biden says that he’s ready for the challenge.

“There has never been anything we haven’t been able to do when we’ve done it together,” he said. 

Biden has been busy since his victory. For example, he’s been putting together a team of advisers known as the Cabinet. The advisers are called secretaries. Each secretary will oversee one of 15 government departments, such as defense and education.

But Biden technically won’t become president until Inauguration Day. In a ceremony at the U.S. Capitol, he will take the oath of office. He will promise to “preserve, protect, and defend” the U.S. Constitution. It’s the same pledge made by every president. This practice began with George Washington in 1789.

After taking the oath, Biden will give his inaugural address. During this speech, the new president will lay out his goals for the country for the next four years. One of the top items on his agenda is coming up with a plan to end the spread of Covid-19. Biden says that he’s ready for the challenge.

“There has never been anything we haven’t been able to do when we’ve done it together,” he said. 

Turning Struggles Into Strength

As kids, both Joe Biden and Kamala Harris overcame obstacles that they say have made them better leaders.

Joe Biden

Courtesy of Biden/Harris

Joe Biden at age 10 in 1953

Biden has given countless speeches during his more than 40 years in government. But as a kid, he dreaded speaking in public. Biden has a stutter—a speech disorder that sometimes causes him to repeat sounds at the beginning of words. 

In school, classmates often made fun of him because of his stutter. But he says his mother always encouraged him, saying, “Joey, don’t let this define you.”

Biden learned some techniques to help control his stutter, like reciting poetry in front of a mirror. He still stutters from time to time, but he doesn’t let it stop him.

“It’s always with me,” he wrote in his autobiography, “as a reminder that everybody carries his or her own burdens—most of them a lot bigger than mine—and nobody deserves to be made to feel smaller for having them.” 


Kamala Harris

Courtesy of Biden/Harris

Kamala Harris at about age 8

Harris is a child of immigrants. Her mother was a cancer researcher who was born in India. Her father was a college professor from the island nation of Jamaica. Growing up in Berkeley, California, Harris sometimes faced discrimination. She recalls that a neighbor wasn’t allowed to play with her and her sister, Maya, because they were Black. 

In 1970, when Harris was in first grade, she was bused to a school of mostly white students miles from home. She was part of one of the first groups of students to integrate Berkeley’s public schools. Harris remembers something her mother often told her: “Kamala, you may be the first to do many things, but make sure you’re not the last.” 


Turning Struggles Into Strength

As kids, both Joe Biden and Kamala Harris overcame obstacles that they say have made them better leaders.

Joe Biden

Courtesy of Biden/Harris

Joe Biden at age 10 in 1953


Biden has given countless speeches during his more than 40 years in government. But as a kid, he dreaded speaking in public. Biden has a stutter—a speech disorder that sometimes causes him to repeat sounds at the beginning of words. 

In school, classmates often made fun of him because of his stutter. But he says his mother always encouraged him, saying, “Joey, don’t let this define you.”

Biden learned some techniques to help control his stutter. He practiced reciting poetry in front of a mirror. He still stutters from time to time, but he doesn’t let it stop him.

“It’s always with me,” he wrote in his autobiography, “as a reminder that everybody carries his or her own burdens—most of them a lot bigger than mine—and nobody deserves to be made to feel smaller for having them.”

Kamala Harris

Courtesy of Biden/Harris

Kamala Harris at about age 8


Harris is a child of immigrants. Her mother was a cancer researcher who was born in India. Her father was a college professor from the island nation of Jamaica. Harris grew up in Berkeley, California. She sometimes faced discrimination. She recalls that a neighbor wasn’t allowed to play with her and her sister, Maya, because they were Black. 

In 1970, when Harris was in first grade, she was bused to a school of mostly white students. The school was miles from her home. She was part of one of the first groups of students to integrate Berkeley’s public schools. Harris remembers something her mother often told her: “Kamala, you may be the first to do many things, but make sure you’re not the last.”

1. The article says that Joe Biden “is no stranger to the White House.” What does this mean?

2. How does the author support the claim that Kamala Harris is making history?

3. According to the sidebar “Turning Struggles Into Strength,” what obstacles did Biden and Harris overcome as kids?

1. The article says that Joe Biden “is no stranger to the White House.” What does this mean?

2. How does the author support the claim that Kamala Harris is making history?

3. According to the sidebar “Turning Struggles Into Strength,” what obstacles did Biden and Harris overcome as kids?

videos (1)
Skills Sheets (4)
Skills Sheets (4)
Skills Sheets (4)
Skills Sheets (4)
TEACHER SUPPORT (1)
Leveled Articles (1)
Text-to-Speech