2. A first lady acted as president of the United States.
Back in 1919, Woodrow Wilson, the 28th president of the United States suffered from a massive stroke, so the first lady, Edith Wilson, began making important decisions on his behalf. She even managed to prevent the news about Wilson’s health condition from getting out to the public.
In fact, she actually convinced the people that her husband needed some rest and he would be conducting the official business from his bedroom suite. To avoid her husband resigning, the first lady became the de facto president. Historians estimate that she led the country for a year and five months.