In the original Constitution there were no terms limits on how many terms a President could hold office.

The original U.S. Constitution did not establish term limits for the presidency, allowing a president to serve an unlimited number of terms. This was largely a reflection of the founding fathers' intention to provide flexibility in governance and a trust in the democratic process to elect or reject leaders. However, this changed after Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected to four terms from 1933 to 1945, prompting concerns about the concentration of power in one individual.

In response, the 22nd Amendment was passed and ratified in 1951, which limited presidents to two elected terms in office. This amendment was significant in shaping the modern presidency and ensuring that no individual could hold executive power for an extended period, thereby promoting democratic rotation in leadership and preventing potential authoritarianism. The change reflects a critical moment in American history where the balance between stability in leadership and the risk of too much power in a single person's hands was keenly evaluated.