Download Best and Worst US Presidents

Best and Worst US Presidents
1
2
3
Abraham
Lincoln
Franklin D.
Roosevelt
George
Washington
4
Thomas
Jefferson
5
Theodore
Roosevelt
6
Woodrow
Wilson
Republican
Democrat
Federalistleaning nonpartisan
1.58
Skillful leadership during the Civil War to preserve the
Union and abolish slavery, Gettysburg Address,
Emancipation Proclamation, Thirteenth Amendment
abolishing slavery and involuntary servitude,
2
Leadership during World War II and Great Depression,
fireside chats, New Deal, including SEC, Social
Security, unemployment insurance, Civilian
Conservation Corps, extensive infrastructure
investments through the Works Progress Administration
and other agencies, rural electrification, FDIC, Federal
Housing Administration, Fair Labor Standards Act, G.I.
Bill, creation of the United Nations, overcame
paraplegia, only President to be elected to four terms.
First President, founding father of the republic,
establishment of many precedents through acts such as
Judiciary Act of 1789, Residence Act of 1790, Bank Act
of 1791, Coinage Act of 1792, Naval Act of 1794,
2.83
establishment of the United States Cabinet, response
towards the Whiskey Rebellion, relinquished power
uneventfully after two terms. Only unanimously elected
president (twice). Only president with a state named
after him.
Set precedent for peaceful transfer of power between
rival political parties, Louisiana Purchase, Lewis and
Clark Expedition, intellectual leadership for liberty,
separation of church and state advocate, states' rights,
wrote the Declaration of Independence
DemocraticRepublican
4.42
Republican
Charisma, conservationism, trust-busting, Hepburn Act,
safe food regulations, "Square Deal," Panama Canal,
4.83
Great White Fleet, Nobel Peace Prize for negotiation of
peace in Russo-Japanese War
Democrat
World War I leadership, created Federal Reserve,
Federal Trade Commission, Clayton Antitrust Act,
progressive income tax, lower tariffs, women's suffrage
6.58
(reluctantly), Treaty of Versailles, sought 14 points postwar plan, League of Nations (but failed to win U.S.
ratification), won Nobel Peace Prize
World War II and Cold War leadership, Marshall Plan,
NATO, Truman Doctrine, desegregation of armed
forces, Fair Deal, forced to make many tough decisions;
7.18 "the buck stops here," ordered use of atomic bombs on
Hiroshima and Nagasaki to end World War II, contained
the Korean War, established the United Nations
(proposed by FDR)
7
Harry S.
Truman
Democrat
8
Andrew
Jackson
Democrat
9
expanded political participation to average American
citizens (but not yet women and slaves), "Jacksonian
democracy," eliminated national debt, Bank War, Trail
of Tears, hero general of the Battle of New Orleans
Cold War leadership, interstate highway system, era of
peace and moderate economic prosperity, emphasized
10.73
free markets but kept New Deal reforms, enforced
Supreme Court desegregation, World War II Supreme
Allied Commander
9
Dwight D.
Eisenhower
Republican
10
James K.
Polk
Democrat
11.08
Federalist
Set precedent for peaceful transfer of power between
rival political parties, established Department of the
12.17 Navy, criticized for unconstitutional Alien and Sedition
Acts, prevented war with France, though many
Americans wanted it after XYZ Affair
Democrat
Cold War leadership, proposed Civil Rights legislation,
defused Cuban Missile Crisis, "Ich bin ein Berliner"
12.5 speech in West Berlin, Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, Project
Apollo, Peace Corps, New Frontier, early death left
impression of unfulfilled promise, Bay of Pigs
11 John Adams
12
John F.
Kennedy
13
James
Madison
14
Lyndon B.
Johnson
Mexican-American War leadership, annexation of
Texas, acquisition of Mexican territories (California,
etc.), settled conflict with British over Oregon Territory
DemocraticBlamed for mishandling War of 1812, main architect of
12.67
Republican
United States Constitution
Democrat
13.6
Vietnam War quagmire, Civil Rights, Voting Rights
Act, Great Society: Medicare (United States),
Elementary and Secondary Education Act, Higher
Education Act of 1965, War on Poverty welfare
programs, Head Start, Department of Transportation,
1965 Immigration Act,
Worst Presidents
Benjamin
Republican
Harrison
31
Calvin
Coolidge
27.33
Republican
Failure to
convince
country of his
leadership
capabilities,
tariff issue
handling, loss of
party leader
support
28.42
Lack of interest in exerting executive
or federal power (regarded as a
strength by some and by others as a
major cause of the Great Depression),
Kellogg-Briand Pact
29.2
Vietnam War, Normalization of
relations with China, détente, AntiBallistic Missile Treaty, Clean Water
Act, creation of Environmental
Protection Agency, corruption
(Watergate scandal, harassment of
opponents via FBI and IRS),
resignation to avoid impeachment
32
Richard
Nixon
33
James A.
Garfield
Republican
29.57
Brief administration (six months),
death prompted the Civil Service Act
and modern bureaucracy (limiting the
spoils system)
34
Zachary
Taylor
Whig
29.58
Short term, opposed slavery
expansion westward, did not support
Compromise
35
John Tyler
Whig/none
31.75
Lack of support from any political
party, post-presidency service in
Confederate House
36
Millard
Fillmore
Whig
32.41
Fugitive Slave Act, Perry expedition
and Convention of Kanagawa
Republican
37
Ulysses
Grant
Republican
33.42
Administration (but not Grant
himself) corrupt, Civil Rights Act of
1871 (including activities to breakup
the Ku Klux Klan), failures during
Reconstruction, alcoholism
38
William
Henry
Harrison
Whig
33.57
Extremely brief administration (30
days)
39
Andrew
Johnson
Democrat/none
34.67
Impeded Reconstruction, vetoed
civil rights legislation,impeachment
40
Franklin
Pierce
Democrat
34.92
Failure to avert the Civil War,
Kansas-Nebraska Act, Gadsden
Purchase, , died from alcoholism
41
James
Buchanan
Democrat
36.58
Failure to avert Civil War, failed to
act during secession crisis, role in
Dred Scott decision,
37.33
Corrupt administration, opposed
internationalism and Wilson's League
of Nations, moved America into
isolationism, presided over "Roaring
Twenties," confided "I am not fit for
this office and never should have
been here," numerous affairs,
42
Warren G.
Harding
Republican
Rankings by Liberals and Conservatives
Rank
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
...
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
Liberals (n=190)
Lincoln
FD Roosevelt
Washington
Jefferson
T Roosevelt
Wilson
Jackson
Truman
LB Johnson
John Adams
Conservatives (N=50)
Lincoln
Washington
FD Roosevelt
Jefferson
T Roosevelt
Jackson
Truman
Wilson
Eisenhower
John Adams
Coolidge
Pierce
Buchanan
Andrew Johnson
Grant
Nixon
Harding
Carter
Nixon
Pierce
Andrew Johnson
Buchanan
Grant
Harding
Best and Worst Presidents
Top Ten Best
1. Lincoln (best)
Top Ten Worst
1. Buchanan (worst)
2. F. Roosevelt
2. A. Johnson
3. Washington
3. Pierce
4. T. Roosevelt
4. Harding
5. Truman
5. W. Harrison
6. Wilson
6. Tyler
7. Jefferson
7. Filmore
8. Kennedy
8. Hoover
9. Eisenhower
9. Grant
10. L. Johnson (10th best)
10. Arthur (10th worst)
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