American Famous President

American Famous President

These are the best presidents in American history, ranked by their lasting contributions to the country.  

John F. Kennedy  

The tenth best President, John F. Kennedy, was an inspiring leader known for confronting communism in Southeast Asia, Europe, and especially Latin America. His key foreign policy achievement was forcing the Soviet Union to withdraw nuclear weapons from Cuba during the 1962 missile crisis.

Domestically, he launched the ambitious "New Frontier" program, advocating for federal funding for education and aid for rural America, as well as promoting Medicare. This healthcare program for seniors was passed by Congress and signed into law three years after JFK's assassination, ending his presidency after just three years.

James K. Polk
Although James Polk died from cholera 3 months after he left office after serving only one term, he got a lot done.

He believed in Manifest Destiny, that American settlers were destined to move westward, and negotiated possession of the Oregon Territory from the British and purchased New Mexico and California from Mexico after defeating them in the Mexican-American War. He restored an independent treasury and enacted much of the democratic policy agenda.

Lyndon Johnson

Lyndon Johnson ranks eighth for his impactful domestic policy agenda, especially his “Great Society,” which included the Civil and Voting Rights Acts, a war on poverty, gun control, Medicare and Medicaid, the appointment of Thurgood Marshall to the Supreme Court, improved school funding, and environmental protections. However, his legacy is overshadowed by the Vietnam War escalation, prompting him to forgo a second term.

Dwight Eisenhower

Dwight Eisenhower, on the other hand, presided over the U.S. becoming the richest nation and the admission of Alaska and Hawaii. He launched the Interstate Highway System, established NASA, and promoted science education. A proponent of civil rights, he signed key legislation and used nuclear strategies to conclude the Korean War while focusing on low-cost nuclear weapons to address the Soviet threat and reduce the federal deficit.

Woodrow Wilson  

Woodrow Wilson ranks sixth for leading America into WWI, which shifted the conflict in favor of the Allies. After the victory, he proposed the League of Nations—an early form of the UN—but the U.S. Senate refused to join, weakening the organization and contributing to the rise of the Nazi Party in Germany.

Thomas Jefferson  

Thomas Jefferson, the founding father, the third President and author of the Declaration of Independence, significantly expanded the U.S. by purchasing the Louisiana Territory from France for $15 million, doubling the country's size. While he signed a bill in 1807 banning the importation of slaves, his legacy has been tainted by the fact that he owned slaves.  

Theodore Roosevelt  

42-year-old Vice President Theodore Roosevelt took over after William McKinley was assassinated.

He was the youngest man to become president. A true progressive, he was the first president to call for environmental conservation and greatly expanded the national parks system. His Square Deal also focused on an expansion of consumer protection laws and greater control of corporations. A man of his word, he dissolved 44 monopolistic businesses during his presidency. Teddy’s “speak softly and carry a big stick” policy built up America’s navy, keeping the country militarily strong but out of wars. After helping Panama win independence, he negotiated US control of the construction of the Panama Canal there. Roosevelt won the Nobel Peace Prize for ending the first great war of the 20th century between the empires of Russia and Japan.  

...