The 40 Greatest U.S. Presidents Of All Time
With 44 Presidents thus far, we’ve compiled a list of 40 of them ranked from worst to best. C-SPAN recently commissioned experts to rank the U.S. presidents…and the results are in! The team of experts used a variety of factors when deliberating on the previous men in power: crisis leadership, international relations, vision while in office and public persuasion. The rankings include presidents from all the way back in 1774, to 2017…so who made the cut?!
Warren G. Harding
Warren G. Harding was the 29th president of the United States. The year he was elected into office was a landmark occasion…women were finally able to vote! Warren G. Harding was born and raised in Ohio and started his career in the newspaper industry where he owned his own paper called the Marion Star. Harding was very fond of Ohio, only leaving his small hometown when his job deemed it absolutely necessary. Between 1921 and 1923, Harding made a big decision, formally ending World War I by declaring peace with Germany, Hungary and Austria. Warren was very committed to stimulating the economy, putting all of his efforts in to improve the country at the time. When many scandals on the president and his cabinet came out, he sadly died of a heart attack. The pressure and shock must have all been too much to handle.
Warren G. Harding
John Tyler
John Tyler became president only after the death of President William Henry Harrison. Tyler was the 10th president and served for four years from 1841 to 1845. The election of John Tyler was very unique because he actually hadn’t been elected, but rather took over after the standing president had passed away. He earned himself the nickname “His Accidency”, and was almost impeached, though the attempt fell through. This was in fact the first attempt of an impeachment in history. He made many enemies in Congress by claiming he wouldn’t be a “passive” replacement president. Known for his strong opinions in general, this was also the case regarding slavery, and his support for the States making their own decision in the matter. Although don’t get us wrong, he did great for the country as well…he was responsible for brokering treaties with both China and Britain. Fun fact: he had the most children out of any presidents ever: 15 to be exact.
John Tyler
William Henry Harrison
Imagine being president and your term being known as a tragedy? That was unfortunately the case with the 9th president of the U.S., William Henry Harrison. Harrison actually died in the Presidential office, being the record-holder for the shortest term in office…a mere 31 days. Many claim that he died from catching pneumonia after his inauguration which happened to be on a very rainy and brisk day. William rode on horseback, refusing to wear a warm jacket and then proceeded to give a 2-hour speech in the nasty weather. Harrison is also known as “Old Tippecanoe” for leading the US troops to victory in the 1811 Battle of Tippecanoe. Can you believe Harrison was the first sitting president to be photographed? Too bad it was lost over the years. The Harrison lineage is actually very strong with William’s father being Benjamin Harrison, a founding father, and his grandson, with the same name, going on to become the 23rd president.
William Henry Harrison
Millard Fillmore
You know how we have the Republican and Democratic parties? Believe it or not, there used to be a party called the Whig Party. You probably haven’t heard of it because Millard Fillmore was the last President out of the party before it later lost its steam and fell apart. Amazingly enough, Millard was born into poverty, but worked hard to educate himself to ensure his children would not have the same fate. Millard was the vice president to Zachary Taylor, and later became President when Taylor passed away in 1850. Right after Taylor had died, his entire staff and cabinet resigned, leaving Fillmore in the dust, with no help. Fillmore was only president for 3 years, but made some pretty big deals while in office. Not only did he sign the Compromise of 1850, but he also developed a relationship with Japan, banning all foreign trade.
Millard Fillmore
Herbert Hoover
Herbert Hoover ran the country during one the hardest times in American history. Hoover was born in Iowa but raised in Oregon before going on to study at Stanford University during its opening year, where he found his true love, marrying her years later. Before he entered the world of politics, he was a businessman who spent most of his time working in China. When WWI broke out Hoover happened to be in Europe, and was recognized for evacuating over 120,000 Americans from France and Germany. Hoover was President during the great stock market crash and the beginning of the Great Depression. Imagine running the country during the worst economic crisis ever…yeah, neither can we!
Herbert Hoover
Chester Arthur
Chester Arthur, the 21st president of the United States was the son of Irish immigrants who moved to Vermont, where he was born. Chester became President only when President James Garfield was assassinated. People often said Arthur looked like a President, becoming the 21st in 1881. Chester Arthur was responsible for the Pendleton Act, which changed the face of government jobs. He was also responsible for the first immigration law of the United States, preventing “paupers, criminals, and lunatics” from immigrating to the United States.
Chester Arthur
Martin Van Buren
Martin Van Buren was also President during an especially difficult time, the Panic of 1837…and only 3 months into his term! Martin Van Buren was known as the “Little Magician”, advocating for the US Treasury to be independent from the government. Van Buren was also very unique because before becoming a US President, he was a Great Britain minister and the secretary of state for President Andrew Jackson. Martin Van Buren only served one term, from 1837 to 1841 and received a lot of backlash from citizens because of all of the businesses and banks he closed down during the depression. More credit was due to Van Buren because many of the policies he set forth changed the economy for the better, but the effects of these were only felt when he was no longer in office.
Martin Van Buren
George W. Bush
George W. Bush was the 43rd President, and was the 2nd in history to be the son of a former President. Before becoming the President, he was the governor of Texas for 5 years. President George W. Bush was in office for two terms, and two memorable terms to say the least. Bush was the President during the 9/11 attacks in 2001, later invading Afghanistan and starting the 2nd Gulf War in Iraq. In response to the devastation of 9/11, Bush established the Department of Homeland Security. Since he only won the popular vote by 0.5%, there was a recount in Florida, but it was later concluded that he won by the electoral vote, even though he lost the popular vote.
George W. Bush
Rutherford B. Hayes
The 19th president of the United States was President Rutherford B. Hayes from the years 1877 to 1881. There was a big dispute before he was elected President, he ended up losing the popular vote but winning the electoral vote. Can you believe it took months for them to decide if he was to become President? We also can’t believe that the famous Mark Twain promoted Haynes for the presidency! Before running for office, Rutherford was the governor of Ohio for three terms. He was apart of the Whig Party, and a big proponent for civil rights for African Americans in the United States. But, to no avail, a Democrat-majority Congress made this impossible. Rutherford’s wife was very legendary, being the first college-educated First Lady and for promoting the first alcohol-free White House.
Rutherford B. Hayes
Zachary Taylor
Zachary Taylor is another President known for an extremely short sentence, although he did surpass William Henry Harrison. Before becoming President, Taylor was a war hero, earning himself the nickname “Old Rough and Ready” for his leadership skills, especially during his service in the Mexican-American war. When he was in office, his main focus was the debate on slavery. Even though President Taylor himself owned slaves, he was a proponent for anti-slavery in the United States. During his time, New Mexico and California were not states, but he encouraged both west coast areas to rethink their status.
Zachary Taylor
Benjamin Harrison
Benjamin Harrison comes in as the 30th greatest U.S. President, mainly due to his international relations and amicable relationship with Congress. Before becoming President, Benjamin Harrison served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Harrison, also nicknamed “Little Ben”, was responsible for assisting African Americans with voting rights. He also added five states into the Union: North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Washington, and Wyoming. Benjamin was the great grandson of founding father, Benjamin Harrison, and grandson to William Henry Harrison.
Benjamin Harrison
James A. Garfield
Before becoming the 20th President of the United States, James A. Garfield was a member of the House of Representatives. Prior to being in the House, he was a Union general during the American Civil War, fighting important battles such as Middle Creek, Shiloh and Chickamauga. Garfield was responsible for many important things while in office, such as building up the Navy, stopping corruption in the U.S. postal service and creating a universal education system. He was also very involved in civil rights activism, appointing many African Americans to government positions…Frederick Douglass being one of them! Sadly, after an assassination attempt, his health never fully returned.
James A. Garfield
Richard M. Nixon
Richard M. Nixon was known for being very skilled when it came to negotiating foreign affairs. Nixon was the 37th president and was in office for 1 term, from 1969 to 1974. Before becoming the 37th President, he was Vice President to President Dwight D. Eisenhower from 1953-1961. President Nixon got quite a lot done while in office, but is not higher on our list for the huge Watergate scandal he was involved in. Not only was Nixon responsible for desegregating the South, opening diplomatic relations with China, ending American involvement in Vietnam, signing the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty with the USSR, and bringing POW’s home, he also founded the Environmental Protection Agency, signed the anti-crime bill into law, and started the “War on Cancer”…what a mouthful!
Richard M. Nixon
Calvin Coolidge
Calvin Coolidge was the Vice President for President Warren Harding before becoming President in 1924. Interestingly enough, Calvin Coolidge gained more popularity after leaving office when compared with his popularity as President. The people of America saw his presidency as a time when dignity was restored to the position of President. Although he was very soft-spoken, he stood up for what was right, especially for those who didn’t have a voice. He was a big proponent for civil rights, although this did not always get approval from the government. He is arguably most well-known for the Indian Citizenship Act, granting all Native Americans on reservations citizenship. A biographer wrote, “He embodied the spirit and hopes of the middle class, could interpret their longings and express their opinions. That he did represent the genius of the average is the most convincing proof of his strength”.
Calvin Coolidge
Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter was in office from 1977 to 1981 as the 39th President. Amazingly enough, Jimmy Carter got into the political world after realizing his passion for the civil rights movement and equality for all. Growing up, Jimmy lived on a peanut farm, helping his family run their successful business. Carter had his fair share of crises while in office, most notably the 1979 Energy Crisis and the Iran Hostage Crisis. Jimmy Carter is another President who achieved amazing results in such a short period of time; he was behind the Camp David Accords, leading Egypt and Israel to a peace treaty, and he created both the Department of Education and the Department of Energy. Although he did lose the 1980 election to Ronald Reagan, he ended up winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 for his NGO The Carter Center. His popularity is attributed to his moral authority and for perusing equal justice for all American citizens.
Jimmy Carter
Gerald R. Ford Jr.
After Richard Nixon resigned, Gerald R. Ford Jr. became President, serving the country from 1974 to 1977. His most notable contribution to the country was his activism in the Helsinki Accords, thawing relations with the Soviet Union during the Cold War. Originally from Michigan, he began his career as a lawyer, later pushing him into the political world. Ford Jr. is well remembered for leading the country through a serious economic depression. He holds the title for being the only man to serve as both president and vice president without being elected.
Gerald R. Ford Jr.
William H. Taft
President William H. Taft was in office from 1909 to 1913 and was the 27th president of the United States. Taft was from Ohio, later studying law at Yale, and was supposedly a member of the Skull and Bones secret society. Proving his talent as a lawyer, he was appointed as a judge while in his 20’s! Interestingly enough, William H. Taft served his term as President, and then 8 years later, went on to become the Chief Justice of the United States. Fun Fact: he is the only man to ever do this! While President, he mainly focused on East Asia and Latin America.
William H. Taft
Grover Cleveland
Grover Cleveland was President from 1885-1889, losing the re-election, he ran again in 1893, winning, serving his second term until the year 1897. Grover is known for his very fiscal policy and for being an advocate for political reform. During the President’s second term, he had a lot of crises to handle; the Panic of 1893 and the 1894 Pullman Strike took their toll. The Cleveland family moved to Massachusetts from Cleveland, England in 1635, being one of the first families to move to the new world. Grover was known for his public speaking and persuasion.His biographer later wrote, “He possessed honesty, courage, firmness, independence, and common sense. But he possessed them to a degree other men do not”. Although he did not have a great second term, Grover Cleveland is still considered one of the better US presidents.
Grover Cleveland
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant was a war hero, a commanding general of the Union Army during the Civil War, before becoming the 18th U.S. President. Grant went to the military academy, West Point, becoming well-known while serving in the Mexican-American War just a few years after graduating. Ulysses S. Grant was very well-liked by the public, mainly for excelling at international relations, for his high moral authority, public persuasion, and most notably for perusing equal justice for all. Grant took a strong stand against the KKK, and appointed both African Americans and Jewish Americans into office for the first time ever.
Ulysses S. Grant
John Quincy Adams
John Quincy Adams, also known as JQA , was the 6th President of the United States, serving from 1825 to 1829. He was also the son of the founding father and president, John Adams. JQA had a desire for all to be treated equally, a vehement anti-slavery proponent. According to him, he was “the acutest, the astutest, the archest enemy of southern slavery that ever existed.” President JQA advocated for nonintervention policies, preferring to stay out of European politics, and was known for being extremely against the annexation of Texas. Fun Fact: John Quincy Adams is the president who holds the record for the oldest surviving photo of a president, dating back to 1843, when he was 76 years old.
John Quincy Adams
George H. W. Bush
George H. W. Bush is the father of George W. Bush. George H.W. was President for one term, from 1989 to 1993. He was previously in the White House for 8 years, as Vice President to the then President Ronald Reagan. George H.W. was known for being an excellent leader in times of crises and for being extremely skilled in international relations. While he was in office, he saw quite a number of historical events, including the fall of the Berlin Wall, the first Gulf War, and the end of the Cold War. George H.W. Bush was responsible for the Clean Air Act and the Americans With Disabilities Act. The late president was also also one of the signees of the North American Free Trade Agreement between the US, Canada, and Mexico. Amazingly, this president holds the record for the longest presidential marriage, 73 years!
George H. W. Bush
John Adams
John Adams was the 2nd president of the United States, serving from 1797 to 1801. He is one of the founding fathers of America, and known as “the father of the American Navy” for building up the navy while in office. John Adams only served one term because Thomas Jefferson beat him in the following election. John Adams is remembered best for resolving the nation’s conflict with France.
John Adams
Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson was in office for one term, from 1829 until 1837 and fun fact: he is on the 20 dollar bill! Funny enough though, he preferred gold and silver coins instead and was against paper money. During the Revolutionary War, Andrew Jackson was held captive by the British when he was just 13 years old! This makes him the only U.S. president who was a prisoner of war, and he is the only leader to pay off all of the national debt. He was also very well liked for preventing South Carolina from seceding from the Union.
Andrew Jackson
James Madison
James Madison was the 4th president of the United States, serving from 1809 to 1817. Madison is a founding father and is known as the “father of the constitution”. He was very well-liked because of his superb performance during his 8 years in office. James Madison was a very smart man, he finished college in just 2 short years, and was actually the first graduate student at Princeton University. Madison was in office during the War of 1812, guiding the country through the tough time. He was responsible for creating a national bank and for making both the military and government powers stronger. His wife, Dolly Madison, was a very involved First Lady, redecorating the White House, and establishing and leading public outreach programs for orphans. Dolly solidified the role of First Lady, all of the women succeeding her hoped to live up to her standards.
James Madison
William McKinley Jr.
William McKinley Jr. was the 25th President of the United States, serving from 1897 to 1901. McKinley Jr. was the last president to serve in the Civil War, and was mainly remembered for leading the U.S. to victory during the Spanish-American war and for advancing and improving the US economy. William McKinley Jr. was in office when the U.S. had major movement…when Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines became US territories! Although, he was very well-liked for many reasons, he was not liked for not perusing equal justice for all citizens.
William McKinley Jr.
Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton was the 42nd president of the United States, and served 2 terms, from 1993 until 2001. Bill Clinton had the longest period of economic expansion during peace of any president, ever in office. Clinton was very dedicated to promoting peace around the world, and he created welfare and health insurance for children, a major feat. White House reporter Helen Thomas said, “He has brought on the greatest prosperity we have ever known and he doesn’t get the credit for it and that’s too bad”. Bill Clinton’s approval rating was the highest it had been since World War II at 60%.
Bill Clinton
James K. Polk
James K. Polk was the 11th president of the U.S., in office from 1845 until 1849. The inauguration of James K. Polk was the first to ever be broadcasted in the news…by telegraph! While he was in office, U.S. territory greatly expanded, mainly due to the Mexican Cession of 1848. Polk is also remembered for annexing Texas and for leading America to victory during the Mexican-American War.
James K. Polk
James Monroe
The 5th president of the United States was also a founding father, serving from 1817 until 1825. James Monroe won his election in a landslide, his time as president being donned “the Era of Good Feelings”. He was a soldier in the American Revolutionary War and is remembered best for his foreign policy, known as “The Monroe Doctrine.”
James Monroe
Barack Obama
Barack Obama was the 44th president of the United States, serving the country from 2009-2017. His election into office was legendary because he was the first African-American to ever hold the title. Barack Obama created the Affordable Care Act, reforming health care for all Americans. He is also remembered for normalizing the country’s relations with Cuba, brokering a nuclear deal with Iran, and for repealing the military’s “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” policy.
Barack Obama
Woodrow Wilson
The 28th president of the United States was Woodrow Wilson, who served from 1913 to 1921. While he was in office, World War I was taking place; he led the country to the end of the war, and assisted in the Treaty of Versailles, helping to end the war. After the war ended, he is famously quoted saying “at last the world knows America as the savior of the world!” Wilson was also remembered for pushing for the U.S. to join the League of Nations (now known as the United Nations) but his idea fell short when congress nixed it.
Woodrow Wilson
Lyndon Baines Johnson
The 36th president of the U.S. was in office from 1963 until 1969. Lyndon Baines Johnson, also known as LBJ, was known for making leaps and bounds for the country domestically. He passed many laws dealing with welfare, gun laws and civil rights. LBJ also expanded Medicare and Medicaid and passed Social Security into law.
Lyndon Baines Johnson
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan was the 40th president of the United States, serving the country for two terms, from 1981 until 1989. President Reagan was arguably best well-known for Reaganomics, his economic policy which called for increased military spending, decreased social spending, widespread tax cuts, and the deregulation of domestic markets. He is also well-known for ending the Cold War and for the Iran-Contra affair. Many may remember his famous speech at the Berlin Wall telling Soviet General Secretary Gorbachev to “tear down this wall!”.
Ronald Reagan
John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy, also known as JFK, was the 35th president of the United States, serving from 1961 until 1963. His term was so short because sadly, he was assassinated in 1963. JFK is the only Roman Catholic to ever be president. He is most well-known for being the leader during the Cuban Missile Crisis and for establishing the Peace Corps.
John F. Kennedy
Thomas Jefferson
The 3rd president of the U.S. served from 1801-1809 and is one of the founding fathers. Thomas Jefferson was the primary author of the Declaration of Independence and set up the Louisiana Purchase with France, doubling United States territory. Jefferson was a strong advocate for religious freedom and tolerance for all, but failed to advocate for equal justice.
Thomas Jefferson
Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman was in office from 1945 until 1953, and was the 33rd president of the United States. The World War I army veteran became president just after World War II ended. Truman is the only president who has ever used nuclear weapons, and the president who used his veto power the most…180 times!
Harry S. Truman
Dwight D. Eisenhower
The 34th president of the U.S. was Dwight D. Eisenhower who served from 1953 until 1961. Eisenhower is most well-known for reversing President Truman’s policy by desegregating the army. Dwight D. Eisenhower, nicknamed Ike, is one of the most admired men in the world of politics, ever.
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Theodore Roosevelt
The 26th president of the United States was in office from 1901 to 1909 and comes in at #4 on our list. Theodore Roosevelt, nicknamed Teddy, ranks second best for his public persuasion skills and fourth in international relations, administrative skills, economic management and vision. Teddy Roosevelt is best known for creating many monuments, national parks and forests. Roosevelt also expanded the Navy and began construction on the Panama Canal. He even won a Nobel Peace Prize for negotiating an end to the Russo-Japanese War!
Theodore Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt
The 32nd president of the United States served from 1933 until 1945 and was named Franklin D. Roosevelt or FDR for short. FDR is the only president to be elected four times, leading the U.S. to victory during WWII and through the Great Depression during his terms. FDR is known for the economic and social reforms he created as part of the New Deal.
Franklin D. Roosevelt
George Washington
George Washington was the very 1st president of the United States. He is a founding father, and was in office from 1789 until 1797. George Washington defined the nation and was instrumental in establishing the American government system. During the American Revolutionary War, George Washington was the leader of the Continental Army, ranking as the 2nd best president in American history.
George Washington
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln, nicknamed Abe, was the 16th president of the United States, in office from 1861 until 1865. Lincoln was responsible for many important milestones while in office, most notably, beginning the process of ending slavery, and leading the Union through the Civil War. In 1863, Abe set the grounds for abolishing slavery with his Emancipation Proclamation. This doctrine changed slaves in the South to free people. He also added the 13th amendment to the constitution, officially outlawing slavery. Unfortunately, he did not get to see it pass because it only did so after his assassination in 1865. Many polls show that the most admired and well-liked U.S. President of all time is Abraham Lincoln.
Abraham Lincoln