The 10 Best—and 10 Worst—Presidents in American History

A subjective appraisal of the job performance of Oval Office occupants—including the current one

8The Most Important Public Figures Who Never Held Elected Office

9The 10 Best—and 10 Worst—Presidents in American History

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T-1. Abraham Lincoln (1861–1865)The Great Emancipator and the savior of the Union. And he created the national railroad and the land-grant university system, all while fighting the war!

T-1. Franklin Roosevelt (1933–1945)His steady confidence, “bold, persistent experimentation,” and optimistic mien guided the nation through the Great Depression and the Second World War, reimagining both the federal government role and the country’s place in the world.

The best presidents used “the federal government to not only expand the American imagination of the ways in which the government can solve society’s biggest problems but also significantly and substantively improve the lives of millions.”—Candis Watts Smith, Duke University

3. George Washington (1789–1797)His greatest achievement may have been something he didn’t do. “He could easily have become president for life and did not,” University of Texas law professor Sanford Levinson noted.

4. Lyndon Johnson (1963–1969)More than one expert placed LBJ both on this list and on the “worst” list. But with the passage of time, his accomplishments at home, including Medicare, Medicaid, the Civil Rights Act, and the Voting........

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