Historical rankings of presidents of the United States

Historians (and sometimes political scientists) are surveyed and asked to give presidents of the United States number ratings on their overall performance or on different aspects of their leadership.

Several different factors are considered in deciding what makes one a good or bad president. These include their character, their vision for the country, their relations with congress, their relations with foreign leaders (diplomacy), how they managed the economy, how they managed the military, and their overall political skill.

To make sure the rankings are fair, many surveys equally balance the opinions of Democrats and Republicans.

It is sometimes difficult to accurately rank a president because all of the presidents faced completely different challenges.

Historical opinions of U.S. presidents may change over time. For example, Harry S. Truman had very low approval ratings after he left office, but many historians now consider him among some the greatest presidents.

General findings

Highly ranked

 
Abraham Lincoln is rated as one of the best presidents for his leadership during the American Civil War and his eloquence in speeches such as the Gettysburg Address.

The following presidents are usually ranked highly:

Mixed ratings

 
President George H. W. Bush has had mixed polling opinions due to his success in the Persian Gulf War, but the economy struggled during his presidency.

Some presidents have mixed ratings. For example, Andrew Jackson stood for the common man, but was criticized for implementing the Trail of Tears. Ulysses S. Grant is thought to be a bad leader since he had corruption surrounding him, but he helped African-Americans to have more rights in the Reconstruction Era.

Examples of presidents with mixed opinions include:

Low in rankings

 
Donald Trump is rated as one of the worst United States presidents due to being impeached twice by Congress and for inciting the 2021 United States Capitol attack.

Not ranked

  • Joe Biden (not yet ranked in polls because he is currently in office)

Historical Rankings Of Presidents Of The United States Media

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