Making History

As the presidential election nears once again, many of us are left remembering the greats of the past. As the saying goes, “Those who forget history are doomed to repeat it.” With that in mind, here are 20 presidents worth keeping in mind when it comes to grappling with voting woes.

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels

1. George Washington

It should come as no surprise that the most influential president was the very first. George Washington was appointed president in 1789 after an illustrious military career. His most noteworthy contributions include winning the Revolutionary War and establishing the U.S. Constitution.

Library of Congress on Unsplash

2. Thomas Jefferson

The 3rd U.S. president, Thomas Jefferson, was appointed in 1801. He was a known lawyer, diplomat, and philosopher at the time, and is credited with authoring the Declaration of Independence in 1776. He also led the Louisiana Purchase, which effectively doubled the size of the nation.

Rembrandt Peale on Wikimedia

3. Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln became president in 1861 and met an untimely end as the 16th president. His greatest accomplishment, and likely the reason he was abruptly removed from office, was his Emancipation Proclamation. This draft effectively freed the bondsmen and bondswomen trapped under the Confederacy.

Library of Congress on Unsplash

4. Theodore Roosevelt

The 26th president was none other than Theodore Roosevelt, who held office from 1901 to 1909. While he was one of the youngest people to ever hold the title, he was well-known for his Square Deal policies. These were policies that prioritized citizens, ensured food safety, and regulated railroads.

Library of Congress on Unsplash

5. Franklin D. Roosevelt

Franklin D. Roosevelt took office in 1933 and served longer than any other president, even going beyond the typical two terms. He finished his presidency in 1945 and oversaw the U.S. through the Great Depression and World War II.

Library of Congress on Unsplash

6. Harry S. Truman

Harry S. Truman was the 33rd U.S. president and finished his term in 1953. The decisions Truman made in office were some of the most harrowing ever, as he was the one who ordered the dropping of atomic bombs on Japanese cities.

Library of Congress on Unsplash

7. John F. Kennedy

John Fitzgerald Kennedy took office in 1961 and faced an untimely end in 1963 before he could finish his term. His policies revolved around lifting up the less fortunate and ensuring equality and opportunities for all citizens.

History in HD on Unsplash

8. Dwight D. Eisenhower

President Eisenhower took office in 1953 and was an integral player during World War II. He served as the Allied Expeditionary Force’s supreme commander and was a five-star general. In fact, he supervised the invasion of Normandy in 1944.

Library of Congress on Unsplash

9. Lyndon B. Johnson

Lyndon Baines Johnson was the 36th president to serve and quickly took over after Kennedy’s departure. He established critical legislation, including the Voting Rights Act and the Civil Rights Act, making him one of the most modern presidents around.

Yoichi Okamoto on Wikimedia

10. Barack Obama

Many of us were alive to welcome Barack Obama as the 44th U.S. president. He was much loved by the nation, serving two terms, and bringing a sense of freshness and modernity into the White House. He was also the first African American person to hold office.

Library of Congress on Unsplash

11. James Madison

James Madison was one of the first presidents, taking office in 1809. He is mentioned in the musical Hamilton, as he greatly contributed to the Federalist Papers, which ratified the Constitution. This gave him the nickname “Father of the Constitution.”

Library of Congress on Unsplash

12. Woodrow Wilson

The 28th president, Thomas Woodrow Wilson, was in charge during World War I. He altered economic policies and guided the League of Nations, coining foreign policies later called Wilsonianism.

Library of Congress on Unsplash

13. John Adams

While some consider John Adams a villain, he was undoubtedly influential and was the second president to serve. He was an avid thinker and was considered a political philosopher during his time.

Library of Congress on Unsplash

14. Bill Clinton

William Jefferson Clinton is another modern president who served from 1993 to 2001. His work on budgets helped balance and achieve a surplus, and he also lobbied against racial discrimination.

271277 on Pixabay

15. George W. Bush

President George Walker Bush was the 43rd president and was best known for his response to the attacks on the World Trade Center. He ordered forces into Afghanistan and practiced extensive military power, which some consider excessive to this day.

Library of Congress on Unsplash

16. Ronald Reagan

Ronald Reagan was an actor turned president who served from 1981 to 1989. He was one of the first truly conservative presidents to hold office within 50 years, and he promoted military and technological investments, strengthening U.S. defensive and offensive capabilities.

Library of Congress on Unsplash

17. John Quincy Adams

President Adams was the 6th to serve in 1825. He was actually quite unpopular at the time, due to his support of Native Americans, which angered settlers. Aside from this, he was known as a strong political scientist who held a stable office.

Library of Congress on Unsplash

18. James K. Polk

President Polk was in office between 1845 and 1849 and brought in both good and bad policies. For instance, he was able to craft and endorse a strong presidential agenda, but he also led the nation into an unfavorable war with Mexico.

Library of Congress on Unsplash

19. Andrew Jackson

Andrew Jackson was the seventh U.S. president and was considered a national hero due to his military feats at New Orleans in 1812. While he fought valiantly for ordinary citizens, he was horrendous toward people of color and Native Americans.

Library of Congress on Unsplash

20. James Monroe

James Monroe was made president in 1817 and was considered another founding father. Not only was he an integral player in the Louisiana Purchase, but he also eased tensions with the British and took ownership of Florida in 1819.

Library of Congress on Unsplash