Presidential Ranking
In the first column, you must rank the first 16 presidents in the list you think they did the best. If you place a president at number 1 they are the best president,
and if you place a president at number 16, you see them as the worst.
In the second column, you list the achievements and/or characteristics that make the president a good president.
In the third column, you place the failures and/or characteristics that make the person a bad president.
Note: Every president should have some good and some bad. There should be no blank boxes
Sample Solution
1. Franklin D. Roosevelt | Achievements: Ended the Great Depression through his New Deal programs, strengthened relationships between labor and management, supported civil rights legislation; Characteristics: Energetic leader, brought much-needed hope to citizens during a difficult time| Failures: Did not act quickly enough on the Japanese Internment camps, failed to stop poverty in rural areas of America
2. Abraham Lincoln |Achievements: Led the country through the Civil War and abolished slavery; Characteristics: Great orator with strong leadership skills| Failures: Suspended habeas corpus, allowed for some freedom of speech erosion
3. George Washington | Achievements: Established presidential precedent by setting a two-term limit for himself; Characteristics: Wise statesman who set limits on executive power| Failures : Accepted slavery as part of society despite believing it was wrong
4. Thomas Jefferson | Achievements: Authored Declaration of Independence; Characteristics : Visionary thinker who championed individual liberty|Failures : Owned slaves and didn’t make any serious attempts at abolishing it
5. John F Kennedy |Achievements : Launched ambitious initiatives such as the Peace Corps and space exploration program ;Characteristics : Charismatic leader who inspired generations of Americans with his speeches and vision of a better world|Failures : Failed to solve Cuban Missile Crisis peacefully
6. Dwight Eisenhower |Achievements : Ended Korean War while avoiding another World War III ; Characteristics : Humble leader but firm in decision making when needed|Failures : Failed to address social issues like racism or segregation
7. Ronald Reagan |Achievements : Boosted economy after severe recession period with tax cuts , ended Cold War peacefully;Characteristics := Charismatic communicator with strong convictions about government’s role in economic growth|Failures = Increased national debt substantially over two terms
8 .Harry S Truman |Achievements := Achieved victory in WWII , ushered nuclear age through use of atomic weapons on Japan ;Characteristic=Decisive action taker kept pushing forward even if unpopular decisions were made during times war situations || Failures = Responsible for disastrous U.S foreign policy actions (Korea)
9 .James K Polk | Achievements := Extended US borders from sea to shining sea via Oregon Treaty & Mexican Cession , approved 1st American flag redesign since 1777||Characteristic = Drove complex international diplomatic negotiations that improved US security & commerce;; Failures = Supported annexation Hawaii which may have been illegal due to lack congressional approval
10 .Jimmy Carter || Achievements= Brokered Camp David Accords & negotiated Panama Canal treaty , launched comprehensive energy plan ;Characteristic= Strong moral compass guided by human rights principles ||failure= Ineffective handling Iran Hostage Crisis
11 .Lyndon Johnson|| Achievement= Signed Civil Rights Act into law , established Medicare/Medicaid programs ;;Characteristic = Skilled negotiator using carrot/stick method applied domestic agenda items|| Failure s = Escalated Vietnam conflict without clear victory strategy
12 .Theodore Roosevelt || Achievement s+= Launched conservation movement in America, won Nobel Peace Prize for negotiating end Russo-Japanese War ;;Characteristics+ Progressive reformer aiming protect public interest against corporate abuses||Failure s -= Oversaw decline relationship between US & Latin America due heavy handed interventions
13 .William McKinley|| Achievements+= Secured Spanish cession Puerto Rico Guam Philippines [ anti colonialism ] ;;Characteristics+ Diplomatic savvy able craft successful trade deals while minimizing conflicts [e g China] ;Failure s -= led nation into Spanish American War thus expanding imperialist elements United States
14 .Grover Cleveland ||Achievements += Restrained federal spending + vetoed pension bill aimed benefiting Union veterans ++First president serve non consecutive terms[refused be bound Republican/Democratic party notions ];Characteristi cs += Believed strongly that executive branch must remain limited scope according Constitution;;Failure s -= Did attempt prevent Panic 1893 despite apparent awareness approaching financial crisis
