13 Best US Presidents According to C-SPAN Historian Survey

The list author says:
	"#1 LINCOLN: Lincoln’s life tells a good tale of America: Born in a log cabin to a common family, pursued an education, worked hard, cared about the American ideals, and wielded power in their defense."

The list author says:
	"He used brilliant skills to preserve the nation dedicated to the idea that 'all men are created equal.' Expanded presidential powers. Emancipation Proclamation. Gettysburg Address. Wise leadership."

The list author says:
	"Pulitzer Prize-winning book explains the struggle over slavery climaxing in civil war. LINCOLN quipped, 'Whenever I hear anyone arguing for slavery, I feel a strong impulse to see it tried on him.'"

The list author says:
	"#2 FRANKLIN ROOSEVELT: He created the modern presidency. The New Deal sought unemployment RELIEF, economic RECOVERY, and REFORM for a better capitalism. Decades of stable, booming prosperity followed."

The list author says:
	"Pulitzer Prize, Francis Parkman Prize, and National Book Award winner. FDR’s great work to save civilization from Hitler and fascism, and build a new post-war world, places him as a giant of history."

The list author says:
	"#3 WASHINGTON: His character and status brought international respect to the new presidency. He set head-of-state traditions, acted firmly against rebellion, and transferred his office uneventfully."

The list author says:
	"General WASHINGTON almost single-handedly carried the burdens of the Revolutionary War for eight years. He presided over the Constitutional Convention, helping win adoption by his mere participation."

The list author says:
	"WASHINGTON won the Revolutionary War despite very unfavorable odds and setbacks at the beginning. Also read Gordon's Wood's brief "The American Revolution" for the ideological side of the revolution."

The list author says:
	"#4 THEODORE ROOSEVELT: Used 'Bully Pulpit' to publicly lobby his issues. Conservationist. Trust-buster. Conservative yet progressive. Tough guy. Intellectual. Rough Rider. Writer. Semi-imperialist."

The list author says:
	"Pulitzer Prize. Passed safe food laws and landmark Hepburn Act to regulate railroads. Opened corporate books to inspection. "Square Deal" for workers. Achieved Panama Canal. Won Nobel Peace Prize."

The list author says:
	"#5 TRUMAN: Pulitzer Prize. He enacted FDR's U.N. Extended FDR's G.I. Bill to fund education for millions of veterans, expanding middle class. Proposed Fair Deal laws, including national health care."

The list author says:
	"TRUMAN waged the Cold War against Stalin. His Truman Doctrine, NATO, Marshall Plan, and Berlin Airlift protected Western and Southern Europe from USSR. Contained Korean War. Desegregated military."

The list author says:
	"#6 WILSON: PHD crusader for smart, just policies. New Freedom achieved Federal Reserve Act, Child Labor Act, Clayton Antitrust Act, FTC, lower tariffs, direct senate elections, graduated income tax."

The list author says:
	"Helped win women's voting rights. Led U.S. in WWI but failed to achieve his noble post-war plan to make world 'safe for democracy.' Created League of Nations; U.S. did not join. Won Nobel Peace Prize."

The list author says:
	"#7 JEFFERSON: Egalitarian aristocrat. Wrote Declaration of Independence. Architect. Farmer. Scientist. Inventor. Diplomat. Louisiana Purchase. Lewis & Clark Expedition. Opposed slavery yet had slaves."

The list author says:
	"JEFFERSON was Governor of Virginia, Secretary of State, V.P., achieved Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, championed Bill of Rights, and founded University of Virginia (designing the buildings)."

The list author says:
	"#8 JFK: Vigorous. Bright presidency. Moon mission. Peace Corps. Managed Cuban Missile Crisis. Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. Great economy. Sought civil rights, War on Poverty, tax cut, Medicare, the arts."

The list author says:
	"#9 EISENHOWER: WWII commander. Cold warrior yet peace era. Kept New Deal safeguards but emphasized free markets. Balanced budget. Built Interstate Highway System. Enforced Supreme Court desegregation."

The list author says:
	"#10 LBJ: Created Civil Rights Act, Voting Rights Act, EOA, Fair Housing Act, NEA, space programs, Immigration Act, tax cut, economic boom/inflation, War on Poverty (flawed welfare), Vietnam quagmire."

The list author says:
	"Pulitzer Prize. LBJ's Great Society created Medicare, huge education funding (K-12, college loans/grants, Head Start), Wilderness Act, clean air/water/soil, consumer protection, PBS, medical research."

The list author says:
	"#11 REAGAN: Great Communicator. Cold warrior. Advocate of free markets; states rights. Tax reform. Aided restructure/restore economy. Huge tax cuts for richest-2%. Huge deficits. Iran-Contra scandal."

The list author says:
	"In 1987 REAGAN and Gorbechev peacefully ended the cold war. Gorbechev won the Noble Peace Prize and Ronald Reagan Freedom Award for his lead role. Reagan skillfully applied the pressure and the charm."

The list author says:
	"Pulitzer Prize. In 1991 Gorbechev's Perestroika and Glasnost reforms caused the downfall of USSR after Soviet hardliners staged a failed coup in 1991. It is not true that "REAGAN won the Cold War.""

The list author says:
	"#12 POLK: He expanded U.S. borders to the Pacific: Shrewdly acquired Oregon Territory from Britain; won Southwest Territory and California through war with Mexico. Inflamed slavery expansion debate."

The list author says:
	"#13 JACKSON: Battle of New Orleans hero. Vibrant leader for the people. 'Jacksonian Democracy.' Strengthened presidential power. Smashed Bank of U.S. Neutralized nullification crisis. Trail of Tears."