The Greatest Presidents In US History Ranked

John Tyler

When President William Henry Harrison passed away, John Tyler became the United States’ 10th president, serving from 1841 to 1845, and the first ever to take over a former president who had died while in office, which means he became the first president that was not elected. In the debate on slavery, Tyler was in favor of giving every state the right to decide on their own regarding the matter, like any other matters, and because he made some enemies in Congress when he refused to be some “passive” replacement president, he earned the moniker “His Accidency.” The attempted impeachment he experienced was the first ever in American history, despite the fact that it fell through. As for international matters, he negotiated treaties with China and Britain and as for his personal life, he went down in history as the president who had the most number of children (he had 15).

John Tyler

Franklin Pierce

Unfortunately the 14th president of the United States didn’t get a lot of public love. He was an alcoholic and was sternly against the abolitionist movement. In his words, it was “a fundamental threat to the unity of the nation”. The Democratic president signed the Kansas-Nebraska act, effectively enabling residents of certain territories to decide their own legal status on slavery.

Franklin Pierce

Pierce’s Hit And Run

Back in the 1800’s, a hit-and-run was nothing like it is today. Before Franklin Pierce became the 14th president of the United States, he was arrested for running a woman over with his horse. Within his first year in office in 1853 he was acquitted of the charges.

Pierces Hit And Run

Andrew Johnson

President Andrew Johnson had quite a difficult act to follow. After the assassination of the beloved Abraham Lincoln, it was Johnson, as the 17th U.S. president who had to step into his boots. He was known for locking horns with Congress over and over again, and even faced impeachment. Lucky for him he was saved by a single vote.

Andrew Johnson

James Buchanan

Democrat Franklin Pierce didn’t have much of an improvement to make after his predecessor, Franklin Pierce. According to most historians, he had all the best intentions and even promised to operate on the level of the great George Washington! Unfortunately the 15th president didn’t live up to the standards of the first.

James Buchanan

Buchanan’s Buy-Free Slaves Gimmick

In order to save his reputation – being neutral on the slaver issue – James Buchanan bought slaves only to convert them into servants in his household. He was mainly worried about his sister and her husband, who owned slaves of their own. Buchanan wasn’t married, but he had a housekeeper who needed servants.

Buchanans Buy Free Slaves Gimmick

William Henry Harrison

William Henry Harrison held the record for being in office the shortest time (exactly 31 days), from March 4, 1841 to April 4, 1841, and was remembered mostly for tragedy, having passed away while serving as the 9th president of America. Harrison was the last living president prior to the American Revolution and he accumulated his fame when he led the military to victory during the Battle of Tippecanoe way back in 1811, for which he earned the nickname “Old Tippecanoe”. Even though he was the first photographed president, the image was unfortunately lost throughout the years and his grandson Benjamin Harrison, the son of the founding father Benjamin Harrison, became the 23rd president of the United States from 1889 until 1893.

William Henry Harrison

Harrison’s Untimely Death

Harrison is remembered by his very long inauguration speech, which was two hours long! He died of pneumonia after his inauguration, which happened on a wet, rainy day, and some people claimed that the reason he died was his refusal to don a warm jacket while riding on horseback then giving his lengthy speech.

Harrisons Untimely Death

Millard Fillmore

The last president from the forgotten Whig Party prior to it falling apart, Millard Fillmore grew up in poverty but succeeded in educating himself enough to ascend through the ranks and become vice president while Zachary Taylor was still president. After President Taylor died due to cholera, Fillmore succeeded to the presidency in 1850, but after Taylor’s death, all of the White House cabinet members resigned immediately, leaving the 13th president to form a new cabinet completely. He signed the Compromise of 1850 to try and keep a rift between the South and the North from developing (but he failed) from 1850 to 1853. Fillmore helped develop a relationship between the US and Japan, who had previously banned all international relations including international trade, which led to Japan allowing American ships to dock in Japan during his presidency if there were emergencies.

Millard Fillmore

Herbert Hoover

Herbert Hoover was America’s 31st president and he was in office during a very trying time in US history. Originally from Iowa, he moved to Oregon, then attended Stanford University when it first opened in 1891, and eventually married his college sweetheart, Lou Henry. Even though Hoover spent a lot of time working in China prior to his political career, he was in Europe during the eruption of World War I and he gained recognition when he helped evacuate roughly 120,000 American tourists who were in Germany and France at the time. He was in office from 1929 until 1933, and at some point during his term there was a stock market crash and the Great Depression began. Even during the trying circumstances, Hoover tried various tactics to help his country, including lowering taxes and convincing businesses to keep their employees, and he was forced to remain strong while the US economy was in the worst shape ever since change happens slowly.

Herbert Hoover

Hoover’s Secret White House Language

A long time before Hebert Hoover became the 31st president of the United States, he and his wife spent quite some time living in China. It was there that they learned Chinese Mandarin – a language they used to speak privately while in the White House.

Hoovers Secret White House Language

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Chester Arthur

Chester Arthur, the 21st president of the US, was born in Vermont to a couple of Irish immigrants and while many said that he “looked like a president,” Arthur only became president when President James Garfield was assassinated in 1881 since he was the vice president during that time. One of Arthur’s notable accomplishments while in office, from 1881 until 1885, was formally passing the Pendleton Act into law. Ensuring that people earned federal jobs in the government through a system which is merit-based, the Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act transformed the political roles system, kept people from getting jobs merely due to political affiliations, and started the utilization of exams to earn government jobs. While he was in office, Arthur signed the first federal law on immigration, which aimed to keep “paupers, criminals, and lunatics” from moving to the US.

Chester Arthur

Martin Van Buren

President Martin Van Buren served as president for only one term, from the year 1837 to 1841, during the massive economic crisis called the Panic of 1837. Beginning only three months after Van Buren became president, this was the crisis that is regarded as the first great depression of the United States and it was at this time that Van Buren advocated the independence of the US Treasury from the government and the separation of its funds so that they will remain safe despite political opinions varying and changing, a move which earned him the nickname “the Little Magician.” Van Buren had been appointed the Secretary of State by President Andrew Jackson before the former became the president and later, the “minister to Great Britain,” but due to the effects of the great depression, his presidency was under heavy scrutiny as the economic crisis resulted in massive amounts of businesses and banks shutting down. Nevertheless, the policies that Van Buren set ultimately revived the economy but when the time came for the effects to be noticeable, he was not in office anymore, so he never actually got the credit that he deserved for the actions he took on the matter.

Martin Van Buren

George W. Bush

The 43rd president of the USA, George W. Bush was the commander in chief when the very tragic September 11 attacks happened in the US back in 2001, and in response to the terror attacks, he established the Department of Homeland Security. Bush served as president for two terms, from 2001 until 2008, and when he was in office, he ordered Afghanistan’s invasion as well as the 2003 invasion of Iraq, which resulted in its leader Saddam Hussein being overthrown. Bush was the governor of Texas for five years before he became president when he won the presidential election in 2000 but since he won the popular vote by only 0.5% in Florida, a recount of the votes was done in the state, which was quite lengthy but still resulted in Bush becoming president after he won the electoral vote but lost the popular vote. Due to having a father (George H.W. Bush) who had been president roughly a decade before, George W. Bush is the second US president in history whose father is a former president.

George W. Bush

Bush Hears About 9/11

It seemed to be a quiet Tuesday morning when President Bush sat with children at the Emma E. Booker Elementary School in Sarasota County, Florida. The president was promoting literacy in America while reading and listening to children read The Pet Goat. This is the exact moment that his aide informed him of the devastating attacks on the World Trade Centers by Al Qaeda terrorists.

Bush Hears About 911

Rutherford B. Hayes

Rutherford B. Hayes was a republican who served as the 19th US president between the years 1877 and 1881, having won the electoral vote despite having lost the popular vote after several months of dispute (similar to the elections in the year 2000) and interestingly, the famous author Mark Twain also gave Hayes his support. He was a three-term governor of Ohio before he became president and he started his political career by being a member of the currently non-existent Whig party and he was also a supporter of the civil rights expansion of the black community, even though the Congress’ Democratic majority eventually got in the way of the efforts he made. He was also a famous advocate of civil service exams because he wanted to make sure that people who work for the government earned the jobs they have instead of just getting in due to political ties, which eventually became the Pendleton Act. Hayes’ wife is the first ever first lady who was college-educated and the first in history to vouch for an alcohol-free White House.

Rutherford B. Hayes

Zachary Taylor

Zachary Taylor, whose nickname was “Old Rough and Ready,” was the 12th President and was known for his very brief time in office, but before his political career started, Taylor was actually a well-known war hero owing to the leadership skills he demonstrated during his service in the military in the Mexican-American War, earning him his moniker. Taylor ended up being the last Whig Party leader to become president and from the time his term started in March of 1849, he was really focused on the debate of slavery, leaning towards the side of anti-slavery despite the fact he himself had slaves during that time. When he was still president, Taylor encouraged New Mexico and California to become states but he unfortunately died on July 9, 1850, while he was in office, after he got sick with cholera only a few days before. His untimely death resulted in people wondering if his sudden sickness was because he consumed ice water and milk which must have been contaminated or the massive amount of cherries that he ate on July 4th.

Zachary Taylor

Taylor Kills 600 Men

While stationed at Fort Harrison during the war of 1812, 600 Native American men attacked Zachary Taylor and his 50 men. Most of his men were actually sick, but they managed to fight off and kill the outnumbering attacking force. It could have easily been the last day of Taylor’s life.

Taylor Kills 600 Men

Benjamin Harrison

Benjamin Harrison was in the Union Army while the American Civil War was going on but he went on to become the 23rd US president, and a great one at that, having done extremely well at international relations as well as having had a great working relationship with the US Congress during his term of office (1889-1893). When he was president, he earned the nickname “Little Ben” since his great grandfather and namesake is founding father Benjamin Harrison. In addition, he was the only president whose grandfather was also a US president as he was the grandson of William Henry Harrison AKA “Old Tippecanoe.” Benjamin Harrison was memorable for advocating and enforcing the voting rights of African Americans and he was responsible for accepting into the Union the western states Montana, Washington, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming.

Benjamin Harrison

Harrison’s Fear Of Electrocution

It must be hard to imagine what it was like when electricity was first discovered. For President Benjamin Harrison, it was deathly frightening. He was so anxious about being electrocuted from his light switches that he actually went to bed on many occasions with the lights on!

Harrisons Fear Of Electrocution

James A. Garfield

The 20th president, James A. Garfield was the sole sitting member of the United States House of Representatives who was elected president. He was on the Union side during the American Civil War as a major general and he fought in quite a number of battles such as Chickamauga, Middle Creek, and Shiloh. During his presidency from March 4, 1881 until September 19, 1881, he accomplished a lot of admirable things like getting rid of corruption in the postal service and improving the navy. Aside from advocating the universal education systems, Garfield was also concerned with civil rights and appointed a number of African Americans such as Fredrick Douglass to well-known positions in the government, but because of the July 1881 assassination attempt, he suffered from multiple infections and his term was cut short.

James A. Garfield

Garfield’s Assassination

The 20th president of the United States, James Garfield was shot by Charles J. Guiteau at the Baltimore and Potomac Railroad Station in Washington D.C. The president had only been in power for four months at the time of the shooting. He survived the initial attack, but would die later due to complications.

Garfields Assassination

Richard M. Nixon

The 37th United States president, Richard M. Nixon was really talented when it came to negotiating foreign affairs and even while he was still President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s vice president from 1953 until 1961, Nixon had accomplished several impressive feats. During Nixon’s presidency between the years 1969 and 1974, he successfully ended the involvement of America in Vietnam, brought home POWs, established diplomatic relations with China, and signed with the USSR the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty. Nixon also funded the Environmental Protection Agency, enforced the desegregation in the South, signed the Organized Crime Control Act, and started the “War on Cancer”. During the elections in 1960, Nixon also ran but lost to the Democrat John F. Kennedy and if it were not for the Watergate scandal, Richard M. Nixon would have had a higher rank on the list.

Richard M. Nixon

Nixon’s Watergate Scandal

It’s hard for Americans to forget the Watergate Scandal. This incident led to a new perception of the Oval Office, and ultimately forced Richard Nixon out of the White House. The last thing he said was, “I have always tried to do what is best for the nation.”

Nixon’s Watergate Scandal

Calvin Coolidge

After the untimely death of President Warren Harding in 1923, Calvin Coolidge took over since he was the vice president at the time, but he also won the 1924 presidential election and was in office until 1929. A massive supporter of laissez-faire foreign policy and small government, Coolidge was really popular when his term ended because many people thought of his presidency as a period that had dignity in the role of the president, since the White House was embroiled in multiple scandals for several years. Coolidge had a soft spoken demeanor, fought for the things that he believed were right, and strongly supported racial equality and civil rights but even so, the rest of the government’s approval was something that he didn’t always get, like the time he wanted lynching to be made into a federal crime. Coolidge managed to pass the Indian Citizenship Act, which granted full American citizenship to all Native Americans on reservations, and his biographer wrote about him: “He embodied the spirit and hopes of the middle class, could interpret their longings and express their opinions. That he did represent the genius of the average is the most convincing proof of his strength”.

Calvin Coolidge

Coolidge’s Strange Morning Rituals

Some might find it bizarre that the 30th U.S. president had two pet raccoons who he affectionately named “Reuben” and “Rebecca”. However his pets have nothing on his morning ritual of having Vaseline massaged into scalp as he enjoyed his breakfast in bed.

Coolidges Strange Morning Rituals

Jimmy Carter

Because he was raised in a successful peanut farmers’ family, Jimmy Carter developed a passion for the civil rights movement when he was building up the family business, which then led to him starting a career in politics and eventually serving as the United States 39th President, with his term running from 1977 to 1981. During Carter’s presidency, he established the Department of Education and the Department of Energy, and he was also responsible for the Camp David Accords, which eventually led to the 1979 Egypt-Israel Peace Treaty. In the ranking process of C-SPAN, Carter scored high for pursuing equal justice for everyone and moral authority and he had to deal with multiple international crises while he was in office, like the Iran Hostage Crisis and the Energy Crisis in 1979. The nation’s general attitude was definitely affected by how all these events were handled, which resulted in his approval rating going down and causing him to lose to Republican Ronald Reagan in the elections in 1980, but Carter received a Nobel Peace prize back in 2002 for his NGO’s (the Carter Center) work.

Jimmy Carter

Carter’s Peace Deal

The 39th president brokered one of the most famous peace agreements in the Middle East. He did so by helping Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin and Egyptian President Anwar Saddat create a lasting peace deal. Israel was to give Egypt the Sinai, which Israel had conquered during the Yom Kippur War of 1973, and in turn Egypt would recognize Israel’s right to exist. The two parties received the Nobel Peace Prize.

Carters Peace Deal

Gerald R. Ford Jr.

After Richard Nixon stepped down as president, Gerald Ford took over and became the 38th United States president, serving from 1974 to 1977. He is known for his participation in the Helsinki Accords, a series of agreements aimed at improving relations between the Soviet Union and the Western blocs during the Cold War, and for granting former president Richard Nixon pardon. Hailing from Grand Rapids, Michigan, Ford pursued a law career which ended up leading him to a career in politics. The moral authority Ford had when leading the country through some severe economic depression definitely boosts his rank up considerably and he was the only person in US history who was vice president and president without being elected.

Gerald R. Ford Jr.

Ford’s First Assassination Attempt

President Ford hadn’t spent much time in office when Lynette “Squeaky” Fromme pulled out a Colt M1911 pistol and tried to shoot him. Amazingly the pistol didn’t fireand the Secret Service managed to grab the perpetrator, as well as evacuate the president. It was soon discovered that Fromme was a cult follower of the infamous Charles Manson.

Fords First Assassination Attempt

Ford’s Second Assassination Attempt

It didn’t take long for another woman to try her luck at killing President Ford. In fact it was exactly 17 days later and the would-be assassin was Sara Jane Moore. She pulled out her firearm and shot one bullet towards the president. She missed and an ex-Marine pounced on and disabled her. Unfortunately a taxi driver was the recipient of the bullet, but he did survive. So which president is next on our list?

Fords Second Assassination Attempt

William H. Taft

The 27th United States president, William H. Taft was the sole person in US history who served as a chief justice after being a president. Taft was from Ohio but he attended Yale University in order to study law and some people even say that he was a part of the Skull and Bones, the famous Yale secret society. When he was in his 20s, Taft excelled in law and he was even appointed as a judge. His presidency was from 1909 until 1913, during which Taft focused his efforts mostly on East Asia, more than matters concerning Europe, but he also intervened in Latin American affairs, which resulted in the notion that he either built or brought down governments.

William H. Taft

Taft’s Massive Weight Loss

Many comment that President Taft was the heaviest of all the presidents (no, not their combined weights). At one point his weight clocked in at 340 pounds! There was a steady stream of rumors claiming that he once got stuck in the bathtub! Regardless, after he left the presidency, he managed to lose a staggering 80 pounds!

Tafts Massive Weight Loss

Grover Cleveland

Grover Cleveland served as president for two terms, the first from 1885 until 1889, and the second between 1893 and 1897, since he lost the first re-election but wound up winning the second time around. Cleveland’s fiscal policy was praised by conservatives as well as his advocacy for political reform but during his second term, he had to handle the Panic of 1893, a really bad economic downturn, and a huge nationwide railroad strike called the Pullman Strike of 1894. Cleveland’s ancestors were among the first families who moved to the new world, having traveled from England and settled in Massachusetts in 1635, and his biographer wrote that Cleveland was a wonderful public speaker: “He possessed honesty, courage, firmness, independence, and common sense. But he possessed them to a degree other men do not”. Despite the fact that his second term was less successful, Cleveland is regarded as one of the country’s better presidents.

Grover Cleveland

Cleveland’s Marriage

President Cleveland holds quite a unique record for American presidents. He got married at the White House, making him the only president to do so. His wife was quite a lot younger than him – 28 years younger to be exact. Despite this, she was very mature and the public loved them as a couple.

Clevelands Marriage

Ulysses S. Grant

Ulysses S. Grant was a Union Army commanding general during the Civil War and he went on to become the 18th United States president, who was really popular when he was in office from 1869 to 1877. Grant fought in the Mexican-American War only a couple of years after he graduated from West Point, which is why he rose to prominence, and he became the youngest president, having been sworn in at 47 years old. Grant scored high because he had moral authority, excelled at international relations, had the ability to persuade the public effectively, and pursued justice for all Americans equally. People remember Grant as a man who was honest, as the first president to appoint African Americans and Jewish Americans to office, and as someone who strongly and openly opposed the KKK.

Ulysses S. Grant

Grant’s Inaugural Ball

In 1873, the inaugural ball for President Ulysses S. Grant was held. The event was to be one of the most beautiful, and the addition of canaries was supposed to ensure that. However at the time, temperatures dipped so severely that all the canaries froze to death! Some thought it to be symbolic, while others simply continued having a good time.

Grants Inaugural Ball

John Quincy Adams

The 6th US President who was in office from 1825 to 1829, John Quincy Adams, or also known as JQA, was the son of John Adams, a former president and a founding father. JQA was a staunch pro-equal rights and anti-slavery activist and he even called himself “the acutest, the astutest, the archest enemy of southern slavery that ever existed.” Adams preferred not to get involved in European politics and he strongly advocated non-intervention policies. In addition, he was strongly against the Texas annexation and his photo holds the record when it comes to the oldest surviving presidential picture, which was taken in 1843 when JQA was 76 years old.

John Quincy Adams

Adams’ Skinny Dipping Routine

John Quincy Adams had a daily routine of going skinny-dipping in the Potomac River in the morning. It wasn’t very uncommon for the population to do so at the time, but what happened to him one morning could be considered strange. A female columnist, dying for an interview with the president sat on his clothes perched on a rock and refused to get up until he agreed to an interview. He acceded.

Adams Skinny Dipping Routine

George H. W. Bush

George H. W. Bush was in office for one term, from 1989 to 1993, and he is the father of President George W. Bush. Before becoming president, George Bush Sr. served as Vice President for 8 years, when Ronald Reagan was president. George Bush Sr. was well-known for his skills as a leader (especially during crisis), was a skilled negotiator (really good for international relations), and during his presidency, there were several symbolic historical events, such as the Cold War ending, the Berlin Wall falling, and the first Gulf War. He was also behind several landmark acts, like the Clean Air Act, the Americans With Disabilities Act, and the North American Free Trade Agreement with Canada and Mexico, and if that isn’t everything, his marriage is the record holder for the longest presidential union, lasting 73 years!

George H. W. Bush

John Adams

John Adams was the 2nd United States president and served from 1797 to 1801. He was one of the founding fathers of America and when he was in office, he improved the navy, so he was remembered as “the father of the American Navy”. In addition, he famously settled a conflict between America and France, but he was only in office for one term, since Thomas Jefferson defeated him in the elections.

John Adams

Adams’ Shakespeare Souvenir

Before political rivalry got the better of them, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson were close friends. During a trip the residence of the playwright legend, William Shakespeare, the two chipped off a piece of Shakespeare’s chair. They wanted a souvenir of the English poet’s chair.

Adams Shakespeare Souvenir

Andrew Jackson

The 7th US president, Andrew Jackson was president for only one term, from 1829 to 1837. Nowadays, you may recognize him since his face appears on the twenty-dollar bill! Interestingly however, he was actually strongly against paper money and he advocated silver and gold coins. At the young age of 13, the British held him captive during the Revolutionary War, which means he held the record for being the only President that was once a prisoner of war. In addition, Jackson was remembered for preventing the secession of South Carolina from the Union and remarkably, out of all the US leaders, he was the only one who managed to pay off the national debt – all of it.

Andrew Jackson

Andrew Jackson’s Inauguration Party

President Jackson had a way with the people, and everyone felt like they could connect with him. This connection included the ordinary American folk. After concluding his inauguration speech, his party moved to what was supposed to be a small party at the executive mansion. However, hoards of supporters of all ages and backgrounds trailed the group and forced their way into the reception. People drank too much, looted the kitchen and dirtied the floors and carpets. Only by removing the alcohol from the building did the group leave.

Andrew Jacksons Inauguration Party

James Madison

A founding father and the 4th United States president who served between 1809 and 1817, James Madison was known as the “father of the constitution” and people fondly remember him for his great leadership skills. He was the first Princeton University graduate student, was at the top of his class, and finished college in only two years. Madison led the US during the War of 1812, helped strengthen the government and military powers, and established the national bank. In addition, the First Lady, his wife Dolly, solidified her role and became an inspiration and someone to emulate for all the future women in the White House as she famously did the redecoration of the White House as well as set up outreach programs for orphans.

James Madison

Madison’s Financial Woes

Even though James Madison had a successful presidency, after leaving office he would find himself in financial debt. He ran into all sorts of problems, from market prices discarding all of his profits to his own son using all of his finances for gambling and excessive drinking.

Madisons Financial Woes

William McKinley Jr.

Between 1897 and 1901, William McKinley Jr. was in office as the 25th United States president. He was the last president who led the country during the American Civil War and he also led America to victory during the Spanish-US War. When he was in office, the country had major movement as the Philippines, Guam, and Puerto Rico became US territories. In addition, he was well-liked for boosting the economy of the US, but he didn’t really pursue justice for all citizens equally.

William McKinley Jr.

McKinley’s Assassination

President McKinley’s secretary voiced his worry about a visit to Temple of Music in Buffalo, New York. He managed to call off the trip on two occasions, but on the third the president insisted on going despite the warnings of an assassination attempt. Sadly on September 6th, 1901, Leon Czolgosz closed in on the president and shot him twice in the abdomen. McKinley died 8 days after the attack.

McKinleys Assassination

Bill Clinton

Bill Clinton is the 42nd United States president and served two terms, from 1993 to 2001. During his presidency, America saw the longest economic expansion period during peace that it ever had under any president who served in office. Helen Thomas, a White House reporter, said, “He has brought on the greatest prosperity we have ever known and he doesn’t get the credit for it and that’s too bad.” In addition, Clinton’s approval rating of 60% is the highest since World War II.

Bill Clinton

Clinton’s Impeachment

The affair between President Clinton and Monica Lewinsky is still fresh in the minds of the American population. When first brought up, Clinton denied any sort of relationship with his young intern. But eventually he would come forward and admit that he was wrong.’Even presidents have private lives’, he said.

Clintons Impeachment

James K. Polk

James K. Polk was the 11th US president who was in office from 1845 to 1849. His inauguration was another major landmark since it was the first ever to be broadcast on the news using a telegraph! Also, Polk famously led America to victory in the US-Mexican War, and when he was president, there was an expansion of U.S. territory due to the Texas Annexation in 1845 and Mexican Cession in 1848.

James K. Polk

Polk’s ‘No Fun’ Rules

We all know that the president’s job is a serious one, but perhaps President Polk took it too far. He was adamant on keeping the White House as serious as ever. Believe it or not, he and his wife banned everything from card playing to drinking alcohol and dancing in the White House.

Polks No Fun Rules

James Monroe

The 5th United States president, James Monroe was in office from 1817 to 1825 and was also a founding father. As a choice for president, Monroe was quite popular and actually won in the election by a landslide. His time in office was later dubbed as the “the Era of Good Feelings”. Monroe fought in the American Revolutionary War and was renowned for his foreign policy called the “The Monroe Doctrine.”

James Monroe

Monroe’s Extensive Mule Travel

Nowadays we’re used to the sight of a presidential motorcade with a caravan of bullet-proof cars, but back in the 1800’s things were different. In 1805 President James Monroe embarked on a brow-raising journey to Madrid. His intention was to convince the Spanish to give up the territory known today as Florida to the U.S.A. He rode from Paris to Madrid by mule, but the Spanish were not impressed nor persuaded to make any changes.

Monroes Extensive Mule Travel

Barack Obama

Barack Obama was the 44th United States president and he is renowned for being the first ever African-American President elected in history. When he was president, from 2009 to 2017, he made a couple of historic moves, like signing the Affordable Care Act to reform health care. In addition, he left several legacies, like brokering the Iran nuclear deal, repealing the “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” policy of the military, and normalizing relations between the US and Cuba.

Barack Obama

Obama’s Inauguration

President Obama’s inauguration was a site to behold. Other than the massive turn-out, there was the American anthem sung beautifully by Beyonce. Obama’s words still ring in the ears of many, “Our journey is not complete until our gay brothers and sisters are treated like anyone else under the law.”

Obamas Inauguration

Woodrow Wilson

The 28th United States president, Woodrow Wilson was in office during World War I and his term ran from 1913 to 1921. He assisted in the creation of the Treaty of Versailles, one of the things that helped in ending the war. One of the iconic quotes he said was, “At last the world knows America as the savior of the world!” In addition, Wilson was remembered for urging the U.S. to be a member of the League of Nations, which is now called the United Nations, but Congress didn’t support the move at the time.

Woodrow Wilson

Wilson’s Golf Obsession

Other than being completely passionate about world peace and democracy, there was something else that got President Wilson’s juices flowing – golf. In fact, he was so obsessed with the sport that he didn’t even let snowy winters stop him from playing. He painted his golf balls black so that he would be able to retrieve them even when the course was blanketed white.

Wilsons Golf Obsession

Lyndon Baines Johnson

The 36th US president, Lyndon Baines Johnson, also popularly known as LBJ, served from 1963 to 1969. Having left behind a strong legacy, LBJ was known for driving the U.S. forward in several symbolic areas. When he was president, he passed several gun, civil rights and welfare laws. In addition, he expanded Medicaid and Medicare and a Social Security law was symbolically passed during his term.

Lyndon Baines Johnson

Johnson’s Near Death Experience

During the Second World War, Lyndon B. Johnson almost lost his life. He was supposed to be on-baord a plane called the Wabash Cannonball which was responsible for a bombing mission in the South Pacific. Just before the plane departed, he ran off to the restroom only to return and see that the plane had left without him. It would turn out that the bomber would crash and kill all its passengers.

Johnsons Near Death Experience

Ronald Reagan

From 1981 to 1989, Ronald Reagan was in office as the 40th United States president. Arguably, he was probably best known for the Reaganomics economic policy he adopted, which focused on increased military spending, decreased social spending, widespread tax cuts and the domestic markets deregulation. In addition, he was not only remembered for ending the Cold War but also for the Iran-Contra affair. One of the most iconic speeches he gave was when he spoke at the Berlin Wall and it is there he famously said, “Tear down this wall!” to General Secretary Gorbachev of the Soviets.

Ronald Reagan

Reagan’s Assassination Attempt

The assassination attempt made on President Ronald Reagan by John Hinckley Jr. is one of the most bizarre in history. On March 30th, 1981, Hinckley shot a series of bullets at the president in an attempt to kill him and impress the young actress, Jodie Foster. One bullet hit the president in the chest, but he was saved.

Reagans Assassination Attempt

John F. Kennedy

The 35th United States president, John F. Kennedy was in office between 1961 and 1963. He was affectionately called JFK but his term was cut short because he was tragically assassinated in November 1963. Interestingly, he was the only president who was a Roman Catholic. Also, he was praised for his impressive leadership skills when the Cuban Missile Crisis was taking place, and was well-known for creating the Peace Corps.

John F. Kennedy

Kennedy’s Assassination

On November 22nd, 1963, Lee Harvey Oswald fired two shots at President Kennedy’s presidential motorcade in Dealey Plaza in Dallas. The shooter was quickly apprehended, but later shot and killed by Jack Ruby, a nightclub owner.

Kennedy’s Assassination

Thomas Jefferson

As another famous founding father, Thomas Jefferson served as the 3rd US president from 1801 to 1809. Jefferson was well-known for having an important role in the writing of the Declaration of Independence and the doubling of the country’s territory by signing the Louisiana Purchase between the US and France. Also, he staunchly advocated freedom, equality and justice for all.

Thomas Jefferson

Jefferson’s Weather Obsession

If Thomas Jefferson failed as a presidential candidate, he could have easily fallen back on meteorology. The president was obsessed with the weather patterns, and he even kept a diary where he documented precipitation patterns. He was said to have done this on a numerous occasions throughout the day.

Jeffersons Weather Obsession

Harry S. Truman

Harry S. Truman was the 33rd US President and he was in office from 1945 to 1953, just after the end of World War II. He was an army veteran from World War I and the only president who had ever used nuclear weapons. Truman was also very stubborn, and used his presidential veto powers 180 times, definitely more than other presidents.

Harry S. Truman

Dwight D. Eisenhower

Dwight D. Eisenhower was in office as the 34th US president from 1953 to 1961. He is well-known for reversing President Truman’s policy and for choosing to desegregate the army. He was also called Ike and became one of history’s most admired men in politics.

Dwight D. Eisenhower

Eisenhower’s Squirrel Challenge

During his presidency, the White House was littered with squirrels and it drove the president crazy. He was adamant on killing all of the rodents and even ordered his valet to get a gun and shoot them all. Luckily the Secret Service intervened and instructed the groundskeeper to trap them and release them into Rock Creek Park.

Eisenhowers Squirrel Challenge

Theodore Roosevelt

Affectionately called Teddy, Theodore Roosevelt served as president between 1901 and 1909. Widely admired for administrative and international relations skills and persuasive public speaking, he scored high for the economic management skills he had and overall vision. He wasn’t content with just creating many national parks, iconic monuments, and forests, as he was also behind the expansion of the Navy and he kicked-off the Panama Canal construction. What’s more, he was involved in the negotiation for Russo-Japanese War to end and he won a Nobel Peace Prize!

Theodore Roosevelt

Teddy Roosevelt’s Hobby

Theodore Roosevelt was a manly man who enjoyed physical contact on a sports level. One day at the White House he enjoyed an intense sparring session with an office from the Navy, but he took a harsh blow to his left eye. The hit was so bad that it actually blinded him. He only revealed the truth some weeks later.

Teddy Roosevelts Hobby

Franklin D. Roosevelt

Franklin D. Roosevelt, or FDR, served from 1933 to 1945 as the 32nd United States president. He was really popular and he was the only US president who has been elected four times and led the country through the Great Depression and World War II. Roosevelt also instituted the New Deal, which started a series of social and economic reforms.

Franklin D. Roosevelt

Roosevelt’s Death

President Roosevelt suffered from polio from childhood. A special car was designed just for him so that he could control it entirely with his hands. Serving as one of the 3 great leaders during the Second World War, he died before seeing the end of it. The cause? An intracerebral hemorrhage.

Roosevelts Death

George Washington

George Washington was one of the founding fathers and was the very first United States president. During his presidency from 1789 to 1797, Washington became instrumental in the establishment of the government system of the United States of America. In addition, he led the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War and was ranked 2nd best US president in the history of the country.

George Washington

Washington’s Teeth

Many people are under the impression that George Washington had wooden teeth, but that’s not true. The first president of the United States did happen to have a rather scary set of denturs though. They were made up of Animal teeth, screws, lead, gold wire, bone and even hippopotamus ivory!

Washingtons Teeth

Abraham Lincoln

As the 16th US president from 1861 to 1865, Abraham Lincoln, or Abe, was behind numerous symbolic milestones. During his presidency, Abe initiated the process of abolishing slavery, led the Union in the Civil War, and issued the historic Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, which helped establish the framework for ending slavery and changed the status of enslaved African Americans in the South to free people. Furthermore, he officially made slavery illegal by including the 13th amendment in the constitution. Tragically, Lincoln was assassinated in April 1865, so he wasn’t able to see what his work had brought about but still, his legacy continues to live on and numerous polls show that he remains to be the most well-liked, most admired and all-time greatest president of the United States of America.

Abraham Lincoln

Lincoln’s Assassination

Abraham Lincoln was attending a special performance of Our American Cousin at Ford’s Theatre in Washington D.C. on April 14th, 1865. He didn’t notice that behind him was John Wilkes Booth with a gun in his hand. Booth shot the president, killing the man who had ended the Civil War just 5 days before.

Lincolns Assassination

Donald Trump

Many were ecstatic, and just as many shocked when Donald J. Trump on the presidential election in 2016. His race against other Republican candidates, and eventually against Democrat, Hillary Clinton, was one of the most unique and controversial in American history. Trump is the first U.S. president without military or government experience.

Donald Trump

Trump’s Inauguration

President Trump swore in as the 45th President of the United States on January 27th, 2017. He made a 17-minute speech which had a special focus on making America for Americans. “From this day forward, it’s going to be only America first, America first,” he said.

Trumps Inauguration

Presidents Of The Future

Currently we’re watching our 45th president with the reins in his hands. We are brought to wonder what the future will be like. Will we see a female president in the United States? The future president might not be who ever expected to see take office.

Presidents Of The Future

Vladimir Putin- IQ-127

You guessed it right. Not only American presidents have interesting IQ values. Other presidents and famous figures also have unexpectedly high or low IQ scores. The best example of this is the Russian President, Vladimir Putin. The President was born in October 1952 in Leningrad, Russia. He is not only President, but also an intelligence officer. He was the country’s prime minister between 2008 and 2012. His IQ is 127.

Vladimir Putin- IQ-127

Michelle Obama-125

Michelle Obama is probably one of the most popular first ladies. But she is not only very likeable and pretty, she is also intelligent. Her IQ is 125 and she has a degree from the prestigious Princeton University. She also completed an additional degree at Harvard University, together with Barack. As the President’s wife, she led several campaigns to fight childhood obesity and gender injustice. She is definitely a great role model for many.

Michelle Obama-125

Ashton Kutcher, 160

Ashton Kutcher made his breakthrough in the famous “That 70s Show”, on which he already starred with Mila Kunis. During his career he acted in numerous successful films. Even though Ashton has an incredibly high IQ of 160, he still wanted to be an actor. He wanted to graduate from the University of Iowa, but dropped out of biomedical school midway through. He wanted to devote himself to his true passion, acting.

Ashton Kutcher-160

Melania Trump, 130

Ashton Kutcher made his breakthrough in the famous “That 70s Show”, on which he already starred with Mila Kunis. During his career he acted in numerous successful films. Even though Ashton has an incredibly high IQ of 160, he still wanted to be an actor. He wanted to graduate from the University of Iowa, but dropped out of biomedical school midway through. He wanted to devote himself to his true passion, acting.

Melania Trump, 130

Jodie Foster, 132

At the age of three, Jodie Foster made an appearance in an advertisement. She later became a successful actress and appeared in films such as “The Silence of the Lambs”, “Taxi Driver” and “Panic Room”. Judie’s IQ is 132 and she was an incredibly bright kid. She attended a French school and completed a literature degree at Yale University. She even got a “Valedictory address”. Very impressive.!

Jodie Foster-132

Mayim Bialik, 163

Most probably know Mayim Bialik from her role in the popular series The Big Bang Theory. She is a true natural. Her IQ is actually 163. She received her bachelor’s degree in neuroscience from UCLA. She even got a Dr. in neuroscience. She is actually more like her series character than expected. We are definitely very impressed with her. She is a role model for many.

Mayim Bialik, 163

Michael Jordan, 154

Not only is he an NBA legend, but he is also very intelligent. With an estimated IQ of 154, he had to drop out of the University of North Carolina when he started his NBA career. In 1986, however, he returned to university and completed a degree in geography. Although Michael’s true passion was basketball, his education was always very important to him. He once said, “Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships.”

Michael Jordan, 156

Cindy Crawford -154

In addition to being a supermodel, Cindy Crawford was a spokesperson for various organizations, including the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation and the California Wildfire Center. She is an incredibly beautiful and intelligent woman with an IQ of 154. She was the valedictorian of her high school class. A graduate of Northwestern University, she actually majored in chemical engineering before pursuing a modeling career.

Cindy Crawford -154

Malia Obama -139

Malia Obama definitely caught on to her parents’ intelligence. Her IQ is 139, making the 19-year-old smarter than many previous presidents. Today she is studying at the renowned Harvard University, where her parents also studied. In the summer of 2016 she was an intern at the American Embassy in Madrid. In any case, Malia Obama will achieve too much in the future.

Malia Obama -139

Kesha -140

She has released countless hits since she was 18 years old. Her IQ score is 140. She scored very well on her SATs and made it to Barnard University. We wouldn’t have thought that of her, to be honest. However, she decided to leave Columbia to enter the music industry. She released hit songs like “Tik Tok” and “Your Love is My Drug.”

Kesha -140

Matt Damon, 160

Many probably know Matt Damon from his role in “Good Will Hunting”. In real life, however, Matt Damon is a real genius. Damon actually has an IQ of 160 and attended Harvard University. It was there that he developed his passion for writing. Today he is a representative for Feeding America, a hunger relief organization, and the founder of the H2O Africa Foundation, the non-profit arm of the Running the Sahara Expedition, which merged with WaterPartners in July 2009.

Matt Damon, 160

Emma Watson, 138

Many remember Emma Watson from her role as Hermione Granger in Harry Potter. Since then she has conquered the hearts of viewers all over the world. Not only is she an incredibly talented actress, but she is also really intelligent. Her IQ is 138. She is also a women’s rights ambassador and founded the UN women’s campaign HeForShe, which urges men to stand up for equality between men and women.

Emma Watson, 138

Conan O’Brien, 160

He’s no ordinary talk show host. A true comedy hero With an estimated IQ of 160, O’Brien was his high school class valedictorian and graduated from Harvard University with a degree in history and literature. After graduating, he began his career as a sketchwriter for Saturday Night Live, appearing frequently in his sketches. The rest is history.

Conan O’Brien, 160

James Woods, 180

He is a successful actor who has won several awards. James Woods is best known for his roles in Hercules and alvador, Casino, The Way We Were. He is not only a talented actor but also very intelligent. His IQ is actually. He graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and then began working as an eye surgeon. He later decided to drop out of MIT and pursue an acting career.

James Woods, 180

Lisa Kudrow, 154

Most people know Lisa Kudrow from the hit series Friends. But in real life, she’s nothing like her role as Phoebe Buffay. Her IQ is an incredible 154. She has a degree in biology from Vassar College. She even wanted to follow in her father’s footsteps and do headache research. She worked for her father for eight years and later began her career as an actress. Your change of direction has definitely paid off.

Lisa Kudrow, 154

Quentin Tarantino, 160

Although Quentin Tarantino was always very intelligent, he never finished school. The only class he liked was history class. It reminded him of the cinema. The famous film director’s IQ is 160, which is the same as the IQ of the great physicist Stephen Hawking. So after he dropped out of school, he produced some of the best and most successful films in history. These include Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction.

Quentin Tarantino, 160