George Washington (1789-1797)
Okay, so you've heard about the fake cherry tree, the wooden
dentures and all that. But have you really heard anything bad
about our first president?! The guy initially declined his salary
(he didn't need it), couldn't stand political parties (he left that
to his Cabinet members), and started rebuilding the U.S.'
relationship with Great Britain (someone had to.) His handling
of the Whiskey Rebellion was masterful and Washington left the
Presidency absolutely beloved. Washington's only real issue was
that he spent entirely too much time playing referee in the fights
within his cabinet (namely Hamilton vs. Jefferson).
Grade: A+ (how could I not?)
John Adams (1797-1801)
Three words: short.man.syndrome. Quick-tempered and more
than a little arrogant (he wanted to be called "His Majesty, the
President), John Adams didn't walk away without enemies. Yet,
he was brilliant. In my opinion, Adams did his best public service
prior to the Presidency as a European diplomat and also as a
crusader for the Declaration of Independence. The guy screwed
up his presidency by signing the Alien and Sedition Acts, which
basically stated that no one could criticize the government.
Adams was something of an enigma in the sense that he
advocated for American independence and then wanted to be
treated almost king-like. Although he successfully avoided war
with France (a war that the U.S. would've lost) John Adams was
defeated for a second term, and his petty judicial appointments
during his final days in office did little for his legacy.
Grade: B- (not bad, not bad.)
Thomas Jefferson (1801-1809)
One brilliant mind followed by another, I feel that Jefferson, like
Adams, did his best work prior to his Presidency. From drafting
the Declaration of Independence to his service in France,
Jefferson was a skilled writer and diplomat. Although he worked
in harmony with Congress, Jefferson weakened the U.S. military
at a time when the country needed it (but he did establish the
U.S. Naval Academy.) His ban on the international slave trade
took great political courage at that time. Jefferson's Embargo Act,
which temporarily ended trade with Great Britain and France,
was a total disaster and helped to create the mood for a war that
Jefferson would leave to his successor. At the end of the day,
however, Jefferson belongs with the "greats"; the Louisiana
Purchase and Lewis & Clark's subsequent Expedition are
testimony to the man's vision for a young country.
Grade: B+ (keep him on Mt. Rushmore)
James Madison (1809-1817)
It probably sounds like that I don't care for any of our first few
presidents, but I feel that they were all exemplary men. To me,
some of them just did their finest work in another position.
Madison belongs in this group. His creation of the Constitution
and Federalist Papers were remarkable. His handling of the
country as President is another story. Madison declared war
on Great Britain, having done very little to avoid the catastrophe
that followed: a poorly-mobilized army and little unified support
resulting in the burning of Washington D.C. The events leading
up to the War of 1812 and the fighting took up most of his two
terms, without Madison showing much leadership.
Grade: C (should've stuck with writing)
James Monroe (1817-1825)
Monroe was the Eisenhower of the 1800's. The country had
just been through a long, rough war. It was over and people felt
great. So, James Monroe felt no need to rock the boat. The man
believed, like Washington, that political parties were overrated,
and appointed people from opposing parties. As a result, many
were in power. Monroe was re-elected easily, even as the
country experienced its first financial disaster in the Panic of
1819. Monroe's lasting legacy? The Monroe Doctrine, which
basically told Great Britain that if you screw with us or with
anything around us, we'll pulverize ya. It also acknowledged
the independence of Latin American countries.
Grade: B- (right man, right time)
John Quincy Adams (1825-1829)
Okay. If you thought his father was crabby, trust me--he's
got nothing on his son, J.Q. Arguably one of the best diplomats
that the U.S. ever had, John Quincy also had one of its worst
presidencies. He lacked public support because of the giant
chip on his shoulder and a rather shady election, which later
caused his defeat. The whole term was sad really, as he had a
lot of good ideas that didn't make it because of his refusal to
play with Congress (or anyone, really.) His greatest
accomplishments were the building of the National Road and
several canals.
Grade: C- (should've played nicer)
Andrew Jackson (1829-1837)
Although it is tempting to believe the term "people's
president" for Andrew Jackson due to his humble origins
compared to those who proceeded him, I really have a hard
time accepting this. Jackson's actions regarding the destruction
of a National Bank created an economic depression worse than
in 1819. However, he challenged Southern states' notions that
they could pick and choose federal laws that they wanted to
obey and that was good. Jackson legalized discrimination
against Native Americans through the "Trail of Tears", which I
believe to be a continuation of his earlier wars on various tribes.
He allowed the scandalous social drama involving Peggy Eaton
to take center-stage in his administration, and lost most of his
Cabinet as a result.
Grade: C (great general, not-so-great president)
Martin Van Buren (1837-1841)
If Monroe was the Eisenhower of the 1800's, Martin Van Buren
was the Herbert Hoover of that area. The poor guy just couldn't
escape conflict. The Jackson policy which led to the then-worst
depression in U.S. history fell square on Van Buren's shoulders--
who apparently did little to change things. He had a penchant for
luxurious living which didn't go over well with those suffering
economically. Masterful politicians (of which he was one) don't
always make good Presidents.
Grade: D+ (Better VP than Prez)
William Henry Harrison (1841)
The guy was dead within 30 days of taking office. I'll cut him
some slack if you will.
Grade: N/A (Incomplete)
John Tyler (1841-1845)
I couldn't have handled what this guy went through. Harrison's
death made John Tyler the first Vice-President to take office
without an election. As a result, Tyler spent much of his
presidency ineffectively dealing with a Congress who really didn't
think he was the president. He was kicked out of his own party
and lost most of his Cabinet, who didn't think that Tyler toed the
party line (Tyler's self-righteousness didn't exactly help.) Tyler's
greatest achievement was his efforts to annex Texas. A Virginia
plantation owner, Tyler later served in the Confederate Congress.
Grade: C- (ineffective but doomed from the start)
NEXT: Analyzing POTUS: Polk - Garfield
No comments:
Post a Comment