Lincoln C-SPAN Historians Rank Presidents #1 is Abe Lincoln

Pat Young

Brev. Brig. Gen'l
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C-Span asked a panel of historians to rank America's president. No surprise that Lincoln Ranked #1.

Read about it here:

https://www.c-span.org/presidentsurvey2017/

met lincoln standing 2.PNG
 
C-Span asked a panel of historians to rank America's president. No surprise that Lincoln Ranked #1.

Read about it here:

https://www.c-span.org/presidentsurvey2017/

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Why does John Tyler rank so low?

Tyler:

* Set a critical precedent for an orderly transfer of power following a President's death.

* Signed the Treaty of Wanghia with China.

* Signed a trade agreement with the Zollverein, a coalition of German states that managed tariffs.

* Applied the Monroe Doctrine to Hawaii, told Britain not to interfere there, and began a process that led to the eventual annexation of Hawaii by the United States.

* Negotiated with Britain the Webster-Ashburton Treaty, which concluded where the border between Maine and Canada lay. That issue had caused tension between the United States and Britain for decades and had brought the two countries to the brink of war on several occasions.

* Brought the long, bloody Second Seminole War to an end in 1842.

* Laid the groundwork for the annexation of Texas.

* Fathered more children than any other American president in history (and still has two living grandsons!).

* Was seated in the Confederate Congress on August 1, 1861, and he served until just before his death in 1862.

* Elected to the Confederate House of Representatives but died before the first session could open in February 1862.

Pretty good effort overall :thumbsup:
 
Why does John Tyler rank so low?

Tyler:

* Fathered more children than any other American president in history (and still has two living grandsons!).

* Was seated in the Confederate Congress on August 1, 1861, and he served until just before his death in 1862.

* Elected to the Confederate House of Representatives but died before the first session could open in February 1862.

Pretty good effort overall :thumbsup:
Not sure those were part of the evaluation.
 
Why does John Tyler rank so low?

Tyler:

* Set a critical precedent for an orderly transfer of power following a President's death.

* Signed the Treaty of Wanghia with China.

* Signed a trade agreement with the Zollverein, a coalition of German states that managed tariffs.

* Applied the Monroe Doctrine to Hawaii, told Britain not to interfere there, and began a process that led to the eventual annexation of Hawaii by the United States.

* Negotiated with Britain the Webster-Ashburton Treaty, which concluded where the border between Maine and Canada lay. That issue had caused tension between the United States and Britain for decades and had brought the two countries to the brink of war on several occasions.

* Brought the long, bloody Second Seminole War to an end in 1842.

* Laid the groundwork for the annexation of Texas.

* Fathered more children than any other American president in history (and still has two living grandsons!).

* Was seated in the Confederate Congress on August 1, 1861, and he served until just before his death in 1862.

* Elected to the Confederate House of Representatives but died before the first session could open in February 1862.

Pretty good effort overall :thumbsup:

When people and historians think of Tyler, when they think of him at all, it is that he was the second half of a memorable campaign slogan that stands out.
 
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Why does John Tyler rank so low?

Probably had something to do with almost single handedly ruining his own party. He vetoed most if the important legislation by the Whig majority in both houses of Congress and his entire cabinet resigned because of him.

Webster-Ashburton was very important, but I believe the process was started before Tyler and was completed without his involvement. Dan Webster postponed resigning as Secretary of State until he had completed the treaty.
 
Care to elaborate?

I would. I don't have time to give all the reasons at the moment. Please give me some time. I am a Jeffersonian democrat, so Lincoln and centralized government are not my thing. Among his many other evils IMO. My point was simply that a very unpopular president is today seen as the best ever, is an example of how america and how history is given to kids generations after the events. Most are completely unaware of his failings and give him credit where he does not deserve it.
 
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I would. I don't have time to give all the reasons at the moment. Please give me some time. My point was simply that a very unpopular president is know seen as the best ever, is an example of how america and how history is tough, has changed since 1860. Most are completely unaware of his failings and give him credit where he does not deserve it.
That's not uncommon. Certainly if such a ranking had been done in 1864, Lincoln would have been rated an extremely poor president, but I think it takes time for people to evaluate a President's effect and ultimate legacy. Is some of that muddled up with cool Lincoln myths and inaccuracies? Sure. But we also have the advantage to see strengths and weaknesses more clearly...if we make the effort to look.
 
I would agree that Abraham Lincoln belongs at the top of this list but I would make
it a tie for the number one position. George Washington led the American Army in
the fight to establish the nation we know as the United States of America and he
set many of the standards that define the office of the Presidency.
 
I would agree that Abraham Lincoln belongs at the top of this list but I would make
it a tie for the number one position. George Washington led the American Army in
the fight to establish the nation we know as the United States of America and he
set many of the standards that define the office of the Presidency.
Thanks for weighing in.
 
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