Greatest/Worst President Fight!

Best: hmm, I'll decide later, maybe GW, but also leaning towards RR FDR and a few others.

Worst: Andrew Johnson, he did absolutely nothing during his presidency. I actually thought of him cuz I saw poopoo's avatar. He just sat around and tried to pretend he had power. Everybody hated him and he just decided that if he couldn't have his way, then the government would do jack squat. At least Nixon resigned once everyone hated him. Johnson probably shouldn't have been impeached, he just never should have become the president to begin with. Congress only impeached him cuz they hated him that badly.

Also, why would you pick Polk as the best. "hmm the US is pretty small, I should go into Mexico and kick some butt to get more land, yeah, that's what I'll do" ?!?!?!

Capt. Canada wrote:I, for one, spend as much time and effort as I can on this site so as to improve my knowledge going into the next 8-10 years of schooling i have.

There's nothing wrong with it and it has absolutely no limits. I play baseball, football, and ultimate, and I have tons of friends who are complete slackers. True, I'm also the chess champion of my school, but we'll put that aside for now. Stand up for your rights and do whatever you feel like. Nowadays nerd, intelligence and AP are all synonymous.

Edited for content.
-gopunchrocks

Just to get this into the discussion, in 20 years. Bush will be in this forum. Its up to him whether he goes into the best or the worst category. Any other thoughts?

Props to AC for coming up with a great discussion topic but unfortunately there has only been a slim amount of historical fact reinforcing the various opinions so far and as clearly stated in the first message that this was one of the premises that AC required each response to have. It is not that hard to come up with proven historical facts about each president. There are many books, websites, journals, etc. available on each president that everyone here can use as references.
For example I could make a case for FDR being one of the worst presidents and be able to prove it use original sources found in the previously stated forms. A person could try to refute the claim I have made but if I have legitimate evidence to support my view that person can't refute it because that would be denial of truth.

Here are a few sites, books, etc. of where to go for the evidence that the majority of you are lacking:

www.google.com

www.history.com

http://www.historyteacher.net/AHAP/AHAPTopicSheets.htm

http://www.loc.gov/wiseguide/index-flash.html

http://www.historyplace.com /

Http://www.mrburnett.net/ushistory1.html
http://www.infoplease.com/spot/presrankings1.html

The American Presidency: Origins and Development 1776-2000 by Sidney M. Milkis, Michael Nelson

The American Presidency: An Intellectual Presidency by Forrest McDonald

Your class textbook

Your school library should have some books and journals on various presidents

This is just a small list of resources I have collected over the years of studying history. This is not meant as a criticism but as something to engage your thinking skills to become not only better history students but better students overall.

Oh that's genius, why learn history ourselves when we can just read what some other guy thought and say the same thing as him.

Actually the authors of these books I have mentioned go back to original first hand documents and information to write their books. This, as far as history goes is the best way to learn about the past but not always possible. The sources I presented are experts in their field, holding post graduate degrees or above in their area of study. One of the sites in particular, The Library of Congress, has original documents available but depending on your location that might not be the easiest place to access. The LOC is however making a transition and making some of their documents available online. The reason I gave a list of a variety of sources is because this gives you, the student, different interpretations of the same facts. This puts the ball in your court as the student to develop your own interpretation of the facts given. In conclusion, regardless of their education and background every single historian, every single person for that matter, has at least some sort of bias one way or the other for interpretting the information given to them. I will add to this post at a later time.

pianogirl2422 wrote:We never formally studied the Nixon administration, but I do know that there was also the Iran-contra scandal. He escaped a court summons only because two members of his administration got off using the fifth.

I'm sorry, this was Reagan, not Nixon.

I moved this thread because it belongs in teh debate section.

I'd really rather not pick a best or worst, but I would like to say Lincoln was overrated.

- Civil war wasn't about slavery, just preserving the Union. The Emancipation Proclamation was more to give the troops a moral cause to fight than to actually free the slaves (which it didn't anyway)
- He censored unflattering press
- Much of his popularity came after being assassinated made him a martyr

And most of all:
- He was a Republican

(just kidding)

Best: Andrew Johnson
Actually, Johnson did a lot to preserve the balance of Democrats and Republicans after the Civil War. He went "swinging round the circle" during the Congressional elections, "stump preaching" and brawling with anyone who disdainfully disagreed with him. He consistently vetoed brash reconstruction measures presented by Congress until the majority could override his veto. His chief enemies included Charles Sumner, the same guy who got beat up with a cane by Preston Brooks. His greatest moment was after the Tenure of Office Act was passed. He fired Edwin M. Stanton, but Stanton refused to leave. Johnson then commenced to storm into Stanton's office, grabbed him by the collar, dragged him out to the Capitol Building steps, and kicked him down the stairs, exclaiming. "When I say git you git!" That is an undeniably scary (and awesomely redneck: imagine GW or RR with Mike Tyson's instincts lol) guy to have as president. :D :D

Worst:Grant
Ok, first off, this guy, in my opinion, was a crappy general, losing 57000 men to Lee's 25000. Also, his office was incredibly corrupt during his presidency and the only reason he was elected was because he "waved the bloody shirt"

Also:

Best Religious Leader: John Noyes-free sex for everyone!!!(they make plates)
Worst:Jim Jones- drink the KoolAid!!!(quick money if you have no ethics lol)

Most Important Person: Eli Whitney- the indirect cause of everything!!!!!!(I swear I challenge all of you to prove me wrong)
Least:mightymouseJm125- just because they have PhDs doesnt mean they are undefiable Gods and reading their books doesnt make you either (tzzz....... :p )

Best APUSH Teacher: Mrs. Vance- History is people.........die Republican!!!!! :mad: (rofl)
Worst: That Cuban Pimp Guy's Teacher who never lectures and all teachers who use worksheets.

Nicest People: New Zealanders-they have a nice country and [[[they talk to us....]]]
Worst: French Canadians

Best Fighters: Germans- 3 fronts and they still almost won
Worst: French- the only war they won-their own revolution.... i think they won....

Best Internet quote: If you build a man on fire, you'll keep him warm for the night, but if you set a man on fire, he'll be warm for the rest of his life.