US Presidents and their accomplishments
Zachary Taylor
1849-1850, Whig-General, "Rough and Ready" Died 16 months into term. Compromise of 1850 (against it, passed when he died) threatened to use force to keep South from leaving the Union
Dwight Eisenhower
1953-1961-General in WWII. West Point graduate. Ended war in Korea and helped steer the course of theCold War
Grover Cleveland
22nd and 24th president, 1885-1889 and 1893-1897, Democratic Only president to serve non-consecutive terms. Second term unsuccessful.
Grover Cleveland
22nd and 24th president,Democratic Successful 1st term. expanded the civil service and ended wasteful government programs.
Andrew Jackson
Democratic "Old Hickory" Known for vetoes. Accused of abuse of power, spoils system, Indian removal act (trail of tears), destroys US bank
Woodrow Wilson
Democratic, Pres, during WW1, created federal reserve, FCC, Clayton Anti-Trust act, progressive income tax, lower tariffs, women's suffrage (reluctantly), 14 Points post- war peace plan, Nobel Peace Prize
John F. Kennedy
Democratic, defused Cuban Missile Crisis, 1st Catholic Pres., Peace Corps.
Bill Clinton
Democratic, passed NAFTA (no tariffs between US, Canada, & Mexico), tried to cut the budget deficit, marred by scandals, but survived impeachment.
Martin Van Buren
Democratic- marred by an economic depression that led to bank failures and food riots.
James Polk
Democratic- presided over the Mexican War Oregon and California territories annexed to the U.S.
Barack Obama
Democratic-1st African American. Re-elected to 2nd term 2012. Passage of "ObamaCare"
Franklin D Roosevelt (FDR)
Democratic-Elected 4 times. Polio. Died during 4th term. Led America out of the Depression and through victory in WWII. New Deal, Social Security, Alphabet Soup.
Lyndon B Johnson (LBJ)
Democratic-Finished Kennedy's passing of Civil Rights Act. passed sweeping anti poverty and civil rights programs but also involved US in Vietnam War
Harry Truman
Democratic-Made choice to drop the atom bomb to prevent invasion of Japan. "The Buck stops here".
Jimmy Carter
Democratic-Naval officer on nuclear submarines, Gas Shortages, Iran Hostage Crisis, Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan, Stagflation, had some success with peace in the middle East,
Franklin Pierce
Democratic-Reason for the start of Republican party. Supported Kansas Nebraska Act
James Monroe
Democratic-Republican Expansionist--Bought Florida Monroe Doctrine
James Madison
Democratic-Republican Father of the Constitution War of 1812, which white house was burned.
Thomas Jefferson
Democratic-Republican Insisted "Bill of Rights" be included in Constitution. Wrote Dec. of Indep. Bought Louisiana Territory from French for $15 million. Ends A&S acts
John Quincy Adams
Democratic-Republican National Republican, accused of winning the Presidency through corruption, plagued with accusations throughout presidency.
James Buchanan
Democratic-tried, but failed, to find a compromise to keep the South from seceding from the Union Bleeding Kansas Dred Scott
Andrew Johnson
Democratic/Independent- Only Democrat VP to serve under a Republican president. reconstruction plan, freedmen's bureau, Impeached--acquitted by one vote.
John Adams
Federalist- Helped write Declaration of Independance and Constitution 1st in the White House Alien & Sedition Acts, XYZ Affair
Ulysses S Grant
Republican-Union Hero General who accepted Lee's surrender, Term known for graft, scandal, corruption. Breaks KKK
Abraham Lincoln
Republican-wanted to preserve the Union during the civil war. income tax, Opposed slavery--Emancipation Proclamation Assasinated
George Washington
Independent, Whiskey Rebellion, Neutrality Proclamation, cabinet, executive priv, Jay's & Pickney's Treaty
Rutherford Hayes
Republican one of only 3 Presidents to lose the popular vote but win the office. Compromise of 1877
Ronald Reagan
Republican, Conservative, Actor, Reagonmics/Trickledown/ Supply Slide/ Voodoo Economics, Iran Contra, " Great Communicator". Two terms--oversaw fall of Communism.
William Taft
Republican, continued Roosevelt's policies- broke up trusts, improved working conditions, dollar diplomacy Became a Chief Justice of Supreme Court.
Teddy Roosevelt
Republican, witty, robust...family man, trust buster, make military stronger, creator of national parks, passed clean food acts, Panama Canal builder
George H. W. Bush
Republican,Director of CIA, VP under Reagan, Soviet Union collapsed, Fall of Berlin Wall, First Gulf War, passage of ADA
Warren Harding
Republican- died in office just as the Teapot Dome scandal became public
Herbert Hoover
Republican-Geologist. "The Great Humanitarian". Stock Market crashed in the beginning of his term. Failed to deal with great Depression.
Benjamin Harrison
Republican-Grandson of a president. Added 6 states. Caught between reforms who were fighting the spoils system and those who wanted to continue it.
Richard Nixon
Republican-Known for foreign policy. SALT treaty, Détente, Environmental, Agency, Clean Air and Water Act, Watergate scandal, resigned.
James Garfield
Republican-Last president born in a log cabin, tried reform spoils system
Calvin Coolidge
Republican-Minimum government interference. pro-business, ignored signs of the stock market collapse, lost re-election.
Gerald Ford
Republican-Only president never elected to Pres or VP. Saw fall of South Vietnam to the communists. Pardoned Nixon.
Chester Arthur
Republican-Pendleton Act, helped create the Civil Service.
George W. Bush
Republican-Son of a president, Pres. during 9/11, 2nd Gulf War, economic downturn, debt
William McKinley
Republican-Spanish American War, Annexed Philippines and Hawaii, Assasinated
William Harrison
Whig, defeated Tehcumseh at Tippecanoe, Got sick from rain at inauguration and died one month into his term.
Millard Fillmore
Whig-Added California as a state. Passed compromise of 1850, allowing slavery in the South
John Tyler
Whig/Independent 1st to succeed a dead president. Most vetoes and first to have a veto overturned (had enemies in Congress). 1st President to be threatened with impeachment. Annexes TX