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Collage combining photograph of pets with the White House in the background.

The Best (and Worst) Presidential Pets in American History, Ranked

A cat named Miss Pussy! A racist parrot! Benjamin Harrison’s possums, which he later ate!
Presidents Obama, Trump, Bush, and Clinton
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Who Is The Worst American President of All Time?

The answer can change over time.

Trump and Lincoln Are Opposite Kinds of Presidents

History is not kind to those who divide and dither.

We Have Always Loved Ranking Things, Particularly American Presidents

Douglas Brinkley offers a brief history of political listicles.

What Will Future Historians Say About President Trump's First 100 Days? Here Are 11 Guesses

Experts weigh in on how historians of the future may assess President Trump's achievements after his first 100 days in office.

The Greatest Presidents

Historians agree on the top three. Below that, there are fascinating trends in opinion.
Flag of the President of the United States.

Presidential Historians Survey 2017

A survey of 91 presidential historians that ranks U.S. presidents based on ten qualities of presidential leadership.

The American Presidents—Washington to Lincoln

Who were Washington, Adams, Jefferson, Lincoln, and the rest of the first 16 US presidents, what did they do, and what do they hope history has forgotten?

Who Would Win in a Presidential Knife Fight to the Death?

Do successful presidents make sound knife-wielders?
Reagan and supporters at a campaign rally in 1984.

Reagan Resurgent?

Commentary on America’s 40th president often misses how the Gipper blended principles and pragmatism for a truly conservative statesmanship.
Portrait of Ulysses S. Grant

Democratic Spirit: Ulysses S. Grant at 200

The foremost challenge of Grant’s day has not gone away. His response to it merits our attention.
Donald Trump giving a speech in front of a large photo of Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

‘The Most Ignorant and Unfit’: What Made America’s Worst Ever Leader?

The real challenge is not simply to replace Trump, but to fix a system that produces, promotes, and protects the toxicity that defines his presidency.
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We’ve Forgotten the Worst President in American History

Could Donald Trump really rival James Buchanan?

Chester A. Arthur Is the Most Forgotten President in U.S. History

That's the conclusion of a psychology study published in the journal Sciece.
Men stand around as John Quincy Adams dies in bed.

John Quincy Adams's America

Historians may never speak of an “Age of Adams” to rival Andrew Jackson, but Randall Woods’s new biography reveals the sixth president’s greatness.
William McKinley

Trump Is Right About McKinley

“The most underrated president” was a model of successful governance in a world in flux.
James K. Polk.

The President Who Did It All in One Term — and What Biden Could Learn From Him

James K. Polk is considered one of the most successful presidents, even though he did not seek reelection.
Lyndon Johnson and Robert McNamara in a Cabinet meeting.

Juxtaposing Liberal Nationalism and International Politics: Lyndon Johnson on Vietnam War

How and why did Johnson consider American military involvement in Vietnam a worthwhile cause that would benefit American interests and American lives?
Artistic painting showing President Truman (depicted with glasses) in the foreground, and a sketch of President Biden in the background. The two figures are surrounded by America's colors and stars from the American flag.

What Joe Biden Can Learn From Harry Truman

His approval rating hit historic lows, his party was fractious, crises were everywhere. But Truman rescued his presidency, and his legacy.
Picketers from National Women's Party

She Asked President Woodrow Wilson For 22 Suffrage "Favors." She Got 21.

Wilson became a great supporter of the 19th Amendment, but only because he worked alongside a woman who spoke his language.
Patchwork collage of Joe Biden

All the President’s Historians

Joe Biden has met with scholars to discuss his presidency and likely legacy—but what are we to make of his special relationship with historian Jon Meacham?
A political cartoon depicting Abraham Lincoln animalistically, playing cards on top of a keg of gunpowder.

The 1619 Project and the ‘Anti-Lincoln Tradition’

The Great Emancipator's character and anti-slavery legacy has been questioned by Black Americans for over a century.

Impeachment, American Style

It’s our democracy’s ultimate weapon for self-defense. But does intense political opposition justify its use?

The Most Successful First 100 Days Of An Administration Didn't Belong To Who You Think

Dwight Eisenhower did more in his first hundred days than change laws—he changed a culture.

Tales of Brave Ulysses

Ulysses S. Grant was overlooked by historians and underestimated by contemporaries. H.W. Brands reevaluates Grant’s presidency.

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