| 1. |
thomas jefferson
repealed many federal taxes, pardoned people imprisoned under the unconstitutional alien and sedition acts, doubled the size of the country legally (louisiana purchase), and ensured freedom was the course for the citizenry, but couldn't keep us out of war (the first barbary war)
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| 2. |
george washington
set a standard that has not been matched since. no wars, voluntary term limits, balanced budget, and only a minor whiskey rebellion to tarnish the image
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| 3. |
james madison
the bill of rights was his brainchild; tried to block the bank of the united states, but couldn't hold it off; went to war but for non-imperial reasons
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| 4. |
william henry harrison
shortest term of presidency--that's good because he didn't do much (just what a president should)
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| 6. |
calvin coolidge
laissez-faire ideologue- tax cuts, declined some congressional spending, "agriculture must stand on an independent business basis"; advocated against kkk
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| 8. |
ronald reagan
reduced taxes and moved the focus of government to its original purpose (defense), but couldn't stop spending in other ways and allowed nasty deficits; efforts helped bring down the soviet union and the iron curtain
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