He used brilliant skills to preserve the nation dedicated to the idea that 'all men are created equal.' Expanded presidential powers. Emancipation Proclamation. Gettysburg Address. Wise leadership.

#2 FRANKLIN ROOSEVELT: He created the modern presidency. The New Deal sought unemployment RELIEF, economic RECOVERY, and REFORM for a better capitalism. Decades of stable, booming prosperity followed.

#3 WASHINGTON: His character and status brought international respect to the new presidency. He set head-of-state traditions, acted firmly against rebellion, and transferred his office uneventfully.

WASHINGTON won the Revolutionary War despite very unfavorable odds and setbacks at the beginning. Also read Gordon's Wood's brief "The American Revolution" for the ideological side of the revolution.

Pulitzer Prize. Passed safe food laws and landmark Hepburn Act to regulate railroads. Opened corporate books to inspection. "Square Deal" for workers. Achieved Panama Canal. Won Nobel Peace Prize.

TRUMAN waged the Cold War against Stalin. His Truman Doctrine, NATO, Marshall Plan, and Berlin Airlift protected Western and Southern Europe from USSR. Contained Korean War. Desegregated military.

Helped win women's voting rights. Led U.S. in WWI but failed to achieve his noble post-war plan to make world 'safe for democracy.' Created League of Nations; U.S. did not join. Won Nobel Peace Prize.

JEFFERSON was Governor of Virginia, Secretary of State, V.P., achieved Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, championed Bill of Rights, and founded University of Virginia (designing the buildings).

#9 EISENHOWER: WWII commander. Cold warrior yet peace era. Kept New Deal safeguards but emphasized free markets. Balanced budget. Built Interstate Highway System. Enforced Supreme Court desegregation.

Pulitzer Prize. LBJ's Great Society created Medicare, huge education funding (K-12, college loans/grants, Head Start), Wilderness Act, clean air/water/soil, consumer protection, PBS, medical research.

In 1987 REAGAN and Gorbechev peacefully ended the cold war. Gorbechev won the Noble Peace Prize and Ronald Reagan Freedom Award for his lead role. Reagan skillfully applied the pressure and the charm.

#12 POLK: He expanded U.S. borders to the Pacific: Shrewdly acquired Oregon Territory from Britain; won Southwest Territory and California through war with Mexico. Inflamed slavery expansion debate.