Besides ,Abraham Lincoln,who in your view has been the most famous American President?

Answer 1

George Washington, as our first president he set the basis of the peaceful transfer of power from one president to another. Remember that in the 18th and 19th century that was not the norm. Once somebody seized power, he tended to want to keep it at all costs and never give it up. Washington could have become President for life, just for the asking and he decided that after two terms, that was enough. A tradition followed by all Presidents until FDR, who served four terms. You could argue that FDR feel compelled to stay in office due to WWII, but at the time that he decided to ran for the Presidency a third time, many politicians were unhappy about it, obviously not the people, since he was reelected a third and fourth time. That is why Congress decided to ammend the Constitution to limit the term of the Presidency to two terms and no possible reelection afterwards. Harry S. Truman was grandfathered in, but he declined to run after the expiration of his single term (he was first elected VP under FDR and became President upon his death, so he was elected President of the U.S. only one time). Therefore George Washington set the basis for our democracy by showing the world that countries can peacefully transfer power from one individual to another without the need of a coup d'etat.

Answer 2

fa·mous /ˈfeɪməs/
–adjective 1. having a widespread reputation, usually of a favorable nature; renowned; celebrated: a famous writer.
2. Informal. first-rate; excellent: The singer gave a famous performance.
3. notorious (used pejoratively).
(Random House Unabridged Dictionary)

From that definition, it would be hard to pick any president prior to the television age. While some presidents had a very favorable (or unfavorable) reputation in their time, the television has spread knowledge of U.S. affairs much wider than at any previous time in history.

And since the relative "fame" of a president will always be high domestically, the factor that would put one prez over another would have to be international fame.

Were we to take away the impact of television and electronic mass media, presidents like FDR and Woodrow Wilson were very involved in international affairs & might be considered for "most famous" internationally. But including the mass media factor, Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush have done far more through the mass media internationally (in their respective ways) than any previous presidents. Ronald Reagan would be a close third.

Answer 3

Historians generally try to understand the past, not place their personal political values in their study of it. Historians who let their political biases affect their work will be discredited by other historians. Your question, as I understand it, asks about fame or "how well known" a president is. So presidents involved in world events are going to be better known (more famous) than those whose careers focussed on mundane domestic events. I would argue that most people familiar with America know that George Washington was our first president. Significantly fewer globally will be familiar with Abraham Lincoln's role in the Civil War and the end of American slavery. More are likely to be familiar with Woodrow Wilson's role in World War I, Franklin Roosevelt's role in World War II, and Harry Truman, John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan's respective roles in major events of the cold war. Richard Nixon may be widely recognized for opening up trade with China. Beyond those, few American presidents will have global recognition. As a historian I significantly doubt that the current president will have any greater significance than say Howard Taft, Calvin Coolidge, or James Polk. At best his doctrine of military pre-emption may rise to a position comparable to the Monroe doctrine. Just how many of you remember President Monroe? Just because you don't like them today doesn't mean they are historically memorable.

Answer 4

George Washington

Answer 5

I think it'd be close between JFK, and Bill Clinton.

Both of which, because of the potential and the controversy.

I mean, think of how this country would be shaped if JFK had served his full-term. Second term? What would've happened to the presidents after him? Would they have been the same?

And with Clinton, no matter how you slice it, he was a very effective president. He reached across party lines, and was well-ahead of the curve in setting the new democratic model. So far ahead in fact, that we've yet to find another ready to fill his shoes.

But alas, his presidency was marred by the scandals. Personally, I think the man should get props for running the country so well, and getting some strange on the side.

But either way, you'd have to say that BOTH were very famous presidents because of this conflict between greatness and tragedy/scandal.

Answer 6

Washington

Answer 7

George Washington and Harry S. Truman

Answer 8

George Washington

The FIRST President

Answer 9

George Washington, though his example the morden American President was created.

Answer 10

Homer Simpson!