United states presidents put to test during their mandate and living up to the challenge

What Makes A Great President

A great president is made through great tragedy of their country. When something terrible happens in the country everyone looks at the president as their protection. A president could either step up and be the hero of the country or really do nothing and be looked at as the worst presidents in history. When you think about great presidents you think about how they helped our country. When you think of great presidents you should think of Roosevelt, Wilson, and Lincoln. These men were really put through the tests and they passed. They got this country through the most traumatic times in our history, and that is what makes them great.

Theodore Roosevelt was the president that stepped up and got us through the hardest financial depression of our history, known as The Great Depression. The most important chance done during his presidency would be The New Deal. This promise was how Roosevelt got elected he promised that he would help the economy and stated “ we have nothing to fear but fear itself”. The New Deal was his plan for national recovery to help us out of The Great Depression. The New Deal would be a series of reforms like the Unemployment Relief Act. These acts were meant to help the unemployment problem by making jobs and to put money into the economy. He also put into play small acts that would help businesses and food production; some of these act included The Meat Inspection act and The Pure Food and Drug act. These were small improvements that in the end helped our country by protecting us from tampered foods. For small businesses he came up with the Square Deal, this would protect not only the consumer but small business owners. The deal also controls the powers of big businesses to allow the middle class to have a chance. This deal showed how FDR was concerned with helping the middle class and keeping the upper class from becoming wealthier. Not only did FDR help us through The Great Depression but he was working towards peace with other countries. He contributed to the Spanish-American war by leading a group of men called the Rough Riders before his presidency. So not only was he involved in the government but he has military experience. He also assisted with the Treaty of Portsmouth that ended the Russo-Japanese War. This work he spent helping to end the war allowed him to him a Nobel Peace Prize. Roosevelt was not only the first American president to win this award but the first American. Roosevelt was a very well rounded president that not only cared about our country but the entire world. He was one president that truly cared about helping the poor and middle class instead of allowing the upper class to grow more powerful. He not only helped us through a tragedy but put into place acts and programs that are still so important to us today. He should definitely be in the top three of most important and influential presidents.

Another president that went through one of the biggest tragedy our country faced was Woodrow Wilson. Wilson was the president during World War I. During a war is when our presidents are truly being watched all the time. Most Americans look at war as a bad thing and they want to keep themselves out of it and this is why everyone loves Wilson. One of his big points during the election is that he told us he wasn’t going to get us involved in the war, and he kept his word during his first term. This was exactly was everyone wanted and Wilson knew it was the right choice. American had just came out of our own Civil War, that left our country in great turmoil. Our country and army was still wounded, we didn’t have the supplies or any well trained army to fight for us in the war. So instead of putting the people through a war we knew we couldn’t handle he used the war to benefit America. He traded with the other countries in war (mostly England) and that helped us by importing more money. Through the years that the war was going on we were able to get back on our feet. Then during his second term it was time for us to go into war and we had a clear advantage, the other countries were wounded and tired. We were able to come into battle with a fresh perspective and we were the main reason the war ended quickly after that. To end the war the leaders of each country met and created the Treaty of Versailles. The main points in this treaty were written by Wilson. The treaty would keep the blame off American and their allies instead they blamed Germany. After the war Wilson had the idea of the League of Nations. The most powerful countries would join and create an alliance, this would help if there was ever another war; of course there was. Through helping end the war and creating the League of Nations Wilson was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Wilson was presidents during one of the great world wars and had to make really big decisions. Most presidents would be terrified with the idea of putting our country through a war the people really did not agree with. Wilson was confident in all the decisions he made and waiting until the right time to put us into the war. He made sure that as a country we were strong enough to fight. In the end his decision was the right one because through this war we were proven to be one of the worlds super powers. We made powerful allies that would help us in the future. Wilson should be in the top three presidents because he made some of the hardest decisions of all the presidents. He not only was put into tough situations but he excelled in all of his decisions. He made sure that through everything America was safe and moving forward.

Abraham Lincoln is without a doubt the most important president of our history. There is no need to go through all of his achievements because they are all known. He is the reason that America is looked at as the Land of the Free. He made freedom accessible to everyone no matter your color. When you look back at our history as a country slavery is our biggest downfall. Slavery is looked at as our dark past because it took over our country and eventually divided it. When you look at past presidents that went through traumatic events none were as bad as our own country turning on eachother. Most presidents have to fight against other countries but Lincoln had to fight against his own people. Lincoln was always confident in his point of view and never turned from that. His confidence and passion allowed him to win the civil war. He was not giving up in his dream to make every American free. His biggest achievements would be the Emancipation Proclamation and the 13th Amendment. These two documents permanently put an end to slavery in America. Lincoln is the most important president because he was not afraid to make the greatest change in our country and that was end slavery. In the end he died for his beliefs and that just proves how strong he was as a person. He not only ended slavery but changed the way most of the country looked at African Americans. He was the first president to stand up against the way they were treated instead of just ignoring the problem that has been there for years. Lincoln is the most important president in our history and we have him to thank for our freedom for everyone.

There are many things that tie these three men together. Some obvious ties would be that they are presidents that helped us through a rough time in our countries history. This is true they were put through the ultimate test as a president. They were put through war and horrible economic downfalls. Through all the events these men remained confident in themselves and their views on how our country should be. They were put in a position that they had to make huge decisions that would change our country significantly. If one of them made the wrong or a different decision our history and our future could be so different. In order to be a good president you have to be prepared to make big decisions that will change our country. That is a lot of pressure to put on someone but it is needed when you are a president. That is why these three men were the most important and best presidents in our history. If they had to be ranked Lincoln would be first Roosevelt second and Wilson third. Unlike Washington or Jefferson the country was already put together when these men came into office and our country had an expectation. These men had to keep this expectation and make it better. The most important similarity they all have is they all made this country a better place to live for everyone.