Which US President was most significant? (Heat 2)

TSR is asking the question: Which US President was the most significant?

We're holding a tournament of US Presidents and asking you to vote to determine which was the most significant in history. We are currently in the heats of this tournament, and this is Heat 2.

All the other heats are linked at the bottom of this post, and there's a hub thread here if you're interested in reading more. :biggrin:

Making up heat 2 are:

Benjamin Harrison (R, 1889-1893)
Benjamin Harrison barely made it through the group stage, and finds himself up against Teddy Roosevelt again here! He signed the Sherman Antitrust Act into law, the first Federal act attempting to curtail monopolies. Six new states were admitted to the union during his tenure, more than for any other president. Harrison strengthened and modernized the U.S. Navy, and proposed (unsuccessfully) to secure funding and voting rights enforcement for African Americans. He was also the first president whose voice was recorded.

Theodore Roosevelt (R, 1901-1909)
Winner of Group F by a considerable margin. The youngest person ever to assume the presidency at 42. The first environmentalist president, Roosevelt established national parks, and signed the National Monuments Act protecting sites like the Grand Canyon. He also invoked Benjamin Harrison's Sherman Antitrust Act more than any other president. In foreign policy, he began construction of the Panama Canal, and his successful efforts to broker the end of the Russo-Japanese War won him the 1906 Nobel Peace Prize.

Woodrow Wilson (D, 1913-1921)
Another group winner, but was he truly significant, or just the best of a mediocre bunch? You decide! Wilson intended to keep the US out of World War I, before German submarine attacks forced a change in policy. He created the League of Nations after the war, a precursor to the United Nations. Domestically, he presided over ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment, giving women the right to vote, as well as laws that prohibited child labour, and that mandated an eight-hour workday for railroad workers.

Ronald Reagan (R, 1981–1989)
A two-term president from California, where he had previously been a Hollywood actor. He won the most electoral votes ever (525 out of 538) in his re-election - though his win in this competition's group stage wasn't quite so dominant! Reagan is particularly known for his economic policy, favouring lowering both taxes and government spending and deregulating the economy, but also for foreign policy as the Cold War reached its peak, an example being his 'Mr Gorbachev, tear down this wall!' speech in West Berlin in 1987.

George W. Bush (R, 2001-2009)
Third place in Group K, but not bad given his one line summary in that thread! George W. Bush's presidency was shaped massively in its first year by the 9/11 terrorist attacks, his initial response to which may be his greatest moment. However, his controversial and divisive wars in Afghanistan and Iraq soon overshadowed everything else, and the world is still feeling their lasting impacts today. He was widely criticized for his poor response to Hurricane Katrina.

Once you have decided, please vote in the poll attached to the thread. This poll will close on 13th February. The top three presidents will move through to the semi-finals, with an extra spot for the most popular president outside the top three.

If you like this idea and want to see more from the History forum, let us know by posting in this thread!

P.S. Don't forget to check out the polls for the other heats here:

Heat 1
Heat 2
Heat 3
Heat 4
Heat 5

(edited 2 years ago)

Reply 1

OP

Going with Roosevelt again here. You won't see any of these other guys on Mount Rushmore. :noway:

Reply 2

OP

Benjamin Harrison off to a good start! :zomg:

[video="youtube;OKtaEJi59Kg"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKtaEJi59Kg[/video]

(edited 2 years ago)

Reply 3

Napp

22

Bush, few other presidents have left such an indelible stain on the moral fiber of a nation. Turning the superpower into a rogue state (trying to nuke a country theyre not even at war with) as well as the massive ripples to us today and across the world. As far as wasting the unipolar moment go, in tandem with mass murder, A* for him.

I was somewhat tempted to voter for Wilson due to his impact on WWI but aside from being a touching idealist and humanitarian (despite what the ilk of blm et al. say) he has little tangible impact.

Reply 4

04MR17

Volunteer Section Leader

22

This looks like it could be a really really tight heat :eek:

Reply 5

Saracen's Fez

20

Forever confusing my Roosevelts so will go for Reagan for his relevance in more recent times and well up to the present day.

Reply 6

OP