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Which US President was most significant? (Semi Final 4)

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Which US President was most significant? (Semi Final 4)

James Garfield7%

Benjamin Harrison7%

Ronald Reagan71%

Barack Obama14%

Total votes: 14

04MR17

Volunteer Section Leader

22

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 Round Two of this tournament, and this is Heat 4.

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.

In Semi-Final 4 are:

James Garfield (Republican, 1881-1881)
The surprise candidate in this race, Garfield served just six months as US president until he was assassinated. Can I get an F in the chat? Born into poverty in a log cabin, he worked as a military officer and lawyer. He served a whopping nine terms in the House of Representatives, and is the only sitting member of the House to ever be elected president. He proposed many civil service and civil rights reforms. He was also an excellent mathematician, and published a proof of the Pythagorean theorem, so no one can say he was a 'square'. I'm still questioning how he made it into the semi-finals.

Benjamin Harrison (Republican, 1889-1893)
Benjamin Harrison barely made it through the group stage, and scraped through round 2 in much the same fashion! Among his accomplishments is that 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.

Ronald Reagan (Republican, 1981–1989)
Reagan has stormed through the previous two rounds outclassing everyone else in his group. The bookies would predict he will best this field too, but only you can decide that. 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! Reagan is particularly known for his economic policy, favouring lowering. His foreign policy is always well documented as the Cold War reached its peak, an example being his 'Mr Gorbachev, tear down this wall!' speech in West Berlin in 1987.

Barack Obama (Democrat,2009 - 2017)
A man who needs no introduction, Obama was the first African-American president of the United States. He was born in Hawaii, and previously served as a US Senator from Illinois from 2005 to 2008. After graduating from Columbia University in 1983, he worked as a community organiser in Chicago. In 1988, he enrolled in Harvard Law School, where he was the first black president of the Harvard Law Review. After graduating, he became a civil rights attorney and an academic, teaching constitutional law at the University of Chicago Law School from 1992 to 2004. Obama has never won his own group/heat in this competition, and has been a solid runner up so far, he is also the only Democrat within this semi-final.

So there we are folks, 4 lucky presidents for you to choose 2 as the most significant to go through to the grand final! :nutcase:

Once you have decided, please vote in the poll attached to the thread. This poll will close on Friday 18th February at 12 noon. The top two Presidents will move through to the final.

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 other semi finals here:
Semi-Final 1
Semi-Final 2
Semi-Final 3
Semi-Final 4

(edited 2 years ago)

Reply 1

Saracen's Fez

20

Has to be Reagan here for ongoing significance. Who knew a celebrity could just randomly get themselves elected president?!

Reply 2

AngryJellyfish

Chat Forum Helper, Entertainment Forum Helper

18

And Garfield already has a vote. :laugh:

Not mine!

Reply 3

Napp

22

Raegan, his effect on the cold war and current american politics/policies (for good and ill) is undeniable. The others, relatively speaking, are fairly forgettable

Reply 4

04MR17

OP

Volunteer Section Leader

22

Copied from an earlier thread, but I voted Obama and this is why...
Obama's significance is a personal one to me. His election was the first I was really aware of and paid attention to. His inauguration felt groundbreaking at the time, and I have rarely ever had a similar feeling since about a current affairs issue.

Going on to then study African American civil rights throughout my school education and again at university, I understand even further how symbolic this was for race relations in the US. (Even if that couldn't be supported by legislative substance.)

Reply 5

CatusStarbright

22

It's still Reagan for me I'm afraid.

As with 04, Obama is the first president that I remember and I think he was a good leader but was not really able to do as much as he could have done in office (which is a shame).

What Napp said

OP

Volunteer Section Leader

22

This could be the most out-right victory of all the Semis

Reply 8

04MR17

OP

Volunteer Section Leader

22

The Results of Semi-Final 4 are...
Ronald Reagan (10)
Barack Obama (2)
James Garfield (1)
Benjamin Harrison (1)

Reagan and Obama proceed to the final

(edited 2 years ago)

Reply 9

Saracen's Fez

20