The U.S. presidency has had its fair share of good and bad presidents, but there have been some that have had the worst impact on the country as a whole, not to mention how the president acted while in office, which we’ll be looking at here when ranking the worst U.S. presidents. When trying to determine which former presidents were the worst, their actions while in office mattered just as much as their overall legacy and how they made Americans feel about their political system as a whole. Here are our picks for the top 10 worst U.S. presidents ever (in no particular order)
From George Washington to Barack Obama, the United States has had more than its fair share of Presidents. Some are remembered fondly and others are reviled, but all have left their mark on history and on the country’s politics. These 10 worst U.S.
It’s been more than 200 years since the United States of America was officially formed, and over that time we’ve had 44 different presidents. Some of them, like George Washington, have earned our eternal respect and admiration, while others have done nothing but screw up and act incompetent to the point where we now refer to them as the worst presidents in American history. Here are the 10 worst U.S. presidents in chronological order
It’s been more than 200 years since the United States of America was officially formed, and over that time we’ve had 44 different presidents. Some of them, like George Washington, have earned our eternal respect and admiration, while others have done nothing but screw up and act incompetent to the point where we now refer to them as the worst presidents in American history. Here are the 10 worst U.S. presidents in chronological order
List Of The 10 Worst U.S. Presidents
- Franklin Pierce
- James Buchanan
- Warren G. Harding
- Andrew Johnson
- Rutherford B. Hayes
- Millard Fillmore
- John Tyler
- William Henry Harrison
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
- James Garfield
Franklin Pierce
Franklin Pierce was an extremely unpopular president in his time, and it’s not hard to see why. He had a complete misunderstanding of what it meant to be commander-in-chief, and he could never get on good terms with his cabinet or Congress; instead, he spent most of his presidency alienating those around him.
James Buchanan
Buchanan was a past Secretary of State who ran for President in 1856. He ran on a platform promising to keep slavery out of any territories won during the Mexican War, which would have made California and New Mexico safe from slavery. However, once elected Buchanan failed to follow through on his promise and said he would not stand in front of states’ rights for decision-making about their own people and resources regarding slavery.
Warren G. Harding
The president that everyone seems to forget is on many lists of worst presidents ever, and it’s easy to see why when you look at his presidency as a whole. Harding was elected in 1920 but died just two years into his term after contracting pneumonia while visiting Alaska.
Andrew Johnson
Johnson took office after Abraham Lincoln’s assassination, but his five years in office were marked by controversy and corruption. Many historians believe he may have had a mental breakdown while in office and that his behavior was connected to bipolar disorder. For example, he reportedly once gave an incoherent two-hour speech on ancient Egypt, sparking claims of treason that led Congress to impeach him. He was acquitted by one vote.
Rutherford B. Hayes
In 1876, Hayes became president after winning a hotly contested election against Democrat Samuel Tilden (outgoing President Grant made sure that Tilden didn’t win). Congress then appointed two electoral commissioners to review votes in Louisiana—which at that time had not reported any votes since shortly after Election Day.
Millard Fillmore
The 13th President, born in a log cabin in 1808, was part of a group of early presidents who were never elected president before taking office. A member of New York’s Anti-Masonic Party, he was selected as Zachary Taylor’s running mate in 1848 as part of a strategy to win votes from opponents of slavery. He became president on July 9, 1850, after Taylor unexpectedly died at age 64 during his term and Fillmore assumed office with no prior presidential experience.
John Tyler
He was an unusual figure in American history because he became president without being elected to that office. He was vice president when William Henry Harrison died just a month after taking office, and Tyler was named his successor as both parties expected Harrison would not last long in office.
William Henry Harrison
Harrison is widely considered to be one of America’s worst presidents, due to his brief tenure in office and a series of poor decisions that contributed to his early death. After serving in both houses of Congress, Harrison was elected President in 1840 as a member of the Whig Party.
James Garfield
Our 21st president’s administration was cut short by an assassin’s bullet after he served only 200 days in office. His presidency wasn’t particularly memorable: He had no major legislative achievements and his domestic policies largely reflected those of his predecessor, Rutherford B. Hayes. Oh, and that whole president for three months before getting shot thing probably doesn’t speak well to his political savvy, either.
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Teddy Roosevelt is regarded as one of America’s most influential presidents, and FDR is often ranked alongside Washington, Lincoln, and Reagan as one of our best. There’s some truth to that: Roosevelt led us through two of America’s greatest challenges in all of history: The Great Depression and World War II.
