Nowadays, every President obsesses over their legacy. Some of this is media driven and the desire for the press and the public to sum up a presidency as simply and as quickly as possible. Many presidents can claim multiple legacies which further confuses the public and the press. Here is the crib notes version of each president's main legacy beginning with the Revolutionary generation. These five presidents were shaped by their experiences in the Revolution.
1. George Washington (1789-1797): The first George W's legacy is as
Father of the Country. His policies kept the country from fracturing. He upheld Federal Supremacy over localism by putting down the Whiskey Rebellion. He kept the country out of the European conflict between France and Britain. His foreign policy became the basis of American foreign policy for a century. As a result of his prudence, instead of falling into civil war or being torn apart by foreign invaders, the United States survived into the next century. Washington's other major legacy is
the presidency itself. He was the model the framers had in mind. He set many precedents followed to this day and established the two term limit which only Franklin Roosevelt broke (although U.S. Grant, Theodore Roosevelt, and Woodrow Wilson wanted to break).
2. John Adams (1797-1801): Many historians would claim the Alien and Sedition Acts as Adams' legacy. This is more a reaction to the imagined abuses of the Bush Administration. However, Adams' real legacy is the
Peace with France that cost him the presidency. The Anglophobic Democratic Party thought he was a monarchical tyrant while his own party thought he was soft on France and clamoured for war. With the exception of the Civil War era, this was the most divisive political period in American history. Adams' fought his own party as well as the Democrats. He resisted war, achieved peace with the French, and lost his re-election bid.
3. Thomas Jefferson (1801-1809): Jefferson was personally miserable as president. He was very unhappy in the White House. His second term was a disaster. However, his first term was spectacular.
The Louisiana Purchase and Lewis and Clark Expedition not only symbolized the young republic, but serve as Jefferson's Presidential Legacy. Interestingly, Jefferson's biggest legacy is the
Declaration of Independence which he wrote a quarter of a century before becoming president.
4. James Madison (1809-1817): For better or worse,
the War of 1812 is synonymous with James Madison's presidency. Today, some people consider the war a failure, America's first defeat in a war, and needlessly divisive. The War of 1812 might be the most divisive war in U.S. history as New England threatened to leave the Union and celebrated British victories. Some consider the war a draw and a national distraction. However, most Americans at the time considered it a victory for liberty and the war that secured American independence. In many respects, this last interpretation is the most accurate. Like Jefferson, Madison's greatest legacy occurred before his presidency. James Madison is considered the
Father of the Constitution.
5. James Monroe (1817-1825): The Federalist Party died and the Democrats had the political world to themselves. Being Democrats, they fought amongst themselves. However, Monroe's legacy unites most Americans to this day and is often invoked by his successors.
The Monroe Doctrine bars European colonization and interference in the Americas. It legitimized American involvement during the Cuban Missile Crisis, Invasion of Grenada, and many other activities. Some have been positive while others have been questionable. However, the anti-colonial principles within the doctrine influence American thinking to this day.
