by Sarah Bradstreet

Created on: August 14, 2009   Last Updated: August 17, 2009

As both a student and teacher of history, I have had ample time to reflect on this country's past leaders and what led to the relative successes, failures, and enduring legacies. What follows is my personal countdown of what I consider to be the ten greatest presidents in the history of the United States. While none of these men were flawless, each contributed something great to this nation and deserves to be recognized.

10. Dwight D. Eisenhower: Prior to becoming Commander in Chief, Eisenhower, a five-star general, servedd as Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces in Europe during World War II. He then served as the first supreme commander of the newly-formed NATO. His legacy as a war hero and an outstanding leader helped him to ascend to the presidency in 1953. Despite his history of involvement in war, soon after entering office, Eisenhower negotiated the cease-fire to end the Korean War. As President, Eisenhower also expanded Social Security, launched the Space Race, and began the Interstate Highway System.

9. John Adams: An important leader in the movement for independence, Adams is considered a Founding Father of this nation. He was a member of the First and Second Continental Congresses, and played a large role in convincing Congress to adopt the Declaration of Independence. He served as Washington's Vice-President before becoming the President in 1797. Adams stressed to the American people the need for civic virtue and the importance of republican values. Despite his learning, thoughtfulness, and other admirable qualities, Adams was not the most skilled of politicians and lost his bid for reelection in 1800 to Thomas Jefferson. The response to this loss, however, proved to be perhaps the most historically significant part of Adams' administration. His peaceful turnover of the presidency to Jefferson-a member of an opposing political party-was a true mark of the success of America's new form of democracy.

8. James Madison: Madison's best known contributions to the foundation of this nation came before he became the fourth president-he was the principle author of the Constitution and of the most influential writings in its defense, the Federalist Papers. Once in office, however, Madison continued to shine as a leader of the young nation. The country's strength was given its first major test on the international stage during Madison's administration with the War of 1812. This conflict with Britain, sometimes called the Second American Revolution, changed

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