Lincoln Is the Most Effective US President, According to Historians

This article was written with the assistance of A.I. technology, and has been edited and fact-checked by Colman Andrews.

Republican president Abraham Lincoln, who served from 1861 until his assassination in 1865, is considered the most effective United States president, according to a C-Span poll that surveyed 91 presidential historians.

Lincoln’s performance was highest in the category of overall performance in the context of his time, with a score of 96.5/100. He was also rated highly for his crisis leadership, scoring 95.4/100. However, he did less well for his relations with Congress, managing only 78.9/100.

The historians praised his public persuasion abilities, which helped him rally support for his policies. However, they criticized his administrative skills, citing his lack of experience in government.

Lincoln’s greatest achievements were presiding over a divided nation through most of the Civil War, which ended with the country united again, and shepherding through Congress the Emancipation Proclamation, which freed the slaves.

Click here to see the most and least effective US presidents, according to historians.