Professionalism
Did the president wear the right clothes?
Winners: Washington, Adams, Madison, and Monroe
Washington, Adams, Madison, and Monroe all wore professional clothing.
Washington wore his general officer’s uniform: a ruffled shirt, neckcloth, and boots.
Madison was “always noted for looking very old fashioned, so he probably didn’t adopt long trousers. He was described as wearing, at age 85, “black cloth pantaloons extending only to the knees.” In 1863, years after Madison’s death, his slave and manservant Paul Jennings described him as “always dressed wholly in black — coat, breeches, and silk stockings, with buckles in his shoes and breeches.”
Monroe was the first president to wear long pants.
Jefferson was the only president who didn't dress professionally. Some people took note on Jefferson’s choice of clothing, and how he often lingered in the White House in his pajamas into the workday. There was even a time when a British Minister who showed up to an official occasion in full diplomatic uniform, and seeing that Jefferson showed up in “slippers down at the heels” and coat, breeches, shirt, and woolen stockings, that the minister felt that not only had he been deliberately insulted but that the insult extended to his sovereignty and his country.
Was the president respected well among the people?
Winners: Washington, Jefferson, Madison, and Monroe
Washington was respected well.
- Was one of the most respected men in the thirteen colonies. Set the president precedents and led the American army through battle during the revolutionary war.
Adams was not respected well.
- “Adams' personal weaknesses caused other troubles during his presidency. He belonged to the Federalist Party, but he did not want to become involved in party arguments. And he did not want to make all the compromises necessary in the world of politics. So, other Federalists often worked against him.”
Overall Jefferson was respected as a leader.
- Although he was rumored that he is a father of children from one of his slaves, which also happens to be his wife’s half-sister. That might have affected some people’s viewpoints on Jefferson. But besides that scandal, he was well respected for how he ran the nation.
Maidson was respected well as a strong leader, communicator, and salesman but was sometimes called “handicapped” for his small stature.
- He wrote the first 10 Amendments of the Constitution which is the Bill of Rights that guarantees civil rights and freedoms.
James Monroe was very respected especially since he had worked with Jefferson and Jefferson assured Monroe’s ability to handle foreign and domestic affairs.
Contribution: Did the president make good choices for the country?
Winners: Jefferson, Madison, and Monroe
Washington mainly made good choices for the country. He set the president precedents, however, Washington also established the Neutrality act which was an effective foreign policy but it divided the country into two political parties.
Adams started the Quasi-War with France and passed the Alien and Sedition Acts. However, he made good choices when he peacefully ended the war and he also strengthened the American army.
Jefferson did make good decisions for the nation, and the best one he made as president was that he made the beginning of the westward expansion possible when he created the Louisiana Purchase. But even without mentioning the westward expansion, the nation still doubled in size when the Purchase was made.
Madison is remembered as the “Father of the Constitution” and remembered as an author of the Federalist Papers. During Madison’s first term, Congress went through many alternatives to the Embargo Act.
Monroe strengthened foreign policy and supported major expansion through the Monroe Doctrine and the Missouri Compromised which added new states to the Union.
Popularity: Did people support the president's ideas or go against what they proposed?
Winners: No one
The Hamiltonian Federalists did not support Washington's Neutrality policy because they were pro-British and Jeffersonian Republicans were pro-French so they also didn't support the Neutrality policy.
Adams faced much opposition during his presidency and not many supported him as a president.
Since the Revolution of 1800 involved the shift in political parties in the presidential position, the Federalist Party started to die down, so yes most, not all, agreed to Jefferson’s decisions. Obviously the ones that went against him were federalists.
Madison was often criticized and blamed for the difficulties stemming from the War of 1812.
In Monroe's second term, the Monroe Doctrine wasn’t fully as supported well as his other ideas.
Was anything done to make the economy prosper?
Winners: Washington, Adams, Jefferson, Monroe
George Washington supported Hamilton’s financial plan that helped put the country out of its war debt after the Revolutionary War. Washington helped rid America of England’s monarchial government through his economic policy.
Adams did not harm the economy in any way.
Since Jefferson believed that the federal government should play a limited role in the lives of American people, he got rid of unpopular taxes, like the whiskey tax.
The economy was badly hurt after the War of 1812 during Madison's presidency.
Due to Westward expansion and the second bank, Monroe helped America bounce back from the depression and it was a normal aspect of a prospering economy.
Did the president speak clearly and have a strong voice in government?
Winners: Washington, Adams, and Monroe
Washington, Adams, and Monroe all spoke clearly and had a strong voice in government.
Jefferson and Madison did not.
Jefferson was not the kind of person to speak in front of a crowd. He stated on a letter that his “great wish is to go on in a strict but silent performance of my duty: to avoid attracting notice and to keep my name out of newspapers, because I find the pain a little censure, even when it is unfounded, is more acute than the pleasure of much praise”. Also, both of his Inaugural Addresses were found to be only partly audible.
Madison was a man of small stature, standing only 5'4" tall weighing a little more than one hundred pounds. He did not have a strong speaking voice so he was not known as a great orator, choosing to be behind the scenes. Labeled as “the most unsociable creature in existence”. His voice was so weak that people often had difficulty hearing his speeches, and he was plagued by recurring bouts of “bilious fever”. Had trouble outshining anyone in the room.
Was the president able to persuade the audience?
Winners: Washington, Jefferson, Madison, and Monroe
Washington was able to persuade his audience.
- After the American Revolution, Congress wouldn’t pay the officers because there wasn’t enough money and a small rebellion stirred up. Washington strode up to the officers wearing glasses and told them, “I have already grown gray in the service of my country, and now I am going blind.” His persuasion to the officers and this saying moved them so much that they abandoned the rebellion.
- Washington also persuaded Congress to pass the Neutrality Policy which helped the country stay out of the war.
Adams did not persuade the audience well.
- Other Federalists from his party sometimes worked against him. This occurred during Adams's attempt to run for president for a second term. Hamilton wrote a letter that was released to the press attacking Adams.
Jefferson was able to persuade the audience, considering he wrote the Declaration of Independence, which happens to be the most persuasive document in American history.
- He was also very passionate, since based on a law professor, Arthur Rizer, “Passion is everything.” The author says that a leader without a belief and enthusiasm for a topic cannot persuade anyone. Jefferson had beliefs and he had the enthusiasm for the written word in the Declaration of Independence which made him a stronger writer.
Madison was good at persuading his audience and there wasn't much opposition against his presidential actions.
Monroe was not majorly opposed in his second election so he did persuade Americans that he was suited to be president. He also encouraged the decline of two parties which caused the Federalist party to diminish.
Contribution: Did the president make the country a better place?
Winners: Washington, Jefferson, Madison, and Monroe.
Washington did make the country a better place. He was a good example of a first president and set the president precedents. Washington also supported Hamilton's financial plan which helped get the country out of its great debt from the American Revolution.
During the American Revolution Adams opposed the Stamp Act ad advocated for the separation of England. However, he also made bad choices like the Alien and Sedition Acts
Jefferson did help in making the nation a better place. He wrote the Declaration of Independence. Jefferson respected his family and his country, and he also started the Lewis and Clark expedition, which again led to the expansion of the nation. At the end of his presidency, he also built the University of Virginia in Charlottesville.
Madison called for an embargo on all goods, however, he also admitted Louisiana and Indiana into the Union, drafted the Virginia Plan, and sponsored the Bill of Rights.
The Monroe Doctrine and the Florida conquest were beneficial to making the country a better place.
Crisis Management: How will did the president handle a situation where the whole nation was involved in the issue?
Winners: Washington, Jefferson, Madison, and Monroe
Washington handled issues well, examples were with the Whiskey Rebellion, getting the country out of war debt, and the Neutrality Policy.
“President Adams's style was largely to leave domestic matters to Congress and to control foreign policy himself”.
Jefferson, Madison, and Monroe all handled situations well.
Did manufacturing boost or decline?
Winners: Washington, Adams, Jefferson, and Monroe
Due to Hamilton's Financial Plan during Washington's presidency, the American economy had traditionally rested upon large-scale agricultural exports to pay for the import of British manufactured goods.
During Adams, presidency manufacture did not decline.
When Jefferson passed the embargo act, imports and exports declined and there was an increase in reliance on domestic manufacturing.
The economy was badly hurt and manufacture did not boost during Madison's presidency.
The War of 1812 had already boosted manufacturing in the Era of Good Feelings which occurred during Monroe’s presidency.
Did the people of America like the president?
Winners: Washington, Jefferson, Madison, and Monroe
Citizens liked Washington, Jefferson, Madison, and Monroe.
Adams was not the most likable person during his presidency. His greatest opposition was during the Alien and Sedition Acts which violated the First Amendment.
Was the president politically keen and intelligent?
Winners: Adams, Jefferson, Madison, and Monroe
Washington was politically keen and good with military strategies, however, he often had spelling mistakes, couldn’t read and write. He was poorly educated and needed people to write his speeches because he could not write his own.
Adams was politically keen and intelligent. He even attended Harvard.
Jefferson was politically keen and intelligent, although he was also seen as a hypocrite considering he stated that all men are equal but at the same time owning slaves.
Madison was one of the most politically keen and studious presidents.
- He also took a lot of detailed notes at the Constitutional Convention that helped shape his ideas.
- He was also committed to avoiding disagreements and was very well-organized.
Monroe was extremely politically keen and intelligent since he had helped in the constitutional convention and worked foreign affairs while Thomas Jefferson was president.
Contribution: Is the president remembered in a positive way?
Winners: Washington, Jefferson, Madison, and Monroe
Washington is remembered in a positive way.
- Even stepped down from office and power to declare that a president is not a king.
- Remembered as the person who led America through the Revolutionary War.
Adams was not remembered in a positive way because of the Alien and Sedition Acts.
Jefferson is mostly remembered in a positive way. Although he is still remembered as a slaveholder even when saying all men are created equal, which leads people into thinking that he’s a hypocrite. But besides that, he was remembered for every good thing he did for the country.
Madison and Monroe were both remembered in a positive way.
Crisis Management: Did the president's solution to the problem solve it efficiently?
Winners: no one
The problem of the Whiskey Rebellion and the war debt issues were solved during Washington's presidency, however, the issue of the neutrality policy was not solved because it was stilled tested during Adams, Jefferson's, and Madison's presidency.
The Quasi-War with France showed the neutrality issue was still not resolved in Adam's presidency.
Jefferson's decision with the embargo act did not solve the problem.
Madison, who had opposed the creation of the First Bank of the United States in 1791, reluctantly admitted to the need for another national bank. He believed a bank was necessary to finance the war with Britain. But later that year, progress in peace negotiations led Madison to withdraw his support for the proposed national bank.
Madison did not solve the Panic of 1819 efficiently.
If there was any attempt in getting involved in foreign nations, were the outcomes beneficial or harmful to the nation?
Winners: Washington, Madison, and Monroe
Washington’s foreign policy helped the country stay out of the war, but it was one of the events that cause the split between the two political parties.
The Quasi-War during Adams's presidency was harmful to the nation.
The embargo act was the most popular involvement of Jefferson with foreign affairs and it wasn’t exactly beneficial since it failed.
In Madison's presidency, the War of 1812 was partially beneficial to the nation because it provided America with a sense of pride and nationalism.
The Florida conquest was beneficial in Monroe's presidency.
Did the president have a likable personality?
Winners: Jefferson, Madison, and Monroe
Jefferson, Madison, and Monroe had a good personality.
Washington had a fiery temper, however, he controlled it through strong will and he presented confidence that helped lead the nation through the Revolution and as an independent country.
Adams did not have a good personality. He had a fiery and quick temper with extreme mood swings.
Did people agree with the president's actions or follow them through?
Winner: Madison
Not everyone agreed with Washington's actions.
- Washington’s foreign policy (the Neutrality policy) created the emergence of two political parties. The Hamiltonian Federalists wanted a strong central government, pro-British, and the Jeffersonian Republicans didn’t want a strong central government, pro-French.
People did not agree with Adams's actions during the Quasi-War and the Alien and Sedition Acts.
Not everyone followed through Jefferson’s actions, having his political party a big factor. While Jefferson was focused on states’ rights, federalists were more focused on centralized power.
Madison's actions were followed through.
- He believed political parties maintained equilibrium and would act as checks and balances. So one would say Madison was about creating a system that protected individuals from not being arbitrarily stopped from opposing or proposing their ideas with protection under the Bill of Rights and constitution.
Not everyone fully agreed with Monroe's actions.
- Many people were skeptical of the formation of banks because they believed that the banks violated the rights of the people.
- Missouri Compromise: a lot of people disagreed with the compromise because it didn’t resolve the issue of slavery.
Contribution: Was the president's contribution to the country constitutional?
Winners: Washington, Jefferson, Madison, and Monroe
Washington, Jefferson, Madison, and Monroe's contribution to the country was constitutional.
The Alien and Sedition Acts that Adams supported were not constitutional because they violated the first amendment.
Crisis Management: Were all views about the issue taken into consideration, or only the president’s opinions?
Winners: Washington, Jefferson, Madison, and Monroe
Not many agreed with Washington’s support and decision to carry out Hamiton’s financial plan. Although the financial plan did lead the nation out of its revolutionary war debt, not everyone agreed that it was the best way.
Adams "valued no one's opinion half as much as his own—except for that of his wife, Abigail."
Jefferson, Madison, and Monroe all took into consideration the views of other people.
Did the president help the government for “down the line”?
Winners: Washington, Jefferson, Madison, and Monroe
Washington established the precedent presidents which set good examples for future presidents.
Adams did not help the government for "down the line" due to his tests with the neutrality policy.
Jefferson didn’t exactly agree with the central government over state and local government, but he did believe that the will of the people, expressed through elections, provided the most appropriate guidance for directing the republic’s course.
Madison made the war very difficult to finance however it gave America a sense of pride and nationalism.
The Monroe Doctrine helped the government for "down the line".
Did the president respond well to conflicts?
Winners: Washington, Jefferson, Madison, and Monroe
Washington responded well to conflicts as seen in the Whiskey Rebellion.
Jefferson also responded well to conflicts during the Louisiana Purchase where he doubled the size of the U.S.
Madison signed the Treaty of Ghent and led the country through the War of 1812.
Lastly, Monroe also responded well to domestic conflicts.
Adams did not respond well to conflicts. An example of this was seen during the Quasi-War with France.
Did the president take actions that were unconstitutional?
Winners: Washington, Jefferson, Madison, and Monroe
Washington’s actions were not completely constitutional from Hamilton's financial plan but they fell under the Elastic Clause.
- Washington support Hamilton’s financial plan which called for the creation of a national bank. Jeffersonians opposed the bank because they said it was unconstitutional and the government was getting too much power. Hamilton said it was “necessary and proper” from the elastic clause.
Adams's actions were unconstitutional due to his actions in the Alien and Sedition Acts.
Although Jefferson was seen to be consistently inconsistent with his decision making when he was pronounced president, he didn’t exactly do actions that were unconstitutional, since Jefferson using the elastic clause to complete the Louisiana Purchase is not really considered unconstitutional. It just challenges Jefferson’s belief in strict interpretation.
Madisons and Monroe's actions were constitutional.
Popularity: Did the president have a large majority of people voting for you?
Winners: Washington, Jefferson, Madison, and Monroe
Washington was the first president to be unanimously elected as president by the Electoral College and by the people.
Adams won the popular vote in 1796 however he was beaten by Jefferson in the election of 1800 when running for his second term.
Jefferson won the election of 1800 against Adams with 73 to 65. In the election of his second term, he won the electoral vote 162- 14 defeating Pinckney. What also should be considered is the fact that there was a deadlock between Burr and Jefferson in the election of 1800.
Madison won the 1808 election by having 62,301 more popular votes than the opposing candidate, Charles Pinckney, with a total of 124,732 popular votes.
Monroe was popular and very well-liked among the people. In his second term, he ran for presidency unopposed.
What was President James Monroe's favorite color?
Green
Did the army grow in a beneficial way to help the nation?
Winners: Washington and Adams
Washington was Commander in Chief of the Continental Army and led the nation through the Revolutionary War.
Adams helped in establishing a strong naval force.
Jefferson reduced the size of the army to prevent rebellions from happening.
Madison lacked a good army during the War of 1812.
Monroe did not strengthen the army during his presidency.