What are historians and political scientists asked to do regarding U.S. presidents?
Q: What are historians and political scientists asked to do regarding U.S. presidents?
A: They are surveyed and asked to give presidents number ratings on their overall performance or on different aspects of their leadership.
Q: What factors are considered in evaluating a president's leadership?
A: Several different factors are considered, including their character, their vision for the country, their relations with congress, their relations with foreign leaders (diplomacy), how they managed the economy, how they managed the military, and their overall political skill.
Q: How are surveys of U.S. presidents' performance balanced?
A: To make sure the rankings are fair, many surveys equally balance the opinions of Democrats and Republicans.
Q: Why is it sometimes difficult to accurately rank a president?
A: It is difficult to accurately rank a president because all of the presidents faced completely different challenges.
Q: Do historical opinions of U.S. presidents ever change over time?
A: Yes, historical opinions of U.S. presidents may change over time.
Q: Can you give an example of a U.S. president whose historical opinion has changed over time?
A: Harry S. Truman had very low approval ratings after he left office, but many historians now consider him among some the greatest presidents.
Q: What is an example of a category that historians might use to evaluate a president's leadership that is not listed in the text?
A: One example might be a president's cultural impact, such as their contribution to the arts or civil rights movement.
