12th President · 1849–1850 · Whig
Zachary Taylor
A war hero who stood firmly for the Union against secession threats, but died sixteen months in, before he could do much else.
OverallB-GPA 2.59
The grades
- SovereigntyDid they put American interests first and keep decisions in American hands?B
- HemisphereDid they guard the Americas against rival powers and threats?B
- RestraintDid they keep the country out of wars of choice that weakened it?B
- StatecraftDid they use diplomacy, force and alliances skillfully, on American terms?B-
- Industry and tradeDid they protect and build American industry?C+
- Working AmericansDid ordinary working families do better because of them?C
- BuildingDid they build things that lasted and push the frontier forward?C
- NationDid they strengthen a shared American identity and the Union?B
- CompetenceWere they capable, honest and effective in office?C+
On the axes
MarketEconomyPopulist
Free tradeTradeProtectionist
RestraintForeign policyInterventionist
CosmopolitanNationNational
Dark dot: Zachary Taylor. Red mark: the Monroe Society. Ideological closeness to the Society: 75%.