After 228 years of the presidency, from 1789 when George Washington assumed the office under the Constitution, and continuing until the latest term by Barack Obama ended in 2017, the country has experienced a great many triumphs, defeats, calamities and disasters. It has prevailed in most of the wars that it has fought, and has been directed in times of great peril by leaders who rose to the occasion. Some Presidents were ineffective, while some maintained the status quo, and still others showed great leadership-especially in times that were critical for the United States. Abraham Lincoln stands out among all 44 Constitutional Presidents because he kept the country together when it could have easily split apart into 2 separate nations. George Washington is also prominent in that he ensured that the country survive in its initial stages. Franklin Roosevelt was definitely a leader in defeating the global threats from Germany, Italy and Japan during World War II. Thomas Jefferson can be commended for expanding the land area with the Louisiana Purchase. And, Theodore Roosevelt can be cited for making the United States into a world power. These 5 Presidents are notable in terms of their actions at the time of their presidencies.