Presidents are remembered not just for what they achieved―but for what they got wrong. In Successes and Failures, part of the American History in a Nutshell series, Forrest Tower takes a clear-eyed look at the defining moments of every American presidency, revealing the single most consequential success―and the most significant failure―of each leader. From Washington’s foundational precedents to Lincoln’s preservation of the Union, from transformative achievements to costly missteps, this book captures the delicate balance of leadership at the highest level. With concise, engaging chapters, each presidency is distilled into powerful, easy-to-understand insights that show how decisions shaped the nation―for better and for worse. You’ll see how triumphs and mistakes often intertwine, and how history ultimately judges both. Part of the American History in a Nutshell series, this volume delivers history in a smart, accessible, micro-learning format―perfect for readers who want meaningful understanding without the overwhelm.
Presidents are remembered not just for what they achieved―but for what they got wrong. In Successes and Failures, part of the American History in a Nutshell series, Forrest Tower takes a clear-eyed look at the defining moments of every American presidency, revealing the single most consequential success―and the most significant failure―of each leader. From Washington’s foundational precedents to Lincoln’s preservation of the Union, from transformative achievements to costly missteps, this book captures the delicate balance of leadership at the highest level. With concise, engaging chapters, each presidency is distilled into powerful, easy-to-understand insights that show how decisions shaped the nation―for better and for worse. You’ll see how triumphs and mistakes often intertwine, and how history ultimately judges both. Part of the American History in a Nutshell series, this volume delivers history in a smart, accessible, micro-learning format―perfect for readers who want meaningful understanding without the overwhelm.
First President George Washington
Term 1789–1787
Background
When George Washington assumed the presidency, the United States had just been formed following the Revolutionary War, during which Washington served as the commander-in-chief. The original founding document, the Articles of Confederation, allowed for limited executive authority and federal power and control. This led to the Constitutional Convention of 1787, which finalized the U.S. Constitution.
During the convention, there was strong disagreement between the Federalists, led by John Adams, who advocated for a strong federal government, and the Anti-Federalists, led by Thomas Jefferson, who were concerned about a powerful centralized government and believed that individual states should hold the most power. The Constitution was ratified in 1788, and in 1789, Washington was unanimously elected the country’s first president.
Success
President Washington’s greatest success was establishing a strong foundation for the U.S. government and setting important precedents for domestic and foreign affairs.
Although the Constitution spelled out many of the requirements of the new government and the roles of its officers, it did not elaborate on how to perform these tasks.
Some of Washington’s other achievements include:
Creating the first Presidential Cabinet comprising the Secretary of State, Secretary of War, Secretary of the Treasury, and Attorney General. He selected a group of diverse thinkers who provided differing viewpoints for Washington to consider in his decision-making. To this day, the U.S. president relies on the Cabinet to help make decisions of consequence.
Washington, a military man, set the ground rules for civilian control over the military. He did this to ensure that the army did not become an independent power unto itself. Washington recognized that the Declaration of Independence laid out the principle that the law, not an individual such as a monarch, is supreme and that this new system of government was run by the consent of the governed.
Washington saw that even though the Constitution did not establish term limits, a bad precedent could be set by continuously running for and winning the presidency. He voluntarily stepped down after two terms and ensured a peaceful transfer of power. The two four-year term limit was ultimately enshrined into law with the Twenty-Second Amendment in 1951.
By signingthe Judiciary Act of 1789, Washington defined the U.S. Supreme Court's powers, established its structure, and nominated the first six justices. These individuals were known to the general public as upstanding citizens and highly qualified professionals.
After a tax was leveled on whisky, the Whiskey Rebellion ensued. Washington was decisive and utilized federal forces to quell the rebellion, thus demonstrating the government’s authority to create and enforce its laws.
With respect to foreign affairs, the world, and especially Europe, was in a state of turmoil. Numerous wars had broken out. Washington was determined to keep the newly formed country from becoming destabilized by getting embroiled in foreign disputes. He set the precedent that the country needed to focus on its internal development and protect its sovereignty. Therefore, he insisted on U.S. neutrality.
Failure
Washington agreed to a treaty with Great Britain, which was ratified in 1795 and was intended to resolve outstanding issues related to the American Revolutionary War. The Treaty of Amity, Commerce, and Navigation—more commonly known as “Jay’s Treaty”—required the British to evacuate their fortifications in the Northwest Territory, allowed for arbitration to settle American debts, and established what is now the U.S.-Canadian border. It also gave the U.S. limited rights to trade with the British colonies in the Caribbean.
In return, the treaty granted Britain most-favored-nation status in terms of trade. America also agreed not to expand westward and agreed to certain British anti-French maritime policies. This angered the French, who had supported the American cause during the Revolutionary War.
The treaty was very unpopular within the U.S., as many saw it as an overreach of federal power, particularly the Jeffersonians. It led to public unrest and even violence. The treaty did, however, avert a second war with Great Britain for over a decade.
I am in awe of how Tower manages to fit in the key history of every single President of the United States since the creation of the nation. In the introduction to Successes and Failures: Actions of U.S. Presidents that Shaped the World by Forrest Tower we are told that the book is inspired by two key texts. American History in Bite-Sized Chunks inspires the brevity, whilst The Situation Room: The Inside Story of Presidents in Crisis provided insight into key presidential decisions. We are also made aware that the research was informed by discussions with several AI models that signposted the author towards specific topics and moments to research. Viewing the contents and lengthy list of leaders, I was curious about what each was known for, particularly as I am a non-native and the book alludes to giving me a walk-through history in a digestible format.
The elements I loved most about this book is the microlearning. The book assumes one major success and one significant failing of every president, rather than a complete history. Although the points picked may be debatable, they still gave me a sense of who each president was and pinpoints them in time. I also loved the templated format that followed:
President’s history
Their greatest success
Their greatest failure
As repetitive as this looks on paper, especially given as there are over 45 entries, it was fitting for a reference book that is not necessarily intended to be read cover to cover.
Depending on what you hope to gain from this book, I would argue that it is a really good resource for readers of primary school age and above. Yes, there are some concepts that a child might not fully grasp, but the language is accessible. It is devoid of long words and jargon and assumes no prior education. That said, because of the brevity of time and space given to each author, I would advise reading about a couple of presidents before and after your chosen person if you do opt not to read the book cover to cover. Because success and failure are subjective, it is helpful to understand where the author is coming and where he continues to travel in order to have a clear overview of the landscape you are working with.
There isn’t anything I disliked about the book. It was well signposted, well templated, it set out its intention and stuck to them. The format was consistent. The images and numbering of each president was helpful. The editing could not be faulted. Arguably, as a non-native I may have lower expectations than a patriot, but I learned a lot, and my interest remained throughout the book because of the tone, the brevity, the continuation between each president, and a hard and fast decision about the pros and cons of each one. I also loved that it wasn’t a book that rewrote history to make everything the nation did come off as amazing and wonderful for the good of the rest of the world. It came across as sincere and transparent. Therefore, all things considered, it was a 5 out of 5 star read for me. I can see myself honing in and actually researching specific presidents in more detail as a result of Tower’s efforts.