Best Presidents T-1. Abraham Lincoln (1861–1865) The Great Emancipator and the savior of the Union. And he created the national railroad and the land-grant university system, all while fighting the war! T-1. Franklin Roosevelt (1933–1945) His steady confidence , “bold, persistent experimentation,” and optimistic mien guided the nation through the Great Depression and the Second World War, reimagining both the federal government role and the country’s place in the world. The best presidents used