For more than 200 years, the United States has had 44 former presidents who have left office. Every one of them has stood the test of time—each like a cornerstone, each adding a block to American history. Their contributions differ, each with distinct strengths, together forming America’s spiritual and institutional wealth. One president takes one step at a time, leaving firm footprints as the nation moves forward. Each president faced different historical circumstances, and their achievements varied accordingly. Times create heroes. A president who governs during an economic recession is often unlucky, becoming a scapegoat; even with presidential power, it is difficult to reverse a severe economic downturn.

Yet all of them have endured and remain worthy of remembrance. Their monuments and presidential libraries have never been torn down or repudiated. Even where controversies exist, they reflect differences of opinion rather than outright denial of a president’s legitimacy. No later revelations of corruption have led to disgrace, imprisonment, or overthrow, unlike Taiwan’s Chen Shui-bian or certain South Korean presidents. The only president widely regarded as corrupt, Ulysses S. Grant, was found to have tolerated corruption among subordinates; he himself was not personally corrupt.

Why have American presidents generally been able to stand the test of history? There may be several reasons:

Christian faith and a traditional spirit of service. Most American presidents were Protestants shaped by Puritan values.

Institutional constraints. Presidential governance is open and transparent, subject to oversight by Congress, the media, and the Supreme Court. It is difficult to act recklessly and survive; wrongdoing is likely to be exposed. The system itself makes it hard for incompetent or tyrannical rulers to emerge.

Presidents are chosen through elections. During campaigns, their personal histories are thoroughly scrutinized and made known to the public, placing them under constant public observation and limiting personal misconduct. Presidential terms are limited to a maximum of eight years; whether good or bad, there is a clear time limit—failure cannot last long.