5. Thomas Jefferson
SRI Ranking: 6
Brookings Institution Ranking: 5
Thomas Jefferson ranks 5th in our list of most successful presidents of all time. He is the author of the Declaration of Independence and was one of the most prominent figures among the Founding Fathers. He held various public offices before being elected as the third president of the United States. He presided over the Louisiana Purchase, one the most significant and far-reaching decisions in the history of the United States.
