[Terpfen]

IMO, it's Washington #1, Lincoln #2, Reagan #3. Not to reduce in importance what Lincoln and Reagan did, but Lincoln couldn't have saved the Union if Washington hadn't forged the idea in the minds of Americans, and Reagan couldn't have beaten Communism if Lincoln hadn't saved the Union for Reagan to lead.

I'd probably rank Jefferson as #4, but he came up with the idea of secession, and that made Lincoln's job REAL tough...

[delapaz]

you forgot TR. He is definitely in the top 5.