Ranking U.S. Presidents From Most to Least Liked by the Public

Franklin Pierce’s presidency is often viewed negatively by historians because of his decisions that edged the country closer to the Civil War. One of Pierce’s significant and controversial actions was enacting the Kansas-Nebraska Act. This law empowered settlers in new territories to choose whether to permit slavery, sparking intense national debate.

His support for the Kansas-Nebraska Act, which allowed for the expansion of slavery into new territories, heightened tensions between North and South. Pierce’s perceived pro-Southern bias and failure to effectively address the growing abolitionist movement alienated many in the North.