Being the president of the United States is a very responsible matter, and a person who meets certain criteria, including being very intelligent, can get to this post. At least, this is what is commonly believed in society. But did all US presidents have a high IQ? And which of them was the smartest? And whose abilities correspond to the average statistical indicator of an ordinary American?

Despite the fact that the dispute about how to really effectively measure human intelligence still persists, a more optimal option than testing for the "intelligence quotient" has not yet been invented.

Estimated IQ scores of US presidents, each of whom was in power at one time, were published in 2006 in the journal Political Psychology based on research by University of California professor Dean Simonton. Of course, it is quite difficult to reliably "measure intelligence" or its lack in presidents, and especially those who have already died. But the professor made evaluations on the basis of personal qualities described in biographies, which indicated a higher intellectual development than the average level of intelligence, such as "inventive", "complex", "artistic", "wise", and "perceptive". So the results are as follows.

So the most intelligent president of the United States was John Adams, who was the second in this position and was in power from 1797 to 1801. His IQ is 173. He studied law at Harvard and was an early supporter of the movement for the independence of the United States from the British. Adams is remembered for his diplomatic skills, including the fact that he negotiated a number of peace agreements to avoid war with France.

Second on the list of the smartest presidents was Thomas Jefferson, with an IQ of 160. Although he had problems with oratory, according to White House records, he was an American founding father, serving from 1801 to 1809. As a staunch advocate of rights, Jefferson was opposed to a strong centralized government. But one of his first initiatives as president was the abolition of the unpopular whiskey tax.

The 35th president John Fitzgerald Kennedy, who did not stay in office for 3 years after he was assassinated in 1963, is considered the third among the smartest politicians. His IQ was determined at 158. Kennedy was remembered as president for his successful fiscal programs, which greatly contributed to the economy, and his significant contribution to the improvement of civil rights.

The fourth most intelligent among the presidents was Bill Clinton, his IQ was estimated at 156. He came to power in 1992 and stayed in office until 2001. Clinton is remembered for his mediation efforts that contributed to peace in Ireland and the Balkans. But, of course, we will also remember him for the high-profile sex scandal with Monica Lewinsky, a 22-year-old White House intern.

The five most intelligent presidents are closed by James Madison, one of the fathers of the Constitution, who had an IQ of 155.

But George W. Bush has the lowest IQ, he was estimated at 91 points. According to the professor's conclusion, the intelligence of the 43rd president does not differ from the level of the average American. Of course, this study is missing the indicators of at least 3 presidents - Barack Obama, Donald Trump, and Joe Biden, which would possibly change the ranking of the smartest or least smart politicians.