Presidential

Who Should Be President?
Character Education, Social Studies, U.S. History

When the white, male property owners living in the new country selected their first president, they chose George Washington. Ask students to give reasons that Washington’s fellow countrymen wanted him to be president. Which of these qualities made him seem like a great leader?

This introduction to Washington, the American presidency and leadership could be followed with the “Washington — A Model Leader” exercise and listening to the first of the Presidential podcasts.

A Model Leader?
Character Education, Social Studies, U.S. Government, U.S. History

Was George Washington a model of leadership, exemplifying the qualities you would want a U.S. president to have? As a pre-listening activity, give students the first page of  "George Washington — Model Leader." What do students know — or think they know — about Washington? Discuss the meaning of the 15 qualities and have students indicate their rating in pencil.

Listen to "George Washington: The man, the myth, the legend," the first of the Presidential podcasts. Complete the "George Washington — Model Leader" suggested activities. This time complete the chart of 15 qualities in ink. Has student opinion of Washington changed after listening to "George Washington: the man, the myth, the legend"? Discuss the 15 qualities after having heard the interviews.

Another approach to listening to the first Presidential podcast and thinking about Washington's leadership is do the "Why Washington for President?" suggested activity. After students discuss what they think about Washington, give them “Why Washington for President?” Questions in this activity guide listening of the first Presidential podcast, "George Washington: The man, the myth, the legend.” 

Before beginning the latter activity, teachers might ask students to define “disposition,” “etiquette,” “felicity,” “humility” and “self-abnegate.” This activity might be done by all students listening to the podcast alone or divided into groups to listen to and do specific questions. Depending on the length of your class period, teachers might divide the questions into listening, answering and discussion segments. Older students may complete the activity as homework and come to class ready to discuss the concepts.

Celebrate a President’s Birthday
Social Studies, U.S. History

How do your students celebrate their birthdays? Do they have annual traditions or is every year different? Do they look forward to a special birthday? Share these experiences.

Ask students to tell when U.S. presidents were born — the year and the day. George Washington and Abraham Lincoln will probably top the list, at least to name the date. Read “How presidents celebrate their birthdays.” What do the ways they celebrated tell about the presidents and the time period?

Teachers may use this article as a scavenger hunt. Who will be the first to find
• Which president was born on July 4?
• Which three presidents died on July 4?
• Where did JFK celebrate his 46th birthday?
• How did Barack Obama celebrate his 50th birthday?
• Write a question and answer it about another president.

Introduce Washington to Young Students
Character Education, Social Studies

Teachers may introduce their younger students to the Presidential podcasts with a familiar president — George Washington. Play (Listen to approx. 26- to 30-minute time code markers) of George Washington: The man, the myth, the legend, Lillian Cunningham’s interview with Julie Miller, a historian at the Library of Congress.
• What qualities and interests of George Washington does Miller emphasize?
• What aspirations are indicated?
• What do you learn about Washington in this segment of the podcast?

Having previewed the episode, teachers can determine which additional sections will best meet their academic goals.

A Man of Letters and Other Correspondence
Business, English, Primary Sources, Social Studies, U.S. Government, U.S. History

Historians, biographers, scholars and students can learn a great deal about people by reading primary sources — diaries, letters, public records (deeds, marriage and death certificates, arrests and public notices), media coverage and interviews of those who knew the individuals or were eyewitnesses.

This is especially true of presidents. In this activity students are asked to focus on George Washington as he is revealed in primary sources. 

Teachers who want students to use primary sources are provided “GW Letters and Other Documents,” these are some of the best collections of George Washington documents — letters, political writing, his diary — referred to by Julie Miller. In the first Presidential podcast, Miller, a historian at the Library of Congress, refers to having “all kinds of records of Washington’s personal financial life,” (Listen approx. 36- to 39-minute markers.) and letters. Select one of the letters found in "GW Letters and Other Documents" to read and discuss with students. Discussion could include"
• What is revealed about George Washington through this letter?
• What might the recipient's response be?
• How might the information in this letter be used then and now?
• Why are these documents worthy of such effort to preserve and make available online?

The availability of personal letters between George and Martha Washington is very limited. Read “After George Washington died, his wife burned her letters. Except these.”

The letters of Abraham Lincoln are also an intriguing student of leadership. See “Eloquence and Empathy” and “What Doris Kearns Goodwin thinks Trump could learn from Lincoln’s ‘hot letters.’”

Having worked together on one primary source, teachers could ask students to select a president. Listen to the Presidential podcast about that president. Has the host or interviewees referred to primary sources? If yes, which ones? Ask students to locate two primary sources related to this president. Questions they may be asked to answer could include:
• Do these sources support what was stated in the edisode?
• Do these sources contradict anything that was stated in the episode?
• Do these sources reveal another dimension of the president you selected? 
• How do primary sources extend your understanding of this president, his approach to leadership or the time period in which he held office? 

What Would You Do?
Character Education, Leadership, Social Studies, U.S. Government, U.S. History

Wonder how you would respond if you were placed in Washington’s boots? Mount Vernon online gives you the opportunity in Be Washington. Select one of four scenarios to face a challenge to your leadership “in this first-person interactive leadership experience.”

Get to Know a Populist President
Social Studies, U.S. Government, U.S. History

Teachers are provided “Honor in a Life of Violence and Misfortune” to guide students’ listening of the seventh episode in the Presidential series, Andrew Jackson: The violence, the fight. The questions may be divided into sections for students to work in groups or completed by each student listening at his or her own pace.

Compare and Contrast Presidents
Debate, English, Social Studies, U.S. Government, U.S. History

Teachers will find that there are a number of entry points to compare and contrast Andrew Jackson with the presidents that came before and after him.

• Andrew Jackson and George Washington: the frontier experience, involvement in battles and wars, their leadership styles

• Andrew Jackson and the six presidents who came before him

• Andrew Jackson and John Quincy Adams

• Andrew Jackson and Donald Trump

Give students “Andrew Jackson — A Comparison and Contrast” to introduce this activity. In addition, the On Leadership article, “Doris Kearns Goodwin on life, death and the presidency,” could be used as a model of a Q&A approach to comparing and contrasting presidents and as a platform for discussing what presidential leadership means.

Follow the Trail of Tears
U.S. Government, U.S. History

Teachers may ask students what they know of relations of the American government with Native Americans in the past and the present. What examples can they give?

In the first minutes of episode 7 of Presidential, host Lillian Cunningham indicates students will hear of “the violence and sadness of Andrew Jackson’s personal life. It’s about the violence of his military campaigns and his policies as president against Native Americans.” If there is not time to listen to the entire episode, focus on the section in which experts discuss Jackson’s political philosophy and its impact on Native Americans (listen approx. 46- to 55-minute time code). Discuss the ideas presented.

To learn more about the Indian Removal Act and the tribes impacted, visit the National Park Service historic “Trail of Tears” website.  

For a 21st century encounter with Jackson read and discuss two Post articles. Teachers may need to tell students about the role that Navajo code talkers played in the war effort before reading “Andrew Jackson was called ‘Indian killer.’ Trump honored Navajos in front of his portrait.”  And  read “Trump called Andrew Jackson ‘a swashbuckler.’ The Cherokees called him ‘Indian killer.” 

It’s (Not) Just a Gift
Character Education, Social Studies, U.S. Government, U.S. History

Ask younger students to tell about the best gift they have ever received. What makes it so special. Read the KidsPost article, “They got him what!? A look into the art of presidential gift-giving.” Discuss the gifts, the reasons gifts are given during state visits and places gifts are taken.

Before beginning this activity, teachers should define "emolument." Older students might discuss “emoluments,” the U.S. Constitution and the presidents. Read “Move over, Trump. This president’s two lions set off the greatest emoluments debate.” When have different presidents been faced with and avoided entanglements? 

Would George — or Other Presidents — Succeed in Date Lab?
Character Education, Social Studies, U.S. History

Would the well-dressed, graceful dancer be a better date than the teetotaler? Would the person with the gift of gab who tells stories with gleeful humor be a more interesting blind date than the person whose conversation revolved around politics?

Listen to the Presidential podcasts to get a glimpse at the personal side of the men who would be president. Host Lillian Cunningham asks the experts if each individual would make a good date. What do you learn about each president through this question? What other questions might students like to ask about each of the presidents?

The Post’s Date Lab feature matches singles living in the Washington metropolitan area and sends them on a blind date to a restaurant. Select a Presidential episode to listen to — perhaps one of the little known presidents. After getting acquainted with him, with whom would you try a Date Lab match for him? What qualities does he have? To what qualities might he be attracted?

Lincoln’s Legacy? Eloquence and Empathy
Composition, English, U.S. Government, U.S. History,

Considering that volumes have been written about Abraham Lincoln, how does one put his person and presidency into the confines of a podcast? Lillian Cunningham finds a focus and engaging experts in the sixteenth Presidential podcast — Abraham Lincoln: His hand and his pen. 

The “Eloquence and Empathy” worksheet guides students through selected segments of this episode. The questions are built around the insights of Michelle Krowl, Civil War and Reconstruction specialist at the Library of Congress, and historian and Lincoln biographer Doris Kearns Goodwin. Students are also asked to select a topic from a list to write an essay.

For additional background on and uses of primary sources, teachers may use the September 23, 2018, On Leadership article “What Doris Kearns Goodwin thinks Trump could learn from Lincoln’s ‘hot letters.’”

May I Have His Address?
English, Social Studies, U.S. Government, U.S. History

Episode 16 of Presidential focuses on the eloquence of Lincoln, including in his two inaugural addresses and the Gettysburg Address. 

Other presidents are known for their use of literary devices and memorable inaugural addresses. Give students “May I Have His Address?” They are taken through the speeches given by George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy and Barack Obama. Teachers may ask students to select another president’s inaugural address to summarize and evaluate. FDR would also provide an interesting study of his four addresses — how they reflect the changing condition of the country, its international involvement and the nation’s familiarity with his leadership.

The 2009 Post NIE curriculum guide Presidential Legacy and Language includes activities to compare and contrast past inaugural addresses, annotate Lincoln’s Second Address, and evaluate Lincoln’s Legacy which may be grouped into the following categories:
1. Inspiration for those of humble origins
2. Political ingenuity
3. Eloquence and love of words
4. Leadership in the time of adversity
5. Enunciation of reconciliation rather than revenge 6. Fulfillment of promises of past generations 

Why This Person For President?
Civics, Social Studies, U.S. Government, U.S. History

Why have Americans selected certain individuals to be their party’s candidates for president? Discuss the traits that the want-to-be-presidents held.

Think through the presidents as they are presented in The Post’s Presidential podcasts.
• What are some of the reasons that Washington’s fellow countrymen wanted him to be president?

• Which of Washington’s qualities made him seem to be a great leader?

• Different reasons and qualities emerged over the decades as Americans selected their candidates and their president. Give examples of two of these reasons and the person who embodied the changing perspective on leadership.

• In what ways may holding a different point of view than others in one’s political party help or hinder someone to ascend to prominence — and office?
• How important is it to have a vision for the country when campaigning and taking office? Does this promise make an individual more admirable to others?

How Do the Traits Add Up?
Character Education, Social Studies, U.S. History

The Post’s Presidential podcast series presents leadership skills and personality traits of the individuals who held the office. Use “Two Presidents, Four Years and Six Traits” to compare and contrast any two of the presidents. If teachers are doing decades projects, you might ask students to select a president in their group’s decade and one from another decade or two who served in the same decade.

How Important Are Legacy, Leadership and Precedents?

Civics, Social Studies, U.S. Government, U.S. History

The suggested activity in “Presidential Legacy, Leadership and Precedents” assigns students a series of steps that lead to the production of their own essay, podcast or speech in which they compare and contrast two presidents.

For the presidents they select (or are assigned), they are to listen to the entire Presidential episodes that feature these leaders.

What is the Tyler Precedent?
Social Studies, U.S. Government, U.S. History

Should the vice president automatically become the president? We accept this succession today, but this was not always true. Listen to the Presidential episode John Tyler: Ghosts and the vice presidency. A Virginian, Tyler is the vice president who became president to everyone’s surprise when President William Henry Harrison died soon after his inauguration. Listen to the Presidential podcast about Tyler and discuss the precedent he set. Questions might include:

• Why had he been selected as the vice president? 
• Did he carry on the policies of the president whom he replaced? 
• How did he add to the stature of later vice presidents who became presidents?

Students could be grouped, each one becoming an expert of the vice president who became president. Use the John Tyler episode as the foundation for this study of the vice presidency, the Tyler precedent and the 25th Amendment. (Students might even select their vice president based upon what they learn in this episode.)

It’s a White House Family

Social Studies, U.S. Government, U.S. History

In late August 2018 nearly 50 descendants of America’s presidents gathered in D.C. for a four-day summit hosted by the White House Historical Association. Among those present was the 93-year-old grandson of John Tyler, the 10th president of the United States.

Read “Oval Office family circles” by Ellen McCarthy.

If you were present at this event that was open to the public, what questions would you have asked? Who would you want most to talk to about the presidents, their leadership and their personal side?

Post NIE Guide Editor | Carol Lange
Post NIE Guide Art Editor | Carol Porter