President’s Day
20 items
Presidents and the Constitution
Curriculum - 80 Lessons
Curriculum
80 Lessons
What are the powers delegated to the Executive Branch and how have constitutional principles have applied throughout U.S. History? Examine these questions with your students and equip them to be more informed citizens and critical students of history and current events. The curriculum is made possible by The National Endowment for the Humanities and Dr. John M. Templeton, Jr.
Eisenhower’s Farewell Address | A Primary Source Close Read w/ BRI
Video
Video
40 Min
Who was Dwight D. Eisenhower? While perhaps not discussed as often as other 20th century presidents, Eisenhower led the nation through a period of profound transformation in a deliberate manner that reflected his study of history and experience as a leader. In this video, Kirk Higgins and Professor of History at the College of the Sequoias, Dr. Stephen Tootle, discuss the legacy of Eisenhower’s Farewell Address. What does this speech reveal about his understanding of the presidency? What does Eisenhower see as America’s role in the world?
40 Min
The President as Commander in Chief
Lesson - 4 Activities
Lesson
4 Activities
The Constitution gives the power of declaring war solely to Congress, while the president serves as commander in chief of the U.S. military. What does commander in chief mean? As American citizens, it is our responsibility not only to stay informed about the domestic and international uses of our military, but also to make thoughtful judgments about the wisdom and prudence of each use.
Establishing a Government of Laws, Not Men: George Washington’s Retirement and Responsibility
Lesson - 1 Activities
Lesson
1 Activities
45 Min
How did George Washington act responsibility as Commander-in-Chief following the Revolutionary War?
45 Min
John Adams (1735-1826)
Lesson - 5 Activities
Lesson
5 Activities
45 Min
What role did John Adams play in the American Revolution? How did go on to help shape the new nation as president, and what were his reasons for and objections to the Alien and Sedition Acts?
45 Min
Eisenhower and the Little Rock Crisis (1957)
Lesson - 3 Activities
Lesson
3 Activities
60 Min
How did Dwight D. Eisenhower's respond to the Little Rock Crisis? Ask students to asses President Eisenhower's constitutional justification for his decision to send federal troops to Little Rock, Arkansas to enforce a federal court's order to integrate public schools.
60 Min
Did Abraham Lincoln Exceed His Presidential Powers during the Civil War?
Activity
Activity
40 Min
Did Lincoln exceed his powers while leading the country through the turmoils of the Civil War? Mackubin Owens and Allen Guelzo debate this issue.
Reading Abraham Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address | A Primary Source Close Read w/ BRI
Video
Video
30 Min
Kirk and Tony analyze Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address, paying close attention to how Lincoln speaks directly to a broken nation, and how the overall address compared in tone to his First Inaugural Address. How did Lincoln convey his plans for reconciling a war-torn nation?
30 Min
Washington’s First Inaugural Address, 1789
Activity
Activity
40 Min
Use this primary source text to explore key historical events.
George Washington’s Farewell Address and First Inaugural Address | A Primary Source Close Read w/BRI
Video
Video
57 Min
Kicking off our summer Close Reading series, BRI staff Kirk and Tony explore two of George Washington's most famous works, his Farewell Address and his First Inaugural Address, to understand what qualities made Washington a great leader. What underlying principles informed Washington's actions? And how did he see his role in charting the future of a nation?
57 Min
Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826)
Lesson - 5 Activities
Lesson
5 Activities
60 Min
What efforts did Thomas Jefferson make to protect individual rights and human liberty during the Founding? And what contradictions exist between his words and his actions?
60 Min
The Election of 1800
E Lesson
E Lesson
20 Min
The election of 1800 was one of the most controversial in U.S. history. What did Thomas Jefferson have to say about the partisanship in his inaugural address?
Continuity or Change?
Presidential Elections |
BRIdge from the Past: Art Across U.S. History
Video
Video
15 Min
In this episode, Mary and Josh analyze a political cartoon depicting the controversial 1824 presidential election in a unique way.
“A foot-race” (1824) shows a crowd cheering on candidates John Quincy Adams, William Crawford, Andrew Jackson,
and Henry Clay as they race toward a finish line. Which details stand out to you as meaningful,
and what do they convey about popular opinions on the election?
15 Min
James Madison (1751-1836)
Lesson - 4 Activities
Lesson
4 Activities
45 Min
Why is James Madison called, "The Father of the Constitution"? What were his views on the Bill of Rights? What was his remedy for the problem of factions in a democratic republic?
45 Min
Presidential Inaugurations, Past and Present
E Lesson
E Lesson
What is the role of a presidential inauguration in our constitutional system?
Federal Power: Presidents and the Constitution
Video
Video
6 Min
Debate about the limits of the president's power began at the Constitutional Convention and continues today. James Madison, considered the "Father of the Constitution," believed that strict limits on federal power were best for liberty. Powers of the federal government which were not enumerated in the Constitution were forbidden. Many later Presidents agreed with Madison, while others, beginning with Theodore Roosevelt, took a more expansive view of the scope of federal power. Theodore Roosevelt was the first President to argue that powers not forbidden were granted. He presided over the greatest expansion of federal power in our nation's history to that time. While the President has the power to "recommend measures" to Congress which he believed are necessary, the President is not a lawmaker. Franklin D. Roosevelt and Lyndon B. Johnson, capitalizing on what Theodore Roosevelt had called the "bully pulpit," were open advocates of policies they believed were needed, and which also increased the size and power of the central government. Ronald Reagan worked decrease the side of the national government and restore what he saw as the rightful place of states in our federal system. Tension between these two understandings (expressed powers and implied powers), and debate over the outcomes of their exercise, has persisted throughout American history.
6 Min
Theodore Roosevelt: Warrior for Public Justice
Lesson - 1 Activities
Lesson
1 Activities
45 Min
How did Theodore Roosevelt seek justice by reforming the meat packing industry? Explore Roosevelt’s dedication to justice and the general welfare of the nation and inspire students to be more focused on justice in their own lives.
45 Min
Franklin D. Roosevelt, First Inaugural Address, March 4, 1933
Activity
Activity
40 Min
Use this primary source text to explore key historical events.
You Felt He was Talking to You: FDR’s Fireside Chats and Identity
Lesson - 1 Activities
Lesson
1 Activities
45 Min
What about Franklin D. Roosevelt's identity helped him to soothe the fears of Americans during the Great Depression?
45 Min