Today we started to present our Presidential Projects.
Dwight Eisenhower
- Background: born October 1890 in Denison Texas; tiny house near railroad tracks; father=david, Mother=Ida; West Point in free attendance, graduated top of class, stationed in Texas, Second Lieutanent and first after marriage to Mamie Doud; Son died of scarlet fever; Ft. Leavenworth; served under MacArthur; Supreme commander over D-Day
- Elections involved in: Never voted before;
- Top Ten: Kept America at peace; he ended Korean War; balanced budget 3 times; sponsored and signed the federal aid Highway Act of 1956 and the Civil Rights Bill of 1957; signed the housing amendments of 1955; Brown vs. Board of Education of Topeka Kansas which started desegregation in schools;
- Popularity rating:
- Summary of Legacy: proposed a peaceful solution for a war-ravaged world to give everyday citizens of different countries the opportunity to meet and get to know each other, and the result will be understanding, friendship and lasting peace; out of this vision came the "people to people" movement and the inspiration for People to People Ambassador Programs
JFK
- Background: born May 1917 in Brooklyn Mass.; 3 bros 5 sisters; attended many grade schools; moved to Bronx; Sept. 1936 enrolled at Harvard, varsity swim, traveled overseas many times; medically unfit for Army due to back problems, received Navy and Marine Corps medal, returned to US in 1944, honorably discharged, received purple heart; 1946 James Michael Curley vacated his seat and Kennedy took it; Beat Henry Cabot Lodge III, given Catholic Last Rites, reelected in 1958 in large margin;
- Elections: 1956, ran for vice, lost; Democratic 1960= closest election in history against Richard Nixon, JFK won popular and electoral, but Nixon won more states; first roman catholic pres, youngest, first pres to be born in 20th century; "Ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country; shot in Dallas and killed, buried in Arlington National Cemetery
- Top Ten: first catholic pres; called Americans to serve their country; establishment of the Peace Corps; diverted nuke war w/USSR and Cuba; committed to landing man on the moon, which happened under LBJ; nuke test ban treaty; area redevelopment act; laws against segregation; promoted the arts; prohibited discrimination in the sale or lease of housing that was financed by federal loans or owned by federal government
- Popularity Rating: considered #1; 90% approve of the job he did
- Legacy: left an unfinished life
LBJ
- Background
- Born August 27, 1902
- Parents - Sam and Rebekah
- Attended Southwest State Teacher's College in 1930
- Firsthand look at poverty
- Had 2 kids
- 1931 Congressional Secretary
- Wife was Claudia (Went by Ladybird)
- Elected to House of Reps.
- Re-Elected 5 times
- Failed to secure a Senate Seat
- 1948: Elected to Senate
- Youngest ever to serve as minority leader at age 44
- Became Senate majority leader
- Elections
- 1964
- Presidential vs Barry Goldwater
- Landslide win
- South became Republican and North became Democrat
- 1964
- Top Ten Accomplishments
- Established National Endowment for Humanities and Arts
- Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
- Voting Rights Act
- Civil Rights Act
- Medicare/Medicaid
- Elementary and Secondary Education Act and Higher Education Act
- Elementary and Secondary Education Act and Higher Education Act
- Immigration Act
- Presided over the first manned flight to the moon - Apollo 8
- Thurgood Marshall - First African-American on Supreme Court
- Vietnam War Stalemate
- Popularity
- High - Won presidential election easily
- Low - All through Vietnam War
- Summary
- Swore to maintain Kennedy's vision
- Battled poverty
- Fought for civil rights/equality
- Loss of popularity
- Overshadowed by Vietnam War
Richard Nixon
- Background
- Born on January 9, 1913 in Yorba Linda, California
- 4 brothers
- Poor family
- Attended Whittier HS and Fullerton Union HS
- Offered tuition to Harvard, went to Whittier College in 1934 because his brother was sick
- Full ride to Duke University School of Law in 1937
- Returned to California and practiced law
- Married Thelma "Pat" Ryan
- Served in Navy during WW2
- California House of Representatives/Senate
- 8 years of Vice President under Eisenhower
- Ran for President in 1960, lost to Kennedy
- Watergate Scandal
- June 17, 1972 - Break in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate office complex
- Nixon administration tried to cover up involvement
- Bugged the offices of political opponents
- It was a committee that wanted to re-elect the president
- Harassment of activist groups/political figures
- Used the FBI, CIA, and IRS
- He wanted to find dirt against the democrats
- Nixon downplayed the scandal and denounced the story as biased and misleading
- Nixon was involved with obstruction of justice and eventually resigned from the presidency
- Legacy
- Will be known for Watergate
- Also, as the only president to resign.
Harry Truman
- Background
- Born May 8th, 1884, in Lamar, Missouri
- Had to wear thick eyeglasses
- Never got a college degree
- Wished to attend West Point, but eyesight stopped him
- Very poor as a young child
- Was sent to France in WW1 for National Guard
- Married Elizabeth Wallace
- Before Presidency to President
- 1922 - district judge in Jackson County, Missouri
- Elected as US senate to support Franklin Roosevelt
- 1934 - US Senate
- Vice President
- President after Roosevelt's Death
- President 1945-1949
- Re-sworn in from 1949-1953
- Accomplishments
- Atomic Bombs
- United Nations
- Marshall Plan
- Helped Israel
- Racial Discrimination
- 4-Point Program
- Helped South Korea
- Fair Deal
- Scandals
- IRS
- Assassination Attempt
- Margaret Truman Review
Gerald Ford
- Top 10 Accomplishments
- Cut inflation in half
- Decreased unemployment
- Created more jobs
- Reduced crime
- Maintained peace
- Survived 2 assassination attempts
- Helped farmers
- Made peace abroad
- Increased defence budget
- Alliance with Japan stronger
Jimmy Carter
- Top Accomplishments
- Created the Department of Energy
- Created Department of Education
- Established a national energy policy
- Pursued the Camp David Accords
- Won Nobel Peace Prize
Ronald Reagan
Background Born February 6, 1911 In Tampico Illinois Accomplishments Developed Reaganomics - controlled inflation Lowered federal income tax rate Survived an assassination attempt
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