May 5, 6, 7, 9, 12, 14, 16, 19 2014

Starting Presentations

Truman

Background
- Born May 8, 1884
- Born to a poor family
- Had poor eyesight
- Never got a college degree
- Wanted to attend the US military academy at West Point, but was unable to due to eyesight
- Sent to France during WWI for the National Guard
- Married Elizabeth Wallace
Elections
- District Judge in Missouri-1922
- Elected again in 1930
- Elected to US Senate to support New Deal Programs-1934
- Truman was elected in 1945 and ended in 1949 (as President)
- 2nd term-1949-1953
- First president to have inauguration on TV
Accomplishments
- Agreed to atomic bombs
- Started United Nations
- 1947-Marshall Plan
- 1948-helped Israel become it's own state
- 1948-Racial Discrimination
- 1949-4 Point Program
- 1950-South Korea
- Fair Deal-similar to Roosevelt's New Deals but many of his were never passed
- Scandals
  - IRS
  - Assassination Attempt
  - Margaret Truman Review
- Approval Rating-at the beginning, later goes drops
  - Lowest Rating was 22%
Legacy
- One who ended WWII
- Was once least popular president of all times
- Began presidency as the Cold War was starting
- Looks to be today as one of the best presidents

Eisenhower

Background
- Born October 14, 1890
- Had a 3 year old brother die of diphtheria when he was 6
- Went to United States Military of Academy in West Point
- Was top of his class
- Married Mamie Geneva Doud
- Appointed Chief Military
Elections
Accomplishments
- Kept America at peace
- Ended the Korean War
- Balanced the budget 3 times (pay off debt)
- Sponsored and signed the federal aid Highway Act of 1956 (interstates)
- Sponsored and signed the Civil Rights Bill of 1957
  - Brown vs Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas
- Signed the housing amendments of 1955
Legacy
- Main points
  - Maintain world peace
  - urged necessity of maintaining an adequate military strength
  - Emphasized a balanced budget
  - "People to People" movement

Kennedy

Background
- Born May 29, 1917
- Moved to Bronx (New York City)
- Went to Choate School for high school years
- Enrolled at Harvard
  - Member of varsity swimming team
- Graduated with a Bachelor of Science
- Military
  - Joined US Navy after being declared medically unfit for the Army
  - Received a Navy and Marine Corps medal
  - Released from active duty due to a back injury
  - Honorably discharged
  - Received a purple heart and other medals
- Was in the House of Representatives
  - 1946-1952
- Senate-1952
  - Was absent from many meetings due to his back surgeries
Elections
- Ran for Democratic Vice President in 1956
- Lost in a narrow decision
- Election of 1960
  - Closest elections in history
  - Kennedy vs Nixon
  - Nixon won more states
  - JFK won popular vote and electoral college
  - Became first Roman Catholic President
  - Youngest person ever to be elected president
  - Was the first leader born in the 20th century
- "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country"
- Assassination
  - Killed on Friday, November 22, 1963
  - Dallas Texas
  - Was there because of political friction in the Democrat Party
  - Shot in upper back, throat, and head
  - Pronounced dead an hour later
  - Killed by Lee Harvey Oswald
    - Left the building without being questioned
    - Went to an apartment (wife didn't know about it) to get a pistol
    - JD Tippet was shot by him, when thinking Oswald looked suspicious & fit a description
    - Later arrested in Texas Theater
    - Jack Ruby stepped in and killed Oswald
      - Killed him so Jackie Kennedy wouldn't have to come back and look Oswald in the face at the trial
  - Buried in Arlington National Cemetery
  - Who Might have Killed Kennedy
    - The Cubans (x2)
    - The KGB (USSR)
    - The US Mafia
    - The CIA (US Gov't)
    - The Zero Game

Accomplishments
- Became the first Catholic president of the US
- Called for Americans to serve their country
- Established the Peace Corps
- Diverted a nuclear war with the Soviet Union and secured the removal of missiles from Cuba
- Committed to landing a man on the moon, his support of space exploration helped make it happen
- Nuclear Test ban treaty
- Area Redevelopment Act
Legacy
- Left an "unfinished life". Was a charismatic leader during a challenging time for the American people and government
- Considered to be the best president in the past 50 years
- 90% of Americans approve of his job as president

Lynden B Johnson

Background
- August 27, 1908
- Southwest State Teachers College
- Married Claudia Taylor
- Two children
- Firsthand look at poverty
- Elected to house of representatives and re elected 5 times
- Failed to secure Senate seat
- 1st for active duty
- Youngest ever to serve as minority leader
- At 46 became Senate Majority Leader
- 1948 became elected into Senate
Elections
- First Election 1960

- Second Election 1964
  - President
  - Vs. Barry Goldwater
  - LBJ barely won
  - Southern states switched to republican
Accomplishments
- Established National Endowment for the Humanities and for the National Endowment Arts
- Gulf of Tonkin Revolution
- Voting Rights Act of 1965
- Civil Rights Act of 1964-No discrimination-Know Civil Rights for semester test
- Signed the Immigration Act of 1965
  - opened immigration up to people who weren't Europeans
- Presided over the first manned flight to the moon with Apollo 8
- Thurgood Marshall-first African American Justice to be appointed to the Supreme Court
- Vietnam War Stalemate
- Popularity
  - Had a very high popular vote
  - Was lower during Vietnam War
Legacy
- Swore to maintain Kennedy's vision
- Battled poverty
- Fought for civil rights/equality
- Loss of popularity-due to Vietnam War, people thought he was lying to them
- Overshadowed

Richard Nixon

Background
- Born January 9, 1913
- Born to a poor family
- Offered tuition grant to Harvard, declined
- Went to Whittier College because his brother was sick
- Received a full ride to Duke University School of Law
- Went back to California and practiced law
- Married Thelma Ryan
- Served in Navy in WWII
- California House of Representatives/Senate
- 8 years as VP for Eisenhower
- Ran for president in 1960, lost to Kennedy
Elections
- Had the strongest 3rd party (Racist candidate)
- Elected 2 times as VP and 2 times as president
Accomplishments
- Domestic Accomplishments
  - Launched initiatives to fight cancer and illegal drugs
  - Imposed wage and price controls
  - Enforced desegregation of Southern Schools
  - Introduced legislation to reform healthcare and welfare
  - Established Environmental Protection Agency and OPA
  - Presided over lunar landings beginning with Apollo 11
- Foreign Accomplishments
  - Escalated America's involvement in the Vietnam War, but ended US involvement by 1973
  - Opened diplomatic relations with China in 1972
  - Supported Israel during the Yom Kippur War
- Watergate Scandal
  - June 17, 1972
  - Break in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate Office complex
  - Nixon administration tried to cover up the involvement
  - Bugged the offices of political opponents
  - Harassed activist groups, political figures
  - Used FBI, CSI, IRS
Legacy
- Will be known for Watergate
- Known as only president to resign

Gerald Ford

Background
- Born Leslie Lynch King Jr.
- July 14, 1913
- Renamed when his mom divorced his father
  - Renamed after his step father
- Went to University of Michigan
- Was a star football player
- Offered many professional football career by the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions
- Opted to attend Yale for a degree in economics and law
Elections
- Early Political Career
  - Graduated from Yale Law
  - Enlisted in the US Navy in 1942
    - Received many awards while there
  - Won Michigan's 5th Congressional district
  - Won VP Nomination in 1972
  - Won Republican Presidential Primaries in 1976
  - Won Republican National Convention in 1976
  - Was a very close election with Carter
  - Took oath of office in 1974
Accomplishments
- Cut inflation in half (W.I.N.)
- Decreased unemployment
- Created more jobs
- Reduced crime by 75%
- Maintained peace during presidency
- Survived two assassination attempts
- Helped farmers
- Made peace abroad
- Increased defense budget
- Alliance with Japan stronger
Legacy
- Best known for being president and VP without being elected
- Known for patching up US after Watergate

Jimmy Carter

Background
- Born October 1, 1924
- Was poor-lived in a poor house when younger
Elections
- Won 1976 election against Ford
Accomplishments
- Created Department of Energy
- Created Department of Education
- Author of 27 books
- Won the Nobel Peace Prize
Legacy
- Most active post president
- More highly regarded today

Blogs

May 5, 6, 7, 9, 12, 14, 16, 19 2014

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