Presidential Outline
I
Presidential Background
3 Points
a)
Birth and death dates
b)
Age at inauguration
c)
Political party
d)
Political background
e)
Vice President (by term)
f)
Terms of office Date inaugurated to the date he leaves office
II
Opponent or Opponents
2 Points
List major party as well as the important minor party candidates.
These are opponents in the General Election NOT Primaries.
III
Issues that were prominent in the presidential campaign
5 Points
Briefly describe the candidates’ positions on the major issues of the campaign.
IV
Major Domestic Events
5 Points
List events chronologically. Provide a one or two sentence summary of the
Significance of the event.
V
Major Foreign Events
5 Points
List events chronologically. Provide a one or two sentence summary of the
Significance of the event.
VI
Major Conflict of the Administration
5 Points
Describe the most significant confrontation of the administration.
This may be an internal or international challenge.
VII
Major Social Change
3 Points
Identify and explain the most dramatic change in American society during the
time period. It can be an event but does not have to be one. Identify the
change and explain how it affected society.
VIII
Significant Court Cases
2 Points
List the most significant rulings of the era. Explain the constitutional issue of
The case, the majority opinion and the precedent established.
XI
Rating of the President
10 Points
Rank the President and defend your assessment. This may serve as an
evaluation of the president’s strengths and weaknesses but only as it
reinforces your original ranking. Consider including several of the following:
Goals, Accomplished? How?
Decision-making process/Evaluate Presidential appointments
Relations with Congress/Crisis management/Regard of the people of the day
Greatest success or Failure/Impact of precedents/”Essence of the Presidency”
X – Bonus Unfinished Business
5 Points
The Presidential Outline Format
I.
Presidential Background
a. Birth and death dates
b. Age at inauguration
c. Political Party
d. Political Background
e. Vice President (by term) – Here you should identify the Vice president.
At times, in cases where a president served more than one term, there
were different vice presidents; identify each by term; also, there were some
occasions where there was no vice president. Indicate that.
f. Terms of Office – In this section, you should identify the date the president
was inaugurated and the date the president left office; DO NOT give the
date the president was elected to the office; as you should know, the
election date/year is different from the inauguration date/year. 3 Points
II.
Opponent or Opponents – In this section, you should list the major party as well
as the important minor party candidates. Include the political party affiliation of
each opponent. Remember, these are the opponents in the GENERAL election;
you should not list primary election opponents.
2 Points
III.
Issues that were prominent in the presidential campaign - As you know,
when a candidate runs for any office, there are usually some hot issues which the
candidate will take a position on. In this part of the outline, you should identify
and describe the candidates’ positions on the major issues in the campaign.
5 Points
IV.
Major Domestic Events – This is the “meat” of your outline. Using the
presidential outline list of events, you should list each event chronologically with
the date, in parentheses, after each item: Make sure that you provide a good
thorough description in your own words. One approach is to describe what
caused the event, what was the event, what were the effects of the event and
what was the significance of the event.
Native American affairs should be listed under domestic events.
5 Points
V.
Major Foreign Events – Another meaty section; as you look over the items on
the presidential outline list of events, you should place agreements between the
US and other countries, conflicts and wars with other countries, negotiations
with other countries, land acquisitions, and treaties. Key here is if it involves
another country, then it should be listed here. Your descriptions should be as
thorough as those items under domestic.
5 points
VI.
Major Conflict of the Administration - After completing the reading and
completing the previous sections of this assignment, you should sit back and
think about what you have read and written. In this section, you want to
describe a major, significant conflict that occurred while this president was in
office. In some cases, it may be a physical conflict: a war or major domestic
demonstrations; in other cases, it may be ideological (a conflict of ideas:
Hamilton v Jefferson, abolitionists v pro-slavery forces, the “new left of the
1960’s v “silent majority.” In another case, it may be a conflict between the
president and Congress over his legislative program. Choose the one that you
think had the most important impact on this era and the presidency. Analyze the
conflict in an analytical paragraph.
5 points
VII.
Major Social Change – This section can be a bit tough; here you are looking for a
major social change; that fundamentally affects society, specifically, it alters the
way things traditionally were done. It can be a specific event; yet it doesn’t have
to be one. Examples of social changes: Seneca Falls Convention, Ending of
Slavery, Large scale immigration to the U.S. For your description, identify the
change and explain how it changed American society. If it is an event (i.e. Seneca
Falls Convention) and you place it here, do not also place it under Domestic
Events.
3 Points
VIII. Significant Court Cases – Again, using the presidential outline list of items, you
should list major court cases (especially, Supreme Court decisions). A good way
to describe the case is to describe the facts or arguments, constitutional issue,
majority opinion and precedent in the case.
3 Points
IX.
Rating of President – In a one to one and a half page essay you are to rank this
President and defend your placement. This may serve as an evaluation of a
President’s strengths or weakness, but only as it reinforces your original ranking.
Factual substantiation of your premise is the most important part of this. A
sample ranking includes presidents who were: Great, Near Great, Above
Average, Average, Below Average, and Failure.
Your essay must include a discussion of that President’s goals and his success or
failure in attaining them.
10 Points
X.
Unfinished Business – A short discussion of campaign promises unfulfilled,
agenda items left incomplete or initiatives blocked may be included. 5 Points
(Bonus!)