Executive DBQ
Doc A
Author: Framers of the Constitution
Place and Time: Article 2, US, 1787
Prior Knowledge: The Constitution,
established guidelines for the government,
separation of powers, checks and balances
Audience: American people
Doc A
Reason: States the responsibilities, duties, and
role of the President
Main Idea: Maintains order, limits the
powers
Significance: Guidelines, creates the
Executive Branch (there wasn’t one in the
Articles of Confederation), shows the formal
roles and allows us to compare to today
Doc B
Author: Unknown (critical view)
Place and Time: US 1834
Prior Knowledge: Andrew Jackson was one
of the first Presidents to expand his role and
exercise more power, citizens were
concerned about having another king,
Audience: people
Doc B
Reason: people were fearful of what Jackson
was doing, too much power???, just exercised
the veto power
Main Idea: President was trying to influence
Congress, by exercising power people
accused Jackson of being like a king (tyrant)
Significance: Compared Jackson to a king,
cautioned future Presidents about exercising
power
Doc C
Author: JFK
Place and Time: US, 1962
Prior Knowledge: Involved nuclear threat,
US and Soviet Union, the Cold War,
geographic proximity (90 miles), closest to
nuclear war in history
Audience: Soviet Premier Kruschev
Doc C
Reason: provide information on foreign
policy, ultimatum to Soviet Union
Main Idea: President’s role as leader of
foreign policy, commander and chief, trying
to prevent war
Significance: Close to war, shows the power
of the President
Doc D
Author: Congress
Place and Time: US, 1973
Prior Knowledge: Vietnam War, continual
escalation of troops, no formal declaration of
war (Congress), very unpopular war, (JFKNixon)
Audience: anyone
Doc D
Reason: Presidents kept sending troops to
fight in Vietnam, president taking too much
power???, Congress wanted the power back
Main Idea: Unpopular war, Presidents
gaining too much power
Significance: Check on the power of the
President
Doc E
Author: Unknown
Place and Time: US, 1984 Election
Prior Knowledge: popular vote vs. electoral
vote, need 270 to win, understand what a
“mandate” is
Audience: people
Doc E
Reason: Shows a landslide victory, people
liked Reagan
Main Idea: Show how Reagan dominated
the election, 4 more years of his policies
Significance: He had so much support that
he felt he had a mandate by the people to
do what he wanted
Doc F
Author: President Reagan
Place and Time: US, 1988
Prior Knowledge: Drugs were a problem,
affecting the nation
Audience: American people
Doc F
Reason: Drugs were disrupting the economy,
affecting the workplace, America in general
Main Idea: The government needed to step
in and educate the public
Significance: Created the “War on Drugs”