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George Washington - Enlightenment - Commander in Chief #1
Washington persued two interests, military arts and western expansion. During the Second Continental Congress, May 1775, Washington was elected commander in chief. In Philadelphia 1787 he was a main leader of the Constitutional Convention. After the new Constitution was rattified, the Electoral College elected Washington into office.Washington remained nuetral during the French Revolution unil the US could grow stronger. -
James K. Polk - Chief Diplomat #11
Polk was the democratic candidate who wnted expansion. In acquiring Oregon he was risking war with Great Britain. After claiming the entire Oregon area from the California boundry to the southern tip of Vancouver Island, Britain signed the final treaty in 1846. Polk sent an offer to Mexico and when it was denied he sent Gen. Taylor to the Rio Grande. 1848, after losing repeatedly in war, they gave up California and New Mexico. Sparking quarrels between the North and South over slavery expansion. -
Ulysses S. Grant - Party Leader #18
Grant aliigned with the Radical Republicans as the symbol of the Union victory during the civil war, thus he was the logical presidential candidate. However, during his campaign for re-election in 1872 Grant was attacked by Liberal Republicans. In doing so Grant allowed Radical Reconstruction to take hold of the South. -
Benjamin Harrison - Head of State #23
Harrison was nominated for president at the 1888 Republican Convention. Harrison conducted one of the first "front porch" campaigns, delivering short speeches. He established an information system- the Pan American Union. Harrison approved many appropriation bills for internal improvements, naval expansions, and subsidies for steamship lines. Also the Sherman Anti Trust Act. Harrison removed the tariff on imported raw sugar. -
William Howard Taft - Legislative Leader #27
Primary Source Document Taft recieved little credit for the accomplishments of his administration. His administration set Fderal Income Tax and the direct election of Senators. The establishing of the Postal Savings Systems; and the Interstate Commerce Commission was directed to set railroad rates. -
Woodrow Wilson - Chief Executive #28
Wilson developed a progressive reform program and worked towards new world order. Wilson passed major pieces of legislation: the Underwood Act- a lower tariff with a graduated Federal Income Tax attatched to it; the Federal Reserve Act- providing a more elastic money supply. 1914 anti-trust legislation set a Federal Trade Commission to prohibit unfair business practice; 1916 a child labor law making it illegal and set limitations on railroad workers day hours. Later issuing the Fourteen Points. -
Dwight D. Eisenhower - Economic Leader #34
Primary Source DocumentEisenhower worked to relieve tensions of the Cold War. Continuing the New Deal and Fair Deal programs and made a balanced budget important. When school desegregation began troops were sent to Little Rock to ensure federal court orders were being followed. Also ordered the complete desegregation of the Armed Forces. Later developing the "Atoms for Peace" program. -
Barack Obama - Chief Executive #44
Supreme Court Nomination Obama nominates Merrick B. Garland to succeed the late Justice Antonin Scalia. Republicans refuse to hold meetings or confirmation votes during a presidential election year. Insisting Constitutional responsibility for the Senate and has time to consider Garland. Obama is headed to a law school within the week to push the nomination according to ABC News.
