Description
Book SynopsisDiscover how the Oval Office's occupants have made and make history
Which one was the tallest? Which one fought a duel? Which had liquor smuggled into the White House during Prohibition? And why is the president even called the president in the first place? From periwigs and knee breeches to the 24-hour news cycle and presidential Tweets, the fascinating and colorful stories of the 45 incumbents are a powerful lens through which to view U.S. history and get insight into the present.
Taking readers on a fact-filled journey through two centuries, this book examines how each individual obtained their dream (or nightmare) position, what they stood for (or against), achieved (or didn't), and how their actions affected the countryfor better or worse. Andremembering that presidents are people tooit shows how the personal really can be political, exploring how each president's vision, strengths, and foibles helped or hindered them in building the country and their own l
Table of Contents
Introduction 1
About This Book 1
Conventions Used in This Book 2
Icons Used in This Book 3
Beyond the Book 3
Where to Go from Here 4
Part 1: Understanding U.S. Presidents 5
Chapter 1: Presidents and the Presidency 7
Establishing the First U.S. Government 7
Facing problems 8
Writing a constitution 8
Drawing up the presidency 9
Interpreting presidential powers 12
Examining Presidential Influence on the Presidency 12
Challenging Congress: Andrew Jackson 13
Creating the imperial presidency: Franklin Roosevelt 13
Dethroning the imperial presidency: Richard Nixon 14
Restoring the imperial presidency: George W Bush 15
Perfecting the Power to Shape Public Opinion 16
Persuading the people 16
Making use of the media 16
Performing Many Roles: Today’s President 18
Chapter 2: Presidential Rankings and Evaluations 19
Evaluating the Presidents 20
Policy leadership 21
Crisis management 21
Presidential appointments 22
Foreign standing 22
Character and integrity 23
Public persuasion 23
Presidential vision 24
Ranking U.S Presidents 24
Explaining results 26
Changing rankings over time 27
Part 2: Starting with Known Quantities: Washington to John Quincy Adams 29
Chapter 3: Starting Well with George Washington 31
Washington’s Early Career 31
Proving his prowess in the military 33
Turning to politics 33
Fighting for Independence 34
Designing the New Country 36
President George Washington (1789–1797) 36
Dealing with the Issues of the Day 37
Passing the Bill of Rights 38
Splitting into two parties 39
Running unopposed for a second term 40
Establishing a policy of neutrality 41
Quelling civil strife 41
Stepping Down 42
Retiring Briefly 43
Chapter 4: The Authoritarian and the Philosopher: John Adams and Thomas Jefferson 45
Founding the Country and Almost Destroying It: John Adams 46
Adams’s early career 46
Representing the new country 47
Running for president 49
President John Adams (1797–1801) 50
Losing the presidency in 1800 53
Master of Multitasking: Thomas Jefferson 54
Jefferson’s early political career 55
President Thomas Jefferson (1801–1809) 58
Keeping busy in retirement 61
Chapter 5: Prominent but Ineffective: Madison, Monroe, and John Quincy Adams 63
James Madison: From Founding Father to Presidential Flop 64
Madison’s early career 65
Serving in Congress 67
Returning to national politics 68
Fighting the British for the last time 68
Changing policies and retiring 69
Succeeding Abroad, Failing at Home: James Monroe 69
Monroe’s early career 70
Serving well: Monroe’s foreign policy 72
Serving not so well: Monroe’s domestic policy 73
Running unopposed 74
Calling it quits after two terms 74
Like Father, Like Son: John Quincy Adams 75
Getting elected at home 76
Going back to Europe 76
Picked by the House 78
President John Quincy Adams (1825–1829) 78
Going back to Congress 79
Part 3: Enduring the Best and the Worst: Jackson to Buchanan 81
Chapter 6: Standing Firm: Andrew Jackson 83
Jackson’s Early Career 83
Going to war 84
Saved by a political enemy 85
Suffering through the Stolen Election of 1824 86
President Andrew Jackson (1829–1837) 87
Dealing with states’ rights and tariffs 88
Hating banks 89
Forcing Native Americans west 90
Getting tough with France 91
Cruising toward reelection 91
Deciding what to do with Texas 92
Reaching retirement 93
Chapter 7: Forgettable: Van Buren, William Henry Harrison, and Tyler 95
Martin Van Buren, Master of Politics 96
Going from law to politics 97
Establishing a political machine 98
Politicking at the national level 98
President Martin Van Buren (1837–1841) 101
Losing badly in 1840 102
Staging a minor comeback and retiring 103
The Founder of the Image Campaign: William Henry Harrison 103
Using politics and militia against Native Americans 104
Focusing on politics 105
President William Henry Harrison (1841–1841) 106
Stepping into the Presidency: John Tyler 107
Supporting states’ rights and slavery 108
Balancing the ticket; becoming president 109
President John Tyler (1841–1845) 109
Dying a Confederate 110
Chapter 8: Dreaming of California: James K Polk 111
Young Hickory 111
Polk’s Early Political Career 112
Texas to the Rescue 113
Keeping His Campaign Simple 114
President James Polk (1845–1849) 115
Establishing a treasury system 115
Expanding north and south 116
Winning the War but Losing the Battle 118
Choosing Not to Run Again 119
Chapter 9: Working Up to the Civil War: Taylor, Fillmore, Pierce, and Buchanan 121
Trying to Preserve the Union: Zachary Taylor 122
Fighting Native Americans and Mexicans 122
President Zachary Taylor (1849–1850) 124
Serving for just one year 125
Making Things Worse: Millard Fillmore 125
Fillmore’s early career 126
President Millard Fillmore (1850–1853) 127
Turning racist 128
Sympathizing with the South: Franklin Pierce 128
A Northern Democrat with a Southern soul 129
Pierce’s early political career 129
President Franklin Pierce (1853–1857) 130
Controversial to the end 132
Failing to Save the Union: James Buchanan 132
Buchanan’s early career 134
President James Buchanan (1857–1861) 134
Sitting by through secession 136
Part 4: Becoming a Force in the World: Lincoln to Hoover 137
Chapter 10: Preserving the Union: Abraham Lincoln 139
Lincoln’s Early Political Career 140
Getting ready for the national level 141
Studying law on the side 141
A Star Is Born 142
Annoying everyone 142
Voting his conscience on slavery 143
Debating his way to national prominence 143
President Abraham Lincoln (1861–1865) 144
Dealing with secession 146
Confronting the Confederacy 147
The Civil War 147
Issuing the Emancipation Proclamation 149
Motivating the Confederacy 150
Drafting soldiers: North and South 151
Addressing the crowds at Gettysburg 152
Lincoln’s Short Second Term 153
Offering terms of surrender 154
Serving briefly 154
Chapter 11: Reconstructing the Country: Johnson, Grant, and Hayes 155
From Poverty to the Presidency: Andrew Johnson 156
Getting into politics: Johnson’s early career 156
Acting on his prejudices 157
President Andrew Johnson (1865–1869) 158
Enter a War Hero: Ulysses Simpson Grant 162
Grant’s early career 163
Becoming a war hero 164
Entering politics 165
President Ulysses Simpson Grant (1869–1877) 165
Passing on a third term 166
Corruption Leads to an Uncorrupt President: Rutherford Birchard Hayes 167
Hayes’s early career 167
Governing Ohio 168
President Rutherford Birchard Hayes (1877–1881) 168
Chapter 12: Closing Out the Century: Garfield, Arthur, Cleveland, and Benjamin Harrison 173
A Promising President Is Assassinated: James Abram Garfield 174
Garfield’s early political career 174
President James Abram Garfield (1881–1881) 175
Being assassinated 176
The Unexpected President: Chester Alan Arthur 177
Arthur’s early political career 178
Staging the comeback of his life 178
President Chester Alan Arthur (1881–1885) 179
Making History by Serving Nonconsecutive Terms: Grover Cleveland 180
Cleveland’s early political career 181
President Stephen Grover Cleveland (1885–1889 and 1893–1897) 182
Serving again 184
Retiring to Princeton 186
The Spoiled Republican: Benjamin Harrison 186
Harrison’s early political career 186
President Benjamin Harrison (1889–1893) 189
Losing in 1892 190
Returning to his legal career 190
Chapter 13: Influencing the World: McKinley, Theodore Roosevelt, and Taft 191
Discarding Isolationism: William McKinley 192
Being a loyal Republican 192
President William McKinley (1897–1901) 194
Getting reelected and assassinated 196
Building a Strong Foreign Policy: Theodore Roosevelt 197
Becoming governor of New York and vice president 200
President Theodore Roosevelt (1901–1909) 200
Winning reelection in 1904 203
Saying no to a third term 204
Becoming a Bull Moose 205
Retiring for good 206
The President Who Hated Politics: William Howard Taft (1909–1913) 206
Taft’s early career 208
President William Howard Taft (1909–1913) 209
Beating the odds and accomplishing quite a bit 210
Losing the presidency, gaining the Supreme Court 210
Chapter 14: Protecting Democracy: Woodrow Wilson 213
Studying Government 213
Breaking into Politics in New Jersey 215
Governing New Jersey 215
Running for president in 1912 216
President Woodrow Wilson (1913–1921) 216
Managing the media 218
Establishing a moral foreign policy 219
Being Drawn into the War 221
Winning reelection and preparing for war 222
Entering World War I 223
Getting the public involved 223
Making the Peace 224
Advocating Fourteen Points 224
Traveling to Europe 225
Losing the peace at home 225
Serving out his term 226
Chapter 15: Roaring through the ’20s with Harding, Coolidge, and Hoover 227
Living the High Life: Warren G Harding 227
Harding’s early political career 228
Becoming president by default 230
President Warren Gamaliel Harding (1921–1923) 230
Dying suddenly 232
Quietly Doing Nothing: John Calvin Coolidge 232
Coolidge’s early career 232
President Calvin Coolidge (1923–1929) 234
Serving a second term 235
Choosing not to run 235
A Great Humanitarian, but a Bad President: Herbert Hoover 236
Hoover’s early career 237
President Herbert Clark Hoover (1929–1933) 239
Staying active in retirement 241
Part 5: Instituting the Imperial Presidency: Franklin Roosevelt to Richard Nixon 243
Chapter 16: Boosting the Country and Bringing Back Beer: Franklin D Roosevelt 245
Roosevelt’s Early Political Career 246
Serving in the executive branch 247
Overcoming polio 247
Governing New York 248
Preparing for the presidency 248
Winning in 1932 249
President Franklin Delano Roosevelt (1933–1945) 249
Rescuing the economy 250
Fighting the Supreme Court in term two 253
Winning a Third Term, Facing a World War 254
Fighting isolationism 254
Dealing with neutrality 255
Helping democracy survive 256
Creeping closer to war 256
Fighting World War II 257
Winning the War 257
Running and Winning One More Time 258
Pondering postwar problems 258
Dying suddenly 259
Chapter 17: Stopping the Buck at Harry Truman 261
Truman’s Early Political Career 261
Entering the Senate 263
Making his mark in the Senate 263
Receiving the vice-presidential nomination 264
President Harry S Truman (1945–1953) 264
Getting up to speed on the war effort 265
Stopping the spread of communism and recognizing Israel 267
Reforming the country 269
Defeating Dewey in 1948 271
Hating His Second Term 272
Losing China to communism 272
Fighting in Korea 273
Succeeding at home 273
Ceding to Stevenson 274
Chapter 18: Liking Ike: Dwight David Eisenhower 277
Eisenhower’s Early Military Career 277
Getting ready for World War II 278
Liberating France 279
Finishing off Germany 279
Retiring from the Military 280
Defending NATO 280
Squeaking by 280
Campaigning in 1952 281
President Dwight David Eisenhower (1953–1961) 281
Dealing with the Brown vs the Board of Education case 282
Managing military matters 283
Changing foreign policy 285
Running for reelection 286
Staying active in retirement 288
Chapter 19: Fulfilling Family Expectations: John Fitzgerald Kennedy 291
Kennedy’s Early Political Career 291
Serving in the Senate 293
Campaigning for the presidency 293
President John Fitzgerald Kennedy (1961–1963) 295
Changing Foreign Policy 296
Dealing with arms and the U.S.S.R 296
Helping the Third World: Creating the Peace Corps 297
Stepping into the Bay of Pigs 297
Building a wall in Berlin 298
Increasing U.S. involvement in Vietnam 299
Attending to Domestic Policy 299
Pushing for civil rights 299
Heading to the moon 300
A Promising Life Cut Short 301
Chapter 20: Fighting for Might and Right: Lyndon Johnson 303
Johnson’s Early Political Career 304
Serving in the House of Representatives 305
Trying for the Senate 305
Serving in the Senate 306
Becoming vice president and president 307
President Lyndon Baines Johnson (1963–1969) 308
Honoring Kennedy’s agenda 308
Pushing his own agenda: The Great Society 309
Getting involved in Vietnam 311
Chapter 21: Covering Up: Richard Nixon 315
Nixon’s Early Political Career 316
Pursuing communists in the House 317
Red-baiting his way to the Senate 317
Delivering California and being chosen vice president 317
Serving as vice president 318
Losing the Presidential Race in 1960 319
Contending from Coast to Coast 319
President Richard Milhous Nixon (1969–1974) 320
Ending the war in Vietnam 320
Having more successes in foreign policy 322
Dealing with domestic issues 322
Serving Part of a Second Term 323
Falling prey to the Watergate scandal 323
Resigning the presidency 324
Retiring and rehabilitating 325
Part 6: Changing the Dynamics: Gerald Ford to Donald J Trump 327
Chapter 22: The Career Politician and the Peanut Farmer: Ford and Carter 329
Stepping in for Nixon: Gerald Ford 330
Ford’s early political career 331
President Gerald Rudolph Ford, Jr (1974–1977) 333
Retiring publicly 335
Sharing Faith and Principles: Jimmy Carter 336
Carter’s early political career 336
President James Earl Carter, Jr (1977–1981) 338
Losing his reelection bid 341
Retiring but not retreating 341
Chapter 23: A Starring Role for Ronald Reagan 343
Reagan’s Early Career 344
Governing California 345
Challenging Ford in 1976 345
Winning the presidency in 1980 346
President Ronald Wilson Reagan (1981–1989) 346
Surviving an assassination attempt 347
Stimulating the economy 348
Increasing the national debt 349
Breaking a strike 349
Implementing conservative social policies 349
Packing the Supreme Court 350
Reestablishing U.S. World Domination 350
Influencing events around the globe 350
Dealing with the Soviets 351
Dealing with Scandal in His Second Term 352
Keeping the Revolution Alive during Retirement 353
Chapter 24: Acting Out: George H W Bush and Bill Clinton 355
Bringing an End to the Cold War: George Bush 356
Bush’s early political career 357
President George Herbert Walker Bush (1989–1993) 359
Losing reelection in 1992 362
Retiring and advising 362
Scandal Amid Domestic Policy Success: Bill Clinton 363
Clinton’s early political career 364
Running for president in 1992 365
President William Jefferson Clinton (1993–2001) 366
Losing Congress in 1994 368
Winning reelection in 1996 368
Leaving under a cloud 370
Chapter 25: Getting the Call: George W Bush 373
Bush’s Early Career 375
Running for governor 375
Governing Texas 375
Running for the Presidency 376
Surviving the 2000 Election 377
Going to court 377
Being appointed 378
President George Walker Bush (2001–2009) 378
Domestic accomplishments 378
Foreign policy 379
Disaster Strikes 379
Punishing terrorists 380
Dealing with Afghanistan 381
Going to war against Iraq 382
Dealing with the defeated Iraq 383
Winning Reelection 384
Getting sunk by a hurricane 384
The Great Recession of 2007/2008 385
Going into Retirement 385
Chapter 26: Breaking Tradition: Barack H Obama 387
Growing Up Global 388
Getting involved in politics 388
Going back to school 389
From Senator to President: Obama’s Political Journey 389
Starting at the state level 389
Serving in the U.S. Senate 390
Campaigning for the nomination 391
Getting elected president 391
President Barack H Obama (2009–2017) 392
Tackling the recession 393
Changing healthcare 394
Being progressive 395
Protecting the environment 395
Getting reelected 396
Dealing with Foreign Policy 396
Being stuck in Afghanistan 396
Fighting a new enemy 397
The Arab Spring and failing in Syria 398
Being Active in Retirement 399
Chapter 27: A Billionaire in the White House: Donald John Trump 401
Growing Up Wealthy 402
Succeeding in Business 403
Marrying a model 403
Failing in Atlantic City 403
Getting into golf and loving Florida 404
Entering Politics 404
Going on TV and receiving national exposure 404
Turning on democrats 405
Running for the presidency 405
Winning the nomination 406
Winning in 2016 406
Shocking the world 407
Being Controversial at Home 408
Implementing domestic policies 408
Succeeding economically 408
Being Controversial Abroad 409
Scandals: Defining Trump’s Presidency 411
The Russia scandal 411
The Ukraine scandal 412
Part 7: the Part of Tens 413
Chapter 28: The Ten Best Presidents 415
Abraham Lincoln 416
Franklin Delano Roosevelt 416
Theodore Roosevelt 416
George Washington 417
Harry Truman 417
Ronald Reagan 417
Thomas Jefferson 418
Woodrow Wilson 418
Dwight D Eisenhower 418
James Polk 419
Chapter 29: The Ten Worst Presidents 421
Andrew Johnson 421
Warren G Harding 422
Franklin Pierce 422
James Buchanan 423
John Tyler 423
Millard Fillmore 423
Ulysses S Grant 424
William Henry Harrison 424
Martin Van Buren 424
Herbert Hoover 425
Chapter 30: Ten Presidential Libraries Worth Visiting 427
Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum 428
George W Bush Presidential Library and Museum 428
William J Clinton Presidential Library and Museum 429
George H W Bush Presidential Library and Museum 429
John Fitzgerald Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum 430
Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum 430
Franklin D Roosevelt Library and Museum 430
Dwight D Eisenhower Library and Museum 431
Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum 431
Jimmy Carter Library and Museum 431
Appendix: Presidential Facts 433
Index 443
