Smithsonian's History Explorer Resources Related To "The American Presidency: A Glorious Burden Homepage"

Preparing for the Oath: Presidency

Mon, 17 Dec 2012 15:01:51 GMT

Use short videos, mini-activities, and practice questions to explore the executive branch in this segment of Preparing for the Oath: U.S. History and Civics for Citizenship. The ten questions included in this segment cover topics such as the powers of the presidency, the role of the Vice President, and positions within the President’s Cabinet.

This site was designed with the needs of recent immigrants in mind. It is written at a “low-intermediate” ESL level.

Abraham Lincoln: An Extraordinary Life Homepage

Thu, 28 Feb 2013 20:23:58 GMT

This online exhibition commemorates the 200^th anniversary of the birth of Abraham Lincoln. The website covers each major period of Lincoln's private and public life, especially his years in Washington when he made the crucial decisions that ended slavery and preserved the nation. Also included are the artifacts of Lincoln's assassination-his top hat, the prison hoods of the conspirators, and other sobering reminders of this tragic story.

America's New Birth of Freedom: Documents from the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum

Fri, 20 Jul 2012 11:02:05 GMT

Through the use of downloadable images of the original documents and 4 brief videos using Lincoln's words to answer questions about the Civil War and the Emancipation Proclamation, students will learn how Abraham Lincoln struggled with the same questions that many Americans had about the causes and costs of the bloodiest struggle in American history. This online exhibition features a signed copy of the Emancipation Proclamation and 10 letters expressing Lincoln's views on emancipation and the conclusion of the Civil War.

The Gettysburg Address

Thu, 07 Jun 2012 13:10:36 GMT

This website focuses on the last handwritten copy of the Gettysburg Address, a manuscript that usually resides out of the public eye in the Lincoln Bedroom of the White house. Also included to help students further explore this important document are a printable version of the manuscript, transcripts in both English and Spanish and an interactive document that features actor Liam Neeson reading the entire address.

Photographing History: Fred J. Maroon and the Nixon Years, 1970-1974

Fri, 15 Jun 2012 17:12:24 GMT

Students will learn about Nixon's presidency as well as the importance of photojournalism through the use of behind-the-scenes photographs and oral history interviews with photographer Fred Maroon. A timeline of events covering the years 1968-1974 is also included. The images included in this online resource offer a powerful record of an unsettling time in American History. Maroon was granted unusual access to the Nixon White House to document the 1970 reelection campaign as well as the major events of the Watergate controversy.

Vote: The Machinery of Democracy Homepage

Thu, 14 Jun 2012 16:09:00 GMT

In this online exhibition, students will explore the history of voting methods in the United States, study how ballots and voting systems have evolved over the years as a response to political, social, and technological change, transforming the ways in which Americans vote. The exhibit includes sections on paper ballots, reform, the gear & lever voting machine, Florida 2000, and present and future ballots.