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George Washington as Chief Executive : Ratification of the Constitution
Letter to LafayetteEven though he was the president of the Constitutional Convention, Washington seldom went to debates. Yet, Washington took the lead during the ratification process. He sent copies of the document to Thomas Jefferson and Marquis de Lafayette to gain their support. Before the Ratification Convention began, 8 states had already ratified the Constitution. On June 25 the Constitution was ratified 4 to 3. -
Andrew Jackson as Chief Diplomat : Annexation of Texas
Jackson made the annexation of Texas his top diplomatic priority durring his presidency. He wanted to negotiate with Mexico, but with Mexico's unstable government the negotiation process would take some time. So in 1835, Sam Houston led a successful revolt against Mexico and won the independence of Texas. But Jackson would not approve the Annexation of Texas until congress approved of it. -
James Polk as Commander in Chief: U.S.-Mexican War
US Mexican War VideoWhen Polk's political attacks did nothing to stop Mexican officials from protesting against the U.S., Polk sent troops to the Mexican border to frighten them. When fights broke out in May of 1846, Polk commanded his men to scare the Mexicans into submission. By 1848 Polk's tactics had worked and Mexico gave half of its' territory to America with the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. -
Ulysses Grant as Chief Legislator: Signing the 15th Ammendment
Inaugural AddressIn Grant's Inaugural Address, he pleads for the ratification of the Fifteenth Ammendment, which would give all citizens of the United States the right to vote despite their race or previous enslavement. He wanted African American citizen's, especially those living in the south, to have a voice in government. Grant proudly signed the ammendment in 1870, declaring it as "a measure of grander importance...". -
Dwight Eisenhower as Head of State: Honoring the Unknown Soldiers of WWII
On August 3, 1956 a bill was signed by Eisenhower to honor and pay tribute to the unknown soldiers that fought and died during World War II and the Korean War. The memorial services were held durring 1958. Unidentified remains, The Unknown from WWII, were taken from debris found in cemeteries in Africa, Hawaii, Europe, and the Philippines. -
Jimmy Carter as Chief Executive: Executive Order 11803
One of the more important executive decisions made by Carter was Executive Order 11803. The order was created to review the cases of people who intentionally avoided millitary service after they had been drafted. This order was closely related to the Vietnam War. Many Americans disapproved of the war, but Carter enforced the order. -
Ronald Reagan as Chief Guardian of the Economy: Reaganomics
Reaganomics refers to the ecnomic policies advertised by President Ronald Reagan. During his campaign Reagan pleged to, "cut taxes, get control of government spending, and to get the government out of the way so the entreprenuerial spirit of the American people could be unleashed." In 1981 Reagan passed the Ecomomic Recovery Act, which reduced individual income tax, the expensing of depreciable land, and added small buisness/savings incentives. -
George W.Bush as Party Leader: Building up the Republican Party
One of the biggest procedures in party building is getting support from Congress. Bush had alot of support from Congress, according to the Congressional Quarterly. He had won 92% of the Republican's support in the Senate and 84% in the House. During the Iowa caucuses Bush was asked what political philosopher he identified the most with. Bush said, "Christ, because He changed my heart." He won Christian's support for the Republican party.
