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The White House: 200th Anniversary

The White House: 200th Anniversary, shines the spotlight on the People’s House in this insider's tour of America's most famous home. The story is told through an incredible array of historical documents, first-person testimonials from former presidents, their families, and those who have worked at the White House, and extensive footage and photos stretching back over a century. This is a fascinating, far-ranging look at the White House as it prepares to enter its third century. The White House: 200th Anniversary would be appropriate for middle and high school level classes in American history, geography and language arts.

Discussion Questions

  1. Who was the first president to move in to the President’s House (it wasn’t called the White House until 1901)? On what date did he and his wife move in? Imagine that you are the president and you have just moved in to this brand new house. What is the house like? Jot down your ideas and descriptions on a piece of paper. Now, pay close attention to the clip from the program that describes what the President’s House was like for its first inhabitants. Does this experience correspond with your idea of what it would have been be like?

  2. How has the White House changed over the years? What are some of the most important changes and additions that have been made to the White House by past presidential families? Create a chart or list them by year and by president.

  3. What is meant by the term

  4. The White House is a symbol of American ideals and values. How does this building represent these ideals and values? What are some other symbols of America? List them and explain what each means to you.

  5. Discuss what you think it would be like to live in the White House as the president or a family member today. What would you like and what would you dislike about living there?

  6. What are the three main functions of the White House? Give an example of how the president uses different rooms in the White House for each of these three main functions.

  7. Some of the most famous rooms in the White House are the East Room, the Diplomatic Reception Room, the State Dining Room, the Lincoln Room and the Oval Office. Pay close attention to the clip in the program that describes these rooms to answer the following questions: How has each of these rooms been used in the past? How are they used today? Why are they important?

  8. What happened to the White House in the 1800s that required it to be almost completely reconstructed? Who was president when this happened? Pay close attention to the clip in the program that explains what the president’s wife did when she heard that danger was approaching. Discuss what you would have done under similar circumstances and what items you would have saved.

  9. What plans have been made to insure that the White House will meet the expanding needs of the president and our country? Do you think these plans are necessary? What changes or additions would you make to the White House?
Extended Activities

  1. After playing the clip from the program that shows the computer generated floor plan of the White House, ask students to create a floor plan of their home (or another building they are familiar with). Make sure they label the rooms and give a brief description of the function of each room.

  2. Have students go to the “Games” section of the HistoryChannel.com/classroom/whitehouse web site and let them create their own White House. If you do not have computer access, have students create their own White House on posterboard or as a diorama. Remind students that their creation should represent their country and the presidency.
Related Videos
Primary Sources
  • Whitehousehistory.org - The White House Historical Society web site.
  • Whitehouse.gov – The official White House homepage.
  • Hswdc.org – Historical Society of Washington, D.C. web site.

Air Dates

Classroom Materials