Vocabulary

• women's suffrage
• New Deal
• Great Depression
• "Checkers Speech"
• Hoovervilles
• Dixiecrats

Discussion Questions

1. What was the Great Depression? How did President Hoover respond? Why was Hoover "captured by the ideology of the party he led?"
2. What was Franklin Roosevelt's social background? How do you think this effected his political commitments? Why did conservatives describe him as a "traitor to his class?"
3. What was the importance of Roosevelt flying to the Democratic nominating convention form Albany to Chicago?
4. What was the role of radio for Roosevelt's administration? Why do people call him our first media president?
5. Describe Truman's "whistle -stop tour." Why did political commentators predict Dewey would win? Compare Dewey's style and Truman's style.
6. Why was Eisenhower considered a "Godsend" to the Republican party? What are the benefits of a war hero candidate ?
7. What new medium was used for political advertising during the Eisenhower campaign? How did it effect presidential politics?
8. How did television alter presidential campaigns? How did effect political movements in general? Do you think television has been beneficial or detrimental to the political process?
9. How did Nixon use t.v. to defend himself when he was vice-president? How did t.v. work in Kennedy's favor during his campaign against Nixon?
10. Why was Kennedy's religion, Catholicism, such a big issue in his campaign? What other candidates in our past were effected by religious issues?

Research Projects

1. Franklin Roosevelt was physically handicapped by polio. How did he deal with this disability during his presidency? How did the press handle it? How do you think it would be interpreted today by the media and by the White House? Write a short essay explaining your findings and your point of view.
2. What is an icon? Why is Kennedy such an icon in American history? Divide the class into two groups. One group should defend Kennedy's reputation as one of our greatest presidents. The other group should take an opposing stance. Hold a debate in your classroom on this question.
3. A few of our presidents have become historic symbols for their age. Pick one of these men and , in a poster, explain why he represented his era. Choices might include Washington, Jefferson, Jackson, William Henry Harrison, Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, F.D.R., or Kennedy.