What is a President’s What is a President’s Legacy?Legacy?

Evaluating a Presidency and Evaluating a Presidency and LeadershipLeadership

LegacyLegacy

““Something handed down from an Something handed down from an ancestor or a predecessor or from the ancestor or a predecessor or from the past.”past.”– www.dictionary.comwww.dictionary.com

Presidential Legacy ProjectPresidential Legacy Project

Each president earns a legacy – the lasting Each president earns a legacy – the lasting effects the president has on the country. You effects the president has on the country. You must determine that legacy and what it is must determine that legacy and what it is based on.based on.Working in groups, you will analyze Working in groups, you will analyze successes and failures in foreign and successes and failures in foreign and domestic policies.domestic policies.You also will consider what great leadership You also will consider what great leadership is - how else can we know whether he has is - how else can we know whether he has measured up or not?measured up or not?

VH1: VH1: Behind the question:Behind the question:

What makes a legacy?What makes a legacy?– Contributions?Contributions?– Mistakes?Mistakes?– Controversies?Controversies?– Perception: In their own time? Perception: In their own time?

By historians now?By historians now?– What is great leadership?What is great leadership?

ProductProduct

A 15 minute PowerPoint presentationA 15 minute PowerPoint presentation– Should have a clear thesis.Should have a clear thesis.– Should demonstrate how evidence was weighed.Should demonstrate how evidence was weighed.– Should include multimedia (audio, video, etc.).Should include multimedia (audio, video, etc.).– May include handouts and other materials that May include handouts and other materials that

enhance the audience’s learning. enhance the audience’s learning. – Presentations that do not take audience’s learning Presentations that do not take audience’s learning

into account will not be considered successful.into account will not be considered successful.– Individual Individual bibliographies bibliographies should be turned in.should be turned in.

Recommended Process – Stage 1Recommended Process – Stage 1

First Stage – Mucking Around: First Stage – Mucking Around: – Background info questions for Stage 1:Background info questions for Stage 1:

What’s the basic story of this presidency? What’s the basic story of this presidency? Contributions? Mistakes? Controversies?Contributions? Mistakes? Controversies?Perception: In their own time? By historians now?Perception: In their own time? By historians now?What is their lasting legacy?What is their lasting legacy?DO NOT look at the whole biography! Just look at the DO NOT look at the whole biography! Just look at the domestic or foreign policies relevant to their legacy.domestic or foreign policies relevant to their legacy.

Recommended timeline: Recommended timeline: Two daysTwo days

Recommended SourcesRecommended SourcesEncyclopedic (including textbooks!)Encyclopedic (including textbooks!)American GovernmentAmerican Government American National BiographyAmerican National Biography

http://americanpresident.org/http://americanpresident.org/ http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/presidents/http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/presidents/

Recommended Process – Stage Recommended Process – Stage 1.21.2

Conference with other group (“domestics” Conference with other group (“domestics” should meet with “foreigners”)should meet with “foreigners”)– Share researchShare research– What are the major events you are focusing on?What are the major events you are focusing on?– What are the big questions you are trying to What are the big questions you are trying to

answer?answer?– Can you determine legacy of president yet?Can you determine legacy of president yet?

Draft thesisDraft thesis– Any big holes in your research so far?Any big holes in your research so far?– Next steps? Where and how to dig deeper?Next steps? Where and how to dig deeper?

Recommended timeline: Recommended timeline: one dayone day

Stage 2 – The Big DigStage 2 – The Big Dig

Take those big issues and questions and dig deeper!Take those big issues and questions and dig deeper!Consider non-encyclopedic sources. Look for key Consider non-encyclopedic sources. Look for key experts, key pieces of evidence, and at least 3 experts, key pieces of evidence, and at least 3 sources, including:sources, including:

1 scholarly biography;1 scholarly biography;1 historical analysis or book review; and1 historical analysis or book review; and1 citation from that president’s library and/ or memorial, if 1 citation from that president’s library and/ or memorial, if available on line. available on line.

NOW look at the whole biography. What is relevant NOW look at the whole biography. What is relevant to an informed discussion of the presidency?to an informed discussion of the presidency?Recommended timeline: Recommended timeline: two daystwo days

Recommended SourcesRecommended Sources– All previously listed sources plus:All previously listed sources plus:

Proquest or EbscohostProquest or EbscohostAcademic JournalsAcademic Journals

Stage 2.2Stage 2.2

Again, Conference with other group Again, Conference with other group (“domestics” should meet with “foreigners”)(“domestics” should meet with “foreigners”)– Review your research.Review your research.– Weigh the evidence. This is where your Weigh the evidence. This is where your

group synthesizes the research. group synthesizes the research. – Agree on final thesis.Agree on final thesis.

E-mail final thesis with group members’ names E-mail final thesis with group members’ names to stwalker@ccsd.ws.to stwalker@ccsd.ws.

Recommended timeline: Recommended timeline: one dayone day

Stage 3 : ConstructionStage 3 : ConstructionAll group members All group members activelyactively involved in preparing involved in preparing presentation and related materials as well as in the presentation and related materials as well as in the actual presentation in class.actual presentation in class.Each presentation should have a clear thesis that Each presentation should have a clear thesis that answers the question: “What is your president’s answers the question: “What is your president’s legacy?”legacy?”You should present how you weighed the evidence – You should present how you weighed the evidence – this will help you avoid the pitfall of a presentation this will help you avoid the pitfall of a presentation that actually feels like two or more separate that actually feels like two or more separate presentations.presentations.Information/ideas/quotes/images/etc. should be cited Information/ideas/quotes/images/etc. should be cited in-text as appropriate.in-text as appropriate.Final individual bibliographies should be prepared. Final individual bibliographies should be prepared. Follow HGHS Style Sheet.Follow HGHS Style Sheet.Recommended timeline: Recommended timeline: two daystwo days

Stage 4 - RehearsalStage 4 - Rehearsal

Rehearse your presentation!Rehearse your presentation!

You should focus on:You should focus on:– clarity;clarity;– transitions;transitions;– pacing;pacing;– use of multimedia and technology; anduse of multimedia and technology; and– perspective of audience.perspective of audience.

Recommended timeline: Recommended timeline: one dayone day

Image CreditsImage Credits

http://www.lovethosegifts.com/products/full/9051.jpghttp://www.lovethosegifts.com/products/full/9051.jpghttp://www.careers-in-business.com/consulting/fdr.gifhttp://www.careers-in-business.com/consulting/fdr.gifhttp://www.amfmdx.net/travel/gifs/president%20lincoln.jpghttp://www.amfmdx.net/travel/gifs/president%20lincoln.jpghttp://www.cnn.com/interactive/allpolitics/0107/johnson.gallery/gallerhttp://www.cnn.com/interactive/allpolitics/0107/johnson.gallery/gallery.lbj.telephone.jpgy.lbj.telephone.jpghttp://www.art.net/~hopkins/Don/images/nixon.jpghttp://www.art.net/~hopkins/Don/images/nixon.jpg