American Presidency- Exam 1

What is the number of persons who served as president?

44 have served as president to date.

What happens if no one candidate for vice president receives a majority of votes in the electoral college?

A contingent election is conducted again, but this time in the Senate with each U.S. senator casting a single vote. This has happened once with Richard Mentor Johnson.

What is an "unfaithful" elector?

A member of the Electoral College who does not vote for the presidential or vice-presidential candidate for whom they had pledged to vote.

Explain the importance and/or significance of the following presidential elections: 1860

Abraham Lincoln is the first Republican elected President of the United States

Explain how third-party "spoilers" affected the outcomes of the presidential election in 2000

Al Gore, the Democratic candidate received more popular votes than George W. Bush but lost the electoral college.

Who was "Old Hickory"

Andrew Jackson

What was most important about the "Age of Jackson"?

Andrew Jackson opened up the government for the common man. He was the founder of the Democratic party and the first Democrat elected president. He also supported the Indian Removal Act of 1830 which led to the trail of tears.

Who was the only president to later serve in the Senate?

Andrew Johnson

Identify some presidents who served as vice presidents?

Andrew Johnson, Harry Truman, Richard Nixon, and William Mckinley

State some pros and cons of the Obama Presidency

Barack Obama was able to end the war in Iraq and pass the Affordable Care Act which provided health insurance to over 20 million uninsured Americans. He, unfortunately, negotiated a "bad deal" with Iran and he failed to reform immigration policy.

Explain the importance and/or significance of the following presidential elections: 2000

Bush lost the popular vote to VP Al Gore but ended up winning the election with Electoral College Votes. "Bush 43" was transformed into a wartime president after 9/11

Understand how independent candidates were important political actors in the presidential elections of 1992

Businessman Ross Perot ran a successful campaign garnering 18.9 percent of the popular vote. Studies suggest that Perot drew equally from both Republican and Democratic voters.

Describe the C-SPAN Presidential ranking survey and the methodology used to rank the performance of past presidents

C-SPAN's academic advisors had historians and other professional observers of the presidency use a one ("not effective") to ten ("very effective") scale on ten qualities of presidential leadership/ Survey responses were tabulated by averaging all responses in a given category for each president. Each of the ten categories was given equal weighting in arriving at a president's total score.

Explain each of the roles of the modern president

Chief of States, Commander in Chief, Legislative leader, CEO of the domestic economy, chief executive (head of the federal bureaucracy), Chief diplomat, chief influencer of the federal judiciary, and political party leader

List the powers specifically granted to the president in Article II

Commander-in-chief, executive oversight, pardons, treaties, nominate officers and judges, recess appointments, legislative proposer, calling congress to work, meeting emissaries, executing laws

Explain the importance and/or significance of the following presidential elections: 2016

Donald Trump is the first-ever "outsider" to be elected president even though he lost the popular vote. He is also the oldest person to ever be elected president at the age of 70.

Has anyone with no government experience whatsoever ever been elected president? If yes, who?

Donald Trump is the only "outsider" to ever be elected president

State some pros and cons of the Trump Presidency

Donald Trump was able to create several million jobs since 2017, and improve the economy overall (low unemployment rate and record-high stock market levels). He has sharply increased oil and natural gas production in the U.S. as well. His failures include his response to the Charlottesville tragedy, in which a neo-nazi rally turned deadly. America's global image has also declined significantly;y and he has been given credit for the major humanitarian crisis in Syria.

Explain what is referred to as the "Dormant Presidency"

Early American presidents were very limited in power and influence. Most of the power they did have came from their personal prestige and persuasive powers. No charisma= No powers

Explain the importance and/or significance of the following presidential elections: 1824

Four democratic-republicans receive Electoral College votes and as a result no one receives a majority. This is the second time a contingent election was conducted by the House of Representatives with voting by state for one of the top three finishers. John Quincy Adams wins.

Which presidents were assassinated?

Four sitting presidents have been assassinated: Abraham Lincoln, James A. Garfield, William McKinley, and John F. Kennedy.

Explain the importance and/or significance of the following presidential elections: 1932

Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected, this represented a dramatic shift in political alignment from Republican to Democratic. FDR also spearheaded a massive expansion of the U.S. government titled the New Deal program.

Who was "Young Hickory of the Granite Hills"?

Franklin Pierce

Name the most important third-party candidates in the 2016 presidential election and name their party affiliations

Gary Johnson of the Liberty party garnered around 3.3 percent of the popular vote Jill Stein of the Green Party garnered 1.1 of the popular vote, making her the first 4th place finisher to breach the one-million-vote mark since 1948.

Understand how third-party candidates were important political actors in the presidential elections of 1968

George Wallace of the American Independent Party received 45 electoral votes and 13.5 percent of the popular vote. His pro-segregation policies had been rejected by the mainstream of the Democratic party. He received more than 9 million votes and ende3d up winning five southern states, Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia.

Who was the only person to serve as president without ever being elected as either president or vice president?

Gerald Ford

Name the president who authorized the dropping of the atomic bombs on Japan in WWII?

Harry S. Truman

What were the major contributions of the first president, George Washington, to the American Presidency? Why is he still considered one of the best presidents ever?

He confirmed the president's position as the preeminent power of the executive branch. He also set a high example of civic virtue

What was the major achievement of Thomas Jefferson as president?

He helped to double the size of this country through the 1803 Louisiana Purchase.

Who was William Jennings Bryan? Why was he important?

He is considered the most liberal democratic ticket ever.

Understand Barack Obama

He is the first black president ever elected and his policies focused on things like ObamaCare and the Dreamer's act regarding immigration.

What are some noteworthy accomplishments of President Franklin D. Roosevelt?

He is the only president to be elected four times, from 1932 to 1944. He is remembered for enacting legislation referred to as the New Deal, which created Social Security, heavier taxes on the wealthy, new controls over banks and public utilities, and an enormous work relief program for the unemployed.

Why was Richard Mentor Johnson controversial?

He was a controversial public figure because Julia Chinn, his common-law wife was a mixed-race slave. They had two daughters who Johnson openly acknowledged as his children.

Explain how third-party "spoilers" affected the outcomes of the presidential election in 1844

Henry Clay versus James K. Polk versus third-party candidate James Birney. Polk benefited from a split in the Whigs party between "Cotton Whigs" and "Conscience Whigs" because as a result of the split some of the "Conscience Whigs" voted for Birney and the Liberty Party instead of Henry Clay. Birney made it so Polk could win New York and later the overall election.

Who was the only sitting member of the House of Representatives to be elected President?

James Garfield

Which president was associated with the concept of "Manifest Destiny"

James K. Polk

Who was "Young Hickory"?

James K. Polk

Who was the sitting president during the War of 1812?

James Madison

Who was the sitting president during the "Era of Good Feeling"

James Monroe

Who was the first president to lose a bid for re-election?

John Adams

Understand how independent candidates were important political actors in the presidential elections of 1980

John B. Anderson ran as independent to uphold his tradition as a "Rockefeller Republican." He won 6.9 percent of the popular vote

Understand how third-party candidates were important political actors in the presidential elections of 1860

John C. Breckenridge was a pro-slavery Democratic candidate for the Southern Democratic Party. He received 72 electoral college votes and 18.2 percent of the popular vote. He is considered the second most successful third-party presidential candidate. John Bell was the other third-party candidate, he represented the Constitution Union Party and received 39 electoral votes and 12.6 percent of the popular vote.

Which president proposed legislation that would later become the Civil Rights Act of 1964?

John F. Kennedy

Describe the office of president of the United States in Congress Assembled?

John Hanson was the first "president" of the United States under the Articles of Confederation. The U.S. had no executive branch so the position was largely ceremonial. The president, who served a term of one year, was required to deal with correspondence and sign official documents.

Who was the only president to later serve in the House of Representatives?

John Quincy Adams

Who was the second president to lose a bid for re-election?

John Quincy Adams

Name some candidates who lost the popular vote but still managed to win a majority of the Electoral College votes, therefore winning the election overall.

John Quincy Adams, Rutherford B. Hayes, Benjamin Harrison, George W. Bush, and Donald Trump

Who was the first president to become president by "An Act of God"

John Tyler

Which president is most closely associated with the escalation of the Vietnam War and his Great Society legislature

Lyndon Baines Johnson

Explain each of these Amendments: XXV

Made a two-term limit and defined that if a VP takes over and serves 2+ years that counts as a 'term'

Explain each of these Amendments: XX

Made the presidential term start of January 20th instead of March 4th and "if the president-elect dies before being sworn in, the VP-elect takes his/her place

Explain the importance and/or significance of the following presidential elections: 1912

Most successful third party candidate in history- the progressive party headed by Theodore Roosevelt

Describe the minimum qualifications for President which are specified in Article II of the Constitution

Natural Born citizen, minimum age of 35, U.S. resident for the past 14 years.

Has any sitting mayor, as distinguished from the former mayor, ever been elected president? If yes, who?

No sitting mayor has ever been elected president.

Explain the importance and/or significance of the following presidential elections: 2008

Obama is the first black president ever elected, and also one of the youngest, he is only the third sitting senator to be elected

Explain the importance and/or significance of the following presidential elections: 1876

One of the most disputed election results ever. Four states- Florida, Louisiana, South Carolina, and Oregon- remained unresolved with both parties reporting they had won. Congress created the Electoral Commission to pass on the disputed contests who elected Hayes by a margin of one vote.

Should the modern president have more formal power; or conversely; should Congress enact more laws to restrain presidential power?

Opinion: less power.

Understand Ronald Reagan

President Ronald Reagan was able to cut back on government regulations in a way that was popular with many Americans. Although his policies increased the American debt, he was seen as the savior of American individualism and culture. He is credited with policies that led to the collapse of the Soviet Union. He also revitalized the conservative movement in American policies.

Understand which qualifications (or prior experience) is/are the best predictors of a successful presidency

Prior experience as governor of a big state and prior active duty service in the military during wartime were both predictors of positive presidential performance

Explain the pros and cons and some proposals of reform to the electoral college

Pros: Gives the smaller states an equal voice, prevents disputed outcomes ensuring a peaceful transition of power, reduces the costs of presidential campaigns Cons: Can disregard the will of the majority, gives too few states too much electoral power, reduces voter participation by creating a "my vote doesn't matter" feeling Reform: Nationwide popular vote

Remember that the Constitution states that the Vice President is officially the Senate President

Remember that the Constitution states that the Vice President is officially the Senate President

Who was the only president to have resigned from office?

Richard M. Nixon

Has a former Vice President, as distinguished from a sitting Vice President ever been elected? If yes, who?

Richard Nixon is the only example of a vice president successfully running for president after time has passed since he was Vice President.

Explain the importance and/or significance of the following presidential elections: 1980

Ronald Reagan was elected and he cut back on government relations in a way that was popular with many Americans.

Explain how third-party "spoilers" affected the outcomes of the presidential election in 1912

Roosevelt's progressive party, nicknamed the "Bull-Moose Party" marked the most successful third-party bid in history winning 27.4 percent of the popular vote and 88 electoral votes.

Understand how third-party candidates were important political actors in the presidential elections of 1948

Storm Thurmond for the States' Rights Democratic Party 'Dixiecrats', he received 39 electoral college votes and 2.4 percent of the popular vote.

Explain Amendment XII to the U.S. Constitution

The 12th Amendment was added to the Constitution in 1804 following the election of 1800. The Amendment enacted the law that each elector would distinctly cast one electoral vote for president and one for vice president in the electoral college system

Explain how the Electoral College is constituted and how it functions

The concept appears in Article II section 1. It represents the Founding Fathers' effort to create a mechanism by which states select the president and vice president. Section 1 creates a select group of representatives known as "electors", determined by the state. The number of electoral votes awarded to each state depends upon the number of Senators and Representatives that state possesses. The states cast their electoral votes through these electors and the candidate who receives a majority of the electoral votes, at least 270, is declared winner.

What happens if no one candidate for president receives a majority of votes in the electoral college?

The election becomes contingent, this is where the election is decided by the House of Representatives with each state receiving a single vote. This has happened twice in history, in the 1800 election of Thomas Jefferson over Aaron Burr and again in 1834 with John Quincy Adams over Andrew Jackson and Will Crawford

Explain how third-party "spoilers" affected the outcomes of the presidential election in 1848

The free soil party emerged (a combination of conscience Whigs and anti-slavery democrats) which was largely focused on the single issue of opposing the expansion of slavery into the western territories of the U.S. This party became a "spoiler" by creating a split vote and allowing Zachary Taylor to win.

Explain what the Framers of the Constitution originally intended when they created the office of President. What were the main deliberations and debates about the presidency that occurred at the Constitutional Convention?

The main questions were as follows: What kind of powers should the president have? What kinds of controls ought to be in place that would prevent the executive from abusing its powers? How should the president be selected, and for what length of term? Should the president be eligible to run for re-election? Should the president be impeachable?

What are some noteworthy accomplishments of President Theodore Roosevelt?

Theodore Roosevelt was absolutely transformative to the United States. He piloted a major expansion of powers in the 20th century and started what is referred to as the "Twentieth Century Transformation." He is known for being the first environmentalist president, creating and protecting national parks across the country. He was also an advocate for women's right to vote and prosecuted monopolies heavily with the creation of the Sherman Act.

Understand the importance of minor party (third-party) and independent party candidates for the presidency

They have the ability to change the outcome of the election by shifting votes away from one party or another.

Explain the importance and/or significance of the following presidential elections: 1828

This election caused the Nullification crisis and Andrew Jackson became the first Democrat and the first person from a state west of the Appalachian Mountains to become President.

Explain the importance and/or significance of the following presidential elections: 1896

This election marks the beginning of a concerted political strategy by the Republic Party to align with big business (and vice versa). The election of 1896 killed the populist party although key platform ideas- income tax, secret ballot, direct election of senators- would be enacted by other parties later on.

Explain the importance and/or significance of the following presidential elections: 1968

This election showcased a major realigning which disrupted the New Deal coalition that had dominated presidential politics since 1932 (when FDR was elected)

Explain the importance and/or significance of the following presidential elections: 1800

This presidential election was significant because it marked the first peaceful transition of political power from federalists to Democratic-Republican.

Has any Vice President, sitting as President of the Senate, formally announced that he lost the election for president? If yes, who?

Three former Vice Presidents who were sitting as president of the Senate announced they had lost: John Breckinridge, Richard Nixon, and Al Gore.

Has any sitting senator, as distinguished from a former senator, ever been elected president? If yes, who?

Three sitting senators have been elected, Warren Harding, John F. Kennedy, and Barack Obama.

Two whigs were elected president but four whigs served as president. Who were they?

William H. Harrison and Zachary Taylor were the only two Whigs elected president. John Taylor and Millard Fillmore assumed the presidency through succession

Explain the importance and/or significance of the following presidential elections: 1840

William Henry Harrison becomes the first Whig to be elected president, 31 days after inauguration he dies, John Tyler becomes president.

Who was the only president to later serve on the Supreme Court?

William Howard Taft

State the name of the first third-party candidate to win electoral college votes

William Wirt, 1832, Anti-Masonic Party

Who was the president during WWI?

Woodrow Wilson