KC Johnson

American Presidency (spring 2025) (Group 1)

This course will explore the history of the American presidency from George Washington until the present day.

Requirements

  • Research Paper: 50%
  • Participation: 30%
  • Study Questions/Supplementary Reading: 20%

Books

Contact:

email: kcjohnson9@gmail.com

cell: 207-329-8456

office hours: via Zoom

Schedule

Week 1: Introduction

  • Constitution-Era Documents

Week 2: Washington

Burns and Dunn, George Washington

Week 3: Jefferson

Appleby, Jefferson (SJ)

Supplementary: John Ferling, John Adams (Moe)

Week 4: J.Q. Adams

Traub, John Quincy Adams (Joey)

Supplementary: HW Brands, Andrew Jackson, pp. 363-528 only (Johnny)

Week 5: Buchanan

Baker, James Buchanan (Joe)

Supplementary: Walter Bornman, Polk (Emily)

Week 6: Lincoln

Donald, Lincoln (Anxhela)

Supplementary: David Stewart, Impeached (Daniel)

Week 7: Reconstruction

Simpson, Reconstruction Presidents (Hao)

Supplementary: Tony Senik, A Man of Iron (Lauren)

Week 8: Turn of Century

Rove, William McKinley (Dylan)

Supplementary: Jean Yarborough, Theodore Roosevelt and the American Political Tradition (Joey)

Week 9: Wilson

Cooper, Woodrow Wilson (Rihao)

Supplementary: Martin Fausold, The Presidency of Herbert Hoover (Adia)

Week 10: FDR

Lash, Roosevelt and Churchill (Moe)

Supplementary: Greg Robinson, By Order of the President (SJ)

Week 11: LBJ

Dallek, Lyndon Johnson (Johnny)

Week 12: Nixon

Farrell, Nixon (Emily)

Supplementary: (Lauren)

Week 13: Bush I

Naftali, George H.W. Bush (Dylan)

Supplementary: Lou Cannon, Reagan (Joe)

Week 14: Presidency in the Contemporary Era (Jaclyn)