History 7446: American Presidency
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: (all available through amazon.com)
- John Milton Cooper, Jr., Woodrow Wilson: A Biography
- David Herbert Donald, Lincoln
- Joseph Ellis, His Excellency: George Washington
- David Kennedy, Freedom from Fear
- David McCullough, Truman
- Forrest McDonald, The American Presidency
- Brooks Simpson, The Reconstruction Presidents
- Rick Perlstein, The Invisible Bridge
- Sean Wilentz, The Rise of American Democracy
- Joshua Zeitz, Building the Great Society
- Selena Zito, The Great Revolt
My Contact Information:
- email: kcjohnson9@gmail.com
- cell: 207-329-8456
- office hours: Thurs., 12.30-1.30, Boylan 1127a
Schedule
August 28: Introduction
- Forrest MacDonald, The American Presidency
September 4: The Constitutional Era
- Joseph Ellis, His Excellency [study questions: Nermin Cecunjanin]
supplementary readings:
- Lynn Parsons, The Birth of Modern Politics [Katie Dickman]
September 11, 18–transition days
September 25: The Transitional Era
Sean Wilentz, The Rise of American Democracy [study questions: Louis Korman]
supplementary readings:
- Walter Borneman, Polk [Michael Radushinsky]
- Daniel Walker Howe, What Hath God Wraught [Thomas Smith]
October 2: Lincoln COURSE PAPER TOPICS DUE
David Herbert Donald, Lincoln [study questions: Katie Dickman]
supplementary readings:
- Mark Neely, The Fate of Liberty [Leon Xanthos]
- Jean Smith, James Buchanan [William Gallagher]
October 9: The Post-Civil War Era
Brooks Simpson, The Reconstruction Presidents [study questions: John Balliet]
supplementary readings:
- Henry Graff, Grover Cleveland [Roman Zhitnik]
- Kevin Phillips, William McKinley [Michael Radushinsky]
October 16: Progressivism
John Milton Cooper, Woodrow Wilson [study questions: Rayson Chen]
supplementary readings:
- Thomas Knock, To End All Wars [Nermin Cecunjanin]
- Edmund Morris, Theodore Rex [Kimberly Newman]
October 23: No class
October 30: FDR
David Kennedy, Freedom from Fear [study questions: Hugo Barreca]
supplementary readings:
- Frank Freidel, Franklin D. Roosevelt: Rendezvous with Destiny [Louis Korman]
- Kevin McMahon, Reconsidering Roosevelt on Race [Robert Kelly]
November 6: The Postwar Presidency
James McCullough, Truman [study questions: Howard Caretto]
supplementary readings:
- Jean Smith, Eisenhower in War and Peace [Kimberly Newman]
November 13: 1960s
Joshua Zeitz, Building a Great Society [study questions: Joseph Criscola]
supplementary readings:
- Robert Caro, The Passage to Power [John Balliet]
- David Talbot, The Brothers [Nicholas Hurwitz]
November 20: Nixon
Stanley Kutler, The Wars of Watergate [study questions: William Gallagher]
supplementary readings:
- Rick Perlstein, Nixonland [Hugo Barreca]
- James Patterson, Grand Expectations, pp. 593-790 only [Howard Caretto]
November 27: The Transition to Reaganism
Rick Perlstein, The Invisible Bridge [study questions: Nicholas Hurwitz]
supplementary readings:
- Taylor Branch, The Clinton Tapes [Howard Carreto]
- Lou Cannon, President Reagan: Role of a Lifetime [Leon Xanthos]
December 4: Modern Presidency
Selena Zito, The Great Revolt [study questions: Robert Kelly]
supplementary readings:
- Mark Halperin and John Heilemann, Double Down [Rayson Chen]
- Peter Baker, Days of Fire [Ronan Zhitnik]
December 9: Review
