Assignment for Thursday, 4/10

For next time, read the rest of Chapter 11, "The Consolidation of the Modern Presidency," from p. 298 onward. We'll discuss Truman and Eisenhower.

Feel free to write a summary on just this part of the chapter.

Assignment for Tuesday, 4/8

For Tuesday, please read Chapter 11 in Milkis & Nelson, "The Consolidation of the Modern Presidency," but only up until page 298 (before "the Modern Presidency Sustained"). We will discuss FDR on Tuesday, and save Truman and Eisenhower for the following class. Please write your summaries based on just this first part of the chapter as well.

Assignment for Thursday, 4/3

For Thursday, please read Chapter 10 in Milkis and Nelson, "The Triumph of Conservative Republicanism." Feel free to summarize.

Assignment for Tuesday, 4/1

For next week, read Chapter 9 in Milkis and Nelson, "Woodrow Wilson and the Defense of Popular Leadership." Summaries are, as usual, welcome.

Assignment for Thursday, 3/27

For Thursday, please read chapter 8 in Milkis and Nelson, "Progressive Politics and Executive Power." Feel free to write and submit a summary as well. We will discuss the Presidencies of Roosevelt and Taft (and whether or not Taft actually got stuck in a White House bathtub).

Mid-Term Exam Thursday, 3/11

Please remember that I'll be giving you your mid-term exam this Thursday in class. Contact me before then if you have any questions.

There will be no assignment for the first class after we return. Enjoy your break.

Assignment for Thursday, 3/6 - Mid-Term Exam Questions

For your mid-term examination, you will be randomly assigned two of the following four questions:

1. How does Skowronek's "regime" model address the shortcomings of other models of the Presidency?
2. What were some of the concerns about executive power raised by contemporary critics of the U.S. Constitution? How did the Constitution's supporters respond?
3. Both Washington and Lincoln became President under somewhat extraordinary circumstances. To what extent did their actions set precedents for subsequent Presidents?
4. Both Jefferson and Jackson focused on their role as party leaders. How did this focus affect their Presidencies, as well as the officeholders that followed them?

There is no assignment for next time, but please review these questions; we will go over them in class on Thursday.