Professor John Moser looks at the presidencies of William Howard Taft, Theodore Roosevelt, and Woodrow Wilson. Moser begins with a general discussion of the "character" of presidents and what qualities presidents have been perceived as possessing or lacking.
To listen to this lecture, scroll to session two, and select the RealAudio link to the left of the main body of text.
Professor David Tucker discusses the life and character of George Washington. Tucker begins with a debate over the modern-day reaction to and interpretation of Thomas Jefferson's possible relationship with his slave Sally Hemings and the differences it makes (or does not make) in perceptions of Jefferson's character. He also digresses into general discussion of what qualities define a "good" president and how these perceptions have changed over time.
To listen to this lecture, scroll to session one, and select the RealAudio link to the left of the main body of text.
The Ronald Reagan Foundation and Library maintains a museum with more than 200,000 square feet of exhibit space, "dedicated to the promotion of individual liberty, economic opportunity, global democracy, and national pride." The museum's permanent exhibits and installations include a full-scale replica of the Oval Office, a portion of the Berlin Wall, and the Air Force One pavilion, where visitors may enter and tour the Presidential plane. Temporary galleries hold other topical exhibits. Visitors may also pay their respects at President Reagan's gravesite and memorial.
The museum schedules school tours, with free admission for K12 students and for every chaperone per 10 students. School tours must be scheduled in advance; be sure to ask about arranging for box lunches and for free curriculum guides. Educators may also schedule free class visits to the museum's Discovery Center, a collection of sets (Command Decision Center, Oval Office, White House Press Room, and Air Force One Simulator) in which students will role play decision-making situations as historical figures.
Professional development workshops for educators may also be scheduled, as can a workshop for A.P. U.S. History and Government classes, orienting them to using the resources of the library archives.
This 1915 Georgian Revival home is filled with the original furnishings and memorabilia of the 28th President of the United States, Woodrow Wilson.
The house offers tours and educational and recreational events.
The Museum's historic building houses an object collection of over 1,600 items, including decorative arts, personal items, costumes, and memorabilia, related to James Monroe. Additionally, the on-site archives houses over 10,000 documents, and the library holds over 3,000 volumes of rare and historic books.
The museum offers exhibits, research library access, tours, and occasional recreational and educational events.
In 1772, George Washington purchased a house from Michael Robinson in Fredericksburg, Virginia for his mother. Mary Ball Washington spent her last 17 years in this comfortable home. A mirror Mrs. Washington called her "best dressing glass" and other possessions are on view in the house. Her sundial still tracks the time of day in the garden.
The house offers tours.
Dedicated in 1874, Lincoln Tomb is the final resting place of Abraham Lincoln; his wife Mary; and three of their four sons, Edward, William, and Thomas.
The site offers tours and educational and recreational events.
The Metamora Courthouse was built in 1845 and served as the center of county government until the county seat was moved to Eureka in 1896. It is one of two surviving courthouses on the historic Eighth Judicial Circuit traveled by Abraham Lincoln. The first floor of the two-story brick structure contains a central hall flanked by two exhibit rooms, one displaying artifacts of early local history, the other with exhibits describing the 1850s court system and Lincoln's life on the Eighth Judicial Circuit. On the second floor, the former courtroom and two small chambers are furnished to represent the era during which Lincoln practiced law.
The site offers exhibits, tours, and a short film.
Franklin Pierce (18041869), the seventh of nine children, spent a happy childhood in attractive surroundings of gardens and trees. The stately home has spacious rooms with vividly painted walls and exquisite stenciling. The house has a grand ballroom and a parlor decorated with imported French wallpaper—symbols of the elegance of the age.
The house offers tours and occasional recreational and educational events.
Built in 1816 for James K. Polk's father, Samuel, this Federal-style house is the only surviving home of America's 11th President. James K. Polk lived here with his parents from 1818 to 1824, when he began his legal and political career. His rise to national prominence included serving as governor of Tennessee from 1839 to 1841, and culminated in 1844, when he was elected as a "darkhorse" Democratic candidate for the Presidency. He died of cholera in Nashville at age 53 on June 15, 1849, three months after stepping down from the White House. Today, the James K. Polk ancestral home is a Presidential historic site that displays original Polk belongings, such as furnishings, documents, White House artifacts, and political memorabilia. The site also features the adjacent Sisters' House museum, a reconstructed 19th-century kitchen building, and formal gardens.
A second website for the home can be found here.
The home offers a short film, exhibits, tours, lectures, educational programs, and demonstrations.