AQA History – USA 1865 – 1975: The Making of a Superpower President Revision Booklet (The Executive Branch) Overview of Presidents from Period of Study President Number President Name Time in Office Political Party 16 Abraham Lincoln 1861 – 1865 National Party Republican 17 Andrew Johnson 1865 – 1869 National Union Party Republican 18 Ulysses S Grant 1869 – 1877 Republican 19 Rutherford B Hayes 1877 – 1881 Republican 20 James A Garfield 1881 Republican 21 Chester A Arthur 1881 – 1885 Republican 22 Grover Cleveland 1885 – 1889 Democrat 23 Benjamin Harrison 1889 – 1893 Republican 24 Grover Cleveland 1893 – 1897 Democrat 25 William McKinley 1897 – 1901 Republican 26 Theodore Roosevelt 1901 – 1909 Republican 27 William Howard Taft 1909 – 1913 Republican 28 Woodrow Wilson 1913 – 1921 Democrat 29 Warren G Harding 1921 – 1923 Republican
30 Calvin Coolidge 1923 – 1929 Republican 31 Herbert Hoover 1929 – 1933 Republican 32 Franklin D Roosevelt 1933 – 1945 Democrat 33 Harry S Truman 1945 – 1953 Democrat 34 Dwight D Eisenhower 1953 – 1961 Republican 35 John F Kennedy 1961 – 1963 Democrat 36 Lyndon B Johnson 1963 – 1969 Democrat 37 Richard Nixon 1969 – 1974 Republican 38 Gerald Ford 1974 – 1977 Republican The Era of Reconstruction, 1865 – 1877 Abraham Lincoln Terms of Presidency 1861 - 1865
Political Party National Union Party (During Civil War) Republican Key Legislation Emancipation Proclamation, 1863 – abolished slavery Key Successes Good orator (e.g. Gettysburg Address, 1863) Victory in the American Civil War Key Failures Motivation questioned for emancipation of slaves Assassinated, 1865 (Motivation: Civil War) Andrew Johnson
of Presidency 1865 – 1869 Political Party National Union Party (During Civil War) Republican Key Legislation 14th Amendment, 1868 – “equal protection of the law” and defined citizenship Tenure of Office Act, 1867 – restricted power of the President in favour of the Senate Key Successes Leniency towards the South ensured there was no increase in the existing hostility Bought Alaska from Russia, 1867 Key Failures Anti-black suffrage – Johnson was born in the South Rumours of alcoholism 1868 – narrowly avoided being impeached Ulysses S Grant
Terms of Presidency 1869 – 1877 Political Party Republican Key Legislation 15th Amendment, 1870 – Prohibited the denial of the right to vote based on race or colour Key Successes Military experience Key Failures Rumours of alcoholism Political inexperience Questionable appointments to high-ranking positions Great Sioux War, 1876 (Native Americans) The Gilded and Industrial Age, 1877 – 1890 Rutherford B Hayes
Terms of Presidency 1877 – 1881 Political Party Republican Key Legislation Act, 1878 (economy) Key Successes Reputation for honesty and loyalty Successfully dealt with the 1877 Great Railroad Strike Key Failures Electoral dispute – only elected on agreement with the that he would withdraw federal troops, thus effectively ending Reconstruction Fierce opposition within his own party, the ‘Stalwarts’ James A Garfield
Terms of Presidency 1881 – 1885 Political Party Republican Key Legislation Pendleton Act, 1883 – high-ranking jobs should be based on merit Chinese Exclusion Act, 1882 Key Successes Sought to protect middle-classes, rather than just big business Champion of Civil Service reform Key Failures Not elected – President due to Garfield’s assassination Sand Creek Massacre, 1864 (Native Americans) Grover Cleveland
Terms of Presidency 1889 - 1893 Political Party Republican Key Legislation Sherman Act, 1890 – curtailed monopolies Key Successes Increased in expansion westwards Key Failures Unsuccessful attempts to enact legislation to protect and extend civil rights of black Americans 1890 – Battle of Wounded Knee (Native Americans) Foundation of the Populist 1892 – established to fight against traditional Democratic/Republican candidates Benjamin Harrison Grover Cleveland
Terms of Presidency 1893 – 1897 Political Party Democrat Key Legislation Key Successes support in is party – the ‘Mugwumps’ Key Failures Evaded military service in the Civil War Uncomfortable as bachelor in White House – married women 27 years younger which caused public condemnation Used veto 584 times Had illegitimate child before Presidency which caused public outcry William McKinley
of Presidency 1897 - 1901 Political Party Republican Key Legislation Dingley Tariff Act, 1897 – raised tariffs Key Successes Popular image – clearly devoted to his ill wife Treaty of 1898 – ended Spanish-American War Key Failures Assassinated, September 1901 (Motivation: economy – assassin was unemployed) Theodore Roosevelt
Terms of Presidency 1923 - 1929 Political Party Republican Key Legislation Immigration Act, 1924 – restricted immigration from Southern and Eastern European countries Indian Citizenship Act, 1924 – granted full citizenship to all Native Americans Key Successes Supported of Civil Rights – refused to appoint any KKK members to office Advocated anti-lynching laws Key Failures personality – “Silent Cal” Laissez-faire attitude later blamed from the following Great Depression The Depression and New Deal, 1929 - 1941
Terms of Presidency 1933 - 1945 Political Party Democrat Key Legislation “New Deal” – attempt to help the economy throughout the 1930s. Included “Brain Trust” of economic advisers and “Alphabet Agencies” Neutrality Acts – 1935/6/7/9 – isolationism Good Neighbour Policy, 1930s – with Latin America Smith Act 1940 – illegal to threaten to overthrow the government Key Successes Only President to be elected 4 Considered attractive – strong female vote Recognised the need for increased federal involvement in economy during the Great Depression Victory in World War Two Key Failures Paranoia of being seen in a wheelchair following his polio diagnosis Received criticism for increased government spending Extra-marital affair Franklin D Roosevelt
Terms of Presidency 1945 - 1953 Political Party Democrat Key Legislation 22nd Amendment Act – Person cannot be elected more than twice. “Fair Deal”, 1949 – built upon New Deal with regards to social reform Employment Act, 1946 Key Successes Military experience Reputation as honourable Address to the NAACP, 1947 Key Failures Dropped two atomic bombs on Japan to end World War Two – controversial Fall of China to Communism, 1949 Criticism of America’s involvement and action in Split within the party – Dixiecrats Revolt, 1948 S Truman The Cold War, 1945 – 1989
Terms of Presidency 1961 - 1963 Political Party Democrat Key Legislation “New Frontier” – social reform Key Successes Military experience (World War Two) He and his wife Jacqueline “Jackie” brought an aura of youth and glamour to the presidency Good orator Cuban Missile Crisis, 1962 Camelot legend Birmingham Race Riots, 1963 Key Failures Extra-marital affairs (famous Marilyn Monroe conspiracy) Bay of Pigs, 1961 Berlin Wall Crisis, 1961 Assassination, 1963 (Motivation: assassin had Communist sympathies John F Kennedy Lyndon B Johnson
Terms of Presidency 1963 – 1969 Political Party Democrat Key Legislation “Great Society” – “War on Poverty” Civil Rights Act, 1964 Voting Rights Act, 1965 Indian Civil Rights Act, 1968 Key Successes The ‘Kerner Report 1967 – Investigation into Civil Rights Key Failures Vietnam War – unpopular and costly New Mexico Olympics, 1968 – Acts of “Black Power” showed unhappiness in USA Race Riots – 1964 - 1968 Richard Nixon