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This work offers the best of both worlds: broad analysis of the first five presidential administrations and specific excerpts from original documents supporting and opposing the presidents' positions. George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and James Monroe speak for themselves as they argue for their positions on the key political, social, and economic issues of their time in excerpts from primary sources. Excerpts from opposing positions on each issue give the presidents' critics a voice. An explanatory overview of each issue will help students to understand the argument and the context of the issue and to apply critical thinking skills to their understanding. The section on each president includes entries on 4-5 key issues of his administration, from the president's title at the beginning of Washington's administration to American Indian removal at the close of Monroe's term.
Primary documents include presidential memoirs, speeches, and letters, congressional speeches, Supreme Court decisions, newspaper editorials, and comments from prominent private citizens. An introductory overview of each president's administration provides a useful window through which to assess the specific debates and documents addressed. A timeline provides a chronological backdrop for the subject, and recommended readings following each section offer helpful direction for further study. Though the founding presidents remain revered today for their pioneering accomplishments in the early nation, this work reminds readers that the first executives faced ongoing opposition from members of the legislature, judiciary, and general public. Readers will gain a grounded understanding of the contested issues of the young nation and the way early decisions impacted our political system across time.
List of contents
Series Foreword
Introduction
Timeline
George Washington 1789-1797
John Adams 1797-1801
Thomas Jefferson 1801-1809
James Madison 1809-1817
James Monroe 1817-1825
Bibliography
Index
About the author
Amy H. Sturgis is Assistant Professor of Interdisciplinary Studies at Belmont University. She earned her Ph.D. in Intellectual History at Vanderbilt University. She has authored or edited seven books and written numerous chapters and articles in both Native American and science fiction/fantasy studies, including The Trail of Tears and Indian Removal (Greenwood 2006), Presidents from Hayes through McKinley, 1877-1901 (Greenwood 2003), and Presidents from Washington through Monroe, 1789-1825 (Greenwood 2001).
