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The purpose of this lesson is for the students to realize that though Lincoln was faced with numerous
challenges throughout his presidency his goals remained steadfast and his convictions firm, as is clearly
evidenced by his speeches.

Students will study how James Buchanan’s decisions regarding the Lecompton Constitution impacted Kansas Territory and the United States.

Supreme Court rulings in the Shaw v. Reno (1995) and the Shelby County vs. Holder (2013) cases relied heavily on the reasoning behind the passage of the Voting Rights Act (1965). Students in AP Gov’t and Politics are required to know both cases as part of the cannon of cases and the precedents set as part of the course standards.

Students will be able to identify a few relevant Civil Rights issues AND how the president of that era confronted/handled/resolved the issue, along with causes/effects; then students will reveal how many issues of the past affect their own lives today and explain how.

Student will rank the Presidential powers from most important to least important.

An examination of the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, its intent and impact, its ultimate repeal and its relationship to the War Powers Resolution.

The students will read background material on civil rights movement relating to the armed services. They will analyze and discuss Executive Order 9981 and learn how the blinding of Sgt. Isaac Woodward affected President Truman. After reading and class discussion, the students will express their thoughts in a writing activity.

Students will analyze the boundaries of presidential power through primary sources and complete a performance task.

Students will examine primary and secondary source material to draw connections while working individually, cooperatively with a partner, and during whole-group discussion.

For students to investigate the expansion of executive powers by President Richard Nixon and the debate about the scope of executive power.