About this Blog

During the semester, I shall post course material and students will comment on it. Students are also free to comment on any aspect of the presidency, either current or historical. There are only two major limitations: no coarse language, and no derogatory comments about people at the Claremont Colleges.

The course syllabus is at
http://www.claremontmckenna.edu/pages/faculty/JPitney/gov102-14.html

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Wednesday, September 17, 2008

The Civil War and After

Lincoln takes office -- from the Ken Burns documentary (embedding blocked).

After Reconstruction came a series of minority president. See percentage of popular vote for winning candidates:

1876 Hayes 48.0
1880 Garfield 48.3
1884 Cleveland 48.5
1888 Harrison 47.8
1892 Cleveland 46.1

Toward the end of the 19th century, motion pictures and sound recordings allowed us to see and hear presidents in action.





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