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Title details for The Presidents Decoded by Katie Kennedy - Available

The Presidents Decoded

A Guide to the Leaders Who Shaped Our Nation

by Katie Kennedy
Monique Steele
ebook
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Ever wonder what the President does? Meet the 45* people who have held the job in this important book that showcases how they each led the country in their time—and features their own thoughts and words through their documents, letters, diaries, speeches and so much more.
Some call it the most important job in the world. It's certainly the most powerful. And it's one that every citizen needs to know about because we're the ones who vote to put a president in office. Lively, informative, filled with firsts and facts, big ideas and compelling anecdotes, The Presidents Decoded, is a richly layered guide to the leaders who have shaped our nation.
Featuring over 125 primary sources—including documents, speeches, letters, executive orders and diaries—each leader's time in office is broken down and explained to show the what, how and why of our leaders' thoughts, decisions and policies. Familiar documents like the preamble of the Declaration of Independence, The Emancipation Proclamation, and The Fugitive Slave Act — the part of the Compromise of 1850 that set the country on a path to Civil War — are included. But there's also George Washington’s letter to Martha as he learns that he’s been chosen to be the General of the Continental Army, a letter to Franklin D. Roosevelt from a desperate family during the Great Depression, a letter from baseball legend Jackie Robinson urging John F. Kennedy to do more for civil rights, and the Executive Order limiting the hours of the federal work day, and so many more. Full-color illustrations bring each president and their time in office to life on the page in their career-defining moments as history marches forward and changes the job — and our way of life — through inventions like the camera, the telephone, the first metal detector, services like the Navy and the Red Cross, and the rise of social media platforms like Twitter.
As she did in The Constitution Decoded, Katie Kennedy shines a light on American History, this time through the lens of the leaders who shaped our nation.
(*Very clever of you to catch this! the number is off by 1 because Grover Cleveland was the 22nd and the 24th president!)
 

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    October 17, 2023

  • Formats

    • Kindle Book

    • OverDrive Read

      • ISBN: 9781523525171
    Kindle restrictions

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • Kirkus

      September 15, 2023
      Short biographies of the 45 people who have been president of the United States, including snippets of primary source material. Kennedy, a college-level history and government educator and author of The Constitution Decoded (2020), offers quick looks at each of the men who have served in the nation's highest office. Each chapter opens with a portrait and fast facts, both ordinary and unusual. Each goes on to cover the man's life before his presidency, his actions as president, his legacy, and his post-presidential life, if any. The prose is smooth, engaging, informative, and often sympathetic. What gets decoded are the short selections from primary sources: George Washington's farewell address, a prescient comment from Thomas Jefferson about the "Missouri question," a statement by Grover Cleveland regarding the overthrow of Hawaiian queen Lili'uokalani, and so forth. Text boxes appear on almost every page, making interesting and often important points. The narrative is also broken up with occasional maps, drawings, and photos, adding to the accessibility. The author pays careful attention to past presidents' attitudes and actions about slavery. Donald Trump's section concludes with an open-ended observation that "Trump's post-presidential period was one of turmoil, just like his presidency." This might serve as a pleasant accompaniment to a more sober middle school history text. The volume is also visually engaging, with portraits opening each profile, spot art breaking up the text, and helpful maps. Surprising, straightforward, and readable. (additional illustration credits, further reading) (Nonfiction. 9-14)

      COPYRIGHT(2023) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Formats

  • Kindle Book
  • OverDrive Read
Kindle restrictions

subjects

Languages

  • English

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