Presidents and Elections

Abraham Lincoln:

Gettysburg Address – An exhibition by the Library of Congress related to President Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address.

Mr. Lincoln’s Virtual Library – Links to information on Abraham Lincoln (including private papers) and the Civil War. 

Kevin Wood – Kevin Wood, currently of Oak Park, Illinois (Chicago area), portrays President Abraham Lincoln, one of our nation’s most beloved and esteemed historical figures. 


George Washington:

George Washington – Unit from the Library of Congress about George Washington, including information about his life, rise to power, and accomplishments. Includes primary source documents.


General resources:

American Presidency Project – Over 75,000 documents related to the study of the presidency, including election data, speeches, video clips, search options, and more.

Ben’s Guide to US Government for Kids: Elections – These pages explain the election process for Federal officials.

Elections 101 – Learn about why voting matters, how it works, and more, including resources…

George Washington – Unit from the Library of Congress about George Washington, including information about his life, rise to power, and accomplishments. Includes primary source documents.

H.I.P. Pocket Change: Presidents’ Day – Have your students read about this special day’s history and find related links on this dedicated page.

Inauguration Activities and Free Audio – Activities related to the US presidential inauguration.

Living Room Candidate – TV campaign ads from 1952 to the present – searchable by year, type of commercial, and political issue. Ads include background along with links to other spots related by subject, year, or candidate.  

PBS – The U.S. PresidentsPBS LearningMedia has collected little-known facts about the US presidents into a fun video collection: 60-Second Presidents. The videos pack a great deal of information into each minute as they share each president’s history in a quirky, engaging style. As they explore the rich history and the institution of the US Presidency—from George Washington to Barack Obama, students will come to understand the duties and powers of the President of the United States and the First Lady, gather important background information from Presidential biographies and engage with videos and primary sources that place them back in time at some of the most pivotal turning points in American history. Teacher’s Guides and other resources are available for selected presidents.

Select A Candidate – Answer basic questions on key issues using actual quotes from candidates (without identifying the candidate) and see which candidate best fits your views…the results may surprise you!

Telling America’s Story – America.gov – Current information on elections, American life/culture, videos, multimedia, and more.

US Presidents – George Washington to Barack Obama – A morphing compilation of all forty-four presidents from George Washington to Barack Obama, backed by Ravel’s Bolero.