American Experience

Hints for the Active Learning Questions

History

Activity 1
Significant factors not shown on the resume might include the other candidates in the race, public perceptions of the Kennedy candidate (including those resulting from events like Chappaquiddick), and the degree to which the Kennedy candidate had solutions to the problems then facing the nation.

At the end of the activity, ask students which qualifications they think are most important for the presidency. Have certain qualifications become more important (or less important) over time? Also, for extra credit, students could create resumes for other competing “applicants” for the presidency — Richard Nixon in 1960, Eugene McCarthy in 1968, and Jimmy Carter in 1980 — and compare these to the Kennedy that ran against each candidate.

Activity 2
You also might want to discuss as a class what future historians may regard as the great event or events of the past two decades. How have members of the class been shaped by these events?

Economics

Activity 1
One helpful source of data is the Census Bureau, which publishes the annual Statistical Abstract of the United States (available at the Bureau’s Web site, www.census.gov) and the compilation Historical Statistics, Colonial Times to 1970.

Activity 2
Editorials arguing that it is good for the nation might point out that both the Kennedys and the Bushes have a long tradition of public service. Editorials arguing that it is bad for the nation might contend that less-well-connected candidates aren’t able to compete fairly under these conditions.

Civics

Activity 1
Information on prominent volunteer and service organizations can be found on the Web at sites such as www.peacecorps.gov, www.americorps.gov, and www.cityyear.org.

Activity 2
(a) Concerns were expressed that Kennedy might violate the religious liberties of non-Catholics, that his loyalty would be divided between his country and his faith, and that he would let the Catholic Church determine his policies. (b) He stated that he believed in separation of church and state and in religious liberty, and that he made up his own mind about political issues. (c) He thought the issue had gotten too much attention, and that issues like Communism and poverty were more important.

When students have finished their speeches, make a list on the board of current public figures who could conceivably become the first president in one of these categories.

Geography

Activity 1
To help groups understand how Kennedy’s actions in each of these events could be interpreted in multiple ways, you might ask each group to prepare two headlines of the event it was assigned. Both headlines must be factually accurate, but they should convey significantly different interpretations of the event.

Activity 2
Have the class note any trends over time as students place the stickies on the map: how has the geographic origin of American presidents changed over the past two centuries?