President

How Well Do You Know Your Presidents?

By Traci Cothran

Who served as both Vice President and President of the United States, without having earned a single vote in the election?

Gerald Ford, that’s who!

museum1
Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum

Last week I traveled to Grand Rapids, MI, and visited The Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum. During this 2016 election season, it was a breath of fresh air to wander amidst all the exhibition reminders of Ford’s “character,” “integrity,” “teamwork,” and how he “led by example” – detailing his life from his days as a Boy Scout, to college football player, to Navy man, and into his long career in government.

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Hamburgers, Hot Dogs, Apple Pie, and U.S. History for July 4th

Posted on June 22, 2016

By Debra Kirby

How will you celebrate U.S. Independence Day on July 4? Many mark the occasion with picnics, parades, and fireworks. For some though, July 4 provides another reason to celebrate: It’s the day they officially became U.S. citizens. Every year immigrants who have spent years waiting (and sometimes thousands of dollars on legal fees) choose this special date to raise their hands and pledge allegiance to the United States of America. One of the requirements for citizenship is that they successfully pass a civics quiz.

We’ve provided six of the 100 potential questions used by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services here. How many can you answer correctly? (See answers at the end of this article.)

  • Who was President during World War I?
  • The House of Representatives has how many voting members?
  • Who is Chief Justice of the United States now?
  • How many amendments does the Constitution have?
  • When was the Constitution written?
  • The Federalist Papers supported the passage of the U.S. Constitution. Name one of the writers.

Read moreHamburgers, Hot Dogs, Apple Pie, and U.S. History for July 4th

History in the Making

Posted on June 13, 2016

By Debra Kirby

Last week an important milestone was reached in U.S. history when Hillary Clinton became the first woman to become the presidential nominee of a major political party. Eight years earlier, Barack Obama celebrated a similar first when he became the first African-American to win the Democratic nomination for United States president.

Many other countries throughout the world have reached these milestones years ago, but did you know that the first country to elect a black female president was Liberia? Ellen Johnson Sirleaf became that country’s first female president in 2006. Learn more about Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Liberia, and the history around the people and events that helped pave the way for current groundbreakers. Following are just a few suggestions to get you started:

  • Did you know that Liberia was founded in 1822 as a colony for freed slaves from the United States, or that Liberians declared their nation to be a republic in 1847? Learn more about the fascinating history of Liberia’s founding in World History In Context.

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It’s a Grand Old Flag….

Posted on June 1, 2016

By Candy Jones-Guerin

On June 14th we celebrate Flag Day. This special day commemorates the adoption of the flag of the United States, which happened in 1777 by resolution of the Second Continental Congress.

On June 14th, 1885, a 19 year old teacher at Stony Hill School placed a 10 inch, 38 star flag in a bottle on his desk then assigned essays on the flag and its significance.  With this act, Bernard J. Cigrand, started a movement.

Inspired by these three decades of state and local celebrations. Flag Day was officially established by the Proclamation of President Woodrow Wilson on May 30th, 1916. While Flag Day was celebrated in various communities for years after Wilson’s proclamation, it was not until August 3rd, 1949, that President Truman signed an Act of Congress designating June 14th of each year as National Flag Day.

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President John F. Kennedy

Posted on May 23, 2016

By Traci Cothran

The anniversary of JFK’s birth occurs on May 29, and while saying the letters “JFK” evokes vivid scenes and images in minds of adults over forty, it doesn’t mean much to kids in school today.  They may know he was our 35th President, but Camelot, Bay of Pigs, the Cuban Missile Crisis, first Catholic President, the Cold War, Jackie O, and JFK’s assassination are likely unknown concepts.

JFK is a broad topic that encompasses many subjects, and here are a few ideas to begin with to get your students (or yourself!) better acquainted with this historic figure:

JFK’s Inauguration

  • “Newsreel of President John F. Kennedy’s Inauguration.” Video. Thought Equity Motion Collections.  Research In Context
  • “JFK’s Inaugural Address.” Research In Context

Peace Corps

Introduction of the Civil Rights Bill of 1964

  • “History Features: Civil Rights Bill.” Video. History Features: Civil Rights Bill. Research In Context

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Happy Birthday Abe!

Posted on February 8, 2016

Abraham Lincoln’s birthday is February 12th! He was the 16th President of the United States, holding office during the Civil War, and proved to be one of the great figures in American history.

Did you know…

  • Lincoln lost five separate elections before being elected president.
  • Lincoln proclaimed all persons held as slaves in states of the rebellion “forever free.”
  • Abraham Lincoln is the only president in American history to hold a patent.

Let’s take a trip back in time to the years of his presidency. We’ve highlighted a few titles that can be found on Gale’s eBook platform, GVRL, to help you get started.

Abraham Lincoln, 1st Edition
April 2014
It may be little exaggeration to say that the figure of Abraham Lincoln embodies the American ideal more so than any other U.S. president. Although he came from humble beginnings and held several odd jobs before launching his career in politics, Lincoln’s determination and natural abilities brought him to the White House, where he led the struggle to preserve the union and emancipate the country’s slaves. Lincoln’s remarkable life—from his childhood to his role as Commander in Chief during the Civil War to his tragic death—is chronicled in this captivating volume.

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Content Updates for Gale’s In Context (week ending 10/16/2015)

Posted on October 15, 2015

New content has been added and existing content updated in a number of Gale’s In Context products.

Global Issues In Context

  • A new portal page has been added featuring the South Sudan Civil War.
  • Over 25 portal pages have been updated including Dementia, Gun Control, Nobel Prize, Obama Administration: Foreign Policy, Political Corruption, Russia-Ukraine Conflict, Same-sex Marriage, and Sexually Transmitted Diseases.

Read moreContent Updates for Gale’s In Context (week ending 10/16/2015)