The American Presidents: Revolution and the New Nation & Expansion and Reform

This outstanding program covers the first 11 men to serve as president of the United States, presenting both biographical material and historical background in a highly engaging manner. The American Presidents begins with a quick overview of the causes of the American Revolution, how the fight was won, and the manner in which democracy was essentially cooked up from scratch. Divided into two periods—each introduced by a “what does your life look like” segment offering viewers context for the living conditions and political atmosphere of the time—the title serves up two-minute biographies of each chief executive, combining excellent graphics, animations, period art, and a sense of humor to transform each president from a dusty name into a real human being with personality quirks and accomplishments both positive and negative (neither slavery nor the mistreatment of Native Americans are glossed over). Interviews with presidential experts, historians, political figures, and authors—including some heavy hitters like Gen. Wesley Clark and Newsweek's Jon Meacham—offer varying points of view. Accompanied by solid teaching materials and correlations with national curriculum standards for grades 3–8, this affordable title is a welcome resource. The second title in the series, The American Presidents: Civil War and Reconstruction & Development of the Industrial U.S., is also newly available. Highly recommended. Editor's Choice. Aud: E, I, J. (E. Gieschen)