14 th Annual Truman Library Teachers Conference Behind the Scenes with the Presidents: First Ladies, Vice Presidents and more

Transcription

1 14 th Annual Truman Library Teachers Conference Behind the Scenes with the Presidents: First Ladies, Vice Presidents and more Monday July 17 9:00 9:30 Introductions and Welcome Monday July 17 July 21, 2017 Harry S. Truman Library and Museum, Independence, MO. 9:30 11:30 BE COURTEOUS TO ALL, BUT INTIMATE WITH FEW... Washington s advisors: Martha Washington and Alexander Hamilton Stacia Bystrowski, Mount Vernon Master Teacher This sincere advice offered to Bushrod Washington by his uncle, George Washington, neatly circumscribes the philosophy President George Washington adhered to as our nation s very first commander-in-chief. Educators attending this workshop will explore our first president s inner circle specifically, his relationship with Worthy Partner, Martha Washington, and Friend of America, Alexander Hamilton. Teachers will also use primary source information to reflect upon Washington s trusted confidants as they relate to those of President Harry S. Truman and new President Donald J. Trump. 11:30 12:30 Lunch 12:30 2:30 A Cabinet Divided Genevieve Kaplan, Lincoln Library Discover how President Lincoln s decision to issue the Emancipation Proclamation came about and how the people around him tried to influence his decision. Using the famous Francis Bicknell Carpenter painting First Reading of the Emancipation Proclamation of President Lincoln, uncover how each of the members felt about slavery, their responses to the Emancipation Proclamation, and how they tried to influence President Lincoln before the document was officially issued two months later. 2:30 2:45 Break 2:45 3:30 Introduction to primary sources, historical thinking and lesson planning Mark Adams, Truman Library Every teacher will be expected to produce a lesson plan based on the conference themes. This session will outline the process, provide examples and show resources that can be used in creating lesson plans. 3:30 4:30 Research time 4:30 4:45 Wrap up

2 Tuesday July 18 8:30 9:00 Breakfast 9:00 12:00 Group A Advise the President Hoover and the Great Depression Elizabeth Dinschel, Hoover Library The Advise the President Series is a ready-to-use tool that provides teachers with an opportunity to bring historic Presidential decisions into the classroom. Using a deliberation process, students will learn about history by focusing on pivotal issues faced by past Presidents. The series focuses on using original documents, and photographs to provide students with an in depth understanding of historical events related to the presidents. Moderator guides accompany each booklet to assist teachers in guiding students through the deliberation process and promoting productive discussion. Each booklet in the series also features a detailed reveal of the decision the president ultimately made. Group B Truman home tour Rotate at 10:30am 12:00 1:00pm Lunch 1:00 2:30 A Season of Crises: JFK and the 1962 Sino-Indian War Nancy McCoy, Kennedy Library Includes secret Oval Office tapes, eyes-only documents and other sources for discovering the story of the crisis with India, China, Pakistan, and the CIA in Tibet and presidential decision making that took place at the same time as the Cuban Missile Crisis and how the outcome helped to shape long-standing alliances in place today. 2:30 2:45 Break 2:45 4:00 Eleanor Roosevelt: The Forces that Forged a First Lady Jeff Urbin, FDR Library Many remember Eleanor Roosevelt s distinguished career in two parts: First Lady of the United States and First Lady of the World. Her work at the United Nations and the social and political contributions she made here in our own country have been clearly and extensively documented. But what forces forged her keen mind and compassionate soul? This presentation details some of the behind the scenes and little known forces that shaped Mrs. Roosevelt into our longest serving and most actively involved First Lady and have made her an inspiration to others around the world. 4:00 4:45 Research 4:45 5:00 Wrap up

3 Wednesday July 19 8:30 9:00 Breakfast 9:00-12:00 Addressing the End of the British Mandate in Palestine, White House Decision Center scenario The White House Decision Center, a unique venue for experiential and collaborative learning. Set in a recreated West Wing, The White House Decision Center challenges students to step into the roles of President Truman and his advisors to tackle some of the greatest challenges ever faced by a world leader. Today, you will have the opportunity to participate in our newest scenario: Addressing the End of the British Mandate in Palestine. Behind the scenes, President Truman was receiving a variety of conflicting advice. What will your recommendation be? 12:00 1:00 Lunch 1:00-2:15 Beyond the Wildflowers: The Lasting Influence of Lady Bird Johnson Mallory Lineberger, Johnson Library Lady Bird Johnson s name and legacy are synonymous with wildflowers and the environment, however Mrs. Johnson s role as First Lady stretched far beyond her love for nature. From her 1964 Whistle Stop Campaign to her visits to impoverished areas of Appalachia and role in creating Head Start, Lady Bird Johnson frequently promoted and furthered the reach of President Johnson s policies and programs across the country, while also spearheading her own campaign for environmental legislation. Through the use of rich primary sources, including audio recordings of Lady Bird s diary, educators will see the many ways in which Lady Bird Johnson supported her husband throughout his political career, and ultimately played a key role in molding President Johnson s legacy. 2:15 2:30 Break 2:30 4:30 "Your speech is very good...": Letters from Bess Wallace Truman to Harry S. Truman Tammy Williams, Truman Library We do not have much direct, documentary evidence that Mrs. Truman served as an important unofficial adviser to President Truman. Mrs. Truman saw to that by infamously destroying much of her White House era correspondence with her husband. However, we do know that Mrs. Truman was a keen judge of character and an astute political observer by looking at the letters we have from Truman's time in the Senate. By examining several of the letters she wrote to Harry during his years in the Senate, we can learn more about what she did to advise her husband and make inferences about what her influence during the White House years could have been. 4:30 4:45 Wrap up

4 Thursday July 20 8:30 9:00 Breakfast 9:00 10:15 Grim Options: President Ford and the Fall of Saigon Elizabeth Druga, Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library and Museum As North Vietnamese troops advanced to the south toward Saigon in early 1975, President Ford turned to multiple sources for information and advice on how to respond. He later reflected that "For me, April 1975 was indeed the cruelest month... I pray that no future American President is ever faced with the grim options that confronted me." Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, South Vietnamese President Nguyen Van Thieu, and Army Chief of Staff General Fred Weyand were among those who provided their insights on the situation in Vietnam. In this session, teachers will analyze a variety of primary sources from President Ford's advisers outlining possible actions for him to consider in the final months leading to the fall of Saigon on April 30, :15 10:30 Break 10:30 11:45 Rosalynn Carter: I have learned that I have influence Kathryn Cade, Vice Chair, Board of Trustees, The Carter Center and former Director of Projects for Rosalynn Carter The second most powerful person in the United States is Rosalynn Carter. Time, May 7, unelected public official in the country. New York Times Magazine, June 3, 1979 the most powerful By the third year of the Carter Administration, the press, as well as administration officials, politicians and ordinary citizens, had all learned what Jimmy Carter had known for many years, Rosalynn Carter was his closest advisor, his very equal partner. This workshop will highlight three events which illustrate the multiple ways she exercised her influence while First Lady --- her leadership on mental health policy, including historic testimony before the Senate Subcommittee on Health and Scientific Research; her groundbreaking trip to Latin America; and her extensive participation in the Camp David peace accords. It will draw upon original material now archived at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library, as well as other private papers held by Ms. Cade. In addition, it will examine the central role Mrs. Carter played in mapping and executing campaign strategy in Finally it will explore the changing nature of her public image during her years in Washington and the lasting impact she had on the Office of the First Lady. 11:45 12:45 Lunch 12:45 2:00 Congressional influence Senator Dole and the President of the United States Julie Bergene, Dole Institute of Politics Congressional leaders wield major power and influence, especially when holding an office for decades. This influence extends to the Office of the President, especially for the Senate party leaders. Senator Robert Dole (R-KS) served as a leader in a divided Congress; first, as the Senate Finance Committee Chairman ( ) and later, as the Senate Republican Leader ( ), while being the Majority Leader from and This powerful relationship between Congress and the President witnessed important legislation which affected most Americans, such as fiscal policies and social security. This session focuses on the special

5 relationship between a high ranking senator and the President and how their productive working relationship could be tested by difficult decisions and affect the future direction of the country. Materials from the Robert J. Dole Archive & Special Collections at the Dole Institute of Politics will be presented to illustrate the type of legislative leadership involved with political policy making and challenging decisions. 2:00 2:15 Break 2:15 3:30 Counselor and Veep: The Vice Presidency of George Bush Robert Holzweiss, George H. W. Bush Library At the direction of President Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush redefined the role of the Vice President, serving as Reagan's good-will ambassador to over 150 countries while traveling more than 1.3 million miles from Vice President Bush also chaired several important commissions established by President Reagan including the chairing the South Florida Task Force and the Council on Competitiveness. Vice President Bush also met with President Reagan over lunch no talking points, aides or notes once a week to discuss policy issues of mutual interest. Over the course of President Reagan's two terms, he and Vice President Bush formed a close friendship which continued until Reagan's death in Dr. Robert Holzweiss, the Deputy Director of the George Bush Presidential Library and Museum will explain their relationship through documents and photos from the Bush Library archives. 3:30 4:30 Research 4:30 4:45 Wrap up 5:00 6:00 Teacher s dinner 6:30pm 7:30pm National History Day reception

6 Friday July 21 8:30 Breakfast 9:00 10:15 Hillary Rodham Clinton in the White House Kathleen Pate, Clinton Library Hillary Rodham Clinton served as the First Lady of the United States from January 1993 to January After providing significant support to the campaign, she faced challenges to maintaining an active role in the administration. As the First Lady of Arkansas, Clinton championed a number of causes including early childhood education and universal access to healthcare. Following the inauguration of her husband, she tried to help implement some of these programs on a national level. While she received criticism for being a nontraditional First Lady, Clinton continued to push for policies she considered critical to the well-being of the nation and the world. An examination of key speeches Clinton gave as First Lady will provide insight into her evolving role and political priorities. 10:30 11:15 Teachers report on lessons 11:15 11:45 Evaluations; Wrap up 11:45 Box lunch provided