C-SPAN.ORG

	Campaign 2008
	110th Congress
	Bush Administration
	Supreme Court
	Energy
	Iraq
	Response to Terrorism


C-SPAN SERIES

	America & the Courts
	American Perspectives
	Booknotes
	Book TV \| Schedule
	The Communicators
	Newsmakers
	Prime Minister's Questions
	Q&A
	Road to the White House
	Washington Journal


C-SPAN RADIO >>

	Radio \| Schedule
	American Political Archive
	LBJ White House Tapes


OTHER C-SPAN SITES

	American Presidents
	American Writers
	Book TV
	Booknotes
	C-SPAN Classroom
	Campaign 2008 Bus
	C-SPAN Video Library
	The Capitol
	Capitol Hearings
	Lincoln 200 Years
	Must Carry
	Politics
	Presidential Libraries
	Q&A
	Students & Leaders
	Tocqueville


NEED HELP?

	Download RealPlayer
	Download Windows Player
	Problems With Video?
	C-SPAN Copyright Policy
	Contact Us

A Look at Historical Roles of the President: Through Letters
Article II of the Constitution outlines the President's qualifications, powers and duties. Using letters from the presidents posted on C-SPAN's American Presidents web site, learn how past chief executives have interpreted their roles and obligations in various instances. Use C-SPAN in the Classroom's Analyzing Letters from the Presidents worksheet to conduct your own study of the presidents through their letters.

Roles Today
A Look at Historical Roles: Video Letters
American Presidents Clip Lists
Presidents' Day 2003
Programming Schedule

Party Leader, Herbert Hoover
Mr. Walter Trohan of the Chicago Tribute Press Service, received this letter from President Hoover about the choice of candidate
All my public life I have had four tests as to whether things are well with the American people. Read More

Commander-in-Chief, Richard M. Nixon
Nixon writes to the parents of a young man who died in the Vietnam War.
Of all the hardships of war, the cruelest are the losses of men such as your son. Read More

Chief Executive, Zachary Taylor
General Taylor offers himself as a candidate for the presidency. (He promises to avoid the use of the veto and outlines his vision of presidential power in relation to Congress.) I have no private purposes to accomplish...nothing to serve but my country. Read More

Chief Diplomat, Harry Truman
From Berlin in l945, a letter from Truman to his wife (at the time of the Potsdam Conference, l945).
I like Stalin. He is straightforward, knows what he wants and will compromise when he can't get it. Read More

Chief Diplomat, John F. Kennedy
In an attempt to end a potentially catastrophic crisis, President Kennedy sent the following letter to Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev in October, l962. The first thing that needs to be done, however, is for work to cease on offensive missile bases in Cuba. Read More

C-SPAN in the Classroom
FREE membership service

Legislative Branch
Standard-Based Topics
Vocabulary
Quiz
Activities
Worksheets
Legislative Branch Leaders
U.S. Senate Web Site
U.S. House Web Site
Executive Branch
Standard-Based Topics
Vocabulary
Quiz
Activities
Worksheets
Executive Branch Leaders
White House Web Site

Judicial Branch
Standard-Based Topics
Vocabulary
Quiz
Activities
Worksheets
Judicial Branch Leaders
U.S. Supreme Court Web Site
Federal Courts Web Site

3 Branches of Government

FEATURED DISCUSSION
Find Out about C-SPAN's Community. Enter Discussion Central & discuss with community members.

IN THE COMMUNITY