The Inauguration of the President of the United States
"…I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States"
--The Presidential Oath of Office, Article II, section I, clause 8 of the Constitution of the United States of America
The 20th Amendment to the Constitution, ratified in 1933, changed the date of the Presidential Inauguration from March 4th to January 20th. Although the date may have changed, the Presidential Oath of Office has remained the same since George Washington swore to "preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States" at his first inauguration in 1789.
This January will mark the inauguration of the 43rd President of the United States when George W. Bush takes the oath of office on the steps of the United States Capitol. You can help your students "capitalize" on this "capitol" event with two new EDSITEment lesson plans that deal specifically with presidential inaugurations.
I Do Solemnly Swear: Presidential Inaugurations is a five-lesson unit that leads students through various activities designed to teach them the Constitutional requirements for inauguration. They may be surprised to learn that the actual requirements for inauguration are quite simple. Over the years, it is the inauguration ceremony that has become increasingly more complex. Thomas Jefferson, the first president to be inaugurated in Washington, DC, sent a letter notifying the House of Representatives that he planned to take the oath before entering the Senate Chambers on March 4, 1801. He walked to and from his inauguration, probably the only president to do so. Today, however, inaugurations are elaborate celebrations that include inaugural balls, parades, and sometimes even fireworks!
But inaugural ceremonies are also a reflection of the historical moment in which they occurred, and as such they offer students a window to history. In "We Must Not Be Enemies: Lincoln's First Inaugural Address, students examine how Abraham Lincoln used his first inaugural address to outline how he viewed the nature of his presidential authority as he faced the political crisis of secession and the looming Civil War.
Through the EDSITEment participating web sites you can find additional learning activities that can make the nation's upcoming presidential inauguration more than just something to watch on television. American Memory has an entire collection devoted to archival materials from past presidential inaugrations, including images and text files, and will be updated to include resources from George W. Bush's inauguration on January 20th, 2001. At The Digital Classroom, students can take a quiz and test their knowledge about previous presidential inaugurations. For information on inaugural addresses, visit the EDSITEment-reviewed Presidential Speeches to read the inaugural speech of every president. For extended information about all of America's presidents, you and your students can check the resources on The American President, or go The Digital Classroom where you can access most presidential libraries, including the EDSITEment-reviewed web site, Project Whistlestop, the online library of President Harry Truman that includes many learning activities for younger students.
Younger students can also find useful learning resources at the Library of Congress collection, Inaugurations in American Memory, a "kid-friendly" site that helps children discover not only the history of past inaugurations but also see what this important ceremony has become today.
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