Cobblestone articles from July 2008

Cobblestone archives from July 2008

Editor's note.(Editorial)(Brief article)
July 1, 2008... Have you ever read the U.S. Constitution? If so, you probably found its description of the executive branch of the federal government surprising. Just two members--the president and the vice president--are named. And although the Constitution...

Race to the White House.
July 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "I'm Running for President!" Long before an election, many people announce that they will run for president of the United States. Of course, each of these candidates wants to win, but only one person can be...

Position of power.
July 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] The U.S. presidency is a powerful position--yet the office is designed to work in a system that shares power among the three branches of government. In addition, there's the potential for a new leader every four...

Ghosts of the oval office.(Cover story)
July 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] It's a quiet night in the White House, and the Oval Office is empty, lit by moonlight. Somewhere a clock chimes midnight. Slowly, ghostly shapes materialize in the room. One tall figure, dressed in Colonial clothing...

Speeches that stuck.(Brief article)
July 1, 2008... Can you match the famous quotes below with the presidents who said them? We've included dates and brief references with the answers--on page 42--to put them in context. 1. "[W]e here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in...

A juggling act.
July 1, 2008... "You know," President Harry S. Truman once said, I wear a lot of hats." Truman meant that the U.S. president has multiple jobs. Performing them is a giant juggling act. Here's a look at the different jobs that one president must fill, with...

An annual address.(State of the Union speech)(Brief article)
July 1, 2008... A standing ovation greets the president as he enters the packed room. It is rare for both houses of Congress to meet together, but every January, senators and representatives gather in the House Chamber to listen to the president's State of the...

Hale to the chiefs.(list of United States presidents)(List)
July 1, 2008... Here is a list of U.S. presidents--from the first to the 43rd--and the dates they served in office. George Washington, 1789-1797 John Adams, 1797-1801 Thomas Jefferson, 1801-1809 James Madison, 1809-1817 James Monroe,...

Trivia and teasers.(Brief article)
July 1, 2008... Have fun figuring out the following presidential info bits. Answers are on page 42. 1. This man was the first and only bachelor president 2. Two presidents have seen their sons become president, and one president had a grandson who...

World rulers.(Going Global)
July 1, 2008... The United States has been led by a president ever since it became a nation, but around the world there are many countries that rely on leaders with different types of authority. And those that do have presidents see that role in various ways...

Did you know?(Brief article)
July 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] President Theodore Roosevelt's children once turned the White House's large East Room into a skating rink. They also enjoyed riding their bikes in the White House and climbing the stairs on their wooden stilts. Alice...

The president's people.
July 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Sure, he's the top banana, but the president doesn't run the country alone. From policy advisors to White House chefs, literally thousands of people work for the president, both in the executive offices and in the...

Our first lady.
July 1, 2008... She is neither elected nor appointed, but he's married to the man holding the highest office in the land and so is known throughout the world. Yet many Americans don't know exactly what the first lady does. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ...

Welcome to the White House.
July 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Is the White House an office, a museum, or a home? The staff and the past residents of this historic building would tell you that it is all three things, and they remember it as a busy and exciting place to live....

Moving-in day!(White House)(Brief article)
July 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Life in the White House is special. Although the White House serves as an office, a museum, and a public building, it is still the home of the president's family. Moving into the White House is a monumental process,...

They're on the money!(former presidents whose likeness apear on the United States currency)(Brief article)
July 1, 2008... Can you match the president below with the currency on which his likeness appears? In some cases, a president has both a coin and a bill associated with him. (This does not include the presidential dollar campaign--begun in 2007--that is...

Catching up with President Carter.(The Past Is Present)(Jimmy Carter)(Interview)
July 1, 2008... Public service has been a big part of Jimmy Carter's life. After serving in the U.S. Navy, this native of Plains, Georgia, and his wife, Rosalynn, ran a seed and farm supply company before he entered public office. He served first as a state...

The X-Presidents Club.(Brief article)
July 1, 2008... What have other presidents done after leaving the White House? The answer to that question is as varied as the different men who have served. George Washington went back to his Virginia estate and happily focused on being a gentleman farmer....

Classrooms of democracy.
July 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Years of careful planning brought the 32nd U.S. president, Franklin D. Roosevelt, to a special building in his hometown of Hyde Park, New York, on June 30, 1941. He had first sketched a plan of a building to house...

The votes are in!(Letter to the editor)
July 1, 2008... I't was pretty close, but in the end a clear winner emerged in our final tally of the votes for your favorite president. Here are the results, along with some of our favorite responses Thank you to everyone for taking the time to send in your...

Scholastic Encyclopedia of the Presidents and Their Times.(Books to Read)(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
July 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Scholastic Encyclopedia of the Presidents and Their Times by David Rubel (New York: Scholastic Inc, 2005, www.scholastic.com) begins each president's entry with a list including birth and death dates, party, vice...

Our Country's Presidents.(Books to Read)(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
July 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Our Country's Presidents by Ann Bausum (Washington. D.C.: National Geographic Society, 2001, www.national geographic.corn) includes six chronological sections, with highlighted time lines dividing U.S. presidencies...

The Presidents of the United States.(Books to Read)(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
July 1, 2008... The Presidents of the United States by Simon Adams (Princeton, New Jersey: Two-Can Publishing, 2001, www.coopersquare publishing.com) offers an individual time line of important events for each presidency as well as quick facts about each man...

The Young Oxford Companion to the Presidency of the United States.(Books to Read)(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
July 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Young Oxford Companion to the Presidency of the United States by Richard M. Pious (New York: Oxford University Press, 1994, www.oup.com) features an alphabetical listing of not only the individual presidents (and...

Ghosts of the White House.(Books to Read)(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
July 1, 2008... Ghosts of the White House by Cheryl Harness (New York: Simon & Schuster, 1998, www.simonsays.com) tells the tale of young Sara's personal tour of the president's home, courtesy of the ghosts of past occupants, all of whom have interesting...

A Kid's Guide to the White House.(Books to Read)(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
July 1, 2008... A Kid's Guide to the White House by Betty Debnam (Washington, D.C.: White House Historical Association, 1997, www.whha.org) uses two knowledgeable White House squirrels to tell the story of the former occupants of the home in a way kids will...

Ethan rates it ....(www.whitehouse.gov/kids/)(Website overview)(Brief article)
July 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] **** The presidency of the United States: It's the highest elected position in the country. Whether looking for information on the office's critical role in our nation's government, biographies of past...

On the Web.(Brief article)
July 1, 2008... pbskids.org/wayback/prez/index.html brings you to WGBH's PBS Kids Web site titled WayBack: U.S. History for Kids. Click on "Presidents: The Secret History" for some fun, little-known facts about each of the presidents. The National...

The White House.(Places to Visit)(Brief article)
July 1, 2008... The White House, Washington, D.C.; www.whha.org. After you've enjoyed a guided tour of the White House, stop by the Visitor Center at 15th and E Streets to see historical exhibits and browse the White House Historical Association gift shop. ...

The National Archives and Records Administration.(Places to Visit)(Brief article)(List)
July 1, 2008... The National Archives and Records Administration oversees 12 presidential libraries, which house personal and professional papers, images, sound clips, videos, and other items from the ]930s to the present day. Here's a list of those...

From the archives.(Brief article)
July 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] The creation of our nation and our framework for government has been covered in quite a few past COBBLESTONE issues. We suggest Congress: Government of the People (COB0601), The Branches of Government: Balancing the...

No couch potato here!(Dr. D's Mystery Hero)(Column)
July 1, 2008... When we see pictures of our 43 presidents, we never think of them as kids! But just like you, they played games (but not video!), went to school, and had parents who loved and disciplined them. Here's a look at the childhood of a past...

Brain ticklers.(Brief article)
July 1, 2008... Give your brain a little tickle to see how well you read and understood this issue on the office of the president. If you believe the answer is false, give yourself the ultimate test and see whether you can explain why it is false. Answers are...

A final word.
July 1, 2008... If you were president of the United States, what laws or issues would you focus on?

Cartoon connection with Ebenezer & the Colonel.(Cartoon)
July 1, 2008... I think I would make a GREAT president. A BIRD can't be president of the United States! [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Maybe not of the UNITED STATES, but what about this FOREST? Why should we put YOU in charge? [ILLUSTRATION...

Animal house!(Creature Feature)(former presidents of the United States who had pets)(Brief article)
July 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] The White House has been home to presidents and their families since 1800. And quite a few presidents have considered pets an important part of their lives. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Historians think that...