Making History: First Amendment Infographic

Making History: First Amendment Infographic

It’s Civic Learning Week, and we’re joining educators, students, organizations, and policymakers to promote civic education across the nation. So there’s no better time to start our new Making History series.

In the first installment, we’re making an infographic—from inspiration to finished product. Join PJ as he takes you through the steps to make your own First Amendment infographic.

To get started, grab a pencil and a piece of paper. Then check out the template, graph paper, bulleted paper, and First Amendment text. Let’s have some fun making history and creating an infographic together!

LEARN MORE

Read more about the First Amendment on the Constitution Center’s website.

Our Book

If you enjoy our infographics, you’ll love our book!

Our Posters

Check out our full line of infographic posters for the classroom!

Sound & Vision

Sound & Vision

Periodic Presidents is teaming up with Civics 101 in a new project called Sound & Vision. We’re creating brand new infographics for Civics 101’s most popular episodes. They’re the sound, and we’re the vision.

For the first batch of Sound and Vision infographics, we’ve landed on the following episodes: How a Bill (Really) Becomes a LawThe President and the Price of Gas, and The President and the 25th Amendment.

We designed these infographics with students and teachers in mind. Tune in to a Civics 101 episode, and pair it with the infographic in digital or print form. It’s Sound & Vision from Civics 101 and Periodic Presidents. . . Oh yes!

SOUND

In this episode, Hannah and Nick dive into the complicated, and sometime messy, process of modern-day legislation.

Listen to the episode on the Civics 101 website. 

VISION

We designed this infographic to take the listener on a journey through the legislative labyrinth. Follow the blue dotted line, but don’t get lost!

Download a printable PDF of this infographic.

SOUND

In this episode, Nick and Hannah investigate how much influence the president has in determining the price of gas. Did the president do that?

Listen to the episode on the Civics 101 website.

VISION

Hit the road with this infographic and follow the signs to determine for yourself if the president really has that much power over the price of gas.

Download a printable PDF of this infographic.

SOUND

What happens if a sitting president dies, resigns, or becomes unable to carry out their duties? Hannah and Nick explore this interesting topic.

Listen to the episode on the Civics 101 website.

VISION

Take a tour of presidential history and the 25th Amendment—from the drafting of the Constitution to future implications.

Download a printable PDF of this infographic.

Our Book

If you enjoy our infographics, you’ll love our book!

Our Posters

Check out our full line of infographic posters for the classroom!

Which presidents lost the popular vote (but won the election)?

Which presidents lost the popular vote (but won the election)?

Which presidents lost the popular vote (but won the election)?

Five presidents lost the popular vote, but won the election: John Quincy Adams, Rutherford B. Hayes, Benjamin Harrison, George W. Bush, and Donald Trump.

These five presidents are stuck together in the Unpopular Bond—the next infographic in our Iconic Bonding series. Check it out (and hopefully learn a thing or two along the way)!

A TIME LINE OF EVENTS

1824 ELECTION

Andrew Jackson received the most electoral votes, but not a majority. John Quincy Adams was chosen by the House of Representatives, and Jackson supporters called it a corrupt bargain.

1876 ELECTION

In a disputed election, Rutherford B. Hayes defeated Samuel J. Tilden by one electoral vote.

1888 ELECTION

Benjamin Harrison defeated incumbent Grover Cleveland—only to be defeated by Cleveland in the next election.

2000 ELECTION

George W. Bush defeated Al Gore after the Supreme Court ended a recount.

2020 ELECTION

Donald Trump lost the popular vote to Hillary Clinton by more than 2.8 million votes, but he won the electoral vote.

WHAT IS THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE?

The Constitution established the electoral college system to elect the president and vice president. Today, it takes 270 electoral votes to win a presidential election.

A state’s electoral votes are calculated by adding its number of representatives (depends on population) and its number of senators (all states have two). For example, Hawaii has two representatives and two senators, so it has a total of four electoral votes. At 54 votes, California currently has the most electoral votes.

To learn more about the electoral college, be sure to check out our poster.

WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS?

From the corrupt bargain to the Florida recount, learn about all fifty-nine presidential elections in our colorful and engaging infographic. There’s always something new to learn! Be sure to check out our poster.

Our Book

If you enjoy our infographics, you’ll love our book!

Our Posters

Check out our full line of infographic posters for the classroom!

BOOKS

Davis, Kenneth C., and Pedro Martin. Don’t Know Much about the Presidents. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 2014.

DeGregorio, William A., and Aaron Jaffe. The Complete Book of U.S. Presidents. Fort Lee, NJ: Barricade Books, Inc., 2017.

Kane, Joseph Nathan, and Janet Podell. Facts about the Presidents: A Compilation of Biographical and Historical Information. New York: H.W. Wilson, 2009.

WEBSITES

Encyclopedia Britannica, britannica.com

Library of Congress, loc.gov

Miller Center, University of Virginia, millercenter.org/the-presidency

The White House, whitehouse.gov

Our New Electoral College Poster

Our New Electoral College Poster

The only poster you’ll need for the next presidential elections! Updated with the latest 2020 census data. This engaging poster shows each state’s electoral votes. The bigger the bubble, the more votes for that state. We see you, California!

Also, you’ll notice small green and red arrows by some bubbles. These states gained (green) or lost (red) electoral votes, since the last census.

If you’ve ever needed an instant electoral college reference, this is your poster!

ELECTORAL COLLEGE MERCH

Since 1787, the Electoral College has represented the voice of the American people (sort of).

 Our new poster is printed in the United States on a durable 100-lb full-bodied paper, with an attractive matte finish.

Hey—if you’re going to hang a poster in your classroom, why not make it colorful, engaging, and fun-ctional!

We’ve been making engaging posters since 2006, and we hope that you enjoy the latest addition to our poster line.

Our Book

If you enjoy our infographics, you’ll love our book!

Our Posters

Check out our line of classroom posters!

Five Favorites: Ulysses S. Grant’s White Haven

Five Favorites: Ulysses S. Grant’s White Haven

We recently traveled to the Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site in St. Louis, Missouri. Here are five things that stuck with us after our visit to White Haven.

Paris Green Paint

So, you’re telling me that White Haven is actually green? Say what you will, the Paris green paint color works.

After analyzing layers of paint and historical documents, historians determined the house was Paris green during Grant’s ownership.

The Icehouse

We were immediately drawn to this red building that appeared to be sunken into the ground.

This is the Grants’ icehouse, and it was used to keep perishable items cool—like a nineteenth century refrigerator.

During winter months, blocks of ice were cut from local water sources and packed in saw dust (for insulation). According to our tour, the ice could stay frozen until June!

The Memoirs

This signed first-edition copy of Grant’s personal memoirs reminds the visitor of a full life. 

Throughout the tour, we reflected on the ups and downs of Grant’s life: from struggling farmer to Civil War hero. And from becoming president of the United States to enduring near financial ruin in his later years.

Grant completed his memoirs shortly before his death, and the work remains a valuable historical resource.

Grant’s Farm

Adjacent to the U.S. Grant National Historic Site, you’ll notice Grant’s Farm, a family park owned by Anheuser-Busch.

Inside the park’s gates, you’ll find Grant’s Hardscrabble cabin. Ulysses and Julia lived here for only a short time: from September 1856 to January 1857.

The Hardscrabble cabin was dismantled and moved three times before it found its present location at Grant’s Farm.  

A Great Reminder

On the way out of the site, we snapped this picture. It’s a great reminder that we all have a part in preserving our country’s past.

ULYSSES S. GRANT NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE

St. Louis, Missouri

Our Book

If you enjoy our infographics, you’ll love our book about the presidency!

Our Posters

Check out our infographic posters for the classroom!

President Songs Mixtape

President Songs Mixtape

President Songs Mixtape

Every once in a while music and history collide in interesting ways. Dust off your cassette player. It’s time for songs about the presidents.

President Playlist

“Eisenhower Blues”

J.B. Lenoir

In his distinctive voice, J.B. Lenoir sings of difficult times in Eisenhower’s America. The song was eventually re-recorded and renamed “Tax Payin’ Blues.”

“Mister Garfield”

Johnny Cash

The Man in Black recounts the assassination of James A. Garfield. The upbeat and haunting chorus sticks around long after the song ends.

“James K. Polk”

They Might Be Giants

They Might Be Giants always deliver on the geeky history songs. This is their folky tale of “Young Hickory,” “Napoleon of the Stump.”

“Ronnie, Talk to Russia”

Prince

Watch out for the snare drum attack on this one. In this Cold War cut, Prince urges Reagan to talk to Russia before nuclear war breaks out.

“Funky President (People It’s Bad)”

James Brown

The Godfather of Soul recorded this song after Richard Nixon’s resignation, and Gerald Ford is the “brand new funky president.”

“We’d Like to Thank You, Herbert Hoover”

Annie Ensemble, Charles Strouse, Peter Howard 

In this bitter song about President Hoover, the cast from Annie laments about hard times during the Great Depression.

“Abraham, Martin & John”

Marvin Gaye 

Marvin Gaye sings of loss in this song that mentions Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King, Jr., John F. Kennedy, and Robert F. Kennedy.

WEBSITES

All Music Guide, allmusic.com

Mississippi Blues Trail, msbluestrail.org

 

Our Book

If you enjoy our infographics, you’ll love our book!

Our Posters

Check out our full line of infographic posters for the classroom!