Writing AssistanceWriting Assistance

Presidential Decisions—Presidential Decisions—James Madison or James MonroeJames Madison or James Monroe

Step 1&2:Step 1&2: Use active Use active reading strategies to reading strategies to understand the task.understand the task.

United States Presidents United States Presidents have made important have made important decisions in an effort to decisions in an effort to solve crucial problems.solve crucial problems.

Theme: Presidential DecisionsTheme: Presidential Decisions

From your study of United States History, From your study of United States History, identify two important Presidential decisions identify two important Presidential decisions and for each:and for each:State one goal the President hoped to State one goal the President hoped to accomplish by making the decisionaccomplish by making the decisionDescribe the historical circumstances surround Describe the historical circumstances surround the Presidential decisionthe Presidential decisionEvaluate the extent to which the decision Evaluate the extent to which the decision achieved the President’s original goal.achieved the President’s original goal.Discuss one immediate or long-term effect of Discuss one immediate or long-term effect of the decision on United States history.the decision on United States history.

Task:Task:

Describe means “give a sketch Describe means “give a sketch or impression of the subject or or impression of the subject or topic.”topic.”

Evaluate means “present your Evaluate means “present your opinion and judgment of opinion and judgment of something. Explain the something. Explain the criteria you are using to judge criteria you are using to judge something and apply that something and apply that criteria to specific examples.criteria to specific examples.

Discuss means “examine and Discuss means “examine and talk about all sides of a talk about all sides of a subject or issue in a carefully subject or issue in a carefully organized manner.”organized manner.”

Step 3:Step 3: Formulate a Formulate a preliminary claim (it preliminary claim (it might need revision might need revision later).later).

United States Presidents have made United States Presidents have made important decisions in an effort to important decisions in an effort to solve crucial problems.solve crucial problems.

Steps 4 & 5:Steps 4 & 5: Collect Collect information and information and record it on a graphic record it on a graphic organizer.organizer.

Presidential Decisions—James MadisonPresidential Decisions—James Madison

Presidential Presidential DecisionDecision GoalGoal

Historical Historical CircumstancesCircumstances

Success or Success or Failure? Failure?

Why?Why?

SPECIFIC long-term SPECIFIC long-term effecteffect

Pushing Pushing towards towards

involvement involvement in the War of in the War of

18121812

England and England and France were at France were at

warwar

British ships were British ships were seizing American seizing American ships headed to ships headed to

France.France.

In addition to In addition to taking American taking American cargo, the British cargo, the British

also impressed also impressed American soldiers American soldiers into service in the into service in the

British NavyBritish Navy

The War of 1812 brought The War of 1812 brought America closer. Bitter America closer. Bitter

fighting between the two fighting between the two political parties subsided political parties subsided

as they fought a as they fought a common enemy.common enemy.

Oddly, in spite Oddly, in spite of American of American losses in the losses in the

fighting of the fighting of the War of 1812, War of 1812, when Britain when Britain

defeated defeated Napoleon Napoleon

Bonaparte in Bonaparte in 1814 (for the 1814 (for the

first time), they first time), they no longer had no longer had

any issues with any issues with America and America and negotiated negotiated

peace. America peace. America survived the survived the

war and war and remained remained

independent. independent.

Establish Establish security for security for American American

shipping and shipping and force European force European nations to start nations to start

respecting respecting American American

independence.independence.The period after the war The period after the war

was called the “Era of was called the “Era of Good Feelings” as Good Feelings” as America entered a America entered a

period of peace and period of peace and prosperity. prosperity. Madison sent Madison sent

Congress a Congress a message reporting message reporting

on these on these developments, developments,

which prompted which prompted Congress to Congress to

declare war on declare war on BritainBritain

Presidential Decisions—James MonroePresidential Decisions—James Monroe

Presidential Presidential DecisionDecision GoalGoal

Historical Historical CircumstancesCircumstances

Success or Success or Failure? Failure?

Why?Why?

SPECIFIC long-term SPECIFIC long-term effecteffect

Establishing Establishing the foreign the foreign

policy known policy known as the as the

Monroe Monroe DoctrineDoctrine

Monroe avoided Monroe avoided potential conflicts potential conflicts with Britain and with Britain and

Spain when Spain when General Andrew General Andrew Jackson invaded Jackson invaded Spanish owned Spanish owned Florida in the Florida in the

Seminole Wars Seminole Wars and executed and executed

British pirates by British pirates by orchestrating the orchestrating the Spanish Cession. Spanish Cession.

Another potential Another potential conflict was conflict was

emerging with emerging with Russia over AlaskaRussia over Alaska

As American strength As American strength grew, European grew, European

countries couldn’t countries couldn’t challenge it.challenge it.

Roosevelt told European Roosevelt told European countries that the United countries that the United States would police the States would police the

Americas.Americas.

Despite not Despite not being able to being able to

back up such a back up such a threat, threat,

European European countries did countries did not challenge not challenge the Monroe the Monroe

Doctrine, Doctrine, making it a making it a

success, even if success, even if due more to due more to

luck than luck than anything else. anything else.

Protect the Protect the United States United States

from European from European interference by interference by keeping them keeping them

out of the out of the western western

hemispherehemisphere

President Teddy President Teddy Roosevelt reasserted the Roosevelt reasserted the

Monroe Doctrine with Monroe Doctrine with the Roosevelt Corollary the Roosevelt Corollary

in 1904.in 1904.

European countries have European countries have not intervened in not intervened in

western hemisphere western hemisphere since.since.

Secretary of State Secretary of State John Quincy John Quincy

Adams helped Adams helped Monroe craft this Monroe craft this

policy to stop policy to stop further problems.further problems.

Step 6:Step 6: Revisit your Revisit your claim. Revise it, if claim. Revise it, if necessary.necessary.

Step 7:Step 7: Write your Write your response, using your response, using your graphic organizer to guide graphic organizer to guide you. Make sure your you. Make sure your points are in a logical points are in a logical order.order.

Step 8:Step 8: Re-read and edit Re-read and edit your response. Remember, your response. Remember, capitalization counts in this capitalization counts in this class.class.