Table of Contents Introduction ., Part 1: A Call to Justice Chapter 1: Abraham Lincoln; The End of Slavery ......... 4 Chapter 2: Lyndon B. Johnson; The Fight Against Discrimination. 12 Part 2: A Nation That Cares Chapter 3: Rutherford B. Hayes; Second Chances ‘ 21 Chapter 4: Herbert Hoover; Doing the Right T 27 Chapter 5: The Bush-Clinton Relief Funds; Two Presidents and the People....... eine Part 3: A Better Life for All Chapter 6: Thomas Jefferson; Education for All Chapter 7: Franklin D, Roosevelt; Climbing Out of the Depression............. Chapter 8: Jimmy Carter; The President Picks Up a Hammer Part 4: Caring for Our Land Chapter 9: Theodore Roosevel Gifts to New Generations. ....... sss Part 5: Our Nation and the World Chapter 10: Woodrow Wilson; A Vision for Peace: 7 Chapter 21: John F, Kennedy; A Challenge to Go . 85 Ghomary, senoreiaiieernnarnnenamernen Dd 96 -- 69 Index... Introduction Imagine you met a creature from another planet. Suppose you had to explain what kind of world you live in. What would you say? You might describe the natural wonders of the world and all the beautiful places to visit, You might tell about music and art, You might talk about what makes you happy or sad, You might explain the world’s greatest inventions. Or you might explain some of the great things that people have done to make the world a better place. This book is about presidents of the United States who worked to make the world a better place. Some of them are famous because of what they accomplished while they were president, Their decisions shaped history, and it’s hard for us to imagine life any other way. Some of the presidents are more famous for what they did in their private lives, either before or after they were president. Either way, their greatness comes from a dream. ‘These presidents dreamed of a country where everyone has enough to eat. They dreamed of true equality for everyone. They dreamed of peace between races and between nations. They dreamed of a world that future generations would celebrate Maybe you've wondered what it might be like to grow up to be president. What dreams do you have for a better world?Part 1: A Call to Justice Chapter 1: Abraham Lincoln The End of Slavery On a chilly November day in 1862, President Abraham Lincoln prepared to meet the woman who had made an appointment to see him, He had never seen Harriet Beecher Stowe before, but Lincoln had a good idea why she wanted to see him. Mrs. Stowe had been writing articles criticizing President Lincoln. Several years earlier, she had written a ‘book called Uncle Tom's Cabin, which stirred up the entire ‘nation about the issue of slavery. Now Mrs, Stowe was waiting to see the president, Lincoln politely offered his hand in a friendly greeting, According to legend, Lincoln joked, “So you're the little lady who started this great war” Then he invited Mrs. Stowe to sit down and talk, Lincoln listened carefully to Mrs, Stowe's opinion. She insisted that he must end slavery immediately. For too long, she ‘thought, he had waffled on this issue. He was the only person who could do anything about it. The time had come for bold action. Was the president courageous enough to take a stand and do the right thing? Abraham Lincoln was born on February 12, 1809, in a log ‘cabin on a farm in Kentucky. His parents were from Virginia and gradually moved west as the family grew. When Abraham, ‘was seven, the family moved to Indiana. Lincoln grew up in a frontier wilderness with bears and other wild animals lurking ‘outside the family’s home. Like many children on the frontier, Abraham had little ‘opportunity to go to school. His father needed his help running the farm. Chores did not leave much time to attend classes. But Abraham did not let that stop him from getting an education. He learned to read, write, and do arithmetic. Abraham read avidly and borrowed books whenever he could. Asa young adult, Abraham Lincoln moved with his family to Illinois. He worked on a flatboat and traveled down the Mississippi River to New Orleans. Later, in New Salem, Illinoi ‘he operated a store, served as postmaster, and worked as a Jand surveyor. During these years, Lincoln continued his quest for education by privately studying to be an attorney. He achieved this goal in 1836, when he was licensed to practice Jaw. In 1844, with his new wife, Mary Todd Lincoln, the future president moved to Springfield, the capital of Illinois,Along with building his law practice, Lincoln entered the world ‘of politics. In 1832, he ran for the Illinois legislature—and lost. But he didn’t give up. He ran again and won four times in a row. In 1846, Lincoln was ready to move into national politics. He ran for the United States House of Representatives and won. While he served as a representative of Illinois in Washington, D.C. Lincoln gained a reputation for being opposed to slavery. He did not want to see slavery spread to new territories and states, as they became part of the United States. When his term as a ‘representative was over, Lincoln returned to his law practice in Illinois. He did not try to run again, It seemed that his political career had come to an end. A few years later, in 1854, an event occurred that changed the life of Abraham Lincoln and the course of the nation. In 1820, while Lincoln was still a child, the Missouri Compromise drew an imaginary line across the United States, The line divided Northern states from Southern states. Southerners depended on slaves to work in the fields of large plantations. Northern states were “free? meaning they did not have slaves. In 1854, as the country expanded, Stephen Douglas introduced ‘bill in the US, Senate. This bill would establish the territories ‘of Kansas and Nebraska, The question now was whether new territories would join the Union as “slave” or “free.” Douglas's bill allowed the people settling the new territories to decide for ‘themselves whether or not to allow slavery, Kansas and Nebraska both were north of the Missouri Compromise line. Because of ‘this, many people believed that the Kansas-Nebraska Act violated ‘the Missouri Compromise. Abraham Lincoln agreed. Lincoln stepped out of his quiet law practice to oppose ‘Stephen Douglas. By this time, Lincoln had come to believe that ‘the Declaration of Independence established that all men were created equal. Lincoln said, “No man is good enough to govern another man without that other's consent” In 1858, Lincoln ran against Douglas for his seat in the US. Senate. The two candidates publicly debated each other seven times. Douglas believed the people in the new territories should make their own decisions. Lincoln argued that the U.S. Constitution allowed Congress to outlaw slavery in new territories. He studied the views of the men who signed the Declaration of Independence. It seemed to him that most of them believed the government should not allow slavery to expand. Lincoln observed that, Douglas did not seem to view African Americans as human beings who deserved the protection of the law, Around this time, Lincoln began to believe that the United States could no longer continue to be divided over the slavery question. He said, “A house divided against itself cannot stand. believe that this government cannot endure, permanently half slave and half free” But the country was far from being unified on the question of slavery. Despite being popular in the debates, Lincoln lost the election, Stephen Douglas returned to Washington as a senator from Illinois. But Lincoln continued to be concerned about the future of the country. He gave a series of lectures on the government's power to limit slavery in the territories, Perhaps the most famous speech Lincoln gave during this time was the “Cooper Union” speech delivered in New York City. The speech electrified the people who heard it and lifted Lincoln into popularity on the national level 1n 1860, Lincoln became the Republican Party candidate for president of the United States, By this time, Lincoln firmly believed that slavery was wrong. It was his duty not to allow it to spread any further in the growing United States. In November 1860, Lincoln won the presidential election. Southern states were not happy with the outcome of the election, They wasted no time taking action of their own. By the time Lincoln arrived in Washington the following March tobegin serving as president, the Confederate States of America had been born. A group of Southern states had decided to secede from the United States of America and form their own government. South Carolina was first, followed by Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas. ‘The new president had a crisis on his hands. Lincoln hoped to quickly put down the rebellion of Southern states, He called for 75,000 volunteers to serve in the army for three months in order to bring the nation back together. In response, four more states seceded: Virginia, Arkansas, North Carolina, and Tennessee, Lincoln's priority now was to preserve the Union, to keep the country from splintering into pieces, North was pitted against South, Family members were pitted against each other. Lincoln feared for what would happen if the United States split into two countries with such different views. While he personally opposed slavery, Lincoln was willing to allow slavery to continue in some places if that meant the country would stay together. He rejected the idea that individual states could choose to leave the Union. His goal we to bring the Southern states back into a peaceful relationship with Northern states. Unfortunately, the war raged on much longer than three ‘months. The fighting went on for four grueling years, tearing the country apart, Between 1861 and 1865, three million people fought in the Civil War, and more than 600,000 died, Battle after battle, both Southerners and Northerners fought for what they believed in. The war began over the question of whether states had the right to choose for themselves whether to have slaves. More and more, though, people began to take a stand on whether slavery was acceptable at all. Was it morally right or wrong for human beings to ‘own’ other human beings? Many people did not believe African American people were human in the same way that white people were. This is how they justified owning other people. On the other hand, others believed that slavery was morally evil and should be abolished. ‘The people in this group became known as abolitionists. While Abraham Lincoln did not begin his political career as an. abolitionist, each passing year carried him closer to the belief that slavery was unjust and the country would be stronger without it. As Northern armies marched into battle in Southern states, thousands of slaves abandoned the plantations where they lived and worked. They headed north, to freedom. But victory did not come easily to the Union troops. Many Northerners began to think freeing all slaves at one time would be an enormous blow against the Confederate Army. Not everyone in the North was in favor of this, but President Lincoln considered it more and more seriously, Harriet Beecher Stowe was an active abolitionist who came from a family of abolitionists. Her book Uncle Tom's Cabin. attacked the cruelty of slavery. This book helped people all over the United States understand that slavery was a way of life that took advantage of the weak and gave power to the strong Through a story about a group of slaves, Stowe showed the humanity of the African American slaves, who were often treated cruelly by their white owners. She presented slave characters as real people with real emotions, Millions of people read the book. Of course, Abraham Lincoln, president of the United States, knew about this book and the strong opinions of its author, Stowe believed that with the stroke of a pen, the president of the United States could end slavery once and for all. When she visited the White House on that gray November day in 1862, Stowe urged Abraham Lincoln to do just that. Perhaps Harriet Beecher Stowe had some influence on Abraham Lincoln. Or perhaps he had realized for himself that it time to put an end to the injustice of slavery. The country could not continue to be divided on this question. Lincoln came 910 | ee | to believe that the right thing was to do away with slavery. ‘Then the American people could rebuild the country together. In the summer of 1862, Lincoln wrote a document that declared slaves in the Confederate states would be free unless the states returned to the Union. He shared the document with his closest advisers, who approved of it. About this time, he also signed a law that made it illegal to return runaway slaves to Confederate states. Instead, they should have their freedom. ‘That summer, Congress and the president agreed on laws that would make it legal for the government to seize the property, including slaves, of anyone who helped the rebellion in Southern states. A few weeks later, in September, Lincoln told other leaders that he intended to issue the Emancipation Proclamation. By the time the president met with Mrs, Stowe, he was already planning to do exactly what she wanted; he was _just trying to choose the best time. On January 1, 1863, President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This document declared that people held as slaves in Confederate states were now free. Lincoln's bold presidential order proclaimed freedom for slaves, in places that the Union Army did not control. In doing this, Lincoln was promising that the Northern armies would fight not only to keep the Union together but to abolish slavery everywhere. Nothing in the U.S. Constitution gave Lincoln the authority to free slaves. A presidential order made during a time of war is not the same as a law passed by Congress. Also, he declared the freedom of slaves in states that did not even consider him to be their president, The proclamation said nothing about slaves in Southern states that had not left the Union. These were Kentucky, Maryland, West Virginia, and Missouri, Because he had no power to free the slaves there, Lincoln hoped that those states would decide on their own to change their laws, There was still a lot of work to do to abolish slavery, but ‘oln was ready to lead the way, not immediately change the condition of slavery. However, it changed the purpose of the war. Now the purpose was to rid the country of slavery. Lincoln's proclamation also laid the foundation for the law that would officially end slavery in 1865, The thirteenth amendment to the US. Constitution clearly states that slavery will not exist within the United States. ‘The Civil War raged for another fifteen months after the Emancipation Proclamation. Although not everyone agreed with Lincoln about how to run the war, in 1864 he was elected toa second term as president. On April 9, 1865, General Robert E, Lee, leader of the Confederate Army, surrendered to General Ulysses S. Grant of the Union Army. The Civil War was finally over. Lincoln tried to put the war behind him, He looked forward to rebuilding the nation. The destruction of war had cost heavily in human lives in both the North and the South. The war had also damaged roads, railroads, and businesses. Many people in the South were angry with the way the war had ended. Rebuilding ‘would not be easy, especially in the South, But Abraham Lincoln believed in the American people. Five days after the end of the Civil War, Lincoln and his wife ‘were watching a play at Ford's Theatre in Washington. An actor named John Wilkes Booth managed to get close enough to the president to shoot him in the head. Lincoln died without seeing the fulfillment of his vision for a free, unified country. Nevertheless, he is remembered as the president who acted on his conviction that the nation must not tolerate the injustice of slavery. He led the United States through one of the hardest decisions the nation has ever faced. Lincoln believed the words of the Declaration of Independence: “All men are created equal.” Mm2 Chapter 2: Lyndon B. Johnson The Fight Against Discrimination President Lyndon Johnson had been president for only five days, but he knew exactly what he wanted to do. He was, getting ready to challenge the US. Congress to pass a law. ‘The fight for this law had been going on for a hundred years. Johnson was determined to keep fighting for as long as it took ‘That night, on November 27, 1963, Johnson stood before Congress and said, “All have I would have given gladly not to be standing here today” Just five days earlier, Johnson had been sworn into office as president, only hours after the assassination of President John F, Kennedy. He would rather have had Kennedy alive, even if that meant he couldn't be president himself ‘The new president now told American politicians that the best way to honor the slain leader was to pass the eivil rights bill that Kennedy had fought hard for. He said, “The time has come for Americans of all races and creeds and political beliefs to understand and respect one another. So let us put an end to the teaching and the preaching of hate and evil and violence” Lyndon Baines Johnson was born on August 27, 1908, in a rural area of central Texas. His family struggled to make ends meet. Growing up, Lyndon always knew that poverty ‘was just around the corner. His father was a farmer, and the family usually did not have much money, However, his mother pushed her son to love learning and work hard. ‘When he was 20 years old, Johnson taok a break from college and got a job teaching in a school that Mexican American children attended. These children were even poorer than their teacher was. Many of them came to school without anything Johnson was sworn in as president aboard Air Force One, the official plane of the president, He was on the way from Dallas, Texas, to Washington, Di to eat. The school did not have as much money as schools white children attended. Johnson saw the discouragement and disappointment that came with segregation, Why should white children have a better education than Mexican American or African American children? Johnson wished he could do something for his students that would make a difference. He decided that all people deserved the chance to have a better life if they were willing to work for it. After graduating from college, Lyndon Johnson took a teaching job in Houston, Texas. Before long, though, he left teaching and entered polities. Lyndon moved to Washington, DC, to work for a US, congressman from Texas. He married 1314 Claudia “Lady Bird!” Taylor in 1934, Soon the couple moved back to Texas, where Lyndon began working as the state director of the National Youth Association. ‘The NYA was a program that helped find jobs for unemployed youth during the Depression. In some states, the NYA helped only white young people. In Texas, Johnson made sure to find jobs not just for white youth, but for African Americans and Mexican Americans as well. He was good at his work and found jobs for a lot of people. State and national leaders started to notice the tall, lanky young man from rural Texas, In 1937, Johnson ran for Congress as a Democrat and won, In 1940, he ran again and won again. Then, in 1941, he turned his eyes to the nate, He lost. He tried again in 1948, and this time he won, Johnson was a natural politician and leader. Even as a young senator, Johnson was skilled at persuading people to vote the way he wanted them to vote. Johnson rose swiftly through the ranks of the Senate to become majority leader in 1955. This meant that the Democrats, the party that held the majority of seats in the Senate, chose Johnson to be their main spokesperson. Politicians from the South often did not like the idea of national laws that told them what to do in their own states. For this reason, they sometimes voted against a federal law, even if they agreed that the law would be a good one. As a young man, Lyndon Johnson wanted to build a political base so that someday the people of America might choose him to be president. He wanted people to like him, so he chose carefully what to speak about as a senator. Even though Johnson wanted to help people, he did not speak out about fair treatment for all races, Although he felt great compassion for the African Americans of the South and the Mexican Americans of Texas, Lyndon Johnson did not always vote for laws that would help them. When he had a chance to vote on new laws, he voted against civil rights laws. Johnson did not believe civil rights laws would pass the Senate, so he did not put his energy into them. Instead, he focused on projects that would be good for Texans, such as getting federal money for bridges and dams in his home state. Gradually, though, this changed. Johnson became more and more convinced that discrimination was immoral. He began to believe that he should do what was important for the whole nation, not just what might make him popular in Texas. In the mid~'50s, Dwight Eisenhower was president of the United States. Eisenhower was eager to pass a law that would give fairer treatment to people who were not white, During the Eisenhower presidency, Johnson recognized it was time to take action and make a lasting difference. Johnson used his popularity in the Senate and his position as majority leader to push through the Civil Rights Act of 1957 ‘This was the first new civil rights law since shortly after the Civil War. The new law established the Civil Rights Division of the US. Justice Department. The goal was to increase the number of African American voters by enforcing laws that made it a crime to keep someone from voting. Atthe time of the Civil War, Souther states did not want the federal government involved in state decisions. In Johnson's time, they still did not want the federal government involved in decisions about what happened in their states. It took a lot of work and discussions to get the law passed, but Johnson dedicated himself to the task, However, the 1957 law was not strong enough to make a difference. The fight for civil rights continued. ‘The next year, politicians began work on another civil rights bill. Once again, Southern leaders were furious that the federal government was trying to tell them what to do. Lyndon Johnson 1516 was a Southern politician, and he understood that he might upset some of his friends. But once again, he led the way for the Civil Rights Act of 1960 to pass. This law provided penalties against someone who tried to get in the way of another person voting. Also in 1960, John F. Kennedy was elected president of the United States, with Lyndon B. Johnson as his vice president. Amid the rising tension between people of different races, civil rights became increasingly important. Both Kennedy and Johnson knew that the time had come to change the entire nation. As president, Kennedy pushed for stronger civil rights laws. He wanted fair treatment in jobs, housing, and education. Members of Congress from Southern states continued to resist. As a Southern politician, Johnson continued to work at changing the minds of senators and representatives. The Bus Lady ‘The 1950s and 1960s were turbulent years for evil rights inthe nation, a& wells in Congress. n 1955, an African American woman in Montgomery. ‘Alabama, refused ta give up her seat ono bus sa that a white man could sit down. She was arrested. To protest ths injustice, African Americans refused to ride the city buses. This crippled the transportation system because of the loss af money the African Americans pold to rie the bus. The beove action of Rosa Parks triggered o widespread civil rights movement. Martin Luther King jr on African American minister, led the cv rights movernent, including the bus boycott. After 382 days, the boycott ended, The U.S. Supreme Court had declared that the laws requiing segregation on buses were not constitutional. Whites an! African Americans would ride the buses with equel stotus. King continued to lead nonviolent protests against racially prejudiced lows and practices throughout the southern United States. He was a pivotal leader in the quest for equal rights for people ofall aces. On Apri 4, 1968, when King was in Memphis to lead a peaceful protest march, James Earl Ray assassinated him, A national holiday now remembers the life of Martin Luther King jr. and his dream foro truly free America, (On Memorial Day in 1963, Johnson gave a speech to remember the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg. This was one of the bloodiest battles of the Civil Wer. Johnson said, “One hundred years ago, the slave was freed, One hundred years later, the Negro remains in bondage to the color of his skin. The Negro today asks justice” Johnson concluded his speech by reminding listeners: “Until justice is blind to color, until education is unaware of race, until opportunity is unconcerned with the color of men's skins, emancipation will be a proclamation but not a fact” Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation of 1863 was ‘meant to bring freedom to African Americans. A hundred years later, they were no longer slaves, but African Americans still suffered from prejudice and mistreatment. John F, Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson wanted that to change. They kept working hard to pass even stronger laws against the injustice of prejudice. On November 22, 1963, the world changed in an instant. Kennedy and Johnson had begun campaigning for reelection. Kennedy was visiting Johnson’s home state of Texas. He rode through Dallas in a convertible with the top down, Johnson was in another car, behind him. Suddenly, the crack of an assassins bullet silenced the cheers of the crowd. John F. Kennedy, one of Americas most popular presidents, had been shot in the head. ‘Though he was rushed to a hospital for urgent medical attention, he was soon pronounced dead. Lyndon B, Johnson was now president of the United States, Five days later, standing before Congress, Johnson reminded the country what Kennedy had hoped to accomplish. He said, “The greatest leader of our time has been struck down by the foulest deed of our time... . And now the ideas and the ideals which he so nobly represented must and will be translated into effective action” Johnson urged the swift passage of the civil rights laws that Kennedy had been working on. Kennedy had submitted the bill to Congress about six months before his death. It was time to u18 take action. “The new president meant what he said. He was serious about il rights legislation. He too wanted fair treatment in jobs, education, and housing. He wanted equal treatment for all human beings, And he was not going to take no for an answer. In the months that followed, Johnson held meetings and made ‘many personal contacts to persuade people ta vote for the new law. On July 2, 1964, the bill received final approval in Congress. Johnson signed the bill into law on national television. Looking into the camera, he said to the American people, “We believe that all men are created equal. Yet many are denied equal treatment. We believe that all men have certain unalienable rights. Yet many Americans do nat enjoy those rights, .. . But it cannot continue. Our Constitution, the foundation of our Republic, forbids it. The principles of our freedom forbid it. Morality forbids it. And the law [will sign tonight forbids it” Then he picked up a pen and signed the 1964 Civil Rights Aet. ‘This document ended segregation laws that denied African Americans equal treatment. No longer would certain public areas be reserved for whites only, such as hotels, restaurants, theaters, and sports arenas, All people were entitled to be free from discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, or national origin. Filibuster What? A filbusteris a lengthy speech. of a series of Ienathy speeches, that a politician gives to delay a vote on o new law if the fiibustering lasts long ‘enough, the people who want to pass the law give up because everyone is, tired of listening to long speeches. During the 1950s and 19605, senators from Southern states fibustered to prevent votes on civil rights laws, Senator Strom ‘Thurmond from South Caralina once gave one long speech for 24 hours ond 18 ‘minutes in an unsuccessful effort to stop the 1957 Civil Rights Act. Southern senators flibustered for 57 days before passing the Civil Rights Act of 1964. In November 1964, Lyndon Johnson was elected to serve a full four-year term as president, Johnson introduced the “Great Society” with a speech at the University of Michigan. He said, “The Great Society rests on abundance and liberty for all. It demands an end to poverty and racial injustice” Johnson want ed every child to find knowledge and learning. He wanted to see the Great Society in the cities, the countryside, and the classrooms of America. As part of the Great Society, Johnson put many new programs into action, Many of these programs are still part of American life ‘more than forty years later. * War on poverty—improve living conditions of people living in poverty + Education—build newer and better cl scholarships and student loans * Medicare—guarantee health care to Americans over age 65 + Medicaid—guarantee health care to Americans with low incomes + Environment—clean air and water * Job Corps—teach job skills to young men and women * Head Start—provide education for preschool children from poor families rooms; offer ‘The Great Society carried forward Johnson's belief in civil rights, He was particularly concerned that African Americans were not registering to vote, If they didn't vote, they could nat help make decisions that would improve their lives. However, in many Southern communities, African Americans were physically threatened if they tried to register to vote, In other places, they had to pass an unfair test. This kind of discrimination discouraged African Americans from voting, Lyndon Johnson wanted to change this unfair practice. In March 1965, a group of people working to improve civil 1920 rights organized a peaceful protest for voting rights in Selma, Alabama. They wanted more African Americans to register to vote. People who did not want this to happen responded with. violence. Even police officers beat protesters with clubs. Many protesters were severely injured. President Johnson could not stand by and watch this happen and do nothing, Five days later, President Johnson announced to Congress that he would introduce a new voting rights bill. By this time, Congress knew that the president would not back down on civil rights issues, They passed his bill into law, and on August 6, 1965, Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act. This new law made it illegal to use tests or fees as a way of deciding if a person would be allowed to vote. The only requirement to vote was American citizenship. Under the protection of this law, African Americans flooded to register to vote in record numbers, This was an enormous step forward in Johnson's Great Society of equal treatment and opportunity. Johnson was a popular president. However, as the 1968 election approached, Johnson decided that he would not run again, Before leaving office, he passed one more civil rights law, making it illegal to discriminate against people who wanted to buy or rent a home. After leaving the White House, Johnson spent his retirement in Texas with his wife and two daughters. He died on January 22, 1973, from a fatal heart attack. He was buried on his ranch next to the graves of his parents, Lyndon B. Johnson is remembered as the president who put action to his words. A hundred years after the end of the Civil War, he led the nation through the process of making laws that would bring freedom and equality to all Americans. Part 2: A Nation That Cares Chapter 3: Rutherford B. Hayes Second Chances March 4, 1881, was a big day in the small town of Fremont, Ohio. Friends and neighbors met the train that brought a former president home. A parade of townspeople greeted the president and his family to welcome them back to the place they loved. Four days earlier, Rutherford B, Hayes had completed his duties as president of the United States. He left Washington, D.C., and returned to Spiegel Grove, his home in Fremont. Hayes was glad to be home. He said to a friend, “We wish to get as completely back to private life as we can? For Hayes, however, private life did not mean a quiet life. Rather, it meant that now he had time to focus on causes he cared deeply about. Hayes was born in Delaware, Ohio, on October 4, 1822. Sadly, his father died about three months before “Ruddy” was born, ‘The new baby grew up in the care of his mother and his Uncle Sardis, Ruddy had an older brother, Lorenzo, and a sister, Fanny. A few years later, tragedy struck the family again when Lorenzo drowned, Fanny and Ruddy remained close until her death in 1856. 2122 Hayes attended Kenyon College and Harvard Law School. As a young lawyer in Cincinnati, Ohio, Hayes defended runaway slaves. Ohio, a “free” state, bordered Kentucky, a “slave” state. Runaway slaves fled from Kentucky to Ohio, Others came to the Northern state through the Underground Railroad, Hayes did not believe that slaves who had escaped from their owners in the South should be forced to return to those owners. His legal work to help these peaple was an early indication of his lifelong belief that African Americans should have more civil rights. In 1852, Hayes married Lucy Webb. The couple had eight children. Sadly, three of the children did not survive to adulthood. Lucy Webb Hayes urged her husband on in his, antislavery and civil rights work, When the Civil War broke out, President Abraham Lincaln asked for 75,000 volunteers to join the Union Army, Hayes enlisted eight days after the war started. He served in the Ohio Volunteer Infantry and was wounded several times. Hayes proved to be a strong leader. By the end of the war, he had become a brigadier general. While he was still in the army, Republicans in Cincinnati ran a campaign to elect Hayes to the House of Representatives, He won the election easily and entered Congress late in 1865. From there, Hayes went on to serve three terms as governor of Ohio. During these years he gained popularity all over the United States as a politician and a leader. In 1876, the Republicans nominated him as their candidate for president of the United States, The election was very close, but Hayes was declared the winner. When Hayes entered the White House, the Civil War had been over for twelve years. However, the destruction of the war was obvious everywhere. Roads and buildings had been ruined. Schools were shut down, Plantation owners had to figure out a new way to run their businesses without slave labor, Many Southern white people resented the North's victory in the war, and the relationship between Southern states and Northern states was tense, There was a lot of work to do to continue rebuilding the South and reuniting the nation. President Hayes hoped that the North and the South could once again work together to build a strong nation. His term as president would not be an easy time, but Flayes had high hopes that the nation could finally recover from the devastation of the Civil War. From the start of his term, President Hayes showed that he was not going to abandon the needs of the South. He persuaded Congress to provide funds to rebuild roads, bridges, and canals throughout the South, The Northern victory in the Civil War meant that slavery no longer existed officially, but African Americans still lived in poverty and suffered prejudice. In the spirit of the Declaration of Independence and the Emancipation Proclamation, Hayes promised to protect the rights of African Americans in the South. One of the new president's first moves was to remove federal troops from Southern states. People of different races were learning to live together on an equal basis. Since the end of the war, military presence had helped to control outbreaks of violence. When Hayes removed the troops, he hoped that the white leaders in these states would be willing to give African Americans more of the rights they deserved. However, the Democratic legislators did not agree with the Republican president. Lawmakers turned down requests from President Hayes to grant civil rights to African Americans. Instead, they passed laws that made it illegal for African Americans to go to school or appear in public places with white people. 2324 The White House Easter Egg Roll Egg-rolling was a tradition by the 1870s, Many Washington, DC., families rolled eggs the Monday after Easter on the grounds of the U.S. Capitol. In 1876, the event destroyed much of the lawn. Congress passed a law forbidding children to play on the Capitol grounds. The next year, Easter Monday was a rainy day. But the following year, 1878, children were eager to roll eggs again. President Hayes ond his wife, Lucy, opened the grounds of the White House for eqg-ralling. The event has been o White House tradition ever since. When he became president, Hayes said that he would serve only one term, so he did not run for reelection in 1880. Instead, he looked forward to returning to his home in Ohio to live peacefully with his fami ‘The retirement years were busy ones for Hayes. He believed that even former presidents should continue to help make life better for everyone. Hayes was convinced that education was the solution for most of the problems that America faced. For years, he had served as a board member of the Peabody Education Fund, even while he was busy being president of the United States. In his retirement, he also joined the board of the Slater Fund. These organizations worked to provide education for everyone, with a special interest in poor African Americans from the South. George Peabody was a wealthy investor who provided more than two million dollars for education. The Peabody Fund provided money for building schools and giving scholarships to newly freed slaves, As part of the board of the Peabody Fund, Hayes helped to decide how best to use the money that Peabody donated. Thousands of people in Southern states benefited from the work of the Peabody Fund, ‘The Slater Fund gave hundreds of African Americans a chance to go to college. John Fox Slater provided a million dollars for the education of freed slaves in the South. Hayes became the first president of the board af trustees of the Slater Fund. ‘A young man named W. E. B. Dubois applied to the Slater Fund for a scholarship, With the support of Rutherford B, Haye: Dubois received the scholarship. With this financial help, Dubois became the first African American to receive a doctorate degree from Harvard University. Who Was W. E. B. Dubois? William Edward Burghardt Dubois was one of the most influential African American leaders of the early twentieth century. He was a university professor, o writer, and a researcher into the issues African Americans faced in U.S. society, One of his ‘most important achievements was helping to start the National ‘Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). This organization is still active in protecting and advancing the civil rights of African Americans. After he returned to Ohio and private life, Hayes worked even harder for the causes he believed in, He took these responsibilities seriously. Hayes traveled frequently to New York for meetings of both the Peabody Fund and the Slater Fund. He also traveled to other cities to give speeches and promote the goals of these organizations. This work demanded a great deal of time and energy, which Hayes gladly gave so that other people could have a second chance at a better life. Hayes was particularly interested in industrial education, His goal was for people to learn specific skills that would allow them to earn a living. He consistently argued for programs that would teach job skills. Hayes believed that no man or woman should be ‘without the skills to work and that schools should provide these ski 25Another humanitarian interest of Hayes was prison reform, In 1883, he became president of the National Prison Association, a job he held for ten years. At the time Hayes lived, prisons were places of humiliation. Prisons were supposed to make prisoners feel sorry for what they had done wrong. Prisoners had nothing useful to do while they waited out their time. For Hayes, this was not enough. He wanted prisons to become places that prepared criminals to return to society and make a positive contribution. ‘Once again, he believed ecucation was key to true change. Hayes had a particular interest in first offenders, He felt that people who had no record of committing crimes deserved a second chance. They deserved the chance to be educated and learn job skills. This would prepare them to return to society and build a good life for themselves. Hayes led the prison reform ‘movement and launched ideas and programs with long-lasting effects, In 1889, Lucy Hayes suffered a stroke, and she died three days later. Hayes was devastated by her death. To forget his grief, he threw himself into his own work with even more energy and commitment. Less than four years later, Hayes was stricken with chest pains while traveling. He wanted to die at home. On January 17, 1893, Rutherford B. Hayes died in his own bed from heart failure, One of the last things he said was, “I know that I am going where Lucy is?” Hayes served as president during a challenging time in United States history. He did not achieve everything he hoped to accomplish for the nation, but he is remembered and respected as a strong leader. He set an example of being guided by personal convictions. Hayes worked not to make his own life better, but to improve the future of millions of people trapped in poverty and illiteracy. 26 Chapter 4: Herbert Hoover Doing the Right Thing A wealthy mining engineer had to make a decision—right away. ‘War had broken out in Europe, The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria lit a raging fire under arguments simmering across the continent, Suddenly Europe was 2 dangerous place to live. Tens of thousands of Americans living in European countries wanted to go home to the United States. Herbert Hoover was in London, one of the many cities where his successful company had offices. The US. Ambassador to Britain called upon Hoover to help get Americans to safety. ‘There was no time to think, People needed help fast. Hoover said yes, Later, he remarked, “I did not realize it at the ‘moment, but on August 3, 1914, my engineering s forever. I was on the slippery road of public Herbert Clark Hoover was born into a modest family in West Branch, Jowa, on August 10, 1874, His father was a blacksmith, He had an older brother, Theodore. Later, a younger sister, Mary, Joined the family. When Herbert was just six years old, his father ‘ell ill and soon died. Three years later, his mother also became ill and died. Theodore, Herbert, and Mary were now orphans, ‘but too young to be left on their own. Relatives took them in to care for them, However, no relative could take all three of them, ‘The Hoover children had to split up. Herbert, who was 11 years old, got on a train all by himself ‘with a few coins and a basket of food, He took the long trip from Towa to Oregon. There he lived with his uncle, Dr. Henry John Minthorn, Uncle John believed in hard work and kept Herbert busy with chores. Herbert milked cows, gathered firewood, and ‘took care af the horses.28 ‘When he was seventeen, Herbert decided to study engineering. A brand new college was opening in California, and Herbert wanted to be in the first class. He attended Stanford University and majored in geology. Herbert paid hi way through college by working at a variety of jobs. He did laundry for other people, typed, delivered newspapers, and arranged special lectures. During his last year at Stanford, he met a young woman named Lou Henry. She was also a geology major. Herbert and Lou decided they would marry someday. After he graduated in 1895 as part of the first graduating class of Stanford University, Hoover worked for a mining engineering company in San Francisco. A couple of years later, a British company hired him to work in Australia, where the company had several gold mines. Hoover was an excellent engineer and quickly climbed through the ranks of the company. He was rapidly becoming wealthy at a young age. While he was still in his twenties, he had an international reputation as a mining engineer. When his company offered him the opportunity to work in China, Herbert took it, Herbert and Lou Hoover were married before they arrived in China in March 1899. Many Americans and other foreigners lived in China as businesspeople or religious missionaries. One group of Chinese peasants, known as the Boxers, began to rebel against foreign influence. They did not like foreigners making money by coming to China. They were unhappy with foreigners spreading their religion and politics in China. The Boxers wanted to preserve their ancient culture. By the time the Hoovers arrived in China, the Boxers were openly attacking foreigners involved in work such as building railroads. Tensions continued to heat up, and the next year, rebellion broke out. ‘The Hoovers found themselves trapped in the middle of the Boxer Rebellion of 1900. On June 13, Boxers attacked a settlement of foreigners in Tianjin, China. Herbert and Lou knew that their lives were in danger every moment. Lou Hoover worked in the hospitals to help care for injured people. Once, when she was riding a bicycle, a bullet came close enough to rip through a tire. Because he was an engineer, Herbert was asked to direct the work of building barricades to keep the attackers iscovered a supply of sacks of rice and sugar. Under his ions, foreigners from many countries stacked these sacks along the walls of the settlement for extra protection. As bullets and shells exploded around them, some of the foreigners became hysterical. They began to accuse innocent Chinese people within the compound of shooting at them. One night, messengers rushed to Hoover's home with the news that a mob was planning to lynch hundreds of Chinese, including children. Hoover hurried to the military authority of the settlement. He brought back enough soldiers to rescue all of the innocent Chinese. On another night, a shell burst through a Chinese family’s home across the street from the Hoovers. Herbert ran into the burning house and carried a small girl out to safety. ‘The foreigners, along with the innocent Chinese trapped with them, held off the Boxer attack for more than a month. Finally, international forces came ta rescue them, The Hoovers son left China for the safety of London, England, Decades later, Hoover once again visited China, Two Chinese people mace appointments to see him. They came to thank him. These people had been small children when he saved them all those years ago. ‘Though Herbert Hoover didn't know it at the time, this experience was the beginning of a lifetime of helping other people. Perhaps his experience of being an orphan made it easy for him to feel compassion for the needs of others. He demonstrated the ability to organize quickly, take charge, and make rapid decisions. Fourteen years later, the Hoovers and their two sons were in London, England. By this time, Hoover had started his own 2930 international engineering firm. He had a wide reputation as a leader and a successful businessman who knew how to get things done. Hoover was at the height of his engineering career, and the Hoovers were millionaires. When World War I broke out in 1914, Americans found themselves trapped in dangerous parts of Europe. Hoover accepted the challenge to help them get home safely. Many of these Americans left their homes in Europe with little or no money or personal items and went to England, where it was safer. Hoover organized hundreds of volunteers to collect and distribute clothing and money. He also arranged transportation back to the United States. Within six weeks, Hoover helped more than 120,000 Americans get home safely. In October of that year, the Hoover family prepared to return to America themselves. Once again, their plans changed because of the war in Europe. Having done an exceptional job helping stranded Americans, Hoover now was asked to lead a monumental effort to help far more people. The challenge this time was to feed the population of Belgium. A small country with a dense population, Belgium depended heavily on importing food from other nations. When Germany invaded Belgium, the fighting destroyed the crops Belgian people were growing, It also cut off their trade with other nations. Food could not get in. Millions of innocent people would starve without help from the outside. ‘The United States had not yet entered World War I, so Herbert Hoover was a neutral American. This meant that the Germans would allow him to operate in Belgium and even to visit Germany to talk with leaders there. Because he was well-known around the world as a businessman, world leaders would be willing to cooperate with him. Hoover knew that he accepted this challenge, he would have to give up his career as an engineer. He accepted the challenge on two conditions. First, he wanted complete control over how the project would operate. Second, he refused to accept any pay for the work he did. Hoover organized the Commission for Relief in Belgium (CRB). For the next two-and-a-half years, he raised money to buy food, found places to buy the food, and arranged to ship the food to Belgium and northern France. He bought corn from Argentina, rice from Burma, beans from China, and wheat from American farmers. All this cost millions of dollars every month. The money came from voluntary donations, not from government budgets. Every day brought new troubles. Other nations were suspicious of what the CRB was doing, Some people thought Hoover was a spy. Some Americans thought he was helping the German enemy. German authorities did not always want to allow the food to go through to the Belgians. When that happened, Hoover traveled to dangerous Berlin, Germany, to work out the problems. His untiring humanitarian work kept ten. million people from starving, In early 1917, the United States entered World War I. Germany and the United States were now enemies. Hoover was no longer a neutral American, He transferred the work of the CRB to Spain, a country that was still neutral, It was time for the Hoovers to go home at last, but it wasn't time for Herbert Hoover to stop helping people who suffered during the war. Because he had done an outstanding job feeding the Belgians, President Woodrow Wilson wanted to put Hoover to work. Wilson asked Hoover to lead the U.S. Food Administration. ‘This organization would be responsible for supplying food to American soldiers overseas and the soldiers of countries fighting alongside the United States. The Food Administration would also make sure that the citizens of the United States, England, and France had enough to eat. Once again, Hoover accepted the challenge with the conditions 3132 that he have complete control and that he not receive any pay for his work. His job now was to increase food production in the United States and to encourage Americans to use less food themselves so there would be more to send overseas. He also had to keep prices under control and make sure food got to where it was needed. Hoover believed in the power of the volunteer. He did not think he needed to act like a dictator to tell the American people what to do. Instead, he believed that they would rise to the challenge if they understood how important it was, Their job was to use less food and still be healthy, Hoover encouraged ‘ideas such as “Meatless Mondays; where families would prepare meals without meat. He also supported “Wheatless ‘Wednesdays,’ where meals all over America would be made ‘without wheat products such as bread, People were encouraged to eat smaller portions and be sure to use up leftovers instead of throwing them away. Hoover's motto was “Food Will Win the War." He put these words up on banners and posters all over the country. Ifthe soldiers were well fed, they would have the strength to do their job and win the war. In order to give the soldiers good food, the people at home had to sacrifice. Some people had insisted food rationing would be necessary—controlling the amount of food people could buy in order to have enough to send overseas. Hoover proved they were wrong, He asked the American people to voluntarily make ‘sacrifices in every household so that soldiers overseas would have enough to eat. Americans responded. The volunteer strategy worked. Nineteen months after the United States entered the fighting, World War I came to an end. However, this cid not mean that all the problems were solved, Food supply continued to threaten the survival of millions of people. After the war, President Wilson asked Hoover to return to Europe to establish the American Relief Administration to help feed millions of undernourished children. People criticized Hoover because he helped Germany and other countries with political systems that did not agree with the United States. Hoover's answer was, “Twenty million people are starving. Whatever their politics, they shall be fed!” Central Powers vs. Allied Forces World War broke out in 191.4 when Austria-Hungary declared \war against Serbia. Austria believed a Serbian terrorist had assassinated the Austrian archduke. But hostilities were broading all over Europe, and it didn't take long for other countries to jain the fighting for various reasons. Germany declared war on Russia, France, and Belgium. Turkey declared war on Great Britain and France, Bulgaria declared war on Serbia, ‘On one side of the war were the Central Powers—Austria- Hungary, Germany, Turkey, and Bulgaria, On the other side were the Allied Forces, led by Great Britain, Russia, and later the United States. The United States began as a neutral country. When Germany announced that it would sink any ships in the sea. even from neutral countries, the United States entered the war and joined the Allied Forces, The Central Powers admitted defeat in 1918. In 1920, Warren Harding was elected president of the United States, He appointed Herbert Hoover as the secretary of ‘commerce. This meant that Hoover gave advice to the president on business matters that affected the whole country. Hoover also had the opportunity to help businesses all over the nation and improve technology used in manufacturing. For instance, companies made light bulbs and car tires and pipes in all different sizes. Hoover suggested that agreeing on standard, zes would be more profitable for companies. It would also be easier for the people who used their products. People could 33Herbert Hoover now buy a light bulb made by any company and know that it ‘would fit in the socket. Hoover continued to serve as secretary of commerce under President Calvin Coolidge, who was elected in 1924. By now the whole country knew about the accomplishments of Hoover. When it came time to nominate a candidate for the presidential election in 1928, the Republican Party chose Hoover. He was elected with landslide popularity, even though he had never before run for political office. The 1920s had been prosperous years, partly because of Hoover's leadership of the department of commerce. The entire nation expected the good times to continue. The truth was the U.S. economy was in a dangerous position. Many companies had started to lose money. That meant the investors in those companies were losing money. When the investors couldn't pay back loans, banks went out of business. People who had trusted the banks with their money lost everything. Stock prices—the value of companies—were dropping quickly. On “black Tuesday” October 29, 1929, too many people tried to sell their stock in one day. Only a few months after Hoover became president, the stock market crashed, ‘The Great Depression had begun, and it kept the nation in its grip for the next decade. As banks closed and businesses failed, more and more people became unemployed. Families who had lived comfortably now found themselves on the brink of poverty. Millions of Americans looked to the president for help. The great humanitarian who had saved millions from starving in Europe now faced disaster in his own country. President Hoover at first believed that the nation's economic troubles happened because people panicked. He felt that the economy would return to normal when things calmed down. However, this didn’t happen fast enough. Hoover had many ideas for how to get the country out of the Depression. He turned to business leaders to cooperate with some ideas, and asked the US. Congress to help with others, His ideas did help some people, but they did not make enough of a difference. As more and more families spiraled into overwhelming debt, confidence in President Hoover plummeted. When he ran for reelection in 1932, Hoover faced the rising popularity of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the Democratic candidate, While Hoover had not caused the Depression, he ‘was not able to lead the country out of it fast enough. To the American voters, Hoover represented all of their troubles; Roosevelt represented hope for change. Herbert Hoover, one of the most popular American presidents ever when he was elected, was soundly defeated. 3536 After Hoover left the presidency in 1933, he spent his time writing books, giving lectures, and leading organizations to help other people. He retired in Palo Alto, California, near Stanford University. Later, he moved to New York City. During World War Il and in the years after, Hoover was once again involved in organizing famine relief for Europe, which had ‘once again been torn apart by war across the continent, Herbert Hoover died on October 20, 1964, at the age of 90. Herbert Hoover is not likely to be named as one of America’s greatest presidents because of what he accomplished while he was president. At the time, it was easy to blame him for not saving the country from the Depression, However, the four years he served as president are only a small part of an admirable life. Hoover is one of the greatest Americans who ever lived because of his life of selfless humanitarian service. He used his business and administrative skills to feed millions of hungry people. When he died, thousands of mourners passed by his casket in tribute to his greatness. Chapter 5: The Bush-Clinton Relief Funds Two Presidents and the People ‘Three US. presidents stood together at the White House on January 3, 2005. Two of them were father and son, both Republican presidents. The third man was the Democrat who had served as president between the two Republicans, On this day, they all set aside their political views. On this day, they were all in agreement. On this day, they would challenge the American people to respond to a crisis on the other side of the world. President George W. Bush asked his father, former president George H.W, Bush, to help raise funds for an enormous humanitarian effort, He also asked the help of former president Bill Clinton, the man who had defeated his father in the election of 1992. Their differences didn't matter on this day. ‘What did matter was their desire to help millions of suffering people in Asia in the wake of the most destructive tsunami anyone could remember. George Herbert Walker Bush was born on June 12, 1924, i Milton, Massachusetts. After high school, he enlisted in the US. Navy. He became the youngest Navy pilot at the time. During World War I, George Bush flew torpedo bombers. He flew on. 58 missions over Japanese territory. Once, in 1944, his plane ‘was hit by enemy fire, He had to jump out of his plane before it crashed, Fortunately, he was rescued by a Navy submarine. Bush was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for bravery. Bush married Barbara Pierce in 1945. Together they had six children, including a future president. After serving in the Navy, Bush attended Yale University. He graduated in 1948 with a degree in economics. His career took 3738 him into the oil business, and he moved to Texas to work there, He also entered politics in Texas as a Republican. In 1966, he was elected to the US. House of Representatives and served two terms. After his years in Congress, George Bush continued serving in public life. Among other jobs, he was the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations and director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). In 1980, Ronald Reagan was running {for president of the United States. He asked George Bush to run as his vice president. They were elected and served a total of eight years together. In 1988, Bush ran for president himself and was elected, During his presideney, the Cold War came to an end. Ever since the end of World War I in 1945, the United States and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) had been suspicious of each other. While neither country launched a military battle against the other, both were building up military power in ise they ever needed to go to war. This tense relationship lasted for forty years. Under President Bush's leadership, the United States entered into a new partnership, rather than a competition, with the Soviets. The Soviet Union broke up and became the nation of Russia and a number of smaller countries in Central Europe and Central Asia. In 1990, the country of Iraq invaded the tiny country of Kuwait in order to take control of its seaports. Iraq's next target was Saudi Arabia. President Bush immediately sent US. troops to defend Kuwait and other countries in danger. Americans launched a massive air attack against the Iraqis, and within a few weeks, Iraq withdrew to its own borders. Because of this victory, Bush's popularity soared. However, he faced a struggling economy and trouble with government spending, In the election of 1992, Bush ran for president once again, but he lost to William Jefferson Clinton, the Democratic governor of Arkansas. William Jefferson Clinton was born on August 19, 1946, in Hope, Arkansas. He developed an interest in politics early in his life. As a high school student, he had the opportunity to meet President John F, Kennedy during a visit to the White House, Clinton studied at Georgetown University, Oxford Universi in England, and Yale University. He married Hillary Rodham in 1975, and they had one daughter in 1980. In 1974, Clinton lost a campaign to be a representative from Arkansas, However, he became the Arkansas attorney general in 1976 and governor in 1978. In 1992, he ran for president and was elected. He won a second term in 1996, During the Clinton presidency, the United States enjoyed a strong economy, low unemployment, and dropping crime rates. He undertook a huge program to reform health care in the U1 d States, but was unsuccessful. After that, he focused on improving education and making sure people had jobs. After serving two terms as president, Clinton left the White House. The son of George Herbert Walker Bush then became president. One Bush preceded Clinton, and the other followed. George W. Bush faced several challenges as president that no one could have predicted. One of these challenges was a tragedy on the other side of the world A tsunami results from an earthquake that happens deep under the sea. It is difficult for scientists to predict tsunamis, and no one can stop them from happening. Many tsunamis are so minor that few people even notice them. But when large blocks of land under the ocean move, they push the water out of its place with tremendous force. Land shifting miles under the ocean causes devastating waves that rush toward the shore with little warning. The water has to go somewhere, and it rolls violently toward land, gaining strength along the way. ‘On December 26, 2004, an earthquake shuddered the earth 39off the northwest coast of the Indonesian island of Sumatra. ‘This triggered a series of enormous waves that pushed to land along the nations in the Indian Ocean. Some waves were eighty feet tall, an unstoppable, powerful moving wall of water. Coastal populations were wiped out within minutes in parts of Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, and Thailand. Many other countries suffered smaller numbers of deaths, In total, over 275,000 people were killed in a matter of hours. The 2004 tsunami was the deac ‘one recorded in human history. In addition to the loss of life, the tsunami destroyed whole villages and transportation systems. Survivors suffered immediate food shortages, Thousands of people were injured and required medical attention. Businesses were destroyed, putting large numbers of people out of work, Fresh water was in short supply. Disease began to spread rapidly. More than a million people ‘were left homeless, with no food and no place to live. Without. immediate humanitarian help, disease and hunger could take thousands more lives. How Many Is That? To understand the number of people who died in the tsunami, imagine that an entire U.S. city disappeared in one day. imagine that Raleigh, North Carolina, or Buffalo, New York, were submerged in water, Suppose that Louisville, Kentucky, or Riverside, California, ceased to exist. Then try to imagine the numer of people who became homeless that day. Suppose everyone in North and South Dakota suddenly had 1no place to live, Imagine that all the homes in the state of Maine were destroyed, or that everyone in Rhode Isiand had to find a new way to earn money to live. What if all of Nebraska had no safe drinking waiter? ‘What if Rhode isiand didn't have a hospital or a single school? The devastation of the 2004 tsunami was enormous, It called for an ‘enormous humanitarian response. 40 INDIAN OCEAN Countries affected by the tsunami, While a few countries took the brunt of the devastation, its powerful foree was felt thousands of miles away, President George W. Bush called upon the two presidents who had served before him to work together. Their new project was not political; it was humanitarian, Both of the former presidents wanted to do whatever they could to relieve the suffering of millions of people. Their job was to raise money to help the people in Asia. When he introduced the unlikely pair, President Bush said that the biggest source of generosity in the United States was not the government, but the hearts of the American people. The government had already promised $350 million, but President Bush asked every American to donate something, Former presidents Bush and Clinton would travel in the United States to help people understand the need for donations. In cities across the nation, they would speak about the ways that individuals could make a difference. They would ask private citizens to donate to charities that were already providing relief to victims of the tsunami, They would also travel to Asia to see the areas destroyed by the tsunami and meet with people who would benefit from 442 American generosity. ‘Two months later, the three presidents stood together again ‘to report on their progress. Americans had donated nearly a billion dollars to the cause. As former presidents Bush and Clinton traveled together, they saw the kindness of Americans ‘everywhere they went. They had been political rivals in the 1992 presidential election. But they made a very successful team when they worked together for a humanitarian cause. ‘A few months later, Bush and Clinton announced some of ‘the ways that Americans’ money would be put to work to meet emergency needs and rebuild southeast Asia, Projects included: + food and safe drinking water __* temporary housing + schools and scholarships health clinics and hospitals + wells * children’s playgrounds * fishing boats and equipment. Eight months after the tsunami in Asia, disaster struck in the United States. On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina pounded against the Gulf Coast. Cities in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama suffered devastating damage within hours New Orleans, Louisiana, flooded because it lies below sea level. ‘The wind force of the hurricane and the pressure of the waves broke the barriers holding back the sea, and the city was soon under water, The storm caused over $80 billion in damage, and more than 1,800 people lost their lives. Millions more watched as all the pieces of their lives were destroyed. They no longer had a house +o live in or a job to go to. Emergency services could nat keep up with the need, ‘Once again, President George W. Bush called upon the two best fundraisers he could think of—former presidents George H. ‘W. Bush and Bill Clinton. Together, they established the Bush- Former presidents George H. W. Bush (left) and William J. Clinton (right) put aside political differences in order to help people in need. Clinton Katrina Fund. Americans could donate directly to this fund, Bush and Clinton would oversee the fund and make sure the money was used to help the people who needed it most. ‘The Bush-Clinton Katrina Fund focused on three areas. The fund intended to 1. help people be able to support themselves financially. 2, create new jobs in the area hit by the hurricane. 3. improve quality of life for people living in the hurricane area. Americans once again poured out their hearts and opened their wallets to people in need, this time in their own country. About $130 million flowed into the fund from all 50 states and around the world. Thousands of people gave small gifts because 43they knew every penny counted. Some foreign governments gave millions of dollars. Companies of all sizes contributed. Even children donated money. As the months went on and the contributions continued, Bush and Clinton announced some of the ways that the money was helping people. The Fund did not give money to individuals. Instead, it worked with partners within a community who understood what the community needed most, For instance, the Fund supported Habitat for Humanity and the National Housing Partnership Foundation in helping low-income families build homes. It also partnered with Operation Hope to provide financial counseling to individuals. The Fund also supported City Year Louisiana, 2 community service program that recruited young adults to help with building projects. An organization called Global Green repaired schools in New Orleans. These are just a few of the organizations the Bush-Clinton Fund worked with. Projects included + health services, especially children’s. + schools * colleges and universities * houses of worship * cultural programs * thousands of homes + sewer, water, and gas utilities * afterschool programs George H.W, Bush and Bill Clinton rarely agreed about political issues, One was a Republican, the other a Democrat. They had once battled each other for the presidency of the United States. It would be easy to understand if they never became friends or wanted to work together. But both leaders were able to put aside their personal opinions and work together on a humanitarian cause. The needs of millions of people, whether overseas or in our own country, are not a political issue. They are a human issue. These two leaders came together to respond to human. needs, and led the nation in opening the hearts of Americans to help people whose faces they would never see. Part 3: A Better Life for All Chapter 6: Thomas Jefferson Education for All ‘Thomas Jefferson lived a long time before the invention of photocopy machines. But he liked to write letters, and he liked to keep copies of them. Writing everything two times would take too long. To solve his problem, Jefferson invented a machine that would allow him to write with one quill pen while another pen wrote the same thing on a second sheet of paper. Jefferson also kept detailed daily notes of his life. Because Jefferson kept such good records, historians have been able to study the words and ideas of one of the greatest presidents of the United States. ‘Thomas Jefferson was born April 13, 1743, in Virginia, He lived his entire life in his beloved state. His father owned a plantation. ‘Thomas learned to read, write, and keep farm accounts, He also learned how to survey land and other skills needed for running a plantation. ‘The younger Jefferson attended the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, Williamsburg was a center for 4546 politics and culture in the British colonies. Everything around him interested Thomas, After college, he studied law and watched the way the government of Virginia worked. In 1767, ‘Thomas Jefferson qualified to become a lawyer and pursue his interest in government. ‘The next year, Jefferson was elected to the Virginia House of Burgesses. On the ninth day of meeting together, representatives from all over Virginia passed a resolution. ‘They agreed that they had the right to tax the people of the colony, and the British government did not. This was the first. important document Jefferson ever signed, As a young man, he was already on the path that would make him part of a great moment of American history. Jefferson married Martha Wayles Skelton and the couple settled into Monticello, a grand plantation home Jefferson was building, As their family grew with children, Thomas's interest in politics grew. When a group of colonists in Boston, Massachusetts, protested a British tax on tea that came into Boston Harbor, the Virginia House of Burgesses supported the Bostonians, Along with other Virginia leaders, Jefferson called. for a Continental Congress. Jefferson was not a strong public speaker, but he had strong writing skills, He is most famous for writing the Declaration of Independence. This document declared that the American colonies were independent of the British government. Members of the Second Continental Congress signed the Declaration in 1776. Boldly signing this document made them all traitors to England's king and launched the American Revolutionary War. ‘A new country was born. In 1779, the people of Virginia elected Jefferson to be their governor, He worked hard to send food, equipment, and soldiers to the battlefronts, When the war ended, Jefferson served as the first secretary of state undler President George Washington. In 1797, Jefferson became vice president of the United States. In 1801, he was elected as the third president and served two terms. One of Jefferson's greatest achievements was the Louisiana Purchase. In this agreement with France, Jefferson doubled the size of United States land and opened the way for westward expansion, He sent Meriwether Lewis and William Clark to explore the unknown territory. Jefferson continued to use his writing skills to create documents and laws to guide the growth of the United States. After eight years as president, Jefferson retired to Monticello, his beloved home. His wife had died, but Jefferson had children and grandchildren to surround him on his plantation. At the age of 74, Jefferson began work on one of his greatest achievements. For years he had dreamed of a system of education that would include every child in Virginia, He wrote about his ideas in letters to his friends. Jefferson believed in freeclom. He had given his entire career to the goal of establishing a free nation, One more freedom frontier remained. Jefferson believed true freedom in the new country could not flourish unless citizens were educated and understood the choices they made. Jefferson himself had enjoyed a good education because he came from a wealthy family. That eclucation allowed him to participate in establishing a new country and deciding how the country would govern itself. Now he wanted to provide edueation for every child in Virginia, rich or poor. Education would uncover the talents hidden by poverty and lack of opportunity. Thomas Jefferson's plan for public education included free elementary schools, high schools, and a state university. Primary schools would teach reading, writing, arithmetic, and geography. This basic education would give every citizen the ability to conduct the daily business of life, Older children would 4748 study grammar, history, mathematics, science, Greek, and Latin. University students would study advanced courses in all subjects. By 1818, Jefferson had persuaded the Virginia legislature to provide money to educate poor elementary students and to begin building the University of Virginia. His goal was to divide the state of Vin ia into smaller districts and have an elementary school in every district. High schools, called district colleges, ‘would be within a day’s travel. The university would be in the center of the state, Jefferson remained personally involved in every part of planning the university. He surveyed the land himself and drew architectural drawings of the buildings. He calculated the supplies needed for construction. Jefferson also looked for great teachers. He sent assistants to Europe to search for scholars willing to come to America and teach at the University of Virginia. At the time, universities offered studies only in the fields of medicine, law, and religion. Jefferson wanted a school that would offer study in any area. Astronomy, botany, architecture, and political science were just some of the fields of study the University of Virginia offered, ‘The university opened in March 1825. Jefferson often invited students and professors to Monticello for dinner. The man who had penned the Declaration of Independence, helped to birth a nation, and served as its president considered the new university the greatest achievement of his life. At the age of 80, Jefferson's health began to fail. He died on July 4, 1826. This was the fiftieth anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The free nation he had helped to found was half a century old, To Jefferson, true freedom was the freedom of the mind. People should be free to pursue truth and make their own judgments about the things that matter in their lives. People need an education to help them know how to read, think, and make decisions. Chapter 7: Franklin D, Roosevelt Climbing Out of the Depression Slowly but steadily, a father forced his feet to move forward. He leaned heavily on his son with one arm, With the other arm, he leaned on a crutch, Now he was just a few steps away from the platform, The braces on his legs helped to support him, ‘Thousands of people were waiting to hear him give a speech. ‘The man reached the platform at last. Franklin Delano Roosevelt set his crutches aside. He gripped the speaking stand with his hands, Standing up, he began his, speech, His job that night was to nominate his old friend Alfred ‘Smith for president, Roosevelt spoke before the Democratic ional Convention. Franklin Delano Roosevelt was born in Hyde Park, New York, on January 30, 1882. His parents were wealthy and gave their only child the best of everything, His father was the president of a railroad company, His mother taught him to read, «As Franklin 49grew, nannies and tutors taught him school subjects at home. When he was fourteen, Franklin began attending Groton School. When he was older, he went to Harvard University, where he worked for the school newspaper. During his college years, many things in Franklin's life changed. His father died, and Franklin fell in love. Eleanor Roosevelt was a distant cousin. Franklin and Eleanor had even played together as children. Now that they were older, Franklin and Eleanor began to think about spending their lives together, Eleanor worked with poor immigrant children at the Rivington Street Settlement House. She once took Franklin there, and he saw the poverty the people lived in, He saw a side of New York life he had never seen in his own wealthy background. ‘On March 17, 1905, Franklin and Eleanor were married, ‘Together they had six children, Sadly, one little boy died while he was just a baby. Roosevelt passed his bar exam in 1907 and began working as, a lawyer. But he didn’t aways want to be a lawyer. Roosevelt had his eye on political office. In 1910, he ran for the New York State Senate, No one expected him to win, but he campaigned hard. His work paid off. Roosevelt won the election. Two years later he was elected again. During the 1912 election, Roosevelt had supported Woodrow Wilson to be president of the United States. Now Wilson called on Roosevelt to be the assistant secretary of the US. Navy. He inspected ships and naval stations and made sure the Navy had the supplies it needed. In 1920, Roosevelt entered national politics. He was a candidate for vice president of the United States, but lost. He returned to private life and formed a law partnership. Franklin enjoyed a comfortable life. On weekends, the family went to Hyde Park, where he had grown up. In the summer, they went to Campobello on the Canadian coast. On a summer afternoon in 1921, at age 39, Roosevelt’ life changed forever. Roosevelt had spent the day sailing and swimming with his children, In the afternoon, his muscles began to ache, He felt too tired to get dressed and have dinner. Instead, he went to bed early. ‘The next morning, Roosevelt still did not feel well. A doctor came and decided that he simply had a bad cold. However, Roosevelt's condition got worse. His fever soared, and he suffered stabbing pains in his legs. Another doctor realized that he had a much more serious condition than a cold. Roosevelt had polio, which causes paralysis. At the time, no one knew what caused polio or how to treat it. Franklin and Theodore The United States has had two presidents named Roosevelt. “Theodore Roosevelt was president from 1901 to 1909. Franklin Delano Roasevelt served from 1933 to 1945. Both served as state senators for New York. Both served as assistant secretary of the US. Navy. Both served as governor of New York State. And both were elected president. The two men were distant cousins. Frantklin’s wife, Eleanor, was ‘the daughter of Theodore's brother. The president often invited his niece to play at the White House. Because both her parents had died while she was a child, President Roosevelt walked his niece Eleanor down the aisle at her wedding to Franklin. Roosevelt rested for a few weeks but did not improve, Eleanor decided to move her husband to a hospital in New, York City. Roosevelt was determined that he would not be helpless. He would fight back with everything he had. For hours every day, he exercised his muscles. Throughout his illness, he believed that he would be walking again within a few 51Eleanor Roosevelt became welll known and admired for her own humanitarian work, She was also a writer and speaker on nany subjects months. He discovered that swimming in warm spring water seemed te help, and gradually he was able to move his legs a little bit. However, Roosevelt finally had to admit that he was not going to be able to walk again, He was fitted with leg braces that he wore for the rest of his life. Crutches and a wheelchair became part of his daily routine. A question that both Franklin and Eleanor wondered about was his future in politics. Would Franklin ever be able to run for office? Would anyone vote for him now? ‘Then Governor Alfred Smith of New York decided to run. for president. He asked Franklin Delano Roosevelt to give the speech to nominate him. This would be the first chance Roosevelt had to show people that he had fought back against polio, This was the first chance to show people he was not going to spend the rest of his life in bed feeling sorry for himself. With the help of his son James, Roosevelt appeared on the platorm and made the nomination. The speech made delegates to the convention cheer and applaud. Smith did not win the nomination, but everyone noticed Franklin Delano Roosevelt. March of Dimes From the 1920s to the 1950s, polio was a frightening disease. In 1938, President Franklin D. Roosevelt founded the National Foundation for infantile Paralysis. Roosevelt and entertainer Eddie Cantor urged the American people to take a “March of Dimes.” People all over the country sent more than two million dimes to ‘the White House to help fight polio. The March of Dimes funded research, and in 1955 Dr. jonas Salk discovered a vaccine. Today the March of Dimes continues to raise money for research to fight diseases that affect children, In 1928, Roosevelt’ old friend Al Smith asked him to run for governor of New York, At first, Roosevelt refused. He wanted to spend the year trying to regain strength in his legs, But ‘Smith insisted. Eventually, Roosevelt agreed. Most of the work of being governor was mental work, and his brain was working fine! Roosevelt campaigned hard all over the state. On election day, the vote was close. But Roosevelt won! He was now the governor of New York State. When the stock market crashed in 1929, the Depression began all over the United States. Banks and businesses had no money, Stock in a company wasn't worth very much money. More and more people lost their jobs and had no money. Roosevelt threw himself into the job of trying to fixthese problems in his own state. He set up the Temporary Emergency Relief Administration (TERA) to create jobs for people in New York. Workers built roads and parks. New York became the first state to fight unemployment with government programs. Roosevelt also started a group called a “brain trust” He often gathered these people at the governor's mansion to discuss the problems the state faced. After an evening of discussion, Roosevelt would have some ideas about what he was going to do to solve a problem. Around the country, 12 million people were out of work People everywhere took notice of the unique programs in New York. As the 1932 presidential election approached, Roosevelt was the leading Democratic candidate. ‘Once again, Roosevelt made his way to a podium with his crutches. This time he was there to accept the nomination for president. Roosevelt won a landslide victory against Herbert Hoover. Hoover was president when the Depression started, and some people blamed him for the trouble the country had. Roosevelt was a fresh face with fresh ideas. The country was ready for change. On March 4, 1983, Franklin Delano Roosevelt took the oath of office and became the 324 president of the United States. With Americans all over the nation listening to their radios, Roosevelt said, “... the only thing we have to fear is fear itself” President Roosevelt offered the American people a “New Deal” to make everyone's lives better. Just as he had done as governor of New York, he addressed the pressing need to put people to work. He intended to act quickly and firmly. The country could not tolerate wishy-washy leadership. From the start, the new president wanted to connect with the American people who elected him. He was the first president to take advantage of radio technology on a regular basis. Sixty million people listened to his first “fireside chat.’ He quickly became known for the down-to-earth way he talked about the problems that the country faced and explained his ideas. Another feature of his presidency was press conferences. In the past, presidents had asked reporters to submit their questions in writing. Roosevelt allowed reporters to come to the White House and fire questions at him, He answered them right then and there. ‘Through the fireside chats and press conferences, the new president made sure that he was in touch with the people. He made sure the people understood how he was trying to help them, He made sure everyone knew what the New Deal was. Just as he had as governor of New York, President Roosevelt called on the best minds he could find. He invited the brightest men and women he could find to come to Washington to help him with the New Deal, This new “brain trust” was not just for one state, but for the entire country. ‘The new president knew that he had to work fast. By this time, Americans had been suffering the effects of the Depression for several years. ‘They were anxious for change, for a better life. Roosevelt called a special session of Congress. In the first one hundred days of his presidency, he passed. a record number of new laws. All of these programs were aimed at making life better for Americans. Lawmakers were desperate to bring change. They were willing to do just, about anything the president asked for. Nearly every day, Congress passed a law that had started in the White House as Roosevelt's idea. ‘The first aspect of the New Deal was “relief” This was immediate action to keep the nation’s economy from getting, any worse. Almost immediately, Roosevelt announced the Emergency Banking Bill. All banks were closed for a few 55.56 days to give them a chance to sort out their problems. In the next few weeks, Roosevelt went to Congress for one law after another that would make banking safer for everyone. People needed to be able to trust the banks. Banks that had money reopened, Others went out of business permanently. Roosevelt launched programs that would give people jobs, just as he had done in New York State. The Federal Emergency Relief Act (FERA) provided five hundred million dollars for direct help to states and cities suffering during the Depression. The il Works Administration (CWA) provided short-term jobs on government projects, such as repairing roads and bridges. Workers also built schools and libraries. ‘The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) gave jobs in road construction and forest work. Workers planted trees, fought fires, and built ranger stations, The government paid the workers a dollar a day, plus food, shelter, and clothing. Roosevelt's plan was to help money start flowing through the economy again. If workers in these programs had money, they could spend it in local businesses, As local businesses improved, more jobs would open up once again, In addition to immediate relief, Roosevelt had a plan for “recovery? He launched programs that would build demand for certain kinds of goods and services. Under the Works Progress Administration (WPA), not only did people do physical labor to improve the country, they also promoted American culture. The WPA gave work to artists, writers, and musicians. WPA workers recorded folk songs and prepared historical documents, Artists painted murals, and writers wrote guides to every US. state. Actors and musicians performed plays and concerts for millions, of people, The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) was created to build dams in seven Southern states, Flooding devastated the valley, and millions of people lived without electricity, The work of the TVA would control flooding and provide inexpensive hydroelectric power. The Agricultural Adjustment Administration (AAA) helped farmers receive better prices for their crops. The National Recovery Administration (NRA) allowed each type of business to draw up rules for fair competition. This program guaranteed workers would be paid fairly for the work that they diel. In addition to relief and recovery, the New Deal introduced “reform!” Roosevelt wanted to make lasting change in key areas, He was the president to introduce Social Security, a government program that assures that retired people will receive money to live on, The Social Security Act also included unemployment insurance. Workers who lost their jobs would collect government payments while they looked for new jobs. Another important reform was the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). The FDIC insured the money that people put in the bank, If the bank went out of business, people would still get their money back from the government. ‘The Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) was established to monitor activity in the stock market. The SEC would watch to make sure no one was trading stocks in an illegal way. Most of the agencies and programs Roosevelt started were known by their initials. Even Roosevelt became known by his initials, FDR. Some people even joked that he was making alphabet soup! It was hard to keep track of everything that was going on, But the programs were making a difference. While the New Deal did not end the Depression, it seemed as if the crisis had passed. However, not everyone was pleased with Roosevelt's program. To help pay for his alphabet soup, Congress passed a tax law that raised taxes for big corporations and wealthy people. Roosevelt was accused of interfering too much in business. He was accused of doing too much for people so they didn't 87have to do anything for themselves. Roosevelt's critics thought government was getting too big and had too much influence in people's lives. President Roosevelt knew he was spending a lot of government money—more money than the government had. But he insisted he was doing it to keep people from starving, He seemed to be a president who was in touch with the average American, even though he himself was wealthy. Some of his wealthy friends thought he had turned his back on them by getting so involved with the problems of people who had less money. Roosevelt was not looking out for what was good for just a few people, He cared about what was good for many people. His goal was to give every American a better life. When the 1936 presidential election came around, Roosevelt was enormously popular, He easily won reelection, Though he had his critics, and many problems remained unsolved, the people had spoken. Most people believed that their lives were better than they had been four years earlier. They wanted the New Deal to continue. Halfway through Roosevelt's second term, war was brewing in Europe. Adolf Hitler had risen to power in Germany. His policies threatened the peace of the continent, In Asia, Japan invaded other Countries, Dietators wanted to expand their power, Most Americans did not support the leaders of Germany or Japan. However, they did not want to get involved in troubles between other countries. ‘The United States remained neutral when World War Il began in 1939, President Roosevelt agreed the United States should not get involved in a war. However, President Roosevelt's concern increased over time. While Roosevelt did not want to enter the war, he did want to help the countries threatened by Germany and Japan, He saw that the world would become a dangerous place if Germany and Japan won the war, Before Franklin Delano Roosevelt, no American president had 58 ever served more than two terms. No law stopped Roosevelt from. running again. When German troops took over France in 1940, Roosevelt made up his mind, He would run again for president so that he could try to do something about the war in Europe, President for How Long? George Washington, the first American president, served two terms, He chose not to serve a third term. His example became an Unwritten rule that presidents should not bein office more than two terms. Franklin Delano Roosevelt was the first president to challenge the rule when he ran for a third term in 1940, and a fourth term in 1944, Soon after Roosevelt's death in 1945, politicians proposed an ‘amendment to the US. Constitution. In 1951, enough states approved the amendment, and it became low. Since then, presidents have been limited to two terms in office. By this time, the Germans were attacking England. France had surrendered to Germany. England was on its own to fight the Germans. Winston Churchill, prime minister of England, pleaded with President Roosevelt to help. Still, the United States officially: remained neutral. Roosevelt had to be creative about how he could help. He arranged to transfer fifty old destroyer ships to England, The British navy would use the ships to fight the Germans. Roosevelt knew he was risking the election, If the American people did not approve of this decision, they would not vote for him again. But he felt he could not wait another day to help the countries of Europe, especially England. On election day, Roosevelt easily won a third term as president, Still, the United States remained officially neutral in the war. Again, Roosevelt had to be creative in order to help. He went to Congress with the Lend-Lease bill. This law would allow the60 United States to provide war materials to Britain without entering the war itself, Congress approved overwhelmingly. On December 7, 1941, Japanese bombers attacked the U.S. naval base in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. More than 2,000 Americans were killed and many others wounded, The next day, Roosevelt stood before Congress. It took only half an hour for Congress to declare war on Japan. ‘The United States had entered World War Il With the entrance of the United States into the war, the tide began to turn, President Roosevelt worked with Winston Churchill and other world leaders to plan a strategy to win the war once and for all. By the end of 1944, victory was in sight~and so was another presidential election. Once again, Roosevelt decided to run, and once again, he won the election. However, he did not live to see the victory in Europe. Only a few months after he took the presidential oath for the fourth time, Roosevelt complained of a headache and slumped in his chair. Within hours he had died from a massive cerebral hemorrhage. Roosevelt was buried in Hyde Park, New York, where he had been bora. ‘As the only American president to serve more than twelve years, Roosevelt is remembered as the president who led the nation through the Depression and then through World War IL The American people voted for him repeatedly because they saw him as a leader during a time of crisis. He was a leader who wanted a better life for Americans, and a better world for Americans to live in. Chapter 8: Jimmy Carter The President Picks Up a Hammer ‘The bus pulled up in Americus, Georgia. A crowd of people gathered around, ready to board the bus. Along with their clothes and personal belongings, they also took with them tools and building supplies. They were headed for New York City, more than a thousand miles away. In New York they would hammer and saw and clean houses. When they were finished, 19 families would have a better place to live. Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter were among the people who got on the bus that day. Like everyone else on the bus, they were ready to spend a week working hard alongside families. to build new homes. What made them different was that Jimmy was a former president of the United States. James Earl Carter Jr. pane was born on October bas 1, 1924, in Plains, Georgia. Right from the start his parents called him Jimmy. Over the next few years, Jimmy became the big brother to two little brothers and a sister. ‘The Carter family Relies feted 61