Grade John Quincy Adams’s Legislative Success, Appointments, and the Executive Office of the President:In this area you will evaluate a president’s management of the executive office of the president (White House staff, advisors, aides, cabinet members, and federal agencies), the president’s level of success in terms of convincing congress to pass the president’s legislative agenda, and the quality of the president’s federal appointments (judicial and otherwise). While every president has an agenda, not every president is able to successfully guide their agenda items through congress; your job is to determine how well a president does that. This category considers the ability of presidents to surround themselves with quality people and their ability to assign judgeships and federal positions effectively.

Grade Zachary Taylor’s Public Relations, Communication, and Charisma:Public relations and communication refer to the ability of a president to effectively connect with the American people, convey the president’s agenda and the current affairs of state to the public, and rally Americans in times of crisis. Presidents also sometimes make gaffes or slips in speech that can damage the presidency or unnerve the American people – you also need to consider if presidents make these mistakes. This category also asks you to consider the charisma of the president. In other words, is the president charming, likeable, personable, and photogenic/television-friendly. These qualities not only influence a president’s popularity, but also the president’s ability to establish a connection with the public and advance the presidential agenda.

Millard Fillmore’s Overall Grade As President:After you have evaluated the president in each category, you will be asked to assign an overall grade. In the feedback for this category, you will need to justify which qualities and categories you found to be the defining aspect or aspects of the presidency. This is not an exercise to just average out the total grades from the other categories; instead, you need to provide greater weight to categories that helped define that particular person’s presidency. While this is a subjective exercise, you do need to give answers that are justifiable, both in the grade that you assign and in terms of what you prioritize for the overall grade. Make sure to provide lots of evidence to support your decision.

Grade Martin Van Buren’s Integrity:Integrity refers to the president’s honesty, lack of corruption, and strong moral principles (or the opposite of these things). You will be asked to examine if the president had scandals, underhanded dealings, or if they misled the American people. Consider whether the president made decisions guided by a strong moral compass or if they committed extra-legal abuses of power. Evaluate how the president’s integrity affected the person’s ability to effectively run the country (for example, was a personal scandal a distraction? Did political corruption prevent effective governance? Did a commitment to integrity actually limit the president’s power?).

George Washington’s Overall Grade As President:After you have evaluated the president in each category, you will be asked to assign an overall grade. In the feedback for this category, you will need to justify which qualities and categories you found to be the defining aspect or aspects of the presidency. This is not an exercise to just average out the total grades from the other categories; instead, you need to provide greater weight to categories that helped define that particular person’s presidency. While this is a subjective exercise, you do need to give answers that are justifiable, both in the grade that you assign and in terms of what you prioritize for the overall grade. Make sure to provide lots of evidence to support your decision.

William Henry Harrison’s Economic Policy:Economics relate to the president’s handling and management of the country’s economy, labor relations, taxes and tariffs, domestic and foreign trade, business regulations, protections for workers, the American standard of living, and the federal budget (government expenditures and deficits). When examining a president’s handling of the economy, consider the economic situation inherited by the president (for example, consider if the economy and economic issues improve or decline during the person’s presidential tenure). Try to evaluate how the president responds to the economic situation of the era – does this person effectively address economic problems like inflation or unemployment during economic crises? – Does this person manage the economy well during an economic boom? Keep the context in mind as you assign this grade.

Grade John Quincy Adams’s Integrity:Integrity refers to the president’s honesty, lack of corruption, and strong moral principles (or the opposite of these things). You will be asked to examine if the president had scandals, underhanded dealings, or if they misled the American people. Consider whether the president made decisions guided by a strong moral compass or if they committed extra-legal abuses of power. Evaluate how the president’s integrity affected the person’s ability to effectively run the country (for example, was a personal scandal a distraction? Did political corruption prevent effective governance? Did a commitment to integrity actually limit the president’s power?).

Grade John Quincy Adams’s Foreign Policy:Foreign policies include all legislation, political agendas, attitudes, and activities relating to the United States’ relations with other countries and international organizations. This area includes issues relating to diplomacy, statecraft, military and warfare, foreign trade and agreements, alliances with foreign powers, and activities relating to international organizations. Like domestic policies, this is a sweeping category and one that should be given considerable attention while grading your presidential report card

John Adams’s Overall Grade As President:After you have evaluated the president in each category, you will be asked to assign an overall grade. In the feedback for this category, you will need to justify which qualities and categories you found to be the defining aspect or aspects of the presidency. This is not an exercise to just average out the total grades from the other categories; instead, you need to provide greater weight to categories that helped define that particular person’s presidency. While this is a subjective exercise, you do need to give answers that are justifiable, both in the grade that you assign and in terms of what you prioritize for the overall grade. Make sure to provide lots of evidence to support your decision.

Grade James Monroe’s Economic Policy:Economics relate to the president’s handling and management of the country’s economy, labor relations, taxes and tariffs, domestic and foreign trade, business regulations, protections for workers, the American standard of living, and the federal budget (government expenditures and deficits). When examining a president’s handling of the economy, consider the economic situation inherited by the president (for example, consider if the economy and economic issues improve or decline during the person’s presidential tenure). Try to evaluate how the president responds to the economic situation of the era – does this person effectively address economic problems like inflation or unemployment during economic crises? – Does this person manage the economy well during an economic boom? Keep the context in mind as you assign this grade.