Kit Documents
Media Constructions of Presidential Campaigns
High School through College - this kit helps to teach about the role of media in 28 U.S. elections ranging from 1800-2008. Over 160 media documents are included for decoding, including slides of posters, handbills and political cartoons; audio clips of songs and radio programs; and video clips of speeches, debates, comedy TV and political commercials. Students will learn how to analyze historical documents, the history of presidential campaigns, the crafting and marketing of campaign messages, and the impact of new technologies and new media on presidential campaigns.
All materials are free and classroom-ready, including: overviews, teacher guides, handouts, assessments, and all digital media.
- To download all materials, use the Action navigation button below. To download particular lessons only, navigate to and select the particular lesson to display the individual elements.
- To purchase a flash drive with all print material and digital files, please contact 607-274-3471.
1800 Portrait of Thomas Jefferson
1800 Portrait of John Adams
1800 Connecticut Courant Editorial
1800 Letter from Alexander Hamilton
1800 Jefferson Banner
1800 "The Providential Detection" Cartoon
1828 Jackson on His Way to Washington
1828 "The Hunters of Kentucky" Song
1828 Coffin Handbill
1828 "Little Wat Ye Wha's A-Comin" Song
1832 Aristocrat/Workingman Cartoon
1832 King Andrew Handbill
1840 Quote from Baltimore Republican
1840 The Log Cabin Newspaper Banner
1840 Whig Party Parade
1840 Tippecanoe and Tyler Too Song
1840 Democratic-Republican Party Newspaper Ad
1840 "Rock-A-Bye Baby Daddy's a Whig" Song
1860 Lincoln Douglas Debates Image
1860 Lincoln Douglas Debate Headline
1860 Lincoln/Hamlin Campaign Poster
1860 Douglas "Taking the Stump" Cartoon
1864 Gettysburg Address
1864 Four Newspaper Reports on the Gettysburg Address
1864 "Lincoln-Ruin/McClelland- Peace" Poster
1868 Harper's Weekly Cover, "The First Vote"
1868 "White Man's Government" Nast Cartoon
1868 Democratic Parade Image
1868 Grant "Let Us Have Peace" Emblem
1872 "Greeley and Tweed" Nast Cartoon
1872 Grant "The Working-Man's Banner"
1896 Bryan "Cross of Gold" Poster
1896 McKinley Front Porch Visitors Photograph
1896 McKinley "The Real Issue" Poster
1900 Bryan "The Issue-1900" Poster
1900 McKinley/Roosevelt "Promises" Poster
1900 McKinley and Millionaire Advisor Cartoon
1904 Parker "Jeffersonian Principles" Poster
1904 Debs "Socialist Party" Poster
1904 Photo of Roosevelt Stumping and "Teddy's Teeth" Ad
1904 Teddy Roosevelt "New Diplomacy" Cartoon
1908 "Taft-evelt" Poster and Photo of Taft & Roosevelt
1908 Commoner vs Plutocrat Postcard
1908 Taft Haying Photograph
1932 "Happy Days Are Here Again" Song
1932 "The Girl I Love is a Democrat" Sheet Music
1932 "Don't Change Now" Poster
1936 "Fireside Chat" Radio Clip
1936 "Makers of History" Cartoon
1936 "An Attack on the New Deal" Cartoon
1940 FDR Poster and Willkie Sticker
1940 Willkie-Roosevelt Button Collage
1944 "Our Friend" Poster
1944 FDR "Fala Speech"
1952 Nixon Checkers Speech
1952 Nixon Postcard
1952 "Eisenhower Answers America" TV Commercial
1952 "Vote Stevenson" TV Commercial
1952 Stevenson Photo and Buttons from '56
1956 Republican Comic Book
1956 Democratic Convention Program Cover
1960 Nixon-Kennedy Debate
1960 Kennedy's Address to Ministerial Conference
1960 Race Against Communism Broadside
1964 Goldwater "We Will Bury You" TV Commercial
1964 Johnson "Daisy Girl" TV Commercial
1964 Campaign Button Collage
1964 Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party Testimony
1968 LBJ and Vietnam Poster
1968 Robert Kennedy with Cesar Chavez Article
1968 "Nixon's the One" Poster
1968 Humphrey "Some Talk Change" Poster
1968 Humphrey "Man on the Street" Commercial
1968 Nixon "Law and Order" Commercial
1968 Wallace "Law and Order" Commercial
1972 "Together with McGovern" Poster
1972 McGovern & Nixon Commercials
1972 Photo of Campaign Workers with Brochures
1972 "Landslide" Cartoon
1984 Time Covers Reagan "Man of the Year"
1984 Reagan "Morning in America" TV Commercial
1984 Mondale "Trade Deficit" Commercial
1984 Time Ferraro Interview
1984 Reagan a Bear in the Woodside Commercial
1988 Newsweek Cover, Jesse Jackson, and Poll Results
1988 Bush Revolving Door Commercial
1988 Dukakis Packaging Commercial
1988 Dukakis Tank Ride Photo & Bush Dukakis Tank Ride Commercial
1992 Clinton Journey Commercial
1992 Bush What am I Fighting For Commercial
1992 Bush & Clinton's Arkansas Commercials
1992 Bush & Clinton Arkansas Commercials Teacher Guide
1992 Bush & Clinton Arkansas Commercials Answer Guide
1992 Bush & Clinton Arkansas Commercials Student Handout
1992 Bush & Clinton Arkansas Commercials Student Worksheet
1992 Bush & Clinton Arkansas Commercials Video Clip 3a
1992 Bush & Clinton Arkansas Commercials Video Clip 3b
Supplemental Resources
1992 Time Cover, Clinton
1992 Campaigns & Elections Magazine Cover
2000 Music Performances at Conventions
2000 Biographical Films
2000 Election Campaign Commercials
2000 Newsmagazine Photos and Articles
2000 Gore-Bush 1st Debate
2000 Saturday Night Live Debate Skit
2000 Gore and Bush Intro to Saturday Night Live
2000 Newsweek Cover, "The Winner Is..."
2000 Convention Entrances
2000 Election Campaign Websites
2000 Comic Strips
2000 Where is the Salsa? Article
2000 Newsweek Sidebar "Faith is Busting Out All Over"
2000 News Photo of Handmade Signs
2004 Spin/Counter-Spin: Speeches, Articles, Ads & Websites
2004 Howard Dean Iowa Speech
2004 MoveOn.org "Child's Pay" Commercial
2004 Swift Boat Veterans for Truth Commercial
2004 Photo Ops and Counter Ops
2004 Doonesbury & Boondocks Comic Strips
2004 Targeting Latinos Commercials
2004 Election Campaign Websites
2008 Biographical Films
2008 Economy Ads
2008 Fear in TV Commercials
2008 Hillary Clinton & Sarah Palin in Cartoons & Posters
2008 Historical Election Magazine Covers
2008 Targeting Youth with New Media
2008 Is Obama a Muslim? Sources & Credibility
2008 Political Satire or Libel?
NOTE: Activities are available related to the 2016 Presidential Campaign & The Trump Presidency by selecting the link below.
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