Media Construction of Presidential Campaigns
A Document-Based History Kit, 3rd Edition
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 Students will learn how to analyze historical documents, the history of presidential campaigns, the crafting and marketing of campaign messages, and the impact of new technologies and new media on presidential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 classroom-ready, including: teacher guides, student handouts, overviews, assessments, resource lists, and more than 140 historic media documents.
- To order hard copy, click here.
- To download entire 516-page teacher guide with all print materials, click here.
SPECIAL NOTE: This kit has a custom Facebook page associated with it (like it with the box to the right). This page features a myriad of resources which include questions, polls, additional articles, and a library of images. These specialized fan pages also give you the opportunity to connect with other educators, from around the world, who are also using this particular kit. You can also directly interact with the staff of Project Look Sharp to ask questions or just engage in discussion.
To download slideshows, or video or audio materials, go to each unit below.
NOTE: To view the quicktime clips provided below, you may need to install the free media player Quicktime on your computer. Visit Apple for download instructions.
1800 |
1828-1840 |
1860-1872 |
1896-1908 |
1932-1944
1952-1964 |
1968-1972 |
1984-1992 |
2000-2008
2000-2008: Targeting the Spin
Access each lesson individually below or download entire unit above. To download audio or video clips, click on icons below.
2000: Republican Convention Brooks & Dunn Music
2000: Democratic Convention Mickey Hart Music
2000: Republican Convention Bush Biographical Film
2000: Democratic Convention Gore Biographical Film
2000: Bush "Dangerous World" TV Commercial
2000: Gore "Happy Thanksgiving" TV Commercial
2000: Nader "Priceless" TV Commercial
2000: Newsweek Gore with African American Women; Bush with Oprah
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…"
2004: Spin/Counter-Spin: Speeches, Articles, Ads & Web Sites
2004: Howard Dean Iowa Speech
2004: Excerpt from Howard Dean Iowa Speech (Audio Only)
2004: MoveOn.org "Child's Pay" TV Commercial
2004: Swift Boat Veterans for Truth TV Commercial
2004: Photo Ops and Counter Ops
2004: "Doonesbury" and "Boondocks" Comic Strips
2004: Kerry "Graduation" TV Commercial
2004: Bush "Mi Familia" TV Commercial
2004: Bush and Kerry Web Sites
2008: Republican Convention, McCain Biography
2008: Democratic Convention, Obama Biography
2008: Obama "Out of Touch" Commercial
2008: McCain "Dome" Commercial
2008: Clinton "3 A.M." Commercial
2008: DNC "100 Years" Commercial
2008: American Issues Project "Know Enough" Commercial
2008: Clinton & 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?







