Elections: Franklin D Roosevelt:

Quote of the Day:

The only thing we have to fear is fear itself. - Franklin D Roosevelt

Let us never forget that government is  ourselves and not an alien power over us. The ultimate rulers of our democracy are not a President and senators and congressmen and government officials, but the voters of this country. - Franklin D Roosevelt

Day 12 VoCaBulary:

state

secret

politics

pick

district

convention

donation

fundraising

Franklin D Roosevelt:

Franklin Delano Roosevelt was the 32nd president of the United States, serving from 1933 until 1945. Roosevelt was born to a wealthy family on January 30, 1882 in Hyde, New York. Often called FDR, Roosevelt was elected to the US presidency for an unprecedented four terms, more than any other president. He helped lift America out of the Great Depression by establishing many government programs, including farm relief, Social Security, unemployment insurance and work-relief programs.  In World War II the  United States tried to remain neutral , but after Pearl Harbor, America entered the war, helping defend the allies against Germany and Japan. Weakened by polio, which he contracted in 1921, FDR died before the war ended.

Discovering Elections:

Whom did President Franklin Roosevelt have to campaign against when he ran for president of the US? FDR campaigned against Herbert C. Hoover in 1932.

What are the two animal mascots for the main American political parties, and how did they become mascots? The Democratic Donkey and the Republican Elephant:

The now-famous Democratic donkey was first associated with Democrat Andrew Jackson's 1828 presidential campaign. His opponents called him a jackass (a donkey), and Jackson decided to use the image of the strong-willed animal on his campaign posters. Later, cartoonist Thomas Nast used the Democratic donkey in newspaper cartoons and made the symbol famous. 

Nast invented another famous symbol—the Republican elephant. In a cartoon that appeared in Harper's Weekly in 1874, Nast drew a donkey clothed in lion's skin, scaring away all the animals at the zoo. One of those animals, the elephant, was labeled “The Republican Vote.” That's all it took for the elephant to become associated with the Republican Party.

Democrats today say the donkey is smart and brave, while Republicans say the elephant is strong and dignified.

During a presidential campaign, what happens after the primaries and caucuses are over and the political parties gather together to choose their national candidate? What are these meetings call and what happens there?

The national convention is one of the most important responsibilities of the national committee. Held once every four years, the national convention is where party members nominate their candidates for president and vice president of the United States. In addition, the Party's National Platform is voted on and adopted at the Convention. The platform is supposed to reflect the values and priorities of the Party and Americans in general; and serves as a guide for the party's Presidential candidate as well as its candidates at every level of the ticket.

When are the two main political party conventions schedules to be held this year and where will they be held?