Summary
Presidential elections are the centerpiece of American democracy, as citizens go to the polls every four years to choose a new leader. Prior to the election of George Washington in 1789, no country in the world had ever peacefully transferred power in a national election. Today, we take this for granted, as American elections have become a model for the entire world. For more than 200 years, candidates have campaigned for the highest office in the land, debating the major issues facing the country, capturing the attention of the voters, and reflecting the will of the people. The presidential campaign of 2008—the 56th in American history—culminating in the election of Barack Obama, was the most significant event of the year, and many presidential elections, especially those of 1800, 1828, 1860, 1896, 1912, 1932, 1960, and 1980, have been turning points in American history.
History of American Presidential Elections: 1789-2008, Fourth Edition is an authoritative, completely up-to-date reference set featuring articles on every presidential election in American history, concluding with the groundbreaking election of 2008. All of the articles are written by distinguished historians and provide a solid history of the campaigns, conventions, and candidates. Edited by noted presidential historians Gil Troy, Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr., and Fred L. Israel, this comprehensive three-volume set includes complete voting returns by state, electoral maps, and additional statistical data covering all 56 presidential elections in U.S. history. Each article has been completely updated, and detailed chronologies and comprehensive overviews cover every election. With a wide assortment of outstanding articles and useful features, such as chronologies, overviews, and bibliographies, History of American Presidential Elections: 1789-2008, Fourth Edition is destined to become the definitive reference on the subject.
Specifications
Black-and-white illustrations. Maps. Tables. Index. Appendix. Bibliography. Chronologies. Overviews. In three volumes.
About the Author(s)
Editor Gil Troy, Ph.D., is Full Professor of History at McGill University in Montreal and a Visiting Scholar affiliated with the Bipartisan Policy Center in Washington, D.C. He received his doctorate in American History from Harvard University and has written numerous books on presidential history, including The Reagan Revolution: A Very Short Introduction, Leading from the Center: Why Moderates Make the Best Presidents, Hillary Rodham Clinton: Polarizing First Lady, and Morning in America: How Ronald Reagan Invented the 1980s. Troy is also the author of Mr. and Mrs. President: From the Trumans to the Clintons and See How They Ran: The Changing Role of the Presidential Candidate.
Editor Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr. was the author of more than a dozen books, including The Age of Jackson, The Vital Center, The Age of Roosevelt, A Thousand Days: John F. Kennedy in the White House, Robert Kennedy and His Times, The Cycles of American History, and The Imperial Presidency. Schlesinger served as Special Assistant to President Kennedy from 1961 to 1963. His numerous awards included the Pulitzer Prize for History, the Pulitzer Prize for Biography, two National Book Awards, the Bancroft Prize, and the American Academy of Arts and Letters Gold Medal for History.
Editor Fred L. Israel, Ph.D., is the coauthor of Facts On File's Winning the White House 2008: The Gallup Poll, Public Opinion, and the Presidency. He is also author of Nevada's Key Pittman and has edited The War Diaries of Breckinridge Long and Major Peace Treaties of Modern History, 1648-2000. He holds the Scribe's Award from the American Bar Association for his joint editorship of Facts On File's Justices of the United States Supreme Court.