Inauguration Day Is Here!

The inauguration of the President of the United States is a ceremony to mark the commencement of a new term of a president of the United States.  Most historians believe this is the most peaceful political transition of power from one leader to another, and they are not far off!  Since 1789, there have been 44 presidents of the United States and on January 20 at noon, Donald Trump will be sworn in by Chief Justice John Roberts as #45.  The 2016 Election was certainly "unprecedented", as stated by CNN reporters, and I will absolutely agree that I've never seen an election like this.  When John Adams lost the presidency to Thomas Jefferson in 1800, it marked the first time in US History that a political party would lose its power and transfer it to another.  In 1824, a political outsider, Andrew Jackson, ran with hardly any political experience and ran on a ticket that promised to look out for the "common man."  In 1860, Abraham Lincoln promised not to interfere with the institution of slavery and simply wanted to prevent slavery from moving westward, and then in 1861 shots were fired, which led to the most divisive war in US history.  In 1937, President-elect, FDR, wanted the inauguration date of March 4 to be pushed forward to January so the president could "get to work sooner" as he tried to save the financial collapse known as the Great Depression.  On January 20, 2017, Donald Trump will assume the presidency with a Republican controlled Congress.  Trump will also have the ability to appoint a Supreme Court Justice, which is a rarity for presidents.  Trump will also enter the office as the fifth president to win the Electoral College and not receive the majority of the popular vote (Jackson '24, Hayes '76, '88 Cleveland, Bush '00, and now Trump '16).  

I have an assignment for you as we watch the presidential inauguration...I want you to provide me with THREE things you learned or found interesting about the inauguration ceremony...

I also want (on the same paper) a minimum one-paragraph reflection on Trump's inauguration and inaugural address.  You may share your political and personal opinion!

This assignment is a HW grade due Friday, Jan. 27