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Over 500 colour photographs

• A comprehensive visual encyclopedia of every American president, from George Washington to the incoming new incumbent of the White House in 2009



• An insightful guide to the role of the president, from the Founding Fathers and the framing of the US constitution to the wide-ranging executive powers of the office today



• Each president is presented within the context of major social, political and economic events and developments that have helped to shape the course of world history



• Special feature boxes present all the factual information about each president, including their path to the presidency, social, political, and religious backgrounds



• Contains more than 500 stunning photographs, fine art paintings, contemporary sketches, watercolours and maps

This unparalleled illustrated reference book is a fascinating guide to the 43 (soon to be 44) statesmen that have held the highest-ranking political office in the United States’ government.

The book opens with a brief history of the events that led to the 13 colonies declaring independence from Britain, and recounts the details of how a new union of states was forged. Fearing the tyranny of King George III the Founding Fathers divided the power of government between three key institutions, the President, the Supreme Court and the Houses of Congress.

Beginning with George Washington, this stunningly illustrated book provides an in-depth analysis of each of the statesmen that have held office, their politics and personalities, and how each has shaped and been defined by the role. It looks at the way in which presidential powers have developed in scope and responsibility. As ceremonial head of state, head of government, and commander-in-chief of the armed forces, the office of president is invested with powers that make it one of the most influential in the world.

Of the 43 incumbents, many are synonymous with major events of world history such as Abraham Lincoln and the emancipation of the slaves, Teddy Roosevelt and the building of the Panama Canal, or Franklin Roosevelt and the New Deal. Some presidents have disappeared quietly from office, while others have courted controversy, been assassinated or impeached. Key facts about each president, their term in office and their life stories are presented in context with domestic and international events.

More than 500 photographs, fine art paintings, contemporary sketches, election campaign posters and documents illustrate this authoritative volume.

About the Authors

Jon Roper - Author

Professor Jon Roper studied for a BA honours degree in philosophy, politics and economics at St Catherine¹s College, Oxford, and for a doctorate at Georgetown University, Washington, before becoming a lecturer in the Department of Political Theory and Government at Swansea University. In 1996 he was made head of the Department for American Studies and was appointed professor of the department in 2005. He has a special interest in the American presidency, the Impact of War on American Politics, and Society and Anglo-American Political Ideas. Dr Roper is the author of The Contours of American Politics (Polity Press), The American Presidents: Heroic Leadership from Kennedy to Clinton (Edinburgh University Press), and Democracy and Its Critics: Anglo-American Democratic Thought in the Nineteenth Century (Unwin Hyman). He has edited several books on American political history and contributed to many others.