Richard Nixon rose swiftly in the political sphere. Using the timeline layout, have students detail Nixon’s rise to the presidential office. Students will be able to explain and analyze how Nixon rose to the executive office, as well as what major events contributed to his eventual election. Students should highlight both his political successes and failures, as well as what positions Nixon held before becoming president. Students should also be made aware of what issues constructed Nixon’s platform as president, as well as what influenced his ideas and policies.
For an alternative to the timeline layout, have students create a timeline poster to incorporate into a presentation or gallery walk. You can add more than one template to this assignment to give students lots of options, and update the instructions accordingly.
Extended Activity
Have students create a timeline of Nixon’s actions as vice president under Dwight D. Eisenhower. This will give students a more expansive look at Nixon before he became president. Furthermore, it will allow students to go deeper into his political background and what influenced his actions in the future as president.
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Student Instructions
Create a timeline detailing Richard Nixon's rise to presidency.
Simulate a campaign to help students understand the strategies and platforms that contributed to Nixon’s rise. This hands-on approach will make historical concepts more memorable and relatable for your class.
Organize your class into small groups, assigning each team to represent Nixon or an opponent. This structure creates collaborative learning and lets students analyze different perspectives from the 1968 election.
Guide each team to research key issues from Nixon’s campaign, then have them craft their own campaign platform. Encourage students to use historical sources and to justify their positions with facts.
Ask teams to design posters, slogans, and short speeches supporting their platform. This allows students to creatively express political messages and practice persuasive communication skills.
Facilitate campaign presentations and a mock election, then lead a discussion about strategies, successes, and challenges. This reflection helps students connect historical events to modern political processes.
Key events in Richard Nixon's rise include his service as a U.S. Representative, U.S. Senator, and Vice President under Dwight D. Eisenhower. His anticommunist stance, significant political debates, and involvement in major domestic and foreign issues helped shape his path to becoming president in 1968.
Students can create a timeline by identifying major milestones in Nixon’s career, such as elections, policy achievements, and setbacks. Using templates or posters, they can illustrate each event with descriptions and visuals, making the timeline engaging for classroom presentations or gallery walks.
Before his presidency, Richard Nixon served as a U.S. Representative (California), U.S. Senator, and Vice President under President Dwight D. Eisenhower from 1953 to 1961.
Nixon's presidential platform focused on law and order, ending the Vietnam War, strong anticommunism, and economic reforms. He was influenced by Cold War politics and domestic unrest in the 1960s.
Engaging methods include timeline activities, poster projects, and gallery walks. Offering multiple templates and creative options helps students visualize Nixon’s political journey and analyze key events in his career.