How to Honor Past Presidents on President's Day

President's Day is officially known as Washington's Birthday, though it expanded in the popular mind because Abraham Lincoln's birthday falls very close to his (Washington was born on February 22, Lincoln on February 12). Nowadays, it acts to honor both those men, and the other 41 who have served as our country's president. A few simple steps can help you honor past presidents—great and otherwise—on the holiday set aside for it.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Prize for trivia game

1. Read or study a biography of a past U.S. president. There are numerous texts available on both Washington and Lincoln, as well as other U.S. presidents. Find out the facts behind some of the legends surrounding them and learn how they were able to accomplish what they did.
2. Find a historic site connected to a U.S. president and schedule a visit. Birthplaces, presidential libraries, and the sites of important speeches or events can make an excellent and informative outing for President's Day.
3. Read as many famous presidential speeches as you can, such as the Gettysburg Address or Kennedy's "Ich bin ein Berliner" speech, and pick a favorite.
4. Educate yourself on some of the lesser-known presidents, such as Tyler and Hayes. Find out what issues they grappled with and try to ascertain what factors prevented them accomplishing more during their time in office.
5. Draw up a list of all 43 presidents and find one lasting contribution each one made that can be seen in our country today. For those like Washington and Lincoln, the list is easy. But try it with William Henry Harrison, who died after only 40 days in office!
6. Pick a recent president (within the last 20 years or so) whom you disliked or voted against. Find five accomplishments in his record that you agreed with or that you thought helped the country in the long run.
7. Create a presidential trivia game, covering little-known facts about different presidents and details about the office such as powers and duties and the line of succession. See how many of your friends can answer all the questions correctly and give out a prize to the one who performs the best.

Tips & Warnings

• President's Day is intended to honor the best examples of our past leaders, but one of the things that makes America great is our ability to question the people in charge without fear. It might make a good exercise to look at some of the foibles of our most beloved presidents as well as their great works, and see how even men like Washington and Lincoln could sometimes make mistakes.