Plot Synopsis

THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO THE PRESIDENTS chronicles the history of the 43 men who have held the highest office in America. Starting with George Washington and ending with Barack Obama, this series follows the POTUS' groundbreaking precedents, declarations of war, and life-changing enactments of law. Each 60-minute episode features an era of American history, including: 1789 - 1825, as the Founding Fathers produced a government that was a big experiment with three branches -- a Court, a Congress and an Executive; 1825 - 1849, during which the country's six presidents reflected its sometimes uneasy transition from old traditions to an expansion of land, influence and opportunity; 1849 - 1865, when the country finally addressed the issue of slavery, as Lincoln used the Presidency to defend freedom and the Union -- at any cost; 1865 - 1901, during a post-Civil War period when a series of weak Presidents lacked any vision for the future and showed little interest in real leadership; 1899 - 1921, as one President took back the reigns from Congress and the deep pockets of Big Industry, which had dictated the course for the nation, resulting in a growing chasm between the rich and poor; 1921 - 1945, when the country was poised to roar economically after World War I and then suffered a setback during the Depression, allowing one strong leader to set the table for presidential power in the 20th century; 1945 - 1964, during a post-World War II era when America emerged as a superpower during the Cold War, putting a nuclear target on the United States and fear in its people about the spread of Communism; and 1965 - 2013, a period during which the office has been burdened by the personal failings of the men who occupied the office, while the Presidents guided an indifferent public through the end of the Cold War and the beginning of the war on terrorism. History Channel aired double episodes of this eight-part series on four consecutive nights, from January 15th through January 18th, 2013, just prior to the 2013 Presidential Inauguration.