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The American Presidency
Origins and Development, 1776–2025
Tenth Edition
- Sidney M. Milkis - University of Virginia, USA
- Michael Nelson - Rhodes College, USA
September 2026 | 632 pages | CQ Press
The American Presidency examines the constitutional foundation of the executive office and the social, economic, political, and international forces that have reshaped it along with the influence individual presidents have had. Authors Sidney Milkis and Michael Nelson look at each presidency broadly, focusing on how individual presidents have sought to navigate the complex and ever-changing terrain of the executive office and revealing the major developments that launched a modern presidency at the dawn of the twentieth century. By connecting presidential conduct to the defining eras of American history and the larger context of politics and government in the United States, this award-winning book offers perspective and insight on the limitations and possibilities of presidential power.
Preface
Chapter 1: The Constitutional Convention
Chapter 2: Creating the Presidency
Chapter 3: Bringing the Constitutional Presidency to Life
Chapter 4: The Triumph of Jeffersonianism
Chapter 5: The Age of Jackson
Chapter 6: The Presidency of Abraham Lincoln
Chapter 7: The Reaction against Presidential Power
Chapter 8: Progressive Politics and Executive Power
Chapter 9: The Triumph of Conservative Republicanism
Chapter 10: The Consolidation of the Modern Presidency
Chapter 11: Personalizing the Presidency
Chapter 12: A Restoration of Presidential Power?
Chapter 13: George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Unilateral Presidential Power
Chapter 14: The Perils of Presidentialism: Trump 45, Biden 46 Trump 47
Chapter 15: The Vice Presidency
Appendix
