Have you ever wondered who writes presidential speeches? This course examines the changes in presidential speechwriting, from the earliest speechwriters in George Washington’s administration to contemporary speechwriters. Yes, Hamilton did help Washington write his Farewell Address. But, no, Lincoln did not write the Gettysburg Address on the back of an envelope. We will examine the process used by a wide range of presidents and look at copies of speechwriting drafts from FDR, Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Carter, and George H.W. Bush. We will view video and audio clips from speeches and from former White House speechwriters describing the process.