Save Our History

Presidential Yacht: The USS Sequoia

She was classified as the presidential yacht for seven presidents from 1932-1977 and designated a national landmark in 1988. This one-hour documentary explores the Sequoia from the dining room where JFK celebrated his 46th and final birthday, to the rear deck where Nixon made his decision to resign, and looks at the efforts undertaken to keep this “White House of the waterways” afloat.

National Standards
This teacher’s guide fulfills the following National Standards for History in the Schools: Historical Understanding Standards 1,2,3,4 and 5 for United States History grades 5-12 (Era 10).

Curriculum Links
Save Our History: Presidential Yact: The USS Sequoia is suitable for classes on American history and culture, social studies, maritime history, and historic preservation.

Pre-viewing activities
1. Create a Timeline: The USS Sequoia was built in 1925 and her history covers three-quarters of a century. Many historic figures set foot on her decks. What events and changes took place during that time period? Students may create a timeline beginning in 1925 and ending in 1977, when the Navy decommissioned the Sequoia.
2. Identify historical figures: Who were the following people, and why do we remember them?
Herbert Hoover, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, Harry S. Truman, Lyndon Baines Johnson, John Fitzgerald Kennedy, Richard Nixon, Leonid Brezhnev, Jimmy Carter, Mikhail Gorbachev

Discussion Questions

  1. Think about how objects and places, such as houses, battlefields, and boats, help us understand history. What can something like a boat, that doesn’t have any words or tell a story in a traditional way, teach us about the people and events of its time? Make a list of the kinds of “clues” you can look for to learn about a historic place. What can you see in the pictures of the USS Sequoia? What can those clues tell you about the people who used the yacht?

  2. Many famous politicians visited the Sequoia. Who were some of them, and what issues did they discuss? Do you think the yacht was a good place for political meetings? Why or why not?

  3. The USS Sequoia is a real boat, but it is also a symbol. Twice during its life as the presidential yacht the Sequoia was seen as an example of a lifestyle that no longer suited the mood and experience of the American public. When were these two times? What had happened to make the yacht seem inappropriate, and what kind of role did the yacht play in how people might have perceived the President? What happened as a result?

  4. All of those meetings and parties aboard the Sequoia took a lot of work to plan and host! Who worked on the yacht? What kinds of preparation would a political meeting or party require? Make a list of the different jobs the crewmembers did.

  5. The USS Sequoia does not go out to sea. Instead, it sails on inland waters and is designed so that it can go in shallow water. What is the Intercoastal Waterway? Look at a map of the United States and trace some possible routes the Sequoia might take. What places could you visit if you were sailing on this kind of vessel?
Extended Activities

  1. Imagine you have been invited to a meeting or party on the Sequoia. Pick a year between 1932 and 1977, when Sequoia was the presidential yacht. Write an essay about your pretend visit. What year did you pick? Why? Which President are you going to meet? What topics will you discuss? Who else might be on the yacht with you?

  2. Write a one-page biography about one of the people who visited or used the Sequoia.
Related Videos
Primary Sources
  • Visit the USS Sequoia Presidential Yacht Official Website, http://www.sequoiayacht.com

Air Dates

Classroom Materials