History of the Electoral College and Why It Still Exists Today

Learn the history behind the creation of the Electoral College, its role in the election of the president, and the reasons why it still exists today in this episode of Why It Matters, the history video series where the past is used to explain the present. Why It Matters host Malick Mercier interviews historian Dr. Alexander Keyssar about the creation of the Electoral College, a compromise crafted by the Framers of the Constitution in 1787 and the subject of controversy ever since. When Americans cast their vote for the president, it is in fact the Electoral College’s vote that officially elects the next president.

Why It Matters, the history series where we use the past to explain the present, is an original digital video series from GBH Education. Designed to engage youth audiences, Why It Matters digs into the history of compelling and engaging topics that have continued relevance today. The goal of the series is to help students make connections between the past and present, and in so doing, broaden and deepen their understanding of current day events within a historical context.

What is the Electoral College?: https://pbslearningmedia.org/resource...

GBH Education is dedicated to fostering a brighter future for all children and their communities. Our mission involves in-depth collaboration with communities to research, develop, and distribute high-quality, media-integrated educational content. We create media resources and programs for both the formal classroom and informal learning spaces. As a key contributor to PBS LearningMedia, a digital learning service offering free, standards-aligned videos, interactives, and lesson plans across subjects for K-12 teachers and students, we are committed to advancing equitable learning and development.

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