Through the Eyes of An Average American

Attending the inauguration of the President of the United States is a once-in-a-lifetime event. My wife, Teresa, and I had the privilege of attending the inauguration of Bill Clinton on January 20, 1997. These pages comprise a chronicle of that event as seen through the eyes of an average American. I hope to achieve the following objectives in developing them:

• To describe the unfolding of an historical event as an eyewitness for those unable to witness the event themselves.
• To outline the effects of a political and historical event on the average citizen and its implications for the general citizenry.
• To promote discussion about the presidential inauguration as a symbol of the American democratic process.

The account of our experiences is divided into three sections (images are clickable):

The Swearing-In Ceremony	The Inaugural Parade
The Inaugural Ball

When possible, resources on the Internet dealing with the inauguration have been linked to these pages so that these images and ideas can be used in conjunction with teaching and learning activities at home or in the classroom.

We hope these pages teach, amuse, and inform, as well as give pause for reflection. If you are moved to comment on them, please send your feedback via e-mail to George Cassutto at georgecassutto@hotmail.com