The State of the Union’s Evolution | Democracy Minute

The style and substance of the State of the Union has evolved greatly since President George Washington’s first address in 1790. The president’s words matter, but as much as politics is about issues it is also about connections with voters, especially as the speech has become a televised event. The weight of this is especially true in the wake of the January 6, 2021 attacks as explained in this segment, which was produced around that time.

Explore the themes of this segment and support materials by analyzing the most recent State of the Union address.