First Round Action Complete--Top Seeds Stroll to Round of 32

Mr. Kevin Walsh's United States History Class opened up play in the Most Influential Tournament Bracket with 20 first round match ups.  Of the 20 match ups, 16 were won by higher seeds.  Teddy Roosevelt was the runaway winner of the first round as he jumped all over poor Ulyssess S. Grant who never saw the attack coming.  "I haven't been that surprised since Lee doubled back at Petersberg".  Grant said.  Other big winners were Jackie Robinson running all over labor leader Samuel Gompers.  Franklin Roosevelt scored a convincing win over Lyndon Johnson and #8 seed Upton Sinclair posted a very convincing victory over #9 seed W.E.B. Dubouis.

Three double digit seeds advanced to the round of 32.  The dreaded 5-12 match up in the Social Activist match-up saw John Brown go on the offensive against Elizabeth Cady Stanton.  The old abolitionist was up to the challenge and advances.  The highest seed to advance was #13 Sam Walton who knocked off #4 seed Henry Clay.  The Great Compromiser had nothing for the king of the cost cutting Sam Walton in the Wild Card Bracket.  Finally, #10 seed John F. Kennedy pulled off a surprising upset of WWI president Woodrow Wilson.  Kennedy had a strong push late in the day.  It wasn't exactly "Dewey defeats Truman" stuff but Kennedy made a nice comeback. Speaking of Truman, he bowed out against Ronald Reagan in opening round action.

It was good to be a heroic sports figure as Babe Ruth, Muhammad Ali, and Jackie Robinson all advanced pretty easily to the round of 32.

Winners in the presidents division:  Reagan, Teddy Roosevelt., Franklin Roosevelt, James Madison, and John Kennedy.

Winner in the Wild Card division:  Mark Twain, Walt Disney, Sam Walton, Babe Ruth, Muhammad Ali.

Winner of the Innovators bracket:  Wright Brothers, Albert Einstein, Henry Ford, Bill Gates, and Robert Oppenheimer.

Winner in the Social Activist bracket:  Upton Sinclair, John Brown, Eleanor Roosevelt, Earl Warren, and Jackie Robinson

Check out the brackets below:

The Most Influential American Tournament Is Back!!

The culminating activity in my American History Class will be the Most Influential American Bracket.  This tournament features four brackets--the presidents, the social activists, the innovators, and a wildcard bracket.  Congratulations to our top seeds (as voted on by my three U.S. History Classes) Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King, Thomas Edison, and Steve Jobs.  Members of the classes will compete against each other to try and survive and advance March Madness style.

Stay connected to this blog for updated bracket and tourney wrap up.

There will be 20 first round match-ups voted on Tuesday December 2.

Ryan Kopp Cuts Down The Nets

Congrats to junior Ryan Kopp who masterly maneuvered Thomas Edison to the championship of the Most Influential American Tournament.  Kopp led Thomas Edison from the #1 seed  in the Innovators bracket and knocked of Alexander Graham Bell, Andrew Carnegie, and Henry Ford to advance to the Final Four.  In the semifinals, Kopp led Edison to an upset of Martin Luther King and then knocked off Teddy Roosevelt in the championship matchup.

Here is a picture of Ryan cutting down the nets

Ryan as Thomas Edison himself

Our Most Influential American Is Crowned

An esteemed panel of judges were the final selectors in the Most Influential American contest as the judges watched the Touchcast presentations of our finalists Teddy Roosevelt and Thomas Edison.  While both presentations were creative with their characters, props, and backgrounds and the vote was close (4-3).  Congratulations to the winner of the Most Influential American tournament--THOMAS EDISON and his presenter Ryan Kopp.

Click on Thomas Edison to see Ryan's Touchcast Presentation.  Pay attention to the special effect at the end!

If you want to celebrate our tournament with an NCAA version of One Shining Moment

Championship Is Set As Edison and Teddy Roosevelt Advance

In the semifinals of the Most Influential American tournament, upstart Teddy Roosevelt knocked off filmmaker Steven Spielberg in a tight matchup.  The ol' Bull Moose distanced himself from the director of ET with a strong second period push.  Roosevelt advances to the championship game against the father of electricity Thomas Edison.  Edison knocked off Martin Luther King thanks to a bright finish in his Touchast presentation.

A panel of outstanding educators will watch the final two Touchcast presentations and decide on our first annual Most Influential American.

View the two Touchcast Presentations...
Thomas Edison  vs.  Teddy Roosevelt

The champion will be announced tonight at 7:00 p.m.

The final four is set!
Here are your semifinal matchups!  In the matchup of the President's bracket vs. the Wildcard bracket, Teddy Roosevelt matches up with filmmaker Steven Spielberg.  In the matchup of the Social Activist bracket vs. the Innovator bracket, Martin Luther King matches up against Thomas Edison.

Click on each semifinalists name for their TOUCHCAST video

Semifinal #1 Teddy Roosevelt   vs.  Steven Spielberg

Semifinal #2  Martin Luther King vs. Thomas Edison

We will vote on the two semifinals at the beginning of class and then vote for our champion at the end of the class.

King, Edison, Spielberg, and Teddy Roosevelt Advance to Final Four

The Final Four is set in the Most Influential American Bracket as Teddy Roosevelt leads the field as the upstart 12 seed in the Presidents' Bracket.  Roosevelt benefited from an early upset of powerhouse Abe Lincoln and has been unchallenged since.  The father of our country George Washington was no match Roosevelt and his impressive legacy as a Roughrider, a conservationist, and a progressive.  Roosevelt has a ton of momentum heading into the final four.  

10 seed Steven Spielberg surprised many with his victory over Steven Jobs.  The Wildcard bracket appeared to be the easiest route to the final four with a controversial Thomas Paine as a two seed and though popular, Walt Disney was no dominant force as the one seed.  Spielberg moved past Jobs to head into the final four.  His run in this tournament is the stuff that movies are made of.  Will Spielberg's script have a happy ending?

The first of two #1 seeds to advance was Martin Luther King.  King's role in race relations and the Civil Rights movement still resonate with "the kids" as he has rarely been challenged in his advancement to the final four.  King will be a tough out for any opponent and it appears that he has a great chance to capture the inaugural Most Influential American title.

The second #1 seed to advance is Thomas Edison.  Edison has been flying under the radar but his body of work is impressive and if he can continue to build on his resume, he will challenge King in one of the semifinal contests.

The final four and championship rounds will be on Monday April 7.