How does one's upbringing influence their future? Objective 1. To explain the role the Taft family played in the 19th and 20th centuries and the effect their civic participation had on the country; 2. To describe how Taft's family background influenced his success in achieving the posts of president of the United States and chief justice of the Supreme Court; 3. To examine how Taft's occupations before the presidency prepared him for his most prominent positions; 4. To compare the leadership qualities of current figures with members of the Taft family. Preparation High atop one of Cincinnati's Duration: 90 Minutes.