LAD/Blog #21: Emancipation Proclamation

Summary:
Lincoln's proclamation was made on January 1, 1863.  He proclaims that all slaves in the states rebelling against the Union are now free, and that it is now the government's duty to preserve and maintain their freedom if anyone refuses to acknowledge it.  These slaves have now been given their freedom back, and can and will be treated as such people.  Lincoln also makes it clear that these free slaves can join the army if they so desire, to fight back and help preserve the Union.  With more rights, now these former slaves can live their lives and earn wages for themselves from a job.  Lincoln even lists several states that the proclamation applies to, as to avoid any confusion or controversy by the people and the government.  He does lay down some limits though, saying that these now free slaves should not be involved in any unnecessary violent unless it is for their own defense.  Lincoln firmly believes in this decision of his, saying that this was a step in the right direction for the US, and that it would be carried out immediately.

Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation of 1863 was actually quite similar to the Declaration of Independence of 1776.  For example, both of these significant documents dealt with issues of freedoms and the will of the people.  In the Declaration of Independence, the people of America declared themselves as free from Great Britain, because they believed this was the best choice for them, given the circumstances.  Similarly, Lincoln's proclamation stated that slaves in rebelling states were now free, and he made this decision with the best interest of the Union in mind, as the Civil War was still raging on at this time. 

LAD/Blog #20: Lincoln's 2nd Inaugural Address

 

Summary: 

Lincoln's 2nd inaugural address was shorter than the first one, since the initial oath had already taken place.  He reflects on how previously, four years ago, all focus and attention went towards the potential of civil war.  Lincoln explains how he viewed everyone to be on the same page, trying to avoid the potential of upcoming war.  Both parties seemed to be against the war, but ultimately were further against keeping the nation together the way it was, and so the war went on.  With one eighth of the country's population belonging to slaves, it was unsurprising that there was conflict, mainly in the South.  Both parties, while against the Union in some way, also looked for a different way to solve the conflict, though, one that did not involve war.  Lincoln explains how the previous prayers to God seem to have been ignored, yet he still has faith that this war will not end in two separate countries, and that God continues to listen to their pleas.  The president ends his speech by saying that he believes God will allow them to continue their fight for unity, and help them establish national peace.  

Washington's Inaugural Address was very similar and different to Lincoln's 2nd Inaugural Address.  For example, both speeches discussed ideals of unity and peace, and potential or existing conflict.  Washington's address warned the country of potential conflicts with other countries outside of the US, saying that the best thing for the country would be to remain neutral.  The irony, within Lincoln's speech, is that the conflict is within the US itself, and this war was not brought on by any foreign affairs.  Both addresses discuss these issues that the US has, and stress the importance of not letting those issues divide the United States.

LAD/Blog #19: The Dred Scott Decision

Dred Scott V. Sanford
The Dred Scott case began in 1847.  The case was later taken to the Supreme Court in 1857.  Scott was a slave in the South, mistreated and unable to read.  During his life he married another slave, Harriet Robinson, and had two children.  His owner, John Emerson, was married to Irene Sanford.  When Emerson died, Scott and his family were under the control of Sanford, who often lent them out to other families if she did not have a currently use for them.  The court case was created when Scott and his family filed suit against Sanford for their freedom in 1846.  He had lived in free territories before but had never tried to be completely free, and felt that it was about time he earned his freedom.  With no money or education, it was fairly hard for Scott to achieve this on his own, but he thankfully had the support of his first (previous) owner.  The Supreme Court ultimately ruled that a slave, even in a free state or non-slave territory, would still not be deserving of freedom or citizenship.  Besides this, the Supreme Court also ruled that the Missouri Compromise of 1820, which stated that territories west of Missouri and north of 36°30' latitude line were free states, was now unconstitutional.  This decision pushed the US even further towards civil war, bring lots of debates and controversy.  Chief Justice Roger Taney, in making his decision, ignored the written guidelines of the Constitution, and many people believed that he was biased in his ruling and beliefs about African American citizenship.  Nevertheless, Taney stuck to his opinions that a slave remained a slave even in free territories, and that they would never be citizens of the United States. 

The Supreme Court cases Dred Scott V. Sanford and Plessy V. Ferguson were very similar.  Both cases dealt with issues of unequal rights.  Scott fought for his freedom from slavery, but unfortunately did not receive it due to Roger Taney's ruling.  The issue of slavery remained in the US for years to come, bringing on the Civil War and many smaller conflicts as well.  In Plessy V. Ferguson, the idea of "separate but equal" was created, as discrimination grew more prominent in the US.  However, the similarity lies within the reality, that things indeed were separate for white and black people, but they were not equal at all.  Both of these cases were extremely controversial, and revolved around issues regarding civil liberties and rights.

LAD/Blog #18: Sojourner Truth's "Ain't I a Woman" Speech

Summary:Sojourner Truth delivered her "Ain't I a Woman" speech in 1851 at the Women's Convention at Akron, Ohio.  She starts off her speech by giving examples of how men think women should be treated, like helping them out of carriages.  Then, she goes on to say how no men have ever done something like that for herself, even though she is a woman.  However, Truth isn't complaining.  Instead, she is proving that women like herself, and others, are capable of doing the exact same things as men, without the help of men either.  She argues that women can do whatever men can do, such as eat large amounts of food and do the heavy lifting at work.  It is evident in her speech that Truth speaks with passion, and the injustices in the world drive her to make a change.  She talks about how even though many men use Christ as an example for male superiority, that Christ was created by both a man and a women, whom should have equal rights.  Lastly, Truth states how now is the time for all women to make a change, and the men in the world better be prepared and ready for it, to accept it.

Both Sojourner Truth and Rosa Parks stood against injustices in the world, mainly against women.  Truth delivered a very powerful speech, while Parks fought for her right as a woman and as an African American.  Parks argued that she had the right to sit in the front of the bus, and should not have to give her seat up to someone else just because the color of their skin was light.  Truth argued that all women should have equal rights to those that men have.  Both of these very powerful women took a stand and helped to transform the world into a better place.

LAD/Blog #17: Frederick Douglass' "5th of July" Speech

Summary:
In his speech on July 5th, Frederick Douglass discusses what the Fourth of July means to slaves, compared to the majority of Americans.  He starts off by acknowledging the greatness of the men who came before him and created the Declaration of Independence.  Douglass was asked to speak about the values within this declaration, and how they relate to the issue of slavery.  He finds it quite unfair that whites are given a day to celebrate their independence while African Americans are still fighting for theirs.  The day may hold celebrations for whites, but holds mourning and loss for slaves.  Moving away from the specific date, Douglass speaks passionately about how he and other slaves have been treated, describing the horrors he has seen and experienced.  He calls the soul of the nation black due to this holiday they celebrate, and even explicitly states how he has not been making any of this up or exaggerating, but rather is telling the truth about the country.  Douglass proudly defends the Negro race, saying that they are the same as any other man.  The declaration already stated that equality was a right to every man, and Douglass reminds people of this and how slavery contradicts it.  To a slave, the celebration of July 4th is just rubbing salt in the wound. 

Frederick Douglass' Fourth of July speech on the Fifth of July is very similar to Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have A Dream" speech.  Both men spoke very passionately about their cause, which led more and more people to see their perspective or change their own opinions.  Both men also talked about the need for equal rights in America.  Douglass talked about the misuse of slavery and how much it contradicted the Declaration of Independence, while King talked about the unfair discrimination still present in the nation where separate but equal was really not equal at all.  Both men fought for their cause, doing their own part to make a change in the world.

LAD/Blog #16: Lincoln's Gettysburg Address

Summary:
In President Lincoln's famous Gettysburg Address,  he talks about the Civil War raging on within America.  Tracing back to the beginning, Lincoln reminds the people of why this new nation was created in the first place, and how it was created under a sense of unity and liberty, with all men equal.  He says that this war is just a test of how well a nation really can survive under those claims that may no longer fully exist in the nation.  Lincoln knows that this country has come too far, and that they must not forget those who came before them and fought for that sense of unity and freedom.  He also acknowledges those who have fought so far in the Civil War, saying that their deaths will not be for nothing.  Under this, Lincoln's final statement says that the people here and now must step up and fight for what they believe in, which he believes will ultimately end in the preservation of the union and its initial values.

President Lincoln's Gettysburg Address can be easily related back to the original Declaration of Independence in 1776.  A lot of Lincoln's address is based off of the original declaration, saying that the country really needs to return back to its roots and original beliefs in freedom, unity, and the creation of all men being equal.  He knows that these beliefs are key and essential to the preservation of the union, and his job now is to remind all Americans of this.

LAD/Blog #15: Lincoln's First Inaugural Address

Summary:
Right from the beginning, Abraham Lincoln starts off his speech by saying that he sees no need to go through all of the really boring parts of it, like the oath.  Instead, he prefers to talk about the more important things, like the great divide now present between the North and South.  Lincoln clearly states how he does not plan on interfering with the states that currently have slavery.  He believes that he does not actually have the "right" to do this, and would rather focus his energy on the growing issue that slavery causes as the US expands and more new states are added.  Here he thanks those who voted for him, saying that they know who he is and how he is not planning on changing that person.  Lincoln believes in the power of the states, yet never says that they should be superior to the federal government's decisions.  He agrees to protect and carry out the written guidelines of the Constitution, saying he was made president to do so, even mentioning part of the preamble: "to form a more perfect union."  Clearly, Lincoln seems levelheaded and has a plan for how to deal with the current sate of America, as he mentions the Constitution several different times in his address.  He feels that the country absolutely cannot be separated, so there must be a better way to resolve the issue.  Lastly, Lincoln stresses the importance of friendship within the nation, saying that there is no greater bond and that hatred will bring nothing good.

Washington's Inaugural Address was obviously similar to Lincoln's as they were the same event, but the similarities go beyond that, too.  Both men talk about the importance of the Constitution, and support it fully.  They agree on the face that this Constitution is the major guideline for the country, and will be the cause of the country's success.  Additionally, both Lincoln and Washington think that the union should be preserved, although when Washington became president, there weren't nearly as many separately opinions or factions present within the union yet.

Blog #14: Calhoun's Speech on the Compromise of 1850

John Calhoun's Speech:
In his speech, John Calhoun expresses his feelings about the Compromise of 1850.  The speech is directed at Congress, and starts off with discussing the issue of slavery in America.  He recognizes how slavery had already split the country in two, and claims that there could be no sense of unity until it was resolved.  Calhoun questions how unity could ever be achieved, and explains how he is fully in support of unity across the country.  He also explains how the difference in opinions and beliefs comes from the South's use of slavery, and the North's disapproval.  Calhoun says how he fears the outcome of the creation of new states, and the expansion of America further out west.  Each side was so deeply rooted in their beliefs that it seemed impossible to reach a compromise.  Each side also held hatred against the other for difference in how they were treated by the government, with taxes, tariffs, and various acts.  Additionally, there was an issue of balance between the two sides, and how they tried to keep the amount of land equal between them, including newly acquired territories.  Specifically with the South, they felt that too many states were becoming anti-slavery, and this upset in balance ultimately contributed to their decision to try to secede from the US.  Calhoun questions what can be done about this issue, and also why nothing has been done in the past to stop or prevent the agitation.  He knows that there will come a point where things will go too far and the South may try to break away.  Calhoun's main point is that the country is in great danger, and will continue to be unless something is done, quickly, to stop it.

The Missouri Compromise was very similar to John Calhoun's speech to Congress and the Compromise of 1850.  The Compromise of 1850 amended the Fugitive Slave Act and abolished the slave trade in Washington D.C.  Calhoun's speech went on to express his feelings about the growing divide between the North and the South, and how this lack of unity would only damage the country.  Similarly, the Missouri Compromise, created by Henry Clay in 1820, dealt with the issue of slavery vs. anti-slavery states.  Both the North and South wanted to make sure that there was an equal number of slave and non-slave states.  As a result, Missouri was created as a slave state while Maine was created as a non-slave state. 

LAD/Blog #13: Polk's War Message

Summary:
Polk started his message with an explanation of how the United States had previously been trying hard to maintain peace with Mexico.  He made it clear how America tried to reach out and support Mexico, only to have them fight back, invade the country, and even kill some Americans.  This upset was very unexpected, as Polk had previously sent John Slidell as a diplomat to negotiate terms of peace between the two countries.  The violent actions of the Mexicans led them to ignore Slidell's attempts for peace.  After being rejected multiple times by General Pardedes, Slidell returned to the US to report back to President Polk.  Once he got the news, Polk sent US troops down to the Del Norte River as defense.  Instead, these troops led to the Mexican's thinking the US soldiers were going to launch an attack.  Ultimately, Polk decided that this war was unavoidable, and order the US troops to fight back so the country would not appear weak. 

Polk's War Message was very similar to Madison's declaration in the War of 1812.  Both presidents did not want a war, but they also both thought the war was unavoidable and necessary due to conflicts with other countries that would not respect the US's wishes for neutrality and peace.  Both declarations were passed by Congress, both led to wars, and both wars were declared under the same mind set.

LAD/Blog #12: Seneca Falls Declaration of Sentiments

1.  Democratic Principles:

• All men and women are created equal
• All humans are given certain inalienable rights by their Creator: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness
• The government obtains its power through the governed peoples
• If the government fails to give these rights to the people, they have the right to overthrow the government and create a new one

2.  Grievances:

1. Men take away a woman's right to own property
   
2. Men take away a woman's right to their own wages
   
3. Men take away a woman's right to an education at college
   
4. Men take away a woman's right to have a say in government and the law
   
5. Men take away rights from women that are given to all other men
   

3.  Final Resolution:
In this declaration, women argue that they have been deprived of their natural rights for too long, and demand to be given these rights at once, as rightful citizens of the United States.

4.  Names:

1. Frederick Douglas
2. Henry Seymour
   
3. Thomas M'Clintock
   
4. Jacob Mathews
   
5. James Mott

Susan B. Anthony did not sign the Seneca Falls Declaration of Sentiments.

Both the 19th Amendment and the earlier idea of Republican Motherhood were very similar to this Seneca Falls Declaration of Sentiments.  The declaration was signed by many women and men who were outraged with the lack of women's rights in the United States.  Similarly, the supporters of Republican Motherhood believed that women should not just be kept inside the home, and should be given a higher political status and place in the world.  The 19th Amendment was added to the Constitution in 1920, finally giving women the right to vote, which was a step in the right direction to giving women equal rights that men already had.