LAD/Blog #21: Emancipation Proclamation

Emancipation Proclamation

            Lincoln begins the long process of freeing African Americans from slavery in the South with his Emancipation Proclamation. He announced that in any state where slaves were not freed, that state would be considered to be in open rebellion against the government. He also gave the Union military the responsibility of ensuring the freedom of slaves in the states listed. Those states were Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia. Lincoln then announced that all slaves in those states were freed and encouraged them to join the Union military.

The Thirteenth Amendment of the Constitution 

officially abolished slavery in all parts of the nation.

Similar to the Emancipation Proclamation, except

it was enforced by the whole country and southern

states were made to follow it.

LAD/Blog #20: Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address

Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address

            Lincoln opens up by saying that he cannot relay much information about the Civil War because the public already knows so much about the events. He goes on by saying that in his first inaugural, he had hoped to keep the nation together without war, but as time went on, one half of the nation wanted war to split the nation apart, and the other wanted war to keep the nation together. With these mindsets, the war was inevitable. Lincoln goes on to proclaim that slavery was one of the leading factors to the bloodiest war that exceeded the expectations of both the Union and Confederacy. Even so, Lincoln vowed to end what the South started and take care of the nation when the war was complete.

FDR's First Inaugural Address had the same concerns

as Lincoln, how to keep the nation out of war, but

if it was necessary, how to keep the nation stable in

times of war. FDR attempted to keep the US neutral

in the European war, but knew he would eventually

have to take his country into war.

LAD/Blog #19: Dred Scott Decision

Dred Scott

          Furthering the issue of slavery, the Dred Scott case originally ruled in favor of John Sanford, but made its way up to the Supreme Court. The decision of the Missouri Compromise was eventually called in to question of how constitutional it was. Justice Nelson was given the opportunity to revise the compromise, with Justice Taney making the final decision. Taney made the arguments that African Americans were not considered citizens of the United States, and therefore, should not be allowed to sue in court. He also professed that the Missouri Compromise was unconstitutional since it prohibited the rights to private property, one of the many things America was built on. The case was thrown out by Justice Taney and the war path to the Civil War became clearer.

The Plessy v Ferguson case was just another step to 

discriminate against African Americans. "Separate

but equal" became the South's new motto when the 

Supreme Court called discrimination constitutional. 

This stems back from the slavery days and even connects

to the Dred Scott decision.

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

Sojourner Truth

           Sojourner Truth delivered her famous speech thinking that something must have been happening with all the commotion in the country. She stated that it had to do with the African Americans in the South and women in the North. Two groups under oppression, attempting to get their rights back from those who took them away. She always heard that women be treated with utmost delicacy, helping them over mud puddles and into carriages. The only problem was that she had not be treated with the same delicacy. "Ain't she a woman" that deserves the same privileges as others? She tells of all the hard work she has done over the years and all she has earned was punishment. Sojourner Truth wanted to be treated the same as any other woman and if they were powerful enough to turn the world upside down, they were powerful enough to fix it with no one to stop them.

The Seneca Falls Convention in 1848 was another
call to action for women in the United States. They
wanted to fight the oppression they had been under
for so long. They wanted equal rights.

Frederick Douglass' "Fifth of July" Speech

Frederick Douglass

           Frederick Douglass opens up his speech by asking the question of why black Americans must celebrate independence. Why are they required to do so, when the only ones who are truly independent are white Americans? He brings his audience on a guilt trip, highlighting how although the white man celebrates life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, he still takes away the freedom of another, only different by skin tone. Douglass also tells the stories of how black men and women are mistreated every day. Most crimes perpetrated by a black American would lead to death, while a white American would get off scot-free. He wanted his audience to think on how despairing the nation's state had gotten to and do their best to stop the mistreatment of black Americans.

The Women's March after Trump's election in 2016
also was a way to make the leaders of the United States
to take heed of the mistreatment of members in society.
Women of all races came out to make a statement for
their rights as citizens.

LAD/Blog #16: Lincoln's Gettysburg Address

Lincoln's Gettysburg Address

       
          Four score and seven years ago, the founding fathers created a new nation, independent from the oppressive Great Britain. This new nation was unified under one Constitution and the belief that all men were created equal. The Civil War was only a way to test American dedication and determination to remaining whole. They stood on a great battlefield, where many men laid down their lives to keep the nation together. It was in Gettysburg that they stood and remembered those men, whose lives should not have been lost in vain.

The National Cemetery at Gettysburg was the site

of Lincoln's Gettysburg Address. The cemetery was created

to honor the fallen soldiers, just like Lincoln did on that day.

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

Lincoln's First Inaugural Address

          Lincoln first addresses the institution of slavery. He states that he has no reason or power to interfere with the states that still use it. In fact, he went as far to say that the Constitution stated it plainly: Any fugitive slave would be held accountable and delivered back to their former owner. Lincoln believed that states had the right to control their own institutions, given that it benefitted rather than hurt the nation. He thought that states controlling themselves was essential to the balance and checks of power needed for the government to survive. Even so, the Union must be preserved and he would go to war, if necessary. Lincoln specifically predicted how the South would be the ones to strike first and forcefully addressed the topic of secession, but not to a point of threats. In his final words, Lincoln reminds the nation that they need to at least try to get along, because they are not the enemies.

Washington's Farewell Address also discussed

the Union remaining intact. He warned against

splitting the nation in two because bad things would

happen. In Lincoln's case, it was the Civil War.

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

Calhoun's Speech on the Compromise

of 1850

             Calhoun discussed all the different problems that divided the union during President Jackson's "reign". The biggest of those being slavery. He believed it was not furthering the division because people wanted to further their personal interests, it was because the political parties were so divided in their ideas for slavery. Democrats and Whigs were so different and unwilling to cooperate to solve a political and moral issue, they pushed the gap even further apart. Another problem was the equilibrium in government being destroyed. Many presidents and other governmental leaders before President Jackson had worked their hardest to keep the branches balanced and all sections of the country represented. By the time Andrew Jackson had his turn as president, the government began to favor the Northern section. The North was far more densely populated than the South, or West, giving them more representation in the House of Representatives. Plus, they received most of the revenue earned and put it towards manufacturing, taking it all for themselves. Calhoun makes the point that if the government just stops favoring the North and its businesses, the division could heal itself. He suggests that by giving the Southern states what they wanted, the union could be preserved, and they did not ask for much. 

Washington's Farewell Address warned 

against all of these division, as he said

it would split the country apart. He was

right in the fact that the Civil War 

started based on these division. He also

wanted the country to remain united.

LAD/Blog #13: Polk's War Message

Polk's War Message

            Despite American attempts to create peaceful relations with Mexico, they would not hear American ideas and refused to meet the envoys sent to them. President Polk was very willing to work with Mexico on the decision for the Texan border, which had been long disputed between the two countries. Unfortunately, the government had just been overthrown by military radicals when John Slidell arrived. Polk was not going to give up easily and ordered Slidell to try meeting again with General Paredes, the new President of Mexico. Paredes refused any attempt at peace with the United States, leaving Polk with the only option of war. He stationed troops between the Nueces and Del Norte under specific commands to not provoke the Mexican army. Belligerent attitudes of Mexican forces led to war between the two countries and complete destruction of any existing trade.

War of 1812 was another example of how

the United States tried everything to maintain

peace, through multiple treaties, and the only 

option seemed to be going to war with Britain.

LAD/Blog #12: Seneca Falls Declaration of Sentiments

Attendees of Seneca Falls Convention

in Women's Rights National Historical Park

         
               The Seneca Falls Declaration of Sentiments resembles the Declaration of Independence, as it lists grievances the king decided to ignore and withhold. The democratic principles listed in the beginning are all men and women are created, they are entitled to certain inalienable rights, those being life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Also that they have the right to overthrow a government the citizens no longer deemed prudent and safe for their rights. Women brought up the point that they should be able to have a say in what laws were being passed because they were subject to them, just like anyone else. Also, men have taken any earnings women may have earned, telling them that they should stay home and take care of the house and children. Furthermore, colleges were closing their doors to women, destroying any opportunity of them getting a decent education. Plus, men forced women to be subservient and obedient to them in marriage. Additionally, women were not allowed to divorce their husband, unless he agreed. They could not leave, even if the husband was abusive. Five notable names that signed were Lucretia Mott, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Harriet Cady Stanton, Frederick Douglass, and Edward F. Underhill. The woman who did not sign was Susan B. Anthony, which is strange, as she was a huge supporter of women's rights.

Declaration of Independence also listed specific

problems the colonists had with their rights

being suppressed by King George III. It also

listed the democratic ideals shown in the 

Seneca Falls Declaration of Sentiments.