LAD #20- Sojourner Truth's "Ain't I a Woman" Speech

Sojourner Truth's "Ain't I a Woman" Speech
Women's Convention, Akron, Ohio
1851

Summary:

Though faced with a lack of suffrage and the ideal that they lack the equality with men, white women actually had better social standings that any other women in the country, namely the black population, or slaves. Sojourner Truth was one of these very women, but only one of the few to ever speak out against this.

She had done much more than her 'fair' share of work during her time, and received little compensation for it -most of her children were even sold off into slavery. All she asked in her speech was to have some equality, or at least a bit recognition for what she'd done. If she could change this by getting all of the women in the country to band together, they could alter the nation as a whole, even with the men standing in their way.

LAD #19- Frederick Douglass' "5th of July" Speech

Frederick Douglass' Independence Day Speech
Rochester, NY.
1852

Summary:

Frederick Douglass was born into slavery in 1818 and as such felt little reason to celebrate the Fourth of July holiday in the same manner the white men of the United States did. He felt that this anniversary only annually exemplified the differences between the races, as whites celebrated the freedoms and independence they had been granted after years of struggle, whereas the slaves and other black populations faced discrimination and prejudice. The Fourth of July was ironic really, because it honored freedom in a country where not all of its residents were free due to the use of slavery. "This Fourth of July is yours, not mine. You may rejoice, I must mourn."

"What, to an American slave, is your Fourth of July?" To many slaves, this day represented the injustices they faced and the gross irony of their situation. The United States was not the open-minded, free nation it thought it was, as it was the leading nation allowing the practice of slavery to be used within its borders, and a hypocrite in itself.

LAD #18- Emancipation Proclamation

Emancipation Proclamation
January 1, 1863
Summary:

The Emancipation Proclamation was issued by Abraham Lincoln on September 22nd, 1862, and in doing so the sixteenth president freed each and every one of the slaves in the United States. These men and women would have their rights and freedoms now protected by the American government, and there would be not acts or actions taken to suppress these newly freed people.

This Proclamation would be executed on the first of January in the year 1863, and in doing so the American people would no longer be rebelling against their country and the Union they had disrupted. Lincoln declared that those once under the bonds of slavery would be now and forever free, and their rights and individuality as people would be recognized by all.

Abraham Lincoln saw this as a form of necessary justice granted to them by the Constitution, and felt there ought to be no need for an military action against it.

LAD #17- President Lincoln's 2nd Inaugural Address

Second Inaugural Address of Abraham Lincoln
Saturday, March 4th, 1865

Abraham Lincoln found little reason for a drawn out presidential address to lead into his second term, and now the country's focus has settled more so on the internal conflicts it was faced with. Despite this, Lincoln began his second term as president with hope for a better future. He referenced the civil war that had been looming, and mentioned those who had attempted to disrupt the Union and divide the country without bloodshed. Lincoln felt that these men would already accept the idea of war, which inevitably came.

No one had expected the war to last as long as it did or take such a toll, just as neither of the regions in the country thought that the cause for the war would end before the conflict did. Lincoln pointed out the similarities between the men who opposed slavery and those who supported it in his Second Inaugural Address, pointing out that they both worship the same God, and have asked Him for aid in their disputes amongst themselves. Was it God's will that their country remained locked in a civil war fought between its own people?

Lincoln declared that their God was giving them the ability to end their violence and right their wrongs, and to "cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations. "

LAD #16- Dred Scott Decision

The Supreme Court's Decision on the Dred Scott Case
February 14, 1857
Summary:

As the Supreme Court first met for the Dred Scott Case, its judges assumed to reach a verdict that ruled in Sanford favor, but failed to see the larger picture of what their decision had to do with the issues faced by the Negro population. Justice Nelson was chosen to come up with a decision to express the opinion of the majority, though once he presented it to them, it turned out to be only the opinion of himself. Chief Justice Roger B. Taney was instead chosen to write the actually opinion, and in it would include the issue of Negro citizenship and the dispute over the Missouri Compromise.

Many Americans had become aware of the impending decision of the Scott vs. Sanford case, and President-elect James Buchanan even asked some of the Supreme Court members if they had made a decision yet so that he knew of what to say in his inaugural speech. In his address he had an idea of their decision, and supported them by saying "A difference of opinion has arisen in regard to the point of time when the people of a Territory shall decide this question [of slavery] for themselves. "

A short time after the inauguration speech, Chief Justice Taney revealed the final decision of the Supreme Court, saying that "Negroes, even free Negroes, were not citizens of the United States," because of this, Scott did not have the ability to sue in a federal court. As for the Missouri Compromise, Taney said that they acquired land had fallen under the Constitution power, and no rights of the citizens who moved there could be revoked. Therefore, there was no distinction between slaves and property in general.

Despite this, the Compromise was still ruled unconstitutional, though that did little for Scott, whose stay in the free state of Illinois did not alter the Court's decision. Because he had filed suit in the slave state of Missouri, he was still seen as a slave. The Supreme Court inevitably ruled in the favor of Sanford.

LAD #15 Gettsyburg Address

Gettysburg Address
Thursday November 19th, 1863
Summary:

The Civil War was, without a doubt one of the most controversial and violent wars in American history, though the American Revolution itself holds its own in that ranking as well. Though this war was no entirely fought over the issue of slavery, the practice did little to quell the abolitionist feelings that spurned in some and evaporated in others. Upon the end of this bloody battle of ideals, Abraham Lincoln took the public spotlight in Gettysburg Pennsylvania, the same town where the bloodshed had finally ended.

The Battle of Gettysburg signalled the end of the war, yet also became known as the resting ground for many of those who gave their lives supported their beliefs, and that they deserve to be remembered and honored. These men were brothers, fathers, and sons, and though the rest of the world may fail to remember them and who they were, there was no reason for the Americans to.

The close of the Civil War may have put an end to the secession of states, yet it would face the nation with the task of proving to itself that these men did not die in vain. There was still much for the nation to accomplish.

LAD #14 -Lincoln's First Inaugural Adress

First Inaugural Address of Abraham Lincoln
Monday March 4th, 1861
Summary:

Abraham Lincoln began his inaugural speech by bringing up the oath he swore to in the Constitution, but quickly went on to discuss more prominent matters at hand, namely to discontent in the Southern states. In his speech he claimed that he had no purpose in infringing upon their establishment of slavery, as he had no right or desire to do so at the time. He declared that each state had the right to control "its own domestic institutions according to its own judgment."

During his speech Lincoln read certain passages from the Constitution to support what he said, including one regarding the laws of labor in one state in regards to those of another, he himself hinting that this law pertained to escaped slaves. To the sixteenth president, an oath ought to be followed if it is given, and that pertained to any laws and regulations regarding slavery. Lincoln himself stated that he had no desires to remain overly critical of the Constitution, however.

The national government of the United States had endured a great deal, yet had always come out on top during the course of democratic America, and Lincoln hoped to continue that legacy. Although he felt pride in the federal government, he felt that the Union had existed for a longer period of time, causing him to worry over the hinted threat of separation within the country. Lincoln therefore took it upon himself to see to it that the Union remain unbroken "to the extent of my ability," though he claimed that there ought to be no need for violence in doing so. His power belonged to the government rather than he himself completely.

Throughout his first Inaugural Address, Abraham Lincoln appeared more concerned over the use of slavery and the threat it posed to the Union as it continually drove a wedge between the sectionalist North and South. If the South was to fully secede and become its own nation entirely, what exactly would be the course of American history then? Lincoln found little solace in the answer to that question, closing his address with the statement "We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies."

LAD #13- John Calhoun Speech

John C. Calhoun on the Clay Compromise Measures
March 4th, 1850

Summary:

John Calhoun already had the preconceived notion that slavery would be the ultimate downfall to the unity of the United States, though he felt his claims to be ignored by both political parties.
With the question of how the union could be saved, he said it was necessary to have a background on the United States and to know all aspects that could lead to the downfall of the union. With all things considered this brought up another question in regard to just what has endangered the union.

Calhoun stuck by the belief that slavery and the use of it by the South had been one of the main factions leading to division, though the division of people into the political parties of Whigs and Democrats had also done little to maintain unity. The beliefs of the North and South differed greatly, and Calhoun thought that this difference could be traced back to the practices of owning and selling slaves. This idea has formed a division between the two sections of the country.

There had also been the addition of new territories to the nation, though these lands only added to the North rather than the South, bringing with them new Senators as well. The growth in the Northern legislature caused some discontent in the South, fearing under-representation in the government.

The government's new revenue system threatened to take its toll on the South's economy, as the wealth of the North already greatly surpassed that of the South. Immigrants also did little to aid the population of the South, as they found that the North had more to offer them. The Ordinance of 1787 and the Missouri Compromise in turn slightly hindered the region as well, as it divided the populations as well.

Not only did the North fail to hold the South in high regards for its lifestyle, but further resented it for failing to abolish slavery as the North wished it would do. The ties that held the country together were slowly unraveling after years of wear. Soon all that could hold the nation together would escalate into force. Calhoun claimed that the last resort of keeping the union together would be by resolving any and all of the issues brought on by the disputing sections, thinking that it could be done as long as both regions complied.

LAD #12- Polk's War Message

Polk's War Message, 1846
Summary:

The relationship between the countries of the United States and Mexico had been faced with the growing threat of disputes which could lead to an outbreak of violence. James K. Polk went to Congress to discuss this issue, bringing up the fact that America wished to have peace with Mexico, but at the same time desired the annexation of more land as well. This desire had caused a rift to form between the two nations, and a band of American troops had been sent to Mexico, though the later refused to "receive him or listen to his propositions," and eventually invaded American territory.

Mexico further refused to hear from the United States, and a result more troops were issued to resolve the matter with the former. The Mexican minister, however, also refused to ignore the claims of his citizens over the boundary in question. John Slidell of Louisiana had been sent to Mexico in order to settle the boundary dispute. A revolutionary faction had seized Texas, determined to restore peaceful relations with the United States, but failed in doing so.

Polk, in an effort to maintain friendly ties with Mexico asked to met with Slidell to discuss the matter. Under orders by the president, Slidell wrote a letter to the Mexican minister of foreign relations and asked that he be met with as a government official, though this was denied to him. In essence, Mexico had outright refused the offer of peace with America.

It would soon became necessary to met the Mexican forces in Texas with military action, as the territory had agreed to join with the Union, and America felt the need to protect her new citizens. The American troops moved to the Del Norte River with the directions to protect property and citizens' rights. The Mexicans went to the river as well, though no violence broke out until April 24th. American men left the camp to see if any Mexican soldiers had begun crossing the river, which was when the fighting first broke out.

Polk saw the Mexican government unfit to run its own country, as there were many issues he saw that ought to be redressed. However, Polk is still working toward restoring the other country, even though reconciliation had failed. He concluded by claiming that the declaration of war had come from Mexico's actions, and America must follow through with this to defend its claims.

LAD #11- Seneca Falls Declaration

Summary:

The Seneca Falls Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions
July 19, 1848

Immediate origin of the woman's rights movement began during the anti-slavery crusade, as at the World Anti-Slavery Convention in London in 1840, American women delegates found themselves excluded. These women "determined the cause of emancipation effected them as well as slaves," and so the Seneca Falls Convention was held in response.

The women of the Seneca Falls Convention held fast to the belief that all men and women were created equal and that they are all given natural rights granted to them in the Constitution -"life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." They once more brought up the idea that the people have a right to amend the government if it is to become destructive, and that it is necessary to remove said legislation if there is a long list of abuses and neglect. The women's main argument was that the American government had existed for too long with men at the center, and now women ought to have the same rights.

The women of the Seneca Falls Convention listed most of the major infringements made by men in the country, and how they have oppressed both the voice and the entitled rights of the women, limiting the already near non-existent role of women in politics. With these actions taken in part by the men, they have assumed dominance over the female gender. The late felt that by now they deserved to get their own form of justices after such a long period of time.

In writing this declaration the women acknowledged that they would undergo ridicule and ignorance in order to obtain what they wanted, yet fully agreed to withstand all that was necessary to reach their goal. With this they hoped the rest of the country would follow in their example.

By issuing this document, the women of the Seneca Falls Convention hoped that all laws and regulations restricting women in the United States would be lifted, and that the country truly could live freely without oppression.

LAD #10 -Monroe Doctrine Summary

Summary:
Monroe Doctrine; December 2 1823

James Monroe's seventh annual message to Congress included a brief discussion regarding a proposal made by the Russian Government similar to that of Great Britain to negotiate the rights and interests of the two foreign countries in regards to the United States. The latter of the three had been discussing the role and interests of being involved with the other two nations, but also made sure to point out that America would serve as the breeding ground for the colonization by the Europeans.

The Doctrine brought up the efforts made by Spain and Portugal to improve the lives of their people, and while the results of these attempts differ from what they could have been, this message also makes the American people out to be "interested spectators." The Americans though, did not wish to become overly involved in foreign affairs, and while they were not involved in the European wars they were in favor of the growing liberty of the Spanish/Portuguese. Monroe claimed that the only time America should ever take part in a foreign war was when they were either invaded or exceedingly insulted. This doctrine stated that the United States owed it to the re-prospering countries to create friendly ties with other nations so long as they did not impede America's liberty or peaceful situation. The United States should not interfere with European countries, but should not oppress the growth and development of independence and democracy in any of them either, which could result in unfriendly relations with the aforementioned nations. However, throughout the entire war, America had decided to remain neutral.

James Monroe warned that any allied powers would not be able to spread any of their political systems without threatening the American peace and happiness, and these systems ought to be met with outright indifference. The United States should have no part in controlling other countries, and they deserve to be left to their own devices, leaving examples for later nations.