LAD #37- FDR's Executive Order 9066

FDR's Executive Order 9066 Relocating Japanese Americans
February 19th, 1942
Summary:


With the United States caught in the hysteria of World War II, President Roosevelt was encouraged to authorize the internment of tens of thousands of Japanese Americans. The Executive Order 9066 authorized the transportation of these citizens to military camps, including Americans of other dominant ethical backgrounds as well.


This Order was meant to protect the country from an espionage or sabotage, and FDR authorized the Secretary of War and Military Commanders to remove and relocate any persons of questionable background, but they were also authorized to provide said people with food, shelter, and any other necessary accommodations. The Order allowed the Secretary and Commanders to use any means to enforce compliance within each Military area.

FDR directed all Executive Departments to aid the Secretary of War and Military in providing "medical aid, hospitalization, food, clothing, transportation, use of land, shelter, and other supplies, equipment, utilities, facilities, and services" to these relocated peoples. The Order would not, however, alter or limit the Executive Order 8972 of December 12th, 1941, the Federal Bureau of Investigation -which may have at times been looking into any acts of sabotage- or the responsibilities of the Attorney General and the Department of Justice.

LAD #36- FDR's Declaration of War on Japan

FDR's Declaration of War on Japan
December 8th, 1941
Summary:


The Japanese Assault on Pearl Harbor took place on December 7th, 1941, targeting airfields and battleships and killing a few thousand people in Hawaii -both servicemen and civilians. The attack was widely broad casted in the United States, sending a shock wave through the nation. the very next day President Roosevelt approached Congress asking them to declare war on Japan, deeming December 7th as "a date which will live in infamy."

He began by stating that the two nations had been at peace with one another, also claiming that the Japanese Ambassador to the United States had left no hint of war or attack, also leading to the thought that the Japanese Government had tried to deceive the United States with its "expressions of hope for continued peace." A great deal of American lives were lost in the attack, and there was the sudden air of hostility between the two nations. FDR asked Congress to declare war on the offensive island nation in order to to protect American lives and safety of the nation.

On December 11th, Japan's allies -the Axis Powers- would also declare war on the United States.

LAD #35- Brown vs. Board of Education, Topeka, Kansas

Brown vs. Board of Education
Topeka, Kansas
1951
Summary:

Schools of the 1950's were widely segregated, despite the fact that they were supposed to be equal. One third-grader, Linda Brown had to walk an extra few miles to the black elementary school even though the white school was only a few blocks away. Her father had attempted to enroll her in the white elementary school, but was refused. As a result Oliver Brown went to the National Associated for the Advancement of Colored People who were eager to challenge the segregation in public schools. Brown's case was brought to trial, and was then known as Brown vs. Board of Education.

The Board of Education testified that segregation already existed everywhere else, so segregation in schools served to prepare black children for what they would face in adulthood, also arguing that these schools posed no harmful threat to the children. The judges partially agreed with the witness, writing that "A sense of inferiority affects the motivation of a child to learn."

However, there was also the precedent of Plessy vs. Ferguson that allowed separate yet equal schools, urging the court to rule in favor of the Board. The NAACP and Brown appealed to the Supreme Court, their case combined with those from other states with similar situations, but the court did not reached a decision. A decision was finally made based on whether black children were deprived equal protection in schools under the law, with the final ruling that the "separate but equal" doctrine was to be down away with, and schools to be desegregated.

The ruling did not abolish segregation in all other areas, but did declare mandatory segregation unconstitutional, along with foreshadowing the eventual desegregation of the nation.

LAD #34- Truman Doctrine

Truman Doctrine
March 12, 1947
Summary:

The national security of the nation would soon become involved in the situations in both Greece and Turkey, as the former of the two had sent an appeal seeking financial aid and assistance, having had to work indefinitely from the beginning to make ends met. President Truman did not believe that his country would turn its back to the Greeks at this time. The Germans had virtually destroyed most of the country during the second World War along with the livestock, leading to inflation in the country. Greece would need aid in importing goods for political and economic recovery.

However Greece was faced with the threat of spreading Communism, something that did not bode well with the United States, and democratic America could end up being Greece's last resort. Turkey was also faced with poor circumstances and required aid, and President Truman concluded that the United States was the only nation that could give that aid.

By aiding both Eastern European nations the United States could free these people from being forced into a Communist regime and assist them in bettering their nations as a whole. Communism went against all American beliefs, and the downfall of Greece to this form of government would lead to the deterioration of the freedoms of surrounding countries.

Truman asked Congress to back his proposal in offering support to both nations to protect both freedoms and to equally share their international responsibilities.

LAD #33- FDR's Inaugural Address

Franklin D. Roosevelt
First Inaugural Address
Saturday March 4, 1933
Summary:

Franklin D. Roosevelt addressed the American people clearly and bluntly with nothing but the truth, for there was no reason to shy from it. "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself," he said, and every nation faces its own dark hour. With this idea, Roosevelt felt that the country must face these difficulties and revitalize its values. The United States was plagued by a number of issues, including but not limited to unemployment, high taxes, inflation, failing industry, and the farmer population's inability to sell its crops. The economy of the nation had been driven by the wealthier, upper class, but with the decline of these businesses, the country dropped with it. Despite this, Roosevelt claimed that true happiness lie within the achievements of the American people rather than money itself.

Roosevelt felt the nation called for action, establishing the need for the people to find courage within themselves to work. He believed that national recovery ought not be simply a nationalistic movement, and that the economy could be revamped by the inclusion of international relations. His foreign policy could also be seen as a 'Good Neighbor' policy to respect their obligations and its agreements. With the task of 'fixing' his nation, Roosevelt claimed that he was prepared to undertake the constitutional responsibilities that came with it, and use national unity in order to do so. "We do not distrust the future of essential democracy. The people of the United States have not failed."

LAD #32- Kellogg Briand Peace Pact

Kellogg Briand Peace Pact
Paris, August 27, 1928-1929
Summary:

The Kellogg Briand Peace Pact was signed by the United States, Japan, and a better portion of Europe in the late 1920's in which each nation recognized its solemn duty to promote the general welfare of mankind. The Pact stated that the renunciation of war ought to be used as a national policy in order to bring about peace and order. With the signing and passage of this pact, any nation that wished to declare war in pursuit of its own interest would be denied the benefits as decreed by the treaty. It was the hope of those who signed the treaty that future generations would follow this example.

The nations involved agreed that they would denounce the resulting causalities of war as a way to solve international disputes. The nations involved would also be open to consultation so long as they adhered to one another. The government of all nations would be recognized and follow the treaty, and all would possess a copy of the treaty and would notify one another if there were to be any alterations.

LAD #31 - Wilson's 14 Points

Woodrow Wilson's Fourteen Points
Delivered in Joint Session, January 8, 1918
Summary:

President Woodrow Wilson was a pacifist before the Great War, and ever after its armistice he still felt it necessary to obtain some sort of peace. The Central Powers wished to discuss a treaty with Russia in regards to what it would do with its excess land, Wilson stepped up the plate with his own ideas, known as his 'Fourteen Points,' all of which would be used to maintain freedom.

To begin with, he decreed that no international treaty should be private, and that freedom of the seas ought to be an intangible right and enforced. Any economic barriers on trade were to be removed to set equal trading conditions peacefully, and the amount of arms possessed by each nation would be lowered. All acquired land would be returned to its rightful owners, and any war-ravaged nations would be restored to what they had once been along with former borders. Through these points, imperialism could be seen as over and done with, with a sort of 'alliance' formed against those who wished to continue doing so. (One of his main points would be the idea of a 'League of Nations,' though the plan was never followed through.)

Wilson concluded that these actions ought to be followed through peacefully with the goal of freedom in mind, and were attainable through cooperation. In following his Fourteen Points, the integrity of the world would be put to the test, and yet very few points were ever enacted.

LAD #30 - Schneck vs. US Case

Schenck vs. United States; Bear vs. United States
March 3rd, 1919
Summary:

The First Amendment protected the freedom of speech for the American people, yet during the case of Schenck vs. the United States, it was decided that this right could be prohibited when it posed a clear and present danger to the public. The result of these actions would depend on the context of the act, one such example of this being the attempt to persuade men away from joining the army. Schneck, who had a hand in this ordeal, attempting to bring about insubordination in the military forces of the United States through the use of anti-war documents. The defendants were found guilty on all charges, and even Schenck himself did not deny the claims made against them, as he had planned for the circulation of the leaflets. At one point it was said that there was insufficient evidence against him, yet the contrary was quickly proven, as the search warrant stated that the documents weren't even in his possession, yet were printed.

This case was seen as an attempt to "obstruct the recruiting or enlistment service," and urged the public "not to submit to intimidation" and to assert their rights, but with some limitations. Opposition to the draft was allowed to an extent while stating that the people "must do your share to maintain, support and uphold the rights of the people of this country."

With the nation at war, actions taken during times of peace that could be considered a "hindrance to its effort," would not be tolerated and dealt with by the Court.

LAD #29 -Keating-Owen Child Labor Act

Keating-Owen Child Labor Act
1916
Summary:

The Keating-Own Child Labor Act was passed by Congress in 1916 as a way for the government to regulate both child labor and interstate commerce. This Act banned the sale of any goods or products from a facility that employed children. At first this law was deemed unconstitutional by the Supreme Court, as it was thought to overstep the boundaries that the government had set regarding regulation of interstate commerce. The campaign for the ratification of a Child Labor Law Amendment was momentarily stalled by those who opposed it, using the opinions of states' rightists and the idea that this act was a communist-inspired plot. It was not until 1938 that the Anti-Child labor movement was victorious with the Fair Labor Standards Act.

LAD #28 -Woodrow Wilson's First Inaugural Address

Woodrow Wilson's First Inaugural Address
Tuesday March 4th, 1913

Summary:

The Democratic Party had become a majority in the Congress, meaning the the assembling Senate was Democrat as well. As a result, the fate of the President and Vice-President's offices has been put into the hands of the Democrats, leading to some question on Woodrow Wilson's part.

In a sense, the growth of this political party may have also been interpreted as a warning that the Democrats would now be pressing their plans and views on the American people, including such things that had once been forgotten for the most part. Wilson claimed that the country had squandered a great deal of what it had gained, and had not stopped to consider the outcome for nature and the long run. The nation may have been proud of its industrial achievements, yet it had not considered what the cost would be for its population, and the general effects it would have on them. In a way, the government had forgotten its very people in doing so, having been overcome for private and selfish purposes. Wilson stated the bad must be seen with the good, that the duty of the American people was to 'cleanse, reconsider, restore, and correct the evil without impairing the good,' and to purify the processes of their lives without weakening them. He believed that America had been in such a hurry to be great that they had been heedless.

Overall Wilson asked for the country to offer him aid and support in bringing about change and revitalizing the nation, saying that the United States had to make up its mind. The tariff of the nation violated its taxation principles and put the government in the hands of private companies which in essence had the capital in its hands.

Reformation and 'righting the wrongs' was what American needed at the time of Wilson's Inaugural address, and that "We shall restore, not destroy." Wilson summoned all men to come and help him with mustering the forces of the party and humanity and swore that with them at his side, he would not fail.

LAD #27- Clayton Anti-Trust Act

The Clayton Anti-Trust Act
1914

Summary:

The Clayton Anti-Trust Act claimed that competitive price discrimination was illegal in the country, and by doing so this would urge businesses to become competitive in order to remove the monopolies that controlled a great deal of the industries. Despite how these would generally lower the prices of some goods, many people argued that this act would encourage the companies to charge more for their goods, thus dwindling the amount of money people had in their wallets. The Clayton Anti-Trust Act claimed that it itself could not be used in opposition to any organized labor unions, as to what was said in the Sherman Anti-Trust Act in years prior, which blatantly crushed early unions. The Act forbade companies from merging themselves together to create a monopoly, and declared that labor was an extension of commerce rather than an interchangeable mechanism in the system.

LAD #26: Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' Speech

Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream Speech"
March, 1963
Lincoln Memorial, Washington D.C.

The audience for Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream Speech" could not have been more astounding. Delivering his speech to over 200,000 civil rights supporters, King shared his message of hope with the dream that one day all would share his vision of equality.

Although Abraham Lincoln had given the Emancipation Proclamation a century prior to this speech, King believed that the Negro population still lived under oppression in the United States, and have suffered for enough time. He called from the Negro to rise and walk with the white man, with the goal that one day they would all live freely and happily together, under the idea that "all men are created equal."

With their journey toward equality already begun, Martin Luther King Jr. claimed that there was no turning back and no giving up. He dreamt that the American nation would one day allow its citizens to live together without segregation or hatred, and that even his children would not "be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character."

With a now greater meaning to it, he closed his speech by quoting the Negro spiritual:
"Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty we are free at last!"

LAD #25- Dawes Act

Dawes Act
February 8, 1887

Enacted in 1887, the Dawes Act dealt with the Native American population and their reservations, and allowed them land in said reservations for agricultural and grazing purposes, so long as they were surveyed. The treaty allotted land to any head-on-family Indians and for the most part were to be used for the grazing of livestock. The allotments allowed under this act were to be selected by the Indians withing their families, with the head dividing allotted land between their children. The government agents setting up these allotments were to be in charge of following the rules and regulations as created by the Secretary of the Interior as approved by the President. The land unclaimed or simply not granted to the Indians would then be used for the settlement by non-Indian citizens, as seen fit by the United States government. The Secretary of the Interior could lawfully negotiate with an Indian tribe to purchase land given to them so long as the agreement followed the treaty the reservation was held under, and the Native American tribe could consent to sell on certain conditions, yet the purchase would not be complete unless ratified by Congress. The tribe could maintain religious or educational work within a hundred and sixty acre tract as long as it conformed with the society and was approved by the Secretary of the Interior. This act would not extend to the Cherokees, Creeks, Choctaws, or to even the Seneca Indians of New York, but rather simply pertain to the Native American tribes within Oklahoma. Under the provisions of this act, one hundred thousand dollars would be spent by the Treasury for surveying the land to be allotted, and would be repaid from the sales of land acquired by the Indians. This act would also not allow for the removal of the Southern Ute Indians in Southwestern Colorado to a new reservation without the consent of a majority of the adult men in the tribe.

LAD #24- William Jennings Bryan's Cross of Gold Speech

William Jennings Bryan's Cross of Gold Speech
July 9, 1896
Democratic National Convention

William Jennings Bryan began his speech by claiming to have come to speak in defense of the cause of humanity. Believing the country had undergone a great trial on March 4th, 1895 when Congress addressed the Democrats with the issue of money in the country, also asserting that those who supported the free coinage of silver in the Democratic Party had the right to take control of the party's policies. The Democrats in favor of the coinage of silver assembled together and were victorious from time to time, yet were hindered by those among them in the Democratic Party who did not support their ideas.

In his speech Bryan claimed that they did not come together as individuals at the time, but rather as representation for people equal under the law. He and those who supported similar ideals came to speak for the 'boarder class of businessmen' and not as aggressors, declaring themselves to be fighting in defense of their families and posterity and no longer willing to entreat or petition any longer.

The supporters of the silver's coinage deemed the income tax unconstitutional when it was brought to the Supreme Court and even when it was first passed. However, Bryan supported an income tax, and not those who would refuse to pay their dues.

While he and his followers fully backed the idea of silver being the primary form of currency, the United States government had worked to issue the gold standard in the country. William Jennings Bryan heavily supported the use of silver over gold due to the inflation it cause, which would also make it less difficult for the farmers to pay off their debts and to completely reverse the descent of the American economy at the time. At the time Bryan stood by the belief that they would be victorious. The large cities may have been in favor of a gold standard, yet the farms did not share the same ideal.

Bryan dared the government to meet them at a field and defend the gold standard, saying that they would fight with all of the support he had from those with commercial and laboring interests declaring that the government "shall not press down upon the brow of labor this crown of thorns. You shall not crucify mankind upon a cross of gold."

LAD #23- The Populist Party Platform

Populist Party Platform
July 4, 1892

The Populist Party formed an alliance of farmers in the 1870s and 1880s in opposition to the growth of big business, and the toll they took on these people. The Party claimed the government had been corrupted by the influence of said businesses and the public opinion ignored. Lamenting their woes, they claimed to have been denied their right to organize, and that their country was reverting to European conditions. One of their goals was to put the government back into the hands of its people, rather than the businessmen.

The Party refused to stand down until its demands were met, asking that labor unions be made permanent, and that any money made by a person remain in their own possession. With the belief the government ought to own the railroads rather than the other way around, they also expanded on their ideas involving the country's financial methods, demanding national currency and a graduate income tax to name a few. One of their main goals was to have means of transportation and communication to be owned and operated in the interest of the people, along with the claim that the government should reclaim excess land owned and unneeded by the railroads to be used for settlement instead.

The Populist Party demanded a free ballot without Federal intervention, the income tax be used for the reduction of the overall taxes caused by industry and also calling for the restriction of immigration that would cost Americans' jobs. They supported the idea of workers organizing themselves into unions and at the same time declared that armed guards such as Pinkertons be removed from workplaces.

In all the main focus of the Populist Party was in favor of the interest of the people, and generally demanding that the national government deny any aid to a corporate business.

LAD #22- McKinley's War Message

William McKinley’s War Message to Congress
April 11, 1898
"In the name of humanity...The war in Cuba must stop."

The Cuban people revolted against their Spanish rulers in 1895, bringing the island into a bloody war. The United States remained neutral for the most part, and two days after sending an ultimatum to Madrid, President McKinley address Congress in an effort to bring about an end to the violence in Cuba.

McKinley felt it to be his duty as President to address the crisis in Cuba and its effect on the relation between the United States and Spain, stating that the war in Cuba had led to the annoyance and irritation of American citizens, causing a decrease in trade and capital as well. McKinley continued by saying that there was a chance the violence would not end unless one side of the dispute was completely destroyed, but maintained the idea that this could not be allowed to happen. The President then called for the utilization of 'neutral intervention,' thereby siding with neither aggressor. However, McKinley also felt that by declaring neutrality he ran the chance of achieving nothing in the Cuban-Spanish issue, and believed that there were other methods of ending the war.

In all actuality McKinley believed that the United States had no business in the affairs of another nation, though he also felt that America owed Cuba protection and ought to provide some legal support. He claimed that the United States also had the right to intervene if its trade and commerce were put at risk and solidified his argument by saying that the conditions in Cuba posed a threat to America's peace.

The sinking of the Maine only furthered McKinley's idea that the situation in Cuba was intolerable and needed to be fixed along with the pacification of said island. The President asked Congress to allow him to take measures in order to end the hostilities and establish peace and a stable government as a result, leaving the the issue in the hands of Congress.

Congress would later bring the United States into the war, siding with the Cubans rather than the Spanish.