LAD #21

Andrew Carnegie states that the separation of the rich from the laborers was a good thing. He states that we should revel in this new revolutionary step in history, whereas others would consider it abusive and wrong. He continued to say that their sacrifice was well needed in order for the rich and prosperous to be . . . well . . . rich and prosperous. Carnegie truly believes that this is a step in the right direction and pushes for others to aim for a more modern and comfortable lifestyle aside from theirs. Carnegie says how money can be passed down from descendent to descendent or family member to family member through inheritance or other means. Carnegie explains how he doesn't understand the point of giving large sums of money to children since he believed them to be incompetent and therefore "burdened" with the task. He believes that wise men will understand what he means and still agrees with money being passed down to wives and daughters, just not children who wouldn't know what to do with it. Carnegie wants other millionaires to have to pay taxes in order for their sums to make a difference in the community. He agrees that their estates should be taxed after their deaths in order to make up for them never having to pay the taxes while they were still alive. Carnegie concludes that the wealthy should act as role models for those beneath them and set an example. He wanted them to live up to the promises they make and benefit those less fortunate with them. Only then, he believed, would we truly be a complete society.

LAD #20

The Emancipation Proclamation was the act in which Lincoln freed all the slaves in the rebelling states. The act helped strengthen foreign relations and Lincoln hoped that by freeing the slaves they would revolt against the South and join the union in their battle against them. Lincoln stated how anyone who opposed the idea of the proclamation and continued to support slavery would be confronted with the force of the union army until this Civil War concluded. He states how the southern states still represented in Congress would be overlooked as part of the rebellion, but the others would be forced to pay the consequences. Lincoln then continues his act by listing the states currently in rebellion against the union and concludes by saying how all the slaves in the rebelling states are now free.

LAD #19

Lincoln opens his second inaugural address by stating that there is little news to present to the nation. He talks of the matter of the impending Civil War that was nothing but a distant thought when he read the speech for his first inaugural address and promised to preserve the union at all costs. War, as Lincoln reminds his audience and his nation, was inevitable and started the great dispute between the North and the South. Lincoln addresses how slavery was no doubt the cause of the war. He states how both sides underestimated the power of the war and the destruction it brought to both sides. He assures his audience that God has a plan to help bring fortune to those who suffered beneath the chains of slavery while the nation pressed forward. Lincoln concludes his speech by stating how we must band together and help heal this wounded nation for the good of all.

LAD #18

The court in the case of Dred Scott ruled in favor of Sanford, but failed to take into account the ruling of the Missouri Compromise and Negro rights. The decision was passed on to Chief Justice Robert Taney. Once it was obvious that the end and inevitable decision was approaching, James Buchanan contacted some of his comrades in order to see whether a decision had been reached or not. Taney and those associated with the trial met and he stated his final decision on the matter. Taney first ruled that Negros were not technically protected by the Constitution since he did not consider them true citizens of the United States, having been shipped over as slaves or through other means. Perhaps Taney's most famous statement was what came next. He stated that he believed in the power of the Constitution and couldn't physically give Scott any rights due to the fact he was property. Taney continued to explain how it is the American way that he cannot interfere with personal property, liberty, or the pursuit of happiness for the people of this nation. Scott was seen as nothing more than an inanimate object owned by the white man, and Taney ruled that he could not be declared free since property cannot be removed from its owners without violating the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence.

LAD #17

Sojourner Truth begins her lecture by presenting the audience with a speech on equality and the harsh impact of race on society. She states that she just does as much as men do, yet they don't treat her like she deserves. Throughout the speech she presents her audience with the same question--"ain't I a woman?" She says how other men state women need to be "helped into carriages" and "lifted over ditches," yet no one does those things for her. She questions the rights given to her as both a woman and a colored American citizen. She wonders why is it that intellect has such an impact on her position in society, yet those around her aren't giving her the chance to better herself. They always seem to have the upper hand when it comes to intellect and education. She asks the question "If my cup won't hold but a pint, and yours holds a quart, wouldn't you be mean not to let me have my little half measure full?" Truth goes on to attack the idea that women shouldn't be given equal rights to men because God wasn't a woman, but God had to have come from somewhere, right? She latches on to the point that God was borne by a woman, and they therefore deserved an equal spot in society that wasn't below man. Truth concludes her speech by stating that if the first woman God created was able to turn the world upside down, than they ought to have the strength and power to flip it right side up again.

LAD #16

Fredrick Douglas begins his speech by asking why he of all people is worthy of speaking on behalf of the nation's independence? He creates a somewhat ironic note by pointing out the humor behind him, a black man and former slave, being given the honor of speaking on today of all days--the 4th of July. He states that there is a higher power witnessing their state of independence and sadly admits that he does not feel the same joy they do. Having gone through a struggle of his own, he feels that this day separates the two of them even more. The Revolutionary War was colorblind when they teamed up to fend off a similar opponent in the name of freedom, but after their success that taste of freedom was gone. Douglas continues to explain how the people like him were left without life, liberty, or the pursuit of happiness despite the nation's "fathers" having given it to those around them. He considers it a joke having been chosen to speak and asks his audience if that's what they considered it when he was elected to write a speech for this occasion. Douglas considers it a true shame for the nation to be celebrating its freedom when there are still people wrapped in chains and secluded in the darkness of slavery. He doesn't seem to understand how people can fight for their rights if they're in trouble, but can't seem to do the same for their black brothers and sisters when they need them the most. Douglas concludes his speech by stating that the nation is filled with savages and bloody practices. He asks the people listening in his audience to collect as much information about cruelties and wrongdoings worldwide and, when they have completed that much, to place it beside the wrongdoings of America. Douglas states that when it comes to vicious and malignant behavior, the United States stands head and shoulders above them all.

LAD #15

Lincoln beings his Gettysburg speech by restating the phrase "all men are created equal." He considers the war to be a test of the nation's endurance and pays respect to those who died during the battle before his speech. Lincoln reminds his audience that this war was for the preservation of the union and that those who died ought not to have died in vain. They sacrificed their lives for this cause, and Lincoln inspires his audience to not allow their deaths to have been for nothing. He concludes his seven minute speech by stating that he hopes America will be able to recover from the conflict and that the nation they spent so many years shaping would not cease to exist.

LAD #14

Lincoln begins his inaugural address by stating that he speaks to the nation as a whole when he says he promises to preserve the union at all costs. With that being said, he turns to the South and tells them that he neither wants to or plans on getting involved when it comes to slavery. In his promise to preserve the stability of the union, he vows that he will do whatever it takes to live up to his word and protect the Constitution--even if it means a war must be fought in the process. Lincoln continues to assure them that he intends to protect the states that approved slavery and vows to enforce the Fugitive Act. He concludes his speech by announcing to the nation that he hopes the North and South will be able to peacefully coexist without conflict.

LAD #13

John Calhoun opens his statement to the senators by claiming that he knows deep down slavery will end in the disunity of the United States if things are left the way they are. He asks them the question "how can the union be preserved?" and answers it himself by stating that the only way they can stop the union from falling apart is by understanding what it is that's causing the damage in the first place. He explains how the Southerners discontent over the matter is part of the root of the problem. The political parties of the South, Whigs and Democrats, worked to keep their half of the nation under control and calm, but Calhoun goes as far as to remind his audience that political parties often have another angle to the ordeal. He explains how the parties needed the south to be calm and quiet in order to maintain their grip on their followers. The south eventually came to the conclusion over their discontent with slavery that they may no longer be able to remain a part of the union. Calhoun explains that the south has witnessed the North's rise to power in government and felt they were being pushed farther out of the balance of power in the union. Calhoun states that the only way to stop the south from seceding or being forced to abolish slavery as a whole was to give them what they wanted. He proposed they give the south an equal voice in government and the land they desire to keep them at bay, otherwise the unrest within the union will eventually lead to its downfall.

LAD #12

In James K. Polk's message to Congress he starts off by explaining how the United States had attempted peace with the Mexican Government, but they did not withstand to this agreement. When the US sent an envoy to discuss peace with Mexico they rejected him and refused to speak about the matter. Polk points out that they not only rejected their outreach for peace, but invaded American soil which resulted in many casualties on our side. Polk goes on to state that he doesn't think they should continually allow people to get hurt over a simple land disagreement and thought they should take a different approach to the issue. He stated how Mexico doesn't seem to want to negotiate, a conclusion he came to after they rejected the envoy, John Slidell, when he was sent to discuss peace between the two nations. Polk presses on by saying how Mexico was unable to continue communication with America, let alone obey and respect the treaties they already had in place. Polk concludes his message to Congress by saying how after all of these instances with Mexico, the United States has no choice but to declare war.

LAD #11

The Seneca Falls Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions states that both men and women are to be considered equal. Women were continually treated by men as if they needed constant monitoring and the declaration wanted to fix that and give women some equal rights. In the past women had not been allowed to keep track of their own money. They couldn't vote, couldn't be educated, and has been further excluded from society through these policies and ideas. Along with showing all the problems they wanted to fix, the Seneca Falls Declaration came complete with a list of resolutions to the issues involving women listed before. It stated that men and women were hereby equal and a women could do just as much as her fellow man. the declaration also stated that women were to be properly educated and that falsified the idea that men were the superior gender. Finally, the document touched on women having the same capabilities as women and no longer need to feel as though they were beneath the men in their communities.

LAD #10

1.  What did the issuing of the Monroe Doctrine express from an American perspective post War of 1812?
The Doctrine was a very gusty thing, having just come out of a war that resulted in a stalemate. The nation had just started off, making the United States a difficult nation to take seriously. We weren't powerful from Europe's perspective, but the overall introduction of the Monroe Doctrine sparked nationalism worldwide. From the perspective of the people Americans would most likely want their colonies to the west to experience life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness as they have been granted. In order to reach their goal, they need to get rid of other nations from colonizing in America in order to maintain their safety and peace.


2.  What was Secretary of State Adams' hope when he wrote the Monroe Doctrine?
He hoped that the other nations that already had or were planning on colonizing in the west would no longer build on their empire with that land. He wanted to maintain the people's rights and wanted other nations to see and respect that. Otherwise the government would take any efforts for colonization as aggression towards the nation as a whole and would be dealt with as such.


3.  What is the key phrase in the entire document that you need to remember as the cornerstone or American Foreign Policy?
Madison stated that the nation would stay neutral unless another nation were to attack them first. He wanted to avoid war, having just come out of The War of 1812, and therefore enacted the doctrine to maintain the land to the west.

Columbus Blog #8

Should Christopher Columbus be considered a hero or villain? Explain.

I remember back in fourth grade our teacher told us the truth about Columbus--that he wasn't the nice man who befriended the Indians and helped them take a step towards a more structured and modern society. We learned that he was a corrupt man who ransacked the Indians and stole their gold, but in my opinion I don't see him as a villain. During the time period this was normal. He might've been the first to travel to what he thought was India in 1492 and ended up discovering a new land altogether, but he wasn't the only one who treated them badly. The Spanish conquistadors also raided the New World and caused the extinction of Indian tribes throughout the land. Hernan Cortes was responsible for the entire downfall of the Aztec Empire. Columbus might've been the first to actually attempt to change and cause indirect ruin to the Indian tribes, but he wasn't the last. Spain's main goal during their voyages to the New World was Gold, Glory, and God. They were to get gold at all costs, bring back the glory of conquering land to Spain, and spread their religion to all they found, even if the natives didn't want to be converted. France also followed after their example along with other European nations. They wanted the new land that was up for grabs in the New World, despite it already being occupied. At least Columbus hadn't purposely sailed to the Americas in order to steal their gold and overpower the natives. The other conquering nations were blinded by their greed, the White Man's Burden, and their thirst for power. Some say that Columbus was a villain, but to a much greater degree he should be considered a hero. After all, he was the one who discovered the Americas. Although what came after their discovery wasn't the best part of history, America would have been lagging even farther behind in society without it being discovered. Eventually it would have been discovered, but the creation of its own nation and society would have been delayed by who-knows-how-many-years. The American revolution might not have happened in the year 1700 and the industrial revolution would have been thrown off. Everything we know today would be different if not for Columbus's successful failure in finding the land in 1492. I don't agree with Columbus's ways, but I consider him a hero for finding America when he did, even if by mistake. Without him, America wouldn't be the same nation is it today.

LAD #9

Jefferson starts his address by saying how he alone was not able to govern the country that was the United States of America. Although he had his problems with it and was upset over the loss of the Articles of Confusion, he declared that he would use the Constitution to the best of his ability in order to be a thorough President. Jefferson also declares that he wishes the United States to become just that--united. He wanted them to get past the differences, disagreements, and difficulties they'd had in the past in order to have a clear view towards the future. Jefferson truly believes and shares with the people that Republicanism is the next great step the country needs to take. He continues saying how it will help the people govern themselves. He shares his views on America in its success and lists all the policies that will help lead to success. Jefferson asks that the people be patient when it comes to governmental decisions, for he is only human and it will take time for him to complete these difficult tasks; but nevertheless, he intends to have them completed at one point or another. He nears the end of his speech by stating that he will give up his seat of power whenever the people wish him to since he is a strong believer in the power of the American people. He states that he wants the government to represent the will of the people and hopes to one day grasp the success of a full united and realized America.

LAD #7: Washington's Farewell Address

Washington, after his second term as President of the United States, decides to step down from his title and return to a calmer lifestyle. Although the public had voted for him to stay another term, he humbly declines the offer. He urges the American people to make a decision based off of the other promising candidates and wants them to do him the justice of maintaining the importance in leadership of the United States of America. He also states that he wants them to be careful of the emerging political parties in fear of them dividing the united America. He believed that in order for the nation to be as successful as it possibly could be, it would have to stay in agreement and therefore united together no matter what. He stated that maintaining a neutral stance when it came to outside wars was important so they wouldn't make enemies that may hurt them in the future. Washington wanted the American people to abide by the rules of the Constitution and thanked them for the opportunities they'd given him over the past two terms as President of the United States.

LAD #6: Washington's Proclamation of Neutrality

War has been initiated between Austria, Prussia, Sardinia, Great Britain, and the United Netherlands, America is to stay neutral during the war. America will not become involved in the conflict and will instead watch from a distance while the feud is settled outside of their power. All citizens of the United States are to avoid breaking the agreement to stay out of the war (neutral). If any citizens go against staying neutral and do aid other countries in their fight against another in the war, they will no longer be allowed protection under the United States of America. Persecutions among people who break neutrality have already been set in place, so this is simply a warning to the citizens to truly stay out of the matter. They must respect that this is not their battle to fight, and therefore will be punished if they forget that simple fact. Washington has already signed off on the agreement to remain neutral during the war, a document he signed in Philadelphia on April 22nd, 1793.

LAD #5: Federalist

1.  Why are factions so difficult to eliminate?

Factions were difficult to eliminate because by taking them away, liberty would also be eliminated. All people have their rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Government cannot take away a person's liberty. Also factions are formed from people's opinions. Passion is very difficult to erase, especially if it resides in a large number of people. The government would have trouble containing that many people who feel so strongly about their factions. Eliminating them would be a challenge greater than they could handle.

2.  If factions cannot be removed then how can they be controlled?

In order for factions to be controlled, the point of what they're trying to protest needs to be contained. If the government has control over the issue, than the faction can't change anything over their disagreeing problem. Or if everybody has the same opinion over the matter, than everyone would agree and there would be no need for a faction.

Republican Motherhood Blog

(1) What role did the Revolutionary War play in the transformation of housewifery to Republican Motherhood?
Women served their country now by training good citizens and enlightened legislators. She shows the young and those in need of guidance knowledge to use throughout their lives (doc. A). Families were left in the hands of the women to train and better the young minds of tomorrow. Women were now actually impacting the future of America, being given the task after the Revolutionary War secured America's independence from Britain. They teach their sons about liberty and government (doc. B).


(2) What were the consequences of Republican Motherhood on women?
Although women were given the responsibility of educating their sons (doc. B), they were still stuck on staying in their homes and not interfering with everyday life like men did. Even though their jobs were a lot more important in the long run, their education and chances of learning came with a price. They couldn't leave their homes and became the ladies of the house. They were to watch their husbands and other men go out and practice their rights as men while the women were doomed to stay indoors and teach their sons all they needed to know about life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. They were given more opportunist in society by teaching their sons, but what was the point if they were still, in a sense, typical housewives?

(3) What is the significance of the ideology of the Republican Motherhood as a stage in the process of women's socialization?

Women were finally given a real role in society by becoming part of the Republican Motherhood. Before they were only housewives, but now they were something more. They were important. Being a Republican Mother meant bettering the "generous youth, just ripening into manhood," with Republican knowledge (doc. C). They became important pieces of the puzzle that was society, despite still being trapped in a solely male-dominant world. Women were brought together and were given hope that change was coming for the better.

(1) Describe the setting.

Just after the American Revolution. The portrait was painted by Charles Willson Peale in 1789 and depicts a mother and her children. The piece's official name was Mary Gibson Tilghman and her sons. The mother, judging by her clothes and ability to afford a portrait in the first place, appears to be of middle class descent.

(2) Who serves at the center of the portrait and why? How does the woman look? How is she "republican" rather than aristocratic?
In the center of the portrait is Mary Gibson. She looks strong, yet conserved. She had her hands protectively over her child as if to show that she's going to protect the two of them no matter what. She's not dressed completely wealthy or over the top and is around middle class stature, as stated in the question before. It shows that she is a conserved Republican rather than an aristocrat who would gladly show off her wealth for all to see.


(3) What values do her sons exhibit?
Their sons seem to listen to their mother because she's got them on her lap, which seems exceptionally hard for children that young. Especially since painting a portrait could take hours as opposed to taking a simple picture with a camera or cell phone like we do in modern times. Her sons seem to respect their mother and obey her wishes.

(4) Is there a significance to the position of Mrs. Tilgham's arm?

She's holding her child delicately with her arm, keeping him protected from the rest of the world. It shows that she's a force to be recognized and that her son should understand how strong his mother is. She shows her children that she's the one in charge as both a Republican Mother and his teacher. She teaches him to understand society and the world he's going to one day be a part of.

Blog #4 - Revolution Article

(1) I had no idea George "I cannot tell a lie" Washington actually lied about/hid information that was embarrassing to him and his image when writing about his part in the French and Indian War. I always considered Washington a man with little to hide or be ashamed of.


(2) I learned that some people/historians believe the Civil War was the most important battle of the United States rather than the Revolutionary War. I always considered the Revolutionary War more important, even if not as many people died as in the Civil War. Without the Revolutionary War, the Civil War would never have been fought (or at least not for years and years).


(3) Soldiers taken captive were occasionally killed on the walk to the prison to avoid killing them there when they were officially considered prisoners of war. That plan seems to bizarre to me. Either way the people are going to get killed, so it was interesting hearing that some were cut down before reaching their destination to avoid slaughtering the prisoners. It's almost ironic.


(4) Colonel Henry Lee attacked enemy soldiers by surprise, killing ninety loyalists and wounding the remainders all without losing a single soldier on his side.


(5) The Americans, when they attempted to invade Canada, ran short on food and were left with nothing to eat except dogs and soup made of shoes and candles.

LAD #3: Declaration of Independence

In America all men are considered equal and each have their own rights and liberties. If the government fails to allow people their certain unalienable rights, the people have the option to recreate governmental figures where the rights of the people are represented. No government is perfect and not everyone will agree with them at times, but if there is a steady stream of abuses by the government than the people have the power to overthrow them and start anew.




The government has preformed a grievance if they attempt to make the military directly under their control, take away the people's right to a trial by jury, making judges under their power by controlling their pay and who they take orders from, refusing to pass laws that amount to the overall good of the people, and for taxing the public without their consent.




America is now completely independent from Britain and are therefore allowed to wage war if the time comes. Britain has no control over them anymore and they are free. They are officially relieved of their tyrannical rule beneath King George III and any connection between the two nations is to be severed (dissolved). They can now create contracts with other nations, establish commerce, and carry on as an independent nation in whichever way they see fit.

LAD #2: John Peter Zenger

(1) Who was John Peter Zenger?
He was a German immigrant who created and published the New York Weekly Journal. He was placed on trial because of what some of the articles in the journal stated about their corrupt government, despite only being the publisher and not the one who actually wrote the material.




(2) What was the controversy over his charges? Talk about Hamilton's defense.
Zenger was said to have published negative things about the government, specifically the royal governor. Even though Zenger hadn't actually been the one writing the material, he published it and was held responsible. Zenger refused to give up the names of the people who wrote the articles and was brought to trial. Andrew Hamilton, the most famous attorney of the time, stated that Zenger was the one responsible for printing the articles about the government, but asked the prosecution to prove what was written wrong. He stated that Zenger shouldn't be imprisoned if what was published was actually true.


(3) What influence did his case have on American governmental tradition?
It got the snowball rolling for people to being accepting the freedom of the press. Of course it would still be years before it actually became a real thing, but people began writing and publishing the truth about the government and politically powerful figureheads. Because of the  Zenger trial people felt safer being able to write the truth since it was what got Zenger out of his charges.


(4) What is the lasting significance of his trial? Explain.
As I said before, the trial became something bigger than Zenger had ever expected. It took the first step in freedom of the press where they wouldn't be charged and brought to trial every time they wrote a negative viewpoint on the government or powerful figures at the time. It wouldn't be years until freedom of the press became a real thing, but it started after the Zenger trial when writers and publishers began stating their viewpoints freely without as big a fear of persecution. It was a big trial at the time and so most of the colonists had heard about it and the verdict, spreading the news and the hope of there one day being such a thing as freedom of the press.

LAD #1: Mayflower Compact & Fundamental Orders of Connecticut:

(1) What concepts are included in the Mayflower Compact?
It states that the colonists coming over from the Old World would remain loyal to King James I. They would form a new Colony in the northern parts of Virginia, and the colonists would abide by the same rules and regulations while practicing the Christian fate.


(2) How does the Mayflower Compact reflect and attachment to both the "Old" and "New" worlds?
The colonists were bringing over laws and religion from the Old World to the New World. The Mayflower Compact allowed them to keep practicing the same things they did back in the Old World in the Americans where they could start a new life.


(3) How did the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut differ from the Mayflower Compact?
The Fundamental Orders of Connecticut was much longer and more detailed than the Mayflower Compact. It was more strict when it came to government and left very little room for interpretation. The Mayflower Compact got right to the point and was a little more loose than the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut where it wrote exactly what days meetings would be held on and exactly what the government was expected to do. All the Mayflower Compact stated was that that government should do whatever they thought was best for the Colony overall.


(4) What prompted the colonists of Connecticut to take this approach to government, i.e.: use of a written Constitution?
The colonists could then show exactly what they expected of the government by having it written down in a Constitution. They wanted to make sure that they wouldn't make a mistake by entrusting either a single person or people with this power. If it was abused than they would have to suffer the consequences of not trying to prevent it, so by creating a strict written document of exactly how governmental duties should be carried out, it put them at ease.


(5) In what significant way(s) does the Fundamental Orders reflect a fear of and safeguard against the usurping of power by one person or a chosen few?
Remember to include a related photo for each document.
It was strict and made sure that the people involved in the government wouldn't have too much power if they ever attempted to abuse it. The document was incredibly detailed and stated exactly how voting would take place and the circumstances involving more powerful voting figures. In nearly every beginning sentence it states "It is Ordered, sentenced, and decreed . . ." meaning it's already set in stone. There was no going around it. Most of the document talks about power and shows that it was a big deal for the colonists. If it wasn't, they wouldn't have included it that many times throughout the Fundamental Orders. They feared a single person or persons taking control and abusing their powers, so they marked off exactly what people could an couldn't do to prevent the matter from ever happening.

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