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.