LAD #21

 

In Andrew Carnegie's piece "Wealth" from North American View, he discusses the proper way that society might go about leveling the uneual distribution of wealth. This is his "Gospel of Wealth." Though one might expect the billionaire to horde his riches and protect them from the public, Carnegie urges his fellow business tycoons to donate parts of their income. He says that the elevation of a minority above the living standard is a natural progression of society, but that returning some of those earnings to the public will benefit society as a whole. To prove this, he analyzes three modes by which fortunes are spent. First, he discusses those that spend the money on themselves during their lifetimes and leave the rest of their fortunes to their families. This is not only selfish according to Carnegie, but a burden on the family. The children of these billionaires often lose their fortune. In this way, the fortunes are not best kept in the hands of the few. The second option involves a death tax, in which the government takes money from the estates of the wealthy upon their death in the form of a tax. Surprisingly, Carnegie supports the idea of a death tax, though he does not see it as the most effective way to distribute wealth. He argues that the death tax is a beneficial thing because it brings money back to the public, but notes that time is wasted during the lifetime of the billionaire to do public good with the money. This brings him to his final point: Wealthy individuals should be philanthropists throughout their lifetime. In this way, everyone is able to benefit from the fortune and it is the responsibility of the few who have political power to see that this happens. The distribution of wealth throughout a tycoons lifetime would be society's equalizer in an age where the gap between the rich and poor was widening.

LAD #20

Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation freed all slaves in states in open rebellion with the Federal Government of the United States. According to Lincoln, this was a measure of "military necessity." States would be found in open rebellion if they did not have an elected representative in Congress on January 1 following the speech. The states that had chosen to secede would fall under this category. Slaves held by individuals in Border States or areas where the President sought to retain political support would not be freed by the proclamation. Through this statement it becomes clear that Lincoln saw value in the addition of ex-slaves to his military force. Freed slaves were not only encouraged to pursue fair employment opportunities, but were informed that they would be openly recieved by the Government's armed services. This document would come at the turning point of the war and would be met by criticism from many fronts.

LAD #19

 



President Lincoln's Second Inaugual Address reiterated his previous statements concerning unification. The South had chosen to secede and pursued military action in order to protect its interests. The noble North had accepted military aggression as the necessary evil needed to preserve the Union. War would have to precede peace. The states needed to reunite, according to Lincoln, and all individuals involved in the conflict were American. Bearing this in mind, Lincoln attempted to rally the battered North around a common cause and urged his constituents to perservere and support the war effort. He did this by adding a religious element to the war. Lincoln declared that God allowed for the violent, domestic conflict because it served as reparation for the offense of slavery. The issue of slavery would be resolved in His eyes by the Civil War and should be continued until He was satisfied. It is also important to note that Lincoln did not address the states' rights issues that had contributed to the start of the Civil War. The cause of the war, as cited by Lincoln in this address, stemmed from issues over slavery. The Government had wished only to stop the limit expansion of the practice, while the South had wished to spread the instituion across the nation.

LAD #18

 

Justice Nelson was originally designated as the writer for the case Scott v. Sanford, but it became clear that his verdict was based soley on his own opinions and biases. His responsibility passed to Justice Taney. Before a decision was reached, President-elect James Buchanon contacted his supporters in the Supreme Court and tried to learn of the verdict of the Scott v. Sanford case. He wanted to speak of it in his inaugural address. By the time he had to deliver it, he knew what the decision was, and openly supported the Supreme Court ruling "whatever it may be." Chief Justice Roger. B Taney's decision in regards to the case Scott v. Sanford rendered the Missouri Compromise unconstitutional and further established that slaves were property.  The case was actually dismissed by Taney at the Supreme Court level for lacking jurisdiction. Dred Scott, who was essentially suing for his freedom, was denied the "privlege of suing in a court of the United States" because he was not an American citizen. This would be a huge blow to the abolitionist movement because it provided a legal excuse for racial inequality. After coming to this must awaited conclusion, Taney analyzed the Missouri Compromise. It was found unconstitutional because it restricted American freedoms designated by the Bill of Rights, namely freedom of speech and the right of slaveholders to their right to property in all states. For this reason, a state's slavery policy would have to be determined by popular sovereignty. Taney also decided that a slave who spent time in a free state was still the property of his master. This lawsuit, which was intended to bring about more equality, was actually a step backward in the anti-slavery movement.

LAD #17

 

Sojourner Truth's support of the women's rights movement came through in her speech "Ain't I a Woman?" However, ths speech also highlights the larger volumes of injustices born by African American women within the movement. In the eyes of Truth, the white man holds the white woman to some level of respect. He helps her into carriages, lifts her over ditches, and ensures that she has "the best place everywhere." These courtesies do not extend to the African American woman, who toils endlessly in her master's fields and whose children are ripped from her arms. Equality is deserved in both regards: gender and race. In the spirit of the women's rights movement as a whole, Truth said that God came from a woman and that "man had nothing to do with Him." According to Truth, this reason alone must justify women's equality in the man's mind. She goes further and alludes to the Bible again. This time, she says that because Eve was able to "turn the world upside down all alone," a united front of women will certainly have the power to bring about women's equality. Truth calls for men to get out of their way.

LAD #16

In What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?" Frederick Douglas brings forward the hypocrisy of the American people in regards to their ideal of liberty. The United States was established on the basic principles of freedom and equality. When asked to speak for the holiday, Douglas could not see how a nation dedicated to liberty, that worked in the international arena to extend democracy, could allow slavery within its borders. This practice went against not only the principle of liberty, but against the Bible, the Constitution, and nature. Douglas also noted that on the Fourth of July the oppression of slavery became pronounced. On the holiday, slaves would observe their masters celebrating independence. In doing so, it would become painfully obvious that the idea of freedom was understood and cherished by the American people, but that it was deliberately withheld from African Americans. African Americans were entitled to freedom. Not only was that a basic human right according to Douglas, but African Americans also accounted for a large percent of the American work force and contributed greatly to the development of the country. They were laborers, teachers, lawyers, doctors, and orators. Douglas concluded his speech by resolving to remain actively seized in the matter of abolition.
 

LAD #15

Lincoln's Gettsyburg Address is one of the most celebrated pieces of American rhetoric. In this speech, Lincoln called for unity between states in the midst of a violent civil conflict. To do so, he avoided speaking directly about the sectional tensions that had caused the war and the bloody battle that had occurred on the ground that he stood on. Instead, he focused on the abstract American ideals of liberty and brotherhood. He declared that the Civil War was a test on the American experiment. It would determine whether a democratic nation like the United States could survive. In doing so, he redefined the Civil War, making it into a continuation of the Revolutionary War, and urged his constituents to push forward. He honored those that had given their lives in the Battle of Gettysburg and encouraged the American people to not let them die in vain. This speech inspired the North to continue to their fight for democracy and set an example for future American prose.

LAD #14

 





Lincoln's First Inaugural Address was clearly a message to the Southern states threating to secede from the Union. In this speech, Lincoln assured these states that, though he was a Republican, he would not push an abolitionist agenda. Instead, he declared that he would abide strictly by the terms established by the Constitution. Slavery would not be abolished in the states where it already existed. Fugitive slaves would be returned to their masters. Lincoln emphasized that his platform had always been one in support of the states' rights delegated by the Constitution. However, Lincoln also declared that talk of cession would not be tolerated. He went so far as to deem cession unconstitutional and further emphasized the importance of preserving the Union. Lincoln also warned that the idea of cession would not end if the Southern states ceded. Minorities would continue to rise up in the ceded sections and, following the example set by the first cession, threaten to cede as well. Lincoln also reminded his constituents that no provision or protection dictated by the Constitution had ever been infringed on by the Federal Government. He closed the speech by touching on an amendment that had passed through Congress declaring that the Federal Government would not interfere with the domestic duties of states. He said that he would not oppose this legislation and called again for the union of all states.

LAD #13

In John C. Calhoun's "The Clay Compromise Measures," the grievances of the Southern states were explained. According to Calhoun, the Federal government was biased towards the Northern states. This accounted for the favorable terms of key pieces of legislation in the eyes of the North. The Ordinance of 1787, the Missouri Compromise, and the "Tariff of Abominations" all appeared to push a Northern agenda and ultimately caused the population difference between the two regions. The Northern states gained more land from the Louisiana Purchase and other United States annexations than than the South. The Northern states, namely the manufactorers, benefited from protective tariffs which were ultimately a financial burden on the South. As a result, money from the South flowed continuously to the North and encourged immigrants to settle in the North as opposed to the South. This created the population inequality. All of this political leverage in Congress was being used to restrict slavery and the Southern states could not stand for this.

Becasue of these injustices, Calhoun argued that the Southern states would have no choice to but to secede from the Union. Unhappy with Northern domination and offended by the Northern view that their way of life was immoral, the Southern states had given up too much and could not give up anymore to preserve the Union. If the Union was to be preserved, the North would have to extend a diplomatic hand.

 

LAD #12

In Polk's War Message of 1846, the President Polk justified war with Mexico by explaining, chronologically, relations that had existed between the two countries. This explanation began with the unfortuante circumstances surrounding the American diplomat to Mexico, John Slidell. After asking Mexico if an American ambassador would be accepted to resolve territorial disputes and tensions between the two countries and recieving an affirmative answer, General Herrara refused to meet with him. When Herrara's government was overtaken by a military coup led by General Paredes, the United States offered their diplomat again. Slidell was again rejected, disrespected, and returned home unsuccessful.

After the annexation of Texas, military support was sent to the new state to protect it from Mexican aggression. In response, Mexican General Ampudia demanded that the United States disband its military establishments. When an American search party was sent to patrol the border and determine if Mexico was arming its borders in preparation for an attack, the group was ambushed. Several men were killed. Mexico then declared war on the United States.

The combination of these two factors  justified war with Mexico in Polk's eyes and he urged the American people to rally around the cause.

LAD #11

 

In the Seneca Falls Convention Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions, feminist leaders established the basic rights of women. The document begins as a mimickry of the Declaration of Independence and highlights the injustices that man has inflicted on women. It highlights the oppression of women throughout the course of American history in regards to laws and social expectations. Among the injustices cited in the document are the lack of female suffrage, the inability of women to own private property, and women's exclusion from many professional fields. The document also states that women are equal to men in the eyes of God and that God's laws take precedent over human legislation. Following this line of logic, human laws that oppress women go against the natural order. The women at the Seneca Falls Convention concluded their document by resolving to remain actively seized in the matter and by emphasizing that women have the right to pursue causes that they view as morally unjust in the public sector.

LAD #10

In President Monroe's seventh annual message to Congress, it became clear that the United States sought to eradicate European influence from the Western Hemisphere. Monroe's statement, which later became known as the Monroe Doctrine, declared that the United States would protect the interests of newly sovereign states in the Western Hemisphere from European domination. Monroe sympathized with these new countries because he believed that they were founded on ideals that paralled those of the American Revolution. Their governments differed from those European institutions which had previously governed them. The statement made it clear that European influence was not welcome in the Western Hemisphere and that it would be seen as a direct infringement on American sovereignty. Monroe warned Europe that the United States was prepared to violate its desire to remain neutral in order to protect its sovereignty and the sovereignty of the new nations. Through the Monroe Doctrine, he also emphasized that the United States wished to maintain friendly relations with European nations and had no desire to interfere wth European affairs.  In this way, the Monroe Doctrine was America's way of asserting its jurisdiction over the Western Hemisphere while still attemting to preserve peaceful relations with Europe.

LAD #9 Jefferson's First Inaugural Address

Thomas Jefferson walked a fine line as he delivered his first Inaugural Address. Though he had previously sympathized with the anti-federalists, advocating for states' rights and a less powerful federal government, Jefferson appeared to shift toward a federalist point of view in an attempt to present himself as a more moderate figure. In this speech, he applauded the Constitution. He declared that it would guide him during his time in office and that it was necessary that the American people unite around it. Jefferson deviated further from the  anti-federalist approach, saying that the new United States government was the "strongest Government on earth." However, Jefferson softened this viewpoint to any that might disagree with him by emphasizing that the government's power would come from the people and that its purpose would be to protect the rights and livliehoods of its constituents. He resolved to be friendly with foreign countries without engaging in alliances. He promised to encourage agriculture and pay back debts. Most of all, he told the American people to accept differences in political opinion and understand that all Americans are united by the same core principles.

Columbus Blog #8

 

  Though Christopher Columbus is a celebrated historical figure who enjoys his own national holiday in the United States, further analysis of his character and expeditions reveals that he is not a hero. Instead, he was a man of low moral character who selfishly exploited the generous nature of the native people he encounterd and set a precedent for the treatment of Native Americans for future European conquistadors and settlers. The fact that Columbus took underserved credit for seeing the New World first, and accepted the 10,000 maravedis per year for life as a result, is an immediate indicator of his low moral standard. However, his reputation comes under serious question when one examines his interactions with the Arawak Indians. The Arawaks greeted Columbus and his men bearing food and gifts; sadly, these gestures served only to wet the appetite of the greedy explorer. He took several prisoners hoping that they would lead him to deposits of gold. This began Columbus' tyrade of violence, murder, and imprisonment of the Arawaks. Dragged from their homes, hundreds of the New World's indigenous people were sent overseas to be slaves in Spain or else employed on brutal Caribbean encomiendas and in mines. Suicide rate among the Arawak people was high and population declined exponentially. This blatent disregard for basic human rights would be repeated by the expeditions of Cortes and Pizarro in Central and South America as well as by the constituents of the Massachusetts Bay Colony and other British settlements. Columbus' reputation hides these unconvenient truths.

LAD #7 Washington's Farewell Address

George Washington begins this famous speech by declaring that he will not be running for President in the coming election. He assures his listeners that this decision does not come from personal disinterest in the country's pursuits. Rather, he feels that the country will benefit from a new leader with a fresh perspective. His decision sets a precedent for the presidents that follow him- each will also serve two terms.  Washington thanks the American people for giving him the opportunity to lead the country and says that he worked hard while he was in office to establish and administer a new government.

His speech is also largely a call for unification. He projects a spirit of American nationalism, derived from the patriotism of the Revolution, as he urges the colonies to act as a unified body. He emphasizes that the states depend on each other, despite their obvious differences. The North may be a hub for commercial trade and industry, but the South provides necessary raw materials and capital as well. The West pushes American ideals into the frontier, but depends on the East to sustain itself. For these reasons, Washington argues that the differences should unite Americans into one interdependent system rather than divide them by geographical variations. Washington also states that unity of the states will protect them from foreign infuences and prevent unnecessary domestic conflicts.

In calling for unity, Washington aslo praises the Constituion as the document that will guide the American people into a new age. He urges Americans to remain loyal to it and to build their political ideologies from it. According to Washington, the Constitution will be a vital tool in combatting factions.

The Address also contains Washington's final warnings to the States. These include warnings against: the accumulation of debt, foreign influence in North America, political parties, and alliances. Temporary alliances could be formed in extreme circumstances, but extending them was risky and unnecessary. Washington recommends that the United States retain friendly relations with all nations while looking out for its own interests.

Washington concludes the speech by admiring how far the nation has come, content with the state of a free government that is capable of carrying on without him.

LAD #6 Washington's Proclamation of Neutrality

A decade after the signing of the Treaty of Paris, which offically recognized the end of the Revolutionary War, George Washington dictated the United States' foreign policy with his Proclamation of Neutrality. In it, he states that it is in the United States' best interest to avoid hostilities with the European powers. This is to be done by avoiding involvement in international conflicts. Any violaters of this policy are to be prosecuted.

Republican Motherhood Blog

 

1.       What role did the Revolutionary War play in the transformation of housewifery to Republican Motherhood?

       Before the Revolutionary War, the education of women was considered unnecessary and was even discouraged. Colonists believed that women's domestic role was dictated by God. However, with the Revolutionary War, women began to take on a slightly more prominent role in society by furthering revolutionary aims. Women srongly advocated for the boycott of British goods and made many products at home. Women held up the homefront against Native Americans and British troops while their husbands were at war. Betsy Ross sewed the new American flag and several women's patriotic societies spang up across the colonies. Because of the war, women were given opportunities to break traditional gender roles. This caused a change in the way that society viewed them when the war was over.

2.      What were the consequences of Republican Motherhood on women?

The Rupublican Motherhood elevated the importance of women's domestic roles in colonial society. The mother was now respsonsible for the upbringing of a new nation. She was needed to raise the country's future citizens and instill in them a sense of nationalism and civic interest. Her education was considered important, in limited fields, so that she could better educate her children and effectively manage her household.

3.      What is the significance of the ideology of Republican Motherhood as a stage in the process of women’s socialization?

  Though the ideology of Republican Motherhood did little on the legislative end of women's socialization, it did change public opinion. Women's role in family life and society was viewed with greater importance. This was a necessary first step towards eliminating traditional gender roles.

 

 

 

1.       Describe the setting.

A mother and her two children are seen sitting on a sofa inside of a modest, neat home. Light illuminates the face of Mrs. Tilgham.

 

2.      Who serves at the center of the portrait and why?  How does the woman look?  How is she “republican” rather than aristocratic?

Mrs. Tilgham is placed at the center. The ideology of Republican Motherhood established a mother's vital, central role in family life and child upbringing.  For this reason, Mrs. Tilgham is seated between her two children in the middle of the canvas. Her hair and attire are simple and modest instead of ornate. She does not appear to be trying to impress her peers by her clothing choice as an aristocratic woman might. The room she is seated in and other material things she might own are unimportant. Instead, the focus is on her and her children. She appears to be happy but not idle.

3.      What values do her sons exhibit?

Her sons appear to be well behaved and mellow characters. They sit peacefully with their mother and do not make trouble.

4.      Is there a significance to the position of Mrs. Tilgham’s arm?

    Mrs. Tilgham's arm is placed protectively over her child. This reflects a republican mother's new relationship with her children. Maternal affections certainly existed, but the mother was also directly responsible for guiding her children through their intellectual development. The deliberate arm placement symoblizes this guidance and the crucial, active role mother's were expected to take on.

LAD #5: The Federalist #10

1) Why are factions so difficult to eliminate?

Small dissenting groups will inevitably form from a larger group. This is because people naturally act and think in their own self interest and what is beneficial to one is not necessarily beneficial to another. This is especially true when one considers different social classes. A laborer will think differently than the man who employs him.

These groups cannot be vanquished by a government established to protect the rights of its constituents. The United States was built on the ideals of tolerance and diversity. Because of this, it will not infringe on the right of its citizens to hold different opinions.

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

Their aims are blocked by the Constitution. Laws are passed by a majority vote, so a minority faction will have little leverage in the government. Operating as a republic allows representatives to act for the greater good of the people who elected them. The hope is that they will be able to see what is best for the people even if the the people are misguided by factions. Following this idea, the federal government must act as the representative of the states. A strong federal government will be able to check the power of states (the factions in this case) that wish to act against the general public interest.

LAD #4 Revolution Article

I learned several things from the article "Rethinking the Revolution."

1) Some of America's most cherished historical figures, like George Washington and Benjamin Franklin, actively sought to heighten their public image. In doing so, many of their less commendable actions were forgotten or ignored.

2) American civilians died in great numbers during the Revolutionary War from diseases spread by troops on both sides, coastal raids, partisan warfare, and Indian attacks.

3) Civil War military men are remembered by the American people (Robert E. Lee, Ulysses S. Grant, Stonewall Jackson) while civilian leaders (John Adams, Patrick Henry, Thomas Jefferson) are remembered from the Revolutionary War. This was something that I had never considered before.

4) Muskets used by the continental army had a limited range. Because of this, armies were forced to fight each other from close distances. Casualities were high and fighting often ended with hand-to-hand combat or brutal bayonet charges.

5) Soldiers being desperate for clothing during the Revolutionary War, the victorious party of a battle would often steal the clothes off of the backs of those that had been defeated. This was not practiced during the Civil War.

LAD #3 Declaration of Independence

Summarize the Declaration of Independence in three parts:

1- Democratic Principles
     The writers of the Declaration of Independence make their stance on democracy explicitly clear in the introduction of this document. They advocate for social equality, so that all men can pursue "life, liberty, and... happiness." The writers also emphasize that a government exists to protect the rights of its constituents. When a government acts againsts the interests of its constituents, the people have the right to build a new government that better represents them.

2 - List a handful of grievances
      A multitude of grievances are listed off by the colonists. Some of the most notable include: restriction of trade, implementation of unwelcome taxes, quartering of British troops in colonists' homes, and the revocation of charters.

3 - The Conclusion
       At the end of the document, the colonists remind Great Britain and the international community that they are not acting rashly and that they have tried to reason with Britain in the past. However, seeing as this strategy proved ineffective, the colonists declare their independence from Great Britain and empower themselves to act as any other free nation could.

LAD #2 Zenger Trial

(John Peter Zenger)

1) Who was John Peter Zenger?
   John Peter Zenger was an American settler from Germany. After serving as an apprentice to William Bradford at the New York Gazette,  he established his own newspaper, The New York Weekly Journal, to highlight the selfish acts of Governor William Cosby. Zenger was eventually imprisoned by Cosby for seditious libel but was aquitted by a jury.

2) What was the controversy over his charges? Talk about Hamilton's defense.
   The Prosecution argued that Zenger could be convicted because of the libel of Cosby found in the paper. Zenger's defense attorney, Andrew Hamilton, did not try to deny that Zenger had defamated Cosby. However, he did argue that the truth of The New York Weekly Journal's words were a defense for libel. This idea was unheard of at the time and the case soon became of public interest.

3) What influence did this case have on American governmental tradition?
   The Peter Zenger trial asserted that truth was a defense for libel. The idea was now a protected right. The case also displayed the power of a jury to make decisions that went against the desires of government officials.

4) What is the lasting significance of this trial? Explain.
This case established freedom of the press. Settlers could now publish political commentaries and other controversial material without fear, as long as it was true. Freedom of the press became a truely American ideal.

LAD #1 Mayflower Compact & Fundamental Orders of Connecticut

(Drafting the Mayflower Compact, 1620)

1) What concepts are included in the Mayflower Compact?
 The document declares the colonists's arrival in Capecod and establishes a representative colonial government with the power to draft legislation for the betterment of the colony. Stressed in the Mayflower Compact is that the colonial government and its constituents are suberservient to King James. The Mayflower Compact also asserts the colonists's religious conviction. They state that they act to glorify God and spread the Christian religion as they build a colony for the royal crown.

2) How does the Mayflower Compact reflect an attachment to both the "Old" and "New" worlds?
 The colonists's attachment to the "Old" world can be seen as they promise to remain subservient to their king in England. However, their attachment to the "New" world is reflected in their enthusiasm to create a civil government. It is also obvious that the settlers, eager to escape religious prosecution and unemployment, believe their lives will be better in the "New" world and that they are excited to act in the name of God.



3) How did the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut differ from the Mayflower Compact?
  Both documents highlight the importance of God in colonial life and government and state that the colonists act for Him. However, only the Mayflower Compact emphasizes that the colonists also act under the English crown. The jurisdiction of the English king seems to have been deliberately ommitted from the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut. In both documents, the settlers establish their own governments. The Fundamental Orders of Connecticut lays out an explicit plan for government, including voting procedures (private, paper ballots) and the role of General Assemblies. The Mayflower Compact is extremely vague and open to interpretation.

4) What prompted the colonists of Connecticut to take this approach to government, i.e.: use of a written Constitution?
   The colony, which included the colonial cities of Windsor, Wethersfield, and Hartford, was growing to be quite large and needed a system to effectively manage its affairs. The Fundamental Orders of Connecticut was also necessary to officially unite the three cities into a Commonwealth. Use of a written Constitution futher allowed the colonists to state their individual rights and lay out policies to be used in the years to come. And, seeing as the people of this Commonwealth aimed to build a society centered around their religion, use of a Constitution clearly defined the role that religion was to play in the government of their society.

5) In what significant way(s) does the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut reflect a fear of and safeguard against the usurping of power by one person or a chosen few?
   The fact that seizure of government power is so carefully safeguarded against reflects the colonial fear of one man or group usurping power. The settlers clearly lay out a plan for their representative government in this document. Though there is only one Governor, his power is checked by six other elected persons. Those holding power must be elected, by paper ballot, by "qualified" colonists and the the Governor may not be elected more than once in two years. The colonists hoped that these, and similar measures, would prevent one man from becoming too powerful like the king they had left behind.

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