The Emancipation Proclamation was a document stated by Abraham Lincoln. It set all slaves free on January 1st, 1863. This included all of the slaves in all states, including the rebelling ones. The government, as well as the military, would do anything and everything in their power to ensure that all slaves are able to keep this newfound freedom. All slaves in Southern states were to be freed forever. These newly freed slaves were also able to serve in the Union army.
Sunday, November 27, 2011
LAD #19:- Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address
Lincoln was elected a second time and he says to the people that his second address is not as important as his first one. He talks about his views on the civil war, which has already started by this time. Both sides wished to avoid war, but it was inevitable. It was necessary to preserve the union. Lincoln also talks about how he believes that the arguments over slavery arose becand were the direct cause of the Civil war. The two sides had opposite beliefs: The north wanted to abolish slavery and the south was pushing to spread slavery. Lincoln closed by saying that the Union army would have to continue to fight until the country was whole again and sectionalism failed to exist.
Monday, November 21, 2011
LAD #18- Dred Scott Decision
Scott vs. Sanford, or more widely known as the Dred Scott Decision, was a case to prove the innocence of runaway slave Dred Scott. Dred Scott ran away from Missouri to Illinois to obtain his freedom. The court case came about because he tried to purchase his freedom from his owner, and his owner refused. Scott then sued his owner. Justice Taney ruled that no African-Americans were to be considered United States citizens, regardless of whether they were free or slave. Because he was not considered a citizen, Scott could therefore no longer sue in court. The Missouri Compromise was also ruled illegal because it forbade the right of property (slaves) to slave owners and that was unconstitutional.
Sunday, November 20, 2011
LAD #17- Ain't I A Woman Speech
Sojourner Truth made her speech at a Women's Convention in Ohio in 1851. She talks about how the white man says that women are delicate and need help with tasks such as getting into carriages and crossing mud puddles. She wonders aloud "Nobody ever helps me into carriages...ain't I a woman?" She had thirteen children, all sold to slavery to bear her pains. The word "Intellect" is raised and she talks about how she has very little rights compared to whites and women alike. She argues that women, like man, came from Christ and should therefore have just as many rights as man does. All women should band together, dor if they do, they would have the power to change the world for the better.
LAD #16- 5th of July Speech
Although his home was in Rochester, Frederick Douglass traveled all over the country, speaking out and spreading his beliefs. He was a great American abolitionist in his time. On July 5th in 1852, Douglass gave a speech and talked about the anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. His main question was "What does the 4th of July really mean to a slave?" He was a constant victim of the cruelty and injustice towards the American slaves; Douglass believes all celebration is a complete waste of time. He clearly does not support America and claims that no other nation practices such harshness towards any form of people at that point in time.
LAD #15- The Gettysburg Address
Lincoln gives recognition to all of the men who died in creating the country as it was at that time. The country had been created "four score and seven years ago" which is 87 years ago. Disputes over slavery, tariffs, and the economy had caused the United States to become ensnared in a civil war with the North fighting against the South. Sectionalism was dramatically increased, and Lincoln said that the heroes who died in these wars would be remembered far more than his address would.
LAD #14: Lincoln's First Inaugural Adress
Lincoln starts out his speech by telling the people that he does not wish to waste their time by talking about issues that nobody cares about; instead he says he will talk about things of excitement. The south was nervous because Lincoln was a Republican, but he said that they should not worry and that they had no reason to have apprehension. Lincoln had absolutely no plans to interfere with slavery in America. He considered it a crime to violate states rights, and claimed that he would never do so. He wanted to keep the country as a whole, united. Lincoln intended to keep the Fugitive Slave Act in place and multiple other laws that would protect Americans' rights. Lincoln stated that his larger main objective was to keep the country together as a Union. He believed that secession from the Union was unconstitutional. Secession was not written into the constitution, so Lincoln says that these events were unprecedented and he did not really know exactly what to do. The constitution also says nothing about either allowing or prohibiting slavery. Lincoln once again puts emphasis on preserving the union and keeping it whole. In order to keep the prosperity that America has worked ever so hard for, then a civil war must be avoided.
Monday, November 14, 2011
LAD#13- Calhoun's Speech
John Calhoun knew that the civil war was looming ahead over the heads of the Americans. His speech starts out by talking about the issues that the union is having, and then goes on further to discuss his ideas for possible solutions and how to prevent the civil war from actually occurring. He talks about how these problems arise from the growing tensions between the North and the South because the South feels powerless compared to the North; the North has most of the federal power or at least the ability to change the outcome of some things. The South grew angry, and Calhoun was speaking for them when he offered the North a deal: If the North does not do exactly what the South wants, the South will secede and the North will not be able to do anything about it.
LAD#12- Polk's War Message
President Polk's War Message was a speech given to the United States in 1846 addressing the war with Mexico. Ath and before this time, the United States had attempted to create diplomatic and peaceful resolutions with the Mexicans. Polk explains how tensions between the United States and Mexico had grown increasingly and were now causing instability. Polk says the the USA only wanted to peacefully solve the Texan border disputes. Polk's longterm goal was the create peaceful relations between us and our Mexican neighbors. He sent Slidell down to try and negotiate peacefully, but the Mexicans would not recieve him and no negotiations were made. Mexico certainly put the United States in a difficult position by refusing to accept any of our peace agreements. Troops were kept in Texas, but congress would not see this dispute as a real war. Polk's War Message, overall, was a message to congress asking them to see this as a real war rather than just a dispute.
Sunday, November 13, 2011
LAD #11- The Seneca Falls Convention
The Seneca Falls convention was the first convention of its kind; it was the first large convention to advocate for the rights and equality of women. It supported the expansion of women's rights and added to the feminist movement that was beginning to sweep the nation. The first portion of the document is the preamble to the United States Declaration of Independence, but it had been rewritten to write "Men and women" rather than just "men." This new document was known as the Declaration of Sentiments. It states women's anger at men because of their lack of power in government and their inability to vote and elect government officials. The declaration also states that men were basically stealing from women and not giving them the right to own property or earn fair wages. Men at this time had all power over all property. If a couple ever got divorced, the man would get all the money and the children; women believed that this was preventing then from ever being happy. Men were also given better jobs and church positions than women. The women at the convention proposed the declaration as a set of resolutions to solve these issues; the wanted equal rights and equal wages and equal liberty.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)