LAD #20

Summary of the Emancipation Proclamation:

On September 22nd, 1862 Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation. He decided that all slaves, in the states rebelling against the United States, were from January 1st, 1863 forward, going to be free. The Executive Branch, the army, and the navy would all stand by this and maintain the new freedoms of the slaves. He goes on to list all of the states that this pertains to: Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia. He tells the states that their slaves are now free. He concludes by telling these newly freed slaves to be careful and avoid trouble 

and violence.

 

LAD #19

Summary of Lincoln's 2nd Inaugural Address

His second address was fairly short and focused on the monumental issue of the time, the civil war. He had nothing new to say about the war that the citizens didn't already know. However, unlike his first address, where he stressed the importance of maintaining the union without a war, in his second he established the need for the war. He stated that one part of the country would go to war rather than have the nation be maintained as it is, and the other half would go to war to keep it as it is rather than have it fall apart. He stressed the issue of slavery once again and announced that God has his own plans in dealing with the issue of slavery. He closes by emphasizing the hope for a quick end to the painful war, a speedy recovery for the union, and that everyone will care for the soldiers and their families. He desires the nation to be at peace once again. 

LAD #18

Summary of Dred Scott Decision:

Dred Scott went to court against Sanford because he felt that he had the same rights as other men (white men) and that those rights had been infringed upon. The Court ruled that that was not the case because he was a slave and he was property. Dred Scott had gone from the South with his owner to the North. Scott believed that because he was in the North, he should have the right to be free so he sued. The Court under Roger B. Taney, however, ruled the other way. He said that since Scott's parents were immigrants to the country, he didn't have the right to sue in court because he was not a citizen. Also, because he was a slave, he was property and had no rights, and the court didn't have the power to take people's property away. Sanford, the white landowner, won under the constitutional fact that Sanford had the right to his property. Taney also declared the Missouri Compromise unconstitutional in the process.

LAD #17

Summary of Sojourner Truth's "Ain't I a Woman"

Sojourner Truth's speech begins by her explaining how white women are treated delicately and pampered in society. She questions why even though she is a woman too she is forced to work in the field and gets beaten. Her speech is very emotional as she talks about her struggles and asks why her 13 children were sold off to slavery. She argues that she deserves opportunity and education even if she isn't as smart as a white person or a man. She concludes by responding to the clergy who had claimed that women don't have the same rights because Jesus wasn't a woman. She reminded them that Jesus was born to a woman. She wants women to turn the world right side up again and warns men not to get in the way.

LAD #16

Summary of "5th of July" by Frederick Douglas

Frederick Douglas spoke for the 4th of July in Rochester about slavery and the 4th of July. Typically 4th of July speeches are nationalistic and liberty filled. However, Douglas took on a different approach as he explained the mockery that the national holiday imposes on African Americans. While white men get to celebrate independence, for African Americans it is just a day when whites celebrate "equality" despite all of the oppression they have imposed upon Blacks. He goes into detail about all of the hardship and cruelty imposed on slaves. This makes the holiday an even more oppressive and brutal day for African American. Douglas concludes by stating that he will denounce slavery to his best ability and do it in a way that is just. Lastly, he says that slavery is the most vile and inhuman act. 

 

LAD #15 Lincoln's Gettysburg Address

Summary of Lincoln's Gettysburg Address:

Lincoln addressed the nation about the civil war with the famous Gettysburg Address. He begins with "fourscore and seven years ago" and goes on to thank the soldiers who had died. He honors them and expresses his respect for the men who lost their lives fighting to preserve the country. He explains that his address alone will never be enough to show how thankful the citizens truly are. This ties into his next point which was that those who are living need to be more dedicated than ever before. They must do all it takes to preserve the union so that those who died did not do it in vain. He concludes by reminding the people that the government was created by the people, for the people and it will continue its duty of protecting the rights of the citizens.

LAD #14 Lincoln's Inaugural Address

Summary of Lincoln's First Inaugural Address:

In his address to the nation, Lincoln focused upon the daunting issue of slavery. Slavery had been forcing a divide between the North and the South which was threatening the preservation of the country. Lincoln did not choose a side in the issue but instead stressed his decision to focus on preserving the union. He constantly brings up the Constitution and talks about how there is no clear answer to the slavery debate within it. He states that he is aware that both the North and the South want to amend the Constitution and he says he is fine with it because the government is for the people. However, he stressed the dangers and urged the people to be careful in any changes to the government. The upmost concern is the unity of the nation and this dispute can not break up the nation. 

Lincoln also talks about how the Constitution does state that a person held to labor in one state is not able to shake that duty and become free by entering another state. This statement specifically referred to the fugitive slaves that escaped from the South to the North. Again, Lincoln strongly urged the  preservation of the union. He went on to say that any act of secession would be very harmful to the unity of the country and should be avoided at all costs. He concludes by saying that, “we must not be ememies,” but friends. It is crucial that the North and the South realize that the United States needs to be preserved even if the issue of slavery prevails. 

LAD #13 Calhoun Speech

Summary of John Calhoun's 1850 Speech:

This speech was read by another senator on March 4, 1850 because Calhoun was too ill to read it himself.Calhoun realized that the state of unity in the U.S. was in danger. During the speech he discussed the problems that were facing the Union. He brings up how the South was already bothered with the issues over slavery but now, the tensions have increased and Southern agitation has grown. In addition to this, the South was being buried in government, which was a result of the South having fewer states and a lower population than the North. On top of that, he says, the growth of the  States in the North was only going to continue. At this rate, the North will end up with a substantially bigger representation in the Senate. Similarly, the South claimed that their States were restricted in land claims. This was the result of Northern attempts to gain Texas. Also, the South complained that they received an undue amount of taxation, while the North on the other hand was gaining the  territory and the benefits from the taxes. In addition, the South was being crushed by the tariffs because it was mostly an exporter of goods and had very few factories so the benefits of taxes were not felt by the South. On another note, slavery was a daunting issue still left unresolved and Calhoun went on to say that since the North was so adamant for abolition, the South could only follow suit or secede. Calhoun was extremely fearful of the nation falling apart and he appealed to the North to try and get them to consent to Southern desires in order to preserve the country. He believes if the North gives in to their demands then the tension will dissipate. He goes on to make the important point that only the North can institute the Constitutional amendment needed to re-establish the balance between the North and the South because the North is stronger. Calhoun pressures the Senators to decide if they are going to accept his plan and submit to Southern demands or force the South into secession. He concludes by saying that California will be a test as to whether it is admitted as Northern (which the South will see as the North trying to crush them) or as a Southern state (which will be seen as an effort to appease the South and keep the nation together). 

LAD #12 Polk's War Message

Summary of Polk's 1846 War Message:

President Polk begins by stating that he had sent a diplomat to remedy relations with Mexico earlier that year. However, he informs that Mexico had refused to accept the envoy and they caused innocent American blood to be shed. This was after the President sent John Slidell to Mexico to address any areas of tensions between the U.S. and Mexico. He went on to say that the Mexicans' response was violent. The Mexican government, under command of General Herrera, denied Slidell and any diplomatic discussion. Then another rejection occurred under the next leader, General Paredas. Herrera had been forced to surrender government control to Paredas by the military. After these rejections, Slidell was forced to return home with none of the issues resolved. The President called for the  United States to move troops to Mexico. They were placed on the Mexican side of the DelNorte River. While intended to maintain security, the troops ended up beginning an attack on the Mexican troops. Polk finishes by saying that it is crucial that Americans begin to accept and fight the now unavoidable war. He finished by stressing the importance of the war for maintaining American interests, honor, and rights that Mexico was infringing upon.

LAD #11 Seneca Falls Declaration

Summary of the Seneca Falls Declaration:

The Declaration of Sentiments, also known as the Declaration of Rights and Sentiments, was signed in 1848 by 68 women and 32 men at the Seneca Falls Convention in Seneca Falls, New York. It was the first women's rights convention. It was based on the Declaration of Independence and written by Elizabeth Cady Stanton. The document strove to help attain civil, social, political, and religious rights for women, depicting the inalienable rights of both men and women. It restates many ideas brought up in the Declaration of Independence. For example, it mentions the ongoing yet unjust superiority of men to women and how they are equal yet women have no rights. Women must follow the laws and abide by the government in which they have no voice or power. A long list of grievances is then stated. It lists all of the injustices to women such as the lack of the right to vote, the inability of women to hold property or money, and that women can't have the same jobs as men. Then the document concludes with a list of resolutions and principles for women's equality. The declaration was a way for women were to assert their grievances about the injustices they face and it was a big step toward equality.