LAD/Blog #39: Brown V. Board of Education

LAD/Blog #38: Truman Doctrine

LAD/Blog #37: FDR’s Executive Order 9066

LAD/Blog #36: FDR’s Declaration of War

LAD/Blog #35: Home was a Horse Stall

LAD/Blog #34: FDR's First Inaugural

LAD/Blog #33: Kellogg-Briand Peace Pact

LAD/Blog #32: Wilson's 14 Points of Peace

Wilson's 14 points derive from his views on hopefulness and seeking peace. He talks about how after the Great War countries need to be more careful and not as secretive. The world needs to come together as a whole and try and maintain peace. His points were made as what he believes to be the best way to maintain peace and ensure a second world war isn't started and that no country becomes too powerful.

LAD/Blog #31: Schenck V. United States

 Schenck was warning the people about how the draft was immoral and no one should join it to go fight in war. He was arrested for this and charged for creating chaos among military. This was controversial because many argued he was protected to do this under the 1st amendment. However, the supreme court disagreed and said he was not protected because desperate times call for desperate measures and war was desperate time. Schenck was causing harm and could not be protected.

LAD/Blog #30: Wilson's First Inaugural

Wilson starts by addressing how most aspects of the government have become democratic. He says this is because the nation is turning back to tradition once again and seeing it in a different way. He applauds the strong morality of the nation, all of the new goods being produced, and the democratic shift, but realizes places that the U.S. needs to improve. Most importantly, individual rights. Wilson says that because the nation has so hastily industrialized, many problems have arose which were covered up with “good” things that were happening, but now those bad things are coming to the surface and need to be addressed. He says some changes that need to be made include: getting rid of the tariff, putting more time into forests and restoring the environment, stressing the importance of farming and agriculture, reforming the banking and money systems, and lastly, there needs to be a lot of reforms made in the workplace to protect workers. He is looking to making America a wonderful and prosperous nation by improving “every corner” of it.

 

LAD/Blog #29: Clayton Anti-Trust Act

The Clayton Anti-Trust Act was an extension of the Sherman Anti-trust Act in the sense that the price of a product cannot be different based on what other businesses are selling their same product for. This was no monopolies would be created by one big businesses placing a low price on their product and making it so others cannot compete with them so they go out of business. The only price differences allowed are when there is a difference in quality of products. Moving on, this Act states that someone cannot buy a good and then resell it for more than they paid in attempts to control the market or other businesses.

 

LAD/Blog #28: Keating-Owen Child Labor Act

The Keating-Owen Child Labor Act addressed the issue of child labor and its role in trade, commerce, and business in the U.S.. The Act stated that if children are involved in the manufacturing process of a product, then that product will not be sold, traded, or distributed. To go on, a committee which was led by the Attorney General, Secretary of Commerce, and the Secretary of Labor was made to regulate and enforce the Act. In this act, these “Inspectors” are granted the right to go into factories and make sure that each business is following the rules. The Act states that if any of these rules are broken, leaders can be jailed, fined, and convicted. This Act was also known as Wicks Bill and only lasted a short amount of time due to a court case (Hammer v. Dagenhart) in which it was found to be unconstitutional by giving the federal government too much power in the regulation of interstate commerce.

 

LAD/Blog #27: MLK, Jr.'s "I have a dream" speech

King starts with bringing up Lincoln's emancipation proclamation and how 100 years later, Blacks are still oppressed and still are not granted the equal rights they are entitled to as an American citizen. King stresses points by using metaphors and figurative language in a powerful way which shows the urgency for change. The fact that his speech was given outside of the capital building only further demonstrates the urgency of the matter. He chose a spot which could not be ignored, for a message that could not be ignored. To go on, he warns American people that if this matter is ignored and overlooked, peaceful  protests will take a turn, people will get desperate, and revolts will turn to violent until a change is made. King addresses how no one will be satisfied until there is no longer a difference in how someone is treated based on their skin color. Next, he moves on to his famous dreams which are powerful ways to dive into the hearts of everyone with Martin Luther Kings Passion and hope, but also his sadness and disappointment. He sings "My Country 'Tis of Thee" and starts to finish by taking about how he wishes "freedom will ring" for not just the white, but everyone of every color.

"I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice."


"I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character."



"I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight; "and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together."

LAD/Blog #26: William Jennings Bryan's "Cross of Gold" speech

In this speech, William Jennings Bryan supports free silver and compares the employers who only get wealthy because of their workers to the actual workers. He goes on to talk about how even though cities want to keep the value of gold the same, it is hurting farmers, who are a main reason communities, cities, and towns run they way they do. He argues that it is simply not fair. If Americans are basing their opinion off of the fact that England has a gold standard, Bryan debates, then England should adopt the bimetallism because America has it. Being so passionate about this topic, Bryan's even threatens to fight anyone who opposes this mentality. With a unforgettable quote to wrap up his speech he says: "You shall not crucify mankind upon a cross of gold" in hopes of showing the level of severity this issue presents.

LAD/Blog #25: The Dawes Act

Dawes Severalty Act of 1887 was an act where Native American reservation/tribal land was redistributed to individual Native Americans. basically, the U.S. government wanted to assimilate the Native Americans into the American lifestyle and culture. They planned to do this by making them farmers, and to do so they needed land to farm. Thus, the government offered 160 acres of land to the head of a family, and then 80 acres to single men. if these natives took the offer from the U.S. government, they were able to live and cultivate the land at the same time as becoming subject to both laws locally and federally. The U.S. wanted this to pass in order to improve the lives of the natives, but the transition was very difficult and painful. Native American lives only worsened.

LAD/Blog #24: Populist (People's) Party Platform

1.  The Preamble:

In the preamble the Populist party talks about how they firmly believe that the government is corrupt, is controlled by big businesses, and also unfairly distributes wealth among the communities. They mention that the little the government does is to help the wealthy. Nothing is being done to help the poor.

2.  The Platform:

In the Platform, it talks about how a union should be created where the founder of the union gets the wealth. Since the government is supposed to be for the people, they believe the government should have control of some of the big business industries like railroads and communication devices. Silver and gold money should both be coined, and that they should be more circulated, an income tax should be created, and the government should only make as much money as is necessary.

3.  The Resolutions that made up the Expression of Sentiments:

In the Expression of Sentiments, The Party demands that the ballots are free-so everyone eligible can vote, and that each are counted fairly. Additionally, working conditions and hours should be altered, the vice president and president should only be able to serve one term, and the government should not financially support any big corporations.

Donald Trump was an outsider-a businessman who was involved in politics. this made him appeal to many people. he was more of a "common man" than the other candidates. People have been getting upset with the scandals and corruptness in government so having an outsider gave some people hope of a change and a new point of view. 

LAD/Blog #23: McKinley's War Message

In this message, President McKinley talks about how he wants conflicts with Cuba to end. At this time, America was involved in investments with Cuba, which most of which were lost, leaving the american economy and trade in shambles.  Additionally, McKinley disagrees with former President Grant and believes Cuba should be independent, and there are other ways to resolve problems other than war. McKinley supports this by saying that the U.S. has to focus on human right issues, should be aiding legal and financial protection to Cuba, intervening would help boost trade back in America, and that militarily, there is a lot of tension between the two. Thus, this message is made out to congress to carefully consider whether or not the U.S. should intervene in Cuba. 

LAD/Blog #22: Carnegie's Gospel of Wealth

Social Darwinism is, to be summed up, survival of the fittest. An ideal that talks about natural selection and how whoever or whatever can best adapt to its environment will survive and be able to pass along its genes to its offspring. In this article, a form of Social Darwinism exists which is much 'softer'. Instead of adapting to environment, the people need to adapt to their economy. Carnegie stresses that the distribution of wealth is so unbalanced, that the gap between the rich and the poor is a spectrum into two different worlds. Carnegie believes that this is a privilege that the few wealthy are able to have. However, he states three different ways that the wealth should be distributed: give money to family when the person has died, give money to state once the person has died, or while the person is still alive, give money around to different places. The first two have flaws: the first, leaving the remaining wealth to the family, has been seen as a burden to the family. The 2nd causes the money to be reused, but wasted at the same time because it is not put into the correct places. However, the 3rd is the smartest because the "owner" get to choose where to put it and this often creates a better community and economy. Carnegie continues on that spending money on very expensive and unnecessary items only hurts the economy, and those with the wealth should be spending it n a way that promotes capitalism and a better stimulated economy. Basically, instead of putting the job of stimulating the economy into the governments hands, Carnegie suggests a laissez-faire policy in which it is the job of the wealthy to keep the economy going.  

                                                                                                                    Bill Gates

LAD/Blog #21: Emancipation Proclamation

On September 22 of 1862 Abraham Lincoln issued what is called the Emancipation Proclamation. The most significant part of this proclamation is stating that any slave engaged in the rebellion is free, and the government and army will fight to ensure that they remain free. A second major prospect mentioned is that if a state is part of a rebellion and they peacefully send an official to congress, they will no longer be in a rebellion. Lincoln then states which states are in rebellion: Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia. However, he pardons parts of Louisiana and Virginia saying that they are not in rebellion. This part of his proclamation was powerful because it put the power of decision making into the states hands urging them to choose peace. he encourages that all freed slaves be peaceful and cautious. he urges that all people show kindness to everyone in hopes of changing the future of the nation. 

LAD/Blog #20: Lincoln's 2nd Inaugural Address

In this Inaugural address, Abraham Lincoln starts off by saying how since America is in the midst of civil war and he has been sharing speech after speech, there really is not a whole lot more he has to say which has not been said. He is hopeful for the future of America, but does not firmly say what he thinks will be of the end of the civil war. He does not know when the war will finally be over, but mentions that it will not be done until justice is done. He recognizes that the nation is so split but is hopeful for peace and an end to the war soon.