LAD #20: Emancipation Proclamation

Lincoln declares that all slaves are free, in any states, they are free forever, and they are citizens, therefore they cannot be repressed. All states who ignore this ruling are considered to be in rebellion and those who have members in Congress are not in rebellion.  Lincoln, as Commander in Chief, will continue to suppress the armed rebellion currently going on. All slaves in Confederate states are also free. People who have been freed should not be violent, they should provide services in the work force, and receive justice.

Above: The Emancipation Proclamation

LAD #19: Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address

The address can be short, seeing that this is Lincoln's second address. Lincoln has high hopes for the future, but does not truly know what may occur. The war came because one half of the country wanted to see the country perish, but one part of the country wanted to avoid war and see the country survive. During the first inaugural address, some wanted division while others wanted to stay unified. A large portion of slaves, 1/8 of people in America, live in the south, and this divide has led to war. Both sides of the conflict wanted an easy, short finish to the war, and both sides read the same bible, and have the same god. Lincoln believes that god gave war to both the north and the south to get rid of nonbelievers and people who woe. The lords word is the almighty and should be followed and so blood must be shed and the lord will pass judgment. God will grant peace after a battle and it will last between nations and within America.

Above: Abe Lincoln

LAD #18: Dred Scott Decision

The case was Dred Scott v. Sanford. People a crossed America, wondered what would happen in the decision of this case. The results of the case, had people waiting on the edge of their seats. Even James Buchanan, future U.S. President found out the results of the case and used it in his inaugural address and he used the results to show his support of the court system. He also said the people of the United States would eventually chose the fate of this case. In the conclusion of this case it was said that Negros were not citizens and therefore could not sue people. Also the Missouri Compromise was ruled unconstitutional and therefore he was still a slave.

Above: Dred Scott

LAD #17: Sojourner Truth's "Ain't I a Woman"

There is much talk about rights; rights for women in the north and black men in the south. Some say women don't deserve rights because Christ was a man, but didn't he actually come from God and a woman. God's first women was strong enough to change the world. Women are as strong as men and just as capable, and therefore they deserve rights. All women deserve rights, no matter their upbringing.

Above: Sojourner Truth

LAD #16: Frederick Douglass' "5th of July"

Douglass starts with questioning why he has been asked to speak, seeing that he is speaking at an event about freedoms that are not extended to him. All of these white people are given rights that do not extend to him, just because of his skin color. The nations sympathy does not extend to the black man. The justices celebrated this day, are not extend to Douglass or anyone else sharing his skin color. The shouts of joy by white men, are accompanied by the cries of black men. These black men cannot forget the horrors of slavery. The conduct of this nation is horrendous, it allows for the wrong doings of slavery to occur. Human and just people would be disgusted with slavery, slavery is the greatest sin and a shame on the great name of America. African-Americans build and do work similar to the work done by other races, but they have been asked to prove they were men. Fourth of July is a celebration of freedoms that were not extended to all Americans at the time of this speech.

Above: Frederick Douglass

LAD #15: Lincoln's Gettysburg Address

          America was built on the properties of freedom, and now it is engaged in civil war. Men have given their lives, for the survival of the nation, and therefore it is proper for this address to occur. Brave men have suffered at Gettysburg, they have fought, and America cannot forget what they have given. We should be grateful of their work, and be dedicated to finishing their work. These dead men should not perish in vain, their devotion to the cause has brought our nation closer to freedom.

Above: Lincoln giving the address

LAD #14: Lincoln's First Inaugural Address

          Lincoln starts his address with assurances to the south. He knows the south is apprehensive that he was elected into office. The liberties according to Lincoln, are not in jeopardy, southern liberties like slavery, are not in jeopardy. The abolition of slavery would not follow the principles of democracy seeing that it is a violation of states rights, according to Lincoln. Lincoln knows that perils will threaten the Union during his terms in office, but he will continue his usage of the Constitution to make decisions. The Constitution should be used in all government decisions, it is the principle force in the Union. No states can leave the Union, lawfully, and all acts of violence will be taken as if they are revolutionary. Lincoln knows the states may succeed along with his election, and therefore he says that he will do everything in power to keep the Union together. All property belonging to the government will be forced to stay in the Union by the power of the government. This is the only time that Lincoln will use this power though, he will only use it against wrongdoings, and not against the people of the United States. Unity will help the Union stay together, and without it, the Union will fail. Unity has held the nation together, since the Constitution was signed and ratified. Each state must work together to help the others, Americans should not be enemies, they cannot be enemies because it will cause disunity which could become a factor in tearing down the nation. Lincoln was afraid of secession by the southerners, and this was expressed throughout his address.

Pictured Above: President Abraham Lincoln

LAD #13: John Calhoun's Speech

          The unity of American Union is in grave danger, due to one major cause; slavery. Discontent was a large force between the north and the south when it came to this issue. The north had more power in the government than the south, and this had started to not only overshadow that rights the south had in the government, but it also was causing discontent. The north had more people and it therefore had more power in the government which was concerning to the south. The north was also growing faster than the south, so the south knew that the power of the north would only continue to grow in the government. The south also has been kept from their land claims and they have been unfairly taxed. These taxes and land were both beneficiaries for the north, the north gained money from the tax and land. There were tariffs, that benefitted the north, and taxes that benefitted factories, that were all in the north. Slavery was a large part of sectionalism between the north and the south. The north, on a moral level, wanted the abolition of slavery, and the south needed it. Calhoun pleads for northerners to give the south some things, he fears that the south will secede if the receive none of the things they want. The national unity will be torn apart if these differences are not fixed. The only way to fix this is for the south to secede. The only other way is for the north to re-create governmental power between the south and north through an amendment. The northerners can either make an amendment or the south will secede. If California were to be accepted into the Union as a northern state, the south will take this harshly. Overall, slavery is a major factor in the prosperity and unity of the United States.

Pictured Above: John Calhoun

LAD #12: Polk's War Message

Despite peace talks with Mexico, they are still refusing to listen. They are killing American people on our soil and they refuse to listen to American propositions. There is an obvious dispute between the American government and the Mexican government, and citizens that have settled near the Mexican-American border are getting hurt. It was believed that war could be postponed, but with recent bloodshed near the border, it is obvious that war, at this point, is unavoidable. It was obvious that there would soon be a revolution in Texas, Texans wanted to be peaceful with the United States. The military took hold of the Mexican government after the president stepped down, revolution by Mexican independence leaders was easily accomplished. Americans tried to be peaceful, but the new regime had replaced the government with its new power. This therefore made it evident that the government was completely new and so was its administration. People tried crossing our borders, but their was nothing that could be done except demand their papers and return them back to their country. The Mexican government soon became hostile, and refused all negotiations of peace with the United States. They refused our propositions and refused to supply their own. Militarily the United States needed to prepare for war. Texans further marked their borders and tried to remain neutral and not hostile during the war. Even after a battle, the Mexican government was unable to perform its duties by promoting peace with the United States. The previous trade agreements between the two nations were annihilated because of the war. Even with America trying to avoid war with Mexico, it was overall unavoidable due to Mexican hostility.

Pictured Above: President James Monroe

LAD #11 - Seneca Falls Declaration

1. DECLARATION OF SENTIMENTS

All men and women are created equal, in the eyes of god, but man kind has not treated women with the same respect they have treated men. Throughout history, men have held a higher status than that of women. Many rights denied to women, are due to this imbalance of power between the genders, and men have been given a stronghold on women with the way rights were. Some rights denied to women by men are the right to property, lack of representation due to the fact women cannot vote, women are denied liberties when married because her husband has power over her, education has been closed off for women, and many more rights have been denied to women. It is therefore just that women are given the rights denied to them by men because those rights should not be denied to anyone. The women writing this know that they may be ridiculed for their actions, but they will do them anyway because their cause is just.
2. RESOLUTIONS
The rights given only to men, are written nowhere that they should not be given to women, and therefore they should be not be denied further. Some of the revolutions are as follows; women are mans equal, women should be enlightened of the laws, it is woman's right to overthrow the current monopoly men have on government and the intellectual world and they can achieve this by becoming educated, and many other resolves. The most important and final resolve is that both women and men should do what is righteous and learn of the morals they need to fight this social war for justice and equality.

Pictured above: A painting of the Seneca Falls Conference, where Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony spoke.