LAD #20: Emancipation Proclamation

Summary: The Emancipation firstly asserts that all black slaves in the rebellious Southern states shall forever be free. All citizens, including military and navy officials, will recognize it. The document includes a list of states to whom the proclamation applies. The following States: Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia were all declared free states by the document. Lincoln used the Emancipation Proclamation to disillusion the Confederacy's European supporters, demoralize the Confederates and turn the war into a righteous cause. Lincoln used the recent battle of Antietam, in which the Union scored an indecisive victory, as leverage to issue such a proclamation. Lincoln was careful not to offend the border states while writing this document.

LAD #19: Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address

Summary: Lincoln reports that there is little to say. The nation is at war and the extent to which the public is aware of the day to day events is great. No one originally wanterd the war that has enveoped the nation. Before the war, neither the Unionists or Secessionists sought conflict, but extremists on both side disallowed any negitiations or appeasement. The war that secession brought on is has been more devastating that could be imagined, and both sides have looked skyward for an answer. The North and South pray, but no lord has come to answer. God's will, though shrouded in mystery, is to avenge the hundreds of years of slavery and thousands of families in bondage that the white men have brought forth on this continent. The eventual destiny of the United States is one of unity, a destiny that continued efforts will bring about. Lincoln declares that the war will be won, the orphans, widows, wounded and displaced will be cared for, and a bandage will be placed over the old wounds of war.

LAD#18: Dred Scott Court Decision

Summary: Roger Tainey, the man selected by Jackson to aid in the elimination of the bank, presided over this influential case. The eighty year-old Chief Justice sided with Sanford in the case, proclaiming that due to Scott's status as a slave, and the child of immigrants, was not guaranteed the rights of a citizen of the United States. Taney saw no clear distinction between slaves and property  in the Constitution, and so loosely proclaimed that Scott was no different than a rake. Yes, Dred Scott had the same power in a court of law as a rake. Scott was never in a position to declare his rights as a citizen, yet alone sue in court. Scott's owner, Sanford, had the constitution at his back (in the eyes of the judge), something more or less essential to winning court cases. Although Scott was handed back to Sanford, the case raised key questions. Scott was living in Illinois as a free man, so it contradicted the Missouri compromise in allowing him to be viewed as property.

LAD #17: Ain't Sojourner Truth a Woman?

Summary: The speech begins with Sojourner addressing the recent "racket" about women's rights and the abolitionist movement. Discussion has begun to the point where white men are probably becoming angry. She explains that although there is a supposed culture of "gentlemen" in America, she has never received any special treatment, and ain't she a woman? This culture hides behind "gentlemanliness" in order to justify the oppression of women and continue attacking them. "I have borne thirteen children, and seen most all sold off to slavery, and when I cried out with my mother's grief, none but Jesus heard me! And ain't I a woman?" says Truth. What does intellect matter when men use it to justify their oppression while women receive lesser rights to educate themselves as men would? Sometimes men justify the status of women by citing the fact that christ was a man, but this connection from point A to point B is clearly a fallacy. She then tells the crowd that the brave women of her generation can flip the world in favor of women, unlike those before them. Sojourner Truth thanks the crowd for hearing her.

LAD #16: Douglass on the 5th of July

Summary: Frederick opens by asking what the significance of the Decalration is to "us", the slaves. There is a degree of irony in the whole affair, due to the fact that this joyous celebration has no meaning for the enslaved. He says that "Your high independence only reveals the immeasurable distance between us. The blessings in which you, this day, rejoice are not enjoyed in common. The rich inheritance of justice, liberty, prosperity, and independence bequeathed by your fathers is shared by you, not by me. The sunlight that brought light and healing to you has brought stripes and death to me. This Fourth of July is yours, not mine. You may rejoice, I must mourn." He compares the bitter tone of the event to the jews leaving Jerusalem. It doensn't matter what the past says, or how much freedom has been guaranteed to the people, for the slaves are still in seemingly eternal bondage. He is disgusted by the joyous, contradictory cheering, proclaiming that America never seemed blacker than on this day. Blacks must be granted the same manhood as other men, considering that they take place in the same businesses and educations.

LAD #15: Gettysburg Address

Summary: Legend has it that Lincoln wrote this electrifying address only on the train ride over to Gettysburg. Whether or not this is true, his dedication of the cemetery was one of his greatest moments. Lincoln champions the rights of man, equating the war to not only a struggle to maintain the nation's union, but a fight for democracy and freedom. In effect, with a few words he turns this bloody and brutal battle into a sacred struggle to defend the shining light of the world.
                By canonizing the dead and consecrating the ground on which countless bloodies bodies were strewn, he created a sense of unity, one that permeated the crowd and rallied the North. He uses the pronoun "we" in his speech to further this feeling of unity, this understanding that this country is bound together. This country must succeed or hope is lost for democracy and this nations joint future.

LAD #14: Lincoln's First Inaugural Address

Summary: This address was a divisive and dangerous document due to the sectionalist attitudes of the nation at the time. Lincoln opened by declaring that he has no intention to destroy the institution of slavery. There is no reason to fear lincoln's presidency because of his belief in the powers of states. He will defend the constitution. The rights of the people will not be interfered with or stepped on by the new and rising presidency. He goes on to discuss important issues for the nation. He doesn't oppose slavery and he supports the fugitive slave act if it can be assured that free blacks in the North would not be captured and brought to the South. He voices his position on the spoils system, promising that he will not replace the Southerners with his supporters in order to protect the Union.  Lincoln, although promising the use of force if the States secede, asks for calm diplomacy and negotiation in the face of the rising waves of tension and sectionalism.

LAD #13: John Calhoun's Speech

Summary: The speech opens by coming right out and discussing the main topic, slavery. Slavery will cause disunion if the issues surrounding it are not remedied. It is important to discuss and express opinions about slavery in order to come to any conclusions on the issue.
                  Disunion is primarily being spurred on by Southern discontent. Southerners are angry over opposition to slavery and the Abolitionist movements brewing in the North. The Southerners feel that it would be difficult to remain in the Union if this tension remains. The North seemed to be growing more and more powerful compared to the South, threatening to add several new free states that would give the North a clear advantage in politics. While this sectionalism over slavery and Northern power was prominent, the Southerners were also discontent with tariffs and Northern economics. Because the tariffs favored the North, the Southern economy was only damaged by them. The North would grow more and more powerful, annexing territory and adding free states. The government must create legislation to restore equilibrium and appease the South. The South sees few benefits of tariffs, is damaged by abolitionism and is being outdone by the North in territorial expansion.
                  If nothing is fixed, the situation will grow out of control and lead to either succession or upheaval. The North must give the South fair representation and more territory. The economics of the different corners of the U.S. must be at equilibrium, giving no one side disadvantaged.

LAD #12: Polk's War Message

Summary: Due to the tense nature of U.S. relations with France during Polk's presidency, war eventually came between the two nations. One of the first signs of issues between the U.S. and Mexico was the failure of the Mexican Government to receive the American diplomat John Slidell.
                Polk began the message by stating that the American relationship with Mexico has deteriorated and should be dealt with by congress. John Slidell was sent to Mexico to discuss border disputes, among other issues, but was refused by the Mexicans. The government in Mexico had recently changed, so the militaristic revolutionary party was unwilling to discuss anything with Polk or remedy the poor relations.
                The President ordered the troops along the Neuces and Del Norte rivers to prepare for a war and possible invasion. The U.S. troops crossed the Del Norte River to protect Texas' interests and ordered to avoid conflict with the Mexicans. The Mexican General Arista ordered the Americans to leave, but they refused. Arista led a battalion of Mexican soldiers against the Americans, killing or wounding sixteen.
                Because of Mexican aggression, Polk believed war to be justified. He explicitly stated this, arguing that Mexico was unwilling to negotiate with the U.S. and was brutal and invasive towards the American South. U.S. trade with Mexico was limited, another justification and substantiation of the argument for war. The Mexican disregard for American rights had to be corrected.

LAD #11: Seneca Falls Declaration

Summary- In the 1840's, as the Abolitionist movement gained steam, so did the Women's rights movement. The Seneca Falls Convention was the first great culmination of this movement. Notable leaders, including Elizabteh Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott, conferred and resolved to declare their rights formally.
               The result of the conference was the Seneca Falls declaration, a document decarling women to be of equal status and men. The Declaration began in a similar way as the more famous Declaration of Independence. Almost word for word, the Seneca Falls Declaration reads, "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men and women are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness". Just like the Declaration of Independence, the Seneca Falls Declaration goes on to discuss a list of grievances found within the women of the convention. The list states such issues as the failure to enfranchise women, the seizure of women's property by their husbands, the subjugation of women by men, and the lack of education for women among many others. The phrase that sums up this list is as follows, "He has endeavored, in every way that he could, to destroy her confidence in her own powers, to lessen her self-respect and to make her willing to lead a dependent and abject life"
               The Declaration concludes with the resolutions of the conventions. The convention states confiedently that society must and will change, and that the women of the convention will work tirelessly to ensure this change. Women must become enfranchised, be respected as men in economic matters, and men and women alike must come together to fight this human rights monopolization by man.