LAD #14 Lincoln’s First Inaugural Address

In Lincoln’s inaugural address given in 1861, he mostly talks about slavery and how he does not want to interfere with it. He goes on to say that he has taken an oath to “preserve, protect, and defend the United States Constitution” and says that he will not use force against the south unless it is necessary. Lincoln also states that he supports protecting slavery in the states and will enforce the Fugitive Slave Act. His primary goal is to keep the Union together and believes this can be achieved through diplomacy.

Pictures: I chose a picture of Abe Lincoln and a picture of George Washington because he referenced similar points in his inaugural address. For example, he talked about how he would be following the Constitution and that it outlined all the rules and laws he would be following and that the people need to abide by. He also wanted unity in America, like Lincoln and believed that it could and would be achieved. Both are very important presidents that impacted history and wanted the best for America.

LAD #13 John Calhoun’s Speech

In 1850, John Calhoun addressed the Senate about slavery and the issue it created. He believed slavery was causing the nation to not be united and he wanted that to change. He wanted the North and the South to unite, as well as political parties, to bring people together and create the desired unity. At the time, the North had a larger population and seemed to have more power than the South. The North also had a greater number of representatives and more power in the federal government, while the South had a smaller population, resulting in less influence in the government. The North did not promote slavery and wanted to abolish it, which caused problems because the South still had slaves. Calhoun’s solution was to reestablish equal justice in both the North and South by persuading the North to give up some of its power. Calhoun believed that this needed to happen to create unity and would therefore preserve the nation.

Pictures: I chose a picture of John Calhoun and a picture of Abraham Lincoln because he was against slavery too. Lincoln issued the emancipation proclamation which freed many slaves. He issued this because it was not fair to treat a group of people worse than others and he wanted to try to create more unity among the nation, as well.

LAD #12 Polk’s War Message

James Polk’s speech was given in 1846 about the relationship between Mexico and The United States. He told the people that he had sent an envoy to Mexico, but they refused to listen to his proposals. John Slidell was sent to discuss the problems, most of them stemming from the Texas border issue. After this, a military revolution was enacted in Mexico and the President gave his power to a military dictator. He also talked about how America should and wanted to protect their territorial rights and not engage in war with Mexico to support a peaceful relationship. He then goes on to say that Mexico has begun to invade and informs the people that Mexico has broken their agreement to receive an envoy and an offer of peace. As a result, the tensions began to grow, creating a war because they had entered U.S. territory and posed as a threat to the nation and its people.

Pictures: I chose a picture of James Polk and a picture of the XYZ Affair because this affair was where American diplomats were sent to France to try to create peace. Both of these events are very similar in that envoys were both sent to foreign countries as an attempt to create peace and solve problems, but were both turned away, both resulting in growing tensions and war.

LAD #11 Seneca Falls Declaration

The meeting held in Seneca Falls was where women and men met to discuss issues regarding women’s rights and freedoms. The Declaration of Sentiments lists 11 resolutions on women’s rights, including the right to vote. The Declaration outlines all of the things women have been denied of and then go on to giving resolutions for each of the problems. It also references that all men are created to be equal, but they argue that women should too. These people who met in Seneca Falls were advocating for change and wanted to make a difference.

Pictures: I chose a picture of the list of names of people who attended the convention for women's rights and I chose a picture of Michelle Obama and Hillary Clinton. They are two very important and big supporters for women's rights that are very evident in today's society and have constantly fought for changes and greater equality for women.

LAD #10 Monroe Doctrine

1.  What did the issuing of the Monroe Doctrine express from an American perspective post War of 1812?

The Monroe Doctrine expressed strength as an international power. The United States was a recently new nation and other countries, especially Europe underestimated it. The doctrine helped establish that the United States was powerful and it prevented Europe from further colonization of America. It also showed America’s desire to keep and maintain peace and its form of government.

2.  What was Secretary of State Adams' hope when he wrote the Monroe Doctrine?

He hoped to keep the U.S. safe from wars and foreign affairs with Europe. He wanted to eliminate any further European influence that would pose as a threat to America, as well as keep peace and neutrality. Lastly, he hoped to establish the U.S. as a strong and powerful nation that would be influential and successful.

3.  What is the key phrase in the entire document that you need to remember as the cornerstone or American Foreign Policy?

“As a principle in which the rights and interests of the United States are involved, that the American continents, by the free and independent condition which they have assumed and maintained, are henceforth not to be considered as subjects for future colonization by any European power…” This phrase serves as the cornerstone because it says that the U.S. is not allowing European nations to colonize in America. It states that in order to maintain freedom and protect their government, along with their way of life they need to keep European influence to a minimum.

Pictures: I chose a picture of a cartoon about the Monroe Doctrine and a picture of Jay's Treaty because it was also used to remove foreign influence and set boundaries so France and Great Britain would not have vast amounts of land or control in America. The treaty was used to limit their control and control trading rights and power, similar to the Monroe Doctrine.

Jefferson’s First Inaugural Address LAD #9

Jefferson was the founding father of the Anti-Federalist party, so in his address he advocated for the rights of the states and the people. He also supported strict interpretations of the Constitution and therefore mentions specific principles from the Constitution, such as popular sovereignty. He also enforces the concept of national unity and wants to make sure that Americans have an opportunity to create their own lives and have freedoms. He states that the people should trust the new Federal Government because it is run for the people, by the people and is stronger than ever. Lastly, he acknowledges that not everyone will always agree with him and the policies he implements, but will do his best to provide for the nation.

Pictures: I chose a picture of Thomas Jefferson as well as a picture of Barack Obama because he gave an inaugural address, too. Obama talked about national unity in his speech, like Jefferson and wanted to provide for the people of America and give them opportunities to succeed. They both wanted to make changes and further improve the nation and addressed similar topics in their speeches.

Columbus Blog

Should Christopher Columbus be considered a hero or a villain?

He should be considered as both to differing extents, but overall he seems to be more of a villain than a hero. I believe this because he never actually did discover America, he arrived at the Bahamas and millions of people had already been living in North America at the time. Also, when he arrived there, he enslaved many native people and used them for labor and whatever else he needed. He did not treat them well even though he had arrived on their land, instead he manipulated them to benefit himself. He was later arrested by the Spanish Government for his mistreatment of the Natives and he was stripped of his title as Governor which brought down his reputation. Although he did a lot of bad things and is known as a villain, he did help create a bridge between the old and new world in what became known as the Columbian Exchange. This was the exchange of plants, animals, culture and helped develop a new modern age that would transform the world.

Pictures: I chose a picture of Christopher Columbus and a picture of O.J. Simpson because it was debated whether he was a hero or a villain, as well. He was a football player and convicted felon who ended up going to jail and is still there. It was a very big debate whether he was guilty or not and people seemed to be split, either believing he was innocent, or guilty of the crime for killing people. This lead to controversy because he was loved by many football fans and is similar to Columbus because people seem to have opinions on both of them regarding whether they are considered heroes or villains.