LAD #14: Lincoln's First Inaugural Address

In Lincoln's First Inaugural Address, he focuses on the issue of slavery (which was the main cause of the schism between the North and Southern states).  Lincoln begins by refusing to choose a side on the issue -- he made it clear that his only goal was preserve the unity of the States as a unified nation.  Furthermore, he exemplifies that he has no lawful right, desire, nor inclination to interfere with either factions beliefs in slave holding policies.  He turns to the Constitution for the final judgement of the matter.  In its accordance, any person who is issued into service or labor in one state can be liberated in another.  This is the basis for the fugitive motive to make it to the North --  if they can make it there then they are guaranteed freedom and is also why Lincoln stressed to the North to not fully return all the fugitive slaves (an action which is countered by the South's infrequent engaging with illegal international slave trade).  Despite Lincoln's belief that these problems will never be fully solved, he strengthens the case that if the nation splits over the cause then minor problems will become worse, and all conflicts or feuds between the two factions will never be mended. Lincoln also stresses the importance of the Unity that has held together the United States since before the creation or ratification of the Constitution. The states, whether they engage in hostile or amicable relations with each other, must interact for mutual benefit -- any act of secession would lead to anarchy, or worse: despotism.  He concludes that we must not be enemies but friends.

LAD #13: John Calhoun's Speech (Clay's Antebellum Compromise)

In Calhoun's speech, he brings up the controversial topic of slavery that, at the present time, has plagued and divided the union.  Despite the agreeable compromise of 3/5 representation that the South had been using ever since it was created in 1787, the North had slowly been gaining the upper hand of representation and was ready to assume complete control of the government.  Calhoun states that all that is needed for a political party/faction to take command is the majority of population and states represented in the Senate.  This is further solidified because the Union is about to admit five new northern states based off of the newly acquired territories in Oregon, Minnesota, and land ceceded from Mexico. However, in the South, there are no new states are open for acceptance into the union.  Population wise, Calhoun believes that the import tariffs used to collect revenue are augmenting the split in favor of the North, not only by contributing to their wealthy elite (at the expense of Southern farmers no less) but by also making the North a prosperous  attraction  to immigrants (which would further tip the scales).  Finally, the hostilities between the two sections on slavery are further straining the Union. While Northern abolitionists scream at slavery's supposed immorality, Calhoun states that it has been a fundamental institution to the social and economic status of the South -- its relinquishing will cause ruin and devastation. Calhoun affirms that the only way the Union can be preserved is if the stronger party, the North, is willing to give the South its rights to represent newly acquired territory, return fugitive slaves, and cease agitation over the morality of slavery. This way the political equilibrium of the North and South will be at ease, decreasing the threat of secession from an integral part of the Union.

LAD #12: Polk's War Message

Polk's War Address identifies the causes surrounding the United States' impending involvement in war with Mexico.  Originally seeking a diplomatic and peaceful resolution to the problems, President Polk sent an envoy to peacefully negotiate terms with Mexico's head of government, General Herrera, to resolve the border disputes and numerous injustices of the Mexican Government against American settlers.  However, after a revolution in Mexico, its political and social relations with the United States shifted with its shift in power, and the government no longer sought peaceful appeasement.  They did not associate themselves with the American envoy, John Slidell, and refuted any attempts of peace.  In fact, the Mexican government actually engaged in hostile relations with American soldiers and settlers along both the Rio del Norte and the Nuces River -- these actually became part of Texas when it was annexed in 1836.  With the uneasy regards of both sides, the Mexican hostilities towards the U.S. troops provided him a complete justification against a nation already with shaky relationships.

LAD#11: Seneca Falls Declaration

The Seneca Falls Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions is a fantastic example for claims to one's civil liberties and rights in respect to the public.  Modeled after America's prized document -- The Declaration of Independence -- the Seneca Falls Declaration shows the desire for equal and inalienable rights in both men and women.  The document then follows suit with the Declaration and goes on to explain that the government is supposed to protect and enforce these equal liberties and rule in the consent of the governed.  However, according to the Seneca Falls Convention, history has shown that government has not been able to illustrate this belief for equality; women have always been subordinate to men.  Furthermore, a list of grievances is listed that explains the 'tyrannical' and sexist acts of men towards women, such as: denial of suffrage, denial of property and wages, prevention of a high education, creating a different moral code for men and women, etc.  Yet, the document ends on a high note, explaining resolutions that would gain women a balance in the equality of men, further asserting their civil rights to that of a man that have been unjustly taken away.

LAD #10: Monroe Doctrine

In the Monroe Doctrine, President Monroe declared that the American Continents, in accordance with the agreements made with the governments of imperial Russia and Britain, have been declared free and independent to any belief of colonization. Next, Monroe discusses international alliances (because of the impending Civil War occurring in Spain). Sympathizing with the rebels' claims to independence yet also noticing they are not an official government by themselves, the United States must again adopt and stand by a policy of neutrality, so as not interfere with the concers of "de facto" governments. This act of neutrality will ensure that the United States does not become enthralled by the allied system of the major European Powers suchas as Britain, Spain, and France -- The policies of the western hemisphere are incompatible with those of the eastearn.  America has taken a position which requires action only when the rights of its citizens are effected on their side of the Atlantic and shall only make preparation for their defense in expectation of such injuries. Lastly, Monroe asserts that any affiliation with the allied European system will result in unhappiness and conflict (making neutrality the only acceptable option).

LAD #9: Jefferson's First Inaugural Address

In his first inaugural address, Thomas Jefferson first presents the nation with a modest acceptance of the task that is "too great for his talents." However, he assures the people that he will find resources of virtue, wisdom, and zeal.  Once found, he can use these principles to resolve the problems facing the commercial, physical, and industrial expansion of the nation. He then explains that in order for this union to fully thrive and become prosperous, the people must "unite in common efforts for the common good." He attests that as a tolerant republic, the people will have the same idealistic principles, even though they may not have the same opinions. Jefferson is still able to unquestionably support the dissenters of Republicanism (as with any minority).  He blatantly supports their equal rights to freedom of opinions and religion as he does for the majority, letting common sense and the lessons of history be their sole arguers. The nation is therefore left to develop and progress their views of Federalism and Republicanism, unhindered by the the social torrents of a Europe. Void of their destructive influence, America has developed their own political "religion," which includes honesty, truth, temperance, gratitude, and love of man (civic virtue).  Every man has "equal rights to the use of their faculties," and that honor and confidence are not manners of birth right but of our actions to carry out such civic virtues. After describing these public virtues, Jefferson expresses his own political priorities which include: equal justice to all men regardless of views or background; support of State's rights for domestic policy (hand in hand with the support for the Federal Government for peace abroad) -- foreign policy; full agreement with the will of the majority; the maintenance of a well trained militia until "regulars" are employed; supremacy of agriculture; freedoms of speech, press, trial by jury etc.  Jefferson concludes by saying that he will uphold these priorities to the best of his abilities, and asks the people to forgive him of unintentional defects of judgment on his quest to uphold the happiness and liberty of the people.

LAD #8: Columbus Blog

All Americans know the day of October 12, 1492 to be the very day the Christopher Columbus discovered America.  It is a national holiday and celebrated all over the country as one of the most important days in American history.  Everyone praises Columbus for this singular task and view him as a world renowned hero.  However, people seem to forget all of the atrocities and violence that was involved in his discovery and establishment.  When the Arawak people saw the foreign ship with "alien" people, they were more than generous and giving.  They shared everything that they could, and more, with Columbus and his men.  They provided food, shelter, water, gifts, and anything else that the Spaniards needed.  And how did Columbus react?  He completely annihilated the native population causing mass genocide, that's what.  He enslaved the Indians by the thousands, shipping them all back to Europe as slaves, promising more and more each time he came back to Spain with "Indians": which he called them because he was oblivious to the actual size of the Earth and miscalculated his journey.  The thing is, a considerable amount of the Indians would die on the journey overseas.  As Howard Zinn explains, one of the ships carried 500 of the strongest and best fit natives, and by the end of the journey 200 were dead.  Not only did the natives die from travel, but thousands were massacred in the Americas as well.  For all the Indians that did not cooperate with the Spanish rule, severe punishment -- that almost always resulted in death -- was imminent.  When the Spaniards bounced around the Caribbean islands, any native population that would not voluntarily listen to the Spanish demands were destroyed.  The biggest Spanish weapon that Columbus unleashed was disease.  Not only did the new European illnesses that Columbus as his men brought over instantly affect the immediate population, but over time 90% of the Native American population would fall to European disease.  Grant it, bringing disease and spreading death was not Columbus's primary goal for the Americas.  His intention was to find the wealth and riches of gold and glory.  He originally meant no harm to any native beings, he just greedily sought the power that he would gain through discovery, and the riches he would unleash.  Yet it was his greed that was his downfall.  No matter how innocent his original intentions may have been, nothing could be used to defend the atrocities that he and his men showed the Arawak Indians.  Even though that might have been the custom treatment at the time, the things that he and his men did to the Arawak people is inhumane and just plain old wrong.  Furthermore, Columbus's actions were mirrored by later adventurers (Cortes, Pizarro, and the English settlers), who ravaged violence and war instead of seeking peace and a sense of  respect.  It is as if he set a precedent for others to follow.  Being the first to settle in the Americas, he needed to set a good example for people to follow, but just as he was blinded by superiority and glory, future conquerors became entangled in war and strife between themselves and the natives.  So all in all, even though there are legitimate cases to portray Columbus as either a hero or a villain, my personal viewpoint stands that he is drastically more of a villain than the hero that people portray him to be.