LAD #21: Carnegie's Gospel of Wealth

While orating his "Gospel of Wealth" Andrew Carnegie voices the benefits of a capitalistic economy centralized around Big Business.  Despite many's belief that he, being a billionaire of his time, was an upright robber baron, Carnegie stands strong on his opinion that the rich and poor gap is necessary to maintain a healthy and stable economy.  He believed that universal, communistic equality was not the best method to maintain the nations economy -- it needed the rich-poor gap.  Then, he proceeds to propose methods of equally spreading out the wealthy's money in order to maintain a balance, for it was their duty to use their excess to better the entire human race.  First he brings up the primogeniture ideal of Europe, saying that even though it positively promotes money circulation, it creates numerous restrictions and limitations.  Since all of the money is passed onto the first born son, it both impedes his determination to succeed (he now has everything he needs) but it also deprives state money.  Secondly he addresses that when the wealthy die, there should be death taxes placed on his wealth so that his unused money gets into the hands of many -- not just staying with one.  All in all, that is the focal belief and voice of Andrew Carnegie.  He believed that men ought to spend and invest their money to benefit society and the entirety of the human race.  For example he himself was a great philanthropist, supporting many libraries and the establishment of the Carnegie Institute of Technology while Carnegie-Mellon University bears his name.

LAD #20: Emancipation Proclamation

The Emancipation Proclamation, in general, states two central ideals. One: that any blacks that held as slaves in the Southern Seceded States, currently joining the rebellion with the Union, are considered "forever free" and are to be fully respected and considered a citizen with the social liberties, freedom, and respect of any other -- this was prominent in the military (blacks were to be considered regular soldiers and were to be held in the same standards as any other, white or black).  The second ideal explained the extent to which these ideals were to be implied (what states the proclamation applies to).  Even though some regions in Louisiana and Virginia do not have to comply to Lincoln's emancipation (an example would be Nawlins), the following states of: Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia have to stand by the freedoms that Lincoln expresses in his speech.  Anyone considered a slave that resided in these states were to be, from then on, considered free men, liberated from their perpetual servitude.

LAD # 19: Lincoln's Second Inaugural

In his Second Inaugural Address, Lincoln expresses his view of the Civil War and the Union whilst portraying the nature of two and their similarities.  He talks about how neither side (Unionists nor Secessionists) wanted a war, for there had been much appeasement and diplomatic disagreements between the two that had been bloodless and relatively peaceful (yet still proving to divide the nation).  Antebellum America was basically a peaceful war between the two opposing sides -- there were fights and arguments, but no bloodshed.  But, the extremism on both sides -- which resulted in the war -- was eventually accepted and rallied upon by both sides.  The surprising factor was the unexpected brutality and length that the war undertook.  Neither side saw the ominous and foreboding future until it had already befallen them.  However, this naivety portrays all of the similarities between the seemingly polar opposite forces.  Each side looked to the omnipotent and Almighty God to aid them against their foe.  Yet Lincoln refutes this statement explaining that no such prayer has been or will ever be answered, for God has his own priorities and agenda when it comes to war.  He may desire a short, brief, war with minimal blood spilt, or may convene the two forces until "every drop of blood drawn with the lash shall be paid by another drawn with the sword."  The overall purpose of his speech is more meant to expose the natural destiny of the country as an organized Union, and to press the people of the North to continue their efforts to ensure that America remains as such.

LAD #18: Dred Scott Case

In lue of the Supreme Court's decision of Dred Scott vs. Sanford, Chief Justice Roger B. Taney agreed with Sanford.  His decisiveness was the causation of the fact that Scott, being a slave born of parents who emigrated to the United States from a foreign country, was not an American citizen and therefore not guaranteed any basic Constitutional rights.  Taney loosely interpreted that America's prized document made no clear distinctions between slaves and property -- technically Scott was never in position or viable to claim his civil and liberal rights as a person, much less present his case to a court (State of Federal).  Moreover, Scott's owner (Sanford) -- who was a legitimate and legal citizen of the United States -- was protected and backed by the Constitution.  Since Scott was a slave, the property of Sanford, the Courts were left with no other option than to hand over Scott to Sanford.  Yet, this challenged and rivaled the authority and written consent of the Missouri Compromise because despite Scott's habituation in Illinois (a free slave state) as a free man, he was still considered the property and belonging of Sanford and therefore had no basis to sue in a slave-state (Missouri).  In the end, Taney found the Missouri Compromise to be unconstitutional.

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

Sojourner Truth's famous speech in Akron, Ohio rotates around the injustice that despite womens' frequent proof that they are equal and just as capable as men, they are denied the same rights.  Contrary to the infamous stereotypes, "Nobody ever helps [her] into carriages, or over mud-puddles, or gives [her] any best place! And ain't [she] a woman?"  She expresses to the listeners that she plows and works in the field, just like a man, and eats as much but she's still a woman.  Everything that she does in her life is equal. or greater, to that of a man, and she's still a woman.  Later, she questions that despite their lack of intelligence, what does intellect have to do with womens' rights?  "If my cup won't hold but a pint, and yours holds a quart, wouldn't you be mean not to let me have my little half measure full?"  She lastly reasons with the beliefs of Christianity and the belief that Christ was a man -- not a woman.  Yet he must have came from a woman.  She voices that men have been, and will always be, nothing without women -- so why can't they be equal.

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

"What to a slave is the 4th of July?"  This was the centerpiece to Frederick Douglass's "5th of July Speech" taken place in Rochester, NY in 1852.  Deciding to speak with his enslaved brothers of the South, he expresses his dislike for the practices of slavery within the United States and illustrates that these feelings are only magnified by Americans' celebration of Independence day -- their sovereignty and liberation from the British tyranny.  However, he also finds it essential to remind the country that amongst their joyous festivities, the forgotten and neglected African Americans feel that much more adamant about the injustices of America.  To take away one's right to freedom, to strip them of their inalienable rights, to beat, whip, burn, and/or starve them into obedience, to separate them from their family, etc., exemplifies the idea that African Americans are less than their fellow men. Yet Douglass reminds America, such a notion is ridiculous being just as successful as their white counterparts.  Occupations such as, "erecting houses, constructing bridges...capturing the whale in the Pacific, feeding sheep and cattle on the hillside, living, moving, acting, thinking, planning, living in families as husbands, wives, and children, and above all, confessing and worshiping the Christian's God." Lastly, Douglass puts forth that while no other nation in history has made such noble claims for independence there is no other country on Earth that has allowed the injustices on human lives (slaves) compared with this free and independent America.

LAD #15: Lincoln's Gettysburg Address

Lincoln's Gettysburg Address was created to both commemorate the soldiers of the civil war who gave their lives to preserve the Union and to stress the importance and gravity of such a demanding cause. However, Lincoln understands that by no means could any value of worth be added to sacrifices that these Union soldiers made by mere words alone. By paying the ultimate price they have consecrated the lands with their blood and the living cannot serve the dead merely by commemoration, but by their will to continue with utmost devotion the cause the martyrs chose to protect: a free government "of the people, by the people, [and] for the people...four score and seven years ago."