LAD #20: Emancipation Proclamation

The Emancipation Proclamation is split into two parts, the first being the idea that any slaves currently under ownership in the South are now "forever free" by the Union. These slaves will be respected and held in this role by military personnel. Secondly, the Emancipation Proclamation lists off the states in which this declaration applies. The states include Florida, Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi, Texas, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia. Some regions in Louisiana and Virginia do not have to comply with the proclamation. Lincoln states that in these listed territories, slaves are completely free from labor altogether. The slaves will have their complete rights maintained in the North.

LAD #19: Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address

At the start of his Second Inaugural Address, Lincoln states that this one will be a shorter and more concise speech, more so than his first address. Lincoln states that the events that our nation has encountered create a plan for Lincoln that outlines both the future and the current situation. Lincoln announces that he has no prediction on how the war will end, and has no idea what will happen. He goes back to his first Inaugural Address in which he state that he wished to avoid war at all costs, in order to preserve the Union. Now, the Confederates are seeking to destroy the Union through war, while the Northerners are helping to preserve the Union through the same war. The issue of the slavery and its territorial expansion was a major contributor to the war, and the South's primary reason for war. Both Northerners and Southerners are all Americans of the same God, yet each side invokes God's will against the other. Lincoln continues to speak about God's plan. He states that no matter what the plan is, the war will be finished. Lincoln plans on patching up the segregated Union and repairing it from the destruction and secession.

LAD #18: Dred Scott Decision

At the first Court reargument meeting for Scott v Sanford, a moderate decision was made in favor of Sanford, but they did not consider or discuss the larger issues of African American citizenship and the constitutionality of the Missouri Compromise. The Court ended up placing Roger Taney in charge of writing, representing a true majority opinion for the Court and considering all of the larger issues in this case. Taney first addressed African American citizenship, including that of slaves and free blacks, stating that blacks, even free men, were not citizens of the United States. Not being citizens, they ware unable to sue in a federal court, making the court case unconstitutional. He then turned to the Missouri Compromise, stating that the federal government could not deny liberty and property in the Louisiana Purchase territories. This  make the Missouri Compromise unconstitutional as well. Finally, Taney decided that Dred Scott was not a free man, ruling that the freedom of a slave is commanded by the state he brought suit in, which was the slave state Missouri. In the end, the court upheld the Missouri Supreme Court's ruling in favor of Sanford.

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

Sojourner Truth begins her "Ain't I a Woman" speech by stating that those in the North will have many important decisions to make because of the issue of slavery in South and the increasing women's rights movements. She says that even though men insist that women help them, women don't receive any help from men. Truth states that her, and all other women, work just as hard as men. They eat just as much and get beaten the same, yet they receive none of the help or benefits that men receive. Truth moves on to say that the level of intelligence of an individual does not change their basic human rights, regardless of skin color of sex. She also argues with religious officials who interpret the bible by saying women are inferior just because Jesus is a man. Truth knows that Christ came from God and a woman, so man has nothing to do with Christ. Finally, Sojourner Truth states that if God can create a woman who can turn the world upside down, than the union of women should have the same right to do so, without the interference of men.

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

On July 4th of 1852, Frederick Douglass gave a speech in Rochester on the celebration of American Independence Day. In this speech, Douglass questions the accuracy of the Declaration of Independence and the actual freedoms and liberties that all Americans should have. There is one group of people not included in the July 4th celebrations because they do not share in the rights and liberties all other Americans do: African Americans. Because of this situation, Douglass claims the 4th of July to be a mockery. He goes on to denounce slavery and all its principles, naming it the greatest sin of all time in the name of humanity, the Constitution, and the Bible. Douglass says "I will not equivocate; I will not excuse…," "...I will use the severest language I can command; and yet not one word shall escape me that any man, whose judgment is not blinded by prejudice, or who is not at heart a slaveholder, shall not confess to be right and just." For those in the black community, including Douglasss, July 4th is celebrated to hide the awful crimes that this country had committed. According to Douglass, the nationalistic feelings and exciting events are used to camouflage the crimes that America is more guilty of than any other country in the world. Even so, Douglass hopes that, eventually, the United States will outlaw slavery. He believes the democratic principles found in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution will aid in this process.

LAD #15: Lincoln's Gettysburg Address

Lincoln presents his Gettysburg Address after the Battle of Gettysburg in the Civil War. He states that the United States was founded on the idea of equality. He goes on to discuss the challenge the nation faces while being in the middle of the awful Civil War. He acknowledges all the soldiers who fought in the war, but specifically those who fought at Gettysburg. Lincoln states that what he says about the soldiers on that day is of little significance, but the actions and fighting that the soldiers did for our nation is of the utmost importance and bravery. Finally, he talks about how the United States cannot let the deaths of these soldiers go in vain, and that we must honor their sacrifices. If we do this, the Untied States will become a country of equality and freedom, exactly what it was founded upon.

LAD #14: Lincoln's 1st Inaugural

Lincoln's First Inaugural Address is mostly about slavery. He states that he did not want to get involved with slavery at all. His main goal was to keep the Union united, so he had no intention of legalizing or abolishing slavery. Lincoln continues on to state that allowing the States to choose between becoming a slave or a free state has kept a balance in the government, including the Senate and a balance a power between the State and Federal governments. He addresses the fact that the US being divided on the topic of slavery is very dangerous. He makes it very clear that his goal is to keep the States united and content, no matter how the issue of slavery plays out. Finally, he reassures the Americans that their neighbors are all their friends and not enemies, the opposite of popular belief at that time. 

LAD #13: Calhoun

Calhoun begins his speech by touching on the causes of the current sectionalist issues. He begins with slavery, stating that it has caused great tensions and will ultimately result in the disunity of America if it isn't dealt with. Since the number of Northern states was increasing, there was an imbalance in the Senate. The government was engaged in maintaining a balance while it was destroying it as well. Calhoun continues on to claim that the North excluding the South from gaining as much land as them should be the primary concern of the current political factionalism. He also states that the tariff has been very undesirable to the Southern states. It has been used mainly to protect Northern manufacturers, not Southern farmers. Along with the increase in the Northern population, this has lead to the increase in sectional discontent. Calhoun explains that the Union will fall apart and resort to warfare if the South has to continually decide between abolition and secession. In order to resolve these issues, the North will have to compromise. These compromises include restoring the balance in the Senate, allowing the South to claim land, and accepting slavery. By conceding these three things, the South will be able to live "honorably and safely" in the Union. The speech concludes by Calhoun stating that the North must take these actions and allow the South to gain California, or it will be obvious that the North wishes the inferiority of the South. Finally, Calhoun concludes that he has done his duty by expressing his opinion and is now free of responsibility.

LAD #12: Polk

Polk opens up his War Message to Congress by stating that he had tried to make peace with the Mexican government, but it was unsuccessful. When the American envoy landed in Mexico, ready to make peace, the Mexican Government refused to even listen to him, and even attacked some American settlements. Polk goes on to discuss that the MExican government and its officials had originally approved the American envoy, but when he arrived, he was rejected. Those who had at first approved the envoy, John Slidell from Louisiana, were from General Herrera's army, but a revolutionary party had just taken control. This new revolutionary government of General Paredes had no intent to negotiate with the United States and follow the actions of the previous government. Polk explains that he placed troops positioned around Texas, mainly in Corpus Christi, in order to protect the Texans' rights, but Texas had already become part of the Union. He addresses that Mexico was unable to stably communicate with America and did not execute its treaties like it should have. Polk reminds Congress that the American economy, specifically commerce, was greatly harmed by this situation, and that American had been working towards peace with Mexico for a long time. He finishes his War Message by stating that American must declare war against Mexico because of the many Mexican hostilities against America.

LAD #11 - Seneca Falls Declaration

The Seneca Falls Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions is modeled after the Declaration of Independence in the sense that it is a group of people standing up for their unalienable rights. In fact, it houses the first paragraph of the Declaration of Independence in its Declaration of Sentiments. It brings up many of the same ideas talked about in the Declaration of Independence, but ties them into the equality of men and women. It states a number of grievances that have occurred, alienating the so-called unalienable rights of mankind, which includes women. These grievances include the lack of the right to vote or partake in the legislative process, the hindering effect that marriage has on them, their inability to own private property, their overall submissive nature to men, the unfairness of divorce laws, their inability to gain high-paying professions, the inequality in education, and not being allowed to partake in the actions of the Church. It goes on to talk about how these grievances can be resolved, basically equalizing men and women in society. These resolutions include the ability women have to address the public without ridicule, equality of women in government and in regard to men, the idea that women themselves can move forward as designated by God, ending the obedient degradation of women in favor of progressive fighting, the moral authority of women, that men should be just as moral in government as women already are, women's suffrage, and the combined efforts of men and women to end the patrimonial society that they live in. The effects of this Declaration were immense, setting the stage for the work towards women's suffrage and equality in future.