LAD #37: Brown vs., Board of Education, Topeka, Kansas

Linda Brown was an elementary school girl who wished to be enrolled in a "white" school, which was only 7 blocks from her house. She was walking a mile everyday to go to her black elementary schools, so her parents presented the problem to the NAACP. This organization supported the Brown family and helped to present a case against the Board of Education to the District Court. The District Court used the Plessy vs. Ferguson case to rule that schools and public areas could be "separate but equal." They argued that just because African Americans had to attend different schools, does not mean they are at a disadvantage to become successful. The Brown family appealed their case to the United States Supreme Court. They also combined their case with other similar public school segregation problems occurring in different states. This historic Supreme Court ruling reversed the district ruling and the Plessy vs. Ferguson case ruling. The Supreme Court allowed for integration of public schools. Additionally, the court ruled that all other public areas would remain segregated until later. This historic court decision would lead to the desegregation of public areas.

LAD #36: Truman Doctrine

After World War II, the United States and the Soviet Union began to have disagreements in government policy: democracy versus communism. This will ultimately lead to the Cold War. The first American policy that spoke out against Communist expansionism in the East was the Truman Doctrine. Greece was the first country that it began to spread to, and American soldiers were sent there to rid them of German influence and control. Truman supplied military goods, arms, men, food, and other supplies to Greece in order for them to resist the oncoming USSR. After Truman saw Greece as "safe" from Communism, he used this same tactic and policy towards Turkey. Turkey was also needing helping in creating a Democratic form of government safe from the Communism that was spreading through eastern Europe. Overall, President Harry S. Truman request over 750 billion dollars from Congress to supply to Greece and Turkey to resist Communism. The United States created this new role of "protector of the free world" and helped to combat the Communist fears by establishing this policy.

LAD #35: FDR's Executive Order #9066

FDR delivered his Executive Order #9066 to the Secretary of War. This granted him the ability to create military sectors of the country "from which any or all persons may be excluded". These sectors, locations, etc. were not designed for any specific reason at the time. Later on, these would be used as Japanese Internment Camps. The areas were designated for use as "foreign enemy ancestry" detainment locations during the war. Roosevelt cited and quotes many other executive orders and states that these did not invalidate this one by any means. 

LAD #34: FDR's Declaration of War

In his Declaration of War, FDR explains that the Japanese had been deceiving the United States government and its people. They have done this by acting like they had hopes of peace in the Pacific that the United States did as well. He goes on to discuss the attack of Pearl Harbor the day before, stating that Japan had no hint or slight indication in the prior weeks of any sort of attack or war. FDR continues to talk about the attacks Japan had launched in the past 24 hours, which include: Malaya, Guam, Philippenes, Midway Island, and Wake Island. He finishes his statement by telling the American people that he will protect them from further attacks as he asks Congress to declare war on the Empire of Japan. 

LAD #33: FDR's First Inaugural Address

Franklin Delano Roosevelt's first inaugural address outlined, in broad terms, how he hoped to govern. FDR reminded Americans that the nation's "common difficulties" concerned "only material things." The speech was almost entirely composed of the issues of the economy at the time: The Great Depression. He outline his plan to fix the economy, which included putting as many people to work as possible. FDR stated that international trade would not be a priority anymore because the country needed to fix the emergency at home first. He addresses the issue of the depression as if it were a war. He expresses his hope for Congress to accept the laws he proposed quickly. He states that he "shall ask the Congress for the one remaining instrument to meet the crisis-broad Executive power to wage a war against the emergency, as great as the power that would be given to me if we were in fact invaded by a foreign foe." This statement foreshadows the extreme power FDR would exercise during his time as president through the attempted stacking of the Supreme Court and other measures.

LAD #32: Kellogg Briand Peace Pact

The Kellogg Briand Peace Pact was signed by 11 nations right away. France, Poland, Belgium, Japan, and even more nations signed within a year. The pact rejected war as a form of foreign policy. It established that any nation that went to war for only a personal benefit would not be given those benefits in any treaty. The nations who signed hoped that those who did not sign would eventually follow the example of the signed powers and reject war themselves. The United States was responsible for making and holding the treaty and adding more nations to the pact. A year after the treaty was created, over 40 nations had joined the pact. The treaty was created by Secretary of State Frank B. Kellogg. It was signed by President Calvin Coolidge. The treaty was later reaffirmed by President Hoover and and his Secretary of State Henry L. Stimson.

LAD #31: Wilson's 14 Points

President Woodrow Wilson played a major role in negotiations and peace keeping both during and after the Great War. The United States emerged as the greatest world power and Wilson put out his 14 points plan. This plan helped to prevent further conflict and not destroy defeated countries. The points are summarized below.

1. Open covenants of peace
2. Provide freedom of navigation in the seas
3. Remove economic barriers and establish equality of trade
4. Reduce national armies
5. Adjust colonial claims
6. Evacuate Russian Territory to promote growth
7. Evacuate and restore Belgium
8. All French territory freed and restored
9. Readjustment of Italy's borders
10. Free opportunities to people of Austria-Hungary
11. Romania, Serbia, and Montenegro evacuated and restored
12. Protection for minorities in Turkey and free passage of ships in Dardanelles
13. Independence for Poland 
14. Form a League of Nations to avoid further conflict

LAD #30: Schenck V United States

Charles Schenck, an American socialist, was distributing fliers to young men, telling them to avoid enlisting in the Great War. Schenck stated that the draft was violating the Thirteenth Amendment because it enforced "involuntary servitude." He also claimed that the war was motivated by "capitalist greed." Schenck was charged with violating the newly enacted Espionage Act. More specifically, he was said to have been trying to incite insubordination in the military and naval forces. Schenck appealed his case to the Supreme Court on that basis that the Espionage Act violated the First Amendment. However, Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes stated that an individual's Freedom of Speech was not guaranteed when the speech would cause a "clear and present danger." This was a pioneering opinion in America, as Schenck's speech did cause a "clear and present danger" because he was creating military insubordination during wartime. The Supreme Court proceeded to vote unanimously against Schenck. Since then, the ruling has been overturned.

LAD #29: Keating-Owen Child Labor Act

People in the United States became more aware of the many abuses occurring against young children by big businesses. This awareness is because of the work of "muckrakers." This led to the Keating-Owen Child Labor Act. The act was based on a proposal from 1906 and made it illegal to employ workers under 14 and made it illegal for 15-17 year olds to work nights or more than 8 hours in a day. The act was declared unconstitutional because it tried to regulate interstate commerce. After the Keating-Owen act was denied, the Child Labor Tax Law was also defeated in 1919. This was supposed to heavily tax all shops using child labor, but was denied because Congress would not curb the power of the states to regulate local trade. After many similar acts were also found unconstitutional, the Fair Labor Standards Act was passed in 1938. This made child labor illegal. Its legality was challenged, but it is still present today.

LAD #28: Wilson's First Inaugural

Wilson's first inaugural address addressed the changes that needed to be made in society. Wilson spoke about the morals of the American people. He discussed how successful the Industrial Revolution was and stated the underlying causes of it. Wilson talked about how the boom in industry has led to a lot of corruption that needed to stop. He spoke out about the "human cost, the cost of lives snuffled out, (of) energies overtaxed and broken." Wilson continued on to admit that the United States Government "has too often been made use of for private and selfish purposes" and that major reforms were going to occur within the government because of this. Wilson promised to reform sanitary laws, pure food laws, and labor condition laws. Wilson actually carried through with these promises with his Pure Food and Drug Act passes. Wilson sought to reform the nation by not using a laissez-faire form of government. He understood that reform will be necessary and that the nation is capable of it.

LAD #27: Clayton Anti-Trust Act

Congress passed the Clayton ANti-Trust Act in 1914. This was passed as a response to the failed Sherman Anti-Trust Act that was actually used against unions. The new Anti-Trust Act prevented companies from making exclusive contrast, rebates, inter corporate stock holdings, and price cutting. In reality, it was basically the same thing as the Sherman Anti-Trust Act except that workers and unions were no longer included in the "restricting trade" part by striking. The act became very influential because unions were able to form freely and carry out reform plans. The Act protected worker's rights to strike and was more successful than the Sherman Anti-Trust Act.

LAD #26: MLK's 'I Have a Dream' Speech

On August 28th, 1963, MLK begins his speech referring to how "negroes" were "freed" from the Civil War, but how 100 years later, segregation continues to prevent blacks from being free. He continues on to state that the United States has failed to allow men to pursue the natural rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. King says that is the time for the country to live up to its promise to all races, not just the white man. MLK states that "now is the time to live up to democracy and rid the country of segregation and racial injustice." He believes that 1963 is more a beginning than an end, as the nation returns "to business as usual." He then mentions the police brutality, travel and hotel segregation, the signs which state "whites only," voting restrictions, and ghettos. Finally, King beings his "dream" of a nation that will one day "rise up and live up the try meaning of its creed that we hold these truths to be self-evident that ll men are created equal." He dreams that the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slaveowners will sit together at the "table of brotherhood." King dreams that the country will be transformed into one of justice, and that his children will be judged by their character, but by the color of their skin. He dreams that white girls and white boys will be able to join hands with black children together and that all blacks and all whites will be able to share simple things together like praying. Finally, he wishes that freedom will ring throughout the United States.

LAD #25: Dawes Severalty Act

The Dawes Act was the request of the the provision of land to Native American tribes on various reservations. The act gives the president power to divide up communal tribal lands help by Native Americans and split them up into individual shares. An individual's age, gender, and family status all influence the amount of land one receives. The president is able to perform this action whenever reservation land is deemed advantageous with agricultural reasons. The act also allows the US government to purchase any tribal lands and sell them to American settlers. It provides the assimilation of Indians into American culture. Finally, the act makes it clear that the government retains the right to build railroads, highways, and construct telegraph lines through the Native American's land. The 5 Civilized Tribes (Cherokee, Chickasaw, Seminole, Creek, Choctaw) and several others are excluded from the act.

LAD #24: Bryan's Cross of Gold Speech

The "Cross of Gold Speech" by William Jennings Bryan at the Democratic National Convention discussed the values of the Populist Party, specifically the value of bimetallism. Bimetallism is the concept that both gold and silver should be used as forms of United States currency. Bryan says that the Democratic party is not hostile towards Republicans, but he defends his platform agains the Republican idea that bimetallism would be an obstacle for their big businesses. He states that the Republicans believe bimetallism would be an obstacle for big business, but the Republicans have been an obstacle of the common man. Republicans also bashed the Democratic opposition to the national banks currency. Bryan accepts the reasoning on this, but further compares it to Andrew Jackson's conspiracy against the bank that supposedly "saved America." He goes on to compare himself to Thomas Jefferson in their common belief that money is a function of the government and not a responsibility of the bank to just print and distribute. He completed his statement of his position on the gold standard and combined both Democratic and Populist ideals.

LAD #23: Populists

As a result of the immense power of big businesses in America, the Populist Party was created, claiming to represent the will of the common person. The party condemned the low status of poor cities and advocated that productivity could stimulate billions of dollars that could be exchanged for customer products. Silver was also endorsed as an acceptable currency. The result was that the workers were now in poverty. The main goal of this party was to restore democracy and place power in the hands of the common man. The second section states the solutions and policies of the Populist Party. The party stands for the legalization of unions and coinage of silver and gold. They stand of the rights of labor organizations and their desire for better pay, hours, and conditions. They believe that land should not be monopolized by alien owners.

LAD #22: McKinley's War Message

McKinley created this message for Congress in order to discuss the Cuban War with Spain on April 11th, 1898. The president states that the present efforts being put forth by the United States in this major war will not resolve anything. He continues on to explain that something different must be done, including suggestions of recognizing Cuban independence, recognizing the insurgents as belligerents, neutral intervention, and intervention have a side. Next, he explains why intervening in favor of Cuba is the best option for the United States at this time. McKinley mentions the Maine crisis, heavily implying that Spain is to blame. Finally, he asks Congress for help. He asks them to grant him permission to intervene, using military force is necessary. He says this will help to protect the trade, democracy, and safety of the United States and its people.