LAD #37

Brown v. Board of Education

Although segregation in public schools was supposed to be "separate but equal"  it was clearly not in the early 1950's.  Linda Brown, a third grader was forced to go to a black elementary school although the white one was much closer and clearly better.  The Principal of the school refused to enroll Linda and in response the NAACP took on the challenge and in 1951 requested an injunction to forbid segregation in public schools.  In district court listened to the NAACP argue that segregated schools caused kids to believe they truly were inferior.  On the other hand the Board of Education argued that segregation in schools prepared them for the segregation they would experience as an adult.  The court felt compelled to rule in favor of the board mostly due to the supreme court decision in Plessy v. Ferguson.  Soon they appealed to the Supreme Court combined with other cases that challenged school segregation.  The court and Chief Justice Earl Warren decided that "separate but equal" had no place in public schools and struck down the decision in Plessy v. Ferguson.  Although this ruling did not affect segregation in other public places or even desegregate all schools, it was a huge step toward the desegregation of public schools throughout the nation.

LAD #36

Truman Doctrine

Truman starts by addressing how necessary he believes this address to be in front of the Congress.  The first event that needed to be addresses was the concerns over Greece and Turkey.  He explains that the Greek government has been asking for help economically from America and that they as Americans should listen.  Greece is a poor country and to make it worse, retreating Germans have ruined much of their land and infrastructure.  The country then went into political chaos which until now has kept them from recovering economically.  Without importation they are barely able to live so it is obvious that they need financial support to continue importing necessities for their lives.  They would also like American officials to be a part of rebuilding Greece to make it a more stable country economically and politically.  There are many terrorist groups in the country led by communists but their military is small and poorly equipped so they can do little to defend themselves.  America is the only nation that can help support this democratic Greek government at the time.  Turkey is also in great need of American assistance.  Although Turkey has not been struggling like Greece, they need support now to modernize the nation.  The US is again the only nation able to supply this economic aid.  To ensure the development of nations in an independent way the US has taken action in the UN.  There have been many countries forced into totalitarian regimes despite protest from the US.  It is the US's duty to support those free people who are resisting armed minorities or outside pressures.  If Greece falls to communism, Turkey will be quick to follow.  This would be a tragedy in present time.  Truman then asks for the Congress to provide billions to each of the two countries to to provide relief and allow them to resist communism.  Her also asks that American civilians and military be sent to Greece to furnish reconstruction.  This must be done quickly and without it there may very well be even more reparations to come.

LAD #35

Executive Order No. 9066

As the President and the Commander in Chief FDR gave the Secretary of War and his military commanders directions to take military action that they deemed necessary.  The Secretary of War is authorized to provide transportation and or resources to residents of any areas that he needs cleared.  Not only are they authorized to designate military areas but also they many take any other stops to enforce cooperation in these areas even if use of federal resources is needed.  With this being said all federal agencies and independent establishments were to assist in carrying these mission out.  This order would not limit the authority of the FBI of the Department of Justice, unless if it is a case in which it was the responsibility of the military areas.

LAD #34

FDR Declaration of War

FDR starts with the what might be his most famous quote "December 7th 1941, A date which will live in infamy".  Then he begins to explain the Japanese attack on Japan.  He says that the two countries were in peace and were talking to each other just an hour before the bombing.  The Japanese ambassador had just given a letter to the Secretary of state which among other things had no signs of war or attack.  He addresses that because of the distance between Hawaii and Japan the attack must have been planned for multiple days.  During the time the Japanese gave no signs of attack.  The attack caused serious damage to the Navy and Military in addition to killing many Americans. Not only had the Japanese attacked Hawaii but they attacked nations throughout the Pacific.  At this time FDR was thinking only of the security of the nation and to achieve that he would not stop until the US was victorious over Japan.  He made this decision while keeping in mind that the rest of the American government and people were for the most part in favor of these actions.  To conclude he formally adked Congress to declare war on Japan in response to the bombing of Pearl Harbor and the threat to the American nation.



LAD #33

FDR's First Inaugural Address

Roosevelt starts his Inaugural Address with a few simple statements, one being the famous "the only thing we have to fear is fear itself".  He goes on to explain that he will provide the leadership needed to get the nation out of their darkest hour.  He understands that many people have become unable to support themselves and have lost everything.  Many are struggling to survive without a job, and no one can deny these issues.  Compared to what others of an earlier nation had to endure though, the nation still has many things to be grateful for.  Many of the people who are struggling try to help themselves only by digging a deeper hole.  Americans must realize that money does not bring happiness but rather achievement and new ideas.  Once people realize that material wealth and power are not the most important things in life they will be one step closer to restoration.  But the nation needs to put people to work and create new jobs.  Also, there need to be changes in the usage of land throughout the country to help farmers and transportation.  Lastly there need to be restraints put in place to prevent another event such as this one.  Although foreign trade is important, the national economy is more important by far.  He also believed that nationalism was a key part of the restoration of the nation.  This depression has proven how much Americans depend on one another and show how necessary unity really is.  He hopes that between the executive and legislative branches, these necessary steps to restoration can be taken.  If Congress does not do anything to stop the crisis than Roosevelt is prepared to ask for more power as president.  Roosevelt reminds the Americans to remain faithful in democracy and patient as he carries out this plan of action.

 

 



LAD #32

Kellogg-Briand Pact 1928

The Kellogg-Briand Pact of 1928 was a treaty between the United States and many other nations agreeing that war would not be used as an instrument of national policy.  The leaders of these nations wanted the friendly relations that they currently had with each other to continue on forever.  They wanted any issues to be solved peacefully without war and if any of the nations violated the treaty then they would not be able to reap the benefits of the treaty.  The nations that joined hoped that other nations would follow their example and join the pact.  The United States was looked at as the leader of this agreement and the nations trusted them to relay information.

LAD #31

Fourteen Points

 

Wilson feel responsible for coming up with a plan for peace after the war is over and believes there are several points that must be addressed.  First he explained that the US was getting involved in the Great War only to help other nations and bring peace.  He really truly wanted the world to be in harmony with each other.  To do this he came up with fourteen points which he believed would serve as guidelines to a better world.  First all of the fighting needed to stop and the world needed to be at peace.  His plan addressed issues with Russia, freedom of waterways, and trading rights.  Maybe most important, his plan contained the League of Nations, a global united force of countries.  In the end this part of the plan failed as the United States would not even agree to be a part of it.  Later the US would be leaders of the UN.  But the fourteen points were a huge step towards the US being established as a peacekeeper.  Wilson really had the best interests in mind and wanted his plans to really help free the world from fighting.

LAD #30

Schenck v. United States

(Holmes)

Schenck believed that the US draft during the Great War was wrong.  TO spread his opinions, he mailed circulars to draftees which urged them to resist the draft in peaceful ways.  Because of his actions, Schenck was charged with conspiracy to violate the Espionage Act by attempting to cause subordination in the military and to obstruct recruitment.  Schenck was found guilty as Holmes and the unanimous court concluded that he was not protected in this situation by the first amendment.  They said that it all depends on the circumstances.  Schenck's circulars were a clear and present danger.  They were clear because they obviously were advising against the draft and asking for resistance.  They were present because during a war the draft is an extremely important aspect of national security.  Therefore, if the US had not been in war this case may have ended differently but because of the current war, Schenck presented a CLEAR AND PRESENT danger.

LAD #29

Keating-Owen bill of 1916

 

In 1900 there were about 2 million children working in the United States.  This simple statistic opened the American public's eyes to how big the issue of child labor was in the nation.  Many famous figures helped  bring attention to this issue such as Lewis Hine, Karl Marx and Charles Dickens.  The Keating-Owen bill was based on Senator Beveridge's proposal and used the government's ability to regulate interstate commerce to regulate child labor.  This act banned the sale of products from any facility that employed children under the aged of 14 and any mine that employed children under the age of 16.  But, later the supreme court ruled it was unconstitutional and that the government did not have that much power.  In 1918 though, the Child Labor Tax Law was passed and it indirectly.  But it too was found unconstitutional by the court.   The Federal Government obviously wanted to regulate child labor but the Supreme Court made it almost impossible to do so.  Federal protection of children would not be obtained until the Fair Labour Standards Act in 1938.  Finally this was victorious and in 1941 the Supreme Court reversed it's earlier opinions and upheld constitutionality of the Fair Labor Standards Act which is still in place today.

LAD #28

President Wilson's First Inaugural Address

 

Wilson believes that there has been a change in government as the House of Representatives in Democratic, the Senate is about to become democratic and the president and vice president are both democrats.  It is not only a success of the democratic party though, but rather it proves that Americans are ready for change and new ideas.  America is great in it's wealth, as many men have built an industry of great proportions.  But America is also great in it's morals as the people have stood up to right wrongs and help others.  And of course, the great American system of government which  completes the perfect life in America.  But there has also been much evil in the nation.  Americans have wasted lives and money in the quest of industrialism.  The government itself has been too often used for selfish purposes instead of to help the nation's people.  Now both the good and the evil are visible to all.  In response it is now time to cleanse America of the evil without ruining the good.  What needs to happen now is restoration.  There are a few specific things that Wilson wants to address such as the tariff which prevents the US from thriving in world economics.  Other things that need to be altered are, the banking and currency system, the exploitative industrial system, agricultural activities, and undeveloped watercourses.  The government also needs to be a part of these alterations as it need to keep the society which it serves sound.  For example sanitary laws, pure food laws and labor laws are all the duty of the government to put in place.  All of these things need to be addressed but those are not all of the changes that need to be made in the name of justice.  This is a process that needs to be done not through science but though passion.  This is not a victory but instead the beginning of a long journey of hard work and progress.



LAD #27

Clayton Anti-Trust Act

 

The Clayton Anti-Trust Act was passed to further restrict trusts and monopolies in the American economy. First it establishes that no person or company can discriminate in their prices between different purchasers.  They can of course charge different prices for different quality of quantity in goods.  Next it states that a company or person within the US cannot buy anything from another company or person that would lessen competition and or create a monopoly in any area of commerce.  Lastly it states that no corporation can acquire stock or other share capital of another corporation which would result in lessened competition or a monopoly in any area of commerce.

LAD #26

Martin Luther King- "I Have a Dream"

 

MLK begins his speech with a reference to the Emancipation Proclamation and how it was a beacon of hope for negros throughout the nation.  But one hundred years later, they are not free but rather held back by segregation and discrimination.  This is what he wants to address and expalin to the American people.  With the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence a life of liberty was promised to every man in America but this has not yet been accomplished.  This is what African Americans were now demading, their right to the true American life.  Most importantly though, the time for this change is now.  If the country does not address this issue now, it will have terrible results of revolt.  But for those African Americans, do not become violent, maintain your dignity and discipline.  Do not hate all white men, as most do not hate us.  African Americans cannot do this alone and they cannot turn back on this mission.  Negroes will not be content until they are complete equals to the white men.  MLK had a dream rooted in the American Dream itself that one day the United States would live up to her promises to all of her inhabitants.  One day the past will be the past and all men no matter their color will be brothers.  With this faith MLK will go south and hopr to transform the nation.  One day freedom will be granted to all no matter the color of their skin.

LAD #25

Dawes Act

The Dawes Act was passed in 1887 to move Native Americans to individually owned properties.  It created Native American reservations which could be surveyed at anytime.  This was all a part of the government's plot to assimilate these natives into American society.  Each member of the tribe was granted a certain amount of land and they were all given a chance to become American Citizens. If Natives were not placed on a reservation then they still had the chance to buy land, but it was owned by the government.  If the Natives behaved as American citizens then they had the same rights and immunity as any others.  But, not surprisingly, some of the Natives were excluded from this act and did not have a chance to enjoy it's privileges.

LAD #24

Bryan's Cross of Gold Speech

 



On July 9th, 1896, William Jennings Bryan gave his infamous Cross of Gold speech at the Democratic national convention.  He spoke of the ongoing conflict over the use of gold and silver int he economy.  He believed the ratio of gold to silver should be changed to 1:16.  He talks about the importance of money, most importantly silver to the democratic party.  Silver was of such great importance that they were now called the "silver democrats".  He emphasizes the advantages of being Americans and that the workers are the people who should be cared for.  He advocated for free coinage of silver seeing as there was an abundance of the metal.  If this metal was used to their advantage it may solve some of America's economic problems.  The wealthy did possess gold but the majority of the country did not.  If gold continued to be implemented the majority of the nation, the common people would not be able to benefit.  If the poorer americans could use silver they would be able to thrive economically.  Overall for the benefit of the majority of Americans silver should be more commonly used as currency.

LAD #23

Populist Party Platform, (July 4, 1892)

 

The voting system in the United States is completely corrupt.  The urge to be wealthy in the US is starting to destruct civilization.  The existing political parties are doing nothing to solve these atrocities and do not plan to do anything.  The populist party seeks to give political power to the average American.  Many laborers work hard but do not profit from their work as other, more rich Americans do.  The populist party fights for the power of the people and equal rights and privileges for all.  The party will fight for the strength of labor unions and will support those who create the wealth given to the rich.  Railroads should be owned by the government to prevent cruelty to workers.  The economy should be subject to free and unlimited coinage of silver and gold and it should be circulated quickly.  A higher income tax should be put in place but the money in the US should be kept more so in the hands of its people.  Along with railroads, the telegraph and the telephone should also be owned by the government.  Also all of the land should be owned by the people of the US.  The secret ballot system must be adopted along with a higher income tax.  Pensions shall be granted to ex-Union soldier and sailors.  Immigration must be restricted to protect American jobs.  Hours of labor should be restricted. The offices of the president and the vice president shall both be restricted to one year.  And lastly, no national aid shall be given to any private corporations.

LAD #22

McKinley's War Message

In 1895, the Cuban people revolted and the US stayed neutral but the fighting could not go on any longer.  The American minister to Spain relayed that the Spanish government was prepared to stop.  But two days later McKinley spoke to Congress pleading with them to do something to stop the war in Cuba leading them to eventually enter the war on April 19th.  McKinley begins by stating his duty as president to inform Congress of prevalent information.  It has been a struggle for the US to remain neutral through all of Cuba's suffering.  The US has had to face economic hardship because of the fighting.  The war in Cuba cannot be won unless one side is destroyed and the US obviously does not want to see that happen.  Before McKinley had said that the US had 4 options, recognize the Cubans as belligerents, recognize Cuba as independent, try to bring up a compromise or enter the war on one side.  Although President Grant believed recognition of Cuban independence was impracticable, recognition of belligerence would be worse.  Both of these then are not of use.  So either the US should intervene as a neutral or as an ally to one side.  The US has been using friendly intervention for a while now but it would be difficult in Cuba.  But Americans can support this intervention with our need to put an end to such terrible atrocities in the name of humanity.  The US has an obligation to protect such a small country legally.  Also US commerce has been affected.  Lastly and most importantly, the affairs in Cuba are a constant menace to American peace and is a constant threat to our government and people.  The destruction of the battleship Maine is a reminder of this threat.  The only hope is an end to fighting in Cuba.  So McKinley asks Congress to authorize him to take action in Cuba for the interest of humanity.  It is now in the hands of the Congress and without this the fighting will most likely destroy more.