LAD #16 Emancipation Proclamation: January 1, 1863

When this proclamation is issued all men free or slave will be “forever free.” All slaves will now be recognized as free men in all states free or previously slave. All people will be represented in Congress and representatives will be chosen by all people. Any slave that is held in states after the proclamation is issued will now be set free. All slaves will now have to be paid, just like freemen. The slaves that are now free are to all be treated as freemen.

LAD #15 Second Inaugural Address of Abraham Lincoln

There is less of a reason at the time of Lincoln’s second inaugural speech to give a long address. Lincoln’s first inaugural speech was all about the looming Civil War. The Southern states wanted a war and the Northern states fought the Civil War to save the Union. 1/8 of the people in all of the United States were slaves and they were all located in the south. Even though both sides sort of wanted the Civil War to happen neither side was prepared for the amount of time that the Civil War took. Both sides thought the war would be an easy victory. Both the North and the South pray to the same God, and Lincoln thinks it’s ironic that they both prayed to have their fellow men beat in this war. Finally Lincoln says that after the war, hopefully there will be a lasting peace within the country and out of the country.

LAD #14 Dred Scott Decision

The first time the court met they ruled in favor of Sanford, however the issue of black rights under the Missouri Compromise was ignored. The justice for the case was Nelson and his opinion on the case was no one elses opinion, therfore the court made the justice of the case Chief Justice Roger B. Taney. Taney's decision included stuff that was previously left out of the case such as black rights under the Missouri Compromise. Buchanan knew what the outcome of the case would be and he made sure to mention it and the court in his inauguration speech. He said that the issue of territories deciding if they want to be slave or not is the Supreme Court's decision. The decision was finally given March 6, 1857, two days after Buchanan's inauguration. Taney said that you had to be a citizen to sue in a United States Court. Scott, who was black was not a citizen, therefore he legally could not be suing. Taney then questioned the constitutionality of the Missouri Compromise. Taney said that the Missouri Compromise "deprived slave holding citizens of their property" so he deemed the Missouri Compromise unconstitutional. Taney dismissed the case for "lack of jurisdiction."

LAD #13 The Gettysburg Address

A few years ago the founding fathers created this nation, the nation that they made all men all equal in is now in a civil war. The lives lost in this war are lives lost in a fight to preserve the Union that our fathers tried so hard to create. Because of the men that lost there lives for this cause we should have a greater appreciation for the dead and for the cause that they fought for. After this civil war hopefully this nation will have a rebirth.

LAD #12 First Inaugural Address of Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln is not going to talk about unimportant things right now. There is uncertainty regarding the Southern states at this time. Lincoln is not going to get interefere with the slave states since because of the constitution he cannot. He made this very clear in his platform. It is the rights of the states to decide the issue of slavery. When Lincoln is the president no states will be denied there basic rights. He helps to explain that the fugitive slave controversy by quoting Article IV. Section 2 in the constitution. Congress and the rest of the government officials are to abide by that law. There are arguements about whether the nation or the states should deal with this. The slave doesn't care with who deals with it. Free blacks or slaves should be considered under the clause that states garauntee "the citizens of each stat shall be entitled to all privileges and immunities of citizens in the several states." There have been 15 great presidents before Lincoln and they all did an excellent job in the executive position. He, however is entering the office at a difficult time: Disunity within the Union. If we follow the constitution the Union will be able to last. The Union, however has lasted longer than the constitution has since the Union was started in 1774 with the Articles of Association. If the Union can be destroyed now it proves that we are weaker than before the constitution was written. No one state is allowed to leave the Union. Lincoln is determined to practice the laws of the constitution in every state. We can preserve the Union without having a war. There are some people who would like to destroy the Union, but there are also those who wish to preserve it. Your rights in the constitution are never denied and if they are then you have a reason to revolt. If a miniority amount of states decide to seceeded, then why can't the majority as well. The United States is constantly changing because of popular opinion and it represents popular sovereignty. Anyone who is against this must be an anarchist. The Judicial branch also has a say in the way the constitution is interpreted they decide what is constitutional and what is not. Part of our country wants slavery and part of it does not. The foreign slave trade is now illegal and is being enforced. United States citizens can peacefully revolt by ammending the constitution. The people of the United States think that the Chief Magistrate should fix the Union, but Lincoln says that the people can help to fix the Union. The people of the United States need to be friends, not enemies.

LAD #12 First Inaugural Address of Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln is not going to talk about unimportant things right now. There is uncertainty regarding the Southern states at this time. Lincoln is not going to get interefere with the slave states since because of the constitution he cannot. He made this very clear in his platform. It is the rights of the states to decide the issue of slavery. When Lincoln is the president no states will be denied there basic rights. He helps to explain that the fugitive slave controversy by quoting Article IV. Section 2 in the constitution. Congress and the rest of the government officials are to abide by that law. There are arguements about whether the nation or the states should deal with this. The slave doesn't care with who deals with it. Free blacks or slaves should be considered under the clause that states garauntee "the citizens of each stat shall be entitled to all privileges and immunities of citizens in the several states." There have been 15 great presidents before Lincoln and they all did an excellent job in the executive position. He, however is entering the office at a difficult time: Disunity within the Union. If we follow the constitution the Union will be able to last. The Union, however has lasted longer than the constitution has since the Union was started in 1774 with the Articles of Association. If the Union can be destroyed now it proves that we are weaker than before the constitution was written. No one state is allowed to leave the Union. Lincoln is determined to practice the laws of the constitution in every state. We can preserve the Union without having a war. There are some people who would like to destroy the Union, but there are also those who wish to preserve it. Your rights in the constitution are never denied and if they are then you have a reason to revolt. If a miniority amount of states decide to seceeded, then why can't the majority as well. The United States is constantly changing because of popular opinion and it represents popular sovereignty. Anyone who is against this must be an anarchist. The Judicial branch also has a say in the way the constitution is interpreted they decide what is constitutional and what is not. Part of our country wants slavery and part of it does not. The foreign slave trade is now illegal and is being enforced. United States citizens can peacefully revolt by ammending the constitution. The people of the United States think that the Chief Magistrate should fix the Union, but Lincoln says that the people can help to fix the Union. The people of the United States need to be friends, not enemies.

LAD #11 Message of President Polk, May 11, 1846

President Polk addressed Congress saying that the relations between the United States and Mexico were not very good at the time. Polk says that he really would like to be at peace with Mexico, but at the time they can't be because the Mexican government isn't treating United States citizens very well. We tried to send an envoy to help repair our relations with Mexico, but the Mexican government refused to meet with him. Mexico then came to United States soil and killed our citizens. The minister of foreign affairs then went to Mexico to try to fix the dispute between the two countries. Slidell the minister of foreign affairs arrived and the Mexican government treated him nicely. The main goal of this meeting was to regain peace between Mexico and the United States. The army was then called in to settle the dispute that could not be solved peacefully. Slidell accomplished nothing and went back to the United States. Next there was a threat that Texas would be invaded by Mexican forces. The force started in Corpus Christi. We then sent another envoy to Mexico and he again was not received. The fighting then moved to Del Norte, and the army received orders not to be aggressive towards Mexican citizens. Polk wants to end the fighting with Mexico.

LAD #10 Calhouns Message

Calhoun thinks that the issue of slavery is putting our union in danger. He has tried to call the two parties together to help preserve it, but it did not work. It is hard to tell exactly what is breaking up the Union because he is unsure of how we can fix it. Calhoun said that the reason is because of the dispute about slavery and the dispute is not new. The South is mad because the North wants to abolition slavery and made many aggressions toward it. Another reason for discontent within the Union is that the two sections of government that were created when the constitution were created are now gone. The North is dominant in all departments of government. They have the most states and the biggest population. A census is to be taken soon and this will decide how many House of Representatives and Electoral Colleges the North can have. New states are about to be admitted into the Union as Northern states, this will increase the number of Northern states from 15-20 and increase the senators 30-40. Currently there are no new states being admitted in the South. There will now be 20 Northern states and 14 Southern states. The South might not have been as mad is this process had been slow and happened without government help. There is a lot of land for Northern states and not as much land for new Southern states. The South is also mad because the tariffs are unfair to them. The North is trying to take over all of the land that the U.S. has gained from the treaty with Mexico. The Northern states aren't giving any land to the South. Calhoun says that because of the tariffs the South has to pay way to much. The tariffs are made as protection and not to put more money in the treasury but to put money in the hands of the manufacturers of the North. These protective tariffs give a lot of money to the North and make the South pay. More Northern territory as well as more money to the North explains why the North dominants all the departments of government. The North are hostile towards the South having slaves and consider slavery a sin. The North also think that slavery in the South gives the U.S. a bad name. The South say that if they got rid of there slaves there whole section would be in poverty. Calhoun says that the South is going to have to choose between succession or abolition. The only way to save the Union is if the U.S. satisfys the Southern wants so that they won't succeed. The South cannot surrender anymore. The issue has to be settled so that we can preserve the Union. The North has to give the South equal opportunity to gain land. The North also has to stop arguing over the slavery issue. The North will be the ones who decide the fate of this Union.

LAD #9 Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions

The Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions was written in 1848. It declares that both men and women are created equal and they both have the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. It is said that history has shown that men have always tried to dominant women and the declaration gives a list of grievances against men. One grievance states that man never let women vote. Women had to obey laws that they had no say in making. Women were denied rights that men, foreign and native were given. Women have no right to property, even money they earn themselves. Men used to be in charge of divorces and they chose who got to keep the children. Women were not allowed an education and there were no women in the fields of law, medicine, and theology. After the grievances is a list of resolutions that fix the grievances. Some resolutions include, that women and man are no equal. Women will now have a voice in religious assemblies. Women were now allowed to vote.