LAD #8 Monroe Doctrine 1823

The Russian government had asked the United States and Britain to be on friendly terms with them. President Monroe is relunctant to accept these terms for fear that one of these European countries will try to colonize the United States in the future. Spain and Portugal were also both asked. President Monroe comments on how the United States had just sat back and watched all of these nations fight one another for the past few years. Our neutrality policies do not let us get involved in those foreign affairs as well as in "long term" alliances with other countries. The United States only gets involved when our rights have been seriously invaded. However we should agree to have peaceful relations with these countries. We do want ourselves to get involved in the stuff that is going on in Spain and Portugal. If one of these European nations brings their political system to the United States it will destroy our peace we have worked so hard to achieve. We should have friendly realtions with European powers, but not get involved in their affairs.

LAD #7 Thomas Jefferson First Inaugural Address

Thomas Jefferson is both anxious and excited to take on his first executive position of office. He is humble in the idea of taking over such a vast great country. People are allowed to write and speak whatever they want under the constitution, but he wants everyone in America to unite as a whole. Thomas Jefferson wants the Americans to unite under one mind and heart and live like liberty lets them. He wants everyone to remember the things they have gotten rid of such as religious intolerance and political intolerance. Differences of opinion doesn't matter as long as Americans are united. Whether a person is a Republican or a Federalist it shouldn't matter because they are still Americans. American government is better than other governments because it is representative. The government is also great because it is set up so that power is distributed and is not just in the hands of one individual. Jefferson believes that he holds the principles that are key to run this country. He will treat all men equally, whether it be on religion, politics etc. He will continue with the policy of neutrality in foreign affairs. In America people have many freedoms such as freedom of religion, press etc. He has come to realize that in the position he's in people rarely like presidents as much when they are done in office as when they are voted in. He wishes to keep good opinions about him throughout his time in office.

LAD #6 Washington's Farewell Address 1796

It’s time for an election for president and Washington is not running in this election. He is not doing this out of lack of patriotism. He was going to not run in the previous election, but with the state of the United States as it was he decided against it. George Washington hopes that the citizens will not be mad that he is not running again. He is leaving the political scene, but not the patriotic scene. If he has made any great contributions to this country while in office he hopes that people will remember them. The United States government is based upon independence, which protects your peace, safety and liberty. The reason why the United States is independent is because many different people worked together to achieve the common goal of freedom from England. All part of the United States despite their differences all work together to make this country work. The North, South, East, and West all work together in union and therefore make a strong nation. People cannot let “geographic discrimination come between them. Even though people from different parts of the United States are different they are all Americans. The United States Constitution is working much better than the Articles of Confederation had. The political system is based on people making changes to their constitution of their government. People have rights to make their government as well as obey their government. Factions are bad and they ruin mutual interest or common goals. In order to have liberty the powers of a country have be distributed evenly. George Washington advises us that it is dangerous to make parties based on “geographic discrimination.” Parties or factions cause problems with the public and make foreign influence easier. Some people say that parties are good and prevent one group of people dominating another as well as it leads people to have different opinions, which is what this country is based on. However, parties should not be used to cause disunity within a nation. Religion should not be a factor in any government affairs. Try to keep the nations debt to a minimum, debt is evident though and can be controlled by the practice of taxes. The United States should be at peace with all other nations. Anger towards a nation can result in conflict, which could lead to a war. Foreign influence is a nation’s worst enemy, it causes jealousy. Don’t take the side of any particular nation. Have commercial relations with any nation, but politically stay far away from other nations. Only make alliances when it is absolutely necessary. Use the policy of peace whenever applicable. The United States should always use the policy of peace when dealing with other nations.

LAD # 5 Proclamation of Neutrality

At the time this proclamation of neutrality was issued there was a war going on between the countries of Austria, Prussia, Sardinia, Great Britain and the United Netherlands. George Washington thought it would be best for the United States to not take sides during the war in order to stay out of it. George Washington said no citizens of the United States were allowed to take sides. No citizens are allowed to fight for, aid, or be hostile towards and of the said countries or they will be punished. The proclamation was made on April 22, 1793.

Political Cartoon #6 Rise It Will

1. Interpret the cartoon. What historical event/issue is being represented?
The issue that is being represented is the ratification of the United States Constitution.
2. What is the message that the cartoonist is trying to convey? Which side of the issue does he support?
The message that the cartoonist is trying to convey is that eleven states or "pillars of the great" would ratify the United States Constitution. Those eleven states were the only states that were unified and Rhode Island and North Carolina were the states that were bringing the unification down. The side of the issue he supports is the eleven states and wanting the other two states to ratify the Constitution as well so the country could be unified.
3. What effect(s) did this cartoon have on American History? What were the results of this issue being addressed?
The effects this cartoon had on American History were that it showed that in order for the United States Constitution to be effective all the states needed to participate. The results of this issue being addressed were that eventually North Carolina as well as Rhode Island ratified the United States Constitution.

LAD #4 Federalist

1. Why are factions so difficult to eliminate?
Factions are so difficult to eliminate because if you get rid of a faction you get rid of peoples liberty, which is the reason why factions exist. Also if you get rid of a faction you are destroying opinion and giving people the same interests. Opinion, liberty and interest are all apart of factions and political life.
2. If factions cannot be removed then how can they be controlled?
Factions can be controlled by putting limits or rules on them. One rule being that if theres a faction that is less than half, relief is given by republican principle. This makes it easier for the opposing side to win by a regular vote. It also says that by controlling factions it helps with creating better public good as well as interests the rights of the citizens.

LAD #3 Summarization of the Declaration of Independence

All men are created equal and that all men are entitled to three basic rights, which include life liberty and the pursuit of happiness. It is the government’s duty to protect these rights for the people. The King of Great Britain placed many unjust laws and regulations on the colonies. He held meetings for the legislative bodies at places that were inconvenient. He created many new jobs, but only put British officials in these jobs. During peaceful periods between England and the colonies he still had armies in the colonies. If any of the soldiers that were in the New World committed murders he would give them “mock” trials in order to protect them. He did not let the Americans trade with any other nations besides England. He placed taxes on the colonists without their opinion. The King denied there basic right to a trial by jury. The colonists fought back and reminded the British of the reasons of why they came to the New World. The colonists decided then to separate from the British and be friends with them when they were at peace and be enemies when they were at war. The Declaration of Independence made the colonies free states. There was no connection left between the American colonies and Great Britain. Then everyone involved signed it.

Political Cartoon #5

Alex Eberts

1. The event being represented in the cartoon is the peace treaties that were being signed between the British and the Americans. In the cartoon the rattlesnake represents the Americans and two of the coils represent two British armies. The coil with nothing in it represents an empty area for another British army. In the cartoon the American “rattlesnake” is cutting off the British army making it hard for them to continue trying to fight the Americans.

2. The message the artist is trying to convey is that after the peace treaties are signed any more British attempts at trying to fight the Americans will be unsuccessful. As a result to the peace treaties being signed all British advances into American territory will be stopped. The side of the issue he supports is the Americans signed. We know that because he portrayed the Americans as the stronger side.

3. The effects this cartoon had on American History is it demonstrated how the any more British attempts at advances within the colonies is futile. It also showed Americans that the war was pretty much over and that the Americans had won. The results of this issue being addressed is that now the Americans know that there will be no more British advances because the Americans are stronger.

Englands Vietnam

Alex Eberts 8 September 2006
“England’s Vietnam” Period 2

Presidents of the 60’s should have learned from Britain’s mistake with the American Revolution when getting involved with Vietnam. The colonists’ discontent led to violence. After King George III heard this he was determined to put the colonists in their place by using force. England thought that a war with America would be easy and quick. William Innes made up a plan for the British to win the war by starting in Boston and working its way south, defeating America in the process. He also figured the army could recruit American loyalists to make the army “Americanized.” England figured after the war was won the loyalists would take over and run the government for the British when they left. The British in order to see if they had support they conducted a vote. Many people favored the idea of suppressing the colonists. England did not want to make peace with the colonies. They thought that war was the easiest and best way to settle the dispute. King George III was afraid if he lost his colonies in America he would lose his colonies in the West Indies and Ireland as well. Some people thought that America was too far away for England to bother with sending an army and supplies. People died, ships were sunk, etc. during the three month journey. The French who were enemies of the British knew the American soil better than the British. They decided to help the colonists map out a plan to defeat the British. Some people thought that the war with America would cost more than Britain could afford. Even if the British won the war they wouldn’t have the money to run the colonies. William Pitt warned the British that they would not be able to defeat the Americans. Even though people were trying to persuade the British not to fight they did so anyways. The Americans decided to use a different fighting technique than the English. Guerilla warfare was a problem for the British. British soldiers could not tell which Americans were loyalists and which were not. The Americans had the advantage because they could replace men easily, while Britain had to wait for replacements to come all the way from England. Britain didn’t have enough men in England who wanted to fight. Instead they paid foreign countries for the use of their men. The loyalists were no help to the British army since there were few of them and they were scattered all over the place. France and Spain both enemies of Great Britain decided to help the American colonists defeat the British. Most people saw that the outcome of the war would be a disaster and men in Parliament spoke out about it, but the King wouldn’t listen. People thought the British should just make peace with the Americans. Because of lack of support Lord North made the war with America into a “limited” war. Most of the colonists hadn’t thought of independence until 1775. They then wrote the Declaration of Independence. America kept fighting with the idea that independence could be gained. Britain lost the war and a peace treaty was signed. Lord North then made a statement saying that the war was not all his idea it was parliaments also.

LAD #2

Alex Eberts 7 September 2006
LAD #2 Period 2

1. Peter Zenger was the printer and editor for the New York Weekly Journal.

2. The controversy over the Peter Zenger charges was that in his newspaper he and his writers were criticizing the new governor. The new governor was a royal governor and at the time it was illegal to criticize the British government. His lawyer Alexander Hamilton defended him by telling the truth. Hamilton said that Zenger had published the offending articles, but that they could not be considered libel because they were true. If they had been false then they could be considered libel. He also said that Zenger was just practicing his right to freedom of speech.

3. The influence that the Zenger trial had on American governmental tradition is that the jury started thinking that if our freedom of speech is infringed upon then our other rights can be infringed upon. Then when the Bill of Rights was being written the first amendment was Freedom of Speech, it was made so that another event like the Zenger trial wouldn’t happen again.

4. The lasting significance of this trial is that Freedom of Speech was put into the Bill of Rights as the first amendment. This amendment protects our right to Freedom of Speech today. Also the Zenger trial set a precedent that juries could abolish rules they found were unfair or unjust.

LAD #1

Alex Eberts 7 September 2006
LAD #1 Period 2

1. The concepts included in the Mayflower Compact are to make the first colony in North America, the need for a set laws that grant equality to all freemen, that everyone needs to work together in the colony in order for it work.

2. The Mayflower Compact attaches the “Old” and “New” Worlds because even though they are in a different country they are still under the rule of King James.

3. The Fundamental Orders of Connecticut differs from the Mayflower Compact because the Mayflower Compact is basically an agreement to set up a government. It doesn’t go into detail on how the government should and needs to work. The Fundamental Orders of Connecticut go into detail describing how the government should be run and what to do if this or this happens. The Mayflower Compact is much more general than the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut.

4. The reason for the creation of the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut is the colonists thought that in order for the colony of Connecticut to work they needed to join together in union. In order to do that they needed to be joined under a constitution with rules and laws according to God.

5. The Fundamental Orders reflects the fear of and safeguard against the one individual or a few individuals gaining too much power because like our modern government there are checks and balances. In the Fundamental Orders it says that if a governor does not hold a General Court Freemen can petition it until they do. If the Freemen are ignored they can join together and hold their own General Court. This system makes it hard for one person or a few people to gain too much power.