Livia's APUSH Blog

LAD/Blog #21: Emancipation Proclamation: The Battle of Antietam gave Lincoln a victory he needed in order to issue his Emancipation Proclamation. Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation declared all slaves in the South free. It also orders people to maintain and respect their freedom, instead of repressing their rights. Therefore, he demonstrates that any slaves who are able to escape the Confederate government are free. He goes on to list rebellious states. However, he does not include parts of Virginia and Louisiana because, being border states, he feared they would also secede. He ends by saying his hopes for nonviolence and justice. Just as the Emancipation Proclamation declared an end to slavery, Brown v. Board of Education declared an end to segregation.

LAD/Blog #20: Lincoln's 2nd Inaugural Address: Lincoln starts off by saying there is no new information that he can give to the public. The public already knows of the "progress of our arms," meaning the progression of the war. Lincoln states that no side wanted war, but one side wanted to stay unified and the other to split, therefore the war started. He then talks about how slavery acted as a cause for war and, when the war came, neither side anticipated its magnitude or the difficulty of triumph. He discusses God, how God's judgements are "righteous and true altogether." To end his Inaugural Address, Lincoln urges the nation to end the war and start to rebuild the country so peace can be achieved. Lincoln's second Inaugural Address is similar to Woodrow Wilson's second Inaugural Address since both stressed unity. Wilson encouraged the nation to provide "united aid."

LAD/Blog #19: The Dred Scott Decision: In 1846, Dred Scott, a slave, and his wife filed a suit against Irene Emerson (maiden name Sanford) for their freedom. Born into slavery in Virginia, Dred Scott was eventually purchased by John Emerson in St. Louis. He went with him to Illinois and Wisconsin, where he got married. Slavery had been prohibited in these territories due to the Missouri Compromise of 1820. They returned to St. Louis with the Emersons. Irene Emerson hired out the Scott family when John Emerson died, and it was then that Dred Scott sued for his freedom. Scott had lived in free territories, yet he was still considered the property of the Emersons. Nonetheless, Chief Justice Roger Taney ruled on the side of Sanford. He denounced the legal ability of Dred Scott to sue in the first place, saying even though some states may grant African Americans state citizenship, this does not relate to national citizenship. Therefore, he said African Americans should not be able to...

LAD/Blog #18: Sojouner Truth's "Ain't I a Woman" speech:  In 1851, Sojourner Truth delivered her "Ain't I a Women" speech at the Women's Convention in Akron, Ohio. Truth starts off by saying men believe women are not capable of doing certain labor, but she herself has done somethings that many men have not. And, she's a women. Therefore, she implies that women are capable and as a result should have the same rights as men. Yet, she extends this to portray that men believe women need help in many aspects, but she, as a black woman, doesn't receive help. She doesn't even get fundamental human rights. Lastly, she says that even though Christ is a man, he came from a woman. Woman are going to fight for their rights, so men should not stand in their way.  Like Truth, Susan B. Anthony advocated for women's rights and the rights of African Americans. She fought for suffrage for women and was also an abolitionist. 

LAD/Blog #17: Frederick Douglass' "5th of July" speech: Frederick Douglass was an escaped slave who, on July 5th, gave a speech:  "The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro." His speech was presented on the day after American Independence day, and is a reflection on if America truly embraces freedom. Douglass starts with acknowledging the Founding Father's of America, yet then questions "Are the great principles of political freedom and natural justice...extended to [slaves]?" Clearly, Fredrick Douglass believes America has fallen short with their guarantee of "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" with continuing the institution of slavery. Douglass emphasizes this fact, saying that while Americans are celebrating July 4th, others are trapped as a slave, something no one can justify. He says slaves are men, and aren't men entitled to liberty? Therefore, Douglass ends by saying his belief that abolitionist movements will ...

LAD/Blog #16: Lincoln's Gettysburg Address: Lincoln's Gettysburg Address is directed toward Americans after the Battle of Gettysburg. Lincoln had attempted to preserve the union and wanted to avoid civil war, yet the civil war began. He reminds the citizens that America was founded on the basis of equality and this war is testing whether the nation will survive. He expresses how the men have fought valiantly, and they are gathered there to dedicate a resting ground to them. Now, Americans must resolve what these men were fighting for and America needs to have a rebirth of freedom so that the "government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from Earth." This is similar to JFK's inaugural address. In his speech, JFK says "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country." This emphasizes the unity that is present in the Gettysburg Address.

LAD/Blog #15: Lincoln's First Inaugural Address: Lincoln's First Inaugural Address speaks to the "Fellow Citizens of the United States." Lincoln realizes there is apprehension in the South due to slavery, yet he states he has no desire to take away the institution of slavery from the people. He goes on to emphasize the rights of states, and how this is essential to the balance of power. He also takes a look at the Constitution, specifically a part regarding labor laws in one state and how they are applicable to other states in the case of an escaped slave. Lincoln does not want to construe the Constitution, however, he wants to review acts that were not repealed and determine if they are unconstitutional. So far, the Union has held up, so Lincoln sees it as his duty to preserve the union. The issue of slavery has presented the threat of secession, but the nation has gone through so much as a whole and he does not want the unity to be threatened. Lincoln ends hi...

Blog #14: Calhoun's Speech on the Compromise of 1850: Calhoun, who did not actually deliver the speech himself as he was too ill, addressed the disunity of the nation in regards to the division between the North and the South. He implicates that the United States has to take action in order to preserve the Union. He determines what has put the Union in danger is the discontent of the South. And, efforts so far have not been as successful in attempt to preserve the Union. One of the causes of this discontent is slavery, yet the lack of equilibrium in Congress has also caused discontent since the North became more dominant. Also, the issue of land and revenue raised distress in the South, because the North is characterized as wealthier. Therefore, Calhoun says that the US needs to appease the South by giving them an equal right to territory and slaves. Despite Calhoun's efforts, the Compromise of 1850 was still implicated.  Abraham Lincoln was a prominent figure of the civi...

LAD/Blog #13: Polk's War Message: Polk's War message emphasizes the urgency of cementing relations with Mexico. Polk states that the United States has a strong desire to establish amicable relations with them and adjust the boundary. Therefore, in an attempt to reopen diplomatic relations, Polk asks to send an envoy over--John Slidell. The Mexican government agreed to receive an envoy to discuss the wrongs done upon American citizens which also became a question of boundary. Even though the government of Mexico was planning on administering friendly relations when the envoy arrived, growing hostilities led to an overthrow of the government in Mexico. Polk sends in the military to prevent Mexican invasion of US territory and after not agreeing to retreat, Mexican armies invaded. Mexico violated their faith and refused to form peaceful adjustments. Polk states the two nations are now at war, but the war was to be blamed on Mexico. Similarly, the civil war occurred becaus...

LAD/Blog #12: Seneca Falls Declaration of Sentiments: 1. The democratic principles at the beginning are that all men and women are created equal with certain inalienable rights such as life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Just as these rights were stated in the Declaration of Independence, they were reiterated in the Declaration of Sentiments except this included women. 2. Grievances in the Declaration of Sentiments include that men force women to succumb to laws under which they have no control, men take away rights to property from women, men have monopolized all profitable employment, they deny women access to education and men frame the laws of divorce so that they have power. This clearly is unfair to women and needs to be changed. 3. The final resolution says that the women are being fair and that they expect this to be faced with a variety of reactions, yet hope that it will be followed by more effective efforts to make change.  4. The Declaration of Se...