LAD #7: Washington's Farewell Address

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LAD #7: Washington's Farewell Address

Washington's Farewell Address can be broken into two main sections. In the first, Washington explains his reasoning for retiring from the Presidency. He explains that he believes that it is the right time for him to step down, unlike after his first term, which ended at a time in which consistency was needed. He also states that he believes he is not the most qualified man for the job. The final thing he does in this section is thank the American people for their support of him, and state that without them, he would not have been able to accomplish the things he did. In the second part of his speech, Washington gives the people of America some advice for the future. He makes two mains points. The first is that America must remain united. He mentions how the government is the cornerstone of the nation, and how without it liberty would cease to exist in America. He also talks about how the economy of the United States is dependent on all sections of the country. Washington warns against faction in America, both geographically and politically, and states that faction could decrease unity in the U.S. without which they are weaker in foreign affairs. He also asks the citizens to always support the Constitution, changing it when necessary, and to make sure that the power of government is always split between the three branches. The second main point that Washington stresses is maintaining a policy of neutrality abroad. He recommends that America keeps foreign relations to trade. He also recommends that the U.S. refrain from having allies, or treating some nations better than others. He warns the people of getting entangled in permanent alliances, and states that temporary alliances should be made only when absolutely necessary. Finally, Washington finishes his address by stating that he is excited to take his place as a normal citizen of the United States.

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Washington's Farewell Address reminded me of Franklin Delano Roosevelt because FDR was the first and only president to serve for more than two terms.

LAD #6: Washington's Proclamation of Neutrality

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LAD #6: Washington's Proclamation of Neutrality

 Washington's Proclamation of Neutrality stated that the United States would not get involved in the war between France and many of the other European powers in 1796. He states that America would not take sides in the conflict, lending zero support to either army. He also writes that any American who does take sides and lend support to either party will be punished by the government and that they will no longer receive the protection of the United States.

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The Proclamation of Neutrality reminded me of how the United States attempted to stay neutral in WWI. 

LAD #5: The Federalist #10

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LAD #5: The Federalist #10

1. Why are factions so difficult to eliminate?

Factions are so difficult to eliminate for two main reasons because the two ways to do so are impractical or impossible. The first way to eliminate factions is to eliminate liberty from a society, and in America, this is not practical given this nation was founded on liberty and Americans even fought a war to earn it. Though it would eliminate factions, America would lose its identity without liberty. The second way to eliminate factions is to make every citizen have the same ideas, opinions, and beliefs. This is impossible because it is human nature to have different opinions, especially in America. Because Americans can own property and because some Americans own more than others, Americans often want different legislation passed based on what will benefit their own lives. Therefore, it would be impossible to convince every American to want the same things. Also, Americans all come from different backgrounds, religiously and culturally, which influence their opinions.

2. If factions cannot be removed then how can they be controlled?

Factions can be controlled through government in the form of a republic. Because there is often a majority and a minority, democracy would not benefit every citizen, due to the fact that the majority would always govern in favor of themselves, not for the benefit of the entire country. In a republic, representatives are elected that are more likely to pass legislation that is best for the entire country, not just for one faction. Also, there must be national and state legislatures so that local issues and overarching issues can both be addressed, which helps to reduce the bias there would be if there was just one legislature. By doing this, the entire country and the individual states both are more likely to benefit.

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This document reminded me of the Democratic and Republican parties that we have today. These parties are factions that are controlled by the American system of government.

Republican Motherhood Blog

Republican Motherhood Blog

1. What role did the Revolutionary War play in the transformation of housewifery to Republican Motherhood?

The Revolutionary War had a huge role in the transformation of the woman's job to Republican Motherhood. Without the American Revolution, this transformation may not have occured. According the Document C, which war written during the war, the woman's job added the responsibility of educating their children about the war and the liberties the revolutionaries fought for. It states that the success of the Revolution, and the future of America was dependent on women educating and developing good citizens.

2. What were the consequences of Republican Motherhood on women?

The consequences of the Republican Motherhood on women was that they were now restricted to the home even more so, due to their added responsibiltiy as the teacher of liberty to the young. According to Document A, women are restricted to their "appropriate and appointed sphere of action." It states that women must work in the home to pass on the beliefs and values of America to her children.

3. What is the significance of the ideology of Republican Motherhood as a stage in the process of women's socialization?

The ideology of the Republican Motherhood increased the need for women to be educated, according to Document B. This is significant, because before this, women's education was not considered to be very important. Also, it changed society's view of women. Document D suggests that women now had more more power in society and that they held to fate of America in their hands. This is important, because before this, women were considered only good for maintaining the house and caring for the children.

"Mary Gibson Tilghman and her Sons" by Charles Wilson Peale (1789)

 

1. Describe the Setting.

 

The setting of this portrait appears to be in a living room, most likely within Mrs. Tilghman's home. She and her two suns are sitting on a sofa. One son is sitting on her lap, the other beside her.

2. Who serves at the center of the portrait and why? How does the woman look? How is she "republican" rather than aristocratic?

Mrs.Tilgham is seated at the center of the portrait. She seems like a strong figure and good role model, from the portrait. She appears to be a caring mother. She seems republican, as opposed to aristocratic for a few reasons. For example, she does not appear to be dressed in lavish clothing and is not wearing expensive jewelry, something you might expect from an aristocratic woman. She also is portrayed with her sons, whereas, aristocratic women might delegate the care of their children to some form of nanny.

3. What values do her sons exhibit?

Her sons exhibit various values. One, is curiosity, shown by the way that the one son is reaching for the other. They also appear to be gentle, demonstrated by the way that the son is handling the bird. They seem to be very well mannered, as well, represented by the son in blue's attentiveness while to portrait was taken.

4. Is there a significance to the position of Mrs. Tilgham's arm?

The position of Mrs. Tilgham's arm, holding her son, shows that she cares about her children, but also that she is constantly educating them. She is teaching her son manners in that she is not allowing him to reach his brother, which he is trying to do.

The way in which Republican Motherhood increased the importance of women reminded me of Susan B. Anthony, who increased the rights of women during the Women's Suffrage Movement.

 

LAD #4: Rethinking the Revolution

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LAD #4: Rethinking the Revolution

 

1. Some of the Founding Fathers made effort to change the way that they were remembered, including George Washington. Washington even edited letters that he had written to improve the grammar. The War of Independence, like Washington, is not remembered exactly as it was.

 

2. One of the reasons that the War is not remembered in the exact way that it should is because the War was not discussed as much as the political actions during the Revolution were, as time passed after the war. This combined with the brutality of the Civil War has made many people see the War of Independence as less gruesome than it was in reality.

 

3. During the War of Independence, the images that were captured did not display what the battles looked like, unlike the pictures of the Civil War. These less gruesome images also contribute to why the brutality of the War of Independence is not common knowledge. Writing during the War of Independence was also less focused on the battles, and more focused on the rebellion.

 

4. Descriptions of the War of Independence by veterans who fought in it describe horrifying scenes of destruction. Though the casualties were less than the Civil War, the carnage was just as horrible. The bloodshed was immense.

5. The casualties of the War of Independence included many civilians casualties. Both loyalists and patriots were killed in their homes, many of them innocent. Also, many civilians who were not fighting as part of an army or militia, killed other civilians who took the opposite side.

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This is an picture of Jennie Wade, the only civilian to be killed during the Battle of Gettysburg. I was reminded of her when I was reading about the many civilian casualties during the War of Independence.

 

LAD #3: The Declaration of Independence

 

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LAD #3: The Declaration of Independence

 The Declaration of Independence can be split into three main parts, the first being the democratic principles that the colonists based the foundation of their new country on. One of these, is arguably the most famous line of the document, "that all men are created equal." The writers follow this up by saying that government is created by the people to ensure that the rights to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" are protected. Finally, the Declaration states that the people can overthrow and replace a government if it fails to do its duty to the people, or worse, does serious wrong by them.

In the second part of the Declaration, the writers clearly describe the wrongdoings of the British government, that have inspired the colonists to revolt. Some of these include, King George manipulating colonial legislatures to get what he wants, as well as sometimes even getting rid of them all together. He also prevented colonial expansion west, forced judges to bend to his will, and quartered British soldiers, who were above the law, in the colonists' homes. Lastly, the King taxed the colonists without representation, prevented the colonists from trading with other countries, and even destroyed American property.

The final part of the Declaration states, that the way Great Britain ignored the requests of the colonists, forced them to declare themselves "free and independent states." In this section, the writers completely sever any connection with the British. They also officially state their abilities as an independent nation, like the ability to declare war.

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This image of the Martin Luther King Jr. during the Civil Rights Movement reminds me of the Declaration of Independence because during this time people like MLK were fighting for many of the same rights that the writers of the Declaration of Independence were fighting for, like the rights to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."

LAD #2: Zenger Trial

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LAD #2: Zenger Trial

 

1. Who was John Peter Zenger?

 

 John Peter Zenger was a publisher in New York City during the 1730s. During that time he published a controversial newspaper called the New York Weekly Journal, which criticized the governor of the time, William Cosby. Zenger was arrested and charged for seditious libel for the publication of this paper.

2. What was the controversy over his charges? Talk about Hamilton's defense.

 

The controversy over Zenger's charges was whether or not the criticisms published in the paper were truthful. Andrew Hamilton, Zenger's lawyer, made the case to the jury that Zenger could not be found guilty of libel if his publications were not false. He also made the plea to the jury that the Zenger's charges were an attack on the freedoms of every British subject.

 

3. What influence did this case have on American governmental tradition?

 

This case, and Zenger's victory, changed the popular view on the topic of freedom of the press, and made many people come to view this as a right. This case foreshadowed and influenced the future, especially with the inclusion of this freedom in the American Bill of Rights.

 

4. What is the lasting significance of his trial? Explain.

 

The lasting significance of this trial is that people in the United States can openly publish criticism of things they disagree with without having to fear that they will be faced with criminal charges for doing so. There are many examples of people that have published criticisms of government policies and personnel recently, and it actually is pretty common. Many people even make their living as political analysts and commentators, a job which requires them to discuss, and depending on their opinions, criticize government officials.

 

 

 

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The US Bill of Rights is something I associate with the Zenger Trial because the Bill of Rights includes the right to Freedom of the Press in the First Ammendment.

LAD #1: Mayflower Compact and Fundamental Orders of Connecticut

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LAD #1: Mayflower Compact and Fundamental Orders of Connecticut

1. What concepts are included in the Mayflower Compact?

The Mayflower Compact reflects the concept of loyalty, through the desire of the pilgrims to form a settlement in Northern Virginia for England and their king, for God, and to improve their religion. It also reflects the concept of democracy, because the pilgrims write in the Compact that they intend to form a government that is based on the will of the people.

2. How does the Mayflower Compact reflect an attachment to both the "Old" and "New" worlds?

The Mayflower Compact reflects an attachment to the "Old" world, through its mention of the pilgrims loyalty to King James and their country. However, the Compact also shows connections with the "New" world through its theme of democracy, a form of government not found in the "Old" world, a place where the wealthy minority tended to govern, and did not always govern with the lives of the majority as a priority.

3. How did the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut differ from the Mayflower Compact?

The Fundamental Orders of Connecticut differed from the Mayflower Compact in various ways. For one, the Fundamental Orders focused more on the election of government and the ways in which the governing would meet. The Mayflower Compact instead briefly described the reason for settling and the official written creation of their democratic government, without very many specifics. The Fundamental Orders also laid out how smaller jurisdictions, like towns, would be represented in the larger Connecticut government, where as when the Mayflower Compact was written, the government they created only pertained to one smaller pilgrim settlement.

4. What prompted the colonists of Connecticut to take this approach to government, i.e.: use of a written Constitution?

The colonists of Connecticut were prompted to take this approach to government because of the expansion  of the colonists into the Connecticut River Valley area. The people of Hartford, Windsor, and Wethersfield were spurred to form a larger combined government came from their desire to keep peace in the area, and to maintain the freedoms granted by God.

5. In what significant way(s) do the Fundamental Orders reflect a fear of and safeguard against the usurping of power by one person or a chosen few?

The Fundamental Orders reflect a fear of the and safeguard against one person or a group taking complete control of the government when Order #6 says that if the Governor and Magistrates refuse to call either of the General Courts described in the Orders, that the Freemen can give the power to the town Constables to call a General Court of equal power. Also, the simple fact that the orders require that there be yearly elections for the Governor and the Magistrates, with a fair number of representatives from each town, shows their fear and safeguard against one person or a group taking total control of the government.

 

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The US Constitution reminds me of the Mayflower Compact and the Fundamental Orders due to the democratic themes in each and the importance of the will of the majority. In addition, the way in which deputies are sent from towns in Connecticut to elect governors and magistrates reminds of the Electoral College that was set up in the US Constitution.

 

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