LAD #37: Brown vs. Board of Education

The education system in the US was segregated until the 1950s.

Linda Brown’s father protested the system because her black school was farther away than the nearest white school.

The case decided against segregation in schools.

It became a major civil rights issue and it was a difficult decision for the court.

In the end, they said that segregation was a detriment to children.

This went against the precedent established by Plessy vs. Fergusen.

The Supreme Court combined this case with similar cases from other states.

The Court finally decided that students had equal rights under the Fourteenth Amendment regarding schooling. This only abolished segregation in schools but set an important precedent for civil rights.

LAD #36: Truman Doctrine

The Truman Doctrine is made up of Truman expressing concern about relations with Greece and Turkey.

There is a possibility that Greece will be taken over by communism because of their low socioeconomic status, proximity to the USSR, and other factors such as other invasions that have occurred.

The current state of political chaos in Greece is a reason for thinking this.

There has also been a disadvantageous economic downturn in Greece since World War II.

The Greek Government has also asked for the assistance of experienced American administrators, economists and technicians to help out their economy and political situation.

The United States must provide this assistance to Greece because, no other nation is willing and able to provide the necessary support for a democratic Greek government.

Truman discusses democracy and the necessary things that are needed to create a true democracy in a country such as Greece.

Greece is having trouble because of their political and economic problems, and also things like terrorists. Greece's neighbor, Turkey, also deserves our attention. The future of Turkey as an independent and economically sound state is clearly no less important than that of Greece.

The United States must be willing to supply needed attention to both Greece and Turkey.

This is one of the prime goals of the foreign policy that the United States has employed to serve as an example for other democratic world powers.

They are trying to create democracy and free people from oppression.

Truman believes in ideals such as that our help should be primarily through economic and financial aid which is essential to economic stability and orderly political processes.

The situation in Greece may never resolve itself without the United States’ help.

We must take immediate and resolute action.

Truman asks Congress for $400,000,000 for the period ending June 30, 1948 for aid in Greece and Turkey. He also wants civilian and military personal also be provided for the instruction and training of selected Greek and Turkish personnel.

The American and world governments need to work together to solve such problems and provide aid. America must be looked to for maintenance of freedom. 

LAD #35: Executive Order 9066

Roosevelt states this as an act against espionage and references several past acts that have led to it. He places the Secretary of War and the Military Commander in charge of the operation, and lists specific things that each is allowed to do. The next few paragraphs state some necessary humanitarian provisions, such as access to medical care. He specifically states that this will not go against Executive Order 8972 and will not impede the work of the FBI. Roosevelt ends by signing it and indicating the date and place of its issue. He doesn’t specifically mention Japanese people residing in the United States or internment camps in so many words, but his intent is clear. 

LAD 34: Roosevelt's War Declaration

He addresses the audience and states what has occurred (Pearl Harbor bombings).

The United States had tried to keep peace with Japan, but Japan had cut off diplomatic negotiations.

The attack on Hawaii was obviously planned days or weeks ago, so the Japanese have definitely been planning hostilities against the United States for some time.

The bombings killed many Americans and made a dent in their military power.

He goes on to list all of the other places that the Japanese has bombed in order to control the Pacific.

So far, he has only ordered defensive measures to be taken.

He summarizes his reasons for doing so, and then directly declares war against Japan.

LAD #33: FDR's First Inaugural

Roosevelt begins his first inaugural address by discussing truth and other important American values, stressing that they are important in such difficult times.

He then describes all of the problems with society and the economy.

He acknowledges that these are bad, but is able to look to the future with hope.

He faults the generation of self-seekers for America’s problems and insists that America needs to band together to combat the Depression.

He draws a clear line between social values and monetary profit, encouraging people to rekindle the spirit of America.

He applies the same philosophy to government as well.

Next he begins to target specific problems in the nation, particularly unemployment. He says that unemployment is a solvable problem, and hints at the future availability of conservatory government-sponsored jobs.

The government does have a place in the economy, and they can help out.

He then goes into the idea that all business shall hereafter be regulated by the government, not just foreign trade.

He has the idea that America will recover its national pride. He talks about the good neighbor policy in foreign politics. From here, he pledges that he will always represent the will of the American people in trying to address common problems. He is prepared to combat the Depression, and admits that the likes of it haven’t been seen before.

He warns that the nation faces a lot of challenges ahead and hopes that America can become prosperous again.

LAD #32: Kellog-Briand Peace Pact

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
A PROCLAMATION.

The opening paragraph lists the countries that the treaty involves. The second paragraph lists it as it is listed in French languages.

The  purpose of this is to protect the welfare of mankind. If one country breaks international laws, the other nations in the group will hold it accountable.

They hope that other nations will follow their example.

All of the leaders of the nations sign it.

ARTICLE I

            All other treaties and alliances involving treaty nations are dropped.

ARTICLE II

They will seek a solution for every type of conflict.

ARTICLE III

The treaty has no expiration date.

It is the US’s duty to enforce this or call it into effect.

The treaty is available and has equal force in English and French.

The treaty will take effect once there are things in Washington that make it possible.

The treaty is to be made public.

The treaty finishes with a formal statement of the date and Hoover’s signature.

LAD #31: Fourteen Points

Wilson believes in treating the losing side fairly.

He wants to use the Treaty of Versailles to further democracy.

Everyone has different opinions on what to do about Germans and German allies.

They entered the war because of democracy and they plan to finish with it.

I. No secret treaties.  

II. Freedom of the seas.

III. No trade barriers

IV. Everyone have less weapons.

V. Settle colonial disputes

VI. Evacuation of troops from Russia.

VII. Belgium restored.

VIII. French territory returned

IX. Change borders of Italy according to nationality of people.

X. Austria-Hungary autonomous.  

XI. Occupied territories restored.  

XII. Ottoman Empire restored.  

XIII. Independent Poland created.  

XIV. League of Nations.

Wilson believes that his plan will succeed and hopefully stop such wars from occurring in the future.

LAD #30: Schenck vs. US

The Committee on Public Information, a collection of leading writers and journalists, effectively functioned as a propaganda arm of the government, distributing some 75 million pieces of literature on behalf of the war effort from 1917 to 1918. But the strict conformity demanded by the government in wartime invited an element of hysteria. Dissenters were often forcibly silenced and jailed for their views. Among the best organized organs of dissent against the war was the Socialist party. Its leader, Eugene V. Debs, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for his statement that while the “master classes” caused the war, the “subject classes” would have to fight it. A Butte, Montana, mob dragged antiwar labor-organizer Frank Little through the streets before they hung him from a railroad trestle. In Washington, the House of Representatives refused to allow Milwaukee representative Victor Berger, a Socialist elected in 1918, to take his seat, despite his service in that chamber from 1911 to 1913. Berger, too, had been jailed for his antiwar prtotests.

Charles Schenck was the general secretary of the Socialist Party of America. Socialists believed that the war had been caused by and would benefit only the rich, while causing suffering and death for the thousands of poor and working-class soldiers who would do the actual fighting in Europe. Party officials not only opposed the war, they urged American workers to oppose the war as well.

Schenck participated in many antiwar activities in violation of the Espionage Act, including the mailing of about 15,000 leaflets urging draftees and soldiers to resist the draft. He was arrested and charged with “causing and attempting to cause insubordination in the military and naval forces of the United States” and with disturbing the draft. He was arrested, tried, convicted, and sentenced to prison for violating the Espionage Act of 1917, and he appealed his case to the Supreme Court. Espionage Act was unconstitutional. Schenck and the Socialist party were persecuted for opposing what they felt was an “immoral war.” The 1st Amendment was specifically included in the Constitution to protect political speech, and to prevent a “tyranny of the majority.” The 1st Amendment protections would be meaningless if Congress could choose where and when citizen's rights may be diminished.

LAD #29: Keating-Owen Child Labor Act

The Keating-Own Labor Act was passed in 1916 and helped to curb dangerous and intense child labor in industrial America. It was based on the allowance for Federal intervention on interstate commerce. It says that goods made by children under a certain age cannot be transported in between states, and since businesses rely so much on interstate commerce, they were forced to change their policies for the introduction of the act. It affected only children who worked in factories and mines, not children who worked in agriculture. The laws that were put into place with the Keating-Owen Act are still active and backed up by many state laws. 

LAD #28: Wilson's First Inaugural

Wilson starts by practically apologizing for the recent Democratic shift in government.	1
He then chooses to idealize change as an attempt to restore the spirits of Republicans and his other opposition.	2
He then praises American identity and the American way to start off his address.	3
He then says that the government under him will exist more on behalf of the people than it has before.	4
He puts down the industrial revolution and says that it is a time period behind America now.	5
He then lists the problems with the United States, including unfair tariff laws and big business, which is probably a statement of the Democratic platform.	6
	7
He then turns more to domestic affairs including poverty and education.	8
He is clearly enamored with the idea of individual rights and talks about this for awhile.	9

He considers the day of his inauguration a day of dedication and promises that the will change America. 

LAD #27: Clayton Antitrust Act

The Clayton Antitrust Act was passed in 1914 following the virtual failure of the Sherman Antitrust Act. Its purpose was introducing many new regulations on trusts and big business in general. It had many effects on trusts and corporations in the United States. First off, businesses could not make prices fluctuate depending on the consumer. This gave a bit of an advantage to the working poor, and was meant to endorse capitalism. It was a step toward economic fairness.  Under the Clayton Antitrust Act, if a company were to do this they would be fined.  This Act also made it officially illegal to bribe other businesses or consumers, again in the name of fair capitalism.  Also, special deals had to be offered to everyone, not just a specific group of customers.  Along with this, if you were to accept a special deal you could also be fined and arrested. This system was meant to lower discrimination between races or ethnicities. This act also made it so that one company could not sell another company's product. Even if there was no patent on the product, copying it was still illegal. To protect workers, if someone were to get hurt on the job, they were now allowed to sue the company they were working under, no matter what. There were severe punishments for every violation, and this was more successful than the Sherman Act at bringing big business down.

LAD #26: I Have A Dream Speech

Martin Luthur Kind Jr. opens with a pretentious statement about the freedom of the nation.

He eludes to Abraham Lincoln’d Gettysburg Address by starting his speech with “five score years ago” and also by mentioning the Emancipation Proclamation. He then goes on to say that black Americans are still not free. He discusses various social issues related to racism and blames American society.

He says that the group gathered has come to the nation’s capital to protest the exclusion of their race from the “undeniable rights” that Americans have. He creates a long bank metaphor for justice and segregation. He rallies the crowd by making several statements pertaining to injustice.

 With another metaphor, King recognizes that this is only the beginning of a movement that will last for decades still. He emphasizes against the use of violence to achieve peaceful ends and encourages peaceful but effective protest.

He desires freedom, but not in a way that could alienate whites. His ultimate goal is racial harmony.

He states that the community will be satisfied when everything is truly equal.

He acknowledges all those in the crowd who have suffered racism, and says that there is hope ahead for all of them. At this point he actually says “I have a dream” and describes a world of peace and equality.

He quotes the Constitution, and then discusses several scenarios of equality. Many of these have at this point come true.

From here, Luther enthuses the crowd by saying “let freedom ring” and listing places throughout the country that people can relate to.

He then brings the tone of the speech back to its roots with a quote from a traditional song. 

LAD #25: Dawes Act

The Act starts off by asserting that Indians have explicit rights to the land that has ever been explicitly deemed theirs, and gives exact guidelines for the distribution of land among individuals. If there is not enough room on a reservation to give out this much individual land, the government will make it work within the allotted reservation. Land that is not livable or farmable will be treated as such.

The Indians will make the actual selection.  If more than one works on a piece of land, they can divide it up amongst themselves. However, if this process takes more than four years, then the government will decide.

Even if an Indian is not registered, he can still buy land. The system of paying for the land will remain the same. The United States is not in any case allowed to take back land that belongs to Inidians. If an agricultural part of land is within the reservation, the Indians still must pay federal taxes on it.  After an Indian or Indian family has occupied a place for five or more years, nothing can legally take it away from them.  The US Treasury will hold the funds that have to do with Indian lands. Religion and education reformers are legally allowed to reside on Indian land. The Indians can create a police, preferably of Indian US citizens.

Now that the Indians have their own land, the government cannot interfere in their lives, force citizenship, or force them to obey state laws. However, the government is allowed to decide how agricultural and water resources within the reservations should be used.

This act does not apply to territory occupied by the Cherokees, Creeks, Choctaws, Chickasaws, Seminoles, and Osage, Miamies and Peorias, and Sacs and Foxes, in the Indian Territory, nor to any of the reservations of the Seneca Nation of New York Indians in the State of New York, nor to that strip of territory in the State of Nebraska adjoining the Sioux Nation on the south. There will be one hundred thousand dollars in the treasury in case the Indians wish to sell land to the government.  Indians are still by all means allowed to use public transportation and do things outside of the reservations. 

LAD #24: Cross of Gold Speech

This issue is the most important one America has ever faced.

The Democrats believe in free coinage of silver.

All people are businessmen and have a part in this decision, and Congress represents the people.

All people deserve the right to have a part in this decision.

The speaker calls out against tyranny and ensures the listeners that there is none involved. The government does, however, have the right to decide things about money and give taxes.

He claims that his ideas are fact, not opinion.

He believes in the income tax, but believes that the gold standard takes away the financial rights of people.

He impresses the fact that coining money is a job of the government alone.

Banks are a part of the governing business already and need not be any more involved.

The speaker disagrees with the President’s ideas on the coinage of silver.

This issue has been long debated but is only now coming to a conclusion.

Gold standard is a more important issue than tariffs.

Only completely Republican states are asking for the gold standard at this point.

Bimetalism would be an international agreement.

The advocates of the gold standard are not well supported. Bimetalism would be a stronger, safer system for America.

The speaker questions why we are waiting for other nations.

The gold issue is turned into a social issue when he questions whether the rich or the poor will suffer more from it.

He appeals to the spirit of the United States as reasons to stand against the gold standard.

He relates the issue to the Revolutionary War to garner support.

He criticizes anyone who supports the gold standard.

LAD #23: Populist Party Platform

The preamble shows that American is currently in relative shambles from political, economic, and social perspectives. There is corruption in the government and too much power with the rich.

It talks of a conspiracy against mankind and mentions the silver issue.

The writer seeks to restore the government of the US to the hands of the "plain people."

America must set precedents for the solutions to the problems it faces because these problems have never been seen before.

This act is sure that equality can be achieved within this nation.  
  
 1. They ask for a permanent and perpetual labor union.

2. This would be in the interest of both rural and civil labor.

3. They wish for business only to be carried out fairly.  
 

FINANCE- National currency issued by government for safety

 1. More coinage of precious metals
  
 2. Increase in money circulation

 3. Graduated income tax.

 4. Money kept mostly in the hands of the people.

 5. Post service should be a government responsibility  
 

TRANSPORTATION –­ the government should own and operate public transport for the people 
 

LAND- land is more the right of people than corporation, and corporations should sell excess land to the people.  

The Expression of Sentiments shows the issues that the labor force and the industrialists must overcome given time and laws guiding them in that general direction. They are goals of peace and equality in the work force and manufacturing system. 

LAD #22: McKinley's War Message

Cuba revolted against Spain. The US remained neutral at the start. Later in the war, they decided to end the conflict in Cuba. They sent them an order to stop the fighting, and the Spanish government accepted it. President McKinley doesn’t mention this until the very end of his speech. 
The war in Cuba has been going on for far too long, and there are obvious similarities to other uprisings that have occurred in Cuba against Spain. Each of these has involved the US in some way, despite their neutrality. The US has suffered, especially in trade, as a result of the war in Cuba.
President McKinley cites a previous address in which he decided to hold onto morality and not get involved in the war, but at the time of this address he chooses to review that decision. He continues to try to justify the US’s involvement. Neutrality cannot bring peace in this case. The President discusses the US’s previous relationship with Cuba, which was generally good. The US’s intervention is designed only to force a truce, not escalate the fighting.
McKinley summarizes the grounds for intervention as follows:
First. Humanistic- end death, disease, starvation
Second. Offer protection to the weaker party in a war for independence
Third. Lots of destruction in the war.
Fourth. Anything that affects the United States in terms of trade or foreign affairs.
McKinley talks about the tragedy associated with the Maine, and uses it as another cause to intervene. He places no blame for this destruction except on the fighting itself. But the destruction of the Maine shows that the fighting in Cuba is affecting the United States and therefore must stop.
McKinley does not believe that Spain’s cause for starting the war could ever be achieved.
McKinley asks Congress to empower him to intervene in Cuba with United States military and naval power.
He asks that Congress continue to help the people of Cuba through a poverty-stricken time, and officially hands the issue over to Congress.
McKinley then reveals that Spain had already suspended hostilities in Cuba. He then expresses warnings and hope for the upcoming negotiations.