LAD#20

After reading the Emancipation Proclamation, this is the summary I came up with:
Lincoln starts by saying that all slaves within the states that have rebelled against the United States shall be free, and that the government will fight to uphold these freedoms. Lincoln then goes on to list the states that this proclamation applies to, and thereby turns this war into a moral war.

Lincoln signing the Emancipation Proclamation(click hyperlink for source)

My source for this:
Emancipation Proclamation

LAD#19

After Reading Lincoln's 2nd Inaugural Address, this is the summary I came up with:
Lincoln starts by talking about last time he was elected into office and the civil war which had begun since then. He then continues on to say that slavery is one of the main causes of the war and that he will do anything in his power to win this war for them so that the slaves might be free.

President Lincoln(click hyperlink for source)



My source for this:
Lincoln's second inaugural address

LAD#18

After reading the Supreme Court's Dread Scott Decision, this is the summary I came up with:
In 1857 a controversial supreme court case was about to be concluded: the Scott v. Sandford case. This case brought to light issues about the constitutionality of the Missouri Compromise and led to many focusing on the controversial topic of white citizenship. Roger Taney, the Supreme Court Justice at the time, addressed black citizenship, specifically the legality of making someone who was a slave a citizen, and that Dred Scott was not an American citizen, so didn't really have the right to sue. Due to this, Taney declared the court case unconstitutional. Taney then proceeded to declare the Missouri Compromise unconstitutional. This made it so Dred Scott had no hope of becoming a free man.

Dred Scott(click hyperlink for source)

My source for this:
Supreme Court Dred Scott Decision

LAD#17

After reading the "Ain't I a Woman?" Speech by Sojourner Truth, this is the summary I came up with:
Sojourner Truth starts out by talking about the movement for equal rights between white and black people. She then goes on to talk about how there are also disparities between how she, a black woman, and white women are treated. Afterwards Sojourner talks about all the things she's had to work through in her life, both manual labor and raising children. Next, she talks about how intellect shouldn't have anything to do with rights, and how women should have more rights as well, which is how she ends.

Sojourner Truth(click hyperlink for source)

My source for this:
Ain't I a Woman?

LAD#16

After reading Fredrick Douglas's "What to The Slave is The 4th of July" speech, this is the summary I came up with:
Frederick Douglas starts off by asking questions about what the Fourth of July, the Declaration of Independence, and other patriotic things do for African Americans, particularly the slaves. Next he goes on to talk about how African Americans are kept out of being able to contribute to the celebrations because of the inequality between them and whites and because most of them are slaves. After this, he points out that while all the white men are celebrating, the African Americans are being basically tortured in slavery. He ends by saying that the white and the black need to be equal. They are people, too, and should be treated as such.

Frederick Douglas(click hyperlink for source)

My source for this:
What to a Slave is the Fourth of July?

LAD#15

After reading Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, this is the summary I came up with:
Lincoln starts by referring to America's founding. He then goes on to honor the soldiers who died in the Battle of Gettysburg and dedicates the ground around there as a memorial to those soldiers. He then concludes by stating that the North will continue to fight for and in memory of the soldiers who died, and that they will fight for freedom.

Lincoln(click hyperlink for source)

My source for this:
Lincoln's Gettysburg Address

LAD#14

After Reading Lincoln's First Inaugural Address, here's the summary I came up with:
Lincoln starts by saying that he does not wish to interfere with slavery. He then goes on to talk about how he is willing to do anything to protect the union, implying that if he needs to he will go to war with the South, should they try to succeed. Next he says that he will enforce the fugitive slave act and protect the currently slave-states, so they can remain so. He finishes by saying that he hopes the North and the South can find a way to work together.

Abraham Lincoln(click hyperlink for source)

My link for this:
Lincoln's First Inaugural Address

LAD#13

After reading John Calhoun's Speech, this is the summary I came up with:
John C Calhoun's speech starts by talking about how the Union was in danger. He then goes on to talk about the reasons why the Union is in danger. It started with tensions over slavery, particularly between the North and the South, and then went on to the inequality in the government, with the Northern ideals being the main ideals of the federal government, especially in the senate. Along with these two issues, the South had issues with the restrictions with the western land, especially concerning Texas. After listing these issues, Calhoun comes back to the issue and states his opinion: that abolition and succession are the only options available to the South currently, so, in order to keep the union together, the equilibrium in senate should be fixed, and says that California can be used to find out the North's intentions for the union.

John C Calhoun(click hyperlink for source)

My Source for this:

John C Calhoun Speech

LAD#12

After Reading President Polk's War Message(1846) this is the summary I came up with:
Polk's War message begins by talking about how the United States has tried to negotiate with Mexico, but Mexico has refused to cooperate. Next, Polk goes on to give the details of this fact. Afterwards, Polk goes on to talk about how Mexico not only wouldn't agree to negotiate, but had no sufficient reason as to why they refused. This is followed by Polk talking about how he ordered for American troops to go to Mexico, but not to aggravate the Mexicans, but that a small group of American soldiers were attacked by a group of Mexicans. Polk then concludes by saying that America should declare war against Mexico because of all the problems it has caused for America.

James K. Polk(click hyperlink for source)

My source for this:

Polk's War Address

LAD#11

After Reading The Seneca Falls Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions, I came up with this summary:
This starts out by talking about how women, just like men, have certain rights. One of these rights that they focus on is the rights to vote. They then go on to talk about how throughout history men have dominated women, as if women were objects rather than people. Afterwards, they finish by talking about how women and men are equal, so should be treated as such, and make a list of resolutions they hope the government takes in order to fix the issue of inequality between man and woman.

Seneca Falls Convention Meeting House(click hyperlink for source)

My source for this:
Seneca Falls Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions