PresidentsLAD/Blog #8: Washington's Farewell Address

Summary
George Washington wrote a Farewell Address to inform the American people that he would no longer be a choice for a future president. He said that he owed his success to the American people and their support for the country and great love of liberty. He did not want to step down from his position, but he explained that he must because of his age, and it was time to move on. He begged the people to continue to follow the Constitution and uphold the importance of liberty and independence. George Washington explained that after the end of his Presidency or even after his death, he wanted the country to maintain the rights that the colonies fought so hard for.


3 biggest warnings:

1. He warned not to have long term alliances with foreign nations. He mentioned that they might try to take away the sovereignty of the U.S.

2. He warned against excessive political party zeal and the problems that can occur with factions.

3. He warned against geographical distinctions that might divide us.

Dwight D. Eisenhower's Farewell Speech was similar to Washington's Farewell Address in that both men warned Americans of future dangers. Eisenhower stressed the importance of a military to keep peace at home and abroad, as well as the importance of a balance in government.

LAD/Blog #7: Washington's Proclamation of Neutrality of 1793

In George Washington's "Proclamation of Neutrality," he states that the United States should act with respect and friendliness toward foreign countries such as Austria, Prussia, Sardinia, Great Britain, the United Netherlands, and France. He also mentions that if any American is hostile toward said powers or brings them articles which are illegal for modern nations to use, that person will no longer receive the protection of the United States and will be punished. These are the policies of the United States of America concerning foreign affairs with these nations.

This is a picture of President Woodrow Wilson talking about the Neutrality Acts during WWII. The Neutrality Act of 1935 prohibited the export of "arms, ammunition, and implements of war" from the United States to foreign nations at war. This is similar to Washington's "Proclamation of Neutrality of 1793," because it also prohibited the interference/bad relations with foreign countries during war, and people could not bring certain goods to other countries either.

LAD/Blog #6: Federalist Paper #10

1. What is a faction?
A faction is a small dissenting group within a larger one, usually in politics.

2. Are factions good or bad?
Factions are bad because they can passionately advocate for something that may ignore the rights of other citizens and their opinions.

3. Why are factions so difficult to eliminate?
Factions are difficult to eliminate because of human nature. People will always have different opinions and will try to align themselves with people of similar interests and opinions.

4. If factions cannot be removed, then how can they be controlled?
Factions are controlled by the way our form of government is set up. If the majority is able to elect representatives and in a large republic, small factions will not be able to gain full control.

Antifa is a violent left wing group in the U.S. that claims to fight fascists while using fascist techniques and tactics (i.e. harassment, destruction of property, violence.) This relates to Federalist Paper #10 because it can be considered a "faction" like described in the document.

Blog #5: Republican Motherhood

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

According to Document A, the Revolutionary War motivated women to have a greater role in the household because it is there that she can "best serve her country." Women were convinced that the best way to help the war effort was to raise good citizens and educate her children. Women, being unable to fight on the front lines while the war raged on, believed that by keeping a well-ordered family, the peace and prosperity of the state would be assured.

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

Women had to be willing to devote their time to educating children. However, they had to be qualified to teach, and according to Document B, had to know the English language, how to write, basic math, and geography/chronology.

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

Republican Motherhood allowed women to become more educated and experienced in teaching others. The role of motherhood also became more respected because of the idea that women could "keep our country virtuous", and virtue was believed to be necessary in order to obtain independence (Document C). Republican Motherhood encouraged women that they were responsible for shaping society, and if they didn't raise good children and spread comfort and kindness, the destiny of the country could be in danger.

1. Describe the setting.

This picture looks like it takes place in Mary Gibson Tilghman's home. This is based on the fact that her and her sons are sitting on a couch, and in the top right corner it looks as if there is a picture frame, perhaps holding a painting of her family.

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

At the center of the portrait is Mary Gibson Tilghman. She is the main focus of the portrait because she is responsible for the other people in the portrait (her sons), and there was a large stress on the importance of the woman in the family during this time period. Tilghman looks very content, perhaps because she is with her beloved sons and understands she is very important to their upbringing. She looks more "republican" that aristocratic, because she is not with her husband, and rather than be in the background, she is the center of the portrait which represents the important role she plays in her family and society.

3. What values do her sons exhibit?

Tilghman's sons exhibit their reliance on their mother. This is obvious because they are not the center of the portrait and they are very near to Tilghman. This also represents the respect they have toward their mother. In addition, they are dressed nicely, representing the importance of being raised as sophisticated citizens by their mother.

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

Yes. There is significance in the way Mrs. Tilghman has her arm on her youngest son, because it represents her protection and care for her children, as well as her responsibility to raise them. The fact that she does not have her arm around the older son indicates that she has raised him well and that he is already becoming a proper young citizen and gentleman.

During World War II, Rosie the Riveter was a symbol of the transition of many women from staying at home to working in shipyards, factories, and making munitions. They did this to both help the war effort and to replace male workers who had joined the military, highlighting the necessity of women's help during that time.

Blog #4: Rethinking the Revolution

1. Many people are focused on the brutality of the Civil War and don't realize that the Revolutionary War, although not as bloody as the Civil War, was very brutal too.

2. Popular paintings of the American Revolution don't depict an actual battle scene, leading people to view the American Revolution as a less bloody war than it really was. Especially since we have access to photographs from the Civil War, and during the American Revolution we didn't have that technology, people tend to view the Civil War as much more brutal.

3. The War of Independence fell between two epic events: The American Revolution- the struggle to declare independence and the change caused by rebellion- and the Constitutional Convention in 1787. This has caused the War of Independence to be downplayed.

4. Due to a lack of the advanced weapons that were available in the Civil War, soldiers in the War of Independence had to fight at a dangerously close range, which was terrifying and (obviously) deadly.

5. The Americans were faced with horrible conditions during the Revolutionary War. Many men were hungry and without clothes. They resorted to eating pets, shoes, and horse food. They even took what they needed from prisoners, leaving them naked and cold.

Washington Crossing the Delaware, painted by Emanuel Leutze, is a famous painting that takes place during the War of Independence. However, this painting does not show the blood and horrors that truly took place in this war, causing some people to overlook these realities.

Although World War II was clearly more murderous and atrocious than WWI (60 million died), people tend to forget that World War I was terrible as well, and the horrors of war were real there, too (10 million people died).

Blog #3: Declaration of Independence

1. List the democratic principles discussed in the opening.

- All men are created equal
-Unalienable rights: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness
-The people have a right to alter or abolish a government if it becomes destructive
-The people have a voice in government


2. List 5 grievances the colonists were making the King aware of.

1. He had forbidden his governors to pass laws that were needed

2. He has gotten rid of many representative houses because they have opposed his invasions on the rights of the people.

3. By having control over their job and the amount of payment they receive, the King made the judges dependent on his will rather than the people's will.

4. He made the military independent and superior of the people's say/opinion.

5. He kidnapped American citizens so they could either fight on the side of the King or die in the hands of the English.


3. Summarize what the final paragraph is saying.

The representatives of the United States of America declares that the United Colonies are, and have the right to be, free and independent states. They should be separated from the British crown and have the right to the following: have the full power to impose war, declare peace, form alliances, establish commerce, and do all other acts that independent that states have the right to do. The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen is similar to the Declaration of Independence because they were both documents in favor of independence and rights for the people. The Colonists no longer wanted King George III in charge and wanted independence, and the French people no longer wanted King Louis XVI in charge, and wanted a democracy and freedom just like the Colonists were able to obtain.

The Emancipation Proclamation is similar to the Declaration of Independence in that they both aimed to gain freedom to a group of people. Just like how the Declaration of Independence stated that the colonies should be free from Britain, the Emancipation Proclamation by Abraham Lincoln stated that slaves were finally granted freedom and independence from slavery.

Political Cartoon #1

Chloe Smith

Mr. DeCarlo

APUSH- 2nd period

12 September 2018

1. The American Rattlesnake political cartoon was created by James Gillray. It pictures a snake (America), and within the two coils of the snake are the surrendering troops of the British army. One defeat was at Saratoga, where the British surrendered to General Horatio Gates. The second defeat took place at Yorktown, where General Cornwallis was surrounded by George Washington and the French Admiral de Grasse. The snake is coiled around the British to exemplify the fact that America had the British army trapped.

2. The cartoonist believes that America is much stronger than the British forces, and that the British will only face defeat when they are up against American troops. In fact, the snake’s empty coils pictured in the cartoon suggest that America can take on and surround even more British forces. This cartoonist believes in the Revolution and the strength of the colonists, which is made evident not only in the coils surrounding the British, but also in the coils that leave room for more British forces to be surrounded and defeated.

3. This political cartoon not only supported the Revolutionary cause in the colonies, but also encouraged Americans to continue believing in the cause as well. This American Rattlesnake did not lead to an automatic win in the Revolutionary war, but it increased the American spirit by depicting the strength and success of the American army. 

LAD/Blog #2: Peter Zenger

1. Who was Peter Zenger?

Peter Zenger was the printer for the New York Weekly Journal. Governor Cosby was displeased with the accusations against him that were written in Zenger's Journal, and therefore, he wanted to remove Zenger so that the Journal could no longer be printed.


2. What was the controversy over his charges?

The controversy over Zenger's charges was between two types of people. On one side were the people who agreed with Governor Cosby, and they believed that Zenger was a "seditious libel" for writing negatively of Crosby's actions as Governor. On the other side were the people who agreed with Peter Zenger, and they believed that he should not punished for freely speaking his mind.


3. What influence did his case have on American governmental traditions?

Peter Zenger's case allowed for important changes in government that ensure more equality, as well as a greater emphasis on human rights. Zenger's lawyer, John Chambers, challenged the lists that the jury would be chosen from, pointing out how biased the list was against Zenger's case. In doing this, he ensured that the jury would NOT be biased against Zenger. In addition to this, the importance of freedom of speech was brought to the attention of many people. As Alexander Hamilton pointed out, "It may in its consequence affect every free man that lives under a British government on the main of America." In other words, Zenger's case brought the importance of free speech (liberty) to America's attention, and suggested that silencing voices of the people only leads to destruction.


4.What is the lasting significance of his trial?

Although the Zenger case did not establish freedom of the press, it led people to realize the importance of certain freedoms and rights. These new ideas were even put into the United States Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the Sedition Act of 1798 decades later. In addition to this, juries began to be more unbiased, and the beginning of America's fundamental liberties was born.

                                                                      Peter Zenger

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a NY Congressional candidate, banned the press from her public town hall meeting on August 17, 2018. This relates to Peter Zenger's case, because Zenger was told he shouldn't be writing unfavorable things about Governor Cosby, and Ocasio-Cortez told the press that they could not write or record the events of her meeting. Both examples are restricting any freedom of press.

LAD/BLOG #1: Mayflower Compact/Fundamental Orders of CT

1. What concepts are included in the Mayflower Compact?

The Mayflower Compact was written to establish the first colony in the northern parts of Virginia. It called for a civil and an organized form of self-government which could enact laws and acts for the good of the colony.


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

The Mayflower Compact reflects both the "Old" and "New" worlds, because the idea of a self-government grew from the knowledge of the Old world and the catastrophes that can happen when power is not distributed evenly. It also relates to the Old world when it states that there is loyalty to the king. However, this new structure of self-government demonstrates the hope of equality and unity that many colonists had when coming to the New world.


3. How did the fundamental orders of Connecticut differ from the Mayflower Compact?

The Fundamental Orders or Connecticut differs from the Mayflower Compact because rather than a general statement of establishing a new colony and being able to enact laws, the Fundamental Orders gives a specific list of laws, including laws about elections and positions in government.

4. What prompted the colonists of Connecticut to take this approach to government, ie: use of a written constitution?

The colonists of Connecticut wanted to write a constitution and form a government that was more self-dependent, because this allowed for the newly established colony to gain more influence in the New world. In addition to this, the colonists wanted a set of rules that would prevent a catastrophic system of government that would only end in an uneven balance of power or a collapse of the government.


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

The Fundamental Orders reflect a fear of an uneven balance of power, because it states that "it shall be lawful for each of the Towns aforesaid by their deputies to nominate any two whom they conceive fit to be put into election." By having several different positions in government (Governor, Secretary, etc.), and the ability of the people to elect certain officials, the Fundamental Orders prevents any one person from obtaining an overwhelming amount of power over others.