Alex's APUSH Blog

After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, there was much anti-Japanese sentiment from Americans. FDR established Executive Order 9066 to address the wariness the American people felt about the Japanese. Americans were fearful of spies and believed Japanese people were planning more vicious attacks on American soil. The act set up internment camps for Japanese families. Many families were taken from their homes and place into these internment camps named relocation camps, losing their land and possessions. Around 120,000 people were placed in these camps. People of other ethnicities were also detained in these camps as the American people did not want anyone against the war. Similarities can be drawn between the internment camps and the relocation of Native Americans by Andrew Jackson. Like the Japanese the Native Americans were removed from their lands and relocated to new areas that Americans didn't want. An infamous example of this was the Trail of Tears. 

FDR first speaks of December 7 th , 1941, “the date which will live in infamy,”. P Japan and the US had been in good relation, all was well but the Japanese secretly planned the attack on Pearl Harbor. T he Japanese were also engaging on the attack of the Pacific and were taking land on that front. United States must defend themselves and must win through absolute victory so that the American people would not be threatened by the Japanese claimed FDR. He ends his speech by asking Congress to declare war on Japan, entering World War 2. Jeanette Rankin was the singular vote that wasn't all for the war. This can be compared to Wilsons Declaration of War speech. As the President during World War I he asked Congress as FDR did to declare war. It was Wilsons fight for the protection of democracy.

        At the time Frank B Kellogg was the secretary of state and Aristade Briand was the French minister of foreign affairs. They are attributed with the formation of the Kellogg-Briand Peace Pact of 1928, also known as the Pact of Paris, the location it was signed. Initially 15 nations signed the pact, 47 nations then followed. The pact however was impossible to enforce because you had to go to war which was against the treaty, making it ineffective. The Mukden Incident was the first test of the Kellogg-Briand Peace Pact. The Japanese invaded Manchuria and while Japan had signed the treaty, no one enforced it. This can be compared to the United Nations because both were attempts at world peace. However the United Nations stands solid while the Kellogg-Briand Peace Pact failed.

      FDR delivered his first inaugural address on March 4th, 1933. This would be the first of four total addresses. Possibly FDR's most famous quote was delivered in this address, "...the only thing we have to fear is fear itself...". This quote is used constantly and remains true to present day. FDR assures the people that his leadership can lead them out of these hard times. He also makes a call for action from all, "hand in hand", unified.  . For there must be more than a change in ethics. He also addresses the ways he will attack these problems. He intends to set up programs to fix the issues at hand. World War II would ultimately be the factor that got us out of the Great Depression. While FDR's programs did help the economy, the wartime production of WWII was the true reason we were able to get out of the Great Depression.

Schenck V. United States was argued on January 9-10 1919 and decided on March 3 1919. It was decided by the White Court in the District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Schenck sent out messages to peacefully resist the Conscription Act in that was put into place during the Great War. He was then charged with violation of the Espionage Act because his message obstructed recruitment. The question was then raised whether Schenck's actions were protected under the 1st Amendment. Holmes declared Schencks words were not protected under the 1st Amendment because of the current circumstances. It was a time of war and Schencks words caused a "clear and present danger" to the US. The government was fearful that the people would listen to Schenck. This established Congress' power to limit speech during wartime.  Schenck V United States is similar to Marshall cases. In both court cases the decision ultimately strengthened the government. The Marshall cas...

    The Keating-Owen Child Labor Act was approved on September 1st, 1916 and addressed the issues of child labor in the United States. The act called for producers, manufacturers, and dealers not to ship or deliver and goods that had been made in factories that in the past thirty days had children under the age of sixteen working in it. If there were children under 14 they were also instructed not to. It also says to not allow the distribution of materials if there are children 14-16 working and worked log hours . Inspectors would be assigned to check places to make sure the act is being followed. The checks are random and the inspector has full access to the facility. Violations or fines can result in prisoner. Ultimately it cracked down on child labor and gave these children better, safer lives. Similarities can be drawn between this and the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory incident. The conditions caused the death of many women ...

W oodrow Wilson, William Howard Taft, and Theodore Roosevelt all believed that the supreme court was far too lenient with large corporations and their evil acts. I n 1914 the Clayton Anti-trust act was put into place by Wilson . The Clayton Anti-Trust act is much more complex and detailed than the Sherman Anti- Trust Act which actually backfired, as businesses used it to their advantage. The Clayton act established that corporations could not use "anticompetitive price discrimination " and "certain tying and exclusive dealing practices," it provided an "expanded power of private parties to sue and obtain treble damages," and also allowed workers to organize and gather to go on strike against these businesses. It stripped away the power of big businesses who abused their power, monopolizing and controlling industry. It gave the government and the common man more power to prevent these monopolies and stop the abuse of power.       The FTC or ...

Woodrow Wilson followed President Taft and represented the Democratic Party. He delivered his inaugural address March 4th, 1913. In his address he brought forth his progressive ideas. He identifies ideas or people that have been revealed to be alien and evil. He is likely referring to the big business leaders. He mentions the growing economy but at the expense of the people and their lives. The agony and sorrow caused by business is far too great. He states that the government the people had loved has been manipulated and used for selfish purposes. He plans to cleanse the government and society of these evils. His economic ideas and reform show his progressive nature. He ends the speech by summoning man to back him and help achieve his goals.  Woodrow Wilson can be compared to Theodore Roosevelt, another progressive president. Roosevelt engaged in many polices that were considered progressive. He w as even nicknamed "trust buster" for his work on breaking up ma...

Conflict arose in Cuba and the US understood that action needed to be taken. They sent a diplomat to Madrid negotiating with the Spanish, eventually getting them to adhere to their wishes. McKinley stepped in a delivered a speech directed to Congress why it was necessary to take military action. Spain had been fighting in Cuba for years and the U.S had to come in and protect other islands from foreign control, things were getting out of hand. The US invested a lot of money into Cuba which was now at risk. The US were in a tough position as they wanted to maintain neutrality but couldn't let these incidents happen without some sort of action. McKinley would prefer to avoid war, favoring a non militaristic approach, favoring compromise. Neutrality talks are possible. If the US must intervene, then there must be certain conditions 1.  Putting an end to the barbarities, bloodshed, starvation, and horrible miseries now existing there, and which the parties to the conf...

William Jennings Bryan's "Cross of Gold" speech was delivered on July 9th 1896. It is one of the most famous American political speeches. Bryan delivers this speech seeking democratic nomination. This is the midst of the issue of changing  the coinage ratio of silver to gold to 16:1. He begins the speech reflecting on the Civil War and conflict within the country. He brought up the 16th amendment or the federal income tax. He believed that money should help the struggling masses rather than the big businessmen. He end his impressive speech with "You shall not crucify mankind upon a cross of gold", making a religious analogy that all can relate. Similar to William Jennings Bryan's speech, Martin Luther King Jr. "I Have a Dream Speech" was powerful. MLK's related to the rights of African Americans while Bryans was focused on other issues.

The Dawes Act was formed in 1887, addressing the placement of Native Americans. The act permitted the federal government to divide lands with no regard to tribes. An underlying reason for the implementation of the act was to increase the assimilation of Native Americans into society. The idea was that Native Americans would accept the new lands, becoming U.S citizens and a member of society. This ended up breaking apart Native tribes and destroying their culture. It destroyed the social bonds of tribes with the intention of, severing tribal ties and integrating them into society. This act was highly controversial because of "good intentions" but its devastating effects. This can be compared to Andrew Jackson and the Trail of Tears. The displacement of so many Native Americans devastated their culture and killing many. Jackson was a controversial president as was the Dawes Act. 

The Populist Party was formed on the 117th anniversary of Independence Day. In the Preamble the Populist party begin with a fuming opening, introducing their beliefs. They believed that the nation was on the verge of moral, political and material ruin, caused by corruption within government. The saw the people as demoralized and silenced, everything was going poorly. The business were to powerful and the people were oppressed. The Populist Party was determined to change this, ending the issues of the US. In the Platform they listed their demands and laid out what they thought was necessary. These were divided in the general categories of finance, transportation and labor. In terms of finance they wanted a currency that was safe and sound, a tax no higher than 2 cents, no banking corporations etc. For transportation, they thought it was a means for exchange and public necessity. The railroads should be operated by the government for the people. Forms of communication should also...

               In Andrew Carnegie's "Gospel of Wealth" he discusses the imbalance in the capitalistic style of big businesses. There is the argument that the powerful businessmen like himself were considered "robber barons", showing the effect of a laissez-faire government. He believed that it was sensible to have disparities between the rich and the poor, a sense of Social Darwinism. Social Darwinism is that social order is accounted as the product of natural selection of those persons best suited to existing living conditions. In other words the best survive and thrive for their traits and characteristics. Despite this ideology, he believed that it was the duty of the wealth to give back to society through charity. His charity work is shown through certain colleges like Carnegie Mellon University.  Similarities can be drawn between Mark Zuckerberg and Andrew Carnegie for their philant...

      On September 22, 1862 President Lincoln delivered his Emancipation Proclamation. This stated that by January 1, 1863 slaves in certain states would be free and protected by the federal government. They shall no longer be repressed and refusing to follow this movement is an act of rebellion. He then lists the territories that are rebelling and ignore the treaty, therefore they will remain unaffected. He then lists the states that slaves would be proclaimed free. All freed will be accepted into the army and receive equal pay. This was a movement of justice. The  Emancipation Proclamation is similar to the incident in Little Rock. The local government didn't approve of the integration of blacks in the school system. The federal government came in and forced it upon the school. The southern states didn't approve of the freeing of slaves but after much military action, the Civil War, it passed.

He begins his address stating there is less of a need for a long speech. New information was sparse as the Civil War was still in progress. The progress of the war was already known by the public. At the beginning of Lincoln's presidency they were opposed to this war, hoping to avoid it. His first address was an attempt to save the Union. The South would rather have war than let the nation live while the North would rather have the war than let the nation die. He also states that 1/8 of the South's population is black. The gruesomeness and duration of the war was unexpected. There were prayers to God on both sides, a conflicting idea. He says the war may be a reflection of god will to end slavery. He wishes the war to end quickly but would endure 50 years of it if necessary. He ends the speech saying lets finish what we started to create a unified nation with lasting peace. This is similar to Donald Trumps campaign, with the slogan "Make America Great Again". ...

The Dred Scott V Sanford took place in 1857 in St. Louis' Old Courthouse. He spent many years with his master, John Emerson, moving around the country, even free states set by the Missouri Compromise in 1820. Once John Emerson died, Scott and his family were hired out to other families by Emerson' wife. Scott then pursued a suit against Mrs. Emerson demanding their freedom. Since they had been in free states and the Missouri Doctrine states "once free, always free" Scott felt that they should be free. The bigger issue of the topic was the consideration of property rights. Chief Justice Rodger Brooke Taney resided over the case and came to possibly the worst Supreme Court decision. He admitted that African Americans could be citizens of the state but not national citizens and for that reason could not sue. He then declared the Missouri Compromise unconstitutional and thus it collapsed. The decision rescinded Scott's ability and caused the collapse of the Misso...

Sojourner Truth was born into slavery in New York State. She became an anti-slavery and suffragist once gaining her independence in 1827. She delivered this famous speech, centered around the inequality of women and blacks, at the Women's Convention in Ohio. It was titled "Ain't I a Women?" due to the repetition of the question. She believed that men should treat all women equally because  “That man over there says that women need to be helped into carriages, and lifted over ditches, and to have the best place everywhere. Nobody ever helps me into carriages, or over mud puddles, or gives me any best place, and ain't I a woman?” She presented a new idea of being a women and that the term should be extended to black women. Every women should be treated with equal respect no matter the color of their skin. Susan B. Anthony was also an activist. She was played a key role in the extension of women's rights, delivered speeches and took part in strikes. 

On July 5th, 1953,  Frederick Douglass delivered one of his most moving speech that would come to be known as Frederick Douglass' "5th of July" speech. The central idea of the speech is the injustices of slavery. He is flabbergasted how a country civilized could commit such atrocities. He starts by addressing the holiday Independence Day or the 4th of July. He believes it is a white mans holiday and is mocking, as all were supposed to be created equal yet that is not the case. He saw slavery as revolting and hated it. He then proclaims that black men are equal and should have the same opportunities as the white men. Among blacks there were doctors, lawyers and ministers and that they shouldn't have their wages taken from them or discriminated against. It is obvious that slavery is horrible system. The 4th of July is a constant reminder of the injustice and inequality a slave faces everyday. He does not partake in the celebration, as he considers it a mask for the ...

Gettysburg was the site of a bloody three day battle during the Civil War. The battle took place in July of 1863. This was considered a turning point in the war because General Robert E Lee's advancement into the North was stopped. Over 7,500 Americans lost their lives during the battle. Lincoln's speech was a short one, but not any less meaningful. He opened his address the with the famous line "four score and seven years ago..." referring to the birth of the country. He saw the Civil War as a test for the foundation of liberty and equality for the United States. In his address he mentions the cemetery dedicated to the soldiers who gave their lives for the cause of equality and liberty. He makes a call to action and justification to continue the war in the name of the fallen soldiers and their noble cause. Similar to Gettysburg Address was the Monroe Doctrine. The Monroe Doctrine set a standard and presented the future of the country as did the Gettysburg Addr...

 Lincoln delivered his first inaugural address on March 4th, 1861. The premise of the address was slavery because it was factor that was creating a divide between the North and the South. He took no side on the issue, even though he would later abolish slavery. His goal was to preserve the union and keep the United States together. He assures the South that they have nothing to fear, and that he will not remove any of their rights. He states that the ideals of the Constitution will be used when addressing the issue. He also assures that no violence will be used, but at the same time threatens that any use of force by any state will be seen as revolutionary. He continues to stress the importance of unity. He ends the speech with the famous quote "We are not enemies, but friends, we must not be enemies".  Abraham Lincoln can be compared to Thomas Jefferson for their political beliefs and views. While Lincoln was a Republican he was focused on individual rights ...