LAD #30 Brown vs. Board of Education

In Topeka, Kansas a black third grade girl named Linda Brown had to walk a mile to her black school when a white school was only seven blocks away. Her father, Oliver Brown decided to try and get into the white school, but was denied by the Principal of the school. Brown decided to go to the NAACP for help, and they were eager to help him. This stated Brown vs. Board of Education. This challenged the idea of ‘separate but equal’ facilities. Brown claimed that being segregated from the white students makes the black students feel inferior, so therefore it is unequal. But the court ruled in favor of the Board of Education due to the precedent of Plessey vs. Ferguson. Brown appealed to the Supreme Court and Chief Justice Earl Warren ruled in favor of Brown, agreeing that segregation cannot be equal. Although this did not stop segregation else ware this was a big step for the black community.

LAD # 29 Truman Doctrine

President Harry Truman addresses a joint session of Congress on March 12, 1947. He wanted to express his concerns with the issues of Greece and Turkey. Greece was asking for financial assistance, Truman didn’t was America to turn a deaf ear on this situation. The president wanted to offer the means to make food, clothing, and all necessary tools for reconstruction to rebuild the shattered country. Greece was threatened by communism; we cannot let democratic Greece be taken over by communism. Every dollar given to Greece will help benefit democracy. Turkey also needs our help, they are experiencing many of the same issues that Greece is having. America is able to help and it is our job to aid when we can. We must provide financial aid to ensure that Turkey can live freely and to make sure that we follow our own principals and allow other countries the opportunity to follow our lead. If we fail to help out these countries, and they fall, it will spread and more and more countries will see the same fate. It is our job to do what we can. Truman wants financial aid given, troops stationed there, and supplies plentiful. If we falter in leadership we may endanger world peace, and that would surely endanger our own nation.

LAD #28 FDR First Inaugural

Franklin D. Roosevelt held his first inaugural address on Saturday, March 4, 1933. The newly elected president opened his speech with one of the most famous quotes of all time…”the only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” He then acknowledged many things that the country has to work on, such as taxes, trade, ability to pay, and other things. He stated, referring to the current conditions of the country that only the fooling optimist can deny the dark reality of the current state. It is up to us to carry ourselves out of this and to start to creep out of depression. His primary task would be to put the people to work. Also he called for there to be supervision of banking credit and that there must be provisions for an adequate and sound currency. Also improvements in trade and in the general morale of the country need to be strengthened. Roosevelt strongly believed that the American people had the capability to accomplish what he was asking and that we would overcome all of these atrocities together.

LAD #27 Kellogg-Briand Peace Pact

The Kellogg-Briand Peace Pact was signed by 62 nations on August 27 1928. The countries signed included, but were not limited to, the United States of America, France, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Czechoslovakia, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Poland, South Africa, and the United Kingdom. Originally it was designed to just be for the United States and France but it was opened up to many other countries. Its overall purpose was to keep the nations from going to war with each other, and also to create an alliance between the countries. It was signed in Paris and it eventually went into effect on April 24 of the next year. Frank B. Kellogg was the U.S Secretary of State he eventually agreed to the proposal by Aristide Briand, the French foreign minister.

LAD #26 Schenck v. United States

The case Schenck v. United States was set to determine whether Charles Schenck possessed a First Amendment freedom of speech against the draft during World War I. Schenck was a Socialist and he circulated an anti-draft flyer to recently drafted men. The flyer also discussed the morally wrong capitalist system. Schenck was charged with conspiracy to violate the Espionage Act of 1917 by attempting to cause insubordination in the military and to obstruct recruitment. The court, in a unanimous opinion written by held that Schenck's criminal conviction was constitutional. The First Amendment did not protect speech encouraging insubordination, since the circumstances of wartime permit greater restrictions on free speech than would be allowable during peacetime.

LAD #25 Fourteen Points

On the 8th of January, 1918 American President Woodrow Wilson gave his Fourteen Points Speech to the United States Congress. The purpose of these points was to set guidelines for a way to secure peace after World War One. After his points were addressed Wilson became a symbol of morale leadership for the allied nations. One of Wilson’s most important points was free navigation of the seas for all countries. This was important to America in particular because the attacks by German U-boats were a serious issue leading up to the war. Also President Wilson suggested equal trading between countries and an international reduction of armaments in order to relieve some of the tension on the arms race. Many of his points concerned the reestablishment of boarder lines and that invaded parts of countries are returned, and that Austria-Hungary be left alone and at peace. However Wilson’s most important point and the one that had the longest lasting impact was point number fourteen. In this point he called for a general association of nations in order to discuss issues diplomatically. Soon after the war this idea would be put into action with the League of Nations. And although this would eventually fail, it was the start to what is now know and the United Nations and this is still an effective way of dealing with international issues today. The effects of the Fourteen Points were also that it helped push Germany towards an armistice and an eventual surrender. President Woodrow Wilson may be the reason that the war ended the way it did, and he is certainly responsible to setting the foundation for the United Nations.

LAD #24 Clayton Anti-trust

The Clayton Anti-trust act was made to fix the problems in antitrust law created under the Sherman Anti-Trust act of 1890. This restricted the power of monopolies and other companies that took advantage of the consumers. The Anti-trust act disallowed price discrimination between different purchasers if such discrimination substantially lessens competition or tends to create a monopoly in any line of commerce. Also it kept competitors from pooling to raise their prices. If this happened the customer would have no choice but to pay the raised price, this was prohibbited by the new law. This act helped the consumer be taken advantage of, without it American citizens would be at the mercy of big business. The Clayton Anti-trust act kept these pools out of the picture and kept the economy fair but still successful.

LAD #23 Keating-Owen Bill

In 1900 over two million children were working in mines, mills, and factories across America. This caused many people to react and lead the Child Labor movement. Lewis Hine photographed many of the working children and showed the world the reality that these kids endured. The pictures were graphic and true to the situations. His work, along with others caused people to realize that something had to be done about the child labor situation. Oliver Twist was a novel that showed what the child labor was like, written by Charles Dickens. This book showed an orphan who was raised in poorhouses and workhouses, and all of the pain and trouble he saw. The Keating-Owens bill banned product from any factory or shop that employed children under the age of 14. It also limited the amount of hours that kids 16 years and younger could work. Hammer v. Dagenhart ruled that congress could control interstate commerce. The Keating-Owen Child Labor Act of 1916 in addition to banning priducts, prohibited the sale in interstate commerce of goods manufactured by children.

LAD #22 Wilson Inaugural

President Woodrow Wilson’s first inaugural address was on March 4, 1912. This election resulted in, as Wilson described, a shift in government. Starting two years prior, the government began to shift towards the democrats. Now this shift was complete. The nation clearly supports the Democrats cause since they voted them into office. There are changes that are to be made, and the Democrats feel they know what these changes are. People were used to the way of life before but now it is evident that they must break habit. America has become an industrial power, but this has come at a cost. The labor force of men, women and children has seen bad hours, terrible conditions. It is the job of the government to step up and deal with some of these issues and to do what they can to fix these problems. President Wilson sees many issues that need mending. Tariffs, taxes and banks were another concern of his. He will do everything in his power to meet his goals. “I summon all honest men, all patriotic, all forward-looking men, to my side. God helping me, I will not fail them, if they will but counsel and sustain me!”

LAD #21 Dawes Act

The Dawes Act of 1887 was made of eleven basic provisions. The first was that the President may survey the arable tribal land, and separate it between the different Native Americans and their family. The second provision dealt with picking allotments for orphans. The third requires settlers to certify their allotment, and they need to be able to show the certification at all times. The fourth provision ensures that Native Americans both on and off the reservations are eligible for equal allotment of land. The fifth states that the government will hold the land in trust for twenty five years before ownership goes to the family. The sixth states that under the Land Patent process, landholders will be American citizens. The seventh provision dealt with water rights and irrigated land. The eighth exempts the Five Civilized Tribes, and other groups from land allocation. The Ninth section deals with paying for the allotment. The tenth act ensures that Eminent Domain will be reserved for the government on all allotments. Finally, the last segment contains a provision for Southern Indians

LAD #20 Bryan's Cross of Gold Speech

William Jennings Bryan gave this speech at the Democratic National Convention. This addressed the issue of whether or not to issue silver at the ratio to gold of 16 to 1. This would increase the total amount of money in circulation, and would provide people who needed money with an easier way to get it. William Jennings Bryan was the Democratic Pick for president. He said that he wanted to speak to the people on the basis of saving humanity. It was well known that the idea of silver as coinage was accepted by the democrats very highly. He went against the extremely wealthy men in the country. He was also one in favor of the income tax, since it took away from the extremely rich. These people could afford to lose some of that money so an income tax was a good idea. He also thought that the government should be in control of money he didn’t want the banks to hold all the cards in this situation. He also stated that if the gold standard was a bad thing, that the United States should not wait to do away with it, but instead be an example for other countries and remove that policy. There were many mixed feelings about the coinage, big cities and farmers had different opinions but Bryan, to go with the democratic ideas was in support of the silver coinage system.

LAD #19 Populist Party Platform

In this time the condition of our country was steadily deteriorating. There were thousands of people who worked hard hours only to see a select few benefit from it. The political voice of the people was deteriorating. They will fix these problems and help the millions of farmers and factory laborers. In order to accomplish their must be a union of worker, all united. The profits should go to the people who make it happen, the laborers. The railroads must be controlled by the workers. They insist on a solid currency, since silver is worth much less than gold they need a currency. They demand more money in circulation and for a graduated income tax. They want a savings bank and that the people’s money is controlled by the people. The government should control transportation and communication for the benefit of the people. Land should be held by settlers only. They demand a free and fair election. The income tax must be used to lessen the tax burden. They demand pensions for military men. They demand restrictions on immigration so their jobs may be protected. They must shorten hours for laborers. They demand a smaller standing army. They demand the initiative and referendum. They oppose any federal aid to a private company or person. They demand a one term limit for President and Vice-President. They demand the direct popular election of Senators. These workers were finally uniting under the same ideas. This was the only way they would ever see the outcomes that they desired.

LAD #18 McKinley's War Message

President McKinley proclaimed that the war in Cuba must stop. Cuba was having a revolt against Spain and this was causing many problems for many people. U.S. trade with Cuba has been affected by this revolution and American investments in Cuba were losing. It does not appear that there is an end to this quarrel in sight, so something must be done to end it. McKinley stated that America would act as a neutral country to stop the war between Spain and Cuba. First, the U.S. will stop the bloodshed, starvation and horrible miseries that are occurring as a result of this fight. Second, we will give them protection and payment for the life and property, since their government cannot afford it. Third, our right to intervene is justified by the injury to trade and commerce that has been seen. Fourth, due to how close Cuba is to America, this issue affects our peace as well as our trade, so it is in our best interest to solve the issues at hand. The U.S. ship Maine was struck and sunk by an exterior blow near Havana, this has caused grief in America. Although it has not been determined who sunk the ship, it shows that Spain cannot protect the American ships in Cuban waters. Due the endangerment of American interests the war in Cuba must stop. McKinley asks for Congress’ approval for military and naval forces to ensure the safety in Cuba.