LAD/Blog #8: Washington's Farewell Address

Summarize the Address and pick out 3 of his biggest warnings:

Summary:

Washington first tells the country that he is voluntarily removing himself from the running for the next presidency. He wishes the next president to be a virtuous and competent man who will do good for the common good, and he shows a deferential sense of gratitude for the nation that he spent so much of his life serving. Although he looks forward to his retirement, Washington hopes to always help his country to grow and become even more successful, so he presents an array of parting advice so that his predecessors can learn from his experiences.

1. Washington tells the public to always remember the crucial role that unified government plays in protecting civil liberties and the unalienable rights of the common man, because, when the public attempts to tamper with and degrade these laws, they could actually be hurting themselves.

2. Washington alludes to the dangers of competitive parties, as they can lead to hatred, bitterness, and, in some cases, oppression.

3. Public opinion and diversity of thought are sources of strength, but should be used sparingly, in respect to factions.





President Barack Obama and his recent Farewell Address reminded me of that of George Washington because both addressed the state of the union and gave advice as to how to better the country.

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

Briefly Summarize Washington's Proclamation of Neutrality:

Washington asserted the idea of impartial foreign policy in his Proclamation of Neutrality in 1793. The U.S. had a weak, inexperienced military, and Washington believed that it would be foolish to engage in warfare while trying to establish a lasting republican democracy. In addition, he proclaims that America will not protect any citizens who don't abide by these policies and any who break the law will be prosecuted accordingly.





The Proclamation of Neutrality reminded me of the non-aligned movement during the cold war, as both shared the concept of impartial foreign policy.

LAD/Blog #6: Federalist Paper #10

1.  What is a faction?

A faction is a group in government of individuals who share a common political purpose.

2.  Are factions good or bad?

Factions are beneficial to government because they help to raise support for a group and their ideologies while restricting the ability for any one person or group to completely dominate a political scene.

3.  Why are factions so difficult to eliminate?

Factions are so difficult to eliminate because, by nature, humans are social and group-oriented, and tend to congregate in numbers where they can find strength and unity. In order to remove factions, the liberties of the people to express their beliefs among one another must be infringed upon.

4.  If factions cannot be removed then how can they be controlled?

Factions only need to be controlled when they are in the majority, since, under the constitution, it is impossible for a minority faction to obtain political power (as they would always get outvoted by the majority faction). If a faction is in the majority though, it can be controlled by a republic. The representative nature and election processes of the U.S. Constitution act as checks and balances for majority factions. Because of the size of the country and its diversity, it is extremely hard to simultaneously build national support for factitious beliefs across a majority of the states.





The topic of factions reminded me of the bipartisan divisiveness that American is experiencing in present day.

LAD/Blog #5: Republican Motherhood

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

After the Revolutionary War, the enthusiasm for enlightenment ideals that Americans had fought for, like liberty, republicanism, and independence were idolized. As a result, the people of the newly established country wished to instill those ideals into the youth of society so as to continue the development of the country. In doing so, republican mothers adopted the important responsibility of engendering such virtues into their sons. (Document A).

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

The results of Republican Motherhood were that women were encouraged to get an education. Since mothers during that time were given the crucial responsibility of raising sons with adequate mindsets, women were often put through school in order to increase their maternal capabilities. Women were also praised for their important contributions to the betterment of the nation which, in turn, earned them a higher level of respect in society than had previously been known. (Document B).

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

Republican Motherhood gave women an increased level of authority in society. Their role as the care takers and backbone of society also gave women more confidence and pride in themselves that they truly had control over the destiny of the country (Document C). All of these advancements were a step in the right direction for women and social equality.

1. Describe the setting.

A young mother is sitting on a sofa with her two sons on either side of her. Her sons are clad in peculiarly feminine attire.

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

The Woman, Mery Gibson Tilghman, is the center of the portrait. She is illustrated as the assertive and dominant figure in the picture, while wearing average value clothing, reflecting her status as a republican, and not aristocratic, woman. She also appears young and attractive, but has a very modest and reserved look, starkly contrasting that of a typically extravagantly dressed upper-class woman.

3. What values do her sons exhibit?

Her sons portray symbolically the influence of republican motherhood on society, as they are depicted wearing womanly clothing.

4. Is there a significance to the position of Mrs. Tilgham’s arm?

The placement of Mrs. Tilghman's arm around one son exclusively could signify favoritism of one son over the other. More specifically, she could be exhibiting the long standing practice of primogeniture, where the eldest son is heavily favored and receives all inheritance of their parents possessions.

The advances made by the ideology of Republican Motherhood for women in society reminded me of the 19th amendment which gave women the right to vote.

Blog #4: Rethinking the Revolution

List 5 things you learned after reading the article "Rethinking the Revolution" by John Ferling

1. The Civil War was the deadliest war in American history, as more than 600,000 people died as a result.

2. The Revolutionary War was much more savage than it is often portrayed to have been. For instance, at times, half of the Continental Army was naked and two-thirds was malnourished or lacking food.

3. The founding fathers used history to manipulate how the past was remembered. They did this by purposely focusing on the political revolution and not on the devastating war.

4. Both wars had an extensive impact on civilians. In the Revolutionary War, civilians were subjected to disease, the pillaging and raiding of towns, and numerous massacres. In the Civil War, civilians were largely persecuted, especially loyalists, who were exiled tenfold more than their confederate counterparts.

5. Many historians consider the Civil War to be the first modern war because it was the first war after the industrial revolution, meaning more technology was invented and used for weaponry throughout the war.





The Civil War and American Revolutionary War reminded me of the Spanish-American War because all three wars pertain to the gaining geographic independence from a greater power.

LAD/Blog #3: Declaration of Independence

1.  List the democratic principles discussed in the opening.

• All Men are created equal
• All people have basic unalienable rights that cannot be infringed upon
• The government derives its power from the common people being governed and is in place to serve them and protect their rights
• The people have a right to overthrow a tyrannical government in the interest of the freedom and happiness of the common man

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

• The King denied the rights to institute colonial laws
• The King deprived colonists of trial by jury
• The King cut off foreign trade with the colonies
• The King forced colonists to house British soldiers in their private homes
• The King taxed the colonies without their consent

3.  Summarize what the final paragraph is saying.

The United States are making a bold declaration of secession from British rule after a series of grievances. They are declaring their autonomy and seizing the freedoms of an independent nation to trade with whomever they please and to govern however they see fit. They are free from all loyalty to the British crown and are officially absolving themselves from any existing political and economic ties to Britain.

The Declaration of Independence reminds me of the Ordinance of Secession because both declare geographic freedom from a former governing body.

LAD/Blog #2: Peter Zenger

1.)    Who was Peter Zenger?

Peter Zenger was the printer of the New-York Weekly Journal, a newspaper which published content that exposed the Governor at the time, William Cosby, as a corrupt and despicable individual. For this reason, Zenger was arrested and jailed on the notion that he was creating seditious libel, a treasonous act at the time. His subsequent trial would later become an important factor in shaping the foundation of the right to free speech in the Bill of Rights.

2.)   What was the controversy over his charges?

The controversy over Zenger's charges was twofold. On one hand, Zenger was accused under British law of the crime of producing seditious libel, which could have easily caused rebellion against the governor to which the criticism was directed. However, in Zenger's defense, the statements he made that were defamation in the Governor's eyes were, in fact, true statements. Also, some colonists had doubts about how British law applied to the colonies, therefore increasing the level of controversy surrounding the case.

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

The Zenger case showed that truth is a viable defense against a libel charge. This conclusion contributed to the development of the idea of freedom of the press. The Zenger case also set a precedent for the jury's right to nullify a judges decision.

4.)   What is the lasting significance of his trial?

The Zenger Trial left a lasting impact on the way Americans thought about truth versus offensive speech, opening a door to a new legal perspective for many. In addition, the trial reinforced the possibility for a jury to override the ruling of an executive power. Lastly, the findings of the case would engender the vital human right of free speech later captured in the Bill of Rights.

This reminds me of the Bill of Rights because it relates to the right of freedom of the press, which is expressed in the first amendment of the Bill of Rights.

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

1.)   What concepts are included in the Mayflower Compact?

One of the major concepts touched upon in the Mayflower compact is the idea of self-governance. This political institution proved to be significant at the time as the colonists settled at Plymouth were still under the mercantile control of King James. In addition to its new proclamation of autonomy, the Mayflower Compact includes the idea of occasionally meeting to discuss the legislature and effectiveness of the colony so as to ensure its stability for the good of the people.

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

The Mayflower Compact reflects an attachment to the "Old" World because the colonist's express deep-rooted loyalty to their sovereign, King James multiple times throughout the document. Contrarily, the Compact incorporates a strong desire for promising colonial life in the "New" World by introducing democratic principles such as the role of the government to serve the people. By straying away from the typical forms of colonial rule previously established in the "Old" World, the colonists illustrate their sense of hope in the "New" World.

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

While the Mayflower Compact describes the ideals of an autonomous colonial government, it does not entail nearly as much information as the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut does. The Fundamental Orders contain a greater amount of specific instruction on how the government of Colonial Connecticut will be organized and will distribute power. For instance, the Orders state many of the political positions that will be held in government as well as the process in which those positions will be fulfilled. However, the Mayflower Compact is merely a general outline of such a government.

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

One of the main factors that prompted colonists of Connecticut to use a written constitution was that it would be much faster and easier to use. In England, Parliament was often extremely slow with matters of governmental reform. So, the colonists constructed what may be the first ever written constitution in order to accelerate processes of political reform in the colony and to add clarity and unity to government there.

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

The Fundamental Orders attempt to prevent the usurpation of power by a small number of individuals by encouraging the policy of majority rule. For example, the Orders implement a system of voting rights to an unusually large group of citizens for the time, subsequently increasing the representation of political opinion throughout the Connecticut River Towns. In addition, they place limits on the amount of time one can hold a position in government, helping to protect against corruption and lifetime authority. For instance, in the position of governor, one man is prohibited from serving more two years consecutively.