New Wesbite

   Here is a link to my new website. 

Welcome to my website

  This website is intended to be one of your resources during the school year.  The site is used in two basic ways.

1.    Help to Improve Communication:

•  Announcements for upcoming assignments, quizzes, projects, and other assessments will be   posted here as well as in the classroom.
• If you check the site it will help give you a better understanding of what is happening in class.

    2. As a Resource:

• H.W. assignments, presentations, and some documents will be posted on my site.  It is a good habit to check the webpage when you come home from school or if you are absent.
• Helpful links related to our topics will be posted

I am very excited about the upcoming school year.

Thank you for a great year and enjoy your summer.

       Today I came back to the Middle School for a Faculty Meeting and I was struck with how different the school is without the students being there.  The school was lacking energy there was no laughter in the hallways no buzz, it does not feel like a school.  Typically I leave my end of the year farewells for the Completion Ceremony or for my final day talk with you but this year, after being in the empty school I want to do something different.

  To My Students,

     Sometimes in life you do not know how fortunate you are until you lose something and I feel that way right now. Today I started the process of cleaning my classroom and kept thinking about how truly amazing my year was and it was all made possible because of you.  

   Thanks to you I have a job where I laugh every single day, I do not know who else can say that.  I have an opportunity to hear new and fresh ideas from some incredibly talented students. I saw your talents shine through your essays, art work, quizzes, and reflections.  Some of you have more skills as an 8th grader than some high school students.  I would look out into my classroom and see my students who are going to have greater accomplishments than I could every imagine. 

    I loved when you shared your ideas, opinions, thoughts, and stories with me.  It showed growth, both personal and intellectual when you were brave enough to express yourself in front of your peers. Some of my favorite memories of being a teacher come from these moments. Whether it is about a subject or each other, we learn through stories.  Hearing your stories I learned a great deal.

   No matter where you end up next year you are always welcome to visit me.

  

Enjoy your rest this summer.

Best of Luck,

Mr. Mullady

   

   

   

Milgram Experiment

In  1961, Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann was placed on trial for his role during the Holocaust.  Eichmann's defense, like many other Nazis was that he was simply following orders.
    Yale Psychologist Stanley Milgram developed an intricate test called "The Behavioral Study of Obedience" to test how far people would obey authority.  His experiments were conducted in New Haven Connecticut under the guise that this was was study on learning habits and not obedience.  Milgram's experiments shocked the scientific community and helped inspire other scientists to continue to study obedience and conformity.

Milgram's Experiment

Updated version of Milgram's Experiment from the BBC.

So Close...

  As the school year begins to wind down there are a couple of housekeeping activities that we need to do: locker clean up, returning textbooks, preparing for the Completion Ceremony.  There is one more task I need you to complete for this week, the Social Studies End of the Year Survey.

The survey should only take a few minutes and the data collected is very useful to myself as well as the History Department. I really appreciate you taking the time to complete the survey in a thoughtful manner.

Thank you

Mr. Mullady

Schindler's List Reflection

  "Whoever saves one life, saves the world entire."
                      ~ The Talmud



    You will be selecting three of the ten questions from today's handout to answer.  I expect your answers to be typed and double spaced, try and have each response be roughly one page in length.  This assessment for watching Schindler's List and your response will be graded for quality, evidence, and thoughtfulness. Your work will be collected on Friday and count for one quiz grade.

To help you with the homework feel free to use some of the following websites.

Link to important quotes from the movie.  This should be helpful with answering #9.

Holocaust Survivor Stories  This site has links to stories about the Schindler Jews and others.

Biography link of Oskar Schindler 

Righteous Among the Nations also has links to Bystanders, Upstanders, and the Little Girl in the Red Coat

Little Steps

      I hope that you enjoyed hearing Reena's story from yesterday.  I would like to apologize that we have not had the opportunity to watch Schindler's List prior to her talk which may have helped you understand her talk a little more.  Next week we will be watching the film in class and I will point out the events that Reena mentioned that are in the film.

   Below is a reading that I would like to read and print out about Germany violating the Treaty of Versailles repeatedly without any punishment from the Allies.  Between 1935 and 1938 there were several opportunities where Hitler tests the resolve of Britain, France, and the United States.  In other words, how much can he get away with before he is challenged.

      After World War I, in order to create a buffer zone between Germany, France, Belgium, and the Netherlands, the Allies ordered that the Rhineland become a demilitarized zone.  In the Rhineland were many important German cities, Cologne, Aachen, Frankfurt, and Dusseldorf as well as Germany's industrial center.   In October of 1935, French intelligence became aware that the Germans were moving troops towards the Rhineland in direct opposition to the Versailles Treaty.  The French government contacted the British government of the situation, but the British remained silent on the issue.  On March 7, 1936, German troops crossed into the Rhineland while the global community sat largely silent on the issue.  Hitler's invasion of the Rhineland made him a hero to many Germans.  He was seen as a leader who was willing and able to stand up to the Allies.




   
       The foreign policy of many nations during the 1930s was appeasement or giving in to the demands of an aggressor in order to avoid future conflict. With the memories of World War I still fresh in the minds of many people the governments of Britain, France, and the United States were hesitant to resisting Hitler's actions and risking another war.   Some Europeans and Americans believed that a strong Germany was good for the world because it would keep the Soviet Union at bay.
   
       Following his success in the Rhineland Hitler began to prepare for his next test for the Allies, Austria.  Austria and Germany had fought together during World War I.  Fearing a large and powerful Germany, the Treaty of Versailles had forbidden Germany and Austria from ever joining together under one government.  For years the Nazi party had worked on creating a formidable presence in Germany and worked tirelessly to spread Nazi propaganda.

      Citing unrest and crisis that was occurring in Austria, in 1938, Hitler called for an Anschluss or union between Germany and Austria. Struggling with Nazi sympathizers in their government, the Prime Minister of Austria attempted to restore diplomatic relations with Germany and prevent a war.  In his hopes of preventing any loss of life, the Prime Minister resigned from his position paving the way for a German invasion of his country.  As Hitler and the Nazis invaded Austria, several Catholic and Lutheran bishops praised the Nazis for peacefully uniting the two countries and encouraged members of their church to work with the Nazi leadership.

     Hitler set his sights on the Sudetenland an area controlled by Czechoslovakia that has a large German population that had settled in the region centuries before.  The Nazi party had a presence in these provinces and had worked with Germany in helping to create a crisis that would ultimately end with the Germans seizing the land.   Hitler claimed that the Germans living in the Sudetenland were being persecuted by the Czech government.  He argued that Germany needed to take drastic actions to ensure the safety and well being of their fellow Germans living in Czechoslovakia.
   
        Hitler believed that the Czechs and Slovaks who made up a majority of the Czechoslovakian population were racially inferior to the Germans and were subhuman.  He hoped to prove his theories of racial supremacy by taking over the entire nation. In March of 1938, Hitler ordered Sudeten Nazis to create a crisis in the country. Violence broke out across the Sudetenland and Hitler mobilized his army to the Czech border hoping to intimidate the Czechoslovakian government.  The Czechoslovakian government awaited help from their allies the British and the French.

   On September 29th, British, French, German and Italian leaders met in Munich to discuss the growing conflict over the Sudetenland.  Neither the Czechs or their allies the Soviet Union were invited to attend the conference.  During the meetings Hitler demanded that the Sudetenland be placed under German control. He promised that if Germany was given the Sudetenland, then he would leave the rest of Czechoslovakia alone. Fearing the possibility of war, the French and the British agree to Hitler's demands hoping that they just secured peace for all of Europe.



   
     When the British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain returned to London he brought with him a treaty that Hitler  signed pledging to never attack Great Britain. The British public celebrated Chamberlain's accomplishment of securing peace for Europe believing that Hitler would not longer be a threat.  Shortly after Chamberlain's return to Britain, Hitler invaded the Sudetenland and shortly took over the rest of Czechoslovakia.

 
 

 

Tonight for Homework

 Please read pages 36 and 37 in the Facing History Packet.
   Afterwards I want you to choose three specific events from either the timeline or your notes that played a significant role in Hitler's rise to power.  For each of the events I want you to create an image that details the event.

Hitler's Rise to Power

          In 1919, the National Socialist German Workers' Party (NAZI) was founded by nationalist Germans who were angry over Germany's defeat in World War I.  Nazis believed that Germany's defeat was caused by the betrayal of German military commanders as well as a Jewish conspiracy to ruin Germany.  Nazis sought to exterminate groups that they labeled "degenerate" in order to preserve the integrity of the German master race.
      Hitler became the 55th member of the Nazi party after meeting some party members who were in the military. Early party officials were drawn to Hitler's speaking abilities and believed that he could help the party recruit new membership.  In the early1920s, Nazi membership was small and the political party was viewed as being more obscure and too right wing for most Germans. Inspired by a political coup in Italy, Hitler believed that in order to take over Germany there needed to be a violent sudden uprising.  On November 8, 1923, Hitler launched his attempted coup in Munich with disastrous results.
         With Hitler's arrest after the Beer Hall Putsch it appeared that the Nazis would become obsolete over the coming years.  Following his release from prison, Hitler reorganized the Nazi Party and began to focus more attention on upcoming political elections.  Within ten years the Nazis would rise from a fringe political group to the most powerful political party in all of Germany.

Link to notes

For H.W. tonight

Read pages 27-32 in the Facing History Packet

  Then answer  4 of the following questions on a separate piece of paper.


1. Jews lived under Assyrian, Roman,  Persian, Egyptian, and Greek rulers.  How did Jewish religious beliefs differ from their rulers? How did this help contribute to the Jews becoming a "they" group?


2. Using the reading, describe two examples of anti-semitism that led to violence against Jews.


3. How did Thomas Monmouth helped spread anti-semtism in Europe?


4. Why do you think some people in England believed the story of William's murder?


5. Making a connection to today.  Has advancement in technology helped more in spreading rumors or helped more in people discovering the truth?


6. What are some methods or strategies do you feel are successful in combatting rumors?

The Weimar Republic

  After Germany's surrender to the Allied Powers during World War I, Germany was forced to form a brand new government.  After centuries of living under the rule of monarchs, German citizens were now living under democratic rule.  The new German government referred to as the Weimar Republic, was faced with severe problems:
   1. Anger and unrest amongst the German population
 
   2. wide spread unemployment

   3.  a war time debt towards the Allied Powers worth over $2 Billion.

          From 1919-1924, life in the Weimar Republic was harsh. Prices of food began to rise due to shortages that were caused by the war.  Inflation became part of the daily struggle for everyday Germans.  As the economic woes continued to mount, the German government sought to relieve some of pressure by printing out more money to lower prices.  As more German money entered circulation the value of German currency began to decline.  Soon Germany entered a stage of hyperinflation.



   When Germany was unable to pay back France its war reparations France invaded the Ruhr Valley in 1924.  The Ruhr Valley was one of the most industrialized parts of Germany.  The French army occupied several mines and factories and informer the Germans that they would be working for the French and not be paid for their labor.
   Many Germans living in the Ruhr Valley protested the seizure of German property and protested the actions taken by the French.  To assist the workers and in hoped of stimulating the economy, the German government began to issue more money leading to further hyper inflation.  It appeared that war would soon break out between Germany and France over the crisis.
    Hoping to secure the fragile European economy, the United States offered a solution.  The Dawes Plan would provide Germany with a series of loans to help pay off their debt to the Allied Powers. Since the Allies owed the United States money from World War I, the Dawes Plan would help the U.s. regain its previous investment faster.  
    Once the Dawes Plan was enacted and the effects began to be felt in Germany the German economy began to stabilize.  The German Banking system was reorganized and soon prices returned to normal.
 


  Beginning in 1925 and lasting until 1929 the Weimar Republic enjoyed a period of enoncomic success and stability.

Here are the Weimar Republic Notes

For Tonight

    Today in class we reviewed last night's homework questions comparing the works of Wilfred Owen and Alfred Lord Tennyson.  We discussed how Tennyson's description of war glorified the fighting and while Owen's poem depicted war in a more horrific manner. Generations of Europeans grew up knowing only the romanticized version of war where the battlefield was filled with heroics and death was described valiantly.  World War I changed that.  Dying in battle was no longer depicted as a heroic and many men and women began to question their culture's values and traditions.
       After reviewing the homework we continued with our notes on W.W. I and the end of the fighting.

Today for H.W.

please answer pages 24 and 25 in your Facing History Book.    Here is a link for the World War I notes

Dulce et Decorum es pro patri mori

Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori or

      ~ Horace

     The Roman poet Horace published a collection of poems that glorified Roman culture and values. He encouraged citizens of Rome to become a military power to frighten and defeat their enemies. Horace proclaimed that "It is sweet and right to die for your country." 

   Thousands of years later students across the world have studied Horace's work and teachers have used his poetry to teach lessons of nationalism.  Glorifying the military and sacrificing one's life for their country were considered one's duty to their country. As nations became more nationalistic more and more students were taught in school about the importance of sacrifice.

    In 1854, Alfred Lord Tennyson published his poem "The Charge of the Light Brigade" based on reports from the Crimean War.  Tennyson was the poet laureate of Great Britain and regarded as a celebrity in the U.K. After reading a newspaper report on a British defeat, Tennyson was inspired to write a poem glorifying the actions and heroics of British soldiers. His poem was an immediate success and copies were distributed to soldiers on the front lines as well as to the Royal Family.

   Wilfred Owen was a  talented college student when World War I broke out.  He studied Theology and English and at one point was working a private tutor.  In 1915, Owen enlisted in the Officer's Training Corps and achieved the rank of Lieutenant in 1916.  While recovering from wounds he received from a mortar shell Owen became friends with poet Siegfried Sassoon.  Owen began to write poems about his war time experiences while recovering and after he returned to the front.  Owen died during the final week of the war and his poems were published by his family afterwards.

For H.W. tonight:

Part I.

Read "Charge of the Light Brigade"  and then answer the following questions.

1. What images does Tennyson used to describe the battle?

2. Briefly explain what occurred during the battle? What was the goal of the Light Brigade?  Explain outcome?  

3.  Explain why this poem is an example of militarism or an example of nationalism.

Part II.

Read Dulce et decorum Est

1. What are images that Owen used to describe the soldiers? 

2. Both Tennyson and Owen are writing about the hardships of war.  How is the fighting  depicted differently in Owen's poem?

3.  Explain why Owen titled the poem Dulce et Decorum est. 

Little Things are Big

  In 1917, sixteen year old Jesus Colon moved from Puerto Rico to live with his brother in New York City.  Colon found work as a waiter, postal clerk, and a dishwasher to survive.  It was during this time that he developed a sense of empathy for the working class and experienced discrimination first hand.  The combination of Colon's dark skin and his struggles learning English made it challenging for him to advance his career.
      During the 1920s and 1930s Colon became involved in various organizations that support Puerto Ricans and Latinos living in New York  City.  His political associations helped him get involved in the labor movement and he became involved in the Communist Party. In the 1950s, he became a featured columnist in The Daily Worker a communist newspaper.
   Later in his life Jesus Colon wrote the short story Little Things are Big, reminiscing about an experience he had on a New York subway in the 1950s.


Here is a link to the Colon Reading

For H.W.

Read "We and They" by Rudyard Kipling and answer the questions on the back of the handout.

Masks and Camouflage

     I really enjoyed our class discussions on Children Learn What They Live by Dorothy Law Nolte. Some of you agreed with the message that Nolte was conveying.  I really appreciated hearing from those of you that disagreed with certain parts of the poem and were open to explain your opinions.  Understanding how others can impact our sense of identity is an essential lesson from Facing History.
    In class we looked at some images of camouflage that certain animals have developed in order to survive in nature.  Camouflage helps hide some creatures from dangerous predators like this fish     or it can be used to hide a predator from its prey like this lion. 

    People are capable of camouflaging themselves as well.  In certain situations, in order to fit in, people will sometimes put on a "mask".  Like camouflage, a mask is a survival mechanism that some people use.  Wearing a mask can range from laughing at a joke that you do not think is funny to fit in to pretending you like a certain type of music to impress somebody.  Sometimes you put on a mask to protect people, by not showing you are afraid to try and calm other people down.
    Today a student today talked about that in a certain class he wears a mask so it will look like he knows what the teacher is talking about because he does not want to ask any questions in front of the teacher.
   

For Friday, I would like to read the poem on page 12 and answer the questions on page 13 in your Facing History Book.

Best of Luck with MCAS

The Bear that Wasn't

   Our first topic of Facing History is Identity where we examine how we identify ourselves and how we believe others identify us.  Last Thursday in class we discussed the roles that the media, family, and peers play in helping to shape our identity.  All of these agents of socialization play a significant role in the development of our identity.
     At a young age boys and girls learn what colors are considered "boys colors" and "girl colors" and what toys are "boy toys" and which ones are "girl toys".  Children learn these lessons from watching commercials on T.V. and the lessons are often enforced by their peers.
   On Friday you read The Bear that Wasn't, a book that offers an excellent lesson on how someone's identity can be changed because of the influence of others. When we study the history of Germany during the 1920s and 1930s, that lesson will be important to remember in helping to explain the rise of anti-Semitism and the rise of the Nazi Party.
    This week we will continue our conversations on Identity as well as the concept that sometimes people put on a "mask' in certain situations for protection.

On Friday your Paper Bag Assignment is due.  If you have any questions please contact me or see me during school.

 

Radical Reconstruction

      Andrew Johnson was Vice-President for six weeks when Abraham Lincoln was murdered.  In an emergency meeting with the Cabinet, Johnson promised to follow through on Lincoln's Reconstruction Plan and asked the Cabinet to work with him during his term.  Many Republicans were skeptical about Andrew Johnson but following his meeting with the Cabinet, they were more confident that the new President would work with them.  They would be proven wrong in less than a year.
    Andrew Johnson believed that the federal government should not be controlling Reconstruction and that the Southern states should be the ones handling Reconstruction.  Like Lincoln, Johnson offered amnesty to Southerners to help reunite the nation.  In addition to offering amnesty, the President officially pardoned 7,000 former Confederate veterans and officials.  By providing these men with a Presidential pardon, Johnson made it possible for former Confederates to return to politics and not suffer any legal repercussions for their actions in the Civil War.  Many Northerners and Republicans were outraged by this and criticized Johnson for being too lenient with the South.
     A faction of Republicans became known as Radical Republicans for their views on Reconstruction. Radical Republicans wanted to completely reshape the South and called for harsher penalties towards former Confederate states.  Led by Senators Charles Sumner and Thaddeus Stephens the Radical Republicans grew in influence as it became clear that President Johnson would not cooperate with Congress.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend,
here are the Battle for Reconstruction Notes. 

Lincoln's Plan for Reconstruction

    Following his reelection in 1864,  President Lincoln had begun planning for Reconstruction or rebuilding of the United States.  He wanted to reunite the nation as quickly as possible and to have the people of the South treated as equals.
    The fate of slavery in the border states and the legal status of African Americans were two important questions that needed to be answered. Lincoln understood that only by changing the Constitution could slavery be eliminated once and for all.  During Lincoln's last few months in office he saw the passage  of the 13th Amendment which made slavery unconstitutional and the creation of the Freedmen's Bureau to assist former slaves.
      To allow for Southern states to rejoin the Union in a speedy manor, Lincoln's advocated a plan known as the 10% plan for Reconstruction.   Since 1860 was the last national election that all the states in the Union took part in, the plan called for 10% of the population of 1860 to take a loyalty oath to the Union.  Once that 10% was established, a former Confederate state could establish a new state constitution and be readmitted into the Union. Lincoln also believed that it was essential to offer amnesty or an official pardon to southerners for participating in a rebellion.
    Lincoln's Ten Percent Plan was not well received by Congress.  They accused the President of overreaching his authority, claiming that he did not have the power to readmit Southern states but that only Congress could.  Many northerners felt that Lincoln was being to lenient on the South and wanted the President to enact harsher penalties on Southern states and former members of the Confederacy.

  Homework for tonight:

   1. Finish today's classwork on the different plans for Reconstruction.

   2. "O Captain My Captain" creative assignment is due on Thursday, May 2nd.

   

Gettysburg Assessment

Tomorrow's in class writing assignment is asking you to explain why the Battle of Gettysburg was a turning point in the Civil War and then to explain how the Gettysburg Address reignited the Union's push to victory.
    A turning point is a moment when the course of events are altered, a point where there is a significant  change.  Here is an example,  a  turning point in my life was becoming a dad, I now look at situations from a different perspective than before I became a parent.

   In addition to reviewing your notes and handouts about the Battle of Gettysburg and the Gettysburg Address I am going to post some links that may be useful to you in your preparation.

Battle of Gettysburg from the Civil War documentary by Ken Burns

Gettysburg Address from the Civil War documentary by Ken Burns

An accessible Gettysburg Address explanation.

Before your Test Tomorrow

  Tomorrow is your exam on the Civil War, your last Social Studies test of your Middle School career.  In order to properly mark this occasion I think it is important that you take the following steps in order to have a successful day tomorrow.

   1. Eat Breakfast!  Even if you are not hungry in the morning, bring something to eat in the morning.  It will help fuel you for the day and help you think clearer.

2. Bring a Snack for the Test.  Having a healthy snack will help you focus and clear your head during the exam.  Think about it, we ask you to bring a snack for MCAS why not all of your exams?

3. Read over the Exam before starting it.  Think about what questions you may want to answer and organize your thoughts.

Pre-Test Questions

   Below are some practice questions that you may want to work on prior to tomorrow's review session.


1. Which of the following fought for the Confederacy?

   A. General George Mead                                                 B. General George Pickett
   C. George Armstrong Custer                                            D. George Ryan


2. Which of the following was a Confederate victory?

     A. Gettysburg                                             B. Siege of Atlanta
     C. Bull Run                                                D.  Shiloh


3. On April 9, 1865, General Robert E. Lee met with Ulysses S. Grant to discuss his terms of surrender.   Give two reasons why Lee decided to surrender.



4. In the election of 1860 Abraham Lincoln did not win a majority of the popular vote but still won the election.  Explain how this happened.



5. What slave states  did not leave the Union?


6. Why did Lincoln fire McClellan?


7.  The Emancipation Proclamation asked for African Americans to enlist in the Union military.  What else did President Lincoln ask former slaves to do?



8. What were two results of "Sherman's March to the Sea"?



9.  How did the Gettysburg Address help motivate the North to win the Civil War?



10. Define Secede:


Here is a link to the notes on General Sherman and the Surrender at Appomattox 

Civil War Study Guide

     

   Welcome Back from April Vacation.  I have been looking forward to the first day back for a few days and I was very happy to see you guys and begin our final push towards the end of the school year.

  The rest of the school week is going to be very compact and I want you to have an opportunity to get a heads start with the work. On Thursday we are going to have our Civil War Exam and on Friday we are going to have an in class writing assignment.  Both of these grades will count towards the fourth quarter.

    To help get prepared for the test on Thursday here are some practice questions.


Strengths/Weaknesses/and Strategies

1.  What were two of the strengths the North had?


2.  What was the Southern strategy for the war?


3. What was the Northern strategy to win the war?  Who designed the plan?


4. What were two strengths the Confederacy had?


Union and Confederates 

   Using only your notes from class explain the significance of the following Civil War leaders.  In your answer include important victories or defeats that they were apart of.  


General Irvin McDowell:  Union commander at the Battle of Bull Run.  Was fired by Lincoln shortly after the Union defeat.


General John Pope:  


General George McClellan:



General George Meade:


General Ulysses S. Grant:


General William Tecumseh Sherman:


General Robert E. Lee:



General George Pickett:



General Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson:



Jefferson Davis:

Grant in Virginia

         In March of 1864, General Ulysses S. Grant arrived in Virginia.  Grant was one of the Union's most   successful generals winning important battles at Shiloh, Tennessee (1862), Vicksburg Mississippi (July, 1863), and Chattanooga, Tennessee (November,1863).  His reputation as being an aggressive as well as innovator fighter caught Lincoln's attention and the President appointed Grant to be the highest ranking general in the U.S. army since George Washington.   Grant's goal was to capture the Confederate capital of Richmond and he was prepared to take the city at all costs.
      From May to June of 1864, Grant slowly fought his way across Virginia towards Richmond in some of the bloodiest battles of the war.  At Spotsylvania, Cold Harbor, and Battle of the Wilderness, the Union army suffered greater casualties than the Confederacy but made progress slowly towards Richmond.  After suffering over 18,000 casualties at the Battle of Spotsylvania, Grant proclaimed, "I propose to fight it out along this line all summer", unlike previous Union commanders Grant was prepared to keep his army moving forward no matter the cost.
       The costly battles against the Union army took a heavy toll on the Confederacy.  Robert E. Lee's army was rapidly becoming depleted of both men and supplies. Each battle brought thousands of casualties that the Confederacy could not replace. Many of Lee's men were poorly equipped and many were suffering from disease and malnutrition.
    On June 9, 1864, Grant's army began the siege of Petersburg which would last until March of 1865.  Petersburg was nicknamed the "Breadbasket of Richmond" because of the city's commercial importance to the Confederacy.  In order to take Richmond, the Union army had to capture Petersburg.

Link for notes

The Gettysburg Address

      "The ultimate expression of the majesty of Shakespeare's language."
                      ~ Winston Churchill on the Gettysburg Address





         
        There is not one Gettysburg Address, today there are five versions of the speech that are persevered. We do not know what version of the speech the President gave or the exact spot where gave his address.  Whatever version he delivered, Lincoln's words had a profound impact on the Civil War and impacted people across the world.
       They November 19, 1863, was the dedication of the Soldier's National Cemetery in Gettysburg Pennsylvania only four and a half months after the battle.  The commission in charge of the cemetery invited pastor and statesman Edward Everett to give a speech at the dedication and asked President Lincoln to deliver "a few appropriate remarks" at the ceremony.
        During the train ride from Washington D.C. Lincoln remarked that he was feeling dizzy and felt weak. Some historians believe that Lincoln was suffering from a fever the day he arrived at Gettysburg.  Lincoln arrived at the ceremony with his assistants John Nicolay and John Hay as well as members of his Cabinet.  During the speech Hay noted that Lincoln's face looked haggard and had a "ghastly color".  After the speech on the train home Lincoln appeared feverish and weak and developed a rash.  He may have developed a mild case of smallpox that lingered for a few weeks following his visit.
     Lincoln's speech lasted under three minutes and when the President finished the audience is said to have given the President some "polite applause."  Lincoln felt that his speech was a failure and that he had let the American people down.

Your h.w. tonight is to read and markup the Gettysburg Address.

   To help with this very important document here is a link to a site that analyzes the speech. 

Here is a link to the video that we watched on the Gettysburg Address if it will be of some help to you to hear it again.
     
Link to the Ken Burns Civil War chapter on the Gettysburg Address
                   and for Cam

Johnny Cash reading the Gettysburg Address

The Battle of Gettysburg

   Following his success against Union General Hooker in Chancellorsville Virginia, Robert E. Lee prepared for an invasion of the Union.  Lee hoped that a summer campaign in the North would influence the 1863 fall  elections and put pressure on Lincoln to ask for a ceasefire or hopefully a truce. The  Confederate Government hoped that if Lee's forces threatened either Philadelphia or Harrisburg Northern citizens would turn against Lincoln and the Republican Party and demand peace. Lee hoped that he would be able to destroy Union supply depots and warehouses in Maryland and Pennsylvania  during the campaign while the majority of the Union army remained behind to protect Washington D.C.
    On June 3, 1863 Robert E. Lee ordered his generals to move the entire Army of Virginia, over 60,000 men towards the Pennsylvania border.  On July 1st, he hears reports that a skirmish has occurred between Confederate and Union calvary units near the small town of Gettysburg.  After hearing false reports of a Union army camped nearby that would overrun the trapped Confederate calvary, Lee ordered his entire army to march to Gettysburg.
      3,000 Union troops fought desperately to hold back the Confederate forces and setup a defense perimeter on McPherson Ridge.  After one day of fighting and aware that reinforcements were miles away in Washington D.C. , the Union forces withdrew to the more easily defendable Cemetery Ridge. Now using Cemetery Ridge, the Union held a clear advantage in the battle. Lee made several attempts to remove Union troops from the ridge but his men could not break through the Union lines.
    More Union troops arrived and helped bolster Union defenses and prepared for a third day of fighting. General Longstreet tried to convince Lee that the battle was lost, and that the Confederate forces should attempt to go around the Union lines and give the appearance that they were planning on attacking Washington D.C.  Lee believed that to head back would be disrespectful to his men who had fought so hard and sacrificed so much.  He ordered one more attack on the Union lines hoping he would finally break through.
     The final Confederate attack is led by General George Pickett.  Pickett's Division numbered 12,500 men and began their assault following a two hour Confederate bombardment of Union lines.  Stretched across 1 mile of open field, Pickett's Division began the slow march in the 80 degree heat towards the Union lines.  Confederates had to march  3/4 of a mile and were easy targets for Union artillery and rifle fire.  Suffering a 50% casualty rate some Confederates were able to break through the Union lined but quickly realized they would not be able to hold the hill and were forced to retreat.
     Watching the failed attack nearby, General Lee looked on in shock.  It became clear that the battle was over.

The Battle of Antietam

        By September of 1862, General Robert E. Lee had successfully thwarted the Union army's attempts of capturing the Confederate capital of Richmond. His tactics had proven to be unbeatable and his victories had left Abraham Lincoln frustrated with the Union commanders. Confederate President Jefferson Davis encouraged Lee to gain a victory in Union controlled territory to further weaken Northern morale and have the North agree to a ceasefire. Davis believed that a major Confederate victory would guarantee French or British military support for the Confederacy.

   Two Union soldiers discovered Robert E. Lee's battle plans wrapped in cigars and presented the plans to the Union commander General McClellan.  Lee's "Special Order 191" contained detailed information of the Confederate army's plan to divide its division and proceed through Maryland.  McClellan waited 18 hours before acting on this information and lost the opportunity to decisively defeat Lee's forces.

      McClellan's forces consisted of 75,000 men and were opposing Robert E. Lee's 38,000 man army.  Fighting at  Antietam Creek began shortly before dawn on September 17, 1862 and lasted the entire day.  9/17/1863 became the single bloodiest day in U.S. History, with over 23,000 men killed.  By the end of the day, Lee's army was forced to retreat and the Union army had a much needed victory. The victory at Antietam bolstered Northern morale and gave Abraham Lincoln a decisive victory over the Confederacy.  

      Since the beginning of the war Lincoln struggled over the issue of slavery.  Not wanting to cause any more states to leave the Union he promised to uphold the Fugitive Slave Act in his first Inaugural Address.  Cabinet members, abolitionists, and politicians had been pressuring Lincoln since the beginning of the war to free the slaves in the Confederacy for political and military reasons. 

     

       Freeing slaves in the South would weaken the Confederate economy and helped bring the war to an end faster.  By calling for an end to slavery in the South it would also speed up the process of ending slavery all together.  Lincoln understood that to issue such a proclamation it would have to come after an important victory not a defeat so he would not look like he was negotiating out of weakness. 

For Homework Tonight:

Finish Reading the Handout on the Emancipation Proclamation and please answer the following questions:

1. According to the Emancipation Proclamation who is now free? (Be specific)

2. What is Abraham Lincoln hoping the newly freed slaves would do?

3. What did Abraham Lincoln ask the freed slaves to do? What could they join?

Here are the notes for the past week.

Strengths, Weaknesses, and Strategies

    Looking back on the Civil War it is important to keep in mind the strengths and weakness that the Union and the Confederacy had.  Many on both sides believed that the war would be over in a short amount of time, when Lincoln asked for volunteers their enlistments were over after 90 days.

Union Strengths:
          Heavily industrialized, majority of factories, weapons, railroads, more money, more farm land for crops, larger population, and the leadership of Abraham Lincoln.

Union Weaknesses:
            The North was divided over the war, many Northerners did not want to fight a war to keep the country together some felt that the war was unjust.  Major cities such as Philadelphia and New York experienced riots when residents protested against the draft.  The Union army suffered leadership issues  as Lincoln struggled to find a commanding general to combat the Confederacy.

Confederate Strengths:
         Southerners were fiercely loyal to the Confederacy and many were fighting to protect their families and for their future.   With a majority of the battles fought in the South, Confederate forces had an advantage of being familiar with the terrain.  Confederate generals Robert E. Lee, J.E.B. Stuart, Thomas Jackson and Patrick Clereburne were excellent military leaders that were a clear advantage for the Confederacy.

Confederate Weaknesses:
       With the Southern economy based on agriculture the South never developed a strong industrial center.  Southern troops lacked weapons and technology that was available to the Union troops. With a smaller population Confederate casualties were harder to replace than Union ones.

        General Winfield Scott was the commander of the Union army at the onset of the Civil War. Although from Virginia, Scott believed that his loyalties were with his country not his home state.  Scott devised a strategy that would defeat the Confederacy but his plan had it's critics.  Scott's plan called for an embargo around all Southern ports, cutting off the South from European markets. Unable to sell cotton and other cash crops the Southern economy would collapse and weaken the Confederate war effort.  The second part of his plan was to divide the Confederacy in half by taking control of the Mississippi River.  Once this was completed, the Union would be able to conquer a now divided South.
Scott knew that many Americans would find this plan unappealing because it would take a long time to work but he felt confident that the embargo and division of the South were essential to a Union victory.

     Facing an enemy that was greater in numbers and better equipped, the Confederate's war plans relied more on defense.  If the advance of the Union army could be halted long enough, the South believed that the North would eventually give in to the Confederates and ask for peace.  With the North divided over the war, Confederates believed that President Lincoln would be forced to let the South go if enough people protested the war.  Some people in the Confederate government hoped that if they won enough battles then Great Britain would come to their assistance. The "Cotton Diplomacy" was based on the belief that the British needed American cotton for their economy.

    After the fall of Fort Sumter, many American demanded that the army attack the Confederate capital of Richmond.  As the spring of 1861 became summer Lincoln and his top generals began to feel the pressure from the public mount.  In July, an inexperienced and untrained army left Washington D.C. to take Richmond.

Fort Sumter

        Two days after South Carolina voted to secede from the Union, Colonel Robert Anderson relocated hundreds of U.S. troops to Fort Sumter.  Anderson understood that the growing hostilities between South Carolina and the U.S. government were endangering the lives of his men. Anderson believed that relocating Fort Sumter would keep his men from harm and guarantee Union control of Charleston Harbor.  Following Anderson's removal to the fort, all federal property was seized in South Carolina by local militia.
        Anderson's men endured a rough winter at Fort Sumter.  Both food and fuel were rationed, and Anderson was unable to get supplies from the mainland.  Communication with the government was almost completely cutoff, Anderson was able to have messages smuggled to Washington D.C. asking for supplies.  On January 9th, a supply ship approached the fort it was fired upon by Confederate forces on the shore and forced to return back to the North.
       Lincoln sent a message to the governor of South Carolina Francis Pickens, stating that he intended on sending several supply ships to relieve the men stationed at Fort Sumter.  Lincoln explained that these soldiers were his responsibility and were not threatening the people of South Carolina in any way. His plan was met with some opposition,  Secretary of State William Seward argued that the fort should be abandoned as a gesture of good will to the Confederates.
      Lincoln's letter made Governor Pickens nervous.  He knew that his forces would be able to bombard Fort Sumter safely from the coast but did not want to take action without approval from the Confederate government.  Jefferson Davis ordered Pickens to issue Colonel Anderson an ultimatum, if Union forces fail to abandon the fort they will be attacked. Many in the Confederacy believed that if South Carolina could successfully take over Fort Sumter that Virginia would join them and once Virginia joined, other states would follow.
    On April 12th 43 mortars cannons from coastal batteries began a 48 hour bombardment of Fort Sumter.   Anderson's men had been deprived of ammunition, food, and sleep and the commander understood that this fight was over before it began.  After enduring over 3,000 rounds of artillery, Anderson raised a white flag calling for surrender.

1860 Map

Here is a copy of a map of the U.S. in 1860 for tonight's h.w.

The Secession of South Carolina

     Abraham Lincoln's election in 1860 brought along fears and concerns across the South.  Many white Southerners believed that the newly elected President and his Republican supporters would enact a series of measures that would end slavery.  In their eyes any attack on slavery was an attack on the Southern way of life as well as state's rights.
     From the Southern perspective the 1850s had been a decade of Northern aggression.  Northern ministers and newspapers had attacked slavery through literature and propaganda.  The Fugitive Slave Act was passed yet the Underground Railroad was being supported by many people living in the North.  John Brown had murdered innocent Southern citizens yet was claimed a hero in many Northern towns and cities.  Lincoln's election was the final straw, the North was out to punish the South and destroy their way of life.  Many in the South debated on what the next move should be.
    On November 10, 1860, U.S. Senator James Chestnut from South Carolina submitted a letter of resignation to the Vice President.  Chestnut believed that he would not be able to work with the Republican President and felt that he was needed back home.  Chestnut would be the first of 17 U.S. Senators to withdraw from their post during the Civil War.
     Back in South Carolina the State Legislature quickly proposed an Ordinance of Secession that would nullify South Carolina's union with the other states.   On December 20th, the ordinance was passed 169-0 and South Carolina had declared it's relationship with the United States to be over.  In the eyes of many South Carolinians the Union had effectively been dissolved.
    South Carolina's decision sent a shockwave across the country and many wondered how the federal government would respond.  President Buchanan denounced the decision to secede and declared that it was illegal but did not use his authority to bring South Carolina back into the Union.  More Southern states soon followed and by February of 186; Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana and Texas had all seceded from the Union.

The Election of 1860

       Our "Final Straw" in our Road to the Civil War Unit is the Election of 1860 a major turning point in American History.  The Democratic Party had become fractured over the issue of slavery and could not put a single candidate to go against Abraham Lincoln and the Republicans.
    After years of political service in the House of Representatives and in the U.S. Senate, Stephen Douglas was ready to set his sights on the White House.  He had the political experience and the background to be the front runner for the Democratic Party's nomination for President but it was not meant to be.  The issue of slavery had divided the once dominate Democratic Party and during the Democratic National Convention Douglas struggled to get enough votes to secure the nomination.  When Douglas finally one the nomination, several Southern delegates stormed out in protest and held their own convention where they nominated Vice President John C. Breckinridge as their presidential candidate.
     Upset over the growing problems with the country a group led by John Bell of Tennessee organized the Constitutional Union Party on the belief that the nation needs to be held together no matter what.  Bell was chosen to be the candidate for President and ran a campaign hoping that neither candidate would win enough electoral votes and that the decision for President would be decided by the House of Representatives.
 
  Here is a link to today's notes.

Party Platforms and Extra Credit

    
      In May of 1860 the Republican Party held it's second National Convention in the city of Chicago. Republican delegates arrived in Chicago with a sense of optimism, many believed that a Republican would win the Presidential election.
     The Republican Party was created by former members of the Whig, Democrats, and Know-Nothing  Parties.  They were looked down upon by the Democrats but over the years had developed a strong following in the North and West.  As the Buchanan Presidency was winding down, many Republicans believed that the Democratic Party was to sharply divided over slavery to win the Presidential Election.
    The Republican Platform had 17 different principles that the party believed in these included:
                 

• Establishing a Transcontinental Railroad
• Freedom of immigration to the United States and full rights to immigrants
• Stopping the expansion of slavery
• Repealing the Fugitive Slave Act
• Blaming the Democrats for "Bleeding Kansas"

     Republicans understood that they would not win in the South so in order to win the national election they would need to win all of the Northern and most of the Western states.  Their platform was designed to appeal to a majority of those voters. 

Your Extra Credit Assignment for the Third Quarter is a civic assignment. 

     Many of you will be able to vote for the Presidential Election of 2016 while others will have to wait for the elections of 2017.  No matter when you caste your first vote, your opinions matter greatly to political parties.   You represent their future their success depends on how well they appeal to your values and beliefs.

   Choose an issue that is important to you and contact either the Democratic or Republican Party of Massachusetts and let them know what your beliefs are and how you want them addressed.  Feel free to choose an issue from the list below that was created in class.  

•   Gun Control: Either for or Against
• Renewable Energy
• Defense Spending
• Foreign Policy
• Military Salaries
• Education: Affordable Colleges, Student Loans, School Programs
• Environmental Concerns: Treatment of Animals, Global Warming, Climate Change
• Same Sex Marriage
• Veteran Programs
• Preserving our National Parks and Historic Sites
• Improving Public Transportation

When presenting your beliefs to a large organization, I have found it most useful to be direct and to speak from the heart.  If you feel more comfortable using a model format, you can use this format for your address.

   Dear  _____________ Party Staff,

     I am _____ years old and I live in _______________ Massachusetts. As a a future voter there is a certain issue that I feel your party should pay attention to.  I believe that the ________ Party should support programs that would....

 *** If you decide to do this assignment I highly encourage  you speak to your parents about the assignment beforehand.  Once you contact a party you may become on their e-mail list or mailing list, something that your parents may not want.  If that is the case, please let me know and we can discuss another method for obtaining extra credit.  

It is only through contact with current and future members that political parties are able to form their platforms. By choosing to share your beliefs and values you can have a serious impact on shaping party policy.   

In order for you to obtain credit for this assignment please submit me a copy of your work via e-mail or 

a typed copy.  

E-mails to the Political Party are worth 2 Points

Letters to the Political Party are worth 3 Points. 

Assignment is Due Thursday March 28th

Tonight's Honework

    Complete the John Brown and Harper's Ferry part your "Final Straws"handout.  When you are finished please read pages 561-565 in your textbook.  On p. 565 complete the Identify section as well as numbers 1-3.

For the Identify on page 565 follow this format.

The Republican Party: formed in 1854 by members of the Whig and Democratic parties who were against the spread of slavery.

James Buchanan: 15th President of the United States.  Buchanan was a member of the Democratic Party who was elected after the election of 1856. This election highlighted how divided the nation had become.

Here are the notes on John Brown.

Quiz Tomorrow

  Tomorrow's Quiz is on the first "5 Straws" of this Unit.  They are:  Missouri Compromise, Compromise of 1850, The Fugitive Slave Act, Uncle Tom's Cabin, and The Kansas-Nebraska Act.
The Quiz is between 27-30 questions, depending on which one you get.  There is one question on the quiz that you are not allowed to omit though.

Choose of the "5 Straws" that we have studied in class that you think had the greatest negative  impact on the United States.  When you give your answer please be specific and use examples to support your opinion. 

Also,

Here is a survey that we are giving to 8th graders that I would like you to work on before Monday.  It should take you less than one minute to complete.

    To help you get organized here is a list of important people and the "straws" they are matched with that you should be able to identify for the quiz.


Missouri Compromise

James Tallmadge:



Henry Clay:




Compromise of 1850


President Taylor:



Daniel Webster:



John C. Calhoun:




Henry Clay:



Stephen Douglas:



Sam Houston:


Uncle Tom's Cabin


Harriet Beecher Stowe:



Kansas-Nebraska Act/Bleeding Kansas


President Franklin Pierce:



Stephen Douglas:



Preston Brooks:



Charles Sumner:



Eli Thayer:



David Atchinson:



Border Ruffians:



Jayhawkers:



Bushwackers:



John Brown:



Henry Ward Beecher:


During the Quiz you should have the following:

Compromise of 1850 Notes, Missouri Compromise Notes, Daniel Webster Reading, Bleeding Kansas Notes.

Bleeding Kansas

      With the passing of the Kansas-Nebraska Act in 1854, the fate of Kansas now rested in the hands of the residents through popular sovereignty.  This sparked a frenzy in the North and South with thousands of people prepared to move out West to either stop the spread of slavery or to encourage it.
       In Massachusetts the Rev. Eli Thayer formed the Emigrant Aid Company, a non profit set up to help move anti-slavery settlers to Kansas.  Thayer was successful, and in 1855 1,200 New Englanders had moved to Kansas and established the communities of Lawrence, Topeka, and Osawtomie. Thayer's success caused panic in the South and a rumor circulated that 20,000 New Englanders had moved to Kansas.  Fearing that Kansas would become a free territory, thousands of Southerners moved to Kansas in preparation for the territory's upcoming elections.
      On March 30, 1855, Missouri Senator David Atchinson who had previously vowed to, "kill every God damned abolitionist in the region", arrived in Kansas with 5,000 men to intimidate voters in electing a pro-slavery state legislature.  When the election results came in the territory legislature was filled with pro-slavery candidates.
    The new government of the Kansas Territory went to work quickly on creating a set of rules to govern the region.  The pro-slavery government went to work quickly and passed the following laws:

1.        slavery was legal in Kansas
2.        it was illegal to speak out against slavery
3.        anyone caught aiding or assisting a runaway slave would be sentenced to death
4.       Printing or publishing any book, pamphlet, ect. calculated to produce "dangerous dissatisfaction"among slaves punishable by five years hard labor.

     Following the elections violence soon broke out across the region with attacks made by both pro-slavery and anti-slavery forces. Reverend Henry Ward Beecher sent dozens of rifles to support the abolitionists in their struggles.  These rifles became known as "Beecher Bibles" by members of the press.   Settlers were attacked in broad daylight in the streets and in their homes during the middle of the night.  On May 21, 1856, 800 Bushwackers and Border Ruffians attacked the anti-slavery community of Lawrence.   They destroyed the Liberty Hotel, offices, businesses, and the homes of several abolitionists.

       The attack on Lawrence inspired abolitionist John Brown to retaliate.  On May 24th, Brown and four of his followers attacked five men who were connected to the attack on Lawrence killed them with swords.  More attacks soon followed between the two groups for the next two months until U.S. troops were sent into the region to restore order.

Here are the Notes for Bleeding Kansas and Kansas-Nebraska Act

         Beginning in the late 1840s, there was talk of creating a railroad that would run from the East Coast to the West Coast. This would make it faster and easier  to ship people and goods to California. By early1854, there were two routes that were being considered, one had the railroad starting in Chicago then heading West to California, the other route began at New Orleans and would travel through Texas before heading south through New Mexico and Arizona. The railroad would bring millions of dollars to what ever city became the home to it and would guarantee business for local factories and new jobs for residents. Business leaders and politicians of Chicago saw the transcontinental railroad to fuel the continuing growth of their city. Senator Stephen Douglas faced the daunting task of convincing Southern Congressmen to approve of Chicago's request to be the starting point of the railroad and abandon the New Orleans railway bid.  Southern Senators agreed to abandon the proposition of a southern if the remaining territory from the Louisiana Purchase would be open to slavery.

              In February 1854, Senator Stephen A. Douglas of Illinois proposed a Bill to Congress that would divide the remaining land of the Louisiana Purchase into two territories: Kansas and Nebraska. The Bill also mentioned that the citizens of those territories would get to decide if they were to become slave states or free states.  By using popular sovereignty to decide the issue of slavery, Douglas was essentially killing the Missouri Compromise and stating that the power to make a decision on slavery is from the states not the Federal Government.   Douglas was hoping that once the Bill was passed then he would 

get enough votes for the Transcontinental  Railroad to go through Chicago.

        Douglas was one of the leading Democrats in the Senate. He used his influence in Washington to get the Bill to pass the House and the Senate with ease. Many people in the North were outraged over the Kansas-Nebraska Act. The Kansas and Nebraska Territories were both north of the 36 30 line from the Missouri Compromise. This land had been declared off limits to slave owners in 1820, now the National Government was overturning the Missouri Compromise.

         Across the nation Pro-Slavery and Anti-Slavery groups attempted to get the settlers into Kansas. Since the residents of Kansas were going to decide if the territory would be a slave state or a free state, thousands of emigrants traveled to Kansas. The New England Emigrant Society sent "Free Soilers" to Kansas hoping that the land would become slave free. "Border Ruffians" from the South traveled to Kansas to ensure that Kansas would become a slave state. Both groups were passionate about their beliefs prepared to fight for their cause.

        In March of 1855, there was elections held to form the legislative branch of the Territory of Kansas. In Missouri (slave state) groups were formed that took thousands of men from Missouri into Kansas to vote for pro-slavery members of the government. Since there was no clear way of deciding if the people voting were actual residents of Kansas, the people from Missouri were able to decide the fate of Kansas. Voter fraud was rampant in Kansas for that election, with both pro-slavery and anti-slavery residents and non-residents voting more than once.

A Pro-Slavery government was elected and those that opposed slavery established their own government in Lawrence Kansas.

Uncle Tom's Cabin

        Published on March 20, 1852, Uncle Tom's Cabin was the top selling book of the 19th Century selling over one million copies in Great Britain, and 300,000 copies in the United States during its first year of publication.  For many the novel became a rallying cry for the abolition of slavery while at the same time outraging many Southerners.
         Author Harriet Beecher Stowe came from an established New England family.  Her father was the famous minister Lyman Beecher, her sister Catherine was influential educator, and her brothers Henry Ward, Charles, Thomas, and Edward were successful theologians and ministers.  The Beechers were some of the leading abolitionists in the U.S. with strong ties to the Underground Railroad.
        Harrit married abolitionist professor Calvin Ellis Stowe in 1836 in Cincinnati.  While living in Cincinnati the Stowes helped shelter escaped slaves on the Underground Railroad. Harriet interviewed a number of runaways who would later serve as inspiration for characters in her famous novel.
        It was during their time living in Cincinnati that Harriet lost her eighteen month old son to a cholera outbreak that killed thousands of people in the city.  Harriet's pain over the loss of her son remained with her the rest of her life.  She felt that she understood how helpless a slave woman must feel losing their child to an auction and not being able to do anything about it.
       The Stowes were living in Brunswick Maine when Congress passed a newer more sever Fugitive Slave Act.  This law eliminated the "gray area" surrounding slavery.  Every American was expected to report a suspected runaway slave failing to do so would guarantee imprisonment or a heavy fine.  Being a bystander was no longer an option regarding slavery.
      As she wrote Uncle Tom's Cabin, Stowe wanted to create characters that would show the evil and horrors of slavery through their words and their actions.  Stowe understood that if her characters showed her readers how slavery was wrong and needed to be abolished the message would be better received than any abolitionist newspaper article or speech.  She understood the power of sympathy and empathy.
         Many families in the United States understood the heartbreak of losing a child to an illness or disease, the sense of helplessness as a loved one  slowly dies.  Stowe wanted her readers to relate to their own personal loss with the loss her character Eliza would face if her son was separated from her.  When readers became upset over the fate of Eliza and her child it was not because they were slaves it was because they were a family in danger.  Once readers made that connection, Stowe knew that her message got across.

Compromise of 1850

        When Henry Clay and Daniel Webster prepared to deliver their plan to save the Union before the U.S. Senate, they would be addressing a collection of very important Americans.  Members of the 31st Congress of the United States included some of the most talented and influential leaders of the United States.  American Historians have labeled this "The Golden Age of the Senate" because of the collection of talent that was serving.  Some of these members were:

Salmon P. Chase from Ohio: would later serve in Lincoln's Cabinet

Jefferson Davis from Mississippi: future President of the Confederacy

Sam Houston from Texas: Former President of Texas, believed in keeping the Union together.

John C. Calhoun from South Carolina: Strong advocate for State's Rights.

Stephen A. Douglas from Illinois: Democratic nominee for President in 1860.

Thomas Hart Benton from Missouri: Jacksonian leader of the Democratic Party advocated westward expansion but spoke out against slavery.

Lewis Cass from Michigan: Jackson's former Secretary of War, later Secretary of State.  Advocated General Popular Soverignty for people living in new territories

John Bell from Tennessee: Southern politician who was against the expansion of slavery

Hannibal Hamlin from Maine: Lincoln's first Vice-President

  All of these leaders and their Senate counterparts understood that the nation was on the brink of civil war over the issue of expanding slavery. 

Below is timeline detailing the passing of the Compromise of 1850:

January 29, 1850: After confiding with Daniel Webster, Henry Clay introduced his Compromise to the U.S. Senate.

February 5th and 6th: Clay addresses the Senate 

March 4th: John C. Calhoun's speech against the Compromise of 1850 is read to the Senate

March 7th: Daniel Webster delivers his speech calling for support of Clay's Compromise

March 31st: John C. Calhoun dies

April 17th: Thomas Hart Benton is threatened by Senator Foote from Mississippi on the Senate floor

June 3rd-11: Nine slave states sent delegates to the Nashville Convention to consider a course of action if slavery was banned in the West.  Some called for secession.

July 9th: President Taylor, who threatened to veto any legislation that would allow slavery to expand passed away.  President Fillmore was open to resolving the issue of slavery with compromise. 

September: The Compromise is broken into five sections, and are all passed by both the House and the Senate. 

 

Here are the notes from class. 

Daniel Webster and The Compromise of 1850

       By 1850, U.S. Senator Daniel Webster had achieved a very successful career in U.S. politics. He served ten years in the House of Representatives and another 19 years in the Senate. As one of the nation's leading attorney's he appeared in several high profile legal cases earning him the reputation as being of the leading Constitutional scholars in the country.  As Secretary of State Webster successfully negotiated a treaty with Great Britain establishing the border between Maine and Canada.
        Webster was also one of the most vocal critics of slavery in the Senate earning him a great deal of praise from abolitionist across the country. So when Senator Henry Clay sought out Webster's help in January of 1850 it came as quite a shock to many Americans.
         The debate over admitting California as a state brought the issue of slavery to the front of American politics.  California's statehood meant that the balance between free and slave states in the Senate would be gone.  The issue of how settlers in other newly acquired territories would decide on slavery was also brought up.  Should the Federal Government declare those areas open or closed to slavery, or should the residents of those territories decide?  There were even some people in the South and the North calling for the Union of the country to break apart because of slavery.
      In the past Webster and Clay had worked together in Congress as well as been on opposing sides of an issue.  Clay knew that Webster's number one goal was to preserve the United States and prevent a civil war from taking place.  Webster's  support of  Clay's new compromise would be appealing to many Northerners and help Clay get his plan passed.  Webster had the reputation and the ability to get other Northerners to back up Clay, without  Webster's help Clay knew that his plan would look like a southern strategy and alienate Northern Senators and Congressmen.

Tonight for H.W.:

Read and Markup the handout on Daniel Webster. 
     

California and the Compromise of 1850

            In 1849 California sent a request to Congress asking for statehood and launched a crisis that the brought the country closer to disunion.  California became eligible for statehood shortly after the discovery of gold near Sacramento.  A new state threatened the balance in the Senate that had been preserved since the Missouri Compromise of 1820.  Many Northerners welcomed the idea of a new state entering the Union knowing that California would most likely become a free state.
           The issue of California also sparked the debate of popular sovereignty or the belief that the people living in a region should have the right to decide their own fate, or in this case if slavery should be allowed or banned.  Supporters of popular sovereignty cited that these were the ideals of Thomas Jefferson and that they were truly democratic and fair.  Critics of popular sovereignty believed that the right to decide if a territory was eligible for slavery should be reserved for Congress and the federal government not the states.   They believed that popular sovereignty threatened the union of the country.
         The Gold Rush brought thousands of Americans into California over the course of a few months. Many of these new settlers were young single men hoping to make a fortune immediately.  Other settlers were businessmen who where hoping to make money by providing food, shelter, or supplies to the miners.
        Californians were divided over the issue of slavery. Some emigrants to California were slave owners who brought their slaves with them or came from the South and believed that slavery should be allowed in California.  Slavery was seen by some miners as unfair competition and felt that it should be banned for economic reasons while others saw slavery as being morally wrong and did not want to see it spread any further.  The anti-slavery residents were the majority of the population and sought to make sure that when California became a state it would become a free state.
         As Congress began the heated debate over admitting California it became very clear that the issue of slavery was driving the country apart.  Northern Senators and Congressmen warned against the growing influence of slavery in the West while many Southern members of Congress argued that the Federal Government did not have the right to exclude slavery from new land.
         Senator Henry Clay became increasingly concerned over the fate of the country when he saw many of his  colleagues refusing to work together.  Clay hoped that he could create an act of legislation that would hold the country together but knew that he could not do this alone.