Trouble in Kansas

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 possible to ship people and goods to California faster and less expensive. 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. Southern Senators agreed to abandon the proposition of a southern route for the railroad if the remaining territory from the Louisiana Purchase would be open to slavery.

In 1854, Senator Stephen A. Douglas of Illinois proposed a Bill to Congress. The Bill would divided 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. Douglas was hoping that if the Bill was passed then the railroad would 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 over turning 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.

Happy Saint Patrick's Day

Tonight for H.W.

In the textbook read pages 566-560.

Then on a piece of loose leaf:

1. Identify: Preston Brooks, Charles Sumner, and The Kansas-Nebraska Act

2. Answer questions 1-3 on p. 560

Profiles in Courage

"Always do what is right, regardless of whether it is popular. Ignore the pressures, the temptations, the false compromises."

~ John F. Kennedy

In 1957, Senator John F. Kennedy published Profiles in Courage which examined the lives of eight U.S. Senators who had served during crucial times in American history. Kennedy's objective was to show how not all those who serve in government are politicians who are only looking out for their own best interest, but dedicated individuals who are willing to sacrifice their own political careers for the sake of the United States. Kennedy's book would bring him national attention, winning the Pulitzer Prize and becoming a best seller. The Profiles in Courage Award was set up by members of the Kennedy family. The award is presented to "a public official... whose actions best demonstrates the qualities of politically courageous leadership in the spirit of Profiles in Courage."

During the winter of 1850, Daniel Webster was nearing the end of a remarkable political career. He had been in the federal government since 1813, serving as a member of the House of Representatives and the Senate, the entire time falling short of his ultimate goal: the presidency. Webster was both admired and reviled by his peers. He had a brilliant mind, and was able to recite his speeches entirely from memory. While not as philosophical as John C. Calhoun, Webster was able to Webster would be approached by his colleague and sometimes foe, Henry Clay from Kentucky for help on some legislation that Clay had been working on.

The Missouri Compromise of 1820 had been able to hold the country together for thirty years, but the nation was being torn apart again. Clay had developed a compromise that he hoped would prevent the Union from breaking. He knew that he would need help getting his legislation passed. He was concerned that members of the Senate would feel that the Compromise would only benefit the South. If he could get the support from a Northern Senator it would make his plan more legitimate.

Webster faced a major moral dilemma. He was one of slavery's harshest critics and was representing a state that was the home to the nation's leading anti-slavery newspapers as well as numerous abolitionist groups. Supporting Clay's plan would alienate his supporters at home and could cost him his law practice in Boston as well as any chance of re-election. Webster agreed to help Clay and would agonize over his decision for the next three months.

In February of 1850, several Southern Senators and Congressmen would meet in Nashville. There, they discussed the possibility of leaving the Union. The Southern politicians felt that the federal government was threatening their way of life. If California was to be admitted as a free state, then the balance of power had now shifted in the Senate in favor of the North.

By the time the Senate hearing on the compromise was set to take place in early March, the anticipation had escalated. Politicians, diplomats, writers, and tourists all descended on Washington to hear Daniel Webster's speak. The Senate Gallery was filled two hours before the hearing was to take place, and many members of the Senate had given up their seats to women.

When Webster began his most famous speech he looked around the Senate Chamber. Some of the most talented men who had ever served where now sitting, waiting to hear him speak. Sam Houston, Henry Clay, Thomas Hart Benton, Stephen Douglas, and Jefferson Davis all sat out in the crowd, anticipating what Webster's speech would be like. Absent was John C. Calhoun, who had been suffering for months various ailments.

In his opening remarks, Webster declared that he was speaking to the Senate "not as a Massachusetts man, but as an American." Suddenly, John C. Calhoun appeared in the Senate Chamber. Dressed in a thick black overcoat, he was helped into his seat by an assistant. In less than two years, Clay, Webster, and Calhoun would all be dead. This was their last moment in history, and all three were personally invested in this issue, many Southern politicians looked at Calhoun's actions during the Nullification Crisis admirably, and a way to justify their own beliefs on slavery. Webster acknowledged the Senator from South Carolina and throughout his speech, Calhoun would look at Webster sphinx like.

Wesbter's speech would go on for 3 hours and 11 minutes, rarely using his notes on his desk. He stressed the importance of preserving the Union at all costs. When his speech was over, the Chamber was silent. For those that witnessed Webster's speech they would go on to say that it was the greatest speech that they had witnessed. The Compromise of 1850 would pass both the House and Senate. The newspapers of the South praised Webster while the papers from the North compared him to Benedict Arnold. Webster would lose the nomination for President months later, northern Whigs refused to cast their vote for him. Back in Boston, many clients left his law firm and he would not be nominated again for the Senate.

Webster sacrificed his personal beliefs for the sake of the Union, a decision that would end up being very costly for him.

The Questions that need to be answered are:

1. Explain Webste's ability to "make alive the sense of oneness, of Union, that all Americans felt but few could express."

2. What were Webster's faults?

3. What was Webster's moral dilemma?

4. Why did William Lloyd Garrison want to break away from the Union?

5. According to John C. Calhoun, "Disunion nis the only alternative that is left for us." What part of the Compromise of 1850 might have ,made him feel that way? Why? Do you agree with him? Why or why not.

Missouri Compromise

Step with care and great tact, and remember that life is a great balancing act"

                          ~ Dr. Seuss

  As the nation expanded after the War of 1812, a very delicate balancing act was taking place.  The number of slave holding states in the South wad equal to the number of free states in the North.  The Northern states had a larger population and therefore had more members in the House of Representatives but in the Senate there was the same number of Senators from the North and the South.  With this balance in place it met that no law could be passed that would ban slavery.  An unsteady truce would remain in Washington until 1820.

    By 1820, there were 11 slave holding states and 11 free states in the Union.  There would be 22 Senators representing the South and 22 Senators representing the North.  The Missouri Territory had required enough residents to be eligible for statehood.  Since there were already over 2,000 slaves living in Missouri, it seemed logical that it would be admitted as a slave holding state.  Senators from the North did not like this idea.  If Missouri was admitted as a slave state that meant that the South would now have the advantage in the Senate and be able to dictate the issue of slavery.

   As the debate wore on in the Senate, one Senator proposed a Compromise.  Senator Henry Clay from Kentucky came up with a solution to solve the issue of Missouri's statehood that would satisfy both the North and the South.  He proposed that Missouri be admitted as a slave state but that Maine be admitted into the Union as well but as a free state.  This would return the balance of power so that neither the North nor the South had control over the Senate.  The second part of the Compromise would be to draw a line at the 36, 30 latitude line (the southern border of Missouri).  Any territory from the Louisiana  Purchase that was north of that line would be designated as free territory. No resident of that land would be permitted to own slaves.  Land from the Louisiana Purchase that was South of that line would be designated as "slave-holding" territory.

Which side do you think got the better part of that deal?

Many Senators from the South were eager to see if the line from the Missouri Compromise would be extended to the Pacific Ocean.  Prior to the Mexican-American War, many Congressmen and Senators were eager to go to war with Mexico to obtain lands west of Texas.  

The Missouri Compromise was far from perfect and did not resolve the issue of slavery, but only prolonging the issue for another time.  Henry's Clay's attempt at preserving the Union would last for 30 years before it was declared un-constitutional.  Many settlers felt as though the Federal Government did not have the right to decide if lands were open to slavery or not.  

The balancing act would continue for a three more decades.  When Arkansas was eligible for statehood in 1836, it could only be admitted into the Union after Congress declared that Michigan would become a state in 1837.  When Congress allowed Florida to become a state in 1845, the law also said that free state Iowa would be allowed to enter the Union. 

It would be when California was ready for statehood that the balancing act would come to an end.

Manifest Review

*Do not forget to bring in a snack tomorrow to have during the test*

Here are some questions to quiz your knowledge.

1. Who created the phrase, "Manifest Destiny"?  What does it mean?

2. The Gadsden Purchase came several years after the Mexican-American War. What was the intended purpose of that land?

3. Which of the following was against the Mexican-American War?

                 A. Zachary Taylor B. Brigham Young

C.  Walt Whitman D. James Russell Lowell

4. Who was the author of Civil Disobedience?  What was the thesis of that essay?

5. State two reasons why a Congressmen would be against the annexation of Texas.

6.  How did Sam Brennan make his fortune during the Gold Rush?

7.  Name two companies or businesses that started during the Gold Rush. 

8. What nation did James K. Polk sign a treaty with that set the boundary between Oregon and Canada?

9. What missionary died in Oregon after several conflicts with the local Native American tribes?

10. What Presidents fought during the Mexican-American War.

Good luck tomorrow!

Extra Help before school tomorrow morning in my room or Gym B. 

The Donner Party

       The American West is filled with thousands of stories of people attempting to find a better life and new opportunities.  These people were chasing after the elusive "American Dream", but chasing that dream was often dangerous and filled with hardships. 

      One of the most famous and tragic stories to come out of the American West is the tale of the Donner Party.  After traveling over 2,3000 miles, a  group of emigrants became stranded in the Sierra Mountains less then 150 miles from their destination.   This story has captured the American imagination, and served as a warning for future travelers.

      The story of the Donner Party begins in Springfield Illinois, where three families set out in April 1846 to begin a new life in California.  The families of George Donner, his brother Jacob, and James F. Reed all traveled to Independence Missouri.  There they stocked up on supplies and joined a larger wagon train heading to California.

        The families from Illinois stayed with the large wagon train for two months.  They stayed close to schedule crossing through the Great Plains.  The route to California was well known and well traveled.  Wagons wheels had created ruts in the ground, some several feet deep.  Along the trail were assortments of belongings that were left behind by the emigrants.  Men and women walked alongside their wagons, while children and the elderly stayed inside.  On a good day a wagon could travel between eight and ten miles a day. 

   George Donner carried with him "An Emigrants Guide to Oregon and California" by Lansford Hastings.  In  this guidebook, Hastings described a shortcut to California by going south of the Great Salt Lake and through a desert to get to California.  Hastings had never attempted the route himself until after several groups had set out to try his theory.  

      The Donners and several other families decided to split from the larger wagon train and attempt to use the "Hastings Cutoff".  The group elected George Donner captain of the wagon train and became known as the Donner Party.  The "short cut" would add an extra 125 miles, adding an extra three weeks to their journey  The desert that Hastings said could be crossed in two days, was 80 miles and wide and took the Donner Party 5 days to cross.  By the time they crossed the desert, one member of the Party had died and all were suffering from dehydration and some were near death. 

   Following the Humboldt River proved to be a challenge as well.  Several wagons broke down and dozens of oxen, cattle, and mules died or ran away.  By the time the wagons had gotten to the Sierra Nevada Mountains, they were all weakened from the journey.  It was decided to rest for five days in the valley before embarking on the final dangerous push up the mountains.

    On the fourth day it began to snow on the summit of the mountains.  The emigrants attempted to scale the summit but over five feet had fallen already and the wagons could not make it up.  It was decided to return to the valley and make a winter camp.  It was October 28th, the snow would not melt until mid-May.  

     By mid-December, supplies were running low, and 15 volunteers (10 men and 5 women) attempted to cross the mountains and find help in California.  They called themselves "The Forelorn Hope".  As members of this group began to die of starvation the surviving members resorted to eating their fallen volunteers.  2 men and all of the women would survive the ordeal and arrived in present day Sacramento on January 18, 1847.

   The First Relief Team set out from California and found  that 14 emigrants had died and that the survivors had been living off of boiled leather, tree bark, and pine needles.  21 survivors set out from the camp on February 22nd.

   Three more Relief Team came to the aid of the Donner Party victims.  Each time a new team arrived they found the camp in further disarray.   As the weeks dragged on between rescues more and more people died and were then eaten by the surviving emigrants.

   By the time the Fourth Relief reached the camp on April 14th, there was only one surviving member of the Donner Party to be found.  He was found alone in a cabin with several partially eaten bodies around him.  

   Of the original 87 members of the Donner Party: 39 died and 48 survived. 

Stories of the Donner Party traveled across the United States.  For a time travel to California slowed down to a trickle, many people back East afraid of meeting a fate like those of the Donners.  It was the discovery of gold in California that would bring back the large groups of emigrants to the West. ntil the discovery of gold that California would begin to have large amounts of people emigrating there. 

    

Political Cartoons

    Political cartoons are one of the oldest forms of propaganda.  They can be funny or serious, either way the artist is trying to convey a message to her or his audience.  The goal of the cartoonist is to share their opinion on a particular topic to the people. In order to really appreciate the cartoon the audience must have some basic background knowledge of current events. That will help you understand the cartoon.

   On of the most famous political cartoonists was Thomas Nast.  Nast worked in New York city over 150 years ago, and gained fame for his cartoons depicting political leaders of his time.  Nast often targeted Boss Tweed, a corrupt New York City politician who was in power for decades.  Tweed eventually gets arrested but manages to escape prison and flees to Europe.  He gets caught however, recognized by a European who liked Nast's cartoons. 

   If you are a fan of The Simpsons or Family Guy, you are watching two shows that make many references to other aspects of pop culture.  The writers of those shows will throw in refrences to movies or other t.v. shows that they enjoy and know the audience will understand.  If have not been to an Apple Store or not seen an Ipod commercial then you could not appreciate the episode where Lisa goes to the Mapple store. 

Like a carpenter, a cartoonist has several tools that they will use to achieve their goal.  These include:

Exaggeration: making the art and situation seem more extreme than it really is to emphasize an opinion.

Symbolism: use of commonly understood symbols to help you get the point more easily

Analogy: comparing one situation to another to make a point

Irony: Creating a situation where something is the direct opposite of what you might expect..

Some cartoons can use humor to prove a point:

The steroid exploits of A-Rod had provided us with a wide arrange of drawings and cartoons poking fun at the Yankee third basemen.  

Other cartoons can be more serious.

On Father's day of 2001, a fire in Queens killed three members of the FDNY.  Up until that point, it was the single most tragic day for the Fire Department.   This cartoon appeared in my local paper, Newsday the day after the fire. 

The fireman on the left is supposed to be Harry Ford.  Harry grew up on the same street as my dad and they both joined the fire-department around the same time.   The cartoon was later used on a t-shirt that was sold to raise money for the families of the firemen. 

How to read a cartoon: 

Background knowledge of current events helps!

People: Who are they? What are they doing?

Setting: Where is this? Why is it there?

Items: What are they? Why did artist put these in?

Put it together: Does this seem to be a positive or negative message about the person/item/event?

Finish the blank in one sentence: “The cartoonist thinks that..”

Tonight go to Dave Granlund's website and print out a cartoon and just briefly explain why you chose that particular cartoon Maybe you agree or disagree with Dave's opinion, or you remember that event that he was depicting.  I encourage you to scroll around and look at several cartoons, some of them are for a New England audience,   before you choose which one you want to print out.  Bring the cartoon to class.