LAD #37

A problem arose in Topeka, Kansas, when a black student, Linda Brown, was denied the right to attend public school, one said to be just for whites. This case was about the segregation in public schools, and the NAACP was eager to help the case and end this segregation. The court case of Plessy v Ferguson was brought up, that established separate but equal, and this was ruled unconstitutional, and therefore the desegregation of public schools resulted. Sparking the Civil Rights Movement, and forever changing the United States.

LAD #36

President Truman created the Truman Doctrine in an address to Congress in regards to issues in the Baltic Peninsula.  Greece and Turkey were the only non Marxist countries in Eastern Europe, but they were struggling. Truman urged Congress to provide Greece and Turkey with whatever military and financial aid they need to ensure they do not fall to communism.  Britain could no longer provide aid for these countries and America wanted to make sure that they did not fall to the Soviet Union.  This was one of America's first attempts of containment, as Truman said that it was our duty to protect those fighting for freedom.  Truman concluded by saying if they falter in leadership it could disrupt peace in the world and endanger the welfare of the country

LAD#35

On February 19,1942, President FDR issued executive order 9066 which gave the Secretary of War the power to relocate anybody he felt necessary in order to win the war by declaring zoned military zones

. This led to the relocation of Japanese Americans into concentration camps.

LAD #34

December 7th, 1941, a day that will live in infamy are the famous words that made FDR's declaration of war so memorable.  In his declaration of war he stated that the United States had tried to keep relations with Japan peaceful and were given a message from Japan an hour before the attack that gave no intentions of war from Japan. He said given the proximity of Hawaii it is doubtless that this attack had been planned for days, if not weeks.  He also said that Japan attacked several other Pacific Islands, which means they have no intentions of stopping expanding their empire.  He said that the United States will not rest until it can ensure the safety of its proud citizens.

LAD #33

President Franklin D. Roosevelt took over the presidency of the United States in 1933 during the Great Depression.  In his first inaugural address he asked the country to stay as calm and composed as possible, telling the people that "We have nothing to fear but fear itself".  He addresses the financial and material struggles that America was having at the time, but he also reminds them that they still have much to be thankful for.  He tells them that America's wealth should not lie in the material possessions but in their determination, integrity, and hard work.  He says that the number one priority is to get people working again as unemployment was over 25%.  He also says that banks need to be regulated and that speculation with other's money must be ended.  He concludes by saying that persistence and dedication will cause the United States to get through the Depression however rough it may be.

LAD #32

The Kellogg Briand Peace Pact was signed in Paris in 1928 by several of the most powerful countries in the world, as well as many smaller countries.  The terms of this treaty stated that no country would use war as a means to settle any dispute and that for now on everything would be settled peacefully.  The United States were placed in charge of sending copies to all the present countries and in charge of notifying other countries of their ratification.

LAD #31

President Wilson made his Fourteen points address to Congress after Russia pulled out of WWI, leaving the Allies with a loss on the Eastern front. The Russians ended their participation in the war by signing the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, leaving Britain and France to fight the Central Powers themselves.  Wilson admired the publicity he thought it gave to the triumphs of democracy, but he also questioned how valid the treaty was, as it allowed Russia to lose no land.  Because of this misconception Wilson declares it is the duty of the United States to join the war so that they could preserve the integrity of democracy and justice in the world.  The simple plan Wilson had for the world was to create peace and order.  His points to make this possible were to end secret treaties, free the seas, remove economic barriers, self-determination for colonies, peaceful division of Austria-Hungary and the Balkan States, a League of Nations, and some other points.

LAD #30

In 1918 Schenck was charged with violating the Espionage Act by mailing out pamphlets to draftees into WWI urging them to protest the draft.  Schenck argued that he was protected by hi First Amendment rights of freedom of speech and petition.  But the Supreme Court, led by Justice Oliver Holmes, ruled that they did not protect him in this case because during war time it posed an immediate danger to the country and said that being during wartime they were evils Congress had the power to protect against.

LAD #29

The Keating-Owen child labor act was created in response to an outcry from the public that the 1900 census revealed over two-million children were employed on the streets, in factories, and in mines.  In 1908 Lewis Hines was hired to photograph children while working, and in 1916 the Keating-Owen Act was passed.  The act prohibited the sale of goods from companies employing children under the age of 14.  However the law was deemed unconstitutional two years later by the Supreme Court because they deemed that the federal government was overstepping its power to regulate interstate commerce.  As a result the government would struggle for a few more years to find an effective way to regulate child labor.

LAD #28

Woodrow Wilson begins his first inaugural address by complimenting the country on its industrial success and political integrity. But he then states that Americans have become wasteful and that the spiritual and physical costs of natural energy and human life have not been effectively evaluated.Wilson is claims that the United States Government is not doing its duties to properly protect its citizens. He says that the great United States government took too long to react and was taken advantage of by few citizens for their own gain.Wilson says that the government must respond to this and fix the problem to help the general public. He reminds the American public that the governments duty is to serve both the humble and the powerful, using both justice and fair play. He says that an unfair tariff, corrupt banks and currency, and misuse of natural resources are all issues that need to be addressed. He concludes his speech by giving a call for patriotism from the American Public.

LAD #27

The Clayton Anti-Trust Act was created to regulate commerce and big business and to prevent corruptness.  It was made as a supplement to the Sherman Anti-Trust act and to prevent businesses from becoming too powerful and to protect small businesses.  The law states that companies can't discriminate when selling goods, meaning they can't sell goods to one company for a different price than another company.  It also states that a company can't offer a sale or price deduction if a company buys from them instead of a competitor.  Finally the Clayton Anti-Trust Act regulates the sale of stocks imposing limits on how much stock a company can have of a competitor or another company.

LAD #26

In March 1963 Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his famous "I have a dream" speech.  He began the speech by saying that 100 years ago Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation freeing the slaves.  But he says 100 years later the negro is still not free.  He said the Declaration of Independence gave all men "Unalienable rights" and that this should include black men with the white.  He said that there is no time for gradualism.  He said "now" is the time for brotherhood and equality.  He says that the negro will not rest until he is granted full equality to whites.  He continues to say that most white people are not bad, and that many recognize that their futures and freedoms are tied up with those of the blacks.  He then goes on a string of "I have a dream"s saying that they are for blacks and whites to eat dinner together, for his children to live in a world where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, that Alabama will be integrated and free of racial tensions, and that all those things will happen now, not gradually or in a few years, but now.  He finishes by saying to let freedom ring and let all God's children join hands and sing and dance.

LAD #25

In 1887 Congress passed the Dawes Act to deal with the "Indian Problem".  The act divided reservation land into property for individual Indians over the age of 18.  Indians could chose to either stay on the land or sell it.  The government hope that the land would be used for crops or for animals to graze on.  Indians could choose to apply to become American citizens and also try to work for the government.  The law also provided ways to divide up the reservation if there was not enough land for all the residents.  It also provided ways for Indians who were not on reservations to apply for land grants.  Once and Indian has stayed on their land for 5 years the land is supposed to become theirs for good.  However this was not completely true because the government could just take the land if they wanted it and pay them for compensation.

LAD #24

In 1896 William Jennings Bryan delivered his famous Cross of Gold Speech on the issue of whether or not silver should be coined and circulated with gold.  Jennings was in favor of coining silver and said that it was the duty and the job of the government to circulate money.  He said that America needed another Andrew Jackson to minimize the gap between the rich and poor and increase the standard of living for many people.  He says that a majority of Americans favored it, and from many different environments.  He said that by circulating silver it would lead to a wealthier nation and make almost everybody better off.  This speech would eventually catapult him into becoming the next Presidential Candidate for the Democrats

LAD #23

At the close of the 1800s the Populist Party became a strong third party in the United States.  They were primarily formed in response to the growth of big business.  In July 1892 the Populist Party made a document listing the goals of the party.  The primary goal of the party was to increase the standard of living for the majority of Americans.  They believed that factory workers deserved to be payed more and that the working conditions were far below what they needed to be.  They also believed that big businesses were intentionally trying to lower the value of silver and raise the price of gold to benefit themselves, and that the party was formed to combat this corruption.  They wanted to circulate silver and make it a form of currency, and also wanted to circulate more money into the economy. The party was in support of worker's rights and labor unions and wanted the government to intervene in the railroad industry.  Finally the party also wanted the government to control telephones, hold an open ballot, give pension to veterans, and prevent/limit foreigners from getting jobs.

LAD #22

In 1895 fighting broke out between Cuba and Spain, with Cuba hoping to gain their independence and break away from Spanish rule.  America hoped for Cuban independence, but was hesitant to get involved in the war without good cause.  This cause was created when the U.S.S Maine blew up in a Cuban harbor three years later, giving Americans the cause they wanted.

In his message to Congress McKinley stated that the war was now having a direct impact on the Americans, and that the atrocities committed in this war were incredible.  He also said that it was having a significant impact on the economy as America had much trade with Cuba but it was being slowed by the war.  McKinley then pointed out that the war had been raging for three years and neither side had a clear advantage so America must either act as a neutral nation and help negotiate peace or act on one side to help end the war.  McKinley said that America must enter the war to help Cuba to stop the atrocities by Spain, protect the Cubans, save the trade, and  protect freedom.  McKinley then concluded by urging that America go to Cuba because of the blowing up of the Maine, which was claimed to have been blown up by a Spanish torpedo.