Class Summary 12.18.12

As we continue looking at the events following the succession of the lower south. Yesterday, we used technology, and our legs! And went on a scavenger hunt throughout the school looking for QR codes that held facts to important civil war battles. Today, we looked at Habeas Corpus and president Lincoln's decision to suspend the right during the war in order to imprison or charge those who were against the war effort. I find the argument whether it is okay to limits people's freedoms in order to do the right thing. And also, find Lincoln's idea that those who are willing to take freedoms away from others do not deserve it for themselves. I have found to be a big believe and advocate for that ideal.

Class Summary 12.14.12

Today, we went to the computer lab to make a Google docs presentation. We split into three groups and focused on finding the economic balance between the north and the south. Each person was responsible for looking at different parts of industry. There was: wealth, manufacturing, agricultural production, cotton production, railroads,slaves, and immigrants. After finding and understanding the differences between the north and the south's industries, it became apparent this would not be an easy fight.

Class Summary 12.11.12

As we move on from our slavery unit, we are looking further into the actions and words of Abraham Lincoln and also the succession of the Lower South. Yesterday we started by looking at a section of the Declaration of Independence and Lincolns reference and reliance on this document to support his beliefs on the slavery issue. Next we studied Lincoln's "Fragment on the Constitution and Union," and got an overall view of his perspective and thoughts on the issue. Also displayed here is his reasoning behind his thoughts, such as the foundation of our country: "Liberty to all." Today, we focused on the succession of the Lower South and their reasoning behind their separation. First we read excerpts from South Carolina's Secession Declaration. They establish their idea on the base that all states are free and independent, and have the right to abolish a government when it becomes destructive. Also, the fundamental support for their argument is the idea that, by the law of compact, that when the United States government failed to fulfill their obligations (at least in their opinion), or started to ignore part of their agreement, the fugitive slave law, the contract is nullified or rendered void.

Class Summary 12.4.12

As we are moving through our slavery unit and approaching the 1860's, we have been taking a look at what was occurring on the political front. After the "Bleeding Kansas" debacle and the 1858 Illinois election between Stephen Douglass a democrat who whole-heartedly believes in popular sovereignty; against Abraham Lincoln, a republican who wanted to halt the expansion of slavery. This was followed by the raid at Harpers Ferry in Virginia. These events accumulated to the election of 1860 for president. A race between four candidates each representing vastly differing parties.

Timeline Events for the 1850's

Class Summary 11.28.12

Yesterday, we continued to divulge further into the topic of slavery, taking a look at the Dred Scott versus Sandford case. I found it surprising how compliant or non-volatile the north quickly became about slavery. I would have thought as more information surfaced, the abolitionists would have been empowered and continued their work, but it appeared that people had become wary and support was waning.

Today, we watched a you tube video from an old movie displaying the debate between Steven Douglass and Abraham Lincoln, as the two were running against one another in the 1858 Illinois election for US Senate. Douglass, a democrat, had developed the idea of popular sovereignty through the Kansas & Nebraska Act. Lincoln, a republican, was against the expansion of slavery. And like the rest of the world at the time, the debate and the election was centered around the issue of slavery.

Class Summary 11.26.12

Last week, we continued our discussions on the topic of slavery. Reading Uncle Tom's Cabin and a part of Fredrick Douglass's speech, along with some other documents we began to receive a broad and multi-sided view of the issue.

Today, we learned about the Kansas Nebraska Act (1854) and the rising tensions throughout the country. This act repealed the Missouri compromise and divided the Nebraska Territory be divided into two territories, Kansas and Nebraska; and settlers living in each territory would decide the issue of slavery by popular sovereignty. Due to the new territories being surrounded by slaves states, both states became slave states. The unrest from this conflict multiplied as proslavery and anti-slavery forces sent settlers pouring into Kansas to physically fight for the territory. Two rival governments sprang up, creating havoc throughout Kansas. The state quickly became known as "Bleeding Kansas." Tensions came to a head when Andrew Bulter from South Carolina beat Charles Sumner, an abolitionist Senator from Massachusetts with a cane. Slavery was vastly becoming an extremely volatile issue.