This word keeps coming up in all of my reading in and around the Civil War. Have you noticed it, too? Do you know what it means? I felt I understood it, but when I tried to explain it I had a harder time than I thought I would - a sure sign that I didn't have a really good grasp on the meaning. So...
Despot: Despotism is a form of government in which someone (it can be on person or a group of people) whole rule with absolute power. So to go back to your studies last year and two examples would be Robespierre and Cromwell. The word has a Greek origin which means 'master' or 'the one with the power'.
This word has a negative meaning, or at least we use it in a negative way. I don't think it would be a compliment to say, "Your such a great despot!" Two words which mean the same thing that you are probably more familiar with are tyrant and dictator.
In this time period this word was being batted back and forth accusingly by both sides. As you continue to read over the next few weeks look out for it. Would you say that there was anyone acting as a despot in the United States during this time? Why would this be such a common word in the writing from and about this time period?
As the semester has gone on I have not kept up with vocabulary very well. Be on the look out for interesting words - especially those that seem to turn up often in different places! Email them or bring them up in class, especially words you don't understand.
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Fugitive Slave Act Debate
Students,
Below are some materials on the internet which I hope you may find useful to you in your preparations. There are materials that support both sides of the debate included. In addition to these materials I suggest that you discuss/recall/research more into our discussion earlier in the year as regards to Natural Law. There are two aspects in particular that you might apply: 1) The appeal to heaven (this was how the founding fathers justified their 'rebellion' - their fight for independence from Brittain. 2) The rights of ownership of property according to John Locke.
You might also think carefully of 'states rights'. Southern states were very noisy about states rights, but look and think carefully about how the Fugitive Slave Act as a federal law is applied in states.
This first site is a teacher resource site, but it gives a good summary of some questions that should be considered when thinking of the Fugitive Slave Act. It also gives a summary of some of the materials that you can use to support your arguments. There is material for both sides here.
Here is the collection of articles/sources that the above site refers to:
Here is another general/overview site. I think it does a good job of explaining how the Fugitive Slave law worked. At the end of this article there is a collection of facts which could prove useful:
Here is a sermon by Ichabod Spencer on the duty to obey the law (this may also be included in the collection on the teachers site I can't recall):
Here is a sermon by Jermain Loquen, a former slave, on resistance to the law. (In this one Syracuse, NY actually votes to be a sanctuary and agrees as a city to disobey)
Here is a poster warning slaves to be careful of police in Boston:
Here is a poster warning the citizens of Boston to be aware of the 'kidnappers'
You may also look for some reward posters online - there are many.
I look forward to listening to your ideas!
Mrs. Amber
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Class on Jan 10th
I want to start by saying how proud I am of all of you with the questions that you wrote in reference to 'We Shall Remain'. They were excellent questions!
I also wanted to correct and clarify my comments about the Presidential pollitical parties. I stated that the President from the time of Andrew Jackson to Lincoln was Democratic and that was not accurate. There were a couple of exceptions that I will explain below. It was true, however, that the Democratic party beginning with Jefferson, and strengthened by the popularity of Jackson with the general public had developed a strategy for winning the Executive office that was almost unstoppable. This strategy consisted of keeping the southern states together and behind the same candidate as one voting block and pursuing an alliance with the northern Democrats (usually in NY and often with the selection of a northern V.P.) to gain the number of electoral votes necessary to win the election.
The first exception was William Henry Harrison (he was a Whig) in the election of 1840. Martin Van Buren was running for re-election (remember he was Jackson's Vice President and was elected after Jackson's second term). Jackson's 'war on the banks' set in motion a national economic depression for which Van Buren suffered the consequences. It was this depression which lost the Democrats the election. Harrison won the election based on his military career as a general at the Battle of Tippecanoe and in the War of 1812. He died after only one month in office and thus his Vice President, John Tyler, became the second Whig President, finishing Harrison's office.
James K. Polk (Democrat) was elected the next election after Tyler. He ran on the idea of expansion (Manifest Destiny) and brought about the Mexican American War in pursuit of making this a nation that spanned from 'sea to shining sea'. Polk had promised to serve only one term and kept that promise. His one fear was that the Mexican American War would provide a platform for another Whig military hero President. He allowed the Mexican War to go on longer than necessary in his efforts to keep from creating such a hero, but it was to no avail. Zachary Taylor who did indeed become such a hero was elected President in 1848. He too died in office just after his first year (Whig Presidents did not have much success in keeping their office it seemed) and his Vice President, Millard Fillmore, also a Whig, finished out his term.
Here is a list of Presidents and their political parties for your reference:
George Washington (no party) 2 terms
John Adams (Federalist) 1 term
Thomas Jefferson (Democratic Republican) 2 terms
James Madison (Democratic Republican) 2 terms
James Monroe (Democratic Repulican) 2 terms
John Quincy Adams (Democratic Republican, but his ideas were seen as more Federalist) 1 term
Andrew Jackson (Democrat) 2 terms
Martin Van Buren (Democrat) 1 term -- economic depression
William Henry Harrison (Whig) - 1 month -- military hero
John Tyler (Whig) 1 term (finished out Harrison's term)
James K. Polk (Democrat) 1 term (he did not run for re-election)
Zachary Taylor (Whig) - just over one year -- military hero
Millard Fillmore (Whig) 1 term (finished out Taylor's term)
Franklin Pierce (Democrat) 1 term
James Buchanan (Democrat) 1 term
Abraham Lincoln (Republican) 1 term -- assassinated
The Democratic-Republican Presidents are known as 'The Jeffersonians'. The Democrats are known as 'Jacksonians'.
I also wanted to correct and clarify my comments about the Presidential pollitical parties. I stated that the President from the time of Andrew Jackson to Lincoln was Democratic and that was not accurate. There were a couple of exceptions that I will explain below. It was true, however, that the Democratic party beginning with Jefferson, and strengthened by the popularity of Jackson with the general public had developed a strategy for winning the Executive office that was almost unstoppable. This strategy consisted of keeping the southern states together and behind the same candidate as one voting block and pursuing an alliance with the northern Democrats (usually in NY and often with the selection of a northern V.P.) to gain the number of electoral votes necessary to win the election.
The first exception was William Henry Harrison (he was a Whig) in the election of 1840. Martin Van Buren was running for re-election (remember he was Jackson's Vice President and was elected after Jackson's second term). Jackson's 'war on the banks' set in motion a national economic depression for which Van Buren suffered the consequences. It was this depression which lost the Democrats the election. Harrison won the election based on his military career as a general at the Battle of Tippecanoe and in the War of 1812. He died after only one month in office and thus his Vice President, John Tyler, became the second Whig President, finishing Harrison's office.
James K. Polk (Democrat) was elected the next election after Tyler. He ran on the idea of expansion (Manifest Destiny) and brought about the Mexican American War in pursuit of making this a nation that spanned from 'sea to shining sea'. Polk had promised to serve only one term and kept that promise. His one fear was that the Mexican American War would provide a platform for another Whig military hero President. He allowed the Mexican War to go on longer than necessary in his efforts to keep from creating such a hero, but it was to no avail. Zachary Taylor who did indeed become such a hero was elected President in 1848. He too died in office just after his first year (Whig Presidents did not have much success in keeping their office it seemed) and his Vice President, Millard Fillmore, also a Whig, finished out his term.
Here is a list of Presidents and their political parties for your reference:
George Washington (no party) 2 terms
John Adams (Federalist) 1 term
Thomas Jefferson (Democratic Republican) 2 terms
James Madison (Democratic Republican) 2 terms
James Monroe (Democratic Repulican) 2 terms
John Quincy Adams (Democratic Republican, but his ideas were seen as more Federalist) 1 term
Andrew Jackson (Democrat) 2 terms
Martin Van Buren (Democrat) 1 term -- economic depression
William Henry Harrison (Whig) - 1 month -- military hero
John Tyler (Whig) 1 term (finished out Harrison's term)
James K. Polk (Democrat) 1 term (he did not run for re-election)
Zachary Taylor (Whig) - just over one year -- military hero
Millard Fillmore (Whig) 1 term (finished out Taylor's term)
Franklin Pierce (Democrat) 1 term
James Buchanan (Democrat) 1 term
Abraham Lincoln (Republican) 1 term -- assassinated
The Democratic-Republican Presidents are known as 'The Jeffersonians'. The Democrats are known as 'Jacksonians'.
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Assignment for Jan 17th
#1 I have decided that we will not have class this Friday after all. I would like about two weeks more to settle in with Elijah and make sure I know what naptimes are going to be before resuming that schedule.
#2 Chapter Eight - The Rising Storm Reading
#5 Print and bring these materials to class.
#2 Chapter Eight - The Rising Storm Reading
- Introduction p 269
- Section II Railroads and Reform pp 278-286 (I want you to focus on Frederick Douglass, Harriet Beecher Stowe, and William Lloyd Garrison.)
- Section VI John Brown and Harper's Ferry pp 301-303
- Read this speech that Douglass gave in Scottland HERE. Make sure to print it out and bring to class.
#5 Print and bring these materials to class.
- Letter to Garrison From Frederick Douglass
- The American Union by William Lloyd Garrison
- Letter to Garrison from Harriet Beecher Stowe
Changes in Class Structure
Dear students,
As I spoke about briefly before I am making some changes in the structure of the class for this semester. The main change is that I will no longer assign to you the reading of the entire chapter of Bennett. Instead I will assign portions and excerpts that deal with specific topics that I want you to focus on. This does not mean that I don't encourage you to read the entire chapter (or at least listen to it) - I do, it's just that I will not try to cover all the material in class.
The second change is that I will take the first portion of class at the beginning of each new chapter and we will together go over the timeline and key people for this chapter. You may have some things to look up afterwards, but you will not be assigned these as a pre-class assignment.
The third change is that each week you will turn in to me a one page narration from your week's reading assignments. Some weeks the topic will be assigned and some weeks the choice will be yours. Eighth and ninth grade narrations should be typed and at least one page double spaced in length.
The fourth change is in the 'extra' requirements for the class. For the remainder of this year I will be discontinuing the current events requirement. We will return to this requirement the beginning of next year but with a bit of a different approach and more guided instruction. I will also be offering another option for meeting the literature requirement for the remainder of this semester. I'll post details for this very soon.
As I spoke about briefly before I am making some changes in the structure of the class for this semester. The main change is that I will no longer assign to you the reading of the entire chapter of Bennett. Instead I will assign portions and excerpts that deal with specific topics that I want you to focus on. This does not mean that I don't encourage you to read the entire chapter (or at least listen to it) - I do, it's just that I will not try to cover all the material in class.
The second change is that I will take the first portion of class at the beginning of each new chapter and we will together go over the timeline and key people for this chapter. You may have some things to look up afterwards, but you will not be assigned these as a pre-class assignment.
The third change is that each week you will turn in to me a one page narration from your week's reading assignments. Some weeks the topic will be assigned and some weeks the choice will be yours. Eighth and ninth grade narrations should be typed and at least one page double spaced in length.
The fourth change is in the 'extra' requirements for the class. For the remainder of this year I will be discontinuing the current events requirement. We will return to this requirement the beginning of next year but with a bit of a different approach and more guided instruction. I will also be offering another option for meeting the literature requirement for the remainder of this semester. I'll post details for this very soon.
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Trail of Tears
Students,
You can find the documentary I want you to view HERE. It is just over an hour long. It is the 3rd of a 5 part series from PBS titled 'We Shall Remain'. This episode deals solely with the Cherokee and the Trail of Tears.
Your assignment is to come to class with a short description (a few sentences) of the following people: The Ridge, John Ross, John Ridge, Elias Boudinot, Sequoyah, and Samuel Worcester. Your descriptions should be based on watching the documentary.
Pay attention during the documentary to these issues - we will discuss them in class: The Policy of Civilization, Cherokee view of land ownership, Cherokee Blood Law, Indian Removal Bill, Worcester v. Georgia.
Write 5 essay questions which you will turn in with your biographical descriptions. As a hint some of your questions may deal with the issues I just laid out above. These will be shared out loud in class as we compile a list of questions together before our discussion. It's not a bad idea to make the pause button your friend!
On a separate piece of paper you are to write a short essay (two or three paragraphs) in which you give an emotional response to an event or scene from the documentary. This just means to tell me what you think about something that happened.
You can find the documentary I want you to view HERE. It is just over an hour long. It is the 3rd of a 5 part series from PBS titled 'We Shall Remain'. This episode deals solely with the Cherokee and the Trail of Tears.
Your assignment is to come to class with a short description (a few sentences) of the following people: The Ridge, John Ross, John Ridge, Elias Boudinot, Sequoyah, and Samuel Worcester. Your descriptions should be based on watching the documentary.
Pay attention during the documentary to these issues - we will discuss them in class: The Policy of Civilization, Cherokee view of land ownership, Cherokee Blood Law, Indian Removal Bill, Worcester v. Georgia.
Write 5 essay questions which you will turn in with your biographical descriptions. As a hint some of your questions may deal with the issues I just laid out above. These will be shared out loud in class as we compile a list of questions together before our discussion. It's not a bad idea to make the pause button your friend!
On a separate piece of paper you are to write a short essay (two or three paragraphs) in which you give an emotional response to an event or scene from the documentary. This just means to tell me what you think about something that happened.
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