LAD #17

Ain't I A Woman?

Sojourner Truth's speech summarized

• Some people look down on women
• say they have to be helped into carriages
• have to be lifted over ditches
• does the same work of many men - and women- through her slavery
• yet she gets no treatment

"Don't I have equal rights?"

"Women must turn the world right side up again so that women and men are equal."

LAD #26

Happy MLK Jr Day!

MLK's speech summarized

• slaves were freed but still not equal
• government has failed to deliver its promise of equality
• now is the time for the government to redeem itself
• make sure the protests are non-violent
• "I want you all to continue the hard work that has brought you here, for 

I have a dream 

that this country will change. And when it does, everyone shall rejoice."

LAD #25

Dawes Severalty Act Summarized

• this act is in order to get the Indians to become farmers
• each person will get a sizable amount of land
• based on status, etc
• After 25 years, the land is completely theirs, and they can do what they want
•  rest of the land would be sold
• money for helping indians

LAD #24

A Cross of Gold speech Summarized and Simplified

• I support Humanity.
• there exists a struggle between the wealthy and the popular people (common majority)
• "bimetallism" will allow everybody to succeed and use their preferred method of payment, etc
• Silver is the common man's currency, let them use it
• when you dont impose bimetallism, you crucify the people on a "cross of gold".

LAD #23

Populist Party Platform

• agrarian-based political party
• addressing the problems of big business and the laissez-faire Gilded Age
• Gilded Age
• had the problem of corruption of government/big businesses
• mostly everyone to be split
• either poor or extremely rich
• Failures of the current government
• removal of silver from the money supply
• hurt farmers
• Three Demands
• permanent labor union for all workers
• industrial giants cannot keep taking money out of their corporations
• railroads will be put under government administration
• Promises/goals
• Finance
• reform Finance by reintroducing silver to the currency
• establish a graduated income tax
• Transportation
• government take control of the telegraph
• telephone
• railroad services
• Ends with sentiments and list of their demands.

LAD #22

McKinley's War Message

• 3 years of fighting between the Spanish imperialists and the Cuban rebels
• U.S. decided to interfere in favor of Cuba
• wanted Spanish reach an armistice with the Cubans
• angry public in the US demanded a declaration of war from Congress
• despite Spain's intention to cooperate
• McKinley first gives three reasons why the war in Cuba is of American concern
• fighting has been going on for over a half of a century
• on and off war has caused a lot of American capital invested in Cuba to be lost
• neither party will be able to win a definitive victory 
• states that the U.S. has limited options concerning the conflict
• interfere as a neutral party imposing a compromise
• or as an ally (for one side)
• also uses the sinking of the U.S.S. Maine as a sign that the state of affairs in Cuba is intolerable
• final statement is that the Spanish government is expected to cooperate with the Americans
• reaching an armistice
• U.S. Congress declared war on Spain five days later