LAD #26 MLK Jr "I Have a Dream"

In Martin Luther King Jr.'s speech he describes his dream for racial equality for all those in the United States. He said that the movement, headed by himself, would not stop until black people were given the complete racial equality that they deserved and were promised by the Constitution as citizens of the US. He begins his speech by declaring the first significant move toward equality began when the slaves were freed under Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation. He states that since then there has been no real forward progress which King attributes to the lack of freedom of blacks. This would be due to segregation and racial discrimination. He says that due to these factors the black people are forced to live in poverty. He digs further to say that since the foundation of the United States the country was designed that all men be equal. He makes sure that it is known the movement has a goal and will not stop until that goal is met. He urges the black people to keep their protests and displays peaceful and to do so without bitterness towards the whites as the freedom of blacks depends on the white men. King calls for the discrimination, lack of suffrage, and physical violence to end. He concludes his speech by stating his dream is rooted within the American Dream, that whites and blacks will be able to coexist without violence and people will be judged based on character not skin color.

LAD #25 Dawes Severalty Act of 1877

The Dawes Act was approved by Congress in February of 1887. The act provided for the relocation of Native Americans to reservations. This was an attempt to "Americanize" Native Americans. Congress believed Native Americans would have a better chance of assimilating into the American society. The act stated that all Natives would be assigned a certain section of land to live off of (these were reservations). The land could be surveyed at anytime. Each person would be appropiated a designated amount of land, the law states. If they were not given reservation land Native Americans were permitted to live elsewhere in the US. This act was only binding for 25 years, and after 25 years the president could make the choice to extend it or kill it. It provides all Natives with being under American law and equal rights. However, the government retained its power to use the land when necessary or helpful for the public.

LAD #24 Cross of Gold Speech

William Jennings Bryan gave his "Cross of Gold" speech on July 9th, 1896 at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago to convince people to support the free coinage of silver at a ration of 16 to 1. The Democratic party supported bimetallism, but many, especially businessmen, did not favor bimetallism. The rich did not want to support bimetallism because they believed it would harm their business and because Britain does not practice bimetallism. However, Bryan states that if the United States were to change to bimetallism, Britain would change or be forced to change as well. Bryan compares the decision between gold and silver to the rich and the "struggling masses". He says that if one were to burn the cities, they cities would rise again, but if a farm was burned then suffering would ensue on the masses. With the support of laborers and commercial interest they will fight and say "you shall not press down upon the brow of labor this crown of thorns. You shall not crucify mankind upon a cross of gold."

LAD #23 The Populist Party Platform

The Populist Party emerged in the 1870's/80's, but became most prominent and a viable third party in the 1890's. There are three major components of the Populist Party Platform. There is the preamble, the platform, and the expression of the sentiments. In the preamble the party explains what they believe to be what's been going wrong in America. They believe silver has been demoralized, corruption dominates the ballot-box, and how controlling influences dominate parties. They state that they can fix the government by restoring American power to the hands of the "plain" people. In the platform they talk about finance, transportation, and land. In finance they want free and unlimited coinage of silver with gold at the present legal ratio of 16 to 1. They also wanted a graduated income tax, and that postal savings banks be established by the government for the safe deposit of the earnings of the people and to facilitate exchange. For transportation they believed the government should own all the railroads. They believed the public should own and operate the telegraph and telephone. For land, they say that land should not be monopolized because it is the heritage of all the people. In the Expression of Sentiments they state how they are going to resolve many of these problems. For example they will use the secret ballot system and shorten hours of labor.

LAD #22 McKinley's War Message

Conflict in Cuba arose, and the United States plus McKinley recognized that action would need to be taken. They sent a diplomat to Madrid where the Spanish agreed to adhere to US wishes. McKinley did not trust that Spain would hold true to the agreement so he delivered a message to Congress explaining why intervention with the military was crucial in Cuba.
He began by addressing the issue, Spain had been fighting Cuba for many years and it was getting out of control. It was necessary that the US come in and protect the neighboring islands from foreign control. Americans also had invested a lot of capital into Cuba which was now at risk.
They wanted to maintain neutrality, but it was difficult to "sit back and watch". McKinley wanted to avoid war, favoring peaceful non-militaristic approaches.
If the US had to intervene, conditions were established.
1. Put an end to barbarities, bloodshed, and starvation existing in Cuba.
2. Owe it to citizens in Cuba to afford them protection and indemnity for life and property.
3. Can intervene because American trade, commerce, and business has been destroyed and affected (rebels burned sugar cane plantations).
4. There are atrocities Spain has inflicted upon the US in different means.

Incidents had previously occurred against the US from Spain due to the fighting. He ends with saying that Congress needs to terminate the hostilities between Spain and Cuba for the interest of humanity.