The World Stage: Running Interference for Foreign Powers

The United States has always been a player in disputes and affairs around the world. Our country has always preached neutrality and isolationism; however in this case, actions speak louder than words. Our government has even made provisions for entering into affairs such as wars between foreign powers. Lady Liberty and the country she represents is revered and in a way expected to enter into affairs where one country, group, or ideal is being threatened. The United States of America has not been forced onto the world stage by foreign conflicts, the United States has been willing to interfere with the foreign affairs of other nations and has therefore placed itself on the stage.

(Left, Lady Liberty)

Federal Trade Commission Act of 1914

This act was an act to repeal the power of the large monopolies in American industry. With a panel nominated by the president, restrictions were placed and enforced on industry in America. Large companies were not able to employ competitive tactics that their size allowed them to normally get away with. No longer were large businesses about to lower their prices for the consumer to a rate that could not be competed with by smaller businesses. The idea of competition in the eyes of this act was that their would be many small businesses all on the same level of price and production. This enabled the weaker businesses to gain strenght while affectively crippling the businesses that could only be compared to the Sam's Club and Wal-Marts of today. The Federal Trade Commission was an Anti-Trust, Anti-Corporation, Pro-Mom and Pop and Pro-New Business Act. The makers of this act did not believe in the lavish lifestyle of competitive bashing that the large businesses employeed to drive the smaller businesses under. That is why, through anti competition the act provided for small business to flourish. (Above, Federal Trade Commission Seal)

Inaugural Address

Wilson's inaugural address was not a speech of triumph, but a dedication to improving the country. In light of the fact that a Democratic majority had engulfed the legislative and executive branch of national government, Wilson believed that the country was in need of improving its morals and disposition. He believed that the industrialization of the country had become so common place that the problems that came along with it were being ignored. The new president preached that we had become to mundane in our routines and too consertavitely traditional, the country needed moderation and liberal action. Therefore, in his presidency, the Federal Trade Commission Act was passed as well as other actions that helped to support smaller businesses over large monopolies. Wilson stressed the conservation of nature as being our main source of the development that we now enjoyed, however he also stessed changes in the way that big business was run. Wilson saw the country as entirely too traditional. He sought to change the way the country worked by revolutionizing the restrictions and codes that big businesses would have to live up too. He believed that this Democratic Majority was a cry from the nation to improve the nation. (Above, Wilson during his inaugural address)

The Dawes Act: An Act of Assimilation

The Dawes Act was imposed on Indian tribes in the United States.

It was designed in order to encourage Native Americans to assimilate into "proper" American culture. The expansion westward was forcing Indian tribes into smaller and smaller tracts of land and the government decided it was time to end the process of shoving Indians farther into unwanted territory. Therefore, a system of land division was devised. Each head-of-household in a native family received 160 acres of land, and each single individual or orphan received 80 acres. Minor children received 40 acres and the inheritance of their parents land upon their deaths. This system was designed to keep Indians in one place, they would build stationary homes, plant crops or find jobs in industry, and would live the life of normal Americans. In this way and others the government planned to obliterate Indian culture without actually obliterating Indians themselves. The Dawes Act served as a device to destroy culture and replace it with a more suitable American alternative. Indians no longer migrated, following disappearing game, and the ownership of land by an individual split the sense of community. Being that the nearest neighbor's plot of land was 160 acres from their own, Indians lost their sense of unity and were forced into American ways of life. (an Indian child in tradition celebratory dress, left; two Indian children in the late 1800s dressed to attend "white" school, right)

Lincoln vs. Lincoln

In both of Lincoln’s inaugural addresses he is mainly speaking of the dilemma the country was in. In his first address he is hoping that through compromise the country can mend the rift between the north and the south. However, shortly after this speech was delivered, the south succeeded from the Union, effectively widening the rift beyond repair. Lincoln’s original warning about conflict between the two parts of the nation was that it would lead to Civil War. By the second inaugural address Civil War was no longer a fear, instead it was a reality. The second address no longer spoke of mending a rift with compromise; it spoke of bringing the south back under control through force. The north must continue fighting the rebels and secure the Union. This is not to say that Lincoln truly wished to punish the south, he wanted the Union to be whole again at any cost. Therefore, at the close of the war, he proposed a 10% Plan. This plan would readmit states under the most lenient of terms and was rejected by Congress. It is clear that in both addresses Lincoln wished to unify the country he had been elected to govern, and in both cases, the rebellious South was standing in his way of doing so.
(left, Lincoln during first term; right, Lincoln during second term)

Who Has the Power?

The president of the United States has a responsibility to the country and all of its citizens to make the best decisions for the country as a whole. The Civil War was fought in order to preserve the Union, therefore, it is only fitting that the President do all that is in his power to preserve the Union after the fighting ends. However, it is not the President’s responsibility to personally see that the South is reconstructed. Congress is made up of politicians from every state, representing their state in national affairs, it is much more plausible that Congress be given the power reconstruct the Southern states. This monumental task of re-admittance into the Union depended greatly on what each state was willing to make as a statement of goodwill towards the Union and all of mankind. Therefore, each state should be required to pledge an oath of loyalty to the Union. It is the idea that states have the power to overthrow or succeed from the Union that caused the Civil War in the first place. By insuring that these states were now fully dedicated to the Union, it could be said the states’ rights issues could be put to rest. In making these rebellious states into productive Union members, certain assurances would have to be made. The country, and black citizens particularly, would be uneasy about the South being led by Confederate officials and officers. For that reason it is only reasonable to ban the participation of Confederates in politics while the South is being rebuilt. When the states are once again secure members of the Union it would be possible for a Confederate to hold office and not be considered a threat to liberty. The best way to protect the rights of blacks would be to censor the power of the states in their own affairs. This could be done through a trial period for re-admittance into the Union. Each state would have to meet certain requirements and demonstrate their loyalty and equality in order to have a ruling passed on their ability to function as a Union state. A plausible way to insure that a Southern state was operating in full accordance with Union policy and belief in equality for freed slaves would be to have a task force for each state. Mayors and city officials would have to report to county or district officials, who in turn would report progress with state officials, these reports would be made to the governor, a Southern governor would need to prove that the state was functioning as it should to a panel of congressmen. Five congressmen would be appointed at a panel to each state. These congressmen would be selected at a ratio of 3:2, from the north and southern states respectively, the panel would present their evaluation of a state’s performance to Congress, with their suggestion for re-admittance. A ruling would be made and a report would be submitted to the president about this ruling. In this manor southern states would be admitted back into the Union, while providing that all citizens are treated equally, Confederates are not in power, and reconstruction is successful.

Goodbye Mr. President: Washington's Farewell Address

Washington's goodbye to America as her president was quite unique. This letter to the people was published all across America, and it stated the concerns of the first president for the country's wellbeing. The address did not focus around the unity and structure that Washington's cabinet had brought to America. Washington did not try to sell himself as being the perfect president nor try to claim that he had built a utopia. Instead, Washington gave Americans three problems that the country was facing in 1796. He warned Americans about the dangers that faced the young nation he had helped to build.
Washington's major concern was that America was being divided amongst it's self. Faction's had led to two parties: the Federalists and the Democratic Republicans. It was Washington's biggest fear that these two parties would tear the nation apart and so he advised Americans to united under one party once again in hopes to preserve the republic.
The second concern was dependent on actions taken halfway around the globe. Americans were not only split by two parties, but by two sides of a war taking place between France and Great Britain. Federalists wished to support the British, where are the Republican party wished to honor the treaty made between France and the U.S. by supporting the French. Once again Washington cautioned his fellow Americans that by choosing sides in the war, America could be dragged into the conflict.
Thirdly, Washington proposed the foundation for "preserving political prosperity" for the young nation. The president stated that there would be no morality amongst Americans without religious oaths and loyalties. Without religious obligation no man may have a common morality with his countrymen and the country will not be united and will not withstand. "And let us with caution indulge the supposition, that morality can be maintained without religion." George Washington. (pictured Washington left, being advised by Hamilton, right on his Farwell Address)

Federalist Paper #51

The purpose of the 51st Federalist Paper was to explain the election of officials under a new constitution. It explains the election of officials as being by the people. The only time in which government officials will elect officials will be in deciding the members of the judicial branch. The reasoning for this is that Judicial members must be extremely well qualified and would be best chosen by their peers in government. The branches of government will have checks on each other but the branch with the most power is the legislative branch. Therefore it is necessary to split this branch into two groups to more equally divide the power within it.
(pictured is James Madison, author of Federalist Paper 51)

Federalist Paper #10

In the 10th Federalist Paper, the argument is being made that the United States should be treated as a large republic in order to be successful. Factions are believed to be the biggest threat to the union. However the only way to control these factions would be to squash the right of every citizen to liberty and to force common ideas, beliefs, and opinions onto every citizen. With a republic it would be possible to control these factions. With a large number of national delegates one faction would not be able to use the assembly for its personal agenda. No delegate would be pressured by another.

The Quakers were not god fearing people, they were god loving people. Their beliefs were fundamentally at odds with those of their puritan neighbors. The puritans were persecuted in England and believed that they would find freedom in America. However, the puritans were not willing to be contradicted in their beliefs and were therefore violent and hostile towards the “backwards” beliefs of the Circle of Friends. The Quakers believed in inward light and that god had faith in each of them and their abilities to do good things. Quakers were also known for equal rights for women and for eliminating the importance of the puritan “chosen few” aka the clergy. Thus the Quakers were seen as quacks and persecuted for their way of life. (upper right, a quaker being released from puritan prison)