LAD#37- Brown v. Board of Education

Brown v. Board of Education

Linda Brown, an African American elementary student, had to walk to school many miles away even though there was a school just several blocks from her house. When her father tried to enroll Linda in the local white elementary school, she wad not admitted. Mr. Brown then decided to talk to the local NAACP to try to see what they could do to challenge this rule. When the board of education of Topeka was challenged, they said that the segregated schools were helping prepare black children from their inferiority to whites once they reached adulthood. This case was appealed all the way to the Supreme Court. Here it was decided that the "separate but equal" clause that was decided in the Plessy v. Ferguson case, is not equal at all and has no place in schools. This case is known for overriding the decision in the Plessy v. Ferguson case and leading to the desegregation of schools.

LAD#36- Truman Doctrine

Truman Doctrine March 12, 1947

One aspect of the situation that President Truman is dealing with, involves Greece and Turkey. The government of Greece has asked the United States for economic assistance. This is assistance is extremely important for Greece to survive as a free nation. Greece does not have many natural resources so they have had to work extremely hard to make ends meet. In the years during and following WWII, Greece faced many invasions. Germany came in and destroyed roads and railways, and brought illness to both people and livestock. Even after the Germany take over, Greece is still threatened by Communists. Turkey is also in a difficult situation that requires aid from other nations. The United States must take a leading role in the formation of the United Nations due to its victorious position in WWII.I believe that it must be the policy of the United States to support free peoples who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pressures. President Truman felt that it was important to help out all nations during times of need, "I believe that we must assist free peoples to work out their own destinies in their own way. I believe that our help should be primarily through economic and financial aid which is essential to economic stability and orderly political processes." If the United States does not help Greece and Turkey, it will not only effect those nations but the whole world.The free peoples of the world look to us for support in maintaining their freedoms. "If we falter in our leadership, we may endanger the peace of the world -- and we shall surely endanger the welfare of our own nation. Great responsibilities have been placed upon us by the swift movement of events."

LAD#35: Executive Order #9066

Executive Order #9066:

In Executive Order #9066, FDR designated military camps for the internment of Japanese-Americans. These camps will provide the people with food, shelter, transportation, land, and other supplies and services necessary to live. Roosevelt backs up this order by saying that it is being enacted in hopes to prevent any espionage, or acts of sabotage. Japanese-Americans were banned from the coast and moved inland to Arizona, Oregon, and Washington.

LAD#34- FDR's Declaration of War

FDR's Declaration of War

To start off his Declaration of War, FDR coins his famous term about December 7, 1941, "A date which will live in infamy." The attack on Pearl Harbor was a great shock to the United States due to the fact that America was at peace with Japan. What makes the attack even more shocking is that an hour after the attack started the a Japanese ambassador met with the United States Secretary of State to respond to a message. It was made clear that this attack was planned far in advance. Japan gave the United States a false sense of hope and peace. Japan has attacked other islands in the pacific following the attack on Pearl Harbor. By entering the war, FDR hopes that the United States can prevent this type of attack from ever happening again on American soil.

LAD#33- FDR's First Inaugural Address

Franklin Delano Roosevelt's First Inaugural Address- March 3, 1933

Entering the presidency four years into the Great Depression, FDR needed to have a speech that would comfort the country and give citizens hope for the future. And he did just that in his First Inaugural Address. He started off by coining his famous phrase, "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself."He proceeds to ask for the nation's support as he enters the presidency, claiming that the only way that he'll be successful in leading the country is if his country believes in him. He then addresses the terrible state that the United States is in; high unemployment, high taxes, and little money. I liked his quote, "Only a foolish optimist can deny the dark realities of the moment." This quote shows that he doesn't want to tell them that everything is okay, because it isn't, but he is able to tell them about his ideas on how he thinks we can get out of this desperate time. He does remind people that our country has an awful lot to be thankful for because of what our forefathers fought for. FDR does a good job of looking forward towards the future and trying to encourage a distraught nation to hold on, while still acknowledging the hardships of the time. He reminds us that each individual can learn from this terrible time, as can the government.

LAD#32- Kellog-Briand Pact

Kellog-Briand Pact 1928

The Kellog-Briand Pact was a renunciation of war in response to controversies, as a means of peace between the United States and other world powers.The world powers that signed the treaty were Germany, Belgium, France, Great Britain, Canada, Austria, New Zealand, South Africa, Ireland, Italy, Japan, India, Poland, and Czechoslovakia. It also decided that all issues that arise should never be sought unless by pacific means. In the third and final article, it was determined that the treaty would be ratified by all of the nations that signed it, and it would remain open for other nations to join.

LAD#31- Wilson's 14 Points

Woodrow Wilson's 14 Points January 8, 1918

In Woodrow Wilson's 14 Points, he starts out by discussing Russia's plan for a peace agreement from the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk. He then continues by saying that the main cause of WWI and the people that should be punished for the war are Germany and her allies. The United States has different views on how the countries involved in WWI should come to a peace agreement. Wilson's first point is that there should always be diplomacy between world powers. He then pleas for freedom of the seas in times of peace and war. He asks for the removal of all economic barriers and the establishment of equal and fair trade between all nations. He asks for a free and impartial adjustment of all the imperialist claims. He demands the evacuation of all Russian, French and Belgian territory. For land, he continues by requesting a readjustment of the frontiers of Italy. He asks for freedom for the people of Austria-Hungary. He wants Rumania, Serbia, and Montenegro to be evacuated and that all occupied territories be restored. He asks that Turkey and Poland have their own independence and sovereignty. His most famous and final point is his request for an association, or League of Nations to promote mutual guarantees of political independence and territorial rights to all countries, not just the world powers.