Ava's AP American: Lad #18

The Supreme Court, in 1857, debated the Dred Scott v Sanford Decision. At the beginning of the case,  the majority wanted to avoid the citizenship of the black people and whether the Missouri Compromise was constitutional or unconstitutional. First, Taney the judge addressed the citizenship of blacks. He asked whether it was possible for someone who had previously been thought of as property to become a citizen of the United States. He stated that because Dred Scott was not an American citizen therefore he did not have the right to sue under the Constitution. Therefore, the case was unconstitutional. In response to the issue of the Missouri Compromise, Taney declared that the federal government did not have the power to work in these territories and deny the American citizens their property rights. He established the Missouri Compromise to be unconstitutional and stated that citizens could not have their property taken away because of their location of settlement. The ruling was that a slave is free depending on their state and because Missouri was a slave state, Dred Scott was not free. Therefore, Taney supported Sanford's decision.





Roe v. Wade is the 20th Century equivalent of Dred Scott v. Sanford. The Roe abortion rule is like slavery in that it de-humanizes and mistreats a whole class of humanity. As Dred Scott held that Blacks not persons entitled to constitutional protection, so Roe holds that unborn humans are not entitled to basic constitutional protection for their lives.  As the Court in Dred Scott said that Black slaves are merely the property of their owners, so Roe said that an unborn human being is merely property belonging to her pregnant mother – which the woman has the decision. 

Ava's AP American Blog: LAD #17

In Sojourner Truth's speech "Ain't I a Women" she addresses the unfair life style that she lives as a Black woman. She speaks of how she must work in the fields without any comfort and that her 13 children have been sold to slavery. She wishes to be educated regardless of what whites and men think of her incapabilities. She addresses the argument that women should have less rights because Jesus was a man by contradicting it with the fact that Jesus was brought into the world by a women. She says that racism and sexism are just about one and the same. She is different from white woman in only the regard of her color, and she is treated differently even then. She says the common gentleman is nothing but a hypocrite who won't help those who actually need it, and mentions that men would be nothing without women and their society wouldn't last a generation.


Second-wave feminism is a period of feminist activity and thought that first began in the early 1960s in the United States, and eventually spread throughout the Western world and beyond. This relates to Truth's speech because she began to advocate for women equality and in the 1960's women all around the world began to too.

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Ava's AP American Blog: LAD #16

In this speech Frederick Douglass talks about how he doesn't like slavery in the US.  He claims that the White Americans are able to celebrate on the 4th of July while others who live in the same country can not celebrate these freedoms because of they are slaves and black. He reminds everyone of the horrors of slavery and the lack of freedom they have. He states that slavery is the greatest sin in America. He wants equality among blacks in all aspects of life. He states it is corrupt to refuse giving the liberty, pay and they are mistreated by beating them, and denying them a voice in government. As an American slave he states the fourth of July means nothing to him and gives him nothing. He closes by saying that there is no nation in all of the world who implements such a cruel, corrupt, and unjust system as the united states.

 MLK JR.'s beliefs and peaceful protests relates to Douglass's speech because they both have seen the inequality black people face and both advocate for black rights.

Ava's AP American blog: LAD #15

 Lincoln’s famous Gettysburg Address focused on two main points after the battle of Gettysburg. One, it was to commemorate those who sacrificed their lives to help preserve the Union during the Civil War. Two, it was to stress the importance of the Civil War, and to give hope to anybody with doubts to keep fighting. He then talks of challenges and issues America has faced, is facing and will face in the future. He admires the courage of all who had died at Gettysburg but not specifically what they did was heroic but the ideas they fought for was there greatest accomplishment. He then says that these soldiers did not die in infamy and that they paid the greatest sacrifice anyone could ask of their country. Lastly he says that America comes together and comes to agreements that all men should be treated equal peace could be brought among the states.

 This is a scene from Remember the Titans a classic movie. This relates to the Gettysburg address because the coach highlights that everyman is equal and should be treated equal while showing them the land we fought against each other on while we should be really working with each other.

Ava's AP American blog: LAD #14

Lincoln addresses the nation's biggest problem in his Inaugural Address which is secession. He expresses his intentions to solve the problems that the rebellious states have with the nation and confirms the North's willingness to work with the South and maintain a friendly relationship. Lincoln confirmed to his country the solidarity of the nation and its indissolubility despite threats of secession. The President warned the South that he would not initiate any battles or violence with them, but would respond to any acts of violence or rebellion with military force. Also, he pleaded once more with Southerners to abandon their thoughts of secession. Lincoln announced to the country that if a civil war began, it would be the South that would have to initiate it, and he would "preserve, protect, and defend" the nation. Overall, Lincoln's primary goal is to keep the Union together. Lincoln states that he will use force if a state decides to secede from the Union, but that this can be averted through diplomacy.

 This relates to Lincolns 1st inaugural address because he wants to avoid succession and war within our country. Lincoln predicted the war that he hoped wouldn't come.