LAD #10

Monroe declared that the European nations are basically banned from the western hemisphere. He said that us Americans do have good relations with others in Europe and we have not taken place in any European War because we wish to stay out of it. He then says that we would only make such a declaration if we were pushed to do it and if it was an act of pure defense. He used the fight between Spain and Portugal to prove the unsettled situation in Europe and to further say that a foreign country interposing in American business will not be accepted. He said, "It is impossible that the allied powers should extend theuir political system to any portion of either continent without endangering our peace and happiness. This doctrine overall warned European nations that both south and North America were off limits and that America is now becoming a powerhouse and will use strong force to terminate a nation if they come in the western hemisphere.

LAD #9

Thomas Jefferson's first innaugural address was, according to The American Pageant, a classic statement of democratic purposes. The Primamry objective of the speech made apparent in the beggining was that Jefferson believed the power of government should be with the people. Referring to the constitution, he encourages people to band together for the common good. He also states how the majority is needed in all cases to prevail. Later on in the speech he tells people his only principles that he believes in are essential in being a united body and will lead to peace, safety, and liberty. These including "equal and exact justice to all men", preservation of one government and among others safety abroad and peaceful relations with other nations.

Jefferson concludes his speech by saying that he can and will do a great job while in office, and that he is qualified for this position because of his position that he held prior to this one. His final words include that he will step down once people have had enough of him.

Columbus Blog #8

Christopher Columbus was indeed a great sailer who skillfully acquired funds and motivation for a journey to the new world. However, he was also an inhumane conqueror who brutally enslaved indians and caused the deaths of over half a million indians. Due to these acts I believe that he was both a great explorer and a greedy, inhumane murderer, however he was an inhumane murderer to a greater extent.

An act of untrustworthyness and greed occured when a reward of 10,000 marvellos would be awawrded to the first person to see land. A crew member named Rodrigo saw land first but columbus assuaded this and took the reward for himself. After he actually landed on this land the first thing he saw were Indians, kind and excited, running to meet him. And the first thing he thought was how good of slaves they would make. This continued not only on Hispaniola but on other Caribbean islands where he ensalved the general population and created an epidemic of sickness, violence, and slavery.

This was all driven by his greed and desire for gold. His homeland desired a certain quota of gold to be met and so he recquired the Indians to look for gold. If they didn't meet their quota, which they often did not, he cut off their hands and let them bleed. Also if Colombus didn't get the recquired amount of gold, then he would enslave the Indians in order to make up for it. If Indians didn't give him a certain amount of bows and arrows that he wanted he would stab them and let them bleed to death.

This genocide continued throughout numerous islands like Cuba, with the complete decimation of the Native Races. Numbers widely range of the amount of Natives he killed from 250,000 to 8 million! Even the smallest possible figures still portray a mass genocide that would appal almost all people if they knew the truth about the "great" Christopher Colombus. Therefore due to his greed, bloodlust, and lack of ethics I believe that columbus was more "evil" than a "hero".