LAD #26: MLK's 'I Have a Dream' Speech

Martin Luther King Jr. said a quote where he wanted his children and family to live in harmony with white kids. This was perhaps one of the most famous parts from Martin Luther King Junior's speech evokes emotion and passion that no one can deny. It is embedded within a series of statements starting with "I have a dream..." of which the premices include not solely equality for the slave but for the negroe and civil rights for all. He alludes too several "ancient" (if you will) American documents such as the Emancipation Proclamation and the Declaration of Independence. Although his actions may be dwarfed by these great acts of diplomacy, his outstanding moral tenacity and courage will be and is obviouslly remembered today.

LAD #24: Cross of Gold Speech

LAD #24: Bryan's Cross of Gold Speech
This speech was given by William Jennings Bryan on July 9th, 1896 at the Democratic National convention which is located in the bustling city of Chicago. He starts off by talking about the true value of the American worker- the importance of the workers, and the great country that America is and the rights that we have as citizens. He believes that to help the hurting economy, to have free coinage of silver,as there was a higher abundance of it compared to gold,and as it was hurting the farmers, as stated in the previous LAD, a key belief of the Populist Party and the Silver Democrats, who were pushing for free coinage of silver as well. Silver is worth 1/16th of gold and farmers could not use them- only wealthy men could use it. The important thing to do is what's for the major benefit of the people, and that the farmers were just as important as the big business people. Farmers could use this change in money value and pay off the debts they owed. He also believed in an income tax, believing it would be for the benefit of people. He ends the speech with a beautiful line that's very poetically written yet hits all the political marks "You shall not crucify a man upon a cross of gold."

LAD #23: Populists

This party came as a result from the Farmers Alliance in the late 19th century, around the 1870's, different from Democrats and Republicans. They were against the corrupted concentrated capital, and instead were believers in the common American man. They wanted to raise the quality of living in America by raising pay, as workers at the time were working under desolate conditions and no workers right/compensation at all. They were all for labor unions and they wholeheartedly supported workers rights- such as pensions for ex soldiers, no immigrant workers, and protection of job. They had many beliefs against the big corporations, all centered around the idea that they, the Populist Party, did not trust them. They believed that the companies were decreasing the value of silver to benefit from the value of gold, and believed in circulation of money, more money pumped into the economy, and for the government to keep an eye out on the railroad companies, along with owning the telephone companies. They basically wanted power back for the "plain people."

LAD 25 Dawes Act

The Dawes Act was to re-organize and redistribute reservation land into land for individual Indians, their own private property. 18 and above, including orphans, got 1/8 of a piece of land, while adults in charge of a family will get 1/4th- of which they could stay on or sell. The land is supposed to be used to produce crops or for animals to graze. Dawes Act also includes laws for the reservation- Indians can apply to become American citizens and work for the government. The land, if there is not enough, is divided by a class system and also by an agent, who would give out patents of ownerships. Indians who don't live on reservations can ask and apply for land. Once they've stayed on the land for five years, the land is forever theirs.This wasn't always true for Indians because if the government wanted that land back, they could take it back and just pay the Indians.

LAD 22 McKinley's war message

McKinley's main message was a plea to Congress asking them to try to bring an end to the ongoing conflict in Cuba. The warfare happening was similar to wars that have been fought in the past and he did not want the US to be blamed with the reprocussions. The warfare was similar to the many other revolutions against Spain that had occurred in Cuba and McKinley said this had come at a price in the United States. Trade suffered, U.S citizens' capital in Cuba was lost, and many were just growing tired of the unrest. After three years of neutrality, McKinley demanded Spain to cease all warfare. He stated that the only way to end the war was intervention as an impartial neutral, as an active ally, or by imposing a rational compromise. He laid out the grounds for such an intervention and concluded that the U.S would be justified in intervening. He furthered his argument by stating that the destruction of the Maine was proof that things in Cuba had gone too far. "In the name of humanity, in the name of civilization, in behalf of endangered American interests," McKinley asked for permission to fully end the conflict between Spain and Cuba and also to establish a secure government on the island. Despite McKinley's well-meant efforts however, war spirit resulted in Congress sending the United States into war on the Cubans' side. McKinley obviously would have disapproved of this decision.