Lincoln

Lincoln

By Adam Tyler

Lincoln facing the issue of slavery

1. Lincoln was uncompromising as he refused to do anything about the Civil War until the 13th Amendment was signed, which would free all slaves, and then he would see if the war still continued or not from the Emancipation Proclamation. Thaddeus Stevens was uncompromising as he worried that Lincoln would turn his back on the Emancipation Proclamation and was stubborn in trying to convince others that blacks have just as much rights as whites. In the debate, Stevens eventually agreed that the amendment only represents legal equality and is not a declaration of actual equality, siding with Lincoln. However, Stevens still thought that the Emancipation Proclamation would stand after the war, while Lincoln didn't. Also, Stevens thought that Lincoln should have proposed to allow black people the right to vote (and make a better speech), but Lincoln just wanted to free them.

2. Lincoln's perspective revealed that he thought slavery was not good near the beginning of the film and he becomes more determined to end it at the middle to the end of the movie when he tries to get the House of Representatives to sign the 13th Amendment, similar to his letters stating that he originally just disapproved of slavery, but soon became more and more determined to end it. He even eventually yells at the Radical Republicans when they doubt the 13th Amendment will be passed, proving how far he will go to try to pass the amendment.

3. Lincoln believed that the 13th Amendment was essential since it would give more rights to people overall if slaves were freed, as he discussed with the Radical Republicans, as more people could make a difference in ending the Civil War and making peace with the Confederates. This was eventually accomplished at the end of the film when the Confederate leader takes his hat off to them and then left with his fellow Confederates on their horses.

4. The North was against slavery and for racial equality but felt that they wouldn't have enough support to make the 13th Amendment and end the war with the South, so some found it too risky to take action, as many argued with Lincoln that he wouldn't be able to do it (especially the Radical Republicans). The South was for slavery and against racial equality, so they wouldn't be too happy if the 13th Amendment was passed and most likely wouldn't stop the Civil War if they refused to the document, but they didn't want to keep fighting. It seemed like no peace would come out of this as they wanted completely opposite things, until they made an agreement at Appomattox Courthouse where it seemed The North got the better deal and freed all slaves.

5. People resisted the end of slavery as they feared this would lead to equality between everyone, and some people liked the power they had, so they didn't want someone "stealing" their power. The film actually depicted this as a matter of concern for power, as the Republicans and Democrats were fighting over it in the debate. However, the 13th Amendment was finally passed and slaves were freed, leading to more equality.

Five Letters

Five Letters

By Adam Tyler

The common theme in these letters is that they were written by Union soldiers, either privates or sergeants, discussing the attacks and battles from the Confederacy.

Private Isaac Oliver:

A Union Letter

This letter was written on October 12, 1862 to Oliver's friend I B Ikeler. Oliver was a private in Company F, 149th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry (2nd Bucktails). In the letter, Oliver discusses on how he has had to adapt to his new surroundings and be thankful for what he has got.

Camp Mcneal  Meredian Hill
October the 12.1862

    I take my pen in hand to inform you that I am well at present and hope that those few line may find you enjoying the same blessing. I started at soldiering beter than two months ago. I inlisted in a company called Co. F 149 Reg. P.B.V.  We are now in a camp called camp McNeal on Meridian hill near the sity of Washington. We are not near all the time in camp. We are the most of the time out to guard hospittle at town and other places part of the regiment has moved there tents to town, I expect that hour company will move before this weak is out, but I do not no for sure; it has bin warm and dry ever since we have bin down here until last fri night about 1 o’clock, it comenced raining and poured it down untill about four. I had to go on guard at four so I got shet of standing in the rain for that night since that night it has fellt like husking corn it is raining this after noon. 

    I am in my tent my seat is a knapsack, my deck is a portfolio this is as good a seat as I ever git. Without it is a chore. It is said that he that is born of Woman  and inlisteth in the 149 Reg Co. F, his days are few and short of rations. He cometh forth tato and retireth at rollcall much soldiering hath made him sharp, yea, even so that the sete of his britches is in danger of being cut through. They are all honest, they take nothing that they cannot reach they capture the most butifull prize packages of paper and walk off rejoicing. 

    The boys are all brothers and work to each others honor. They as grate set of fellows for fun and have all the furnishings able for what one dont know another do and so they have some thing a going all the time. So the time goes I can’t tell whare if it gets wet and mayby it won’t be quite so nice as it has bin since we have bin down here. No more at present. I send my Respects to all inquiring friends. Tell all that inquires after me that I want them to write to and I will answer those leters as soon as I can write and tell me who is there and who has went to war. I want you to write and answer this as soon as you get it and oblige yours, 

Isaac Oliver To I B Ikeler

Direct your letter to

Co F 149 R.P.BV

Camp Mcneal

Washington D.C

in care of

Captain ES Osborne

Sergeant John T. Greer:

A Union Letter

This letter was written to Greer's sister, on April 8, 1862. Greer entered the service as the 7th Corporal of Company G, 4th West Virginia Volunteer Infantry. His letter is in Ceredo, West Virginia, which was just Virginia at the time. In the letter, Greer discusses how he wants to go home and hopes that he can eventually.

Ceredo, Virginia 

April 8th, 1862

Dear Sister,

I take my pen in hand to in form you that I am well at present hoping that these few lines may find you all well and enjoying good health. We are all well at present and still here at Ceredo. I received your letters that you sent by Ephram and was glad to here that you was all well. I expected to have been home before this time but things has turned out so that I could not come but I think I will get to come now before long. I cant tell when we will leave here but I expect we will leave be fore long but I think I will get to come home first. The is some of our boys gone home now and I want to try and get a furlow as sune as they get back. Ephram brought me a piese of the wedding cake bak and I thought that it eat very well but the shugar suited my taste the best but the both suited my tast very well. I dont believe if it was not for som one a pasing by once and a while that I would never get a letter from home for I have never got but one letter that come by male yet. I suppose that Sam Love is above a common man or else he would wright once and a while to me. I have rote two or three letters to him and I dont intend to wright any more to him for I dont care for no one that dont care for me for I am jis as independent as any one. I have rote two or three letters to the Rebbs out in Jackson and the never rote any answers so let them git while they are yong and full of secesh let them go the will find out somday which way the money goes it goes the word. So nothing more at present but wright sune, John T Greer

Head Quarters 

Ceredo, VA

John T Greer of

Company G, 4th Va

Foot Volunteers

When this you sea

Remember me

John T. Greer of Mason

County Virginia, 1862

James Powers:

A Union Letter

This letter was written by Private James Powers to his sister, on December 23rd, 1861. Powers was a member of Company D, 5th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry. The letter discusses Powers in the line of war. I think the battle he refers to in the letter is the Battle of Dranesville, Virginia, which took place on December 20, 1861.

Camp Griffon, VA

Dec. 23rd, 1861

Dear Sister Mary

    I take this opportunity of writing these few lines to let you know that I am well and hope you and all the rest are the same. We are still at the same place and not doing much in the fighting line. A part of McCalls division next to us on our right had a Battle with the enemy last friday and the rebels were routed with severe loss. It was not our luck to be in the muss we were drawn up in line of Battle impatiently listening to the cannonading and waiting for our General who was at Washington he came back on full gallop but the fight was then over however he was highly pleased to see us out so ready and such good numbers we gave him three cheers and says he boys you turn out some when there is a prospect of a fight if you dont on drill says he I thought you were a whole Division. The fact is so much drilling is about played out and we play the old Soger(?) all ways to get rid of it.

    We ran out 3 or 4 miles yesterday expecting a fight but we came across no rebels the Majors Orderly saw fifteen rebel Cavalry thats generally our luck we go out cheering and in the best of spirits and come back cussing and swearing we have had very fine weather but to day it is pretty rough and a little snow falling no more at present but remain your Affectionate Brother

James Powers

write soon

 Sergeant Horace B. Morrison:

A Union Letter

This letter was written to Morrison's cousin, on November 3, 1863, during his regiment's involvement in the siege of Fort Sumter. Morrison entered the service as a private in Company D, 4th New Hampshire Volunteer Infantry and was discharged as a sergeant. The letter discusses Morrison's view of the war when his troupe is attacking.

Morris Island, S.C. 

4th Regt, Co D

Cousin Luther,

I am injoying good health and hope this will find you injoying the same. John Sanborn is in the hospital at Beaufort Hospital No 9. I have a letter from him every week he is a getting along first rate. They have promoted John to Corporal he dont know it yet. I am going to write to John to night I am going to direct it Corp. Sanborn he wont know what it means. They have commenced on Fort Sumter again. They have been bombarding it for five days and nights. I was on picket at Fort Gregg yesterday. They shot away the flag on Fort Sumter twice the first time they shot it away a Reb come up on top of the fort and begun to wave it and put the flag up in the afternoon they shot is away again. When the Reb come up to put it up away went our guns at him bang bang bang. I guess that fellow went to his long home. They havnt put up the flag yet. They will charge on it before many days. Fitzgerald has got his discharge and gone home perhaps you will hear about him before you get this. I dont think of anything more to write this time so I will close. 

From your cousin

H. B. Morrison 

William Henry Harrison Canter:

A Union Letter

This letter was written to Canter's mom. Canter enlisted in Company A, 30^th Ohio Volunteer Infantry in 1861. He was 6’2-1/2" tall, light hair, light complexion. He was a farmer from Maybees Corner, Jackson County, Ohio. The letter discusses Carter and his troupe becoming overwhelmed by the Confederates.

May 23, 1862 Roller, MD

Deer mother,

Ituk this time tunnite to informe you that iwas well and hope these fieu lines will finde you all well. We are in roller County. Yesteday we went 40 milse back to flat top mountain. If we would stade on the easte river twenty four ours longer we woode aseede Richmonde.

Three thousan come in behinde us and tha hapend to be too Companys of the Zouave was there and afieu Cavalry. Tha foute them half aday. The rebles had three thousande againste too hondarde. The too Zouave Companys charged on them and tuk won Cannon from them and tha saw that tha coodent holde the Canon and tha spiked the Cannon.

We come out in the evening and loude to surrounde them. Tha was six thousande rite behinde us. Tha was too meney for us and then tha was after our team of horses but the horses ran away acomen back to us.

Our Cournel he bet ahondard dollars that the wor woode stop in thirty days. I wish hit was over now for iam tierde astayen here in the sirvise.

Imuste stop ritin soon. Direct your leters to roller Md in care of Captain Hayse. He was our lieutenant but he is our Captain.

Tell all to rite to me.


This collection of letters by privates and sergeants of the Union represents what the war can do to people. In all the letters, there is evidence that war makes us closer to friends and family, even if they are not with you at the time. It is also illustrated in the letters that all these men wish to be back home, which makes us think we should be grateful we didn't have to be in a terrible war. How would you react if you had to adapt to the war? Would you choose to?

13th Amendment

13th Amendment

By Adam Tyler

Text

AMENDMENT XIII

Section 1.
Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.

Section 2.
Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

Passed by Congress January 31, 1865. Ratified December 6, 1865.

The 13th Amendment abolished slavery in the United States and was the first of three Reconstruction Amendments adopted in the five years following the American Civil War. The 13th Amendment was passed by Congress January 31, 1865 as an official end to slavery in the US. Although President Abraham Lincoln had issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, there were many problems with having it to ensure an end to slavery in the United States. The proclamation was made using Lincoln’s war powers and there was worry it could be seen as temporary. The proclamation also only freed slaves, it did not abolish slavery itself. It also applied only to the states that were in rebellion on January 1, 1863, but it didn't apply to slave-holding border states or to Confederate states already under Union control at the time.

Lincoln's Anti-Slavery Amendment

History of US Flag

History of America's Flag

Adam Tyler

Francis Hopkinson's Original Flag

1. I learned the flag officially originated on June 14, 1777 at the Pennsylvania State House in Philadelphia while discussing the Declaration of Independence.
2. I learned the flag has evolved as the design has changed 26 times. Some of the big changes was the Act of January 13, 1794 which provided for 15 stripes and 15 stars after May 1795, the Act of April 4, 1818 which provided for 13 stripes and one star for each state to be added to the flag on the 4th of July following the admission of each new state which was signed by President Monroe, the Executive Order of President Taft dated June 24, 1912 which established proportions of the flag and provided for arrangement of the stars in six horizontal rows of eight each which was a single point of each star to be upward, the Executive Order of President Eisenhower dated January 3, 1959 which provided for the arrangement of the stars in seven rows of seven stars each that staggered horizontally and vertically and the Executive Order of President Eisenhower dated August 21, 1959 which provided for the arrangement of the stars in nine rows of stars staggered horizontally and eleven rows of stars staggered vertically. None of these were permanent.

3. Some factors that have shaped the flag are, between 1777 and 1960 Congress passed several acts that changed the shape, design and arrangement of the flag and allowed stars and stripes to be added to reflect the admission of each new state. Today the flag consists of 13 horizontal stripes, seven red  with six white. The stripes represent the original 13 Colonies and the stars represent the 50 states of the Union. The colors of the flag are symbolic as well; red symbolizes hardiness, white symbolizes innocence, and blue represents justice.

4. The flag is a symbol as it stands for courage (red), liberty (white), and justice (blue), but doesn't seem to be as widespread as people think as many people think that the flag is a big fat lie and that it doesn't represent America as so many people are mistreated because of racism and terrorism. However, I and some people still think that the American Flag does represent those things due to how well we have it over other countries. Some of the flags' nicknames are the Continental Colors, The Grand Union Flag, Stars and Stripes, and Old Glory as they were made by the British who were in union. Popular music tells us that the flag is a symbol of courage in battle. From most music featuring the American Flag, such as Green Day's American Idiot, shows that the American Flag has represented a generation rocked by events such as the Iraq War.

5. I think that people respect and understand the flag as it represents how good their country is. They continue to upgrade the flag like how they continue to upgrade America itself until it reached a good place. They put their hand over their heart and stand up to look at the flag at Randolph School's football game while the band plays Star-Spangled Banner as football is an important event in America (to most people), while in other countries, people don't have American football. The flag represents how lucky we are to have so much and we respect it for that. Also, we burn the flag when it hits the ground, like burying someone who has just died.

6. I think that despite many people liking (or at least tolerating) the flag, some have found it to be a symbol of lies, that America is not great and is unfair. A football player named Colin Kaepernick actually took a knee during the Star-Spangled Banner and refused to put his hand over his heart, stating that people aren't treated well in America. Many people also think the same, that things haven't gotten much better since the flag was invented and that we are still hurtful and mean to people that are different from us (which isn't exactly false).

Sources:

History: Origin of the American Flag=how the American Flag was made according to history and some of its nicknames
USA Flag Site: History of American Flag=how the American Flag was upgraded throughout history and changed
Wikipedia: Frank Hopkinson's Original Flag is up above

Introduction to America's History

Introduction to America's History

Adam Tyler

Governor Morris

1. The 3/5ths Compromise takes place in Chapter 6 part 3 and page 192 to 193.
2. It can be found under the heading Making War and Republican Governments, 1776 and 1789. It can be found under The Constitution of 1787 under the sub-section The Philadelphia Convention under the sub-sub heading Negotiations over Slavery.
3. It talks about the negotiations over slavery which is part of the Philadelphia Convention.
4. I learned from the passage that Governor Morris convinced other northerners to protest against slavery.
5. Annotated it.
6. America's History
7. Up above.
8. Today's work was about getting to use the book America's History, by finding more about our timeline event inside of it, like where in the book it is located specifically.