LAD#10

1.  What did the issuing of the Monroe Doctrine express from an American perspective post War of 1812?
Answer: Post war of 1812 the United States wanted to be left out of European conflict. The one caveat being that if the freedom or liberty of the United States was threatened it would fight for those rights. The government of the United States had misgivings about the wisdom of getting involved in European affairs, believing that isolationism was the best policy for America.  

2.  What was Secretary of State Adams' hope when he wrote the Monroe Doctrine?
Answer: First, to keep the United States from becoming entangled in further European wars. Second, to be sure that friendly foreign relations were continued despite the lack of participation in Europe by the United States.

3.  What is the key phrase in the entire document that you need to remember as the cornerstone or American Foreign Policy?
Answer: " Our policy in regard to Europe...is not to interfere in the internal concerns of any of its powers". This in short means that the United States will remain neutral in all European affairs.

LAD#9

Thomas Jefferson First Inaugural Address, March 4, 1801

Thank you for electing me President.  The job is above my talents.  I hope the other folks in government will help me to steer the country in the right direction.

The election was rough, but I won per the rules of the Constitution.  The will of the majority rules, but the minority also possess their rights.  We need to unite as one ... we need political tolerance as well as religious tolerance.  We are all Republicans, we are all Federalists.  Our government is strong. Let us pursue our own Federal and Republican principles, our attachment to union and representative government.  Our rights are due to our actions, not our birth.

I believe in a frugal government that prevents men from injuring each other, but leaves them otherwise free to regulate their own pursuits, and will not take from them the bread they have earned.  

I believe in equal justice to all, peace, commerce and friendship with all nations, entangling alliances with no nation, support of State governments and their rights, the right of election by the people, acquiescence to the majority, a well disciplined militia, the supremacy of civil over military authority, honest payment of our debts, encouragement of agriculture and commerce, freedom of religion, freedom of the press, protection of the individual under habeas corpus, and trial by impartial jury.  

I will often make mistakes.  When right, I will be thought wrong by others.  I ask for indulgence for my errors.  May God lead our councils to what is best.

Columbus Blog

Christopher Columbus should be considered a villain, certainly not a hero.  The dictionary definition of a hero is 'a person who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities’. Columbus sailed west in order to reach Asia, where the riches of gold, pearls and spice awaited.  There was nothing noble about his goal - he was trying to find a shorter route to get to wealth … the motive was purely profit.  He actually failed in his goal … he landed in the Americas, not Asia.

Once in the Americas, his thoughts and actions were truly horrible.  As described in ‘A Peoples History of the United States’ by Howard Zinn, upon arriving in America Columbus wrote ’They would make fine servants … With fifty men we could subjugate them all and make them do whatever we want’.  Then, after being sent more ships and men, he searched for but did not find gold, so he rounded up the natives and sent five hundred back to Spain to be sold as slaves.  Columbus became so desperate to find gold (that was not actually there) that he forced the natives to collect gold, and cut off the hands of those that did not collect the required amount.

The horrible abuses of the natives by Columbus continued.  Therefore, Columbus was clearly a riches-seeking villain, certainly not the hero that the United States celebrates.