Tuesday, April 19, 2011
The Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions

Both of these resolutions had a theory behind them. The concept was that the thirteen sovereign states, in creating a federal government, had signed a compact regarding its jurisdiction. Jefferson's Kentucky resolution concluded that the fed. gov't had crossed the line and nullification of the Alien and Sedition Acts was neccessary.
However, other state legislatures did not accept Jefferson's resolution saying that the people had made the orignal compact and that it was up to the Supreme Court to "nullify unconstitutional legislation passed by Congress".
Friday, March 11, 2011
The Aftermath of War
This act encouraged private consolidation of the railroads and pledged the Interstate Commerce Commission to guarantee their profitability. Congress wanted to save the railroads for people's use.
18. What was the Merchant Act of 1920?
Authorized the Shipping Board, which controlled about fifteen hundred vessels, to dispose of much of the hastily built was-time fleet at "bargain-basement prices".
19. What strategies were used to break strikes in 1919 and 1922? What happened to union membership in this era?
Strategies to break strikes included exploiting ethnic and racial divisions among the steelworkers and partly by branding strikers as dangerous "reds". Other strategies included the Attorney General Daugherty clamping on the strikers one of the most sweeping injunctions in American history. Unions were hurt in this political environment and membership shriveled by nearly 30 percent between 1920 and 1930.
Attorney General Daugherty
20. What new bureau was created in 1921 and represents one of the few benefits enjoyed by a non-business group in this era?
Congress created the Veterans Bureau which was authorized to operate hospitals and provide vocational rehabilitation for the disabled.
21. What organization was founded in Paris in 1919 by Theodore Roosevelt, Jr.? Why did it meet, and with what positions did it become associated?
The American Legion was founded in Paris in 1919 and it met to renew old hardships and let off steam in good-natured horseplay. The legion became a popular lobbyist for veteran's benefits.
22. What was the adjusted compensation that the legion lobbied for on behalf of vets? What did they eventually get in 1924? How much did it cost?
The adjusted compensation was to make up for the wages the servicemen had lost when they turned in their factory overalls for military uniforms during the Great War. In 1924 they got the Adjusted Compensation Act that gave every former soldier a paid up insurance policy due in 20 years that added about $3.5 billion to the total cost of the war.
Now....for the bonus round.....Jacquline Pedroso.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Advent of the Gasoline Age
Social by-products of cars were visible as well. These include autobuses making possible the consolidaiton of schools and to some churches as well. While America became a nation of commuters, the suburbs were spreading out away from the "urban core".
1917 Ford Model T Touring Car
Henry Ford
Motor accidents began to take its toll on human life by 1951 when the one millionth American was killed in an accident. Motor vehicles also provided a room on wheels for the “sprung” male teens and females who could get “rrough” in the back seat. Also, automobiles caused pollution, but were considered better for the environment than horses. Besides this, the automobile provided more excitement and better convenience than any other invention.
1920's car accident
Now, Jacobs blog
Monday, March 7, 2011
Study Guide Questions
25. What made it so hard to mobilize the American economy for war? What did Wilson finally do in 1918?
There were many obstacles that confronted economic mobilization. Sheer ignorance was the biggest roadblock. No one really knew the country's potential and what the country was capable either. Fears of big government and a mixture of "old ideas" strained efforts to run the economy from Washington. In March 1918 Wilson appointed the stock speculator Bernard Baruch to head the War Industries Board.
Bernard Baruch
"WORKERS IN WARTIME"
26. What was the war department's work or flight rule?
The "Work or Fight" rule of 1918 threatened any unemployed male with being immediately drafted.
27. What did the National War Labor Board do?
The National War Labor Board exerted itself to head off labor disputes that might hamper the war effort. The board stopped short of supporting labor's most important demand: a government guarantee of the right to organize into unions.
National War Labor Board
28. How about the IWW's? What was the justification for their activites?
IWW's or Wobblies engineered some of the most damaging industrial sabotage. They were victims of some of the shabbiest working conditions in the country. When they protested, they were beaten up and run out of town.
29. How was labor's support for the war rewarded?
At the war's end, The AF of L had more doubled imembership, and in the most heavily unionized sectors-coal mining, manufacturing, and transportation-real wages had risen more than 20 percent over prewar levels is how the labor's support for war had been rewarded.
30.What grievous setback did labor suffer in 1919?
In 1919, the greatest strike in American history occurred. Quarter of a million steelworkers left their jobs in a bid to force their employers to recognize their right to organize and bargain collectively. The companies brought in 30,000 African Americans to work and this caused bitter confrontations and the steel strike collapsed. This crippled the union movement.
Steel Strike of 1919
31. What triggered interracial tension and violence in northern cities? Wh
at happened in Chicago for 2 weeks in July, 1919?
The face that blacks were suddenly appearing in once all-white areas sparked interracial violence. A reign of terror descended on Chicago for two weeks which included the black and white gangs roaming the city causing ruckus. However, this rrroughness got out of hand and 15 whites and 23 blacks were killed.
Now, Evans blog....
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
#8: Progressive Era Foreign Policy Acts
#7:Progressive Era Conservation/Land Use Acts
- under which federal government sold arid land cheaply on the condition that the purchaser would irrigate the soil within 3 years

- authorized president to reserve lands as national parks/forests
- 46 million acres saved by this act
Carey Act 1894
- distributed federal land to states on condition that it would be irrigated and settled
- Washington authorized to collect money from sale of public lands in western states and then used funds for development of irrigation projects
#6: New Federal Agencies
- Dept of Labor Division
- boosts women to national stage as well
Federal Trade Commission 1914
- empowered presidential appointed commission to turn a light on industries engaged in interstate commerce
Federal Reserve Act 1913
- red letter achievement
- carried American financially through financial crises including WWI
Federal Farm Loan Act 1916
- made credit available to farmers at low rates of interest
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
#4:Protecting Workers
- decent treatment and living wage on American merchant ships
- crippled American merchant marine by crews wages increasing
Worker's Compensation Act 1915
- granted assistance to federal civil-service employees during periods of disability
#3:Anti-Trust
- deemed business practices objectionable including price discrimination and interlocking directorates

Clayton Anti-Trust Act 1914
- lenghthened the business practices deemed objectionable by Sherman Act
- sought to exempt labor and agricultural organization from antitrust prosecution while making legal strikes and "peaceful" picketing
#2:Food Safety
- decreed that the prep of meat shipped over state lines would be subject to federal inspection
- smaller businesses were supposed to fail while larger businesses would prosper
Pure Food and Drug Act 1906
- designed to prevent the adulteration and mislabeling of foods and pharamaceuticals
#1:Railroads
- stated that fines could put imposed on railroads that gave rebates and shippers that accepted them
Hephburn Act 1916
- severely restricited free passes.
- Interstate Commerce expanded and its authority resided over express companies, sleeping-car companies, and pipelines.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Essay Test Question: The Great Awakening
The Great Awakening started in Northampton, MA by the great preacher, Johnathan Edwards. He would preach with the thought that everyone was a God's mercy and that sinners were to die eternally in hell. Contrasting to Johnathan Edwards was George Whitefield who took up a different style of preaching. He preached about heaven, the need for the conversion and to be saved. Whitefield would have thousands of people weeping at his sermons and many people converted spiritually. These were the men the greatly ignited the Great Awakening.
The Great Awakening, in my opinion, contributed in a big way to the idea of separation of church and state. First, people were tired of the government having control over what people believe, who they should worship, and what religious denomination they belong to. The Great Awakening was a period of time where religion was everything and government came in second. People were starting to have different ideas about religion and in this process, the separation of church and state was blown out of proportion. Just think, people had these inspirational preachers who preached about the importance of good works and converting spiritually. Do you think that these people wanted government(of all things) interfering with their worship. This is evident in clergymen not being able to hold political office. If religion cannot interfere with government, then government cannot interfere with religion. The people knew this when they worshiped and if the government tried to make them become part of a certain religion, what do you think the people will be thinking...That the government should not have any control of which religion they belong to, because people pick their religion, religion does not pick them.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Track 15- We Didn't Start the Fire/ Billy Joel
This song is really a list including people and events that happened during Billy Joel's lifetime. Harry Truman was president the year Billy Joel was born, 1945. Harry Truman is the first word in the song. The singer sings the song in a historical perspective while building up to present day. I believe this is a story that happened in Billy Joel's life. I personally enjoy listening to this song because it is rock n roll and it has a catchy beat. This song also has a quick tempo and I like that in a song. This song helps us know that the United States has been through many hard time since WWII.
Track 14- The Hands That Built America
This song is about how different races of people help build America. It talks about building buildings and it also talks about 9/11 in the last verse: "There's a cloud on the New York skyline
Innocence dragged across a yellow line". This song has a very strong meaning to it and I believe it was written after the events happened therefore giving us a historical perspective of the United States. This song helps a person understand that America was not only built by Europeans but a whole list of races. I thought this song was ok and I think it could have been less slow.
Track 13- The Times They Are A-Changin/ Bob Dylan
This song is about how things like government are changing. If you cannot help with anything then do not get in the way. If you are old and frail and cannot offer any assistance and help, then don't bother trying. You will only be in the way. The young are ready to work and the old are too slow to help. The times are a changing. This is a classic country song and I like the words to the song but not the genre. This song helps us learn about the history of the US because the elders used to be respected and were the workhorses, but now the young are more capable of doing the work. The times they are a-changin'.
Track 12- Youngstown/ Seal
This song is about how the machines were changing the world in the 1800's. The singer tells us that the soot and clay from the chimneys of the houses and factories coated the sky. I believe that the songwriter is writing about the history of the United States maybe during Industrial Revolution. I do not entirely like this style of music but the words have a good bit of meaning to them. This song allows us to learn that since the 1800's till now, pollution is a major issue. The more a country industrializes, the more pollution there will be.
Track 11- A Change is Gonna Come/ Seal
This song is about a man who is struggling to live his hard life in a tent by a river. The song is very slow, but stresses the point that a change is gonna come. This is what the Pilgrims had to live like for their first couple of years. They knew it was going to be a hard life at first and there would be much suffering. However, they probably thought that there would be good times coming. I like the beat of this song and the singer is good so I guess I can say I like this song. It has a strong meaning.
Monday, July 26, 2010
Track 10- Strange Fruit (1939) Single Version/ Billie Holliday
I believe this song is about a bitter and strange fruit that no on likes and will soon rot away. It may be an African American that has been hanged or lynched because it mentions burning flesh. The tone of this song is very dark and in a minor key I believe. I did not particularly like this song because it was a little too strange for me. This song may show us that American history had its Dark Ages but I am not entirely sure that is what this song means.