Homework Due Friday, Sept 28

Get those geography tests in! You will be assigned another for Monday.

Geography Take Home Test, Part One, Due Wednesday

Draw the following on a blank map. Be accurate!

Cities:

Cincinatti
Louisville
Cairo
Memphis
Vicksburg
Baton Rouge
New Orleans
Savannah
Nashville
Knoxville
Richmond
Montgomery
Atlanta
Columbia
Pittsburg
Boston
New York
Brooklyn
Philadelphia
Baltimore
Washington D.C.
Norfolk
Charleston
Mobile
Trenton

Why such mind boggling changes north and south?

We begin our exploration of the massive change in the U.S. between 1830 and 1860. Some argue that the tremendous differences between north and south made war inevitable. I do not believe that.

But combine tremendous increases in population, huge shifts in geography, and new technologies with incompetent political leadership and you have a big problem.

By the 1850's, the U.S. had a big, big problem.

First, however a review of Monday's class. Basically we discussed the conditions necessary for economic growth, capitalist style:

What did one need back then to get a factory underway?

LABOR: a large, cheap labor force. Both skilled and unskilled.

BUILDINGS, LAND, AND EQUIPMENT: the materials to build, the land to build on, land that is near labor, power, and supplies, and other factories and businesses to produce the supplies

POWER: Small rivers to power water wheels and coal to fire furnaces.

TRANSPORTATION: Roads, railroads, and canals to carry raw materials, replacement parts, and to ship finished goods out to other markets.

CAPITAL: investors to help raise money, banks to make and secure loans

RAW MATERIALS: iron, wood, cotton, hemp, etc

FOOD: Industrial workers do not raise their own. It has to be raised elsewhere.

Each of these elements build upon one another. How?

Dred Scott: Discussion

Please post intelligent comments regarding the following:

Was the Dred Scott decision racist? Or was it political? Explain what the difference may be to you.
Was it constitutional to support property rights over Black civil rights? If so, do you think the Constitution was racist at that time?

Review of class Monday Sept. 19th

We reviewed Dred Scott and discussed it as the Supreme Court's smack-down of the newly powerful Republican Party. The court asserted that slaves are not "persons" under the Constitution, that they cannot sue in court, and that the Missouri Compromise is an unconstitutional extension of Congress' power.
We discussed a definition of "racism" as a clear program, by a government, supported by law, to deny rights to people of a certain race. The United States was not clearly "racist" in this sense early in its history, but became increasingly so during the first half of the 1800's.

Homework due Wed. Sept 19th

On the blank map handed out today:

Fill in the states admitted to the U.S. prior to 1860.
Draw the line created by the Missouri Compromise of 1820.

Upcoming Blog Discussion: Sept 17-21

Dear Students,

All next week we will be discussing the nature of democracy, the Constitution, and the idea of expanding rights. You will be asked to keep in mind the many tensions that influenced 19th century America, such as black freedom and property rights, federal power and state power, empire and republic, southern society and social justice, etc.

We will begin with a quote or a question. All students are expected to participate.

Class news and reviews Sept 12th

We reviewed the following:

If Dred Scott is freed upon entering Minnesota, then states can free slaves.

This means that one state can define another state's law concerning property.

This also means that the status of a person under the Constitution is subject
to interpretation by one state or another.

One implication of this is that a state can take property without compensation.

The Federal courts are supposed to settle conflicts between states.

This is also a conflict between natural law and positive law.

GEOGRAPHY QUIZ on Friday.

Here is your quiz for Sept 12th....

You will be asked to find on a map the following (and then draw each on a blank map):

Memphis
Vicksburg
New Orleans
Richmond
Montgomery
Atlanta
New York
Philadelphia
Baltimore
Washington D.C.
Charleston
Delaware Bay
Chesapeake Bay
Hampton Roads
Charleston Bay
Delaware
Ohio
Potomac
Mississippi
Missouri
Susquehanna
Appalachian Mtns
Atlantic Ocean
Gulf of Mexico

Do as many as you can in 15 minutes.

Natural Law: Class review Monday Sept 10

We discussed the following:

What is a person under the Constitution? Is a slave a person, or only part person, and only if it serves certain white people? Is a child, or a woman a person?
Does a person's status change as they move around the country?
In the Constitution there is the memorable phrase: "to secure the blessings of liberty..." Does this phrase anchor the Constitution in a deeper more permanent moral order than simple law?
What is natural law?

And can the government just take property? Is freeing a slave "taking property"?

THERE WILL BE A GEOGRAPHY QUIZ ON WEDNESDAY.

Congratulations! Sept. 10

Nice work on the homework, Emma and Brandon. And an excellent legal mind seems to be in making for Patrick. Thank you for driving much of the class discussion on some of the oddities of slave law. Jay, we appreciate your understanding of key parts of the Constitution. And, not least of all, a blazing comeback of smarts and moral good sense from Suzanna at the end of class...

Review of Class (friday Sept 7)

Topics Covered today

In the Constitution:

3/5ths clause; 5th amendment

In Economics:

"Why were there race riots in northern cities and not in southern ones?

Immigration from Europe to northern cities

Slavery & Government:

Is a slave free just because he or she is in free territory?

Can the Federal Government "free" a slave. Isn't it just taking property?

Assignment #1 due Monday Sept 10

Briefly explain what were the main issues involved in the Dred Scott case.

American Geography

You must be able to find the following on a map. A short assignment will be due every Wednesday for next several weeks. There will be several short quizzes as well.

Cities:

Cincinatti
Louisville
Cairo
Memphis
Vicksburg
Baton Rouge
New Orleans
Savannah
Nashville
Knoxville
Richmond
Montgomery
Atlanta
Columbia
Pittsburg
Boston
New York
Brooklyn
Philadelphia
Baltimore
Washington D.C.
Norfolk
Charleston
Mobile
Trenton

Bays:

Delaware Bay
Chesapeake Bay
Hampton Roads
Mobile Bay
Charleston Bay

Rivers:

Delaware
Ohio
Hudson
Potomac
Mississippi
Missouri
Tennessee
Cumberland
Rappahannock
York
James
Susquehanna

Mountains & Valleys:

Appalachian Mtns
Blue Ridge Mtns
Allegheny Plateau
Shenandoah Valley
Cumberland Plateau
Ozark Mtns

Boundaries:

Ky-Tn Border
Potomac River
Mississippi River
Ohio River

Atlantic Ocean
Gulf of Mexico