Lincoln Movie Response

A picture of Lincoln along with other government officials from the movie "Lincoln"

1. Lincoln was uncompromising in the fact that he would not let anyone's opinion or thought about how successful the amendment would be affect his judgement and his decisions. He stayed persistent, all the while trusting his beliefs that slavery was wrong and that its abolition was the right thing to do for the country. Thaddeus Stevens was uncompromising in the fact that he also believed that slaves should be freed and should be equal under the law. He made a compromise on the House floor however, when he did not admit that he believed that slaves were equal in all facets of life, and he only stated that he believed that they should be equal under the law. Neither man was willing to compromise his beliefs and morals, but both were forced to compromise some of what they wished to reveal to the public in order to get the 13th Amendment passed.

2. The movie provided evidence of Lincoln's perspective, similar to the Lincoln Letters, by showing his internal struggle with whether the abolition of slavery was necessary for the Union. He is shown throughout most of the movie wanting to end slavery with this new 13th Amendment, but unsure whether it would be feasible and whether it was the right choice to make for the nation. He eventually decides in his mind that the amendment is necessary to the nation's longevity and well-being, so he then commits all of his efforts to getting it passed and abolishing slavery, which is is ultimately successful in despite great opposition from many.

3. Lincoln believed that the 13th Amendment was essential because he thought it was the only way to keep the Union together permanently. He could have ended the war without abolishing slavery, but he thought that ending slavery was necessary for the nation to be repaired. His view on this evolved over time, because at first the only argument he had against slavery was on moral grounds, but then by the end of the war he believed slavery not only should be abolished, but needed to be.

4. The movie complicated the narrative that the North was against slavery and wanted racial equality and the South was for slavery and against racial equality by showing that not everyone who was against slavery wanted racial equality. For example, many Republicans who weren't radical did not like slavery, but did not want racial equality, primarily for fear that the freed slaves would be able to vote and would have the same power as themselves.

5. In the film, many people seemed to resist the end of slavery not because they thought that slavery was morally acceptable, but rather because they were afraid of what would happen if slaves were freed and given equal rights as white men. They were afraid that slaves would have the right to vote and participate in government, having as much power as the they themselves possessed. Them movie did not depict this opposition as a concern for property rights as much as a fear for what the slaves would do to them if they had equal power under the law.

Civil War Letters Collection

A page of one of Capt. James A. Sayles handwritten letters to Florence Lee

Captain James A. Sayles to his sweetheart, Florence Lee, February 10, 1864

Capt. James A. Sayles talks to Florence about her parents, specifically about whether her father had returned and if she had told him of their engagement. If so, he wanted to know what her father had said, and also just wanted to thank both of her parents for their kindness to him. Finally, he asks her to keep him in mind and talk of him to her mother and to her friends, as well as write him frequently.

Captain James A. Sayles to his sweetheart, Florence Lee, February 20, 1864

Capt. James A. Sayles fills Florence in on what has been going on, but also goes into great detail telling her how much the a picture of her and the letter sent with it that he received meant to him. He tells her he appreciated and prized the gift very highly, but compliments her saying that the picture doesn't do her beauty real justice.

Captain James A. Sayles to his sweetheart, Florence Lee, May 17, 1864

Capt. James A. Sayles writes to tell Florence that his regiment is going to march soon, but that he greatly desires to write her before they leave. He apologizes ahead, saying that she will have to pay three cents for postage because he doesn't have any money for stamps. He writes about how he longs to see her that morning, and talks about looking forward to the time they can spend together when he gets to see her again.

Captain James A. Sayles to his sweetheart, Florence Lee, June 11, 1864

Capt. James A. Sayles writes a letter explaining some of his military opportunities and a decision he has to make on which opportunity to take and commit to, eventually saying that he wishes to remain in the Calvary as opposed to the 18th Army Corps, as he thinks he will be able to achieve a higher position there. He also writes about how it has been several days since he has received a letter from her, expressing his discontent with that and saying how he wishes she would write him more often. He tells her she would write him more often if she only knew how anxious and worried he is about her.

Captain James A. Sayles to his sweetheart, Florence Lee, June 16, 1864

Capt. James A. Sayles starts off his letter to Florence by asking why she hasn't responded, even though she has received many letters from him recently. He wants her to know that when she doesn't write, he gets very nervous about her well-being, and wonders if she is sick or if something bad had happened. He tells her that he writes as often as the war will allow him to, and wishes that she would do the same, expressing how disappointed he gets when there is no word from her.


This collection of letters is written by Captain James A. Sayles to his beloved sweetheart, Florence Lee, between February and June of 1864. The letters all affirm his affection for his fiancée, as well as his desire to be accepted by her parents. Though he tells her and fills her in about the war, in each letter, the common theme of his writing is how much he misses her and desires to see her, and that he wishes she would write more often to him. In almost every letter, he mentions something about her sending him more letters, and that he worries about her when she does not respond. He is disappointed by her lack of writing to him, especially since he takes it upon himself to send her a letter whenever he gets a chance. This shows the strains that the Civil War put on couples and families as far as communication goes. A heavy burden was placed on relationships due to the war, because it broke them apart for years at a time, with little chances to see or talk to one another. The best way to talk to a loved one was by writing letters, which is a slow and inefficient way to communicate, especially for people who are used to seeing and talking to each other every day. One can imagine how hard it was on couples and families during this time just by reading the words of a soldier like James A. Sayles. How do you think relationships changed during the Civil War? Do you think it strained or hurt relationships? How much did the lack of effective communication at the time affect how people kept in touch with loved ones? How has communication between soldiers and their significant others changed since the Civil War, and do you think it has made it easier for people to maintain relationships during a war period?

The 13th Amendment

A political cartoon of Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson, displaying how the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments were attempting to mend and repair the United States.

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 Emancipation Proclamation, issued in 1863 by President Lincoln, declared that slaves in the southern, seceded states were permanently free, and also changed the purpose of the Civil War from being about preserving the Union to being about ending slavery and granting the slaves freedom. However, the Emancipation Proclamation itself did not end slavery, and most likely would not have been a legally acceptable way of abolishing slavery after the Civil War had ended. Thus the 13th Amendment was passed, and ended slavery for good. So, the Emancipation Proclamation set all the then-current slaves free, but was not a solution to abolish slavery completely, which is why the 13th Amendment was needed as a constitutional law to rid slavery in the United States permanently. 

Sources:

www.ourdocuments.gov, Transcript of 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution: Abolition of Slavery (1865) This source is where I found the actual text of the 13th Amendment, as well as the date that it was ratified.

www.ourdocuments.gov, 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution: Abolition of Slavery (1865), Document Info This source is where I found a general explanation of when, why, and how the 13th Amendment came about, especially as related to the Emancipation Proclamation.

History.com, Emancipation Proclamation This source is where I found a detailed series of events that led up to 
and caused the Emancipation Proclamation and the 13th Amendment to be written.

The History of the American Flag

The original US flag, with 13 stars and 13 stripes, is supposedly made by Betsy Ross.

1. Origin: When and where does the US flag originate?

- Through my research, I found that the idea for the first US flag originated in 1777, when the Continental Congress established a flag for their new nation. This first flag had 13 red and white alternating stripes, along with 13 white stars in a blue background. I learned that the creation of the first flag is a mystery, from design to creation, but that many believe that Francis Hopkinson, a Congressman from New Jersey had the original idea for the design. The origin of how it was created is unknown as well, but a commonly told story is that Betsy Ross, a seamstress in Philadelphia, was the person who first sewed it.

2. Evolution: When and why has it evolved? Note eras of significant and permanent change. Note the lack of any big change, if you find that's the case.

- I have gathered that the flag has evolved primarily because of the addition of states to the US. With each new state, the flag gained a new white star, until it became the 50 stars that it is currently. The stripes were changed initially, but haven't been altered since 1818, and the 13 red and white stripes have been kept constant since then. I also saw different battle flags and special-occasion flags that have been made over the years, but for the most part, the flag has been comprised of red and white stripes, along with white stars on a blue background since 1776.

3. Design Elements/Choices: What factors have shaped the look of the flag, including the shapes, colors, and arrangements of stars, stripes, red, white, blue, etc.? Is there a history and purpose to these graphic design choices?

- As new states were formed, stars and stripes were added to the flag to reflect each new state. The current US flag has 13 stripes, each representing one of the original 13 colonies, and 50 stars, each representing one of the 50 states. The colors in the flag (red, white, and blue) could be important as well. I learned that red might be used to signify hardiness and valor, that white could represent purity and innocence, and that blue might symbolize vigilance, perseverance, and justice. In addition, I found that the stars on the flag might represent the heavens and a goal of aspiration, while the stripes could represent the rays of light coming from the sun. Much of this imagery and symbolization is only speculation, but it is good to keep in mind that the creators of all the different US flags might have thought about some of these representations when designing them.

4. Meaning: 

• For what is the flag a symbol? Does consensus about the meaning of the flag appear to be fairly widespread? How can you tell? Does it seem to be widely understood as a positive symbol of national unity?
• What are the flag's nicknames? What can you learn about where those nicknames originate in our culture?
• What can you learn about the flag in popular music? Consider songs, genres, album covers, and lyrics.

- 

• To me, and many other Americans, the American flag is a symbol for freedom, nationalism, and overall American identity. We view it with pride, either for our nation's history, military, or general accomplishments. Songs, poems, books, art, and even holidays have been created because of the respect and admiration for the American flag, which is a big part of why the flag has become so much of a positive national symbol. In modern day, our flag also represents the ideals of democracy, justice, and freedom, as well as the men and women who have served our country's military and fought to protect our nation.
• One of the flag's most common nicknames is "Old Glory." I learned that this nickname was created because of a flag that a sea captain, William Driver, owned during the Civil War, and that was the victim of multiple attempts at defacement during the war. Another common nickname that I found is the "Stars and Stripes," which is a self-explanatory nickname as the flag is made up of stars and stripes. The third main nickname that my research yielded for the US flag is the "Star-Spangled Banner," which was a poem written by Francis Scott Key after he was inspired by an American flag still flying after a British bombardment on Fort McHenry. This poem eventually was put to song and became our nation's national anthem in 1931.
• The flag is referenced or talked about in many patriotic songs made to celebrate our nation, but in the mainstream popular music, country music has the most references to the flag than any other genre. I believe that this is in large part due to the fact that country music and its singers are more outspokenly patriotic, in general, than others. It could also be inferred that because many country music artists are from the South, that the South has more of an air of patriotism, and has influenced these artists to make music about that patriotic feeling.

5. Habits/Use: What evidence suggests that the flag is generally understood, within our culture, as something that is worthy of respect and more careful treatment than you might otherwise provide to a piece of fabric?

- I think that most people within our culture understand and want the flag to be a symbol that is treated with respect and care, much more so than a normal inanimate object. This is because they believe that the flag is a direct symbol of and has a direct correlation to the armed forces that fight or have fought for our nation's safety. They take care of the flag as a sign of respect to those who serve in the military, those who have served, and those who have died serving.

6. Controversy: Can you find any evidence to suggest that the flag itself is controversial? Or do there just seem to be ways of using it that are controversial?

- I do not think that the flag itself is controversial, however there is evidence to suggest that there are ways that people in our society use the flag that are controversial. A primary example of this is vandalization or damaging of the US flag. This can be through burning it, stomping on it, tearing it, or any other purposeful destructive act to the flag. The main reason some people do this, I have found, is in an attempt to protest the current events going on in the country, like the government, its policies, or people/groups/things within it. Another controversial topic relating to the flag is kneeling during the national anthem to protest social injustices of some kind. Though this does not break any rule or law, many people see it as disrespect to the flag, the military, and the country in general, and find it unpatriotic.

Sources:

PBS, A Capitol Fourth, The History of the American Flag This website is where I found general facts about the flag, from its origin, to the shapes and colors that make it up, to its nicknames and influences on society.
US History, Betsy Ross and the American Flag, Flag Timeline This website is where I found a list of changes to the flag's appearance, along with short descriptions of why each change was made and a picture of each flag.
US Flag, What do the colors of the Flag mean? This website is where I found a more specific description of what the colors and shapes in the flag represent.
US Flag, "Old Glory!" This website is where I found a very detailed description of how the flag's nickname "Old Glory" came about, and the story behind it.
Drexel University, History of the American Flag & American Flag Facts This website is where I found some general facts for the flag, specifically what values the flag is a symbol for and why that is.
The Boot, Top 5 Country Songs Honoring the American Flag This website is where I found evidence that country music is the genre with the most songs and references to the flag, along with specific examples.
Pilot-Tribute & Enterprise, American Flag, a symbol of freedom, liberty and human rights This website is where I found evidence for why people damage the flag, for what causes, and why people react certain ways to that.
AJC,  Flag Day 2018: 7 ways people disrespect the flag every day, according to US flag code This website is where I found evidence on the controversy of kneeling for the flag/national anthem.

Introduction to the Text: America's History. 9th Edition

Mob in New Hampshire protesting the Stamp Act

1. In what chapter of the text is your event mentioned? Provide a page number too. Some events may have multiple page numbers. If terms related to your event are not located in the index, use your prior research to identify related terms. 

- My event is mentioned in chapter 5 of the textbook, throughout the chapter, but specifically on pages 145-153, 156-159, and 162-163.

2. Under which heading and subheading can your topic be found?

Headings:

• An Empire Transformed
• The Dynamics of Rebellion
• The Road to Independence

Subheadings:

• George Grenville and the Reform Impulse
• An Open Challenge: The Stamp Act
• Formal Protests and the Politics of the Crowd
• The Ideological Roots of Resistance
• Another Kind of Freedom
• Parliament and Patriots Square Off Again
• Parliament Wavers
• A Compromise Repudiated
• The Continental Congress Responds
• The Rising of the Countryside
• Loyalists and Neutrals

3. Why and how is the text discussing your topic? What larger conversation is your event part of?

- The textbook is discussing my topic because the revenue-raising acts by British Parliament and the colonists' reactions to them is essential to the outbreak of the North American Revolution, the larger topic that my event is a part of. The book explains why Great Britain needed to tax the colonies, what sorts of items they taxed, and how they treated the colonists, while also explaining the colonists' reactions, how they took action, and how these events led to revolution.

4. Read the passage mentioning your event. What more can you learn, that you did not already learn from your first research?

- The Sugar Act of 1764 was introduced as a replacement for the Molasses Act of 1733, which was disregarded by the colonists for the most part, as they instead bribed customs officials at a lower rate per gallon than the tax demanded.
- Some colonial patriots compared their situation with the British Parliament to that of slavery, causing ethical questions of slavery by African Americans as well as many colonists to ensue.
- Colonial women were able to contribute to the protest as well, forming the Daughters of Liberty and aiding the rebellion by making cloth, flax, and wool at home, or drinking rye coffee and eating bear venison.


By looking through what the textbook had to say about taxes and revenue-raising acts initiated by the British Parliament, and what the North American colonies' responses to those taxes were, I not only became more familiar with my topic, but also with how the textbook is written and arranged.

Case Study: Source Use & Citation

A "guard" and "prisoners" from Zimbardo's Stanford Prison Experiment

1. From analyzing Bess' work with his sources, what standards or rules does he seem to be following for citing his work? What information is provided the first or second or third (etc.) time a source is noted?

- When Bess first sites other works, he cites the author name, title of work, publisher, date of publication, and page number if applicable. When citing the same source a second time, he only lists the author name, title, and page number if it has changed, omitting the rest of the repeated information. If he is citing the same source a third time, Bess uses "Ibid" and the page number to express that it is the same repeated source being used again. He only uses this if the citations are consecutive; if there is a different source cited in between, he reverts back to author, title, and page number.

2. Bess' work provides us with example of "Annotated" notes. (Examples: 3, 5, 6, 8, 11, 25). Based on these examples, what do you understand annotated to mean?

- By using annotated notes, Bess provides a his opinion on the source, and/or a further explanation on the specific source. From this, I take annotated to mean something that is elaborated on, or further explained.

3. Which notes do not have a page number citation? Why might that be? There is more than one explanation. Compare the notes pages with the reading passage itself. (Make sure you consider how notes 10-14 are different, and why the author used so many specific notes, instead of one, even though he is dealing with just one work: Milgram).

- Many of Bess' notes do not have page number citations. There are different reasons for this depending on what type of citation note he is making. In note number 2, Bess is most likely referencing Browning's work, Ordinary Men, in general and not as a specific page reference, which is why he only cites the shortened title and the author (as he had already cited the whole source previously). In note number 8, Bess is listing specific examples of scholars and their works on the moral habits and decisions of everyday men and women, because he wants to further specify what he said in the text ("Not surprisingly, these issues have attracted a great deal of attention from scholars in many disciplines over the past few decades). This specification has nothing to do with citing a text for specific information, therefore it does not need a page number. Regarding notes 10-14, Bess is using different tactics for citing the same source repeatedly. First, in note 10, he references the text in general, giving the author's full name, the full title of the work, the publisher, and the date of publication. Next, in note 11, he gives an annotation about the work and experiments which he cited previously, in an attempt to explain how ethical standards have changed between the time of the experiment and current day. In note 12, Bess cites the same Milgram text again, this time giving only the author's last name, an abbreviated title, and a page number because this is a page-specific citation. Then, in note 13, he uses another page-specific citation for the same work a third time, so this time he uses "Ibid" and the page number, explaining that it is the same text being cited three or more times consecutively. He uses the same form in note 14.

4. How did Bess credit his sources in the text to make it obvious when he is working with the words of other authors? In other words, if we lost the notes pages and the bibliography, why would we still know the sources Bess was using? What would we not know about his use of the source if we didn't have the notes pages?

- In the text, Bess credits his sources by giving the author's full name and the abbreviated title of their work or study before he starts talking about and giving an overview of it. He then makes sure to frequently mention the author's name throughout the text when he is referencing them, making sure that it is known who is responsible for the work. He also makes sure to state where a quote is coming from and by who, when he is directly quoting a text or dialogue from one of the mentioned author's texts or experiments. If we lost the notes pages and the bibliography, we would still be able to find the works which Bess is mentioning and drawing from, but we would not know the specific parts or pages that he is using, or the annotations that help explain why he chose the source and what he thinks about it.

5. In the passage you read, Bess is working with many primary and secondary sources, but makes extensive use of one in particular. Given how extensively he is using the work of other historians or researchers, what makes his argument original?

- Bess heavily draws from and includes primary and secondary sources in his text, giving an overview and explaining all the main sources that he is referencing. However, his argument is in fact original because he has gathered all of these sources together, given his thoughts and explanations for all of them, and then connected them together in his own unique way to give the reader his opinion on what conclusions can be drawn from comparing these real life examples with the experiments. He is using specific pieces of literature and specific studies because he knows that the people who conducted and wrote them are specialists in their fields, and that those studies are evidence to making more general, connected conclusions about human decision making.