POL assignment 9

Assignment Due 11/26: Choose a passage from Lincoln's speech on the Dred Scott case, interpret it and explain how it relates to class.

From the African-American Odyssey website, from the Civil War section, choose two parts, and summarize and explain them. If they include pictures, copy and paste the photo or image in your paper.


 That decision declares two propositions—first, that a Negro cannot sue in the U.S. Courts; and secondly, that Congress cannot prohibit slavery in the Territories. It was made by a divided court—dividing differently on the different points. Judge Douglas does not discuss the merits of the decision; and, in that respect, I shall follow his example, believing I could no more improve on McLean and Curtis, than he could on Taney. 

In this passage from Lincolns speech he makes a statement at the results of the case in almost a sarcastic tone. He points out a few things wrong with the constitution 1 being that a black man cannot sue anywhere in the united states and the second being that congress cannot prohibit slavery the court room was divided. I think this relates to class because this class focuses on the political system and this was a case of politics and morals. Especially since this would be one of the many things leading to the abolition of slavery.

To Union Lines and Freedom

Photographed by Timothy H. O'Sullivan, this is an image of African Americans seeking to gain freedom behind Union lines. It was taken in the main eastern theater of the war during the second battle of Bull Run in 1862. This picture is very self explanatory its just of  a person trying to cross union lines because usually it meant if you crossed the line you would have your freedom  because not every state was pro slavery. This print is based on David Gilmore Blythe's painting of Lincoln writing the Emancipation Proclamation. Blythe imagined the President in a cluttered study at work on the document near an open window draped with a flag. His left hand is placed on a Bible that rests on a copy of the Constitution in his lap. The scales of justice appear in the left corner, and a railsplitter's maul lies on the floor at Lincoln's feet. This is a picture of Lincoln as hes getting ready to finish his emancipation document.  I think this relates because of the subject matter After David G. Blythe. President Lincoln Writing the Proclamation of Freedom, January 1, 1863. Cincinnati: Ehrgott and Forbriger, 1864. Lithograph. Prints and Photographs Division. Reproduction Number: LC-USZC4-1425 (4-22)

Timothy O'Sullivan. Fugitive African Americans Fording the Rappahannock River. Rappahannock, Virginia, August 1862. Copyprint. Prints and Photographs Division. Reproduction Number: LC-B8171-518 (4-4)

Pol Assignment 7

Assignment (Due 11/12): Choose one passage from Thoreau write out the passage and interpret them and explain why you chose them.

Go to the link for African-American Odyssey and under the section Abolition choose two topics from part 1 and part 2, research these topics, and summarize them and explain how they relate to the readings by Thoreau.


Governments show thus how successfully men can be imposed on, even impose on themselves, for their own advantage. It is excellent, we must all allow. Yet this government never of itself furthered any enterprise, but by the alacrity with which it got out of its way. It does not keep the country free. It does not settle the West. It does not educate. The character inherent in the American people has done all that has been accomplished; and it would have done somewhat more, if the government had not sometimes got in its way. 

To me this passage is saying is that the government can show it has no problem taking advantage of its own people and the situations they might be in. If a problem arises that could somehow benefit the government than the government should allow it. The government however does not help situations that could use help such as education, freedom of all its people, trouble in the wild west. Had the government in fact not got in the way people on their own would have accomplished so much more.

The two readings I chose from part one were: plea for the suppression of the slave trade, and Christian Arguments against slavery. In christian Arguments against slavery in 1737 Benjamin Lay printed an article stating  that there are people claiming to be holiest of Christians not realizing that slavery is a sin.

The article plea for the suppression of the slave trade was an article talking about the many reasons slave trade needed to be abolished while also stating that the slave trade is part guilty on all sides not just Americans but people all over the Atlantic.

I think they relate to Thoreau's article in a sense because they are talking about how the government can help but they don't and let problems persist and slavery would be similar because it a problem the government doesn't control and these people don't see it that way so people are trying to take the action that the government refuses to take.