Texas Citizen Bee - People
Crispus Attucks
African American former slave, unarmed civilian killed by British soldiers in Boston Massacre, leader of the heroic upheaval, led to American Revolution, Day inaugurated 1858, Monument, Silver Dollar, cause of freedom
King George III
Born 6/4/1738, heir to the throne 1751, succeeded 1760, conflicts involving kingdom, British Parliament required military protection payment, grievances against king, Treaty of Paris, 1784 retired, nervous breakdown, declared insane 1810
Benjamin Franklin
Born Boston, social commentaries, Silence Dogood, PA Gazette, Poor Richard's Almanack, Join or Die political cartoon, Albany Plan of Union, commissioner to France, Treaty of Paris, slaves as citizens but rejected, PA Society for Promoting the Abolition of Slavery
Jonathan Trumbull Sr
Born CT, theology, the only governor supporting American cause, recruited troops, raised supplies for the cause, remained in power after independence
William Penn
Born England, Anglican family, Quaker, founded Pennsylvania 1681, land given by King, consent of the governed, ensured rights, freedom of assembly and religion, all Christians, moderate law, power separation, founded Philadelphia, bought Indian land, good relationship, Liberty Bell, the greatest law-giver the world has produced
Robert Morris
Born England, came to MD, successful shipping and banking firm, leading merchants, initially opposed independence, against Lee Resolution, signed Declaration and Articles, Congress' Finance Committee, obtained war supplies past British Navy, Financier of the American Revolution, $1 million Battle of Yorktown alone, supported revising the Articles, turned down offer Secretary of the Treasury
Thomas Paine
Born England, little formal education, Common Sense, encouraged colonial independence, The American Crisis, improved morale among the troops, defended American Revolution and natural rights theory, The Rights of Man, seditious libel, fled to France, sentenced to death, King's execution opposition, The Age of Reason, unwelcome in US, body remains lost
Thomas Hooker
Born England, ultra-conservative period, preacher, clashed with Church of England, lived in MA, founded Connecticut, church in Hartford, Fundamental Orders of Connecticut in 1639, equality for all mankind, the father of American democracy
Samuel Adams
Born MA, 2nd cousin John Adams, organized Sons of Liberty, resisted the Stamp Act and Townshend Duties, The Rights of the Colonists, Boston Tea Party, signed the Declaration, rejected central government, supported Bill of Rights
John Adams
Born MA, 2nd cousin Samuel Adams, James Otis's courtroom, natural rights, defended the British soldiers in Boston Massacre, Facts are stubborn things, advocate of independence, seconded Lee Resolution, signed the Treaty of Paris, bill of rights, 1st Vice, 2nd President, avoid French war, Alien and Sedition Acts, Judiciary Act of 1801
Mercy Otis Warren
Born MA, James Otis sister, early supporter of independence, published satirical plays, exchanged letters, natural rights theory, gender equality, opposed Constitution ratification, Observations on the New Constitution ... by a Columbian Patriot, Bill of Rights, Anti-Federalist paper, co-authored Letters from a Federal Farmer, equality in education, poetry, History of the Rise, Progress and Termination of the American Revolution, The Conscience of the American Revolution
Abigail Adams
Born MA, Quincy family, married John Adams, son John Quincy Adams, ran the farm, exchanged letters, requested Continental Congress, remember the ladies, tyrant men, Alien and Sedition Acts
James Otis
Born MA, brother of Mercy Otis Warren, Vice Admiralty Court general, troubled by British writs, 5 hour speech, the freedom of one's house, natural rights theory, right to private property was inalienable, 4th Amendment, Patriot leader, The Rights of the Colonists Asserted and Proved, criticized British taxation without representation, beaten in coffee house, brain and skull damaged, lightning struck
John Hancock
Born MA, outsized signature on Declaration, Boston Sons of Liberty, a wealthy merchant, opposed to British, Boston Tea Party, Minutemen fired, Continental Congress, Continental Army rejected, MA state constitution 1780, signed Articles, against central government, supported Constitution
Charles Carroll
Born MD, Europe education, revolutionary spirit, Continental Congress, signed Declaration, Board of War, only Catholic in Senate, last surviving signer of the Declaration
John Dickinson
Born MD, moved to DE, DE and PA assemblies, Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania (1767-1768), The Liberty Song, Declaration of the Causes of Taking Up Arms, objected strong wording, drafted Articles, Dickinson College, Annapolis Convention, Letters of Fabius, Penman of the Revolution
Gouverneur Morris
Born NY, right arm was crippled, Patriot cause, NY new constitution, signed the Articles of Confederation, lost left leg in carriage accident, Assistant US Superintendent of Finance, responsible for the final language of the Constitution, We the people, ambassador to France, remained after bloody Reign of Terror, call for secession of NY and New England
John Jay
Born NYC, a lawyer, Address to the People of Great Britain, colonists same rights as British, moderate approach to Britain, did not sign Declaration, NY constitution draft, State Chief Justice, elected President of the Assembly, Treaty of Paris, Secretary of Foreign Affairs, favored stronger central, The Federalist Papers, SC Chief Justice 1789, Jay's Treaty avoiding war with Britain, elected NY governor, emancipation bill, abolition of slavery
John Peter Muhlenberg
Born PA, Lutheran minister, follower of Patrick Henry, Ecclesiastes, To everything there is a season, Valley Forge, PA state government, US Congress, Lutheran layman
John Paul Jones
Born Scotland, Bonhomme Richard, defeated British warship Serapis, inspired Americans, I have not yet begun to fight, slogan for US Navy, Father of US Navy
John Witherspoon
Born Scotland, Princeton University, Presbyterian minister, Moral Philosophy in leadership, student James Madison, drafted Articles, NJ delegate at Constitutional Convention, advocated ratification
Bernardo de Gálvez
Born Spain, ancient Spanish nobility, Governor LA Territory, sided with Americans, bought Spanish weapons and vital supplies, Galveston named honor
James Madison
Born VA, VA legislature, VA Statue for Religious Freedom, 1787 Constitutional Convention leader, VA Plan, checks and balances states and federal, Father of the Constitution, Federalist Papers in support of ratification, proposed 17 amendments, 10 approved, Bill of Rights, House 1789, Bank of the US, Jefferson's Democratic-Republican Party, VA and KT Resolutions, Jefferson's Secretary of State, President 1809, War of 1812, Mr. Madison's War
Thomas Jefferson
Born VA, VA legislature, influenced by Locke, natural rights theory, religious freedom, education, and property rights, drafted Declaration, authored VA Statute, minister to France, included bill of rights, 1st Secretary of State, rival Treasury Hamilton, political parties formed, Adams' Vice President, disagreed policies, VA and KT Resolutions, purchased LA, foreign and domestic troubles, founded University of VA
Patrick Henry
Born VA, failed at farming and storekeeping, opposed the Stamp Act, radical leaders against British tyranny, Gentlemen may cry peace, 1st governor of Virginia, expanded government support of teachers but defeated, Anti-Federalist critic, debates with James Madison, Bill of Rights not enough, turned down offer Secretary of State and Chief Justice
George Mason
Born VA, supply officer French and Indian War, supported independence, VA Constitution, VA Dec of Rights, John Locke influence, natural rights theory, Articles inadequate, opposed Constitution, bill of rights needed, end to slave importation, rejected, enemies Madison Washington, Anti-Federalist, Objections to this Constitution of Government, Bill of Rights based on Mason's VA Declaration of Rights, Grandfather of the Bill of Rights
Richard Henry Lee
Born VA, wealthy family, VA legislature at 25, outspoken opponent of slavery, owned slaves, condemned the Stamp and Townshend Acts, organized committees, contacted Samuel Adams, Lee Resolution, signed Articles, 1st Confederation Congress president, Northwest Ordinance, Anti-Federalist, Letters from a Federal Farmer, limited federal power, bill of rights
Alexander Hamilton
Born West Indies, illegitimate son, NY's Patriot movement, lieutenant colonel, desired stronger central government, nationalist views, strong executive branch, president served for life rejected, The Federalist Papers, the vigor of government is essential to the security of liberty, Secretary of the Treasury, a national bank, opposed by Thomas Jefferson, defense lawyer in People v. Croswell (1803), truth could be used as a defense for libel, freedom of the press, death in a duel with Aaron Burr, McCulloch v. Maryland (1819), national bank constitutional
Benjamin Rush
Born near Philadelphia, 1st professor of chemistry, good reputation, treating the poor, yellow fever epidemics, Adams patients, innovative techniques, ineffective bloodletting, suggested Common Sense title, signed Declaration, Surgeon General, social reform, supported smallpox new vaccination, 1st abolitionist society, public education for all, Treasurer of the US Mint, reconciled Adams and Jefferson, I know of no character living or dead who has done more real good for his country
William Blackstone
English Jurist, 1st Vinerian professor, Solicitor General, Commentaries on the Laws of England, source of references for Supreme Court, Constitution interpretation
John Locke
English philosopher, Oxford scholar, Second Treatise of Civil Government, influence on the Founders, A Letter Concerning Toleration, new relationship between civil government and religion, no atheists and Catholics toleration, ideas formed 1st Amendment, religious belief clause
Thomas Hobbes
English philosopher, modern political philosophy founder, Leviathan, influenced Jean Jacques Rousseau and John Locke, natural state of humanity is war, compact needed for protection, advocated strong monarch, rejected freedom of religion and power separation
George Washington
Father of his Country, born VA, commander of VA militia, VA colonial legislature, and Continental Congress, Commander-in-Chief of Continental Army, Articles were inadequate, unanimously elected 1st President, two terms, discouraged political parties, out of foreign wars, Farewell Address, cherish Constitution
Baron Charles de Montesquieu
French nobleman, The Spirit of the Laws 1748, government power separation, inspired Madison, echoed in Federalist 47, division of power in Articles I, II, and III, Federalist 51, defend the checks and balances, most quoted political philosopher at 1787 Constitutional Convention
Marquis de Lafayette
French officer, helped Revolution against England, major general, highest rank of French nobility, friendship with George Washington, secured support, obtain troops and supplies from France, 1st foreigner granted honorary US citizenship
James Armistead
General Washington's weapons, African American slave, double-agent, runaway slave, infiltrated British defenses, gained secrets, Marquis de Lafayette's letter of recommendation, freedom in 1787
John Peter Zenger
German immigrant, published New York Weekly Journal, criticism NY governor, arrested for seditious libel, 3 judges appointed, Andrew Hamilton took case, acquitted later, importance of protections, jury trials, due process, prohibitions on excessive bail
Wentworth Cheswell
NH African American grandson, freedom and justice, influential town leader, Dummer Academy, Committee of Safety, public welfare, served under Colonel Langdon, active public life
Haym Salomon
Polish-born Jewish immigrant, NY Sons of Liberty, American espionage ring, a financial broker in Philadelphia, financier of the American Revolution, died penniless
Aaron Burr
a. Aaron Burr was born in New Jersey, the son of a Presbyterian cleric and grandson of theologian Jonathan Edwards. After studying theology for two years he turned to the practice of law. During the American Revolution, he served in the Continental Army. After moving to New York, he got involved in New York politics, helped organize the new Democratic-Republican Party (later called the Jeffersonian Republican Party and still later the Democratic Party we know today), and for a while held elected political office. In 1800, the Democratic-Republican Party chose Thomas Jefferson as its candidate for President and Aaron Burr as its candidate for Vice President. At that time, electors did not cast separate votes for President and Vice President. All of the Democratic-Republican electors cast one electoral vote for Jefferson and one electoral vote for Burr. As a result, Jefferson and Burr tied in the electoral vote. The House of Representatives controlled by the Federalist Party now had to choose the new President. Voting by state with each state having one vote, the House eventually chose Jefferson largely because Alexander Hamilton, the new leader of the Federalists, threw his support to Jefferson. Jefferson won the presidency and Burr became Vice President. To minimize the danger of another deadlock, Congress passed the Twelfth Amendment to the Constitution in 1803; the states ratified the amendment in 1804. This amendment required each elector to cast one vote for President and one vote for Vice President. Burr never forgave Hamilton for costing him the presidency, and his animosity for Hamilton grew when, in 1804, Burr ran for governor of New York and lost. Burr blamed his loss on Hamilton's political maneuvering. In July of 1804 he challenged Hamilton to a duel. Burr's shot mortally wounded his rival. Burr was charged with murder but was never brought to trial. b. After the duel Burr went south to New Orleans. At the time, the Spanish were conspiring for control of the Mississippi valley. Burr allegedly made plans with James Wilkinson, the governor of the Louisiana Territory, to support a rebellion. He was arrested and charged with treason - he was accused of attempting to establish an independent republic in the Southwest. Chief Justice John Marshall presided over his Virginia trial. Burr was acquitted in the first application of the Constitution's provisions for the crime of treason.
Abraham Lincoln
a. Abraham Lincoln taught himself the law by reading Blackstone's Commentaries on the Laws of England. He served in the Illinois House of Representatives and in 1846 was elected to US Congress. He served one term in the US House of Representatives before returning to his law practice. b. Lincoln's concerns about the Kansas-Nebraska Act lured him back into politics. Lincoln challenged its sponsor, Stephen Douglas, in the 1858 race for the Senate. Lincoln lost the election but his performance in debates with Douglas gained him national attention. In 1860 he was elected President of the United States. Upon his election, seven southern states seceded from the Union, and others followed suit. In his First Inaugural Address, he argued that secession was not proper under the Constitution. He cited the Articles of Confederation as creating a "perpetual Union," furthered by the Preamble's goal of a "more perfect Union." c. After the fighting began, Lincoln called for the suspension of writs of habeas corpus. This meant rebel fighters could be arrested and held without trial. The case of ex parte Milligan addressed the constitutionality of the suspension of habeas corpus. d. As the war continued, Lincoln consulted with Frederick Douglass about conditions faced by Army soldiers. He issued the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 announcing that slaves in rebelling states were free and that the Union Army would enforce their freedom. Later that year Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address, invoking the spirit of the Declaration of Independence and its promise of equality. At his Second Inaugural Address in March of 1865, the war was coming to an end. Lincoln urged his countrymen to "bind up the nation's wounds" and called the war God's punishment to a country that tolerated the evil of slavery. When the Confederate capital of Richmond was captured, Lincoln made the symbolic gesture of sitting at Jefferson Davis' desk. e. Five days after General Robert E. Lee's surrender in April of 1865, Lincoln was assassinated. His Vice President Andrew Johnson assumed the presidency. Later that year, the Thirteenth Amendment was ratified, abolishing slavery throughout the nation.
Alexis de Tocqueville
a. Alexis de Tocqueville was a French historian and political scientist. As French foreign minister, he traveled to the United States in 1831. It was the experiences during this visit that led him to write to his most famous work, Democracy in America. In this book, he details his observations of society and culture in the United States. He predicted that democratic institutions like those of the United States would eventually replace the aristocratic governments in Europe. b. Tocqueville criticized individualism and believed that associations among people would lead to the greatest happiness for society. He emphasized responsibilities of citizenship and the value of compromise. Further, he analyzed the American attempt to foster equality among citizens through the promotion of liberty, while contrasting that approach to more socialistic systems that attempt to foster equality through government control.
Alice Paul
a. Alice Paul was born in New Jersey to a Quaker family. She became interested in women's suffrage while a graduate student in England. She became interested in women's suffrage while a graduate student in England. b. She came back to the United States in 1910 and turned her attention to winning the vote for women in America. She earned her PhD in economics, concentrating on the status of women in Pennsylvania. She wished to build on the efforts of earlier suffragists Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton. Paul organized a large parade to coincide with the inauguration of President Woodrow Wilson in 1913. She published leaflets and held daily pickets in front of the White House. She burned copies of Wilson's speeches, calling them "meaningless words" about democracy. In 1917 she and many others were arrested for peacefully marching. While in jail, she began a hunger strike and was force-fed by prison authorities. c. Paul's actions alienated some, including National American Woman Suffrage Association President Carrie Chapman Catt, who believed the women's suffragists were becoming too militant. On the other hand, those who were arrested for exercising their First Amendment rights to speak, publish, peaceably assemble, and petition won the public's sympathy. Wilson ordered them released from prison. He also soon lent his support to women's suffrage. Congress approved the Nineteenth Amendment within a year and it was ratified by the states in 1920. Paul continued her campaign for women's rights, leading a successful campaign to add gender as a protected category to the Civil Rights Act of 1964. d. The work of Paul and other women's suffragists illustrate the civic values of perseverance, courage, initiative, industry, and civic skills including volunteering.
Alvin York
a. Alvin York, born in 1887, was a Congressional Medal of Honor winner who fought in World War I. He grew up learning to shoot and developed into an expert marksman. Although he was originally a pacifist, a friend convinced him that the Bible said it was okay to serve in the military. As a soldier in World War I, he gained notoriety by his performance in the Battle of Argonne Forest where he attacked the Germans. When members of his group were unable to proceed, he went after the Germans by himself. He killed 17 through sniper fire and then 7 by pistol. He was successful in taking 132 prisoners on his own. He died in 1964.
Andrew Carnegie
a. Andrew Carnegie's rags-to-riches story is one of perseverance, initiative, and resourcefulness. Born in 1835 to a working-class Scottish family, Carnegie came to the US with his family when he was thirteen years old. In 1853 he took a job at a railroad corporation. He quickly advanced at the company. In 1889, he founded the Carnegie Steel Company. This business combined with others to create US Steel. US Steel helped meet the country's great demand for steel—used in railroads, skyscrapers, and other examples of great technological achievements. b. Concerned with the growing power of monopolies and their impact on economic rights, the federal government tried to break up the US Steel Company under the Sherman Anti-Trust Act. At the time, US Steel provided two-thirds of all steel produced in the country. However, the government was unable to show any misconduct on the part of the company and the case was dismissed. c. Later in life, Andrew Carnegie dedicated his life to philanthropy, and he advocated an idea he called the Gospel of Wealth in which he encouraged the wealthy to give away their fortunes to worthy causes. He used his fortune to found the Carnegie Corporation of New York, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, and Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh.
Andrew Jackson
a. Andrew Jackson was born on the border between North and South Carolina but always considered himself to be a South Carolinian. His success as a self-taught lawyer allowed him to build a home in Tennessee and buy slaves. He was that state's first Congressman and also served in the Senate. Jackson was a general in the War of 1812, and he befriended Sam Houston. His defeat of the British at New Orleans made him a national hero. b. General Jackson also oversaw the military removal of many Indian Tribes in Georgia, Alabama, and Spanish Florida, and negotiated several treaties securing Indian land for the US. He was elected President in 1828 and two years later proposed the Indian Removal Act. As a result of the legislation, 46,000 American Indians were removed from their homes. Many died on the Trail of Tears heading west, and 25 million acres of land were opened to settlement by the US. c. Jackson saw himself as a populist—having been elected with a greater portion of the popular vote than any previous candidate—and proposed eliminating the Electoral College in his first address to Congress. Jackson frequently exercised his veto power over Congress' legislation, which resulted in a split within Jackson's political party. Those who opposed his policies included John C. Calhoun, Daniel Webster and Henry Clay, who ran against him for president in 1832. Jackson was reelected in 1832 with five times more electoral votes than Clay.
Angelina Grimke
a. Angelina Grimke was born in South Carolina. She and her sister, Sarah Grimke, were Quakers and abolitionists. Grimke published an anti-slavery letter called "An Appeal to the Christian Women of the South," in William Lloyd Garrison's newspaper The Liberator. In it, she urged women to convince the men in their lives that slavery was a "crime against God and man...If you believe slavery is sinful, set them at liberty." Aware of the importance of freedom of speech and press, she wrote, "It is through the tongue, the pen, and the press, that truth is principally propagated..." She also encouraged women to circulate and sign petitions urging an end to slavery. b. Threats from South Carolina slave owners prompted Grimke and her sister to move to New York. There, the Grimke sisters became the first women to lecture on behalf of the Anti-Slavery Society. Religious leaders who disapproved of public speaking by women condemned them. During the Civil War, Grimke spoke out in support of President Abraham Lincoln. She celebrated the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment. Years later, she tested the Fourteenth Amendment by attempting to cast a vote. c. In later life, Grimke spoke out for women's suffrage and the Biblical equality of men and women. She and her sister opened a private school, to which Elizabeth Cady Stanton sent her children.
Henry David Thoreau
a. As a writer, friend, and citizen, Henry David Thoreau always tried to live a life of integrity and moderation . Born in 1817, Thoreau lived in a small bare cabin near Walden Pond in his home state of Massachusetts. In stark contrast to the Industrial Revolution going on around him, he wanted to live by Transcendentalist principles such as simplicity and economy. b. Thoreau opposed the United States' war with Mexico because he believed that the war would lead to slavery's expansion in the West. He did not want his tax money to support the war or slavery. Thoreau refused to pay the poll taxes required by Massachusetts. As a result, Thoreau was arrested in 1856. He spent the night in jail, an experience which affected him deeply. "Under a government which imprisons any unjustly, the true place for a just man is in prison," he argued. (A family member paid the tax the next day and he was released.) c. He believed he had acted responsibly as a citizen by refusing to support what he believed was an unjust war. Exercising his First Amendment freedom of the press , he articulated his philosophy in an essay called Civil Disobedience. Henry David Thoreau's words and actions have inspired generations of Americans including Martin Luther King, Jr. Thoreau was not without his critics, who argue that his ideas on civil disobedience threaten the rule of law . The way to respond to unjust laws is to work to change them, they argue, rather than to disobey them.
Glenn Curtiss
a. Born in 1878, Glenn Curtiss is known as the "Father of Naval Aviation" and the "Founder of the American Aircraft Industry." Always fascinated with machines, he first began with motorcycles. He became the fastest man in the world at the time when his motorcycle reached a speed of 136.3 mph. In 1908, Curtiss became the first person to fly a publicly viewed flight. In the next few years a legal battle with the Wright brothers began over the design of the flying machine. Even though the Wright brothers eventually won the suit, they did not push for monopoly status and the Curtiss company continued to manufacture airplanes. Curtiss' company went on to build the largest fleet of airplanes used during World War I. Curtiss later developed a seaplane that was the first to take off and land on the deck of a ship. In 1929 the Curtiss Aeroplane Company merged with the Wright Aeronautical Company to form the Curtiss-Wright Corporation. This corporation is today a leading producer of high-tech components for the aeronautical industry.
Marcus Garvey
a. Born in Jamaica, Marcus Garvey became the first African American to speak openly and publicly about African nationalism. He believed the only way African Americans were going to achieve equality was to return to Africa and build a great nation of their own. He began to work to achieve this by acquiring a ship line known as the Black Star Line. He hoped to use this line to transport African Americans to their new home. He often gave speeches on the street corners of Harlem expressing his views. Because of his beliefs, he came under investigation by the BOI (Bureau of Investigation) which later became the FBI. The BOI believed he was a dangerous radical. Later civil rights leaders Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. used his writings and speeches in the civil rights movement. Even though both men disagreed about the way equality should be achieved, they believed that Garvey was a model of a man who attempted to instill a sense of pride and dignity in African Americans. Today, allusions to Garvey and his influence can be found in pop culture musical genres such as hip-hop, blues, jazz, and reggae.
Henry Cabot Lodge, Sr
a. Born in Massachusetts, Henry Cabot Lodge, Sr. later earned his law degree from Harvard. He began his political career as a member of the state legislature and then moved to the U.S. House of Representatives. In 1893, he became a U.S. Senator where he served until his death. As a conservative Republican, he supported expansion for the United States as a way to establish the country as a world power. Forming a close alliance with Teddy Roosevelt, he endorsed the building of the Panama Canal, war with Spain in 1898, and acquisition of the Philippines as well as other territories in the Pacific. He believed for the United States to be a factor in international trade and diplomacy, it must have a strong army and navy. This would require the building of military bases to protect the merchant marines as they sailed to the Far East and points in between. He clashed often with President Wilson and later led the charge to reject the Treaty of Versailles and its League of Nations at the conclusion of WWI. Lodge feared joining the international League of Nations as it might force the U.S. into war without Congressional approval. Lodge also worked for immigration restrictions during this time as he was worried that the growing number of immigrants would not be able to become what he called, "100 % American."
General John J. Pershing
a. Born in Missouri, Pershing began his career as a school teacher. In 1882, he took a competitive exam for an appointment to West Point and won the appointment. There he made a name for himself as a person with excellent leadership qualities. His early military career included guarding the frontier against the Sioux and Apaches in the last days of the Indian wars, fighting in Cuba during the Spanish-American War, and fighting in the Philippines in 1903. In 1895, he took command of a troop of the 10th Cavalry Regiment, one of the original Buffalo Soldier regiments composed of African Americans. It was then that he got his nickname, "Black Jack." In 1915, he was sent to the Mexican border to capture the revolutionary Mexican leader, Pancho Villa. With America's entry into World War I in 1917, Pershing was named Commander-in-Chief of the American Expeditionary Forces. Upon arriving in Europe, he demanded that his troops fight as an independent American army rather than being blended in with the British and French. His troops were instrumental in the defeat of the Germans in the critical battle of Argonne Forest.
Thomas Edison
a. Born in Ohio in 1847, Edison had little schooling, and was completely deaf in one ear from a young age. Despite these circumstances, he saw every obstacle as an opportunity. He pursued his interests with industry and passion. He loved science and mechanics and was driven to invent. By 1868, Edison had improved the telegraph and the typewriter. He made an electric vote recorder and a stock ticker. Two years later at the age of twenty-three, he had enough money to open his first "invention factory." b. He and his team of engineers and scientists prided themselves on their perseverance, thinking of every failed experiment as one that would bring them closer to success. They also cherished their economic rights, protecting their hard work by registering patents with the federal government. Within five years, he and his team had perfected the telephone and created the phonograph. Next, they became famous for the incandescent light bulb. Later, they worked on the motion picture camera, "talking" movies, a car battery, and an x-ray machine. In his lifetime, Edison registered 1,093 patents.
James Monroe
a. Born in Virginia in 1758, Monroe was the 5th President of the United States. He attended the College of William and Mary, fought in the Continental Army, was a lawyer, and a politician. Monroe joined the Anti-Federalists in Virginia and opposed ratification of the new U.S. Constitution. He was an advocate of Jefferson's policies and was elected a U.S. Senator from Virginia. Monroe helped negotiate the Louisiana Purchase. During the War of 1812 he served as Secretary of War and Secretary of State under President Madison. His presidency was called the "Era of Good Feelings." He is known for the Monroe Doctrine in 1823 which provided that the Western Hemisphere should be free from future European colonization and that the U.S. should be neutral in European wars. This was the basis of American foreign policy for many years.
Alfred Thayer Mahan
a. Born in West Point, New York, Alfred Thayer Mahan went on to become one of the most important military strategists of the 19th and early 20th centuries. He fought in the American Civil War as a Union naval officer and later served in the 1880s as President of the Naval War College at Newport, Rhode Island. Educated at the U.S. Naval Academy, he became an admiral and noted naval historian. His book, The Influence of Sea Power on History, published in 1890, detailed the important relationship between a strong navy and successful world commerce. Mahan asserted that the nation with the strongest navy would control the globe. His books were widely read in the U.S., Britain, Japan, and Germany and influenced the buildup of navies before World War I. Both Teddy Roosevelt and Senator Henry Cabot Lodge, Sr. were strongly influenced by Mahan's theory with regards to United States foreign policy.
Carrie Chapman Catt
a. Carrie Chapman Catt, was born in Iowa, studied education and law, and became a high school principal. b. Later a superintendent and then a newspaper reporter, Catt soon became a lecturer for the woman's suffrage movement. Working closely with Susan B. Anthony, Catt succeeded Anthony as president of the National American Woman Suffrage Association in 1900. She urged President Woodrow Wilson to support an amendment to the Constitution securing the right to vote for women. c. Catt found the group's efforts disorganized, and introduced a strategy to work for a suffrage amendment. The strategy was known as the "winning plan," and advocated working for reforms on both the state and federal levels. She opposed the efforts of Alice Paul to boycott Democratic candidates who refused to support women's suffrage, as well as Paul's more militant strategies. Catt's perseverance in working to ensure state reforms giving women the vote were critical to securing adoption of the Nineteenth Amendment. This amendment illustrates the constitutional principle of equality. After its passage, Catt founded the League of Women Voters and advocated child labor laws.
Charles A. Lindbergh
a. Charles A. Lindbergh, born in 1902, was the first pilot to complete a nonstop, solo transatlantic flight. He flew from the United States to Paris aboard his plane, The Spirit of St. Louis in 1927. Newspapers nicknamed him "Lucky Lindy" and "Lone Eagle." President Calvin Coolidge awarded him the Congressional Medal of Honor and the Distinguished Flying Cross. His son was kidnapped in 1932 and held for ransom only to be discovered murdered a couple of months later. To escape publicity, Lindbergh moved to Europe where he was invited by the French and German governments to visit their aircraft industries. In 1938, Hitler's German government awarded Lindberg a German Medal of Honor. Nazi critics in the U. S. accused him of being a Nazi sympathizer. In 1939 he and his family returned to the U. S. In 1944 he went to the Pacific as an advisor to the U. S. military and, as a civilian, flew several combat missions. After the war, President Eisenhower restored his military commission and appointed him a Brigadier General in the U. S. Air Force. Pan American Airways hired him as a consultant where he helped design the Boeing 747. In 1953 he published The Spirit of St. Louis, a memoir of his 1927 flight, which won the Pulitzer Prize in 1954. He died in 1974.
Clarence Darrow
a. Clarence Darrow was a lawyer and civil rights advocate. Most famously, he defended John T. Scopes in the "Scopes Monkey Trial" against fellow lawyer William Jennings Bryan. Scopes was a public school teacher accused of violating the Butler Act: a Tennessee law that made it illegal to teach "any theory that denies the story of the divine creation of man as taught in the Bible, and to teach instead that man has descended from a lower order of animals." b. Darrow believed this law violated the no establishment of religion clause of the First Amendment. He told the Tennessee court, "If today you can take a thing like evolution and make it a crime to teach it in the public school, tomorrow you can make it a crime to teach it in the private schools... At the next session you may ban books and the newspapers... we are marching backward to the glorious ages of the sixteenth century when bigots burn[ed] the men who dared to bring any intelligence and enlightenment and culture to the human mind." c. The most dramatic moments in the trial came on the seventh day, when Bryan volunteered to serve as a witness based on his Biblical expertise. During Darrow's examination, Bryan acknowledged that not everything in the Bible should be taken literally, and that indeed creation may have taken place over years. Though Scopes was found guilty of teaching evolution, Darrow's arguments are considered a landmark defense of the First Amendment's prohibition on establishment of religion.
Daniel Webster
a. Daniel Webster was born in New Hampshire and first became an acclaimed public speaker while attending Dartmouth College. He began to practice law and later argued on behalf of Dartmouth in the Supreme Court case Dartmouth College v. Woodward (1818). b. Webster represented New Hampshire in the US House of Representatives from 1812 to 1816. He subsequently moved to Massachusetts and in 1827 was elected to the Senate. There he defended the view that states could not nullify federal laws. He famously uttered the words, "Liberty and Union, now and forever, one and inseparable!" in the Hayne-Webster Debate on the compact theory of the Union. His views were shared by Henry Clay and opposed by John C. Calhoun. He supported the Compromise of 1850 and, as Secretary of State, helped enforce the Fugitive Slave Act.
Elizabeth Cady Stanton
a. Elizabeth Cady Stanton fought for the ideals of the Declaration of Independence—that all people are created equal. Stanton was born in New York State in 1815. She received a formal education, unlike most women of her time. She did well in school, impressing her teachers and classmates with her intelligence. But as a woman, she could not attend the college of her choice. Stanton was disturbed by women's lower legal status. She helped organize the first women's rights convention in the US in Seneca Falls, New York. b. At that convention, the Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions was read. This document, based on the Declaration of Independence and written by Stanton, declared the legal equality of men and women, and listed the legal rights women should have, including the right of suffrage (voting). Her work helped launch the women's movement which eventually won women the right to vote. Stanton knew she was fighting for something bigger than herself. She did not live to see the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment. When Elizabeth Cady Stanton died, Susan B. Anthony wrote "Mrs. Stanton was always a courageous woman, a leader of thought and new movements."
Frances Willard
a. Frances Willard, born in 1839, was an influential reformer in the early part of the 20th century. She was the founder of the Women's Christian Temperance Union, a group concerned about the destructive effects of alcohol. During this time, women would meet in churches and then march to saloons to try to get owners to close their establishments. In 1882, she was instrumental in organizing the Prohibition Party. This party advocated the passage of the 18th amendment which prohibited the manufacture and sale of alcohol. As a writer, she would become the first woman dean at Northwestern University and the first woman to be represented in Statuary Hall in the U.S. Capitol.
Franklin D. Roosevelt
a. Franklin D. Roosevelt was born in New York and, after attending prestigious schools, he followed the example of his fifth cousin, President Theodore Roosevelt, and entered politics. He was elected to the state senate in 1910 and later appointed Assistant Secretary of the Navy by President Woodrow Wilson. In the summer of 1921 Roosevelt was stricken with polio. He persevered through physical therapy but never fully regained the use of his legs. Seven years later he was elected governor of New York, and in 1932 was elected President of the United States. b. When he took office the country was in the depths of the Great Depression. Thirteen million people were out of work and almost all banks had closed. In his First Inaugural Address he likened the crisis to a foreign invasion, and asserted that the Constitution's separation of powers and system of checks and balances would have to be temporarily suspended in order to see the country through. He proposed what he called the New Deal: expansive federal programs, funded by citizens paying taxes. He sent a record number of bills to Congress attempting to bring relief to farmers and the unemployed. In 1935 he proposed the Social Security Act. Controls were enacted on utilities and businesses, and the government moved towards regulating the economy. The repeal of Prohibition also brought in more tax revenue for the federal government. c. After his decisive reelection victory in 1936, Roosevelt became frustrated with the Supreme Court which had been overturning some New Deal legislation as unconstitutional expansions of Congress' powers. In what has come to be called his "Court-packing scheme," he proposed that Congress increase the size of the Supreme Court to a maximum of fifteen members. This proposal failed, but two justices changed their voting, and the court began upholding New Deal laws. d. Roosevelt faced issues of national interest and foreign policy. He attempted to keep the country out of World War II, favoring a "Good Neighbor" policy of neutrality. When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, Roosevelt believed he had to act; Congress declared war on Japan the next day, and on Germany and Italy three days later. Roosevelt served as Commander in Chief of the military making the defeat of Nazi Germany the first priority. Fearing Japanese saboteurs, he signed Executive Order 9066 authorizing the forced internment of Japanese-Americans living on the West Coast. This action was upheld as constitutional by the Supreme Court in Korematsu v. United States (1944). e. In all, President Roosevelt was elected to four terms as President. Until that time, US presidents had followed the example of President George Washington who had limited his service to two terms. In 1951, the 22nd Amendment was passed limiting US Presidents to two terms.
Frederick Douglass
a. Frederick Douglass was born a slave in Maryland, in 1817 or 1818. He loved to read and memorized classical speeches. In 1838, he escaped from slavery. He settled in Massachusetts where he attended abolitionist meetings. He soon began a three-year lecture series. He traveled throughout America and Europe giving speeches, exercising his rights to freedom of speech and assembly. b. Douglass also exercised his right to freedom of the press, publishing his thoughts in a weekly abolitionist newspaper, The North Star. His most important work was his autobiography, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave. It was incredibly popular and opened many peoples' eyes to the horrors of slavery. He spoke to President Abraham Lincoln about soldier conditions during the Civil War, and advocated passage of the Thirteenth Amendment, which banned slavery throughout the United States. c. Douglass also spoke and wrote in favor of an amendment to the Constitution securing voting rights and other liberties for former slaves. This call was eventually heeded with the passage of the Fifteenth Amendment. Douglass continued to persevere in his work for equal rights for former slaves and for women until his death. d. The work of Douglass and other abolitionists illustrate the civic values of perseverance, courage, initiative, industry, and civic skills including volunteering
Harriet Beecher Stowe
a. Harriet Beecher Stowe used the power of her pen to open the eyes of a nation to the injustices of slavery. She was born in Connecticut in 1811. Her world was immersed in Protestant and abolitionist traditions: her father was a minister, her brother was a theologian, her husband was a clergyman. When Congress passed the Fugitive Slave Act in 1850, Stowe knew she had to act. At the time, women had few ways to engage in politics. She could not run for office, or even vote, but she was undeterred. b. She took initiative and found a political voice in her writings. She began to do research by interviewing former slaves and others who had personal experience with slavery. Her first novel, Uncle Tom's Cabin, told of the abuse suffered by enslaved people and families in emotional, human terms. Uncle Tom's Cabin sold 10,000 copies in its first week, and was a bestseller in its time. She reached peoples' hearts and minds in a way that politicians had not been able to do. Historians believe the publication of Uncle Tom's Cabin sped up the outbreak of the Civil War, as more and more people believed the nation had a duty to end slavery. The Thirteenth Amendment was ratified in 1865, ending slavery in the US forever. Harriet Beecher Stowe's writing truly changed a nation's view of justice.
Harriet Tubman
a. Harriet Tubman, an enslaved field hand who could not read, escaped to freedom in 1849. Thirty years of poverty and abuse had left her small body battered and scarred, but her spirit was unstoppable. "There was one of two things I had a right to—liberty or death. If I could not have one, I would have the other," she later said. b. Not content with securing her own freedom, Tubman then turned to helping others escape. Although she faced death or re-enslavement if caught, Tubman became a "conductor" on the Underground Railroad in the 1850's. At first, she returned south to rescue her family. Over time, she saved hundreds of slaves. She was clever and gifted at avoiding capture, so successful that she was nicknamed "Moses." Nineteen times, she made the dangerous 650-mile journey from Maryland to Canada. She was never caught, and "never lost a passenger." During the Civil War, she became a scout, spy, nurse, and cook. She recruited freedmen to the Union cause, and helped lead raids that freed hundreds more slaves. c. With unequaled courage, Tubman pursued liberty for every American, and in doing so became a legend. The Thirteenth Amendment, ratified in 1865, ended slavery forever in the United States.
Henry Clay
a. Henry Clay was born in Virginia, studied law, and began to practice law in Kentucky. He served in the Kentucky state legislature and was elected to the US House of Representatives five times, each time serving as Speaker of the House. He and John C. Calhoun worked together to pass the Tariff of 1816 to help both North and South recover after the War of 1812. b. Clay became known as the Great Compromiser. Clay was a slaveowner, but favored emancipation and the return of slaves to Africa. In 1820, the question of slavery in the Missouri Territory caused a rift in Congress. Clay brokered the Missouri Compromise, maintaining the balance between slave states and free states in the Senate. He ran for president in 1824, but the election produced no winner and was decided in the House of Representatives. Clay gave his support to John Quincy Adams, who, upon election, appointed Clay Secretary of State. This arrangement was dubbed a "corrupt bargain" by Andrew Jackson and his supporters. c. Clay would run for President and lose a total of five times. He helped create the Whig Party, which opposed the new Democratic Party under the leadership of Andrew Jackson. Clay was elected to the US Senate in 1831. Later in his career, he helped establish the Compromise of 1850.
Henry Ford
a. Henry Ford Even though he was born on a farm, Henry Ford showed more interest in mechanical things than in agricultural work. Early on, he alternated from working as an apprentice on steam engines to working on his father's farm tools to occasionally working in the fields. By 1891, he decided to become an engineer full time. Even though he was not the first to build a self-propelled vehicle with a gasoline engine, he became the most significant person in the development of the U.S. automobile industry, creating Ford Motor Company in 1903. In 1908 the Model-T was introduced as an affordable, reliable, and efficient auto for everyone. By 1918, half of the cars in the United States were Model-T's. To meet the demand, Ford installed a mass production system using standardized and interchangeable parts, a division of labor, and assembly lines. This totally revolutionized the industry and made his company the largest automobile manufacturer in the world during his lifetime. In 1918 he lost a bid for a seat in the U.S. Senate.
Hiram Rhodes Revels
a. Hiram Rhodes Revels was born a free man in 1827. An ordained minister for the African Methodist Episcopal Church, he spent the years of the Civil War recruiting African Americans to fight as well as serving as a chaplain to their regiments. After the war, he moved to Mississippi where he continued to serve as a minister as well as establishing schools for the freed slaves. In 1868 he became involved in politics and served in the Mississippi State Senate where he made a name for himself. At that time the state legislatures selected the U.S. Senators, so in 1870, he was selected as the first African American to serve in the U.S. Congress as a Senator. While in the Senate he actively supported amnesty for former Confederates.
Ida B. Wells
a. Ida B. Wells exercised her rights to freedom of speech and press to bring national attention to the crime of lynching. Wells was born in Mississippi in 1862, the oldest of eight children. She put herself through college and became a teacher in Memphis, Tennessee. b. In 1892, Wells lost three close friends to a lynch mob. These gruesome killings made headlines, but no one was arrested or charged. As a journalist and a newspaper owner and editor, Wells courageously wrote about the racism that motivated such murders. The press attacked her as a "black scoundrel" for saying that lynching had nothing to do with justice or honor. A mob ransacked her office and threatened her life, but she continued her crusade. c. Wells later moved to Chicago where she published The Red Record, the first documented statistical report on lynching. She became a respected public speaker, and traveled widely, lecturing on anti-lynching activities, speaking out against segregation, and advocating for women's voting rights. She co-founded the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) in 1909.
James Wilson
a. James Wilson was born in Scotland and came to Pennsylvania in 1765. He joined John Dickinson's law firm before opening his own practice. He became involved in Patriot activities and published pamphlets criticizing British policies. He served in the Second Continental Congress and signed the Declaration of Independence. b. As a delegate to the Constitutional Convention, Wilson advocated direct election of the president. This would have constituted a radical change from the system under the Articles of Confederation (which had no national executive) and from that supported by advocates of republican government. It also put him at odds with major figures from the Founding period, such as Patrick Henry and Thomas Jefferson, who believed that substantial power should be reserved to the individual states, and that a popularly-elected executive-among other changes-would concentrate power too heavily at the national level. Wilson is credited with the compromise that resulted in the formation of the Electoral College. Once the Constitution was sent to the states, Wilson joined with Benjamin Rush to secure ratification in Pennsylvania. c. In 1789, President George Washington appointed Wilson to the Supreme Court. His most important opinion, establishing that a citizen of one state could sue the government of another state, was overturned by the Eleventh Amendment. During his time on the Court, Wilson also served as the University of Pennsylvania's first professor of law. He lectured on the place of law in society, and cruel and unusual punishment as prohibited by the Eighth Amendment, and he urged moderation, swiftness, and certainty in punishment as a means of ensuring justice.
Jane Addams
a. Jane Addams is best known as the founder of a settlement house, called Hull House, where she provided help for poor immigrants who had come to Chicago. The idea for Hull House came after she saw a similar institution in London. Hull House provided kindergarten and day care for the children of working mothers and after school activities for older children. Later an art gallery, employment bureau, library, public kitchen, music and art classes, as well as facilities for swimming and sports activities, were added. She was also involved in numerous organizations that promoted social reform involving the rights of children, African Americans and women. Jane Addams became active in the peace movement during World War I and was the first president of the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom. Because of her outstanding work, she was the first woman awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1931.
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
a. Jean-Jacques Rousseau was born in Geneva, Switzerland. His political and philosophical writings, including The Social Contract (1762), were both influential and controversial. Banned in France and Geneva for criticizing religion, The Social Contract nonetheless had an influence on governments in Europe and on the Founders. b. Rousseau held that human nature was essentially good—that man was naturally a "noble savage"—but degrades into cruelty without a system of laws. Rousseau held that in a natural state, individuals must compete with each other, but they are also increasingly interdependent on each other. This contradiction was to blame for man's degradation. By uniting under a social contract, individuals surrender their natural freedom and agree to submit to the general will of the people, who are sovereign. c. While the Founders accepted some of Rousseau's philosophy, such as supporting freedom of religion, they rejected others. Rousseau criticized private property and asserted that the general will of the people was sovereign over the individual's body and property. This argument put him knowingly in opposition to other enlightenment philosophers including John Locke, Rousseau also advocated restraints on free speech in order to protect people from bad ideas. For this and other reasons, he is considered an intellectual ancestor of socialist systems.
Jefferson Davis
a. Jefferson Davis was born in Kentucky, and his family soon moved to Mississippi. His father had been an officer in the Revolutionary War. Davis attended the Military Academy at West Point, served in the Black Hawk War, and later returned to Mississippi to become a cotton planter. He allowed his slaves to grow and sell their own food, and is considered to have treated them well compared to other slave owners. b. A supporter of slavery and a strong advocate of the rights of states against federal interference, he represented Mississippi in the US Senate and House of Representatives. He supported the Fugitive Slave Act and proposed extending the line set by the Missouri Compromise to the Pacific Ocean. He also called for a reinstitution of the slave trade. As tensions grew and talk of southern secession grew, Davis gave speeches arguing against secession and appeared to oppose the idea. However, upon President Abraham Lincoln's election, he yielded to the wishes of the citizens of Mississippi and announced the state's secession in 1861. He described leaving the Union as "necessary." Davis was soon after elected president of what was called the Confederate States of America. c. Davis assigned Robert E. Lee to command the Army of Northern Virginia, and later appointed Lee Commanding General. After the Civil War, Davis was indicted for treason. While imprisoned, he sold his estate to one of his former slaves. The treason case against him was dropped after several years. He was later re-elected to the US Senate, but was unable to take office because of the Fourteenth Amendment.
John C. Calhoun
a. John C. Calhoun was born in South Carolina and after attending Yale University, began to practice law. He was elected to the state legislature and later to the US House of Representatives. He served as Vice President under President John Quincy Adams and again under President Andrew Jackson. In 1832 he resigned that office and was elected to the US Senate. b. Calhoun favored slavery and its expansion. In an 1837 Senate speech, Calhoun defended slavery as a beneficial institution. Slaves, he argued, fared better under the care of a master than poor workers did in the industrial North. Further, he expressed a view of the Union similar to the one his predecessor, Charles Hayne, had expressed in the Webster-Hayne debate. He believed that the Union was a compact between sovereign states, and that states, not the Supreme Court, could declare acts of Congress unconstitutional. He believed states should nullify federal attempts to limit slavery. c. Three weeks before his death, he spoke against many of the provisions of the Compromise of 1850, which limited slavery's westward expansion. He favored the Fugitive Slave Act. His final, 42-page speech asserted that North and South were now two separate nations that should separate peacefully.
John James Audubon
a. John James Audubon was a member of the Hudson River School art movement. He was a naturalist specializing in painting the birds of America. As a young man, he travelled down the Ohio River to western Kentucky and set up a dry goods store. He was somewhat successful in business until hard times hit, and he was jailed for bankruptcy. He decided to continue his hobby of drawing birds as he floated down the Mississippi River. Through his observation of birds and nature, he became a conservationist. He illustrated a collection of 435 life size prints of America birds. Today the Audubon Society, founded by George Bird Grinnell, continues John James Audubon's spirit of protecting birds and their habitats. John James Audubon's illustrations and life story help to describe the spirit of young America.
John Marshall
a. John Marshall was the fourth Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, serving from 1801 until his death. Born in Virginia, he served in the Virginia legislature and at the Virginia Ratifying Convention where he fought for ratification of the Constitution with James Madison. He also served in the US House of Representatives. Marshall was appointed to the Supreme Court by President John Adams. b. Marshall's most important decision was Marbury v. Madison (1803) which established the doctrine of judicial review. He also decided Dartmouth College v. Woodward (1819), which clarified the Contracts Clause; McCulloch v. Maryland (1819), which examined implied powers of Congress under Article I, section 8 and affirmed the supremacy of the Constitution over state law; and Gibbons v. Ogden (1824) which affirmed that Congress had control of interstate waterways under the Commerce Clause. He also presided over the treason trial of Aaron Burr. c. Marshall's interpretations of the Constitution, including his understanding of federalism, proved definitive and laid the groundwork for much of current constitutional theory and a strong national government
John Quincy Adams
a. John Quincy Adams was the sixth President of the United States and the first President whose father was also President. A Harvard graduate, Adams was fluent in several languages. At 26, Adams was appointed Minister to the Netherlands and Russia. As a diplomat he helped negotiate the Adams-Onis Treaty of 1819. As a result the U.S. bought Florida from Spain. Prior to his presidency, he served as a U.S. Senator and U.S. Secretary of State, and helped formulate the Monroe Doctrine of 1823. In the 1824 election, he ran against Andrew Jackson who claimed that Adams' victory represented a "corrupt bargain." He ran for reelection in the 1828 but lost to Jackson. He is the only President to be elected to the U.S. House of Representatives after his presidency. In 1841, he served as counsel to the slaves on board the Amistad and argued their case before of the U.S. Supreme Court, where he defended their right to be free.
Matthew Lyon
a. Matthew Lyon was born in Ireland and came to Connecticut when he was fifteen. He fought in the Revolutionary War, founded the town of New Haven, and helped write the Vermont state constitution. He served in the state legislature and later in the U.S. House of Representatives. b. Throughout the 1790s he worked as a writer and printer, publishing pamphlets and a weekly newspaper, the Fair Haven Gazette. Lyon was particularly critical of the Federalists in Congress, President John Adams, and the Alien and Seditions Acts, which Lyon believed violated freedom of speech and press protected by the First Amendment. In his newspaper, he published letters from people criticizing President John Adams, and he himself wrote that President Adams was "foolish" and "selfish" and "in a continual grasp for power" for signing this law. Lyon became the first person charged under the Alien and Sedition Acts. c. At his trial, Lyon argued that the law was unconstitutional. The court disagreed and Lyon was fined and sentenced to four months in jail. While serving his sentence, he was reelected to Congress in a landslide. Public opinion turned against John Adams and the Congress responsible for the Alien and Sedition Acts. Many were turned out of office, and the new Congress allowed the Alien and Sedition Acts to expire in 1801.
Philip Bazaar
a. Philip Bazaar was a Chilean immigrant and a resident of Massachusetts. He was a member of the U.S. Navy during the Civil War. As a seaman on the USS Santiago de Cuba, he participated in the assault on Fort Fisher, a Confederate fort. He and five other seamen carried dispatches during the battle. He was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor in 1865 for his bravery.
Robert E. Lee
a. Robert E. Lee was born in Virginia and attended the Military Academy at West Point, later becoming the institution's Superintendent. He spent his life serving in the military. He served in the U.S.-Mexican War and on the Texas frontier. He was called back to Virginia in 1859 where he remained until the Civil War. b. Lee was personally devoted to the Constitution and privately denounced secession. However, when Virginia seceded, he turned down an offer to command the Union Army and instead took command of Virginia's forces on behalf of the Confederacy. He was later made a General and then General-In-Chief by Jefferson Davis in January 1865. By that April, however, it was clear the South would be defeated. Lee surrendered on April 9, 1865 rather than lose the lives of any more soldiers. c. After the war, Lee supported President Andrew Johnson's plans for a speedy rebuilding of the Southern states. He spoke out against equal rights for former slaves, saying it would "excite unfriendly feelings between the two races."
Roger Sherman
a. Roger Sherman was born in Massachusetts, and moved to Connecticut in 1743. He owned a cobbler shop, published a series of almanacs, and studied the law independently. b. In the 1760's Sherman became a leader in the resistance to British tyranny. Dedicated to moderation, he urged peaceful forms of protest, including boycotts and petitions. In 1774 he was elected to the Continental Congress. He served on the committee in charge of drafting the Declaration of Independence, including Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Robert Livingston and Thomas Jefferson; it was the committee that chose Jefferson to draft the document. In 1776, Sherman helped frame the Articles of Confederation, and he later signed it. After leaving national politics to return to public service in Connecticut, Sherman returned to Congress in 1783 to approve the Treaty of Paris. c. Sherman was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention, where he worked to guard the power of states against the national government. He argued that the legislature should be the strongest branch of government, suggesting Congress should have the power to select the President. He suggested the Connecticut Compromise, or Great Compromise, which determined the method of representation in Congress. He initially opposed adding a bill of rights to the Constitution, but eventually supported James Madison's effort to add amendments. In 1791, the 70-year old Sherman was appointed to the US Senate, where he served until he died in 1793.
Sam Houston
a. Sam Houston was born in Virginia and moved to Tennessee in his teens. His courageous service in the War of 1812 caught the attention of General Andrew Jackson, and the two men became friends. After the war he studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1818. He represented Tennessee in the House of Representatives from 1823-28 and later became governor of that state. He resigned the office in 1829 and lived among the Cherokee Indians for a time, even being made a member of the Cherokee Nation. He assisted the tribe with the relocations required by the Indian Removal Act. On various trips, he met Alexis de Tocqueville who is believed to have used Houston in composite examples of Americans. b. Houston soon moved to Texas, supporting its independence from Mexico. As Commander in Chief, he led the Texas Army in the defeat of Mexican General Santa Ana, and served as the first President of the Republic of Texas. The state joined the Union in 1845, and Houston served three terms in the US Senate. There, he often clashed with John C. Calhoun. He expressed support for the Union and favored the Compromise of 1850. He opposed the Kansas-Nebraska Act because he believed it would contribute to increased sectionalism and lead to war. Though Houston owned slaves and opposed abolition, his desire to preserve the Union prevailed. c. Houston left the Senate and was elected governor of Texas in 1859. When President Abraham Lincoln was elected, Texas seceded from the Union. In what many saw as a sign of integrity, Houston refused to take an oath of allegiance to the Confederacy, and was removed as governor. He died two years later.
Sanford Dole
a. Sanford Dole was born in Honolulu to missionary parents. After completing his education and receiving an honorary law degree, he returned to Hawaii as a businessman and public official when Hawaii was an independent kingdom, a republic, a protectorate and later a territory of the United States. At first, he was able to work with both the Hawaiian royalty and the immigrants who lived in the islands. Dole was named President of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Hawaii after Queen Liliuokalani was overthrown. When Grover Cleveland was elected president, Cleveland attempted to restore the monarchy, and plans for the annexation of Hawaii by the United States were delayed. When annexation finally occurred in 1898, Dole led negotiations requiring the U.S. government to pay off the accumulated national debt of both the Kingdom of Hawaii and the Republic of Hawaii. He successfully demanded that public lands be held as a public trust for the residents of Hawaii. He became Hawaii's first territorial governor and then a presiding judge for the U.S. District Court for Hawaii. His cousin John founded the famous Hawaiian Pineapple Company which later became Dole Pineapple Company.
Stephen Douglas
a. Stephen Douglas was born in Vermont and moved to Illinois when he was 20. In the 1830s and 1840s he served in various Illinois offices and emerged as a leader of the Democratic Party. He represented Illinois in the US House of Representatives from 1843-1847 and in the US Senate from 1847 until he died in 1861. b. In Congress, he favored westward expansion, "Manifest Destiny," and the Compromise of 1850. He believed that states should enter the Union slave or free, based on how their voting population indicated, a doctrine known as "popular sovereignty." To that end, he proposed the Kansas-Nebraska Act in 1854. c. In 1858, he ran for reelection to the Senate against Abraham Lincoln. During the campaign the two candidates squared off in a series of debates, which became known as the Lincoln-Douglas debates. Lincoln lost the Senate race but his performance helped boost his national support for the presidency. When Lincoln was elected President in 1860, Douglas condemned secession and, on Lincoln's request, traveled the country speaking out in favor of preserving the Union. He died two months after shots were fired on Fort Sumter.
Susan B. Anthony
a. Susan B. Anthony was born in Massachusetts, the daughter of Quaker abolitionists. At her first women's rights convention in 1852, she declared that voting was "the right which woman needed above every other." In 1869 Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucretia Mott and Lucy Stone founded the National Woman Suffrage Association (NWSA). This organization condemned the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments as injustices to women because they failed to clearly protect women's rights. She and Stanton also published a weekly newspaper, The Revolution. b. In 1872, Anthony decided to test the meaning of the Fourteenth Amendment by casting a vote. She argued that because the amendment protected the "privileges and immunities" of all citizens, that it should protect her right to vote. She was arrested, imprisoned, tried, and found guilty of voting. Anthony's trial gave her a chance to bring her message to a larger audience. c. In the 1880s, NWSA merged with another suffrage organization to form the National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA). Stanton became its first president. In 1892, Anthony became its second president - a post she held for eight years. Anthony died in 1906, fourteen years before the Nineteenth Amendment would secure women's right to vote. The fight for women's suffrage was continued by others including Alice Paul and Carrie Chapman Catt.
Susan B. Anthony
a. Susan B. Anthony was born in Massachusetts, the daughter of Quaker abolitionists. At her first women's rights convention in 1852, she declared that voting was "the right which woman needed above every other." In 1869 Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucretia Mott and Lucy Stone founded the National Woman Suffrage Association (NWSA). This organization condemned the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments as injustices to women because they failed to clearly protect women's rights. She and Stanton also published a weekly newspaper, The Revolution. b. In 1872, Anthony decided to test the meaning of the Fourteenth Amendment by casting a vote. She argued that because the amendment protected the "privileges and immunities" of all citizens, that it should protect her right to vote. She was arrested, imprisoned, tried, and found guilty of voting. Anthony's trial gave her a chance to bring her message to a larger audience. c. In the 1880s, NWSA merged with another suffrage organization to form the National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA). Stanton became its first president. In 1892, Anthony became its second president - a post she held for eight years. Anthony died in 1906, thirteen years before the Nineteenth Amendment would secure women's right to vote. The fight for women's suffrage was continued by others including Alice Paul and Carrie Chapman Catt. d. The work of Anthony and other women's suffragists illustrate the civic values of perseverance, courage, initiative, industry, and civic skills including volunteering.
Theodore Roosevelt
a. Theodore Roosevelt Theodore Roosevelt, born in New York in 1858, was serving as Vice President when President William McKinley was assassinated. With this event, Roosevelt became the youngest person ever to become President. His views on foreign affairs were summed up with the proverb he often called his motto, "Speak softly and carry a big stick." Roosevelt was willing to interfere in the affairs of other nations when it benefited the United States. b. At home, Roosevelt expanded the federal government's power of eminent domain. He signed laws establishing five national parks. Explaining his fight for a "square deal" for Americans, he used authority under the Sherman Anti-Trust Act to take on consolidated companies that took away consumers' choices. He worked to protect companies from extreme demands from labor unions. He urged federal lawmakers to enact legislation protecting workers, including child labor laws and a bill providing workmen's compensation for all federal employees. He proposed laws regulating the nation's food supply. In response, Congress passed the Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906, paving the way for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Roosevelt became famous for using the "bully pulpit" to advance his ideas. c. Roosevelt had his critics. While the Founders believed that powers not granted to the federal government were forbidden, Roosevelt claimed that powers not forbidden were granted. Many charged that the many regulatory agencies he proposed threatened liberty. President William Howard Taft, who succeeded Theodore Roosevelt as President in 1908, said that Roosevelt's view of "ascribing an undefined ... power to the President" was "an unsafe doctrine" that could do "injustice to private right." Some later historians have called Roosevelt an activist president, because of the way his actions increased the power of the federal government over states and individuals' lives.
Theodore Roosevelt
a. Theodore Roosevelt, born in New York in 1858, was serving as Vice President when President William McKinley was assassinated. With this event, Roosevelt became the youngest person ever to become President. His views on foreign affairs were summed up with the proverb he often called his motto, "Speak softly and carry a big stick." Roosevelt was willing to interfere in the affairs of other nations when it benefited the United States. b. At home, Roosevelt expanded the federal government's power of eminent domain. He signed laws establishing five national parks. Explaining his fight for a "square deal" for Americans, he used authority under the Sherman Anti-Trust Act to take on consolidated companies that took away consumers' choices. He worked to protect companies from extreme demands from labor unions. He urged federal lawmakers to enact legislation protecting workers, including child labor laws and a bill providing workmen's compensation for all federal employees. He proposed laws regulating the nation's food supply. In response, Congress passed the Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906, paving the way for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Roosevelt became famous for using the "bully pulpit" to advance his ideas. c. Roosevelt had his critics. While the Founders believed that powers not granted to the federal government were forbidden, Roosevelt claimed that powers not forbidden were granted. Many charged that the many regulatory agencies he proposed threatened liberty. President William Howard Taft, who succeeded Theodore Roosevelt as President in 1908, said that Roosevelt's view of "ascribing an undefined ... power to the President" was "an unsafe doctrine" that could do "injustice to private right." Some later historians have called Roosevelt an activist president, because of the way his actions increased the power of the federal government over states and individuals' lives.
Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson
a. Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson was one of the most famous figures in American Civil War history. He was a strong-willed, naturally gifted military leader. He graduated from West Point, served in the U.S. Army, fought in the U.S.-Mexican War, and was a Confederate general in the Civil War. Perhaps best known for his courageous ability to face an opposing army like a "stone wall" without backing down, Jackson was a veteran of many Civil War battles and skirmishes. He was revered by the Confederate armies of the South, not only for his years of dedicated military service but also for his repeated displays of bravery and valor. Jackson died in May, 1863 as a result of complications from wounds received at Chancellorsville and pneumonia. When Stonewall died, Robert E. Lee said, "I have lost my right arm." Stonewall Jackson was buried at Lexington, Virginia.
Ulysses S. Grant
a. Ulysses S. Grant was born in 1822. Grant was educated at West Point Academy where he graduated in the middle of his class. He fought in the U.S.-Mexican War where he served under General Zachary Taylor. President Lincoln appointed him General of the Union Army during the Civil War, and he won the first major Union victories of the war. On April 9, 1865, at Appomattox Court House, General Robert E. Lee surrendered to Grant. Grant wrote out the terms of surrender in such a way as to prevent treason trials. He became the 18th President of the United States in 1868. As President, he presided over the government similar to the way he ran the Army. He brought part of his Army staff to the White House, and his presidency was plagued by corruption
Upton Sinclair
a. Upton Sinclair was born in Maryland in 1878. He believed unregulated capitalism was responsible for much of the poverty he saw, and so he joined the Socialist Party. He decided to write a series of articles on the Chicago meat-packing industry. The series told the fictional story of an immigrant family who found work in the stock yards. The stories first appeared in a socialist newspaper. In 1906, Sinclair combined them into a fictional novel, The Jungle. It was a world-wide best-seller. Americans were shocked and horrified at the working conditions Sinclair described. b. President Theodore Roosevelt read The Jungle and ordered inspections of the meatpacking industry. Soon after, Congress passed the Pure Food and Drugs Act (1906) and the Meat Inspection Act (1906). Sinclair exercised his right to freedom of the press in order to bring about what he saw as a needed change.
Vernon Baker
a. Vernon Baker, born in 1919, served as a First Lieutenant in the infantry during World War II. His brave actions saved the lives of many in his company, and he was responsible for eliminating three enemy machine gun positions and an observation post. For his bravery, he was awarded a Purple Heart, a Bronze Star, and the Distinguished Service Cross. Historians concluded that he was wrongly denied the military's top award because of his race, and in 1997, he became the only living African American veteran of World War II to receive the Medal of Honor when he was presented this award by President Bill Clinton. He is one of only seven African Americans ever to receive this award. Baker died in 2010 at the age of 90.
Edmund Randolph
a. Virginian Edmund Randolph, born in 1753, is sometimes called a "Forgotten Founder" because his name is not familiar to many Americans despite his many contributions to the United States. During the Revolutionary War, he served as an aide-de-camp to General George Washington. He also served in several public offices including delegate to the Continental Congress, delegate to the Annapolis Convention, as well as the Constitutional Convention. b. At the Constitutional Convention, Randolph introduced the Virginia Plan. By the Convention's end, though, Randolph refused to sign the Constitution. He believed his integrity required him to refuse. He thought the final version had strayed too far from what he called the "republican propositions" of the Virginia Plan. He also feared that a single President would lead to tyranny. Instead he supported a three-person executive council. James Madison later persuaded Randolph to support ratification at the Virginia Ratifying Convention. The compromise was made easier for Randolph because eight states had already ratified by the time of Virginia's Convention. c. Randolph was appointed to serve as the nation's first Attorney General by President George Washington.
W.E.B. DuBois
a. W.E.B. DuBois was a leader in the struggle for civil rights for African Americans in the first years of the 20th century. In 1895, he became the first African American to receive a PH.D from Harvard. DuBois broke from Booker T. Washington's philosophy which preached that African Americans should work hard for economic gain and the respect of whites, even though it might mean they had to endure discrimination for the time being. DuBois believed Washington's philosophy would perpetuate the oppression of African Americans. In 1903, DuBois published perhaps his most famous book, The Souls of Black Folks. In 1909, he helped create the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People). His later Pan-Africanism ideas were based on the belief that people of African descent from all over the world should unite to fight oppression. When he left the NAACP in 1934, he favored complete black separatism. After moving to Ghana, he became a citizen of Ghana and a member of the Communist Party. He died in Ghana on August 27, 1963, the eve of the March on Washington
Warren G. Harding
a. Warren G. Harding, born in Ohio in 1865, was elected to the U. S. Senate from Ohio in 1914. In 1920 the Republican Party nominated Harding as its candidate for President, and during the campaign he promised America a return to normalcy after the chaos of WWI. He championed the idea that "America's present need is not heroics, but healing; not nostrums, but normalcy; not revolution, but restoration..." He was elected the nation's 29th President but died in 1923 before completing his term. As a conservative Republican, he sought to decrease the role of government in the American economy and allow business to flourish without intrusive government regulations. He protected American business by increasing tariffs on imported goods. His hands off (laissez-faire) approach to governing saw a reduction in government spending and a lowering of the income tax. He also worked with Congress to reduce excessive taxes on corporations. During his administration Americans paid one-third less in taxes. Harding died before some notorious scandals involving members of his administration became public knowledge. However the Teapot Dome Scandal in which a Harding cabinet member was caught taking a bribe tarnished the Harding presidency forever.
The Wright Brothers
a. Wilbur and Orville Wright's industry and perseverance changed a nation—and the world. Many had tried but no one had been able to perfect a machine that could be controlled in flight. The Wright brothers observed birds, studied wings and engines, physics and dynamics. They conducted wind tunnel tests on more than 200 kinds of wings. They continued in their research and experiments over several years, during which time they suffered some disappointing failures. In 1900, they traveled to Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, a location they selected after extensive study of weather data. Its ocean breezes and soft landing sites would be perfect. On December 17, 1903, they succeeded. Their engine-powered airplane flew 120 feet, landing twelve seconds after takeoff. b. The Wright brothers knew that citizens had the ability to protect their inventions through patents. They patented their invention as a "flying machine," and almost immediately had to begin defending their work from rival inventors. Wilbur spent much of the last years of his life in this endeavor, traveling to consult with lawyers and testifying in court. He saw it as his responsibility to defend not only his own economic rights, but those of other citizens. Orville persevered in the legal battle until the case was decided in the Wrights' favor in 1914.
William Carney
a. William Carney was born a slave in Virginia. His father escaped from slavery with the help of the Underground Railroad and earned enough money to buy his family's freedom. William Carney enlisted in the all African American 54th Massachusetts regiment during the Civil War, which was led by Colonel Robert Gould Shaw. William Carney was quoted in The Liberator as saying "Previous to the formation of colored troops, I had a strong inclination to prepare myself for the ministry; but when the country called for all persons, I could best serve my God by serving my country and my oppressed brothers." He fought bravely at the Battle of Fort Wagner, outside Charleston, South Carolina, and earned a promotion to sergeant. He was shot four times and survived. He is the first African American to receive the Congressional Medal of Honor.
William Jennings Bryan
a. William Jennings Bryan was born in Illinois and moved to Nebraska in 1887 where he practiced law. Running on a populist platform, he was the first Democrat elected from Nebraska to the House of Representatives. He lost his bid for the Senate in 1894 and became editor of the Democratic newspaper, the Omaha World-Herald. b. Bryan became an advocate of "Free Silver" policy, delivering his "Cross of Gold" speech at the 1896 Democratic National Convention. His charisma impressed many of the delegates. He ran unsuccessfully for president 3 times, taking progressive and anti-imperialist stances. He supported President Woodrow Wilson, who appointed Bryan Secretary of State. He served for 2 years but resigned in protest when Wilson led the country into World War I. c. In his later life, Bryan worked to secure prohibition and women's suffrage. He became concerned about the teaching of evolution, calling it "consummately dangerous." He argued for a literal interpretation of the Bible and in opposition to the teaching of evolution against Clarence Darrow in what became known as the Scopes Monkey Trial. He died five days after that trial ended.
Woodrow Wilson
a. Woodrow Wilson was born in Virginia. He earned law and doctoral degrees at prestigious universities before becoming a political science professor and later president of Princeton University. He served as Governor of New Jersey, and in 1912 was elected President of the United States. Alice Paul organized a women's suffrage parade for the day before his inauguration. b. A number of Progressive reforms took place during his administration, in the form of legislation and amendments to the Constitution. The Sixteenth Amendment was ratified a month before he took office; President Wilson gained Congress's approval for a graduated federal income tax. The Seventeenth and Eighteenth Amendments followed. Congress heeded Wilson's call to amend the Sherman Anti-Trust Act. Finally, Wilson lent his support to women's suffrage, and in 1920 the Nineteenth Amendment was ratified. c. Though he initially attempted to keep the United States out of World War I, he asked Congress to declare war on Germany in 1917. He acted as Commander in Chief of the military and two years later negotiated the Treaty of Versailles, which included his plan for the League of Nations. The Senate did not approve the treaty, however, so the League of Nations began without the United States as a member. President Wilson won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1920.
Anne Hutchinson
against religious theocracy, defended religious liberty, MA 1634, Bible study, criticized colony ministers' teachings, 82 erroneous opinions, banished to RI, 1st Amendment, religion clause