The History Square

Register to Vote Online

2008-07-24T23:13:28-04:00

Now registering to vote has got even easier! For those busy Americans who don't have the time to go to the DMV or other state offices offering the services, now we can take full advantage of the technological age. The website Declare Yourself has made it possible to do the registration process online, and all it requires is to mail in the form!

Voting is one of those inalienable rights that we have as citizens of this country; many, many people have fought for this and we are blessed with free elections. Please take advantage of this process and get out and express your opinion! Everyone has an opinion about something that is important to them, but it may not be your opinion, why let someone else have their say for you?? If we can vote for American Idol, or Dancing With the Stars, surely the importance of local and federal elections will hit home!

Some Components of Comparative Politics:

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--Some common methods of election fraud are:

ballot destruction

multiple voting

vote suppression

ballot stuffing

prestuffed ballots

result fabrications

harassment of opposition

unequal access to Media

*See also, gerrymandering and electoral geography

--The emergence of political ideologies and the development of advanced weaponry and communication led to the the emergence of Totalitarianism in the 20th century.

--Influence is the capacity to effect government policies or structure without fully controlling them.

--Political Islam is the movement that seeks to increase the political authority of Islamic clerics and Islamic law over societies.

--Democratic governments tend to outperform authoritarian governments with respect to quality of life standards. Some reasons for that are:

*that there are less economic crises in democratic governments, with much lower incidence of corruption

*there is a much higher life span for adults and a lower mortality rate for infants in democratic governments

*children of democratic governments have a much higher chance of attending high school

--A traditional authoritarian government is repressive and denies political freedom, but does not possess complete control over every aspect of life in the society of their country.

--Totalitarian governments have six common characteristics:

*state terror

*complete monopoly of communications

*state controlled economy

*monopoly of weapons

*single party government

*and an all-encompassing ideology

--Identity, Values and Ideas, and Economics are three sources of political conflict.

--Due process reflects the democratic condition that a countries' justice system must be fair, and that it cannot be arbitrary and abusive.

--Fascism has three main elements: racism, militarism, and mass mobilization.

--An autocracy is a type of government where political power is controlled by a single individual.

--A theocracy is the political system in which power is monopolized by religious authorities.

--In cross-cutting cleavages, individuals possess multiple identities which can overlap with a wide variety of other in society and can lead an individual in different political directions. These overlapping identities help to bind countries together by preventing the polarization of society.

(Information provided by class lecture, notes, PowerPoint's, and test bank questions in Dr Collins Comparative Politics class, Kennesaw State University)

What was the role of African Americans in the Revolution, and how were they affected by the outcome?

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About 20% of the population in the colonies during the American Revolution was African American, and about half of those were slaves. Many of the African Americans supported the British in the beginning as they were seen as a source of liberty. In fact many of the slaves had high hopes, as some

Massachusetts

slaves said they expected “great things from men who have made such a noble stand against the designs of their fellow-men to enslave them.” (Brown 257) Of course the Americans saw this as a ‘white mans’ fight for liberty, since they did not consider the fact that blacks were people mattered in the revolution, and this war was a huge disruption to the slave system.

Since so many blacks supported the British, many actually joined the war effort once they were free; others that were slaves were allowed to join by their masters. In fact there were already blacks involved at the first battle in

Lexington

and they were part of the militia. White soldiers were not always happy to have black counterparts in the war, in fact, enlisted men under

Washington

complained about them being able to enlist to such an extent that they decided not to allow recruiters to enlist more blacks. Not all the recruiters agreed to this policy however, because they had quotas to meet and blacks were often willing to sign up. Edward Rutledge saw this as a huge problem for the slave system and appealed to the council to put an end to the black enlistments.

The council determined that no blacks would be enlisted in the Army, and that any blacks in the vicinity of the Army were to be arrested if they were not already enlisted. When it was time for a black mans reenlistment, they would be unable to do so. Free blacks protested and when word got back to

Washington

, he referred them to the Continental Congress with his support for allowing black enlistment. He knew that they needed more bodies in the Army if they were going to have enough troops. The Congress decided that any blacks already in the Army could reenlist, but no new blacks could join. Soon other states began to follow suit and they even began to stop blacks from joining the militia. Southern states were leery of letting blacks join the army, if blacks were trained and armed it could lead to an insurrection or a revolt. That was not a possibility they were willing to consider.

John Adams on the other hand disagreed. Why should blacks not be allowed to fight for the liberty of

America

? The answer so readily available was that whites and blacks can not coexist; it was a direct threat to the slave and class system. But as the numbers of enlisted continued to dwindle, the need for black soldiers became increasingly apparent. When incentives offered to white soldiers could no longer entice, Congress realized that blacks would enlist for incentives. So, they gave the recruitment officers a choice, they could either take black soldiers or recruit from their own militias. Recruiters then began enlisting free black volunteers. The states realized that in order to continue the fight against the British, they not only needed soldiers, but the blacks could be an important part. If the blacks fought for the British they would be a new enemy, and not only that, but slaves could turn on their owners. Many states began to allow black enlistments, and some even offered freedom to slaves, or land grants to owners who would allow their slaves to join in the fight. Southern states continued to balk at allowing blacks and slaves to fight, and even when they were offered alternatives and incentives by the Congress, they still refused to budge; most to their own detriment.

One system that the south finally allowed was

Sumter

’s Law in 1781.

Sumter

would seize runaway slaves that had been owned by the loyalists and offer them as a recruiting tool. They would allow new white recruits to receive a slave upon their enlistment. Blacks became a new commodity. The loyalists were obviously not happy about this situation, and the British wanted to use the slaves to their advantage. They wanted to make them their allies in the war, not enemies. Slavery had been abolished in the

British Isles

in 1773, which gave them a favorable view in the American slave’s eyes. But officially, there was no policy of how to handle blacks in the British army; it was left up to the officials in the field. Lord Dunmore steps in and offers freedom to slaves in the South who will serve for the British. His proclamation, “I hereby further declare all indented servants, negroes, or others (appertaining to rebels) free, that are able and willing to bear arms…” caused a serious backlash among continentals and loyalists alike. There was a certain risk to the British in using slaves, because there were many loyalists who owned and employed them. Even though the loyalists were in support of

Britain

they may not take so kindly to having their slaves taken away.

Some slaves continued to resists any service to either side, and many continued to flee to

Indian Territory

to escape the Army. Some slaves that worked for the British turned out to be very valuable at spying because they could work both sides and slip in and out of the lines with no problems. The Americans viewed them as less than nothing, and it never occurred to them that they could be a threat. Some slaves went on to obtain not only rank, but pay in the British army and became loyal soldiers. Perhaps the most hated group of blacks that worked for the British became known as the Black Dragoons. They were a group formed by Lord Dunmore and were a unit of former slaves. Every member, including the officers, was black and armed. They rode mounted on horseback throughout the countryside fighting the Whigs. This only served to increase the hostilities of the rebels. The British eventually decided that it was worth sacrificing slavery in order to hold onto the war and afterwards many enlisted slaves were evacuated along with the British.

Source Reference:

Brown, Richard D., ed. Major Problems in the Era of the American Revolution, 1760-1791. 2nd ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2000.

Discuss the problems that the United States experienced under the Confederation government, how they led to the decision to create a new system of government, and how the Constitution differed from the Articles of Confederation.

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After Shays’ Rebellion the states began to realize that a stronger form of government was needed. The states were not only unable to control small rebellions within the states, but they would have little hope of standing together against any sort of foreign attack if one should arise. Not only that, but there was still the threat of Indian attacks along their western border, and that would require a unified treatment.

Two other important problems plaguing the new country were the economic troubles and trade problems that had occurred since the war. When the annual Annapolis Convention started in 1786 the delegates that showed up decided that the need to discuss a new government was more important than a larger discussion of commercial issues. Since only five states delegates had shown up for the convention, Alexander Hamilton drew up a request for all states to send their delegates to

Philadelphia

to discuss the Articles of Confederation.

In 1787 fifty-five delegates showed up for the Constitutional Convention and their first action was to appoint George Washington president of the convention. The delegates decided that the troubles plaguing the states were too great and that a new government needed to be drafted from scratch. The delegates were broken down into factions depending on what they believed or felt a new government would require. There was almost complete unanimity that a new federal government was needed, but that pretty much only started the debate. The first faction to come into play were the Nationalists, and they were composed of such people as Alexander Hamilton and Benjamin Franklin (GW was also a silent player in this grouping). The Nationalists wanted public spirit, and a strong central government that harnessed their self interests rather than appealing to the common good. They admired the British political system and felt that the ‘better sort’ of individuals should rule.

The next group to come into play was the Republican Ideologues who included such people as George Mason and Luther Martin. They believed in the principles of the radical Whigs: that any powerful government is dangerous and needs to be in the hands of the state. There needed to be a small central government, and local governments needed to remain with the people’s say. Their goal was to pursue the common good. The Pragmatists on the other hand, joined by James Madison and Charles Pinckney, wanted a workable government that bridged the gap between the two extremes. As James Madison so eloquently put it, “The great desideratum in Government is such a modification of the Sovereignty as will render it sufficiently neutral between the differing interests and factions…” (Brown, 394) In other words, they wanted a compromise.

There was a fourth faction, but they were the group that was not present at the convention at all. Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Samuel Adams, Patrick Henry, and John Hancock were all the men most committed to a radical government, but they also did not think that there even needed to be a change. The men at the convention started debating back and forth about the changes that they needed to make, with several plans being put forth. The first plan introduced was done so by James Madison and was called the Virginia Plan. This plan called for a strong central government that would raise money, overrule conflicting state laws, and would have representation in Congress that was based on the population of each state. This plan was unpopular with the Republican Ideologues and some of the smaller states because they saw the plan as a loss of their power due to the proportional representation. The New Jersey Plan was then introduced by the smaller states, and they agreed to a stronger federal government, but wanted equal representation of each state in the legislature so that the small states would not get their opinions overwhelmed.

Alexander Hamilton hated both plans; he felt that they just complicated matters even more than they already were. The delegates in the convention argued for months over the particulars and it threatened to break up the convention all together. So, Roger Sherman of

Connecticut

stepped forward with the Great Compromise. This plan called for the creation of a House of Representatives, which were representatives directly elected by the people, and it was proportional to population. They were elected to two year terms. A Senate (upper house) would also be created, and the senators would be elected to six year terms by the state legislature. Their representation would be equal with two senators per state. The idea behind the senate was that a higher quality of people would be selecting them, so they would be of the ‘better sort’ and they would not be directly answerable to the public. Both houses would consent to pass legislation.

The new government would have a president, who would be elected to four year terms, but could be reelected indefinitely. The public voters would vote for electors, who would make up the Electoral College which was also proportional by state. These electors will exercise their independent judgment if necessary, instead of the public opinion, to elect a worthy candidate to the presidency. This would keep average people at a distance, and would allow wealthier, more educated men to make a decision with infinitely more wisdom. The last part of the new government was to establish a Federal Judiciary. There were still conflicts with this new governmental institution, but it was eventually ratified and agreed upon by all the states in 1789. It took some doing, some whisky, and some cajoling, but eventually the new Constitution was an accepted part of

America

Source Reference:

Brown, Richard D., ed. Major Problems in the Era of the American Revolution, 1760-1791. 2nd ed.

Boston

: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2000.

Seven Major Consequences of World War II:

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1: The End of the European Age.

2: The rise of the US to superpower status.

3: The expansion of the Soviet Union and its rise to superpower status.

4: The emergence of the Cold War.

5. The beginning of the nuclear age.

6: The rise of nationalism and independence movements in Asia and Africa.

7: A renewed effort to secure lasting peace through international organizations.

*The Soviet Union lost the most lives in the war, with over 27 million people.

Boston Tea Party:

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After the repealing of the Townshend Acts, the tax on British Tea was left as a way for Britian to show that they still had some control over the colonies. Unfortunately Boston was also suffering economically, which was only further aggravated by troops taking low-paying, off duty jobs.

Because of the official boycott on British Tea, Dutch tea was being smuggled in at much cheaper prices. The merchants were suffering and tons of Tea was being left to rot. In order to ensure that the Tea got into port Britain sent troops into Boston. In December 1773, as a ship carrying British Tea came into port, the Sons of Liberty boarded and threw overboard thousands of pounds of tea into the harbor. Britain responded with the Coercive Acts, further inflaming the colonists and leading to war.

Common Sense, by Thomas Paine

2008-05-15T08:29:00-04:00

Written by Thomas Paine in 1776, this document was written for the colonists. Paine hoped to make them understand the need for Revolution. Using many different arguments, such as religion, Paine sought to discredit the Monarchy and its use of family lineage to pass down power through the generations.

He also argued that the benefits America had, such as land, resources, and weapons, worked in their favor during a revolt. He argued that British rule did not have a place in America's uncorrupt society. Not only did he want the colonists to understand the need, he wanted them to understand the process, and hoped to garner support all the way to the trenches. Many ultimately did support his ideas and came to support Independence.

Townshend Acts:

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Officially called the Townshend Revenue Acts, these were created after the repeal of the Stamp Act. There was not much widespread opposition at first due to the fact that it was a tax (custom) placed on certain external goods (for example: paper, glass, lead, etc.) which had been accepted before. However, it soon became widely perceived as just another way for the British government to get revenue from the colonies which lead to boycotts and protests. The money being raised was to be used to pay for the British Royal Officers stationed in the colonies.

Albany Congress

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This was the first attempt made to create a unified colonial government when the delegates of seven colonies got together to form a unified policy for dealing with the French in 1754. Benjamin Frankling suggested a Plan of Union, which would be an organization to deal (an be in charge of) with defense and Indian legislation. Unfortunately the delegates couldn't agree and kept fighting among themselves, ultimately accomplishing nothing.

The Ohio Company

2008-05-13T14:56:00-04:00

Virginia land speculators were wanting to expand their land holdings along the Ohio River Valley, so they commissioned the Ohio Company to go out and acquire the land. Virginia claimed the land through a charter, but the Iroquois (who no longer lived there) also claimed the land.

The Company bartered for the land, and even though the Iroquois had no right to sell it, they signed the Treaty of Lancaster giving Virginia the acreage they wanted. In order to obtain more from the Indians, merchants were sent to sell goods to the Indians at lower prices than the French. They slowly increased the price while decreasing the quality and availability of the goods, thus leaving the Indians in a lot of debt. The only thing that the Indians had left in value anymore was their land which they were forced to sell to the Company.