Lincoln and Johnson vs. the Radicals Essay Example for Free

Lincoln and Johnson vs. the Radicals Essay The Civil War, which lasted up until 1865, was the bloodiest battle that this Nation had ever faced. Making it even sadder was the fact that this Nation was divided, North against South, and brothers were killing brothers, fathers killing sons. It was indeed a tough time for President Lincoln who was sworn into office in 1861. He needed to end the war and figure out a way to bring peace and rebuild the Nation. In order to end the war he devised a plan to free all slaves in the eye’s of the government, and on the first day of the year in 1863 he announced his â€Å"Emancipation Proclamation,† declaring all slaves owned under the Confederacy to be now free men. The Confederacy was beginning to crumble; Southern cities were destroyed and the Southern economy was in ruins. Lincoln now focused his attention on the idea of Reconstruction, and reuniting those Southern States back into the Union. It would not be easy for Lincoln, however, as he faced far different ideas than his, proposed by the Radical Republicans, led by Pennsylvania Representative Thaddeus Stevens and Massachusetts Senator Charles Sumner. Despite being the Republican nomination for President, Lincoln was far more conservative than those Republicans taking the majority of seats in Congress. In December of 1863, before the war had officially come to a close, Lincoln began to devise his Reconstruction plan, which at the time was considered to be very lenient by those of the Union. His plan was very compassionate toward white southerners, except for major leaders of the Confederacy. He needed those Confederate Army generals and high-ranking officers to take an oath of loyalty to the Union, and verbally accept the Nation’s abolition of slavery. Lincoln’s plan was to institute new state governments in the South, under control of those southerners who had not aided to Confederacy. Lincoln also had the idea of granting voting rights to those freed African Americans who were educated, owned land, or had participated in the fighting for the Union. Under Lincoln’s plan, three southern states (Louisiana, Arkansas, and Tennessee) acknowledged the abolition of slavery, formed new Union-loyal governments, and were ready to be readmitted completely into the Union. The Radical Republicans were not pleased to the slightest with Lincoln’s plan. They demanded much harsher penalties for seceding the Union, and they refused to seat the representatives from those three states, reconstructed under Lincoln’s plan. Because they were so displeased with Lincoln’s leniency, they pushed what is known as the Wade-Davis bill through Congress in 1864. This bill instituted a temporary governor, from the North, to each of those 11 Confederate states. When the majority of men residing in those states had pledged their allegiance to the Union, the governor was to hold a â€Å"constitutional convention,† where only men who had never fought against the Union could elect delegates to represent them in Congress. Once this was accomplished, the new state governments had to acknowledge the total abolition of slavery, disenfranchise Confederate leaders, and pay off all of their war debts, mainly owed to England. After all of this, and only after all of this, could those southern states be readmitted into the Union. Dissatisfied with the Radicals bill, Lincoln overrode their authority with a â€Å"pocket veto.† As you would assume, the Radicals were utterly outraged with Lincoln’s actions, and demanded that Lincoln accept some of their ideas proposed by the Wade-Davis Bill. Unfortunately, we will never know how the President would have negotiated terms with those Radical Republicans. On the night of April 14th, 1865, Lincoln was shot from behind while watching a play with his wife, and died early the next morning. Andrew Johnson, Lincoln’s vice President, became the Nations new President shortly after the assassination. Johnson, who was originally a democrat, was now faced with the issue of Reconstruction, and like Lincoln, took a more moderate approach. While Congress was out of session in the summer following his launch into Presidency, Johnson quickly began to â€Å"R estore† (as he like to call it) those southern states back into the Union. His plan was very much like the Wade-Davis Bill in which he instituted a temporary governor to those southern states and had the governor allow qualified voters to elect delegates to represent them in Congress. When Congress came back into session in December, they began almost immediately to refuse seats to those elected delegates. Even though Johnson’s intentions were very similar to their Wade-Davis Bill, those Radicals were angered by the fact that most southerners still wished for slavery even though they took an oath against it. Many Confederate generals being voted in as Representatives in Congress also angered the Radicals. So they shot Johnson’s plan down, plain and simple. The Radicals began to gain more and more power in Congress due to several factors. First, Black Codes began to arise in southern states which authorized sate officials to apprehend unemployed blacks for vagrancy, and hire them out to mostly plantation owners in order to pay off their vagranc y fines. This angered many northerners as is basically violated southern states oaths of African American freedom. This caused Congress to pass the first Civil Rights Act, which gave the federal government the right to intervene in state affairs if blacks were not given appropriate rights. Johnson vetoed this bill but was easily overridden by the all-powerful Radical Congress. Next, Congress devised the 14th Amendment to the Constitution. It stated that all people born or naturalized in United States territory are considered citizens, and penalties would arise for states that denied the right to vote to any male citizens. It also stated that former Confederate officials were prohibited from holding any state or federal position unless they were pardoned for their treasonous Civil War crimes by two-thirds of Congress. Any state that ratified this 14th Amendment would be readmitted into the Union. Tennessee was the only state to ratify and be readmitted right away. Finally, those ten states that were still outstanding from the Union were divided into five different â€Å"military districts.† A military commander was assigned to each district and was responsible for registering citizens to vote (black males, and those whites who had not bore arms against the Union). Voters had to elect government bodies who would write their new state constitution, and have it passed by Congress. And finally, after all that, the state had to ratify the 14th Amendment. All but Virginia, Texas and Mississippi had reunited with the Union by 1868 and finally by 1870 those last 3 states were reunited only after ratifying 15th Amendment in addition to the 14th one. Alas, the Union was rejoined, blacks now had their freedom and right to vote, and peace was beginning to take presence. When we look at the similarities proposed by Lincoln and Johnson, we see that both men were in favor of leniency for those southern states. Lincoln only felt it was necessary for Confederate leaders to take an oath of loyalty as opposed to the Congressional decision that Confederate leaders needed to be pardoned by two-thirds of Congress (Which would likely never happen as Radicals held so much power in Congress) in order to take part in state or federal legislature. It is clear that Johnson also opposed this idea, and leaned toward Lincoln’s plan, in the way he vetoed Congress vigorously. This similarity in ideas between Lincoln and Johnson is also a major difference between the presidents and Congress’s final decision. Unfortunately for Johnson (and Lincoln), and the rest of the moderate northerners, his veto was no match for Congress. A key similarity between the presidents and Congress though, was the issue of African American rights. The final Congressional plan involved a federal Civil Rights Act and two new Constitutional Amendments, in order to protect the rights of African Americans. Lincoln obviously believed in equality when he delivered his Emancipation Proclamation, and stated that educated, land-owning, or allied blacks should be given the right to vote. And based on Congresses final decision, I would say the majority of people from the south who were qualified to vote on the new state governors were probably African Americans. In conclusion, when comparing the presidential Reconstruction plans, with those actually put into play by Congress, the main difference falls within the idea of leniency vs. anger. The presidents wanted the whole ordeal over and the states rejoined, whereas the Radicals wanted revenge on the South for seceding. As to which ideas would have worked better? It is very hard to say. All that can be said is that eventually, the Radicals gained too much power in Congress for the presidents to handle, and ultimately an all-powerful republican Congress overruled their ideas. Bibliography(EZbib.com) Brinkley, Alan. Reconstruction and the New South. The Unfinished Nation. 6th ed. Vol. 2. New York [u.a.: McGraw-Hill, 2000. 369-83. Print. 35b. Radical Reconstruction. Radical Reconstruction [ushistory.org]. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Feb. 2013. Time Line of The Civil War, 1865. Time Line of The Civil War. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Feb. 2013.

Moral Judgment Essay -- essays research papers fc

‘Moral judgments are nothing more than expressions of personal preference. While there is some point to arguing about questions of fact, moral arguments are a waste of time. The only thing at issue is what people like or don’t like’. I have probably read this statement about a million times and still do not have any qualms against it. Moral judgments are typically based on your upbringing, your likes, your religion (or non-religion), and numerous other aspects that make up your personality. Those listed traits and further attributions give you the basis of what you are going to feel morally to many issues such as: homosexuality, abortion, murder, stealing, etc. While many of us feel that we are always precise when making a judgment, this paper will show that no matter how hard we try; the above statement will always be true. In Rachels’ The Elements of Moral Philosophy; it states, â€Å"Ethical Subjectivism is the idea that our moral opinions are based on our feelings, and nothing more†. Ethical Subjectivism is what the topic statement is defining. When you make a moral judgment, such as the following: I disagree with homosexuality; what is your basis for the judgment? Society, your parents, your religion – these are all things that round out your personal preferences. By making such a statement, you are in fact just stating your own opinion (which is an extension of your preferences). In the dictionary, opinion is defined as: a belief or conclusion held with confidence but ...

Hazara people Essay

1. Where did they move to after Pakistan? They moved to America after Pakistan. 2. What job did Baba get? Baba got a job at a gas station. 3. Why didn’t he want food stamps? Baba refused food stamps because this was an insult to his pride. He is mentioned to have a strict code of honour and pride and accepting outside help to take care of his own problem. 4. What did Baba give Amir for his birthday? Why? Baba gave Amir a coveted Stingray bicycle and a fancy wristwatch, but Amir felt like those gifts were â€Å"blood money. † 5. What did Amir decide to study in college? Amir decided to study English and major in it. Baba considers it petty and not an actual job. Amir wants to become a writer and a published author but he knows that he will have to wait until he is noticed to gain money from his writing, so therefore explains to Baba that he will work at a low budget place for a while. Baba gets angry and throws the idea back into Amir’s face, but Amir finally stands tall and wants to do it anyway, despite Baba’s wishes because it is what he wants to do with the rest of his life. No matter what Baba has to say. 6. How did Baba feel about Amir’s decision? Why? Baba believes that writing is not a â€Å"real† job, as success is not ensured, and the fact that you write 1 book and can live off it, while others have to work hard their entire lives and can barely live off it. He is the kind of person who would be proud if Amir was doing a â€Å"manly† job, and he believes writing isn’t one – it is too creative etc†¦ Quite hard to explain, but many people believe creative jobs like writing, singing and acting aren’t real jobs. So basically, Baba wanted Amir to be manlier, but Amir decided not to because he had given up Hassan for Baba already and that decision had damned him. 7. How did the author say he â€Å"embraced America†? (pg. 136) 8. What did Baba and Amir do to supplement their income? 9. Reflect on Baba’s comment at the end of Chapter 11. 10. What dating customs and traditions does American culture have? Southern culture? The digital age of dating has ushered in dating websites, matchmaking tools, and personality assessments to help couples find each other in an era that often lends itself to feelings of disconnect and isolation. 11. Discuss gender (pg. 149) 12. What type of cancer does Baba have? 13. Discuss parental relations (pg.156). Compare and contrast relations today in America versus Afghanistan culture. 14. Why did Amir envy Soraya? Amir envied Soraya because he wishes that his secret could be spoken for and dealt with. CHAPTER 13 STUDY GUIDE QUESTIONS 1. Why wasn’t Soraya present at the beginning of the engagement party? Soraya wasn’t present at the beginning of the engagement because in Traditional Afghan ways the family and son go to the daughter’s house for a party where she is not present until the end after all the greetings are held. 2. Discuss wedding traditions. Traditionally, the bride’s family pays for American/Christian weddings. Who paid for Amir’s wedding? Amir’s father (Baba) paid for his wedding, he spent his entire life, working so he could save up money for his son’s wedding. 3. When did Baba die? About a month after Amir’s wedding, Baba died in his sleep. 4. What did Baba do the night before he died? The following night, Amir and Baba go to the Theirs’ home for the traditional ceremony of â€Å"giving word. † General there is happy and says they are doing it the right way now. Because Baba is so sick, they plan to have the wedding quickly. Baba rents an Afghan banquet hall for the ceremony, buys the ring, Amir’s tuxedo, and other necessities, until he has spent almost all of his $35,000 in savings. Of the wedding Amir remembers sitting on a sofa with Soraya. They are covered with a veil and look at each other’s reflections in a mirror. It is the first time he tells her he loves her, and they are together for the first time that night. Shortly after, Baba dies. 5. Why didn’t the General work? 6. Why didn’t the General want Jamila to sing in public? 7. What year was Amir’s first book Published? 8. Why do people whisper behind Soraya’s back? 9. Why didn’t the doctor say they couldn’t have children? What did Amir attribute it to? 10. Why did the General urge Amir and Soraya not to adopt? 11. Where did Amir buy a house? CHAPTER 14-16 1. Who called Amir and asked him to come to Pakistan? Rahim Khan called Amir and asked him to come to Pakistan. 2. How long have Amir and Soraya been married at this point? They have been married for 15 years at this point. 3. How long did Amir plan to be gone for? 4. Where did Rahim Khan live? Rahim Khan lived in Kabul. 5. Who lived in Baba’s house after he and Amir fled Kabul? Rahim Khan lived in Bab’s house after him and Amir fled from Kabul. 6. Why were the Afghans glad to have the Taliban in the beginning? The Afghans were glad to have the Taliban in the beginning because the Taliban got their start as men started bringing in cash to the Afghans fighting the Russians. 7. Why did Rahim Khan want Hassan to come live with him? In the book The Kite Runner Rahim Kahn had been best friends with Baba and Amir. After Baba had escaped to America he had asked Rahim to keep care of his place. Rahim is also aware that Hassan is Baba’s son. When Hassan was a child Rahim Kahn had watched him grow up and knew that he deserved to have more. However, he was also aware that the boy could not get his fair due because he was born illegitimately from a Hazara woman. Rahim Khan was the one Hassan had told about his rape as a child. Rahim is left alone and older and I believe that he wants to give something to Hassan. He wants him to come and stay in the big house, but Hassan will not do it. He is very honorable and will only stay in the house in which he was born on the property. Through bringing Hassan back Rahim Khan gains a family as well. 8. What was Hassan’s house like? When Rahim Khan had to go out somewhere, he left Hassan in responsibility of Baba’s house. 9. What was his wife’s name? His wife’s name is Farzana. 10. What had happened to Ali? Ali had congenital paralysis of his lower face muscles, a condition that rendered him unable to smile. 11. Why do you think Hassan changed his mind and moved with his family to live in Baba’s house with Rahim Khan? 12. Why wouldn’t Hassan move into the main house? Hassan couldn’t move into the main house because Hassan was the protagonist’s son by the wife of his servant – the servant did not know Hassan was not his son, and raised him as his own. Only the protagonist’s father (and his friend) knew that Hassan wasn’t really the servant’s son. 13. Who was the old woman who showed up on their doorstep? The old woman that showed up on their doorstep was Hassan’s mother. 14. Why do you think Hassan forgave Sanaubar? What does that tell you about Hassan’s character? Would you have forgiven your mother? I think Hassan forgave Sanaubar, cause after all, no matter how many times he’ll be mad at her for ditching him when he was small, she will always be his mom at the end of the day. This tells me about Hassan’s character is that Hassan is a type of person who forgets a person’s past no matter how bad it was, but he’ll give them a second chance. To be honest, yes I would’ve forgiven my mother because honestly I’ll be mad at her but she’s my mother after all. 15. What was Hassan’s son’s name? Hassan’s son’s name was Sohrab. 16. What year did the Taliban take over Kabul? What year did they massacre the Hazaras? CHAPTER 17-18 1. What happened to Hassan? Farzana? The Taliban’s ended up killing Hassan and Farzana. 2. What did the Taliban say about it? The Taliban’s said they will use any excuse for any kind of violence they do. 3. Where is Sohrab? After Sohrab’s parents die, Rahim Khan takes Sohrab with him to Pakistan, so Rahim can get cured. 4. What did Rahim Khan want Amir to do? Rahim Khan wanted Amir to understand that Rahim Khan had called him to Peshawar to pay not only for his betrayal of Hassan, but for Baba’s betrayal of Ali. Amir wondered if he was to blame for Hassan and Ali’s deaths because he was the one who drove them out of the house and split up the family. Finally, at thirty-eight years old, Amir was ready to take responsibility for his actions. He returned to Rahim Khan’s apartment to find him praying and told him he would bring Sohrab to Peshawar. 5. What did Amir find out about Hassan, Ali, and Baba? Amir finds out that Hassan is his biological brother, and that Baba is also Hassan’s biological father, and not Ali. 6. Why was he so upset? Amir was so upset because he betrayed Hassan a lot during his childhood, only to find out now that Hassan is his biological brother, so he feels upset and guilty about it. 7. Why is Amir more like Baba than he thought he was (pg. 226) Amir is more like Baba than he thought he was because Baba betrayed his and Ali’s friendship by spending time with his wife, whereas Amir betrayed his and Hassan’s friendship by letting him get raped by Assef. Amir and Baba both betrayed their friends. 8. Why did Amir decide to go to Kabul? Amir decided to go to Kabul because he wanted to bring Sohrab to safety, and send him to an organization where they can take really good care of him. CHAPTER 19 STUDY GUIDE QUESTIONS 1. What do we know about Farid, Amir’s cab driver? 2. Why is Farid suspicious about Amir? Farid is suspicious about Amir because he feels that Amir only came to Kabul so he could sell the land, sell his house, collect the money, and go back to America like a mouse, and then go to vacation somewhere. 3. What misunderstanding is there concerning Amir’s watch? The misunderstanding there is concerning Amir’s watch is that the Wahid family thinks that he came all the way here to sell of his house and land, but to clear things up, he gives the Wahid’s family’s son’s the watch as a gift. 4. What does Amir do before leaving Wahid’s house that echoes something he had done when he was much younger? How is this different? Amir had a dream about Hassan dying, and he was the one who ended up killing Hassan. Also before leaving Wahid’s house he left some money under their mattress. This is different, because when he was younger he left a wristwatch and some money under Hassan’s and Ali’s bed so they could get kicked out of the house. Whereas in this situation it is different because he doesn’t want them to get into trouble, he just wants to thank them for supporting him so he decides to leave the money under the mattress.

The Shang Dynasty - History of Ancient China

The Shang dynasty is thought to have lasted from c. 1600 to c.1100 BCE. It is also called the Yin Dynasty (or Shang-Yin). Tang the Great founded the dynasty. King Zhou was its final ruler. The Shang kings were linked to the rulers of the areas around who paid tribute and provided soldiers for military operations. The Shang kings had some bureaucracy with the highest offices presumed filled by close friends and family of the king. Records of major events were kept. Shang Population The Shang probably had about 13.5 million people, according to Duan Chang-Qun et al. It was centered on the North China Plain northward to modern Shangdong and Hebei provinces and westward through the modern Henan province. Population pressures led to multiple migrations and the capitals moved, too, until settling in Yin (Anyang, Henan) in the 14th century. Relocation of Civilization Centers in Ancient China: Environmental Factors, by Duan Chang-Qun, Gan Xue-Chun, Jeanny Wang and Paul K. Chien. Ambio, Vol. 27, No. 7 (Nov., 1998), pp. 572-575.Shang dynasty. (2009). In Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica. Retrieved March 25, 2009, from Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica Online: http://www.search.eb.com/eb/article-9067119China KnowledgeThe Shang of Ancient China, by L. M. Young. Current Anthropology, Vol. 23, No. 3 (Jun., 1982), pp. 311-314. Start of the Shang Dynasty Tang the Great defeated the last, evil king of the Xia Dynasty, sending him into exile. The Shang changed their capital numerous times because of environmental problems, hostile neighbors, or because they were a semi-nomadic people used to moving. Shang Dynasty Kings Da Yi (Tang the Great)Tai DingWai BingZhong RenTai JiaWo DingTai GengXiao JiaYong JiTai WuLà ¼ JiZhong DingWai RenHedan JiaZu YiZu XinWo JiaZu DingNan GengYang JiaPan GengXiao XinXiao YiWu DingZu JiZu GengZu JiaLin XinGeng DingWu YiWen DingDi YiDi Xin (Zhou) Shang Accomplishments Earliest glazed pottery, evidence of a potters wheel, industrialized bronze casting used for rituals, wine, and food, as well as weapons and tools, advanced jade carving, determined the year was 365 1/4 days, made reports on diseases, first appearance of Chinese script, oracle bones, Steppe-like war chariots. Remains have been found of palace foundations, burials, and rammed earth fortifications. Fall of the Shang Dynasty The cycle of the founding of a dynasty by a great king and ending a dynasty with the ousting of an evil king continued with the Shang Dynasty. The final, tyrannical king of the Shang is commonly called King Zhou. He killed his own son, tortured and murdered his ministers and was overly influenced by his concubine. The Zhou army defeated the last king of the Shang, whom they called the Yin, at the Battle of Muye. The Yin King immolated himself. Sources The Shang-Yin Dynasty and the An-Yang Finds W. Perceval Yetts  The Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland No. 3 (Jul., 1933), pp. 657-685Urbanism and the King in Ancient China K. C. Chang  World Archaeology Vol. 6, No. 1, Political Systems (Jun., 1974), pp. 1-14China. (2009). In Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica. Retrieved March 25, 2009, from Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica Online: http://www.search.eb.com/eb/article-71625.Shang Divination and Metaphysics, by David N. Keightley.  Philosophy East and West, Vol. 38, No. 4 (Oct., 1988), pp. 367-397.