Plessy v. Ferguson Mock Trial Reaction

Presented in the court room today was the case of Plessy vs. Ferguson. Plessy bought a first-class ticket and upon entering the white carriage was arrested and escorted off the train, in which some may say, 'in a rough way.' He was then fined under the Louisiana State Law; Plessy challenged this, claiming that under the 14th amendment and its Equal Protection Clause, having separate cars for black and white passengers clearly violates his rights under the 14th amendment clause. 

The trial opened with the side in whom defended Plessy. They began with the ratification of the 13th amendment. One of the important things said here was, "seeds of justice had already been planted." 

A great point about discrimination was brought up. Why do we, as whites, discriminate against people who don't look the same as us. We discriminate against people who didn't "choose" who they were when they were born. As for religion, God sees us as equals, so why can't we look past these differences?

Plessy was 1/8th African American. He was only 1/8th different from those sitting around him. So yet again, how do we pick and choose who can and can't sit in a certain car, well this is a great thing to think about. 

This, "separate but equal" era truly harms the economy. There had be separate facilities for everything; that included, education, transportation, and so much more. The taxpayers are the ones who keep these public things going. Paying for double infrastructure ultimately becomes a burden. Instead, integrating things like school and transportation can allow the savings from this to be redirected for more important services like our military. 

Traditions are a valuable thing, especially for the African American culture. Segregation is basically telling them that their traditions, their culture is inferior to everyone else. In the Declaration of Independence, "All men are created equal," the 14th amendment, no state shall deny any person the equal protection of the law. These simple Constitutional amendments are so crucial in this case. Deciding this case based solely on race is unconstitutional, and this decision will strip African Americans of their liberty, their individual and personal freedoms. 

On the other hand, Ferguson argued that the case isn't simply about denying Plessy his rights, but upholding the public order; upholding laws that uphold peace and justice in society. 

The Black Wall Street in Texas has opened up economical opportunities for African Americans. Integrating businesses would cause tensions between workers of different races, deferring customers. In Galveston, facts show how blacks and whites thrive separately, so why change that when they are successfully flourishing how their style of life is now. 

Federalism is an important key concept here. The idea that states should decide their own decisions and laws. Each state has their own cultural and social needs. A state in the north is different from a state in the south proved by the war. So, this separation is something that should be left to the states. 

One of the most captivating performances of the night was about religion. In the Bible, specifically the Curse of Ham in Genesis, Noah curses his son, Ham, and his descendants. African Americans are descendents of Ham. God created different races, with their own place and purposes, mixing these races violates the boundary set by God himself. 

So, hearing both sides, the final decision as decided by the judge was that he ought to reject the state of Louisiana argument, that it is merely and neutrally "separate but equal," the reality on the ground shows that the state is not treating the two races equally under the law, so the court sides with Mr. Plessy. 

It was quite interesting and valuable to see the arguments of both sides during this mock trial. While initially I was 100% in and supporting the Plessy side, the Ferguson side did have some strong evidence, yet it truly just wasn't enough considering the situation. Hearing the different approach to economics, history, religion, it was good to see the research that had been done to get to this point and how important these mock trials are despite the winner in the end. 

Reconstruction Video

Reconstruction was a time that America could finally become the land of freedom, it left a legacy of hope, yet a legacy of violence. A television show on PBS, "The American Experience" touches on the the history of the Reconstruction Era, a long misunderstood chapter of American history. The episode, "Reconstruction: America After the Civil War," highlights not only how this era showed progress for African Americans, but also the amount of resentment and stubbornness that ultimately refused these people to be free citizens. 

The Emancipation Proclamation declared by President Lincoln announced that all enslaved people in the states shall be forever free. But, if you think about the future, this isn't entirely what happened. Instead, the Emancipation Proclamation was just the beginning of the story to this Reconstruction Era. 

On April 9th, 1865, Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered to Union General, Ulysses S. Grant, finally signalizing the end of the civil war, and what was thought to be the end of the slavery in the United States of America. On the surface, Reconstruction meant restoring the rebel states to the Union. What was noted in the episode was what the post war had to confront, and that is as follows, "Who is a citizen?" and "What rights do they have?"

Only a few days following the conclusion of the war, John Wilkes Booth shot and assassinated President Abraham Lincoln. Hours after his death, the southern democrat Vice President, Andrew Johnson was sworn into office. Even though Johnson grew up as a poor southerner, his new realm of power didn't stop him from being shy. 

The Freedmen's Bureau was one agency that was created to make sure local courts treated blacks fairly. One of its major factors was the open land it could give to the freedmen. Ultimately though, Johnson shut this down, as the Republican party became more and more worried that Johnson was greatly undermining the results of the war. 

2 things mentioned in the episode that the Confederacy was all about was slavery. The main message here was that slavery was the cornerstone of their civilization. First off, they said that slavery, should in fact, be perpetual. And secondly, if the nation were to expand, slavery should go with it. 

In November of 1865, the Black Codes, a set of oppressive laws only applying to African Americans was passed into law. The laws recognized that slavery had been abolished, yet there shall still be very little change from slavery to freedom. 

The following year, Congress overrode the veto of the President, passing into law the Civil Rights Act of 1866; this was their answer to the Black Codes. 

Finally, the episode ended with talk of the 14th Amendment. The Amendment that stated, "all persons born or naturalized in the United States are citizens, and guarantees them 'equal protection of the laws' under both state and federal jurisdictions."

Overall, I really enjoyed watching this episode of Reconstruction. I was able to learn a lot of new information, both displaying the positive and negatives of this time period. The visuals and diction of not only the show but the people interviewed during the show was very powerful and definitely left an impact on me. 

Freedmen's Bureau - EOTO

The Freedmen's Bureau was established in 1865, two months prior to when Confederate leader, Robert E. Lee surrendered to the Union. Congress' goal in the publication of this agency was to help millions of former black slaves and poor whites in the South following the Civil War. 

It provided food, housing, medical aid, helped establish schools, and offered legal assistance. In addition, it also aimed to help former slaves settle on land that had been confiscated or abandoned during the war. 

The Freedmen's Bureau helped in feeding millions of people, built hospitals, which provided medical aid, was able to negotiate labor contracts for ex-slaves, and helped former slaves be able to legalize marriages and locate their lost relatives. It was also instrumental in building thousands of school for blacks; it helped to found colleges such as Howard University, Fisk University, and Hampton University. 

Although the agency was thought to have only been a temporary thing, only carrying out its duties till the end of the war, one year later, it had been placed under the authority of the War Department. Majority of the employees of the agency had been Civil War soldiers; Union general, Oliver Otis Howard was appointed commissioner of the bureau. 

From the beginning, the bureau faced a lot of resistance, the majority coming from white Southerners. But, another big opponent of the agency was President Andrew Johnson. Only a year after the agencies formation, Congress introduced a bill in order to extend the powers of the bureau. President Johnson vetoed the proposed legislation, claiming that it interfered with states rights and gave preference to one group of citizens over another. 

That same year only months later, Congress overrode the president's veto and therefore passed a revised version of the bill. Not sitting well with Johnson, he entered into a fight with the Radical Republicans in Congress, a group in which had viewed Johnson's Reconstruction policies too lenient. Due to this, the agency suffered greatly. 

The Freedmen's Bureau had been organized into districts that covered the 11 former rebel states and the border states, setting up offices in a total of 15 states, all in major cities. In addition, each district was led by an assistant commissioner. Over the entirety of its existence, the bureau had been underfunded and understaffed, reaching a peak of only 900 agents.

The Freedmen's Bureau ultimately came to a close in 1872 due to both funding limitations and racist attitudes toward the agency. African Americans were forced to deal with their own complications with racial attitudes and discrimination, in which many decided to continue to work for their former masters as sharecroppers or tenant farmers. 

Although in the end the bureau was forced to shut down, it still had many positive outcomes in which led the former enslaved people to their journey for freedom and citizenship. It gave the former slaves hope for the future and started their lives after the Civil War on the fight and road for equality. 

Gone with the Wind Reaction

Gone with the Wind, a classic American film released in 1939, is primarily a historical romance and drama set during the American Civil War and Reconstruction era. The movie displays a high cultural relevance and is still making an impact today. 

The film opens to a plantation; a plantation that displayed the everyday lifestyle of Southerner’s during this pre-Civil War South time. More so, the audience is immediately inserted into the dominance of the South, showcasing lavish plantations, grand parties, and certain cultural and gender norms of the time. Here, we are also introduced to Scarlett, a plantation owners’ daughter, who is ultimately used to getting what she wants. 

Scarlett is a complex character in the movie. Her evolution throughout the movie doesn’t only reflect her own personal growth, but the society of women during the Civil War. 

In the tumult of the war, Scarlett goes from being a sheltered, selfish Southern belle to becoming more resourceful and determined. For example, in the movie, at the beginning of the war, Scarlett is completely fixated on Ashley Wilkes, who she believes she is in love with. When she finds out he is already engaged to Melanie, she becomes desperate and does everything and anything to try and charm him over. This displays that her only concern is her social status and appearance. Nothing going on around her seems to be important other than these romantic aspirations in which she wishes to continue to pursue. 

Fast forward to the end of the war, when Scarlett is able to return home, she see’s the struggle in her family and how her circumstances have now changed. A pivotal moment, marking a shift in her character is when she declares, “As God is my witness, I’ll never be hungry again!” Scarlett is resilient. She is no longer the young girl who was occupied with romance, yet she takes on the responsibility to rebuild her life and provide for her family. 

Women had the opportunity to take a step outside their traditional roles. The Civil War, and many other conflicts during the time, gave women the ability to take on a role outside their comfort zone. With the men gone to do the at-home work, women stepped up in agriculture, business, and sometimes even nursing. These experiences gave women a sense of independence. Women became indispensable to the war efforts, as they were able to continuously prove their capabilities ranging from being in the fields to being in the hospitals. 

Other conflicts that also brought women outside their traditional roles were World War’s I and II. There was a great amount of shift in both societal norms and gender roles, which ultimately led to the call for change and social equality. 

I think that Gone with the Wind will always be remarked as a significant piece of work for centuries to come. The main character, Scarlett, truly embodies the struggles that women faced in a society where men were always seen prevalent. Most importantly though, Scarlett adapted and embraced her independence, which gives more women the confidence to do the same. Overall, this movie was very accurate in its storytelling and time periods, and its visual effects made

the movie an intriguing watch for the audience. I believe

this movie will continue to make an impact with its 

ongoing fight for equality through the journey and 

eyes of Scarlett. 

EOTO #1 Reaction

Today, the two sides of slavery were presented. Major events on the acts of pro-slavery and anti-slavery were discussed in which revealed the details of some key events that has occurred in the past of our nation.

Some of the pro-slavery acts and events that were shared were the Fugutive Slave Act of 1850, Bleeding Kansas in 1854, The Nullification Crisis of 1832, The Secession of South Carolina in 1860, and the Fight on Fort Sumter in 1861. 

The Fugitive Slave Act was part of the Compromise of 1850, and stated that slaves had to be returned to their owners even if they had gone over into a "free" state. This act was met with much resistance and took a whole fourteen years for its repeal. Bleeding Kansas led to the passing of the Kansas-Nebraska Act; this Act created the territory of Kansas and Nebraska, and gave the states their own power to decide whether or not they wanted slavery through a process known as popular sovereignty. The Nullification Crisis of 1832 really tested the federal authority, such tariffs passed often favored the North, harming the South. 

The Secession of South Carolina in 1860 marked the first Southern state to secede from the Union. Following the election of President Abraham Lincoln, the state unanimously decided to withdraw. This event created a rippling effect among the Southern states as it caused the rest to follow suit. This event right here was seen as the largest pivot point within the beginning of the Civil War. 

And finally the fight on Fort Sumter in 1961 marked the opening conflict of the Civil War. While the capture was crucial for the Union, the Confederates ultimately came away with the victory which gave them the confidence to be able to solidify their movement of independence. 

On the other hand, there were many anti-slavery events that occurred during the same time periods. One of these major things was the Underground Railroad, which symbolized the resistance of slavery in the United States. Over 100,000 people were able to escape slavery thorugh this network of safe houses and routes that led slaves in the South to free land in the North. 

Additionally, two major abolitionists of the time, Frederick Douglas and William Lloyd Garrison released newspapers entitled, The North Star and The Liberator. The North Star was used more as a platform to share Douglas' experiences, encouraging and giving hope to those in similar situations. The Liberator mainly focused on human rights as a whole and provided a platform for abolitionist ideas. 

Amistad was another event in which had 53 slaves captured and held in captivity on a ship, and in the end, only 35 survived. What's important here is that some slaves chose to uprise against the masters, even though there was limited space and already bad conditions. Some other uprisings and rebellions that have occurred is Nat Turner's Rebellion and the Haitian Revolution. 

The American Anti-Slavery Society was formed in December of 1833 and marked the 1st national organization of its kind. The Society encountered a significant amount of violence, being attacked by white mobs, and while it dissolved by 1870, the society layed down the groundwork for future Civil Rights Movements. 

Some important legislative achievements that were mentioned was the British Abolition of the Slave Trade Act in 1807, and a year later, the U.S. released an act in which finally prohibited the importation of slaves in America. 

Overall, I feel like I was able to learn a lot about our country's past with both anti-slavery and pro-slavery events and actions. While I had already heard of some of these things, it was nice to hear about the more in-depth research that my other classmates had focused on, as I was definitely able to learn some new by the end of this EOTO. I am looking forward to doing more of these in class throughout the remainder of the semester!

State v. Mann Mock Trial

I come here today to speak upon the history of slavery, not only in the state of North Carolina, but the country of America, and even greater, the world. 

I stand here to defend John Mann, a slaveowner who shot and injured one of his own. Why would you be defending an attempt of murder you might ask? Well, this was no attempt at murder, this was a simple action that in the history of slavery was seen as a way of life, a way of living. 

Slavery has been apart of the history of the world since the dawn of civilization. The practice of human slavery itself grew as the world became more civilized, more vibrant. Sumer was thought of as the birthplace of slavery, which then grew into Greece and parts of ancient Mesopotamia. 

When slavery began in America, it primarily was centered in the South, but don't get me wrong, it was still country-wide. The practice of slavery became a universal way of living. Slaves, because they were black, were considered property, and this status as property was heavily enforced by violence. 

Like a typical master and slave relationship, everyone knew the slaveowners were responsible for the punishment and discipline of their slaves. Slaves were punished for almost every little detail they did wrong, they were punished for not working fast enough, being late to the fields, defying authority, and most importantly, an attempt to run away. But, how were they punished? Slave masters could punish their slaves in multiple different ways. While the punishments from owner to owner differed in their own ways, it was universal across all slaveowners; slaves were meant to be bossed around, meant to be put to work, and meant to be punished. Some of these punishments included but were not limited to torture, whippings, imprisonment, being sold away from the plantation, and the worst of them all, murder. 

Even in the state of North Carolina, to remind you, a southern state, slavery has been apart of the area since the late 1600s. North Carolina had specific colonial laws that existed in which white enslavers and politicians enacted, in order to control enslaved people. The North Carolina Slave Code of 1715, required that enslaved people carry a ticket from their enslaver whenever they left the plantation property, it also prevented them from gathering in groups and required white people to help capture the escaped slaves. In another law, it was stated that any freedom-seeking enslaved person who refused to surrender themselves immediately were ought to be killed and there would be no legal consequences. 

So, if punishment was part of the norm, why was John Mann receiving so much backlash about his interaction with his slave, Lydia? This is what I am here to convey to you. John Mann was acting as any other slave master at the time, no different than one across town, across state borders, or even across the world. This was a time period where slaves were not free, and most importantly everyone knew this, even you sitting here today. John Mann did no wrong in his actions. While you may say that his action is unjust and cruel, slaves belonged to their masters, they were not people, they were property, and because of this, Mann's actions were completely justified. 

Take a minute and put aside the context of emotion; slavery was life and slavery was legal. Other than the fact that Mann's actions were emotionally and physically cruel, there is no legal justification that supports him being convicted. John Mann is not guilty, and shall not be charged or punished for how he chose to handle his own slave