Wealth Against Commonwealth

In this speech, the author, Henry Demarest Lloyd, argued that these days, people, especially the rich, were more selfish, only thinking for themselves, but others. He stated that rich people believed that they had the right to set the rules for other people (other classes) because they were rich, they had power. That made him upset. He wished that they could go back to the time when everyone was equal.

I think the author appealed to logos by using the background (what happened before having this situation) and letting us know what could happen when the situation kept going that way. I also think that he put a lot of emotion into the speech. I feel like he used all of his heart to try to convince the audiences. It was also his ethos. He tried to convince everyone to think and to believe in the way he did. He tried to let them understand, to let them image what would be going on in the case.

This speech was about the time when people stopped thinking as a group, and started thinking as an individual. In my opinion, I don’t think his speech was convincing. Maybe because I’m one these “selfish people”, I just don’t think we should go back to the time before this time. When reading his document, I don’t feel it was right. I can understand his point, but I don’t agree with him. I think people should go find the way how to take care of their own life rather than laying on other people’s help.

Speech to a White Audience, Chief Joseph

In-mut-too-yah-lat-lat, who was giving this speech, was a Chief of the Wal-lam-wat-kin band of Chute-pa-lu. In his speech, he was arguing the way how the white men tried to approach his people, his country even though they were treating very well by the native people. He showed that his father, Chief Joseph, tried his best to protect their country from being taken away by white men. When the first white men came to their land, they acted as they were very kind people. They brought many new things to trade and to show to the native people. “They brought tobacco, which was new from us. They brought guns with flint stones on them… They made presents to our chiefs and our people made presents to them.”

But then, things changed. Many white men came to their country, built the house and made the farms. The native people were feeling fine with that at first. After that, they realized what those people’s ambition was. They wanted the native people to sign away their country for them. Chief Joseph didn’t do that even though the other chiefs signed the paper gradually and there were some threats from white men. He did everything he could to protect his country.

I find the author’s argument very convincing. He not only put his heart into the speech, but also he had strong evidences that his father and he didn’t do anything that could make the white men thought that they were selling their land. “We have never accepted any presents from the Government. Neither Lawyer nor any other chief had authority to sell this land. It has always belonged to my people.” Even though the white men tried to do everything to take away his country, he still didn’t want to have the war. “I did not want to come to this council, but I came hoping that we could save blood.” I think he was a responsible leader.

I think the historical significant of this speech was about the time when the white people tried to take away other countries’ land. It was also about the way how they treated and used people. They never thought for other races, but themselves. That was really selfish and unfair. The speech also showed how the Indian fought for their land, their people, and their right. They were brave.

CDL The Right to Fight: Black Soldiers in the Civil War

The text is about how black people got into the military in the Civil War, how they were treated, and how they were fighting for that. At first, white men didn’t let them get into the military because they were afraid that colored men wouldn’t have enough ability to be soldiers. They were fighting for their right to be the soldiers because they “viewed military services as a great opportunity to strike blows against slavery and white prejudice.” When they were able to get into the military, there were still the discriminations, for example, the pay. Government didn’t pay the black and white soldiers the same. They were fighting again to get the equal pay (June 1864). Having the chance to serve in military had made the changes for black veterans. They believed that “their military service entitled African Americans not only to freedom but also to civil and political rights.” They also had the chance to “learn to read and write in the army, many veterans became schoolteachers.” Becoming soldiers had completely changed black men’s life.

1.      What made white men changed their thought about letting colored men get into the military?

2.      Until now, have the black soldiers had the equal and right look for what they contributed in the Civil War?

CDL: White Gold: The International Empire of Cotton

In 1793, Eli Whitney, a young New Englander, invented the cotton gin which was the machine that cleaned cotton quickly and efficiently. Even though cotton had been grown for more than five thousand years, it was still localized cotton market until Whitney’s machine was invented. People separated the fluff from the seed by handpicking. The cotton gins helped grow the cotton industry not only in American, but also in Britain, France, and Belgium. Before the American Civil War, most of the cotton was grown by the slaves in the South. But after that, they produced more than twice as much cotton (with free labor) as they had before. With Whitney’s cotton gin, 73 percent of all clothing in Europe and United States was made from cotton a century later, contrast to 4 percent in 1793.

Questions:

1.      How could the cotton industry go if the cotton gin was not invented?

2.      How did this step (cotton gin’s invention) help grow the American economy?