Warm-up:  Which is better when defending one’s family or beliefs? Words or Actions?

Charles Sumner  Massachusetts Senator Charles Sumner  Extreme Abolitionist  Elected to congress as a Free Soiler in 1851  Delivered speech to congress called “Crime Against Kansas” in May of 1856 just before the attack on Lawrence, Kansas

An Excerpt from Sumner’s Crimes Against Kansas Speech: “The Senator from South Carolina has read many books of chivalry, and believes himself a chivalrous knight with sentiments of honor and courage. Of course he has chosen a mistress to whom he has made his vows, and who, though ugly to others, is always lovely to him; though polluted in the sight of the world, is chaste in his sight--I mean the harlot, Slavery. For her, his tongue is always profuse in words. Let her be impeached in character, or any proposition made to shut her out from the extension of her wantonness, and no extravagance of manner or hardihood of assertion is then too great for this Senator.”

Preston Brooks  Representative from South Carolina  Distant cousin/friend of “the Senator from South Carolina” (Andrew Butler)  Not at all happy with Sumner’s insults of his cousin and his state  Approached Sumner at his desk in congress the day after his speech ended

Brooks shattered his cane on Sumner’s head.

An Excerpt from Brooks’ Defense Speech:  “... a senator from Massachusetts allowed himself, in an elaborately prepared speech, to offer a gross insult to my State, and to a venerable friend who is my State representative and who was absent at the time.. Whatever insults my State insults me... and in her defense I hope I shall always be prepared, humbly and modestly, to perform the duty of a son... It was a personal affair, and in taking redress into my own hands I meant no disrespect to the Senate of the United States or to this House... If I desired to kill the senator why did I not do it? You all admit that I had him in my power. It was expressly to avoid taking life that I used an ordinary cane, presented to me by a friend in Baltimore nearly three months before its application to the “bare head” of the Massachusetts senator.”

In the months that followed...  Brooks resigned his seat but was re-elected by his people a few short months later  Sumner was also re-elected but had to leave his seat vacant for some time due to injuries that resulted from the caning  Brooks was fined $300 but sent replacement canes from supporters throughout the nation  Brooks was celebrated by abolitionists for speaking out against crimes in Kansas

This sort of thing wouldn’t happen today though... Would it?  Joe Wilson, Republican congressman from South Carolina (shocker) does not agree with everything Obama says about his new healthcare law   2min   30sec

Your task:  If you were born in the months of May-October, write a newspaper article reacting to the Caning of Sumner from a Northern viewpoint.  If you were born in the months of November-April, write a newspaper article reacting to the caning of Sumner from a Southern viewpoint.  Think of how your side would react. Would this be a celebrated event? Why or why not?  GT: comment on events occurring in Kansas at the time and their relation to this event

 Dred Scott vs Sandford

Warm-up:  Imagine not having any rights, any say in what you did or what happened to you until you turned 18.  Imagine that until your 18 th birthday all adults had full control over what you could and could not do and say and could treat all those under the age of 18 however they wanted to.  List three ways in which your life would be different.

The life of Dred Scott  Born into Slavery in Virginia around 1800  His owner, Peter Blow, moved with him to Missouri before dying in 1832  He was then sold to Army surgeon John Emerson

Dred Scott cont’d  In 1834 Emerson traveled with Scott and some other slaves to Illinois and then Wisconsin  Scott married another slave named Harriet and they had two daughters together all under Emerson’s ownership

Dred Scott cont’d  The Emerson’s and Scott’s moved back to Missouri in 1842 however Mr. Emerson died the next year and ownership of the Scott’s was passed on to Mrs. Emerson  A few years later in 1846 Dred Scott sued Mrs. Emerson for his family’s freedom on the basis that during his time spent living in free states he had become a free citizen

Dred Scott cont’d  Scott loses to Mrs. Emerson  Scott is given a re-trial and wins on the basis “once free, always free”  Mrs. Emerson appeals the decision and has the ruling reversed  Under the ownership of Mrs. Emerson’s brother, Mr. Sandford, Scott takes his case to the Supreme Court