1. Dorothea Dix- 1802-1887- Dragon Dix was know for her saint like devotion to improving conditions for the deranged, though also for her strict run of Civil War hospitals. She spent between 20-30 years of her life campaigning for better treatment and conditions for the insane. She also ran a Civil War time hospital where she only took in nurses over 30 years of age and not looking for marriage. Fashion was not need or permitted in her hospitals and those in her care improved as her nursed fell in line with her thinking.
2. Frederick Douglass- 1818-1895- was a very popular lecturer on antislavery, and he rejected suggestions of dumbing himself up to be more believable. He escaped his slavery from Maryland in 1838 by disguising himself as a sailor and borrowed a seaman’s papers. He made it north were he would show what he was truly made of. Douglass had learned to read and write while a slave and he had master a trade as well all under the direct knowledge of his master. Douglass published the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass in 1845, which included his accounts of his life as a slave. His accounts worked, they showed that not all blacks were dumb and unable to be taught and learned people.
3. Clara Barton- 1821-1912- most know for founding the American Red Cross. Barton also opened a free public school. She is remembered in the text The American Nation simply as a nurse with a tale about a pregnant woman being wiped. She also helped notify families of missing during the Civil War.
4. The Freedman’s Bureau- put into action in 1865 as a means to assist the black man in his entry to equality. The bureau was made to ensure blacks were treated fairly and were receiving their new rights as free men. The bureau also issued clothes and medicines to those in need. Unfortunately the bureau failed to protect at the dead of night when blacks were being beaten or threatened the most. When complaints were issued to the bureau slaps on the hand were mostly issued and the offending party set free to repeat his offense.
5. Battle of Antietam- 9/17/1862- single most bloody day in the war and important due the location of Antietam, Maryland. This battle was the turning point in the war forcing General Robert E. Lee back down the Potomac.
6. First Battle of Bull Run- 4/12/1861- the first major battle of the war. The union nearly lost Washington D.C. to the Confederacy and would have if the south had acted faster after the win.
7. Remember the Alamo- the day Texas took a stand against Mexico for their independence. Also the battle in which Davy Crocket lost his life.
8. Dred Scott- a slave wanting freedom since his master had died while the Scotts where in a territory not yet defined as a slave region or not. The supreme court did not grant the Scotts their freedom.
9. John Brown- 1800-1859- extremist who dragged five unsuspecting men from their homes in the dead of night and killed them. Brown and his cronies escaped capture thought he went into hiding. The Scourge of Kansas tried to make himself a martyr at his death but only made himself into a song.
10. Ida B. Wells- 1862-1931- was an activist for equality.
Manifest Destiny reached it peak in the 19th century. The cause of this movement was of course American Pride. Though the founders of this idea wanted at first to spread through out the whole of North America, they were successful in spreading from coast to coast. The idea of manifest destiny is still current today on now we are spreading our ideas and not our force so much. The main consequence of this movement was it feed Americans with the theory that their way is the best way.
At first the idea of spreading out from coast to coast sounded fair. But why stop there when we could have the whole of North America. The idea was to concur Canada and Mexico. Then the capitol would be moved to Mexico City, which showed the brain stormers of this idea were really thinking more of the Americas and not just North America. This was just not to be so.
Today America forces other countries to adopt our ideas of democracy, even if that is not what the country wishes. We still use force to get our way and are still actively spreading our wills. Yes manifest destiny is still alive and well.
