U.S History Editorial

The Homestead Strike: 11 Dead, 30 Wounded Amidst the Homestead Lockout! 

Attention! At the expiration of the steel and iron worker's 3-year contract, Andrew Carnegie wanted the men to take reduction of wages.

Before the workers could declare strike, they were locked out. Carnegie, not wanting to take responsibilty for the pay drop, then turned power into the hands of Henry C Frick, a brutal union-hater. He locked the workers out of his steel mill, and a brawl is expected to break out! Frick just put up a wire fence, 3 miles long, even including holes for rifles. He then called for 300 pinkertons, gunned and ready. Wow that must have been expensive! Right now, I mean right now, there is a huge fight breaking out between the workers and the Pinkertons and so far, 5 workers have been killed and 1 Pinkerton has hit the floor. 

Word has it that the state militia is on their way and something brutal is about to happen. Stay tuned to Homestead Newspaper for the latest on your Homestead strike.

State of the Union Address

President Barack Obama started off with sharing the success story of a middle class couple that had troubles during the recession. Immediately he invoked the attention of viewers everywhere, making their issues relatable. Obama spoke of the struggles with paying off debits from college and need for tax breaks for middle and lower classes. His story proves how throughout his presidency many monumental things thave happened. Obama has reduced the number of troops over seas and got applauded by both parties. He has also significantly lowered the unemployment rate, giving opportunities to those who need it. His new healthcare plan was put in place to make families feel secure, and it is doing just that. Obama makes a point to relieve all community college debt by simply making it free. By making community college free it would allow for more Americans to be educated and get jobs that they have the skills for. As for veterans, he is sure to make them feel safe when coming out of force with accessibility to all health needs. Each time he mentioned the military, veeryone at one stood up, giving a clear sign of populism. Equal pay for women was also a point he made clear not to skip over. In his eyes, equality in salary for both men and women should not be an issue, but although it is, he is sure to cease it. Obamas speech could not have been more relatable to the average American and his use of modern populism increased his popularity with relating to the standard, hardworking people.

Slave Catchers in the North

Was the north really a safe haven for slaves? Up until the Civil War, slavery was present all over the United States. In 1850 the fugitive slave act was passed. This act was apart of the Compromise of 1850 between Southern slave-holders and free living Northerners. This act was intended to solve all problems between the North and South on slavery, but it caused more controversy.
The act made it necessary that all slaves that escaped and were captured must be returned to their owners. Regardless of the boundaries and beliefs, the Northerners were still expected to follow it. In the big picture it was just another act so that the slave holding southerners would not lose their "property." The effect on the anti-slavery citizens in the North upset them, and made them responsible for enforcing slavery and going against their beliefs.
A paster of the Wesleyan Methodist Church of Syracuse, Revered. Luther Lee, wrote in 1855:

"I never would obey it. I had assisted thirty slaves to escape to Canada during the last month. If the authorities wanted anything of me, my residence was at 39 Onondaga Street. I would admit that and they could take me and lock me up in the Penitentiary on the hill; but if they did such a foolish thing as that I had friends enough on Onondaga County to level it to the ground before the next morning."

Uncle Tom's Cabin

     Uncle Tom's Cabin,written by Harriet Beecher Stowe, took place in the Renaissance. The book starts off with the Shelby family being affected by financial struggles and having to sell two of their slaves, Uncle Tom and Harry, as a result. No one in the family wanted to sell either of the two slaves because of personal reasons. But, the pair ends up being sold and the book's storyline follows the journey of the two and the people they encounter. 
     This book was shown through the difficult lives of slaves and the travels they were forced to do.  Visuals of the slaves being humans and the pain of being forced away from a family is so easy to imagine. In this time it is shown how brutal of treatment many slaves were given by their slave owners. It was also one of the first times that slavery was shown in a negative way. Uncle Tom's Cabin provides a realistic depiction of the way slaves were treated and the torture they had to go through.

Jeffersonian

        How was Jefferson Jeffersonian? Jeffersonian, by definition, is a term used for the political ideas of Thomas Jefferson. These ideas include equality, being a common man, and states rights. Thomas Jefferson, being the third US president, had goals of unifying the states even more. Many citizens believed in what he would try and accomplish. Although the word Jeffersonian is based on his name his objectives were quite hypocritical.
       Strict constructionism was fought for and against many times. In Jefferson's view it was a necessity.   The first issue with enforcement of the constitution was brought up because of the fight for the Louisiana Territory. Jefferson made his decision for the farmers. He supported the middle class, in hopes that they would support him too. Some people deemed his decision unconstitutional but he had no choice, In order to stop foreign affairs, broad implementation was a requirement.
        Then came along the issue of slavery. In Jefferson's eyes equality was a main aspect, and the abolishment of slavery was something he strived for. Coming from Virginia slavery was not looked down upon, but rather supported. In fact, Jefferson had slaves of his own, proving some sort of hypocrisy in what he said verses how he lived. His home held not only his family b, but many others, black and white, enslaved and free.
        Even though the president holds the power to establish new laws, Jefferson's decision to initiate the embargo cats of 1807 was one that was not forgiven. The Embargo Act of 1807 was a law passed by the United States and signed by President Thomas Jefferson on December 22, 1807. It prohibited American ships from trading in all foreign ports. Even though trade was such a large aspect to the United States it was being taken advantage of by other countries. Both hurting the economy and taking away trade, things were not looking too great for the United States.
        Jeffersonian was supposed to be completely about equality, constructionism, and unity. Jefferson put in his best effort, but that was not enough. The big governments would always have more power than the states. And as a result of Jefferson pursuing his own ideas we have become the great country we are today.

Contemporary Reforms

Equal rights for women is an issue that has been around for centuries. Just because we are women, does not make it right to pay us any less. In 1963 the Equal Pay Act was passed, making equal pay for men and women working at the same workplace a requirement. A woman, working the same full-time job a man does, only earns about 77% of the male's pay, not to mention the difference being ethnic makes. Clearly, it is out of the governemnt's control what women are paid, and now it is a choice to pay woman what they deserve as Americans, or keep stripping away the rights handed to them by our founding fathers.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/issues/equal-pay

What actually happened during the War of 1812?

            The War of 1812 lasted for two-and-a-half years, between America and Great Britain. The United States and Canada saw the war as their right to stand up for themselves. America was upset by trade restrictions caused by the British and French war. The war was a solution for many issues caused by the Revolutionary War. The United States were the first to declare war, on June 18th, 1812, being fought at sea and land right on the border of Canada.When the British first tried taking control of Canada they thought it would be easier than what it actually was. In 1813 America gained control of Lake Erie making it possible to take control of Ontario. When the Americans won at the Battle of Plattsburgh the British dropped their demands. "The Star-Spangled Banner," our national anthem, was inspired by the victory at Plattsburgh. The Treaty of Ghent was signed at the end of the war by both sides and both went back to friendly trade.