Abstract A paper which discusses how Black Southerners played a role in fighting on the side of the Confederate Army against the Unionists during America's Civil War. Several issues discussed are the motivation for Blacks to help Confederacy, the legality of Blacks in the Confederate army, the ways in which Blacks helped the Confederate army, legislation, battle stories, the need for black Southern troops, and the establishment of black Confederate army units.
From the Paper "Not all blacks in the South believed that when the Union army swept in from the North to reclaim the lands of the southern United States it would make their lives better. In fact, a portion of the Southern black population believed so strongly in the right of the Confederacy to separate itself from the United States that they fought against the encroaching Unionists. Black Confederates showed their loyalty in multiple ways; military service in combat, support units of cooks and fortification builders, or if military service was a physical incapability or illegal for the Southern patriots, monetary donations were made to support their cause."
Tags: South, patriots, freemen, slaves, military, service, George, Grimes, Creole, General, Lee
Abstract This paper explains that, from 1777 to 1787, the United States acted under a set of rules, established under the "Articles of Confederation", which were little more than a loose alliance among the thirteen original states with no real effort to create a strong national government. The author points out that, following the American Revolution, it was apparent that the rights of the government and citizens under the "Articles of Confederation" were insufficient but there was still a substantial desire to limit the powers of government. The paper relates that, although the Constitution was a definite departure from the "Articles of Confederation", many rules regarding the nation remained the same such as the name of the newly founded nation; however, the most significant change was that the Constitution made the election of federal officials direct from the populous where, in the "Articles of Confederation", they were elected by the state legislatures.
From the Paper "For the United States to remain united, the federalist stance needed to prevail over the states' appeals for self-government. It is important to note that when the United States was conceived of as a single nation, it was essential that the doctrines that held it together cater to the needs of the individual states. After all, they were significantly separated geographically, and had become quite accustomed to instituting and enforcing their own laws. Therefore, the new government of the United States needed to demonstrate to its inhabitant territories that the implementation of this regime was not going to drastically alter their way of life, and neither was it going to establish expansive laws that were contrary to locally held customs or beliefs. Ideologically, this was the foundation for American federalism."
Abstract Examines the debate over flying the Confederate Battle Flag over the Statehouse in Columbia, South Carolina. Past & recent history. Sentimental & historical meaning of the Confederate flag to Southerners. Issues of symbolism, partriotism, racism, slavery. South vs. North. Views of whites & African-Americans in South Carolina. Argues that the Confederate flag should remain. Gives reasons.
From the Paper "?To strike freedom of the mind with the fist of patriotism is an old and ugly subtlety,? wrote Adlai Stevenson in a 1952 speech, and his words could well apply to the debate that has gone on for generations in the state of Georgia over the flying of the state's flag, which since 1956 has had the Confederate emblem incorporated into it. Although recent protests over the Georgia flag have not been as those in South Carolina over the Confederate Battle Flag's flying over the statehouse in Columbia ? a somewhat more egregious action ? it remains a contentious issue in the state that is considers itself both to be the heart of Dixie and also the heart of the new, enlightened, progressive South (Harrison A1).
Protests over the state's flag, which is seen by some as a reminder of the state's history of independence and by others as a..."
Abstract This paper is an examination of the Confederate Raider CSS Alabama. There is a short background history of the Confederate Navy. The paper purports to illustrate life aboard the cruiser by describing the ship's mission; the daily activities of the ship's men, including their diets and leisure activities, the ports visited and the naval record.
From the Paper "At the outbreak of the Civil War, the Confederate States of America was virtually without a navy. As the southern states seceded, many of the southern naval officers announced their allegiance to the Rebel cause. Unfortunately, the new Confederate government had no naval vessels for these commanders to take charge of. Some of the states captured ships that belonged to the United States and delivered them to the new Secretary of the Navy, Stephen R. Mallory. There were, in all, fifteen guns outfitted on these ten ships.The Department of the Navy recruited men from the army to serve on the new Confederate vessels. However, there were never a large number of men in the navy."
Tags: captain, civil, confederate, navy, semmes, war
Abstract This paper analyzes the Samuel R. Watkins book, "Co. Aytch: A Confederate's Memoir of the Civil War", which is a real life dramatization of the despair often faced by members of the losing army. It portrays the life of a young idealistic solider in the American Civil War battle for the South. The paper describes the emotional states of the Confederate soldiers; who are tired, hungry, and confused in battle.
From the Paper "Aytch began his Civil War experience as a relatively idealistic young defender of the new Confederacy. Early in May 1861, at age twenty-one, one Sam R. Watkins of Columbia, Tennessee, joined the First Tennessee Regiment, Company H, as a private, to fight for the Southern Cause. He emerged as one of only seven to survive every one of his regiment's battles, from Shiloh to Nashville. This statistical figure alone would be evidence of the tremendous carnage faced by members of the Confederate Army. However, Watkins also included in his retrospective book a number of stories about his comrades who died, and died horribly. This rendered the deaths of these comrades in the eyes of a reader far more poignantly than either the fictional accounts of the Civil War cited above. The individuals who befriended Watkins are depicted in such a human way."
Abstract By the late 1780's many Americans had grown dissatisfied with the Confederation. It was unable to deal effectively with economic problems and weak in the face of Shay's Rebellion. A decade earlier, Americans had deliberately avoided creating a strong national government. Now they reconsidered. The paper shows that in 1787, the nation produced a new constitution and a new, much more powerful government with three independent branches. The government the Constitution produced has survived far more than two centuries as one of the most stable and most successful in the world. The paper discusses how the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution resembled each other in some cases and differed from each other greatly in other aspects.
From the Paper "There were three important ordinances that were formulated and retained by both the Articles and Constitution. The ordinance of 1784, based on a proposal by Thomas Jefferson, divided the western territory into ten self-governing districts, each of which could petition Congress for statehood when its population equaled the number of free inhabitants of the smallest existing state. The Ordinance of 1785, Congress created a system for surveying and selling the western lands, and the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 abandoned the ten districts established in 1784 and created a single Northwest Territory out of the lands north of the Ohio; the territory out of the divided subsequently into between three and five territories. It also specified a population of 60,000 as a minimum for statehood, guaranteed freedom of religion and the right to trial by jury to residents of the Northwest, and prohibited slavery throughout the territory. As a matter of fact, this may have been the ordinance's most important feature. The Northwest Ordinance of 1787 was the first attempt to ban slavery and outlaw territory."
A discussion of whether Nova Scotia and New Brunswick were pressured, tricked and intimidated into joining Confederation against the will of most of their citizens or whether they joined willingly.
1,775 words (approx. 7.1 pages), 6 sources, 2002, $ 66.95
Abstract This essay examines whether or not Nova Scotia and New Brunswick were intimidated into joining Confederation against the will of most of their citizens. The paper argues that Confederation was good for the two provinces, and that the leaders ultimately recognized this, but that the electorate had the decision imposed upon it.
Abstract This paper compares and contrasts the 1861 Confederate Constitution with the 1787 United States Constitution. The author includes citations from the two constitutions that support her thesis that the Confederate Constitution was simply a modified version of the 1787 Constitution.
Abstract In this paper the author centers on the symbols adopted by a group or nation whether it be for good or bad. He uses examples such as the swastika and yellow smiley face and how when these symbols are seen they influence our attitudes and existence.The author continues with a history of the Confederate flag from its inception until its demise. The paper concludes with the author's own personal opinion of what should be done with the Confederate flag.
From the Paper "Indeed, those responsible for the act do so despite vehement opposition from all corners of society. Their actions seem irrational and almost childish in this era of emphatic political correctness and sensitivity to the plight of discriminated minorities. When such great measures are being taken to redress the wrongs of four centuries worth of prejudiced subjugation, this seems to be a giant step backwards. The modern American prides himself on his democracy and fairness towards all; why then must some revel in the archaic heritages of backward thinking?"
Tags: social, union, constitutional, rights, law, state, federal, world
Abstract This paper discusses Confederate nationalism at the time of the American Civil War. The paper argues that Confederate nationalism was not a longstanding, widespread 'reality' which prompted secession in the first place, but rather a difficult and ongoing 'process of creation.' It shows how it was primarily undertaken by the Southern elite after secession, in an attempt to win a war fought largely in defense of their own prosperity.
From the Paper "Likewise, the actions of state governors as the war continued were very telling. Motivated by the fear of home-front explosion, particularly with regard to slave insurrection, states repeatedly thwarted the Richmond Government's attempts at securing victory by withholding men and munitions, for the preservation of state dignity and state sovereignty. What ensued was a tug-of-war between the will of Confederacy and the wills of the state governments it represented. These events demonstrated that ultimately, Southern people were thoroughly steeped in the doctrines of state rights and local patriotism; that nationalism was far from a reality within the Confederacy and more 'an ideal,' as conceived by the powerful groups who tried to instil it."
Abstract This paper recounts the drafting, implementation, amendment, and eventual rejection of the Articles of Confederation. The paper states that its main failure was that it was aimed primarily to prevent usurpation of power by the government, rather than provide for effective governance. A more effective Constitution was drafted as a result, which reduced state sovereignty and allotted greater power to the central government. In summary, the paper contends that the Articles of Confederation reflected the fear of governmental usurpation of power and created a government so powerless it could not function, while the Constitution gave the new government the power it needed to function.
From the Paper "In Federalist # 51, James Madison argued that the government was structured to preserve liberty. No one branch could hold sway over the others, and judge, appointed by the other branches, would be selected for quality, not popularity. (Federalist # 51) By creating the checks and balances, the government could control public excesses, but could not itself usurp power. The legislature, the most dangerous branch, was the most checked. Meanwhile, the size of the nation would prevent mob rule, because factions would check one another. (Federalist # 51)"
Abstract This paper examines the issue of the display of the Confederate flag, an intermittent source of debate in the US for many years. The paper takes a particular look at one case in the late 1990s when controversy over the display of the flag on top of the South Carolina State House in Columbia led to a nationwide boycott instigated by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) against the state. The paper then makes the argument that individuals ought to be allowed to wear or display symbols containing the Confederate flag motif as a simple matter of their free speech rights, both on and off school campuses, or in any other venue.
From the Paper "In 2006, the Southern Legal Resource Center, a nonprofit civil rights group, filed suit to permit several students at a high school in Knoxville, Tennessee to wear Confederate flag images on clothing. Racial tensions at the school nearly resulted in violent altercations at one point, resulting in a temporary lockdown. The students involved in the suit complained that black students were permitted to wear images of Malcolm X and related symbols without undergoing the same restrictions as the white students, thus raising the familiar argument of the double standard (Watson.) The Southern Legal Resource Center, which focuses on such cases, is also involved in a similar case in Texas, where several students at a high school near Dallas sued for the right to carry purses with the Confederate flag symbol on them, after they had been banned by administration officials. It seem clear that the dispute between administration policies and student rights is a heated one, and has implications beyond that of one particular symbol which some may find offensive. If students are in fact to be prepared for assuming the full rights and responsibilities of adulthood, as has often been argued, it seems reasonable to respect their rights on such a seemingly trivial matter."
Abstract This research paper presents a critical review of the masterpiece, "Confederate in the Attic: Dispatches from the Unfinished Civil War" by the renowned writer, Tony Horwitz, which throws light on the American obsession with the events surrounding the Civil War. The paper is divided into four parts (information on the book; identification of the author's thesis; evidence to support the thesis and personal reaction to the author's thesis), each section unfolding valuable information regarding the book, gradually paving way for a thorough analysis.
From the Paper "The author's speculation regarding the background of the obsession with the Civil War is discerning, vehemently unfolding the superficial approach towards the cultural, social and moral values. The author's perception and the inspection of a government survey that appeared in a newspaper reflect author's sound judgement. The fact that many students along with their parents did not know the important historical dates pertaining to America's political development supports the author's claim. He is of the view that American obsession is erupting from the pop-cultural values rather than historical background and thereby presents a greater understanding of the American culture and its impact on the contemporary youth (Horwitz: 6). Hence, the author has made use of valid sources, including all aspects of the American culture and political scenario and they all make perfect sense to me."
Tags: United, States, Pulitzer, prize, Ken, Burn, Glory, and, Gettysburg
Abstract Through primary materials (diaries, letters and memoirs), the life as a soldier in the Confederate army during the United States Civil War is revealed.
Abstract This paper discusses that the reason why Quebec joined Confederation was because they believed their nationality would be protected within the new Canada.
