LAD #21- Dawes Act

Included in the Dawes Act, commonly known as The General Allotment Act of 1887, is eleven sections. In the first section is included the right of the President to divide tribal lands amongst the Native Americans. Section two allows Native Americans to individually chose their own allotment of land. Following this, the third section discusses the proper amount of paperwork that needs to be done to certify each land allotment. Continuing on, section four provides Native Americans not living on the reservation to receive equal land allotment, as well. Section five allowed the Secretary of the Interior to maintain some control over the allotments for a quarter of a century. More than halfway through, the sixth section declares that allotment holders may become US citizens upon the completion of the Land Patent. Section seven continues on to discuss the water and irrigation rights, section eight about the exemptions of the Five Civilized Tribes, and sections nine reassures the funding for such an act. Coming to an end, sections ten discusses the power Congress has of eminent domain, and lastly, section eleven includes a provision for the Southern Ute Indians.

LAD #20- Bryan's Cross of Gold Speech

The Cross of Gold speech was delivered by Williams Jennings Bryan at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago in 1896. The speech supported bimetallism, using both silver and gold to represent the nation's currency. Included in his speech is the idea that the inflation that would result from the silver standard would make it easier for farmers and other debtors to pay off their debts. Also, it would reverse the deflation which the U.S. had previously experienced. To conclude with his speech, Bryan's attacks the gold standard as well.

LAD #19-Populist Party Platform

In the 1880s and 1890s, a third party, consisting of BOTH democrats and republicans was created. Known as the Populist Party, they strongly opposed the big business that was going on at the time as well as all of the negative connotations that it encompassed. Beginning with listing the problems facing the nation, it is stated that America is "degenerating into European conditons."
Furthermore, as the document continues, it is noted that the other two political parties propose no sufficient platform where as the Populist Party's platform is simple: to restore the government into the hands of the people. By doing things such as declaring unions permanent and financially doing things such as establishing postal savings banks, the Populist Party felt that they could do just that. Their expression of sentiments exclaims that they demand a free ballot, free elections, the abolition of the Pinkerton system, and that they oppose any aid to any private corporation for any reason.

LAD #18-McKinley's War Message

With regards to Cuba, the United States managed to remain neutral for three years; from 1895-1898. By April of 1898 however, neutrality was no longer an option.
In his message to Congress, McKinley describes the war as not only hurting the nation financially, but morally as well. He believes that it is not a matter of who will win the war; merely, rather who will give up first.
Continuing on, McKinley states that there are three options to the end of the war: 1. intevention as an impartial neutral, 2. formulating and proposing a rational compromise, or 3. fervently picking an ally an siding with them.
He brings up the USS Maine conflict and clearly defines the tensions that were seemingly increasing between Spain and the United States.

LAD # 17- Gospel of Wealth

In Carnegie's Gospel of Wealth, he claims that the uneven distribution of wealth that is present when he wrote the essay is important, and that it is better than the economic situation of older societies. He continues on to describe the philanthropic responsibilities of the self made "rich man." Carnegie writes that the wealthy should share their money with the community to help the public and believes that uneven distribution is beneficial for the people of the United States, and in a sense, superior to Communism.