LAD #36 FDR's Executive Order 9066

Franklin D. Roosevelt starts right off the bat, stating and citing where he has the right to do everything in his power to protect the United States " against espionage and against sabotage to national-defense material, national-defense premises, and national-defense utilities". In the paragraph, he says that he hereby authorizes the building of military areas at any location, which can house any one that may be helping the enemy's government. However, it also states that the military officers must respect the rights of the detainees and must provide adequate transportation, food, shelter, and other accommodations. Roosevelt then puts the Attorney General in charge of all of these camps. He also gives power to the commanders of the camps such as the use of federal troops and the assistance of state and local agencies. Roosevelt authorizes departments in charge of "hospitalization, food, clothing, transportation, use of land, shelter, and other supplies". The president then closes the letter, stating that this order can not be modified unless prescribed by him.

LAD #36 FDR Declaraction of War

Franklin D. Roosevelt, president during the year 1941, was shocked to hear that on December 7, Japanese fighter planes swooped down from the skies at Pearl Harbor. The planes killed 2,335 military soldiers, but they failed to destroy major targets such as the U.S. Pacific Fleet aircraft carriers. Roosevelt the next day assembled Congress and gave one of the greatest speeches of American history, one that rivaled Lincoln's Gettysburg Address and Martian Luther King's "I have a Dream" speech. He starts of the speech with its famous line, "Yesterday, December 7, 1941 - a date which will live in infamy - the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan." He explains that the United States was at peace with Japan and Japan also looked "toward the maintenance of peace in the Pacific." Roosevelt also stated that the attack came one hour before the Japanese Ambassador delivered a message that revealed not threat of an attack. It was obvious, according to Roosevelt, that this attack was premeditated for many months or weeks. Ironically, during this time, the Japanese government was deceiving the United States by making it look like they were hoping for continued peace. Many Americans lost their lives at Pearl Harbor, however, Japanese forces also attacked many other islands such as Wake Island, Guam, and the Philippine Islands. Roosevelt then proclaims that we will defend this nation and "No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people, in their righteous might, will win through to absolute victory." He does not hesitate that say that, despite the danger, "we will gain the inevitable triumph. So help us God." War then is declared on December 8, 1941 on Japan and three days later, the United States is in war with Italy and Germany.

LAD #35 Brown vs. Board of Education

Little Linda Brown, an African American, had to walk a mile in order to get to her bus stop for school. Linda could have easily walked to the white elementary school seven blocks away, but was denied enrollment into the school because of her race. Oliver Brown, her father, and thirteen other parents then decided to bring this issue to the courts. Brown argued that black schools were only getting a third of the money that the white schools were receiving. "They did not have the most current textbooks, not enough school supplies, and overcrowded classrooms". Yet, the white dominated court room referred to Plessy vs. Ferguson and stated that the schools were separate, but equal. The NAACP would not face defeat that easily, and decided to bring the case to the Supreme Court. On October first, 1951, similar cases regarding separate schools for blacks and whites were combined into one case and the trial would begin on December 9, 1952. The Browns argued in court that Black people were in different schools because they were different than everyone else. The case went on for several months. However, one of the justices died and the case had to be presented again. Finally, after two years, the court turned in favor of the Browns and segregating schools became against the law. Although, it took many states years to put blacks in the same schools as whites because of the tensions between the two races.