By the 1830s, the new way of practicing politics was firmly entrenched as the Democrats and Whigs were now decisively legitimized. This new period of party politics will last until the 1890s, even though some of the names will change.  This is the heyday of party politics with voter turnout reaching as high as 80%.  … Continue reading Class Notes →

After the USS Maddox was attacked while trying to intercept radio transmissions, President Johnson went to Congress asking for a resolution to allow him to begin engaging the North Vietnamese.  The measure called the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution was passed with only two senators opposing.  It gave the president carte blanche authority to conduct the … Continue reading Class Notes →

The 1836 election was important because it was going to show if parties could ultimately work.  1836 was the first election after Andrew Jackson and the test was to see if the Democratic Party was strong enough to allow the party to mandate the nomination of Martin Van Buren.  Van Buren was not a strong … Continue reading Class Notes →

In 1954, Ho Chi Minh and the Vietnamese were able to push the French out of Vietnam. With the French out, the nation was divided into northern and southern halves.  The plan was for an election in 1956 that would unify the nation.  The issue for America was that Minh would probably win the election … Continue reading Class Notes →

Andrew Jackson’s biggest political concern coming into office was the Second Bank of the United States (BUS).  During the 19th Century banks and tariffs were two of the biggest concerns.  Jackson himself completely distrusted the BUS, as most westerners did.  It represented the worst of big government.  Jackson went even further and distrusted paper money … Continue reading Class Notes →

The following is a speech given by Mohammad Mossadegh, the newly elected Iranian Prime Minister.  After years of being subjugated by the British and the Shaw, Mossadegh was the first to stand up to both.  This speech was one given to the U.N. in 1951.  Mossadegh had recently nationalized the Irian oil industry and the … Continue reading Class Notes →

“There is no Negro problem. There is no Southern problem. There is no Northern problem. There is only an American problem. And we are met here tonight as Americans--not as Democrats or Republicans-we are met here as Americans to solve that problem…Their cause must be our cause too. Because it is not just Negros, but … Continue reading Class Notes →

“Great themes run through Iranian history and shape it to this day.  One is the continuing and often frustrating effort to find a synthesis between Islam, which was imposed on the country by Arab conquerors, and the rich heritage of pre-Islamic times.  Another, fueled by Shiite Muslim tradition to which most Iranians now belong, is … Continue reading Class Notes →

John Quincy Adams had the potential to be one of our greatest presidents and is unquestionably the greatest ex-president. He entered office with more experience than anyone before or after and might possibly be the smartest chief executive ever.  He suffered from the same problem his father had, things ran so smoothly during his one … Continue reading Class Notes →

On February 1, 1960, four well-dressed Black college students walked into the Woolworth store in Greensboro, NC and took a seat at the Whites only lunch counter.  They were arrested.  By the end of the week over 300 more sat in those same seats.  They represented the growing frustration of Blacks waiting for equal rights … Continue reading Class Notes →