In 1850, George Fitzhugh defended slavery saying that slaves and their owners had mutual friendship. He went as far as inferring that slaves “adored their masters” saying “rarely a slave who is not devoted to his master.” He argued that slaves have shelter and food, and that in the south the wealth is “more equally distributed” and that the south does not have as many criminal problems as of the North. He argues that slavery is good, and that it is helping to prop up the South. He uses his speech to gain support for the South, and try to nullify the dreads of slavery. His argument, more likely than not, over-exaggerated life in the South.

Two years later on July 4, 1852, Fredrick Douglass gives his speech against slavery. In his speech, he declares America as a “False”, being that as a free nation, the US should not have problems around slavery. He backfires Fitzhugh’s speech by saying “There is not a man between the canopy of heaven who does not know slavery is bad for him.” He goes on to say that America is without a rival, he uses this as another hypocritical phrase; bringing out every piece of the constitution in which slavery should not be allowed. He argues that slavery in the US is a “shameless hypocrisy”.

1856; violence ensues. Following the Kansas-Nebraska Act, border ruffians illegally vote for slavery in popular sovereignty; a pro-slavery man is elected. Enraged, anti-slavery men elect their own governor. Following this violence erupts in Kansas; pro-slavery men attack the abolitionists’ city, and John Brown retaliates. Anti-slavery congressman Charles Sumner is beaten unconscious after giving a speech about the “Crime against Kansas”. America looks toward the Supreme Court to settle the disagreements.

1857; the Dred Scott case comes to the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court takes the case to decide whether Dred Scott was a citizen. Their ruling, no, was a great disappointment for Northerners and Abolitionists. The Supreme Court ruled that a slave was property and would remain property wherever he/she was taken; even if this was into anti-slavery states. By doing so the Supreme Court challenged the legitimacy of the Missouri compromise and nullified the states’ powers in their own courts and their ability to create their own laws and regulations. The ruling greatly stirred what was about to become the civil war.

One year later, 1858, Abraham Lincoln gives his House Divided Speech. Abraham Lincoln, probably like most other people, knew that America could not live with one foot in slavery and one in freedom. Abraham does not think America will fall; he does however believe that one side will win. He also believes that to get there, a crisis will occur. The crisis would be that of the civil war.

The same year that Abraham Lincoln gave his speech, William Seward also spoke. William Seward, a senator from NY believes similarly to Abraham. He compares the US as a theater, in which two forces battle for control. He argues that slavery and freed labor are incompatible, that they have never coexisted and never will. In the end every aspect of life in America will be done by slave or free labor; not both, only one. He is inevitably right; in the end slavery would shrink to nothing.

1859; violence is reignited. John brown leads a group of mostly young men, including five black men, in a raid on the remote, mountain-town of Harpers Ferry. The raid lasted two days until US horse marines arrive under the command of Colonel Robert E. Lee. John Brown claims that he has been appointed by God to liberate the slaves “by some violence and decisive move.” John Brown is jailed, but not before the rebellion produces a “profound sensation” in the South.

May 1860; the Republican Party meets in Chicago Illinois, and adopts a new platform for their political beliefs. The Republican Party takes the anti-slavery side in very clear words. Their stance is that the US is to be fully and only a free labor country. They look upon the slave trade within boundaries with distaste, and refer to it as a “burning shame”. They call upon congress for the final suppression of slavery.

Between the years 1850 and 1860 numerous speeches and ideas enlarged the issue around slavery to the point where the Civil War broke loose. Many ideas coming from both sides stoked the fire for civil war, from Abraham Lincoln’s A House Divided Speech, to the Republican Party’s stance on the issue. Many people gave speeches to gain respect for their side. But violence still ensued, like Bleeding Kansas. What started as something generally thought of as “good” would become the central issue of the Civil War.

All craftsmen belonged to a guild. There were a baker’s guild, a tailor’s guild and so on.

Duties

A guild had a lot to do: – It set examinations to see who could become a craftsman, it made sure that goods were properly made, it fixed wages and looked after old or sick members. It took a long time to become a member of a guild, there were three stages:

1. Apprentice:

At twelve, a boy went to work for a master craftsman. He lived in the master’s house and learned the trade. The boy had to spend seven years with his master. An apprentice was not paid but his master gave him food and clothes. The master could be good or cruel.

2. Journeyman:

After seven years, the apprentice became a Journeyman. Now he was paid for his work, he could leave his old master. Some Journeyman travelled town to town looking for work.

3. Master Craftsman:

For have a workshop and sell his goods in the town, the journeyman had to be a master, for become a master he had to make a Masterpiece to show the guild that he was a good craftsman. If the guild thought his work was good, they let him become a Master.

Homes

Most townspeople lived in a small wooden houses with thatched roof and only two room with little furniture. Before the house there was a long back garden.

Diet

They grew vegetables and kept cattle, pigs and hens.

When you were around ten or so, and saw a person in uniform,

climbing into the cockpit of an airplane, getting ready to fly

the plane into the horizon. Was that when you wanted to

become an airline pilot? Or the time you focused on your

favorite school teacher, and thought quietly to yourself , “I

want to become a teacher, and help kids learn.” How about

when you were in the chemistry class laboratory, and got a

serious rush, from experimenting with the test tubes, and the

butane burners, and under your breath, you said “I think I’ll be

a scientist, when I grow up, this is fun.” Maybe, you liked little

children so much, that you wanted to be a mother, and a wife,

which is a great career as well.

Did you stick with your first choice, or did you change your mind,

as most of us did? Are you happy with your final choice, do you

wish you had followed your first choice? Talk about growing up

and the choices of a career, you made, if you would. Did your plans

materialize, but most of all are you satisfied now, that you are all

grown up. The best I did was, having the desire to attend Michigan

State, for whatever reason I don’t know. I did attend the University

of Pennsylvania, which, I would suppose, satisfied that desire.

I wanted a career in journalism, because I loved the printed word,

fancied myself, as a reporter of sorts. The closest I got to that, was

writing reports as a bank examiner, sort of a reporter.

Like to hear your comments, now that we are all grown up. Or

maybe you are still growing up, as are a lot of us. So thanks, to all

of you grown up kids, who hopefully are still growing.