Opposing Viewpoints in American History

by Dudley, William

• ISBN13: 9780737731859
• ISBN10: 0737731850
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2006-12-15
• Publisher: ROSEN PUB GROUP

Summary

Opposing Viewpoints[Registered] in American History are anthologies of primary documents from America's past. Assembled in two volumes, Volume 1: From Colonial Times to Reconstruction and Volume 2: From Reconstruction to the Present, these writings discuss important and controversial events, personalities, movements, and ideas from the nation's history. Each volume presents more than eighty original sources in which men and women of various classes and professions express their opinions on the issues of their times. The writings are arranged in a pro/con format, creating a running historical debate on specific topics within each era. Opposing Viewpoints[Registered] in American History offers students the opportunity to interpret history for themselves by studying original documents on the debates that forged our present social, political, and economic structures. Book jacket.

Table of Contents

Foreword	p. xi
Colonial America (1582-1750)
Chronology	p. 1
Preface	p. 4
Origins of English Settlement
National and Economic Reasons to Colonize the New World (1585)	p. 8
Religious Reasons to Colonize the New World (1629)	p. 10
Virginia Is an Abundant New Paradise (1613)	p. 13
Virginia Is Not a New Paradise (1624)	p. 15
Contact and Conflict with Native Americans
Indians and Colonists Should Live in Peace (1609)	p. 16
Indians Should Be Conquered and Exterminated (1622)	p. 17
A Puritan Missionary's Account of Indians (1646)	p. 19
A Puritan Captive's Account of Indians (1682)	p. 20
Religious Disputes in the New World
The Colonies Should Allow Religious Toleration (1657)	p. 24
Religious Toleration Is Unwise (1647)	p. 25
A Defense of the Salem Witch Trials (1692)	p. 26
An Attack on the Salem Witch Trials (1692)	p. 29
The Great Awakening Is a Welcome Religious Revival (1743)	p. 31
The Great Awakening Has Led to Harmful Religious Zealotry (1742)	p. 33
Labor in Colonial America
Poor Europeans Should Come to America as Indentured Servants (1666)	p. 36
Poor Europeans Should Not Come to America as Indentured Servants (1754)	p. 38
Slavery Is Immoral (1700)	p. 40
Slavery Is Moral (1701)	p. 42
Forging a New Nation (1750-1800)
Chronology	p. 45
Preface	p. 48
The Decision to Break from Great Britain
Parliament Is Abusing the Rights of Americans (1764)	p. 52
Parliament Is Not Abusing the Rights of Americans (1765)	p. 55
America Must Seek Independence of Great Britain (1776)	p. 57
America Must Reconcile with Great Britain (1776)	p. 60
Revolutionary War
War Against the British Is Not Justified (1776)	p. 63
War Against the British Is Justified (1775)	p. 64
American Soldiers Should Act Together to Ensure Their Own Welfare (1783)	p. 66
American Soldiers Should Act in the Nation's Interest (1783)	p. 68
Creating a New Government
A Strong National Government Is Necessary to Ensure the Nation's Survival (1783)	p. 69
Strong State Governments Are Maintaining Freedom and Prosperity (1787)	p. 71
A Republic Must Be Small and Uniform to Survive (1787)	p. 73
A Viable Republic Can Be Large and Diverse (1787)	p. 75
The Constitution Needs a Bill of Rights (1788)	p. 77
The Constitution Does Not Need a Bill of Rights (1788)	p. 79
Jay's Treaty Should Be Rejected (1795)	p. 80
Jay's Treaty Should Be Accepted (1796)	p. 82
The Sedition Act Violates the Bill of Rights (1799)	p. 84
The Sedition Act Does Not Violate the Bill of Rights (1799)	p. 86
Antebellum America (1800-1850)
Chronology	p. 88
Preface	p. 91
Expanding Nation, Expanding Government
The Louisiana Purchase Should Be Approved (1803)	p. 95
The Louisiana Purchase Should Be Opposed (1803)	p. 97
The Federal Government Is Supreme Over the States (1819)	p. 98
The Federal Government Is Not Supreme Over the States (1819)	p. 102
Indians Should Be Removed to the West (1830)	p. 104
Indians Should Be Allowed to Remain in Their Homeland (1830)	p. 106
The Bank of the United States Should Be Abolished (1832)	p. 109
The Bank of the United States Should Not Be Abolished (1832)	p. 111
Social Reform Issues of the Antebellum Era
Suffrage Should Not Be Based on Property (1821)	p. 114
Suffrage Should Be Limited to Property Holders (1821)	p. 115
Immigrants Endanger America (1845)	p. 117
Immigrants Do Not Endanger America (1845)	p. 119
Women Hold an Exalted Status in America (1841)	p. 121
Women Hold a Degraded Status in America (1848)	p. 124
Manifest Destiny and War with Mexico
America Should Not Annex Texas (1844)	p. 126
America Should Annex Texas (1845)	p. 128
The United States Must Wage War on Mexico (1846)	p. 130
The United States Fought Mexico to Gain Territory (1850)	p. 132
Civil War and Reconstruction (1850-1877)
Chronology	p. 135
Preface	p. 138
Slavery and the Road to Secession
Southern States May Be Forced to Leave the Union (1850)	p. 141
The Union Must Be Preserved (1850)	p. 144
Constitutional Rights Do Not Extend to Blacks (1857)	p. 148
Constitutional Rights Do Extend to Blacks (1857)	p. 152
Popular Sovereignty Should Settle the Slavery Question (1858)	p. 154
Slavery Should Not Be Allowed to Spread (1858)	p. 156
Secession Is Justified (1861)	p. 159
Secession Is Not Justified (1861)	p. 161
The Civil War
Freeing the Slaves Should Be the Primary War Aim (1862)	p. 164
Preserving the Union Should Be the Primary War Aim (1862)	p. 166
The Emancipation Proclamation Is a Significant Achievement (1862)	p. 166
The Emancipation Proclamation Is a Worthless Act (1863)	p. 168
War Justifies the Restriction of Civil Liberties (1863)	p. 170
War Does Not Justify the Violation of Civil Liberties (1863)	p. 172
Reconstruction
The South Is a Separate, Conquered Nation (1866)	p. 174
The South Is Not a Separate, Conquered Nation (1867)	p. 176
Blacks Should Have the Right to Vote (1866)	p. 178
Blacks Should Not Have the Right to Vote (1867)	p. 180
Index	p. 183
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