"The White Mans Burden" (1899)

"Before and After"
Photo Credit: State Historical Society, Wisconsin

Over one hundred years ago, British poet Rudyard Kipling composed a piece of poetry that has resonated for over a century.  The poem, “The White Man's Burden” was a poem about the imperial responsibilities the United States would now have to assume over the Philippines after the Philippine-American war. It was a battle between the United States and Filipino revolutionaries. The war started due to the struggle of the First Philippine Republics inability to gain independence following annexation by the United States. 

Quote Taken from Rudyard Kiplings "The White Mans Burden" 

"Take up the White Man's burden--

Send forth the best ye breed--

Go, bind your sons to exile

To serve your captives' need;

                                                                          To wait, in heavy harness,

                                                                          On fluttered folk and wild--

                                                                            Your new-caught sullen peoples,

                                                                           Half devil and half child."

(One of the justifications made by Europeans for colonizing was they had an obligation to the people of the lands they had taken over. It wasn't (mainly) about the financial gain of conquering, but more of a gesture of kindness to the people.)

The poem expressed how the United States will take it upon them to cleanse the world of uncivilized life. The United States would assume the burden of teaching the other under civilized nations “the right way”.


According to "Give Me Liberty!" "American proponents of empire agreed that the domination of non-white peoples by whites formed part of the progress of civilization." (Foner, p714).

The metaphor “The White Man’s Burden” could translate to the white people will have the obligation to rule over and “teach” the poorer nations how to act the right way until these countries could assume their place among the stronger countries.  Then when they could thrive financially and culturally, they would be ready to be on their own. Though, not really since everything they are, is due to the United States stepping in and taking over.  Others believe the White Man’s burden should be interpreted in a more charitable light.  The wealthy countries (such as the United States and England) have a moral obligation to help the poor establish themselves whether the poor want the help or not.  This is a huge referendum to cultural imperialism.  The White Man’s Burden was not solely directed at the United States for the Philippines, but it’s directed at the wealthy and established European Countries to share their resources, be it financially or medically.

Imperialism could be for the best, if carried out justly.  If the culture and customs of the people being supported would be preserved and protected, it could be successful and good for everyone; yet that is highly unlikely of ever happening.  The White Man’s Burden has certainly been viewed as racist and morally inappropriate by many. Though some commentators consider Kipling’s works to be satirical writing, and suggest that "The White Man's Burden" is in fact meant to satirically undermine imperialism.

Uncle Sam as the proverbial
 father of needy and uncontrollable children:
 Hawaii, Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines.
Photo Credit: The Detroit Journal

"Mass production makes a Better World"

 I do believe mass production can effect the world in which we live.Mass production as we all know is producing large amount of goods and services and a low cost per unit.Many great sociologists such as Karl Marx,Max Webber tested this theory of Mass production.In contemporary society Mass Production can be useful to the economy to an extent.If you produce a large amount of goods,then this will ultimately create jobs for unemployed individuals.The great Henry Ford also did this with his company-Ford Motors.Even though Mass production is said to be capital and energy intensive,due to the fact that mainly machines are being used,you still need manual labor to operate these machines and fix these machines.Edward Filene another great ideologist in American History,shared the same sentiments.He was convinced that mass production made a better world,in addition he also believed that it would create jobs despite the over usage of machines as opposed to manual labor.Mass Production is practiced not only in America,but in many industrialized countries over the world.The world is certainly not perfect as how Edward Filene would've imagined,and I'm sure he never wanted a perfect world due to Mass Production,but because of his ideas and others the world is certainly more abrupt on production.

Address to the Nation on the Iran Arms and Contra Aid Controversy

Between 1980 and 1988 Iran and Iraq were involved in a war with each other also known as the Persian Gulf War. During the war Iran found it difficult to find nations in which to supply them with weapons in which they needed to win the war. Between 1982 and 1992 the Islamic fundamentalist group, later identified as the Hezbollah, kidnapped over 100 hostages from multiple nations and killed 230 Americans in the Embassy Bombings in Beirut. This was known as the Lebanon Hostage Crisis. The reason for the hostages may very well have been to protect themselves from retaliation of the United States or other countries. The Israeli government supported the Iraqi’s during the war and was willing to supply them with weapons as long as they could be reimbursed from the United States. The controversy began when the Reagan administration officials began to secretly sell weapons to Iran. The plan was that Israel would ship weapons to Iran and then the United States would reimburse Israel and receive their payment. When the Iranians were receiving the weapons they promised to attempt to do everything in their power to get the American hostages released from a terrorist group that was tied to Iran. This changed to an arms-for-hostage scheme in which the government sold weapons to Iran for the release of American hostages. The hostages were sparatically released when the Iranians received the weapons in which they wanted. When America received their payments proceeds of the money went to funding Anti-Sandinista and anti-Communist rebels in Nicaragua. This part of the plan was created by Oliver North who was a member of the National Security Council. Funding the Contras in Nicaragua was illegal as part of the Boland Amendment.

On March 4^th, 1987 President Ronald Reagan made a speech to the American public about the controversy with Iran and the release of the hostages held by the Hezbollah.

“But I’ve had to wait, as you have, for the complete story. That’s why I appointed Ambassador David Abshire as my Special Counsellor to help get out the thousands of documents to the various investigations. And I appointed a Special Review Board, the Tower board, which took on the chore of pulling the truth together for me and getting to the bottom of things.”

Reagan discusses how he believes that America deserves the truth about the tragedy with the hostages and the controversy of selling weapons to Iran. Reagan was said to not have known about this controversy until it was shown to the public.

“First, let me say I take full responsibility for my own actions and for those of my administration. As angry as I may be about activities undertaken without my knowledge, I am still accountable for those activities.”

While trying to regain trust from the American people with this statement he admits to lying to them about not trading arms for hostages. The entire controversy revolves around this concept along with the money that was sent to fund another war that we weren’t actually part of. He believed that selling the Iranians arms was a strategy in order to accomplish other goals but in fact it turned into an arms-for-hostage strategy, which is not what they had in mind.

“It’s clear from the Board’s report, however, that I let my personal concern for the hostages spill over into the geopolitical strategy of reaching out to Iran.”

This was critical because of this scandal the United States needed to make sure they did everything possible to release these hostages but in a legitimate way. Reagan also promised the loved ones of these hostages that they would explore every possible avenue to rescue these hostages. On the other hand, suspiciously though the Board was unable to find any information about the money controversy.

“The Tower board wasn’t able to find out what happened to this money, so the facts here will be left to the continuing investigations of the court appointed Independent Counsel and the two congressional investigating committees.”

Though he is willing to again take responsibility for these actions in which occurred it is strange to see that they were unable to find any information about the money. It is possible that Reagan did know what was happening and told the officials in his administration to destroy the evidence, but we will never know. Unfortunately American hostages were killed though many were released it is a great lose for the American people that we were unable to save our hostages from harm. The last American hostage was released on December 4^th 1991; while the sad return of the last two deceased American hostages were returned late in December of 1991.

Ronald Reagan - Campaign Speech at the Cow Palace, San Francisco, California

May 12, 1966

Ronald Reagan was in the middle of running for the governorship of California in the mid 1960's when the free-speech movement was going on in the United States. Reagan saw this as an issue with American society stating, "its charges that the campus has become a rallying point for Communists and a center of sexual misconduct." When discussing the issue in his campaign speech, Reagan made sure to express that our society has driven off of its rightful course and have taken a path of wrong. Reagan believed that these rallies, riots and filthy-speech movements (as he called them) were getting out of control and there was nobody that was putting an end to it. You had students protesting and speaking out for free-speech, civil rights and speaking out against the Vietnam War.

When trying to make his point to the American people, Reagan used the example of a school dance, where the only lights that were on were those coming off of the projector screens. He goes on to state, "Three rock and roll bands played simultaneously. The smell of marijuana was thick throughout the hall. There were signs that some of those present had taken dope. There were indications of other happenings that cannot be mentioned here." From this statement it shows that Reagan saw free-speech and wide spread love to be morally wrong and not the way a society should be acting. He believed that Americans were being frowned upon for acting in this sort of manner and that it needed to be stopped immediately.

Reagan wanted public hearings to be held for all of those that were involved and they should be made examples of. He also believed that the American people had a right to know exactly what was going in Berkley, California. "The citizens who pay the taxes that support the University also have a right to know that, if the situation is as the report says, that those responsible will be fired, that the University will be cleaned up and restored to its position as a major institution of learning and research."

"Those things could be done and should be done. The people not only have a right to know what is going on at their universities, they have a right to expect the best from those responsible for it."

Abraham Lincoln's First Inaugural Address

Abraham Lincoln, the sixteenth president of the United States of America delivered his first inaugural address on March 4, 1861. In this address the president spoke to the South about his proposed policies. He expressed his plans to "hold, occupy, and possess the property and places belonging to the government", he called the Union "indissolvable" to prove that secession was impossible, and he promised never to be the first to attack but to only defend the country against enemies.Lincoln's deepest desire was to see the Union as a whole, rather than seeing it torn apart by the people within it.

"We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained it must not break our bonds of affection. The mystic chords of memory, stretching from every battlefield and patriot grave to every living heart and hearthstone all over this broad land, will yet swell the chorus of the Union, when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature."

Davis's Message To Congress

On April 29, 1861, Jefferson Davis called the Confederate Congress together for a meeting in which he discusses the reasons for secession and the theory of the Union. He also asks for permission to ready the defenses of the country after Abraham Lincoln had declared war. His main reasons are based on the North's attempts to abolish slavery and having power in Congress. After the war with Great Britain, he says the states made a compact that said "each State retains its sovereignty, freedom, and independence, and every power, jurisdiction, and right to which is not by this Confederation expressly delegated to the United States in Congress assembled." The Articles of Confederation contained a clause that prohibited changes unless the Legislatures of every State agreed to it, but then the Constitution was ratified on the grounds that only nine states ratified it. Davis thinks the "creature has been exalted above its creators", with the national government being the creature and the States being the creators. He then goes on to defend slavery by saying that "In moral and social condition they had been elevated from brutal savages into docile, intelligent, and civilized agricultural laborers, and supplied not only with bodily comforts but with religious instruction."

The Black Code of St. Landry's Parish, 1865

When the slaves were emancipated after the civil war, Southern communities were discontent with this, so they passed "black codes" in order to maintain control of black citizens. Mississippi and South Carolina were the first states to pass these regulations. Later, other states followed.

"Section 2. Be it further ordained, That every negro who shall be found absent from the residence of his employer after 10 o'clock at night, without a written permit from his employer, shall pay a fine of five dollars, or in default thereof, shall be compelled to work five days on the public road, or suffer corporeal punishment as hereinafter provided."

The quote is important because it shows that these regulations did not allow freedmen to move around freely as they please. They were subject to as much oversight, authority, and supervision as possible.

"Section 13. Be it further ordained, That all sums collected from the aforesaid fines shall be immediately handed over to the parish treasurer."

This is an important quote because these regulations tried to limit freedmen's not only physical limitations, but economical limitations as well.

"Section 5. Be it further ordained, That no public meetings or congregations of negroes shall be allowed within said parish after sunset;" and Section 6 prohibited "declaim to congregation fo colored people."

These are important parts of quotes because they showed that African American social and political organizations were feared. When united, they posed as a threat to White authority and order.

The Dred Scott Decision

In the vein of a southern controlled federal government, the case of Dred Scott V. Sanford resulted in a decision against the slave Dred Scott, and set a precedent later overturned by the 14th Amendment. Dred Scott, was a slave who attempted to sue his master for his own freedom but the vote resulted in a 7 to 2 tally, against Scott. The precedent stated that Congress has no authority to prohibit slavery in Federal territories and by extension, no slaves have the right to sue due to their not being citizens of the United States. This concept of Dred Scott not being a citizen was derived from the Constitution, specifically, the 3/5th's clause or compromise. This case was one of the many events that created tension between abolitionists and slave owners, which eventually lead to the Civil War.

Emancipation Proclamation

The Emancipation Proclamation was a document written by Abraham Lincoln along with the consent of his cabinet. The main point of the Emancipation Proclamation was the freedom of slaves in Confederate States. This document also allowed freed slaves to enlist in the Union's military causing up to 200,000 former slaves to enlist. Lincoln wanted to cause an uprising of slaves in Confederate States in hopes that many slaves would run away to the North and join in the Union's cause. Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation put the abolition of slavery as the primary goal of the Union's objectives. One of the more important reasons why Lincoln created this document was to keep Britain from aiding the Confederate States. If the British decided to aid the Confederate States, after Lincoln created the Emancipation Proclamation, than Britain would be aiding slavery which they had already abolished.

The Drummer of Antietam

The ballad speaks about a drummer boy who meets his fate with death, among hundreds of soldiers who are dead as well, at the battle of Antietam. The Battle of Antietam was a 2 day long fight that occurred between the days of September 16 and September 18, 1862, although most of the battle took place on September 17th. It is considered one of the bloodiest single-day battles of the Civil War because no matter how hard the Union attacked,the Confederates would match their attacks equally even though the ratio of the troops were about two to one; there were about 23,000 casualties. As close as the battle seemed, the Union won the battle.