Hannah+Fuller

= Name: Alexandra Yolcin= I am a plantation owner's daughter. I am seventeen years old and I live in Rhome, Texas. I have dark walnut hair and light brown eyes. My older brother retreated to the north, because he chose to become an abolitionist. I am against slavery, and my dream is to run away from this plantation and to go live with my brother where he can teach me about abolitionists. =A page from the journal of= = =

Dear Diary,
If I was to choose a hero, it would be my brother, because of all the heroic thing he did for the slaves on our father's plantation. He would feed the slaves more, and about once a week would slip them a cake or some other rare good. He had chosen to become an antifederalist, because he hated the way my father treated the slaves. Five months ago, my brother retreated to the north in search of others who thought like him, and he found an enemy, Preston Brooks. Preston fought a duel with future Texas Senator Louis T. Wigfall, and was shot in the hip, forcing him to walk on a cane for the rest of his life. Unfortunately, that cane came to his use. On May 22, 1856, Charles Sumner, an antifederalist, mocked the President and Preston's first cousin, Senator Andrew Butler. Preston was offended and beat Charles with his cane until it broke. After the attack, Preston was sent dozens of new canes from South Carolina, even one that read, "Hit him again!" Preston Brooks was born on August 5,1819 and died January 27,1857, before my brother could beat him up, and is buried in South Carolina. I think that Preston was brave as a Democratic Congressman to do something like that to Charles Sumner, but in my opinion, I think he should have gotten arrested or some other punishment. That attack could have killed Charles Sumner! I have to go, father is having a yelling fit again. I just hope he never finds out about me!

Entry Number 2: Mexican-American War
Dear Diary, Today my father talked about the Mexican-American War. I was interested so I paid close attention. This is what I know: the cause of the war was because of two reasons. First, the U.S. wanted to expand across North America toward the Pacific Ocean, and that caused problems with it's neighbors. The U.S. offered to buy California from Mexico for five million dollars and twenty five million, but Mexico refused. Second, was the Texas war for Independence and the Subsequent Annexion. Thousands of Americans moved to Texas. But soon new "Texicans" or "Texians" were unhappy with the way the government in Mexico City was running the province. So in 1835 they revolted, and after many bloody battles they forced the Mexican President, Santa Anna, to sign the Treaty of Velasco in 1836. On June 16, 1845 the U.S. Annexes Texas. Texas wanted to join the United States, but Mexico did not want it's province to just run away, so on May 13, 1846 the U.S. declared war on Mexico. The war ended on September 14, 1847 when Mexico City was occupied by the U.S. In 1848, the Treaty of Guadeloupe Hildalgo was signed, and even though the U.S. got most of Mexico's territory in the north, they still had to pay for it. So the U.S. paid fifteen million dollars in return for the territory. What else is cool is Preston Brooks served in the Mexican-American War! I thought that the Mexican-American War was interesting to learn about today, and I thought it was cool that the Mexicans passed up twentyfive million dollars for their land!

Entry Number 3: Sarah Moore Grimke
Dear Diary,

I don't have much time. By eight tonight I am to meet my brother in a nearby town called Aurora. It turns out that Father found out about my hatred for Federalists, and he beat me for it. Even though it didn't last long, I'm still bleeding alittle. I can't stay here, so I'm running away with some of my slaves. My brother said he found the Grimke sisters, and we are going to stay with them for a while. Who knows? Maybe I'll learn something from them. My favorite out of the two is Sarah Grimke, because I find myself more related to her than her sister. Sarah Moore Grimke was born on November 26, 1792 daughter to a jurist and a cotton planter. Early in her life, Sarah's eduacation led to her future of becoming an abolitionist and a femininst. At twelve years old, Sarah spent her time teaching Biblical classes to the slaves on her plantation. She wanted to teach them how to read and write also, but her parents wouldn't let her. She personally taught a slave how to read and write, but her father was furious when he found out about it and almost had the slave whipped. Sarah never tried it again. When her older brother went to Yale, Sarah decided to become a Quaker when she got older. When her father died, Sarah moved to Philadelphia to visit her Quaker friends. Later, she returned to Charleston to convince her sister to the Quaker Religion. Together, they became the famous Grimke Sisters. They were the first women to speak openly in a crowd filled with men and women. Sarah Grimke wrote and spoke in the support of Abraham Lincolin. I find my situation really close to Sarah's, and that's probably why I look up to her. I am hiding this diary in my secret hole behind the bricks of my house. All I can do is watch the sun's rays disappear beyond the horizon and hope that I don't get caught.

1. How does one's understanding of slavery affect his understanding of the people and events of the 1850s and 1860s?
Someone's understanding of slavery could be different depending how they were raised and what their opinion is on slavery. People go for what they believe in, so someone from the South is going to think differently from someone from the North, because what they hear is what they believe.

2. Why would slavery ever be condoned in the United States?
Slavery would be condoned, because of free labor and money.

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The Civil War didn't have to be the only way to end slavery. It only accelerated it. Slavery was already banned in the UK and other countries, and that could have eventually spread over the United States.======