Monday, April 26, 2010

Free Historical Notebooking Pages

This website has great, free pages for history...especially U.S. History.


http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/famous_people_notebooking_pages.htm


We had fun learning about Thomas Jefferson and Patrick Henry today.


Here's the famous quote (which was actually re-costructed by a Historian) from Patrick Henry:


"Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, Give me Liberty, or give me Death!"


I, especially, got really into learning about history today...


I learned that Patrick Henry (a friend of Thomas Jefferson) was a staunch Anti-Federalist, but then with the threat of war from France and with the fear of a situation similar to the French Revolution happening here, Patrick Henry turned more Federalist. Thomas Jefferson was a part of the original Republican party and strongly supported states rights. He become involved in the Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions which said that the states did not need to follow Federal Laws that weren't specifically documented in the Constitution, which was only a document of agreement among states. The Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions are still an important precedent in our law.


The Alien and Sedition Acts were passed in 1798 under John Adams - basically making it harder for aliens to become citizens and easier for them to be made to leave the country. However, one of the laws also said that acts and words against the Federal Government would be punishable by Federal Law. When Benjamin Franklin's grandson was arrested for an article he wrote criticizing John Adams, public outcry was great. They say, that is part of what gave Thomas Jefferson the ability to win the next election and become President...because Americans were fearful of the power of the Federal Government.


We're there again, are we not?

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