Town Hall Meeting

Hello, my name is Louisa May Alcott. Throughout the 1800s I became an activist for women to become independent thinkers and directed efforts towards the cause of Women's Suffrage, while also being deeply inspired by the transcendentalist movement. I use my writing abilities to send the message of the nineteenth century constraints women had. I write multiple books throughout my lifetime all dealing with the issue of women being trapped in the expectations of society.

Due to the financial struggles of my family I had attended some schooling during my younger years. I was mostly taught to read and write by my father who believed children should enjoy learning. I also studied under a philosopher named Henry David Thoreau and authors such as Ralph Waldo Emerson. 

Throughout the late nineteenth century I wrote many books, some being Little Women, where I speak to the constraints of being a nineteenth century woman needing to meet the social expectations. Before I wrote my book Little Women I wrote a series of short stories, which was published in 1854. After my success in writing and selling Little Women I wrote the sequel Little Men. When the Civil War started I became a nurse in a Union Hospital. Unfortunately while I was serving as a nurse I contracted typhoid fever. While having typhoid fever left me permanently scared and incapacitated the experience influenced my next novel Hospital Sketches. The success of my book Hospital Sketches gave me my first taste of fame and led to me continuing to write my other books. 

I write Little Women to reflect on my own experiences and the lives of women during my time. Growing up in a progressive family, I was influenced by the ideals of independence and creativity, yet I also faced the societal expectations that often constrained women. I sought to capture the complexities of female relationships and the varied paths women could take, whether pursuing careers, nurturing families, or seeking personal fulfillment. I wanted to inspire young women to embrace their individuality and aspirations, encouraging them to defy societal norms. 

By writing "Little Women," I crafted a narrative that celebrated both the domestic sphere and the quest for personal identity, making it a timeless exploration of womanhood that continues to resonate with readers of the future. I also became the first woman to register to vote in Concord, Connecticut. To work against the societal norms of the nineteenth century I never got married or had any children but I did adopt my sister's daughter when my sister passed.

In the final years of my life, I faced a multitude of challenges, both personal and health related. After the success of Little Women I continued to write using the theme of the complexities of being a woman during the nineteenth century. I spent the last two years of my life in Boston and Concord caring for my mother and my incredibly helpless father. However, my health deteriorated due to the years of struggling with chronic illnesses, including the aftereffects of typhoid fever leading me to die two days after the passing of my father. 

Bible Team Challenge

During the time of legal slavery, the masters would use several passages from the Bible that alluded to the Bible encouraging slavery. Other arguments have been fought using other verses that prove the Bible does not in fact encourage slavery. It is an ongoing fight that I believe is still being fought today. 

Slavery in the Bible has been talked about a number of times such as in Exodus with the Egyptians enslaving the Israelites and in Genesis when Joseph was sold into slavery. In both of these stories it is shown how God turns both of these situations around for good. The slave masters in the past would not have shown the slaves these passages due to not wanting them to rebel or gain a sense of nonconformity. 

In the Bible, there are multiple accounts where slavery is mentioned as not being right or wrong. In the letters that Paul writes to Philemon about Onesimus, the slave, Paul is sending his son to Philemon to be free from slavery and to save himself. In the article about Paul and his son it states "...seems to have allowed a runaway slave to seek asylum in the home of a friend of the family". Paul also writes his letters to advise slaves to obey their masters while also addressing the masters in telling them to treat their slaves with kindness. The Bible also addresses slavery in Exodus 21:2-6 where we see the conditions under which Hebrew slaves could be free after six years of service but allows for the possibility of lifelong servitude. That could be perceived as more of an Indentured Servant rather than a lifelong slave depending on the circumstance. In 1 Peter 2:18 it says "You who are servants, be good servants to your masters - not just to good masters, but to bad ones" showing the fact that the bible explains slavery as obeying your master even if they treat you badly. 

Within the Bible there are multiple areas that mention slavery, even though each area might not agree with each other the Bible does not give a definite response to slavery. In the Bible slavery is based on the time and how the people were saved due to being God's people. Over the centuries, the Bible has been used both to justify and to condemn slavery, highlighting how its texts can be understood in various ways depending on the readers perspective and historical context. Today, the moral trajectory of biblical teachings is often seen as aligning with principles of human dignity and freedom, contrasting sharply with the institution of slavery. Thus, while the Bible reflects the realities of its time, its overarching messages of compassion and justice have contributed to the broader movement toward recognizing and upholding the inherent rights and equality of all people.

Supreme Court Video

I have always been taught that the supreme court was the back bone of America. In the videos we watched in class about the Supreme Court I learned that the Supreme Court consists of nine judges who meet to deliberate someone's fate. These nine justices are considered the most powerful judicial body on earth. Since the beginning of the supreme court there has only been about 100 justices and they serve an average of 16 years each. These justices also serve life terms, meaning they do not have a limit on how many years they can serve. The supreme court receives over about 100 cases per week which equals about 7000 cases annually but only 100 are accepted for full consideration each year. 

The Supreme Court's authority extends over a broad spectrum of cases, including those involving federal statutes, treaties, and constitutional questions. It has the power to review and overturn decisions made by lower courts if those decisions are found to conflict with constitutional principles. This role of judicial review was established in the landmark case of Marbury v. Madison (1803), which set a precedent for the Court's authority to invalidate laws and executive actions deemed unconstitutional.

The Court's authority has faced significant challenges over time. In the 1857 case Dred Scott v. Sandford, the Court ruled that it had no power to prohibit slavery, a decision that severely undermined its authority by alienating a large segment of the population, particularly the abolitionist and anti-slavery advocates. Similarly, the Plessy v. Ferguson case of 1896 further eroded the Court’s credibility by upholding racial segregation, thus reinforcing divisions within society. It was not until the passage of the Reconstruction amendments following the Civil War that the complex issue of slavery was decisively addressed. Nonetheless, the Court’s interpretation of the newly amended Constitution would continue to face scrutiny and testing throughout the next century, especially during the Civil Rights era.

In summary, the two videos offered valuable insights into the inner workings of the Supreme Court and its crucial role in shaping U.S. laws and principles. They illustrated how the Court's operations—from selectively reviewing a small number of cases to drafting and revising opinions—demonstrate its significant influence on society. Additionally, the tradition of justices starting each meeting with a handshake is more than just a formality; it serves as a meaningful reminder of the importance of mutual respect, civility, and collaboration in their deliberations. Despite the often intense and contentious nature of their work, this practice underscores the justices' dedication to upholding the Court's integrity and the judicial process. Overall, these videos emphasize that the Supreme Court is not only a formidable legal institution but also a model of professionalism and character in its pursuit of justice.