(AMERICAN History 1700)

Farewell Addresses

Prompt 1

Since George Washington left office in 1796, presidents have used their farewell address as a means of offering the public and incoming president advice for the well being and preservation the nation. Dwight Eisenhower’s Farewell Address has become known as the “Military-Industrial Complex Speech” as the outgoing president warned of the dangerous relationship that was developing between the military, arms manufacturers and the government. As you read this document consider if his warnings have merit and are relevant today.

“ Farewell Speech 17 January 1961 (Military-Industrial Complex Speech) (Links to an external site.) ; Dwight Eisenhower”

1.  In his speech Eisenhower warned of a threat to liberty. What liberties were being threatened? Who was threatening liberty and how could it be protected?

2. What are the concerns that Eisenhower expresses about the relationship between the military, arms manufacturers and members of congress? Are these concerns legitimate or not?

Prompt 2

One of the most important desegregation cases of the 20th century was Brown v. the Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas 1954 which integrated public schools which reversed Plessy v. Ferguson 1896 which established separate, but equal among the races. The Warren Court employed one of the guiding principles of the Vinson Court, “apply separate, but equal in actual practice and examine if the conditions between white schools and black schools was equal or not” to decide the case. Southern States balked at integration and issued a response to the court’s decision known as “The Southern Manifesto”. As you examine the documents note the court’s rationale for integration and how the South countered these arguments.

"Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas 1954; Majority Opinion of Chief Justice Earl Warren (Links to an external site.) "

"The Southern Manifesto on Integration, 12 March 1956 (Links to an external site.) "

1. What did Warren conclude about the importance of an “equal” education? Are his comments still relevant today and if so, how/why?

2. What were the main objections of the South to integration? How did they justify their position and were their arguments valid?