Letter To Reverend Occum By Arizona Mcdougal Littell

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In McDougal Littell & Co.’s textbook “Arizona McDougal Littell literature” 2008 version, they provide many text documents that can be referenced to resolve the question, “Who has the right to rule?”. The right to rule is decided by a victory, the right to maintain rule is judged upon by one’s peers. How do leaders come to power; might it be through war, Coup d’etats, or politics? How come some leaders are rejected from power; can it be through popular uprisings or is power to blame? To possess the right to rule, one must first acquire it. After attaining it, the right to rule must be nurtured by a virtuous supervisor who doesn't abuse one’s power. These qualities are determined by the people to be as fair and just as they see fit. The right …show more content…

Hamilton). A leader is not judged by a standard of their choice but rather the choice of the masses. This is not to say that the majority of people can determines who has the right to rule and maintain rule but the ones who possess the majority of power. This is true when reading the “Letter to Reverend Occum by Wheatley”; when Wheatley writes “to convince (slave owners) of the strong absurdity of their conduct.”(P. Wheatley) she means to plea for equality. Although many black slaves wanted equality, and there were certainly more slaves than slave owners, the slaves lacked the power for freedom. It is correct in saying that the right to rule can be granted and maintained over a powerless population. Regardless of what the people want, power will always determine change. Women of the 18th century understood their position in society and how to change it. Such as Abigail Adams as she writes a letter to John Adams in 1776 as an attempt to gain marginal rights for women. When Abigail writes “I cannot say that I think you are very generous to the ladies; for whilst you are proclaiming peace and good-will to men… you insist upon retaining an absolute power over wives.” (A. Adams). Abigail Adams knows that her position in society only grants marginal power, that is why she attempts to make change through the people who have power. But in the end John Adams introvertly views his right to rule as a reason to retaining absolute power over women. Therefor women later in the 19th century would attempt to target and unite a broader audience that could sum up to the majority power. A leader of this majority of power was Elizabeth Cady Stanton. Stanton pointed out that “the history of mankind is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations on the part of man toward women”(E. Stanton). By doing so Stanton was able to receive signatures from 68 women

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