William Samuel Johnson

Almost Free is a story about a slave by the name of Samuel Johnson. Johnson was a mixed slave that lived in Warrenton, Virginia and worked to free himself and his family from slavery in the late 1700s and the early to mid-1800s. He was not like most slaves. Johnson’s father was white which gave him a lighter complexion than other slaves. His owner, as well as other town folk, took to liking him more because they believed he was a smarter, more capable slave than the rest. His owner, and a few other men with authority, helped Johnson become free and even stay in Warrenton. Though these men did help him, one must wonder if it was for an ulterior motive. It could have been to make things not seem so bad for the slaves, and thus ending a feud that would ultimately lead to the division of a nation.

James Weldon Johnson (1871-1938), was a highly talented and celebrated African American writer. He was a poet, songwriter, novelist, literary critic, and essayist. Along with his wide-ranging literary accomplishments, Johnson also served as a school principal, professor of literature at Fisk University, attorney, a diplomatic consul for the United States in Venezuelaand Nicaragua, and secretary for the NAACP from 1920-1930. He is considered one of the founders of the Harlem Renaissance and the first "modern" African American.

“The United States Constitution is the oldest written national constitution still in use” (Confederation and the Constitution, pg. 71). After more than 200 years, the Constitution is still changing to support the next generations needs. This “living document” has many different reasons that allow it to “fit in” with the new generations.

During revolutionary America, Benjamin Franklin, Olaudah Equiano, and Phillis Wheatley all wrote autobiographical works that framed their identities and explored new ideas taking form through the Great Awakening and Enlightenment. Equiano and Wheatley wrote in support of abolition and used their works to exemplify that, while Franklin focused on the “American dream” and how he was able to achieve it. Despite these differences, all three were quick to mention religion in America and the Christian hypocrisy associated with it.

The Constitution for the US has 7 Articles, and they are all very detailed. They help lead our country toward success and let us strive to be the best country that we can possibly be. It is crazy how they wrote it in the 1700’s, and we are now in the 2000’s and still obey it. The writers of it must have been genius’!

American soldiers that were able to pass as a British citizen. Of the 10,000 men

     Andrew Johnson, the 17th president, was born in Raleigh, North Carolina on December 29th, 1808. At the young age of three years old, Andrew’s father. Jacob Johnson passed away while drowning in an attempt to save the life of Editor Henderson from the Raleigh Gazette in 1812. Andrew’s mother, Mary Johnson, worked hard as a seamstress and washerwoman in order to support Andrew and his three brothers, and her; but she was unable to afford to send them to school. From the age of 14 until 16 he worked as an apprentice to a tailor but talked to his mother and stepfather about moving and starting a new life. He then opened a tailor shop in Greenville, Tennessee, married Eliza McCardle on May 17, 1827 and

The great nation we live in is unlike any other because of “liberty, equality, individual rights, self-government, and lawful powers” that are afforded to its people through the United States Constitution (Patterson, 2011, p28). Since we began our journey away from parliamentary government, the colonists who created this nation worked hard to create a nation that would be fair to all who lived here. Americans enjoy the pursuit of happiness, freedom of living and equality because of our Constitution.

Johnson’s political career officially began in 1930, when he was recommended to Congressman Richard Kleberg as a congressional secretary. Kleberg was more of an absentee congressman and Johnson ran his office and worked the staff into exhaustion. He worked to meet people and build his political network, Johnson was in his element. The Great Depression had impacted the entire nation and during this time, letters from Texas came into Kleberg’s office asking for help. Johnson felt helpless and wanted

The constitution of the United States is composed of 7 articles and 27 amendments. These articles and amendments each have an important role in maintaining the government’s power balanced and limited.

in Samuel johnson's response to the woman's request he denied the request with a sympathetic tone. He does not take the child to be sent to the university. He sincerely turns the child down by not saying he's inadequate or not good in his studies, but by saying that he just doesn't meet the expectations to obtain patronage.

Benjamin Franklin and John Winthrop, men with different ideals, present the same notion that America should be presented as a “city upon a hill.” Franklin believed that the American dream should be presented as an ideal where men and women are equal and can both move up in social class on their own, practicing any religion they desired. On the other hand, Winthrop believed that the new world was a religious safe haven only for the Puritans. American Exceptionalism was overall the main focus, guiding America to define itself as a special nation founded upon democratic values and liberty.

When John Dickinson was a little kid, private tutors taught and educated him after the family moved to Kent County, near Dover, Delaware in 1740. In 1750, when John finally turned 18, he began to study law under John Moland’s teachings in Philadelphia. He wanted to continue his studies, so in 1753, he went to England and studied at London’s Middle Temple. After he returned to Philadelphia 4 years later to practice law, he became a well-known lawyer there. He became one of the best lawyers in Philadelphia, and his education and talent helped him go into politics. Later, because the letters and articles he wrote were so popular, he received an honorary LL.D. from the College of New Jersey (which would later be known as Princeton). Not only was

Samuel Johnson was an African American man born into slavery, but refused to let his situation determine the rest of his life. For numerous years, he went through all the proper channels such as, coming to an agreement with his owner, and then issuing a deed of manumission to gain freedom. He eventually earned enough money to buy himself from his owner to be considered a free man. Over his entire life, he petitioned eleven times to the state legislature regarding his freedom. Samuel Johnson worked vigorously to attain his freedom, but the fight to fully be free of the chains of slavery was just beginning.

In the second paragraph, Johnson employs a logical explanation as to why he will not assist in using his influence to sway the archbishop of Canterbury to patron her son to enter the university. In this, Johnson transitions to a more straightforward approach in his rejection of the mother’s plea. Samuel Johnson makes the error in the mother’s judgement obvious in that she failed to “consider...what [she was] asking” when daring to make such a preposterous request. Johnson follows his description of the inevitable disappointment that follows hope by crushing any lingering optimism has in getting Johnson’s assistance, as he forces the mother to admit “the [was] no reason” why he should write the letter, as he does not have the power or the relationship