1. What had happened since the US entry into WWI that would have contributed to the questions he begins with?

    People were becoming pacifists. They were worried about dictators and fascism in Europe especially in Germany. There was a lot of anti-democratic propaganda. Many countries have been taken over by Germany and the Nazi’s including Austria Czechoslovakia Poland Norway Denmark France Belgium Luxembourg the Netherlands and north Africa. He asks why the United States is the acting like scared chickens. If we are idealist and believed in democracy and the spread of it throughout the world that we should be over in Europe fighting the war with England and the allies. He is saying that the United States is acting in its own best interests and being selfish. Kids we don’t live in the world alone we need our friends and allies. If they win Europe they could take over Russia South America Asia Africa and Europe and we couldn’t possibly defeat them on our own anymore because they’re just be too big we would have to become militarized and isolated and could never be safe again.

  2. “America of Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln and Walt Whitman”. What do you think those four people represent and why do you think Ickes’ is mentioning their names in his speech?

    Jefferson Lincoln and Walt Whitman believed in freedom and democracy for all people. People in Europe that we were fighting in World War II were being taken over by Germans and the fascists and we were not trying to help them. Lincoln freed the slaves and people in Europe will be enslaved by the fascists if the United States does not help them. It is our responsibility to show our culture of democracy. If we are going to be free ourselves we have to do everything we can to fight with Britain against the Germans. Because eventually the fight will come to our front door when Germany is done inflating the people of Europe they will cross over the water and enslave us to.

    3.  

  3. Which school(s) of thought does Ickes represent? Use quotes from his speech to support your response.

    He was a progressive like FDR Erie it he believe that the government should spend a lot of money to help the United States get out of the depression. He believed that government spending would create jobs and the economy would be fixed with everybody working. The new deal with Franklin Roosevelt FDR.

  4. What is the significance of the title: “What is an American?”

    An American likes freedom, peace and liberty. But if three fourths of the world is enslaved there will be nothing but brutality and injustice and slavery for them. If you’re an American then you have to sacrifice property and security so that your children can retain the rights of freemen. A true America will fight joyously in a just cause.

  5. What lines of his speech would have affected you the most?

    “We cannot retain our liberty if three force of the world is enslaved” this is so true and it’s happening right now huge parts of the world, they have so few rights so just like in World War II it’s not another person’s battle.Its our battle and we have to do it we can to use our resources to help them because it’s our jobs to protect those that are weaker and everybody is weaker than the United States so by definition we have to help everybody.