United states sits at the mouth of chesapeake bay. Next we get a tour showing the history from the colonial area and its completion. Welcome to fort minrow. It has been that way for a long, look time if is here that over 400 years of history have occurred. Some would say even thousands of years. Were inside of the museum aptly named casemade, this is in the fort wall in is unique for museums at this date and time. Were going to walk around and talk about the interesting and their plight in the American Civil War. Thousands of thousands of years ago, the natives of this land starts to migrate. They migrated as far west as mexico and the Mississippi River valley. They migrated all of the way here to point comfort. They were hunters, they were gatherers, and they lived a very successful and prosperous life here. In 1607, hay came and they mastered the art of cultivation. The english would struggle the first few years and they, too, would prosper. We know that in 1619, 20 negros arrived here and they were traded for goods. After that we see the evolution of laws, rules, and regulations that will start to manage the africanamerican population here in hamp ton. Next the war of 1812 to find out why this is now in existence and thousand came about. Why is the largest stone fort in the United States here today . The war of 1812 was a backdrop to that story. In 1812 the british once again invaded the United States. They arrive here for the chesapeake bay. They moved all of the way up, they pushed our capital city of washington dc, and they were finally stopped in a place called baltimore. After the war of 1812, he established fortifications all up and down our eastern seaboard. He was a french engineer that helped establish the system today. It was an example of the largest and the best of those forts. In 1918 it was decided that this location, point comfort, would be the location for fort monroe the model that we see today is exactly what we would look like. The first soldiers would come to population this fortification earn be the defense of the chesapea chesapeake. The frenchman was a very sbejts engineer. It is one of the strongest strongholds here in the United States. One of the things he did was he had several angles there can be cross fires from different angels. This mote was designed with the construction. After the fort was completed, it becomes another level of defense for if forth monroe. The largest stone fort in the United States, even today, started construction in 1819. It would take them all of the way to 1834 to finish the instruction of the fort. The orange better to fire on the ships entering the chesapeake bay. It has water exposure and they didnt worry about the defense behind it. It remains the strong force of artillery and might. Were looking at a 32 pound artillery tube. We know this is built in 1846. They would have a beast inside of it to fire out through the forts window at the approaching enemy, usually upon naval vessels. It would take nine to 11 pounds because it would fire a 32 pound cannon ball. This would be the work force of the military in the war of 1812 all of the way to the American Civil War. We need a crew of nine to 11 individuals. Let me point out some of the positions they would hold. You would have a number one and a number two man. They would make sure that the firing mechanism of the gun was in place. They would punch the powder back, they would set the fuse, and they would run a lan yard to follow this gun. They are ramming property jek tile down to the back of this gun, but also there to help load the ammunition up from their supply. So two men in the back, two in the front, you will have a gunner that will be responsible for, and in these days we call it poirchting the gun, not aiming the gun, towards whatever the military objective might be. Sometimes you have another officer responsible for a sooers of guns being fired at the same time. It would take from about a minute to 75 seconds to load and fire a 32 pounder. These 32 pounders that were looking at today are the United States hill tear through the civil car. War but it never fell into confederate hands. The department of defense made sure that this fort was secure on the very eve of the American Civil War. What you should know about these 32 pounders this was never attacked and that speaks to its strength and how imposing it is to the enmy. What does slavery look like . Slaves were used primarily from agriculture. And this gives us a very good indication of where that was taking place. If you look at the earn seaboard you notice the darker the areas are they kind case more slavery there was. The commonwealth was growing things like cotton. And you see how intense it was here in virginia at the time. Lets go. The Mississippi River valley, the same thing if theyre growing gotten and other cash crops allowing whites to be able to capitalize on that. In may of 1861 there was a perfect storm. Several things came together to create what we call today the contraband decision. First Abraham Lincoln promoted an assigned command of forth monrmo fort monroe. They joined a confederacy and they made a decision. They agree to invite the National Capital to be removed to the city of richmond, virginia. Butler takes command and he leaves command. Baker, townsend, mrks allory. They would present themselves at the gate. They seek to be refugees and look for prosection. The next day they interviewed the three individuals and they found out that these individuals were being used for the use of the Confederate Army to do chores around the confederate camp. That same day the owners of these individual slaves came to retrieve them siting the fugitive slave act. If you had a run away slave you had to return them to their owners. Benjamin butler said this. Oh, so, youre quoting United States law. The United States law no longer applies to you. If you want to swear aly chance you can have your slaves back. You are using them against my soldiers. You can no longer have them and this will create a mass of folks. What started without three game 10,000. Jefferson davis theman is a contradicti contradiction. He was a graduate in the United States military academy. He was secretary of war under president pierce. He seeved the United States congress and he also served in the United States senate. He and his wife were part of james bucanans administration. When the south left to form their own government they invited Jefferson Davis to be the first and only president. He would accept that invitation and become the president of the Confederate States of america. Were in the cell where Jefferson Davis the else at the conclusion of the civil war. He received word from general robert e. Lee that they dmoucouo longer hold the Confederate Army. He sent his family on the road for their protection. Jefferson davis would follow. He would soon catch up with his family below the Florida State line if is where a federal mountain unit was placed on his family. He moved back up here to ft. Monroe and incarcerated in his very cell. Some people and why. He was indicted on three federal charges. One for treason. Two for come police sit accompl. He had to be in a place where his last residency occurred and that would be in richmond if is here that he will stay for four months and he will remain incarcerated here for almost two years. He would never see his day in court. He would never be acquitted, and he would retire and write his m memoirs. Many folks in the United States, decided that that was not going to be the best way to heal the nation. To try Jefferson Davis with the fear that he might be acquitted. Might cast a shadow over 3. 2 Million People going to war and over 750,000 of them losing their lives. At the conclusion of the American Civil War, the priority of not only our congress, and the president or the citizens of the United States, it was to reunite the country. Make us understand again a strong union. For this reason many confederate officers might not be charged with the rule of treason. Many of them have roles and occupy positions within ulys ulysulysse ulyssulysse s grant civilization. This flag hung in his cell to remind him on a daily basis of the crimes that he committed. The history of Jefferson Davis was very complex. And one that we try to look at all aspects of. This cell done is one of the most important art faifacts. It was this very door that he would look out and realize that the American Civil War was over and that the confederacy was no longer part of the historic narrative. There is so much more here to see. In the late 19th and early 20th century, it becomes a very important trading ground. It is here where all of the artilleryist were trained. Later ft. Monroe would become the center of training and doctrine command. The rest of the museum talks about not only the military history that occurred here, but the social as pepects of comfor here. You will learn how the social aspects of virginia merge with the military aspects of ft. Monroe. It would stay that way until its closure in 2011. Watch this and other programs by visiting our website. Youre watching American History kf every weekend on cspan three explore our nations past. Created by americas Cable Television companies and brought to you today by your television provider. Weeknights this month were featuring American History tv programs as a preview of what is available on cspan 3. Tonight we look at the National Park service. We visit eight parks across the country including the selma to montgomery trail. Watch beginning at 8 00 eastern and enjoy American History tv every weekend on cspan there. Read about topics from the u. S. President s to 9 11. Thank you for your patience and logs into class. Most campuses closed due to the virtual setting to engage with their students. Reagan met him halfway, he encouraged him, he supported him. Freedom of the press that we will get to later, madison originally called it the freedom of the use of the press and it is the freedom to print things, not what we refer to institution l institutionally as the press. Find it where you listen to broadcasts. The mayo clinic is consistently ranked as a top hold hospital. Next on american art farkts, we learn about the origins of the mayo clinic and its role