SCENE 1: WASHINGTON AND THE BATTLE OF FALLEN TIMBERS

Characters: 2 Indian and 3-4 American Soldiers

Scene Description: The Scene begins with the Indians fighting the Americans and then retreating to a corner where they eventually turn and surrender. They raise a white flag indicating that they surrender. The American leader then hands the Indians a piece of paper and demands that they sign this treaty or else. The Indians sign it and the Americans then celebrate shouting things such as “We have won back the Northwest” and “The Indians have signed the Treaty of Greenville” while the Indians mope off of the screen.

SCENE 1: WASHINGTON AND THE BATTLE OF FALLEN TIMBERS

SCENE 2: JOHN ADAMS AND THE XYZ AFFAIR

Characters: 3 Frenchmen Named X Y and Z and 2-3 Americans

Scene Description: The scene opens in silence. France has attacked American ships and now both countries have sent diplomats to meet. The 3 Frenchmen with the names X, Y, and Z on their shirts and the American diplomats are sitting across the table from each other and giving each other scowls. One of the Americans tries to speak up but is immediately cut off by one of the Frenchmen. He says “NON! And that France will not speak about the problems between the two countries until the Americans pay France $2 million to meet further with them. All but one of the Americans are so enraged by this that they leave. The only remaining one refuses to pay but threatens to go to war if they do not sign a treaty promising to end the conflict. He hands over a paper to the French, they think about it for a while and discuss it but eventually sign it.

SCENE 2: JOHN ADAMS AND THE XYZ AFFAIR

SCENE 3: THOMAS JEFFERSON AND THE LEWIS AND CLARK EXPEDITION

Characters: Lewis, Clark, and other explorers

Scene Description: Lewis, Clark and his men are climbing down the Rocky Mountains and are cold and exhausted. One of the men says that they don’t think they are going to make it to the Pacific. Lewis and Clark quickly encourage the men and tell them that they will make it to the ocean soon enough. A few seconds goes by and one man spots a river. The men get into their canoes and then begin rowing. A few more seconds pass and another man spots the Pacific Ocean. The men then proceed to cheer loudly and with excitement. One says “President Jefferson would be so proud.” End Scene.

SCENE 3: THOMAS JEFFERSON AND THE LEWIS AND CLARK EXPEDITION

SCENE 4: JAMES MADISON AND THE BATTLE OF FORT MCHENRY

Characters: 3 British Soldiers, 3-4 American soldiersDescription of Scene: The scene opens as an American

leader tells his men that they must hold fort McHenry at all costs. HE says clearly, “If we don’t the American’s might lose this WAR of 1812 against the British.” The men say yes sir and prepare for the British attack as the British near the fort in their boats. In their boats, the British leader tells his soldiers that they are the better of the two sides and should show no mercy to the rebel Americans. Once the British are close enough in their ships, they begin bombing (Throwing paper at) the American fort. After the British finish bombing, the Americans raise their flag and stand saying “We will never surrender.” The British then retreat. End Scene.

SCENE 4: JAMES MADISON AND THE BATTLE OF FORT MCHENRY

SCENE 5: JAMES MONROE ISSUES THE MONROE DOCTRINE

Characters: Pres ident James Monroe, Secretary of State John Quincy Adams, and 1-2 Members o f Congress and 1 enthus iast ic Lat in American c i t izen.

Descr ipt ion of Scene: President Monroe is at the Capi to l Bu i ld ing about to g ive h is annual State o f the Union Address to Congress . I t ’ s a co ld December 2 n d , 1823 n ight and he’s ta lk ing to h is Secretary o f State John Quincy Adams who he lped h im wr i te the h is State o f the Union Speech.

John Quincy Adams says… “Mr. Pres ident , your new p lan to protect the Lat in Americas is a great idea. I ’ve wr i t ten i t into your address to Congress . You must use force and pass ion when you read the speech to them. By g iv ing th is proc lamat ion, you are showing a l l o f Europe that Amer ica i s boss we w i l l protect our hemisphere f rom fur ther European colon izat ion. Th is Monroe Doctr ine of yours is genius.” They star t to get ready for the State o f the Union.

Pres ident Monroe puts on h is n ice outfit for h is State o f the Union. Monroe walks through the crowd to the podium whi le shak ing the hands of Congress. He walks to the podium (a desk) and reads h is State o f the Union to the Congress who i s assembled and now seated po l i te ly. “To my neighbors in Latin America. I know you are al l try ing to create nations of your own and break free from Spanish, Portugese and other European colonial control . I applaud you for your revolutionaries efforts against those European tyrants. (Cheers from some guest Lat in Americans in the audience.) Today I issue this Monroe Doctr ine which states that. . ( in bold language) ‘The American cont inents … are henceforth not to be considered as subjects for future colonization by any European powers. ’ (More cheers.) Back off Europe. Or ELSE. (He finishes bold and brave with a big finger point). A l l o f Congress c laps pol i te ly.

SCENE 5: JAMES MONROE ISSUES THE MONROE DOCTRINE

SCENE 6: THE ELECTION OF 1824A CORRUPT BARGAIN, MUDSLINGING BUT A

PEACEFUL TRANSITION NONETHELESS!

John Quincy Adams Andrew Jackson

Characters : John Qu incy Adams, Andrew Jackson, a few campaign workers for Andrew Jackson

Descr ip t ion o f Scene: The scene opens in Wash ington DC as pres ident ia l candidate John Qu incy Adams is fin ish ing a swim in the Potomac R iver scant i ly dressed. No one sees h im and heads home after say ing , “my da i ly swim was love ly as usua l . Now I must head home and work on my pres ident e lect ion campaign o f 1824. aga ins t Andrew Jackson. He’s a tough one but I ’ve dug up qui te a b i t o f d i r t about h im. They say h is w i fe is a rea l t ramp. I ’ l l l eak that to the loca l press soon.”

Then the scene moves to the campaign e lect ion headquarters o f Andrew Jackson down in Tennessee. Jackson is angry and pass ionate . He’s ye l l ing at h is e lect ion campaign workers in a Southern Accent someth ing l i ke…” Can’t you find any d i r t about John Quincy Adams? Make up someth ing about h im s tea l ing pub l i c money or that he’s an a lcoho l ic . I can ’t lose th is pres ident ia l e lect ion to such a Sabbath Breaker. We must throw some mud.”

The next day , Jackson throws down the newspaper… I can ’t be l ieve ne i ther o f us won the ma jor i ty o f e lecto ra l votes . That means the House o f Representat ives wi l l have to p ick a winner , and that gosh darn Henry C lay says a l l h i s f r iends are go ing to vote fo r Adams. That darned Qu incy Adams says i f Henry C lay gets h im the vote , he’ l l g ive C lay a job at the Whi te House as one o f h is cab inet heads . I t might be too la te to win th is e lect ion, but I ’ l l s tar t throwing every p iece o f mud I can find a t Qu incy Adams now in preparat ion the 1828 e lect ion. Th is i sn ’ t over….

The campaign workers s tar t chant ing “Qu incy-Adams i s corrupt . Down wi th Quincy-Adams.

SCENE 6: THE ELECTION OF 1824 – THE MUDSLINGING BEGINS AND A CORRUPT BARGAIN