Sunday, May 22, 2011

Blog 45

Topic 12 Concept Guide

Truman Doctrine - Policy set up by President Harry Truman in 1947 stating that the U.S. would support Greece and Turkey with economic and military aid to prevent their falling into the Soviet sphere. This basically meant that we would provide help at all costs to make sure any anti-communist country did not succumb to communism. This consisted of several aspects such as the Marchall Plan and the Point Four Program.

Containment Policy - United States policy using military, economic and diplomatic strategies to stall the spread of communism, enhance America's security and prevent a the "domino effect" (method of communism spreading to all countries and them falling into it like dominos).

Bay of Pigs Invasion & Similarities with Panama - An unsuccessful action by a CIA-trained force of Cuban exiles to invade southern Cuba with support and encouragement from the U.S. government in attempt to overthrow the Cuban government of Fidel Castro. In 1989, we invaded Panama during the administration of President George W. Bush to overthrow Noriega. Similar to the Bay of Pigs Invasion, we did this to defend democracy.

U.S. Foreign Policy (Korea & Vietnam) - In Korea, we became very involved - President Truman said to "give the Korean government troops, cover and support." The U.S. also heavily influenced South Korean uniforms and way of fighting. In Vietnam, we were quite involved as well. Although many hippies and anti-way protesters existed in America at this time, we sent many troops over to help fight off communism.

Intervention - In Vietnam we sent troops to help fight; we didn't really want to get our military involved in Korea so we sent financial aid and support to fight communism without getting physical.

Cold War Development - The main cause of the Cold War was the growing fear of communism. Countries all over the world, especially America, we trying to prevent the "domino affect" and not give in to communist ways. Nuclear powers also contributed to this heated time period of stress and worry.

WWII Foreign Policy vs Post WWII Foreign Policy - Before WWII, the U.S policy was isolation; we tried to stay our of foreign affairs and focus on building up our economy. After the war our policy began to intervene and get more involved with countries in need of help. 

Limited War - the opposite of total war. A limited war consists of participants not using all avaliable resources (human, industrial agricultural, military, natural, technological...)

Examples of Containment in Europe - One of the most well known examples of containment is the Berlin Wall which was used to separate Germany from communists.

Main Points of Division of Germany - Germany split into two sections: East Germany and West Germany. The east was a dictatorship allied with the Soviet Union and the west was a parliamentary democracy.

MacArthur Dismissal - In 1950 after North Korea invaded South Korea, U.S. General Douglas MacArthur was designated commandr of the UN forces defending South Korea. Seven months later, President Truman fired him for making public statements that contradicted the offcial policies of the U.S. Government, especially with regard to Truman's order to restrict military interaction with the media.

Korean War Similarities with Persian Gulf War - The Korean and Persian Gulf war were similar in which they both had the assistance of the U.S in order to prevent a government from gaining power and they both started with a sudden invasion of one country over the other.

Nuclear Test Ban - In August 1963, The U.S, U.K, and Soviet Union signed the Limited Nuclear Test Ban Treaty after eight years of action. Although we signed this agreement, we still continued to test nuclear weapons.

Long Term Effects of Vietnam - Every war comes with significant long term effects. From the Vietnam war , people/countries suffered great economic costs, extreme number of casulties, toxic chemicals in soil and water and angry hippies in the U.S.

Peace Corps - an American volunteer program run by the United States Government. The mission includes: providing technical asistance, helping people outside the U.S to understand our culture and helping Americans unterstand the cultures of other countries.

End of Cold War - The end of the Cold War was really determined when the Berlin Wall was torn down in 1990. This freed Germany and ended communism regimes in eastern Europe.

Domino Theory - If one country became communist, all other surrounding countries would fall to it in a domino effect.

Nixon's Détente - Extrication from Vietnam and the opening to China were two strategies that Nixon designed to produce a more favorable balance of power in the East. In the West, a policy of political and military détente with the Soviet Union, coupled with expanded East-West trade, formed the cornerstone of Nixon's diplomacy.

Blog 44

To a Vietnam War veteran:

Q: What was one major difference you saw between the fighting in North Vietnam vs. South Vietnam?
A: North Vietnam was supported by communist allies and South Vietnam was supported by the United States and other anti-communist allies. This aspect provided very different fighting methods and ways of dealing with war. Communist/Anti-communist combat were two extremely different war tactics.

Q: What caused you to enter the war and how did you feel about it?
A: Like many young men in the 60s, I was drafted. I was still in college and didn't really know too much about our foreign involvement policies so I was mostly confused and shocked. I didn't want to leave my home but was kind of excited for an adventure - I was later shown that is was not that simple and interesting.

Q: Was the actual combat part as bad as has it been told to be?
A: The war in Vietnam was nothing that I expected it to be. We had to fight in the jungles, through thick foliage, guns constantly being fired, soldiers constantly falling. You'd see a man next to you firing away and the next moment he'd be lying on the ground, struggling to stay alive and begging for help. You never really move on from witnessing such horrific actions.

Q: How long were you deployed in Vietnam? How did it feel when you came back?
A: I was away for about 3 years, fighting basically everyday. I was so relieved to finally come back to America. I wanted to continue my schooling and start my life but most of all, I wanted to be a hero. When I came back, people treated us as if we were the enemies, as if we were the bad guys. There were so many hippies and anti-war protesters ridiculing us, it definitely wasn't a typical "welcome home."

Q: Do you think communism would have continued to spread in that part of the world if America didn't get so involved?
A: I think communism probably would have grown in the Eastern Hemisphere, especially in Vietnam with the North being so powerful already. For some countries it seems to work, it just doesn't in others.


Blog 43

Waiting On The World To Change
John Mayer
Now if we had the power
To bring our neighbors home from war
They would have never missed a Christmas
No more ribbons on their door
And when you trust your television
What you get is what you got
Cause when they own the information, oh
They can bend it all they want
That's why we're waiting
Waiting on the world to change

      This Grammy winning song was released in 2006 on John Mayer's new album, Continuum. Because of its theme of discontent and hope, it quickly caught the eyes of many fans and was used in a variety of television programs, charity benefits, and other events. In this song, Mayer discusses the struggles that families have to deal with in times of war (missing loved ones, being deceived by the news...) "Waiting on the World to Change" is similar to many songs written in the Vietman era because they both have a sense of longing and a push for change. Throughout history, artists have written songs about current issues to express their feelings. I believe music is a very powerful tactic to motivate large groups of people and help them understand the artist's point of view.


Saturday, May 21, 2011

Blog 42

Mr.Prezzz
Guess our military can take it easy for a while, no intervention in Cuba.
4/12/61  9:04 AM

Mr.Prezzz
Bay of Pigs = Epic faaaiiilll!
4/17/61 8:41 PM

Mr.Prezz
You wanna mess with the U.S, Castro? Bring it! We'll see about that "World War" o.O
7/27/62  3:33 AM

Mr.Prezzz
Ohh ya know, just received a memo from John McCone about missiles in Cuba - no big deal.
8/10/62  11:11AM 

Mr.Prezzz
Say whhhaaaatt? Soviet missiles in Cuba? Hmm... to take action, or not to take action....
 9/11/62  6:36 PM

Mr.Prezzz
Good job, U2 flyers. Keep scopin' out those missile sites!
10/14/62  9:44 PM

MrPrezzz
Off to Connecticuit to campaign, wish me luck.
10/17/62  7:10 AM

MrPrezzz
Scratch that, campaign is canceled. Thanks upper respiratory infection -__- 
10/20/62  2:15 PM

MrPrezzz
Crusader jets, prepare yourselves! Khrushchev, you have been warned.
10/23/62 10:56 AM

MrPrezzz
So thankful for Soviet ships retreating from route to Cuba. Let's hope this ends peacefully.
10/24/62  1:47 PM

MrPrezzz
Compromise time? We will with drawl our missiles in Turkey if the Soviets with drawl in Cuba.
10/25/62  5:22 AM

MrPrezzz
Interesting letter, Khrushchev. Okay, the U.S won't invade Cuba...but only if you remove your missiles!
10/27/62  11:11 PM

Mr.Prezzz
Finnally! Missiles are removed from Cuba! We are safe again. No fear, America :)
10/28/62  8:18 AM                 


Friday, April 29, 2011

Blog 41

 "I am convinced that if we are to get on the right side of the world revolution, we as a nation must undergo a radical evolution of values." MLK
Martin Luther King was known for his persistent acts for peace through civil disobedience. I believe he is considered to be a great leader for this aspect; he was able to disperse his thoughts and ideas without fear or violence. He taught his followers to love their enemies and not to fight back - ever. In my eyes, this mindset is much more powerful than anything guns or crime could bring about.


"We can never get civil rights in America until our human rights are first restored. We will never be recognized as citizens until we are first recognized as humans." Malcolm X
Similar to MLK, Malcolm X also organized groups to end discrimination and racism. He fought courageously for the rights of African Americans, but he tended to use violence at times; he was determined to come to change "by any means possible."

Though both men were quite successful in achieving their goals, I believe MLK's methodology was more effective. He was able to voice his opinion without causing and ciaos or deaths - an obvious win in my opinion.

Blog 40

College Education Survey

Race                               HS Grad                          College Grad

H                                    Yes                                    No
H                                    Yes                                    Yes/Mom
W                                   Yes                                    Yes
A                                    Yes                                    Yes
W                                   Yes                                    Yes
H                                     No                                     No
H                                     Yes/Dad                            Yes/Dad
AA                                   Yes                                    No
W                                    Yes                                    Yes
W                                    Yes                                    Yes
W                                     Yes                                   Yes
AA                                    No                                     No
H                                      Yes/Dad                            No
H                                      No                                     No
H                                      Yes                                   No


Race                              Total HS Grad                    Total College Grad

W                                    12                                        12
H                                     9                                           2
AA                                   2                                           0
A                                     2                                           2


At a first glance, whites easily outnumbered all the other races in both high school and college graduation. Each "yes" counts as 2 people, representing a mother and father that graduated. I think this survey is slightly unfair because there was not an equal representation of each race. Based on what history has proved though, I still believe the outcome would have been similar with whites excelling in education.

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Blog 39

Topic 11 Study Guide

MLK and Civil Disobedience - Martin Luther King Jr. helped organize and lead the Montgomery Bus Boycott in 1955. Although he got arrested, the protest lasted 381 days until the Supreme Court took the case and declared the discrimination unconstitutional. Black people could now get on the bus and sit anywhere they wanted, without having to pay more or give up their seat based on race. He used the method of civil disobedience under his non-violent peace and equality movements.

Power of the "Mob" - Whenever you have a lot of supporters, the task always seems easier. MLK taught his followers to be civilly disobedient to resist violence and prove their point. The mob usually controls the outcome of the event because it's based on a majority system.

Plessy v. Ferguson : Brown v. Board of Education - Plessy vs Ferguson is the Supreme Court law that acknowledged "separate but equal" accommodations for blacks and whites. This case was deemed unconstitutional in 1954 by Brown vs Board of Education; So Brown vs Board basically overturned Plessy vs Ferguson.


Civil Rights Goals - In the 1960s, civil rights really started to become a big issue. People finally attempted the push for change; this was either carried out with nonviolence or "by any means necessary." Rights of equality in education and society were the main concerns (Little Rock 9, MLK civil disobedience, freedom rides, Malcolm X peace and harmony)


Eisenhower's Role in Little Rock - The students of Little Rock, Arkansas were prevented from entering the racially segregated school due to Governor Orval Faubus ordering the Arkansas National Guard to blockade the black students outside of the school. These students were now faced with more danger than ever because along with the National Guard, came angry mobs. In response to this, President Eisenhower sent federal troops to enforce integration and protect the nine students. On September 24, 1957, the 101st Airborne Division of the US Army overpowered the 10,000 National Guard members, taking it out of the governor's hands.


Rights of the Accused - Gideon v Wainwright said that the 6th Amendment requires counsel for defendants who are unable to afford their attorney, taxes will pay for legal representation. Escobedo v Illinois said that criminal suspects have the right to counsel during police interrogation ("shut up and ask for an attorney!") Miranda v Arizona said that criminal suspects must be informed of their right to consult with a counsel prior to interrogation. 


Brown v Board of Education - the decision of the US Supreme Court that declared state laws establishing separate public schools for black and white students unconstitutional.

Chavez and United Farm Workers -  Cesar Chavez formed the United Farm Workers and helped organize strikes and civil disobedience for migrant workers. Even though he fought for rights of immigrants, he did not support their act of immigrating because he could only help the workers already there and couldn't handle anymore.


FHA & ADA - The Federal Housing Administration: US government agency that insured loans made by banks and other private lenders for home building and home buying. The goals are to improve housing standards and conditions, provide and adequate home financing system through insurance of mortgage loans and to stabilize the mortgage market. The Americans with Disabilities Act: enacted by the US Congress in 1990. It is a wide ranging civil rights law that prohibits discrimination based on disability.


Purpose of Filibusters - Filibuster are used to stop the opposing side from speaking. This tactic was used in the House of Representatives and the Senate to stop the Civil Rights Legislation from being passed. The speaker usually just talks nonstop about random things and is ironically quite successful.


Sit-ins & Protests - A sit-in is a form of protest that involves occupying seats or sitting down on the floor of an establishment. The protesters remain until are evicted by force or arrested. They have historically been successful because they cause disruption that draws attention to the protesters' cause and are non-violent. Other protests were civil disobedience, violence, mobs, strikes and fasting.


Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Blog 38

I am a student of color
I wonder if one day we will all be able to learn together
I hear discouraging screams from the mob
I see police on the streets
I want an equal opportunity
I am a student of color

I pretend that everything is okay
I feel deprived of human rights
I need a quality education
I worry that things will never change
I cry every night
I am a student of color

I understand that it will not be easy
I believe we will have to work together
I dream for a better life
I try to ignore the insults
I hope one day it will be different
I am a student of color

Friday, April 15, 2011

Blog 37

Sexism: the belief or attitude that one sex is inherently superior to, more competent than, or more valuable that the other. It could include discrimination in regards to gender and primarily involves hatred of, or prejudice towards either the sex as a whole, or stereotypes in relation to men or women.

This add portrays the evolution of men compared to women. It can be inferred by the men's progression that they are smarter, stronger, and better than women; they are successful while women are stereotyped to stay home and clean. Their role does not change throughout life here; as the man grows and evolves, the woman continues to clean "since the dawn of time." This image implies that women have always been under neath men on the social status and that cleaning or serving have been their only jobs in life. Unfortunately, this is very similar if not the stereotype for women. Thanks to many significant women throughout history, we have been able to prove this stereotype wrong though.

http://media.photobucket.com/image/sexism/Trogdor253/Sexism.png?o=11

Blog 36

       Available since the late 1920s, the television has become common as a source of household entertainment and news. During the 1950s, the popularity of TVs grew significantly as they became more affordable for the consumer; this increase caused technological enhancements to appear as well. In 1939, black and white quickly became old and outdated when the first color film, The Wizard of Oz was released. Color TV and films were considered to be the most cutting-edge technology at the time. All of the Oz's sequences were filmed in three-strip technicolor. The opening and closing credits and the Kansas sequences were filmed in black and white and color in a sepia tone, so the movie wasn't technically made all in color, but it is still considered to be the first color film made.
       Does media influence the action of teenagers? I definitely think it does! We have learned everything from our parents and teachers through observance and examples. If we are constantly exposed to something, of course it will influence us. Whether it be good or bad, the types of shows we watch or music we listen to will inevitably influence the way we talk, act, or even think. In the 1950s, the "American dream" was broad casted throughout TV, inspiring thousands of Americans to aspire that kind of life it depicted.

http://www.amazon.com/Wizard-Oz-Judy-Garland/dp/B00000JS62

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Blog 35

~Story inspired by a painting by Norman Rockwell

In this image, you can find a typical American family in the 1950s. They are gathered at the finest restaurant for a quick family brunch after church. The overtired mother is still in prayer while her boys decide their meal and play with the fancy silverware. Little Johnny sneakily adds salt to his mother's coffee and hangs his head in shame as he hopes she doesn't notice. The two older boys in their late teens are checking out the new waitress; Billy lights a cigarette to show his maturity in an attempt to impress her. Tom, nervous in the presence of beautiful girls, constantly changes his mind on what he wants to order. Some business deals are being made a few tables away as stressed men drink their morning coffee and tea. After brunch, the family will go home to do their chores and wait for their father to get back from a trip to the city.

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Blog 34

Topic 10 Study Guide

McCarthyism Impact on Society - McCarthyism is the practice of making accusations of subversion, treason, or disloyalty without proper regard for evidence. It originated in the U.S during the Second Red Scare (1940s-50s) by the influence of U.S Senator Joseph McCarthy. During this era, thousands of Americans were being accused of Communism and propaganda was used to deceive/brainwash society into believing it.

Communist Witch Hunt & Impact on Accused - The Second Red Scare brought along paranoia, fear, and many accusations. The Hollywood Ten consisted of ten famous writers & directors in Hollywood who were charged with being communist and spreading their ideas through movies and scripts. The people accused lost their jobs and went on trial, the HUAC also did investigations to check for communists.

Space Race & Impact on Gvmnt Policies - In October of 1957, the Soviet Union launched Sputnik as the first human-made object to orbit the Earth. This was the first time another country had beaten the United States at a technological advancement/achievement. After this, we pushed education and the space program. In 1969, Neil Armstrong was the first person to land on the moon. This was a great success for the U.S considering it has not been repeated to this day.

U.S Cold War Mindset - The U.S mindset for the Cold War was based on absolute trust in a two-player game theory, the integrity of command chain, in control of nuclear materials, and the mutual destruction assured in the case of war. Most people considered this mindset a prevention of attack.

Suburbs, Automobiles & Roads - The 1950s was a time when people moved from the cities to the suburbs farther away. Traveling out in a radius from a major city brought better housing developments with more land and wealthier families. Levittown was the first established area for the American DreamIn Long Island, the farther east you live, the more expensive and elegant the houses are. Houses and families closer to the City on the western part of the Island have lower incomes and mainly live in small apartments or houses. Since workers and families were expanding their living areas away from their jobs in the cities, new needs of transportation were necessary. The automobile became very popular during this time and thousands of roads were built around the U.S to better our transportation system.

Baby Boom - When soldiers returned from WWII, they went back to their wives and decided to start families. This is referred to as the "Baby Boom" due to the significant population increase of children being born. The peak of the baby boom was in from 1950-1955 in which one baby was born approximately every seven seconds!

Urban-Suburban Pattern - This was a business district with low income families in the city, middle income families in the suburbs, and high income families further out in the suburbs. As more jobs were available in the cities and more workers came, families expanded out to get away from the city hustle and population.

G.I Bill - The G.I Bill provided college or vocational education for returning World War II veterans (referred to as G.I.s) as well as one year of unemployment compensation. This bill also allowed many different types of loans for the returning soldiers to buy homes and start businesses.

Expansion of Middle Class & Product Affordability - Soldiers who returned home from the war went home and started families, causing the baby boom. More jobs were available in cities and new families wanted better places to live located farther from where they worked. Homes were less expensive in the suburbs (specifically Levittown where homes could be bought for approximately $8,000). Credit cards also became very popular at this time, a big increase being in the 1940s-1960s. Since the population increased due to the baby boom, the amount of consumers increased as well.

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Blog 33

I. Setting
    A. Casablanca, Morroco 
    B. During WWII
  
II. Introduction    

A. Rick Blaine
        1. Café owner
   
B. Ilsa Lund
        1. Loved Rick in Paris
        2. Married to Victor Laszlo
    C. Ugarte
        1.Letters of transit to café
        2. Rick takes the letters
        3. He later dies after caught by police

    D. Victor Laszlo
        1. Wanted to be acquainted with Ugarte to buy letters of transit
        2. Escaped from Nazi concentration camp

III. Rising Action    

    A. Ilsa arrives at the café in Casablanca with her husband
    B. Rick comes to find out that Ilsa is married to Laszlo
    C. Laszlo and Ilsa plan to escape to America
    D. Laszlo finds out that Rick has the letters of transit he needs

IV. Climax    

    A. Laszlo tries to get the letters but Rick refuses  
    B. Ilsa makes an attempt at getting the letters from Rick
    C. Turns to violence but Rick knows she won’t shoot him because she loves him
        1. Ilsa tells Rick that she thought Laszlo had died when they fell in love and that she had to go 
back to him.
        2. Rick asked Ilsa to leave Paris with him but couldn’t leave her husband and only left Rick with a letter, not a clear explanation

V. Falling Action
    A. Rick agrees to help Ilsa and says that they can be together again after Laszlo leaves

           1. Laszo comes to the cafe to talk to Rick
         2. Ilsa attempts to persaude Rick to give him the letters to keep her out of trouble
    B. Laszlo gets arrested


 
VI. Conclusion
    A. Police try to arrest Laszlo but Rick threatens to shoot
    B. Rick makes Ilsa leave with Laszlo
         1. He assures her that staying with Laszlo was the best decision
         2. Ilsa disagrees but is eventually forced and convinced.
    C. German officers arrive and Rick kills the leader
    D. Rick and police officer become friends and leave the scene

Saturday, March 26, 2011

Blog 32

Topic 9 Study Guide
Role of Women During WWII - While the men were away at war, the women took over their jobs to support their family. During this time there was also a significant amount of women who volunteered as nurses in the Red Cross to care for injured soliders.

C & E of Atomic Bomb - The Atomic bombs were created due to Japan bombing our Naval base at Pearl Harbor in December of 1941. This aggressive action brought the U.S into war with Japan and Truman issued the dropping of the Atomic bombs on the Japanese cities Hiroshima and Nagasaki. In Hiroshima, 90,000 civilians died instantly as well as 70,000 more in Nagasaki. The bombs also left lasting effects on the cities such as: radiation and destruction of cities, houses and people.

U.S Foreign Policy Before, During and After the War - Before the war, the U.S declared its neutrality and was not interested in any foreign affairs. At the start of the war, we tried to stay out of direct fighting but would supply aid to allied countries. It was not until the attack on Pearl Harbor that we actually joined the war. After WWII, we were recogized as a dominant country and were very involved in international policies and affairs.

Effects of War on Europe - Since majority of the fighting took place in Eurpoe, the countries suffered from physical damage, population decline (especially of the Jewish people during the Holocaust) and extreme debt.

Effect of the Pearl Harbor Attack - The main effect of the attack at Pearl Harbor was bringing the U.S into WWII. This provided the inevitable spark which caused us to finally become involved with the violence over-seas. The direct effect of the attack, however, was damage/ destruction of our naval base and loss of American lives.

Japanese Internment - After Pearl Harbor, the U.S was on high security and felt threatened by any person who appeared to be Japanese, even if they were an American citizen. The Japanese were seen as a "clear and present danger" at this time so we the issued the containment of all Japanese people living in America to prevent further attacks or catch spies.
Neutrality Acts - From 1935-1937, these acts were passed to keep citizens out of war. They also included restrictions such as putting an embargo on arms sales and prohibiting Americans of traveling on ships of countries at war.

Purpose of Propaganda - Propaganda was used in the U.S as a source of persuasion to encourage Americans to gain suppport for the war, troops, and women serving as nurses. Hilter used progoganda to decieve his people.

Rationing - Americans at home rationed food and metal to conserve material that could be used towards the war.

Results of WWII - The main results of WWII were: decline of Jewish population throughout Europe from the Holocaust, European debt, Radiation in Japan, and an economic boom across America that helped us become a dominant figure in the world.

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Blog 31

 In the 1940's, military protective armor was much different   and less advanced than the equipment used today.

This is an authentic M 42 helmet worn by a German soldier during WWII.

It is significant to history because it demonstrates the progression made in war attire over time.

You can purchase this rare  item for only $269. 98 or best offer!

http://cgi.ebay.com/Original-German-Army-HELMET-M42-WWII-Second-World-War-/360270379534?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item53e1c9ba0e

Blog 30

Michal Scislowski
Born: Siedlce, Poland
September 30, 1922

If I had the opportunity, I would ask Michal Scislowski:

  • What specific insidents occured when the Germans invaded your town in Poland?
  • Were you and your classmates intimidated when your teachers were replaced with Russian army officers? 
  • When you were seperated from your family, did you ever think that you wouldn't get the chance to see them again?
  • Was your experience at Auschwitz as horrible as it was portrayed to be?
  • Did your time working with the U.S Army inspire you to finally move to America in 1950?

Friday, February 25, 2011

Blog 28

Dear Principal,

            As students, we receive textbooks as a source of information and to teach us important facts - but what if some significant information was left out? If we were to leave out pieces of our homework, we would earn an "incomplete" for a grade. Leaving out parts of history in high school textbooks, in my opinion, would also be considered incomplete. I fully understand the concept of censoring certain topics or areas that are covered by young/grade school students to prevent fearful or shocked responses, but students at a high school level should be mature enough for the truth. At 18, we are allowed and encouraged to sign up for the military and potentially give our lives at war, but we're being deceived about our own countries history? That doesn't make sense to me. Before this weeks discussion, I had never heard of the Rape of Nanking, nor did I have any idea that other forms of genocide were taking place during WWII. I was also unaware of violent actions that took place in Russia in the early 1990's. Russian civilians were abused and murdered by their own military, which we were never informed of. History can be a very touchy subject to talk about, and discussing devastating events could offend or make students uncomfortable, but I feel it is necessary to teach these aspects so we can have a better understanding of our past.

Sincerely,
USH student

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Blog 27

         Genocide is the deliberate and systematic extraction of an ethnic, racial, religious, or national group. More than likely, this definition leads you to recall the actions of Hitler during the Holocaust. Yes, that is a genocide and it is arguably the most infamous one, but genocides still happen today. Genocides are happening today. Thankfully, we have had no true genocides in America, but should we ignore the ones that are occuring in other countries? Congo, Sudan, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Rwanda, Burundi, Russia... these countries have all experienced horrible acts of genocide. As Americans with the luxury of living in a very powerful and successful country, it isn't easy to watch these acts of genocide occur in other countries, but it's also difficult to intervene. I think we should ship supplies such as: food, water, clothes... to countries suffering from genocide, but I do not believe actual military involvement would be the right decision. I think that trying to fight off the government or people performing the genocide would only ignite the flame. In situations such as this, we should try to save as many lives as possible. Sending our troups to help the countries in need would not satisfy this concept and, no doubt, would result in many Ameican casualties.

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Blog 26


View Braddock's Fight Recod in a larger map

Blog 25

Cinderella Man Outline
  • Takes place in New York/ New Jersey during the Great Depression
  • James Braddock (protagonist) was a boxer who was forced to retire after breaking his hand in his last fight
  • James's wife, Mae, would pray that he would quit boxing before he was permanently injured
  • Like most families during the Great Depression, the Braddocks struggled to pay the bills and feed their children
  • James worked at the docks when shifts were available (very few workers chosen, high unemployment rate) but still dreamed of being a boxer again
  • Years after his last fight, James's old manager was able to provide him with another opportunity at boxing with a substitute fight against the second-ranked world contender
  • Surprisingly, Braddock won this fight which allowed his boxing career to progress once again
  • Braddock fights younger, stronger, and heavier boxers in the ring, but maintains his winning streak
  • James is named the "Cinderella Man" for his amazing comeback
  • He is a symbol of hope and determination for America
  • Eventually, he gets the chance to fight the heavyweight champion, Max Baer, for the title
  • Baer has killed two men in the ring and everyone (including his family) believed he would be the third
  • Mae begs James to not take the fight and to stop trying to get more glory and publicity
  • She doesn't realize what Braddock represents to other American families until right before the final fight
  • Mae realized the symbol of hope James is to so many people and that he isn't just fighting for his own family - he fights for America.
  • In the end, Braddock beat Max Baer in the championship fight and won the title

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Weekly 7

      
       Sacco and Vanzetti were in an unfavorable position before the trial even began. Two  factors included: 1) that they were Italian immigrants in a time period when foreigners were not openly welcome and were considered suspicious for their differences and 2) that they were anarchists. The Italians emigrated to the United States in June of 1908 then, several years later, fled to Mexico for four months with other anarchists to avoid public or military service. During the Red Scare, the anarchist newspaper Sacco and Vanzetti wrote for exposed their names to the public for the first time. Around this time, many crimes were being committed and planned such as bomb plots and murders and Sacco and Vanzetti always seemed to be near by. These incidents cast a suspicious shadow over these two immigrants. Sacco and Vanzetti worked with other anarchists such as Ferruccio Coacci, Roberto Elia, Andrea Salsedo and Mario Boda who also seemed to be involved with several crimes around Massachusetts. Ferruccio Coacci told O. L. Root, the Bureau of Immigration Inspector, that he did not report as he was scheduled because he needed to care for his sick wife. A chief police looked into Coacci's story and went to his house to find Coacci's wife in fine health, and him packing a suitcase and insisting on leaving immediately. Suspicious cases similar to that of Coacci occurred often in the time when Sacco and Vanzetti were most active with their anti-government actions. On August 23, 1927, two men were murdered in South Braintree, Massachusetts. Sacco and Vanzetti were in the area at that time and were convicted with the murder. There was a highly politicized dispute over their innocence or guilt, as well as whether the trials were fair or not. The case presented was so weak because no hard evidence could prove their guilt or innocence. Several witnesses could identify Sacco and/or Vanzetti but did not have to pick them out of a line up or say them commit the crime. The first trial was held on Christmas Eve, 1919 and only Vanzetti was tried for an attempted robbery and murder (this was not a strong conviction either though). The second trial was for the murder Sacco and Vanzetti were accused of committing in South Braintree. Vanzetti testified that he had been selling fish at the time of the Braintree robbery and Sacco testified that he had been in Boston, applying for a passport at the Italian consulate. These men had a history of lying to officers, however; and few people could barely confirm they were at the scene of the crime. Weak, unhelpful, evidence like this continued for a significant amount of time and eventually the judges had to make a decision. Based on their unfavorable background by being Italian immigrants and anarchists, the lying and suspicious behavior didn't help their situation very much. Finally, on April 9, 1927, Judge Thayer heard the final statements from Sacco and Vanzetti and sentenced them to death via the electric chair. Based on the lack of hard evidence, I would argue in favor of Sacco and Vanzetti's innocence, even considering their criminal history or different ethnicity.

http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/SaccoV/SaccoV.htm

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Blog 24

        With time, there comes change and progression. Life was different in the early 1900's than it is today in the 21st century. One major change is whether evolution or creationism is allowed to be taught in schools or not. Today, it is illegal to teach creationism in public schools because it may offend people of different religions. Coming from a Catholic school and being quite religious, I do believe in creationism over evolution but I do not think it is appropriate to be taught in public schools. There is really no "happy medium" when dealing with this topic, but evolutionism is considered less offensive, hence the reason why it is taught in public schools today. People may argue that both theories should be taught, but with hundreds of different religions, which ones would we choose to teach? Obviously, they can't ALL be taught. Should only the "important" ones be taught then? How would we distinguish which religion is the true form of creation? I believe evolution is taught because it's much easier to explain through science. I don't believe everything can be explained through science however, but it's pretty much impossible to teach the unexplainable which creationism follows. In the 1900's, it was illegal to teach anything other than creationism. The biology teacher, John Scopes, was put on trial for teaching evolution to children in school. This is ironic because we have completely reversed this rule now so creationism is illegal to teach and evolution must be taught. If the people do not agree with which theory is taught, then they have the right to attend a public or private school where they have the choice of learning the theory they believe in.

Blog 23

Topic 7 Study Guide

Scopes Trial - In 1925, a biology teacher, John Scopes was put on trial for teaching evolution. During this time, only creationism was allowed to be taught in schools and other ideas such as evolution and Darwinism were not accepted.

Prohibition - The 18th Amendment was issued in 1920 to ban the manufacture and sale of alcohol because of increased amounts of domestic violence and corruption. The IRS enforced this act which seemed predestined to fail because consumption, possession and transportation was still legal, making it impossible to completely ban alcohol. The 21st Amendment later repealed this.

Flappers - Young women in the 1920's who were typically seen wearing short, revealing dresses and smoking a cigarette.

Economic Issues (1920's) - In this time period, new consumer demands emerged such as automobiles and radios, consumer credits expanded and the stock market escalated. Investors began to take advantage of margin loans provided by their brokers and people started selling their stocks to cause problems in the economy, leading to the Great Depression.

Dust Bowl - This was a time of extreme drought in the Midwest which lasted about 15 years. New technologies for farming were introduced causing the soil to become less compact and more susceptible to be blown around in the strong winds.

Agriculture Issues - Farmers had to rotate their crops in order ensure better products. The drought made it very difficult to grow the plants due to the poor soil quality and lack of water. Tractors and plowing machines were new forms of technology but loosened the soil which quickly blew away in the wind.

Immigration Policies (1920's) - In 1924, Immigration acts were passes to limit ethnic groups to 2% of the count from the 1890 census. We started to limit Immigrants after WWI for security reasons and we banned the Asians entirely. This resulted in chaos because the opposition of quotas disappeared.

Nativism - This refers to the opposition of immigration or efforts to lower political or legal status of different ethnic groups because they are considered foreign.

Significant Literary Works - Jacob Riis wrote a book about city life and how people were living, Upton Sinclare wrote "The Jungle" to inform us about the meat-packing industry, Ralph Nader wrote "Unsafe at any Speed" which was about vehicle safety and Langston Hughes wrote "The Ways of White Folks", embracing his culture and writing about white people.

The Great Migration - After the Civil War, most people stayed where they were. In the 1920's, people began to move from the south to the north, creating racial differentiation and new cultures to form.

Harlem Renaissance - African Americans who recently moved to NYC took ownership for literature, art, music (especially jazz)

Sacco and Venzetti - Italian anarchists who were charged with murder and found guilty two times. Evidence was found that someone switched Sacco's barrel on the gun that he used during the murder; they were never given another trial and were both executed by the electric chair.

Labor Issues (1920's) - Unions did not thrive during this time period because for years they had concentrated their efforts on workers skilled in one specific area. The rising mass-production industries were not favorable to the unions and their workers were largely unskilled.

The Red Scare - After the end of WWI and the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia, the Red Scare emerged in the United States. The Red Scare brought a nationwide fear of communists, socialists and anarchists causing many innocent people to be jailed for expressing ideas relating to those topics.

Schenck v. United States - Charles Schenck, secretary of the Socialist Party of Ameica, printed, distributed and mailed oppositions to military draftees during WWI. The Supreme Court decision defended the Espionage Act (1917) which concluded that a defendant did not have a First Amendment right to freedom of speech against the draft used in WWI.

Monday, February 7, 2011

Blog 22

        During the Organized Crime presentation, I learned about several active gangsters in the early 1900's. John Dillinger, Bonnie and Clyde, Baby Face Nelson and Machine Gun Kelly were the specific gangsters involved in crimes such as: robbery, theft, and murder. John Dillinger robbed over two dozen banks, escaped from jail twice and even carried out some crimes with Baby Face Nelson. Bonnie and Clyde were the rare couple criminals who were responsible for many murders and robberies. Baby Face Nelson was mostly known for bank robberies and killing the most FBI agents in the line of duty than any other American citizen! Machine Gun Kelly's most famous crime was his kidnapping of Charles Urschel which later led to his arrest in 1933. These criminals were significant to "gangster history" for the organized or planned methods of carrying out the crimes.

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Blog 21

Acrostic Poem
People drank more
Raged wives supported it
Only manufacture and sale was prohibited
Hard to enforce
IRS was in charge
Bad choice because they deal with taxes
It caused the opposite reaction
Transportation was still allowed within USA
Impossible to completely ban
New amendment (21st) later repealed this


Religion didnt matter to New Americans
Old Americans were still firm believers
Anarchists Sacco and Venzetti were charged with murder
Red Scare started from Bolshevik Revolution
Immigration restrictions were made
New fads for women
Giggle water became popular

Tea time was replaced with cocktail hour
We banned Asians
Entirely
New consumer demands
This time period preceded the Great Depression
If you were foreign, unamerican actions caused suspicion and consequences
Ethnic groups were limited to 2% of count from 1890 census
Soldiers returned home

Sunday, January 16, 2011

Blog 20

      Luckily, I was able to leave work early today thanks to the big cheese. Still in my glad rags, I decided to head downtown to walk around and see if everything was all berries when I ran into this drugstore cowboy. He was drinking some giggle water and started to give me the heebie jeebies by the way he seemed to be talking to himself. Unfortunately, I forgot to put my handcuff back on after work; however, I failed to realize this until after the creeper started approaching me. He looked pretty mischievous so I polietly stated, "I'm sorry, the bank's closed," to my surprise he shouted "APPLESAUCE!!" and ran away. My husband was not very pleased when he found out that I could have become the stranger's moll this afternoon if things hadn't gone accordingly. Since he knows that I am no bearcat, he dropped the topic and our night continued to be copacelic as usual.