History Final

1. Dorothea Dix- 1802-1887- Dragon Dix was know for her saint like devotion to improving conditions for the deranged, though also for her strict run of Civil War hospitals. She spent between 20-30 years of her life campaigning for better treatment and conditions for the insane. She also ran a Civil War time hospital where she only took in nurses over 30 years of age and not looking for marriage. Fashion was not need or permitted in her hospitals and those in her care improved as her nursed fell in line with her thinking.

2. Frederick Douglass- 1818-1895- was a very popular lecturer on antislavery, and he rejected suggestions of dumbing himself up to be more believable. He escaped his slavery from Maryland in 1838 by disguising himself as a sailor and borrowed a seaman’s papers. He made it north were he would show what he was truly made of. Douglass had learned to read and write while a slave and he had master a trade as well all under the direct knowledge of his master. Douglass published the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass in 1845, which included his accounts of his life as a slave. His accounts worked, they showed that not all blacks were dumb and unable to be taught and learned people.

3. Clara Barton- 1821-1912- most know for founding the American Red Cross. Barton also opened a free public school. She is remembered in the text The American Nation simply as a nurse with a tale about a pregnant woman being wiped. She also helped notify families of missing during the Civil War.

4. The Freedman’s Bureau- put into action in 1865 as a means to assist the black man in his entry to equality. The bureau was made to ensure blacks were treated fairly and were receiving their new rights as free men. The bureau also issued clothes and medicines to those in need. Unfortunately the bureau failed to protect at the dead of night when blacks were being beaten or threatened the most. When complaints were issued to the bureau slaps on the hand were mostly issued and the offending party set free to repeat his offense.

5. Battle of Antietam- 9/17/1862- single most bloody day in the war and important due the location of Antietam, Maryland. This battle was the turning point in the war forcing General Robert E. Lee back down the Potomac.

6. First Battle of Bull Run- 4/12/1861- the first major battle of the war. The union nearly lost Washington D.C. to the Confederacy and would have if the south had acted faster after the win.

7. Remember the Alamo- the day Texas took a stand against Mexico for their independence. Also the battle in which Davy Crocket lost his life.

8. Dred Scott- a slave wanting freedom since his master had died while the Scotts where in a territory not yet defined as a slave region or not. The supreme court did not grant the Scotts their freedom.

9. John Brown- 1800-1859- extremist who dragged five unsuspecting men from their homes in the dead of night and killed them. Brown and his cronies escaped capture thought he went into hiding. The Scourge of Kansas tried to make himself a martyr at his death but only made himself into a song.

10. Ida B. Wells- 1862-1931- was an activist for equality.

Manifest Destiny reached it peak in the 19th century. The cause of this movement was of course American Pride. Though the founders of this idea wanted at first to spread through out the whole of North America, they were successful in spreading from coast to coast. The idea of manifest destiny is still current today on now we are spreading our ideas and not our force so much. The main consequence of this movement was it feed Americans with the theory that their way is the best way.
At first the idea of spreading out from coast to coast sounded fair. But why stop there when we could have the whole of North America. The idea was to concur Canada and Mexico. Then the capitol would be moved to Mexico City, which showed the brain stormers of this idea were really thinking more of the Americas and not just North America. This was just not to be so.
Today America forces other countries to adopt our ideas of democracy, even if that is not what the country wishes. We still use force to get our way and are still actively spreading our wills. Yes manifest destiny is still alive and well.

Edited for Content

There came a point last night when I realized I edit my life. There are things I don't say because they'd be too much. There are actions I don't take as they'd be too much. How different would I be if I didn't edit for content? Don't we all edit? Isn't that what our conscious is for?

I may sit and ponder all the things I don't say, all the actions I don't take but isn't that who I am just as much as the things I do say and the actions I do preform?

Do What I Say, Not What I do

Have you ever just wondered what the @@ck? I'm sure we all do. Mine is at TV vs Computers right now. I tell my kids all the time that TV is bad for them. They only get 30 per day of TV or they can watch 1 movie. They also only get 30 minutes of any digital game, ie Wii, DS, Diji, Leapster. I want them to PLAY to be active to ride their bikes to be Kids but yet I sit in front of this computer so much that I have to wear 'computer glasses' to help prevent the strain. I've also read women that use computers for work have a higher risk of reproductive problems, ie birth defects, miscarriages and general infertility. Yet here I sit, exposing myself to the radiation.

My point is this, shouldn't I practise what I preach? Shouldn't I get off my chair and go do something????

SATC 2

I am so READY for the new movie to come out!! I've recently finished re-watching the entire series and now I'm ready for all the Big/Carrie drama & all the Girl Drama. I'm ready to see what the writers have in store for us with Samantha. Dying for more Classic Charlotte moments & willing to take on Miranda one more time.

As I sat thinking about why it is I love this show so much I realized it's more about the escape than anything else. I mean who really takes a cab ride with all their girlfriends to discuss "up the butt"? And when you think about it, these ladies where ABLE to film that without laughing!! I love the writing, I love the characters, I love the acting. I love Sex and the City! I'm ready for fresh & new and familiar. Bring on the girls!

Grateful & Thankful

Sometimes we forget to say thanks. Thanks for being there, thanks for caring, thanks for just being you. We are who we are because of the people we allow in our lives and I've being meaning to say thank you to all of them.

Thank you to my Madre to with whom I wouldn't be me. For all you've done, for always being there, thank you. For never giving up on me even when you weren't sure how to lead me, thank you.

To my Ma-in-Laws both are wonderful and both are very similar (wonder what that means....) You may not notices how much I listen or how much I care about you but I do. Thank you for aways having patience even as I stumble. For not just shaking me but explaining why things maybe the way they are. Thank you for being you. & for my Spare Ma-in-Law... all I can say is WOW! I never realized how great you are. Thank you for being in my corner, even when you don't agree with me. I am so grateful to have you there.

To the one I call my sis-in-law. You are unique, you have often been my Jiminy Cricket & we both know it. I love you and am so glad God put someone so much like me, and yet so very different, in my life to shake me up when other won't ;-) Without you I'd surely be very different.

To my aunts & uncles, thank you for always letting me vent, for being that sounding board we all need.

To my Brother, thank you for showing me time and time again how NOT to do things!!! Btw I'm so very Proud of how you've turn out... things could have been so different.

To all my other family & friends, thank you for putting up with me. I have a better understanding of what makes me tick because of it, and what to watch for.

To my husband. I love you. You don't always see it, and you don't always let me say it but I do. I am grateful we are taking this next step in our relationship and building a better tomorrow for us and our family. It takes courage to admit you might have faults and greater courage to say lets fix it. Thank you for finally taking my hand.

It's funny how God puts certain people in your life and what they can show you. Reflection is all well and good, but moving forward is necessary too. thank you one and all for being my support team, the web that binds me.

The Anasazi

The Anasazi
Try to image life within the confides of a cliff, where existence is vital to the crop brought in. Now image living this way two thousand years ago, before modern tools. How did the Anasazi of Mesa Verde do it? Here is a people who understood the fight for life and somehow lost the battle. The remarkable nature of these people doesn’t stop at their ability to live in the unimaginable habitat of the cliff but also how four of their “villages” are aligned along the 108 degrees west longitude meridian.
The four aligned villages are the Aztec ruins, Solomon Ruins, Chaco Canyon and Casas Grandes, so we know they migrated far distances. Not only did they migrate but they perfected corn crops and brick laying. The village at Mesa Verde remains as a reminder of their intelligence and points to the answers of their existence. At Mesa Verde the housing is constructed in geometric shapes. These shapes were also reflected in their artwork, showing an understanding of mathematical concepts.
Early Earth science is a must have to have continued success with crop and to have four villages on the 108 meridian. This study had to be a focus for them to pull off a feat of such magnitude. How else would the Anasazi have been able to strive until around 1200 C.E. if not for their superior knowledge of nature. In the end there civilization has been lost and only the questions of how such a great people lost the battle of existence remains.
http://www.towson.edu/~brenda/newmexico/anasazi.htm

Columbus Found Asia?
Of course Christopher Columbus thought he had found Asia and went so far as calling the native people Indians but in fact all he found was the New World. The same dogged determination that produced the voyage to find Asia was Columbus’s down fall for not fully seeing what he had found. Had Columbus given in to the possibility that he just might be wrong he could have enjoyed the fact he was better than wrong, he was lucky. Never has one person been so close but yet so far from his goal and pride prevented Columbus from seeing the true jewel he had sailed upon.
In 1484 Columbus strived for a funded expedition to find a new route to Asia and was smacked down by King John II. After licking his wounds and getting his affairs in order Columbus sailed home to Spain to try his hand with their court. At first the Spanish Crown was not interested in Columbus but then in 1492 Queen Isabella turned and sponsored his voyage in hopes of spreading Christianity. Over the next eight years Columbus would make three trips to the west in search of Asia and never admit his idea was wrong and he had found a completely new world.
Christopher Columbus died in 1506 without realizing his dream of sailing west to Asia, this wouldn’t be possible until the early 1900’s. He had gone a little mad with his constancy he had found Asia or come to close to it. His death past without ceremony and yet we still honor him today.
http://www.ucalgary.ca/applied_history/tutor/eurvoya/columbus.html

Beacon’s Rebellion
In a land where the enemy lived at your properties edge Nathaniel Bacon found his element.
Being a young Englishmen settling in Virginia the native Indian was the target enemy for Bacon. When the law would not give Bacon a commission in 1675, Bacon took it by force.
Bacon befriended nearby peaceful Indians and persuaded them into taking hostile Indians capture. Once the peaceful Indians had successfully done as Bacon had asked he in turn killed all of them, hostile captured and peaceful alike. Gov. Sir William Berkeley labeled Bacon a traitor but failed to stand against Bacon. After months of Bacon’s Indian hunting, Bacon returned to Jamestown with 500 of his closest cronies and forced Berkeley’s hand in giving him the commission.
Berkeley fled to Chesapeake Bay and awaited help in the form naval force after recanting his given commission. Bacon died in October 1676 and his rebellion went with him. After the arrival of royal force and without Bacon the Baconites (or Bacons followers) subdued. The aftermath is the real point of the rebellion, however. It planted the seed that an upraise could be accomplished and that there never really was a strong law in early Virginia.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part1/1p274.html
Instructor comments: This is just excellent work Thank you Dick Sennet score 60/60!
àThe New England Puritans were nothing more than a group of fanatics trying to hold dear to theology in a harsh frontier. When so many variables were out of their hands, they could at least control the destiny of their mortal souls. Were they superstitious religious fanatics? Yes, but only because of their own ignorance and strong hold to what they did hold true. Were they pious Christians committed to family values and conservative life styles? NO. If they were then why was there such a problem getting second and third generations to join the church as members? They latched on to their beliefs for stability and hope for a better future, after all they did leave England for a reason. Score 25/25

Nacierma

For those of you familiar with this article, I took it as serious as a student could. I did not question any aspect of it and took it at face value. As such my response is even more poignant. At the bottom of my response I've added the secret to this article for those that are not familiar to it.

Article 30: Body Ritual Among the Nacirema
The naive and primitive acts of body rituals in the Nacirema show the rest of the world faith is a truly powerful thing. The way this culture regards the body and then places their faith unquestionably in the hands of their “holy men”, “listeners” and “holy-mouth-men” shows learned behavior at its best; after all, faith is just another learned behavior. Even when things are at there grimmest the Nacirema still look forward to going to the said “holy-men” as if they will grant them everything they need for being healed. Exactly what that is unclear however, are they looking for rights of passage to the afterlife, are they looking for a miracle, what is it they really hope to gain from being mutilated by the “holy-men”?
While growing up Nacirema has its problematic situations, their children hold certain reservations about going to the “holy-men” showing faith in their gut feelings that marvels their adult counterparts. Perhaps if these children had more of a backbone they would be able to stand up for their rights and not attend the “holy-men” for healing. The benefit is undoubtedly longer lives by perhaps improved dental hygiene at the very least.
No matter how different the Nacirema are, they are a beautiful culture that deserves the right to practice their unique faith. The inclusion of this article in the class text is valid to show just how left cultures can be from American culture and still their cultures work for them. The American way is not always the best way and it can be certain the Nacirema would not want to live within the confines of the American culture anymore than any American would wish to throw themselves down at the feet of the “holy-mouth-men” for their semi-annual dentist appointment or the “holy-man” for their yearly physical.

***Spoiler Alert*** The article about the Nacirema is actually an article about Americans written in the 1950's. Some of the examples used of the culture are no longer relevant but the view point is. Here is someone looking at our culture from an outside perspective and this is what/how they saw it. Lesson Learned!