Happy New Year!

Before we left for our holiday break, we had started looking at Shay’s Rebellion by reading the text and three primary source documents. Our first document, written from the farmer’s perspective, clearly outlined a list of grievances. Our second document, written by George Washington, talked about his fears of rebellion so soon after the American Revolution. The last letter, by Thomas Jefferson, seemed to support the idea of rebellion and its value to a democracy. This week we will return to the documents and ask ourselves what is the role of rebellion in a democracy. Is rebellion something to be feared or a natural outgrowth of democracy?

Shay’s Rebellion will lead us into the study of the Constitution and the goal of the Framers to provide a government that will meet the needs of the people by providing for the defense and general welfare of the population as well as for future generations. We will be watching the last episode of "Liberty" and we will be reenacting several of the debates that took place in Philadelphia in 1787.

Current Events

This past week, while we may have been enjoying a time of rest and relaxation, major world and national events dominated the news. The deaths of former President Ford and the hanging of Saddam Hussein, two very different leaders who had a major impact on their countries, captured the front pages of our papers. President Ford will always be remembered as the President who issued a pardon to former President Nixon for his wrongdoings during the Watergate scandal. Hussein will forever be remembered as a brutal dictator who kept Iraq together with force and intimidation.

Keep in mind your current events are due on day 3.

First Spouse Coins

One of our current events focused on the “electability” of Senator Hillary Clinton. As part of our class discussion, one student asked if former President Bill Clinton would become the First Lady if his wife were elected President. It seems as if the Treasury has answered that question, as last week they announced they would be issuing “First Spouse” coins to accompany the recently announced Presidential coin series (see blog of November 23). The gold coins will feature the former first ladies in the order in which their husbands served. The first four coins will go on sale in May 2007. Each coin will feature the portrait of the first lady, with the reverse side depicting something associated with her interests. The Abigail Adams coin will depict her writing a letter to John Adams urging him to “remember the ladies” in his policy decisions.

A New Year…A Time for Resolutions

The beginning of a new year is a great time to pause and think about your goals and aspirations not only for the year 2007 but also for the long term. The work habits, skills, and knowledge that you are gathering in high school will be the foundation for your future success. If you learn to set goals, establish work plans, and practice good study and living habits now, you can be assured that future challenges will be met with success. I have never encountered a person who wished they had studied less, read fewer books, gotten lower grades, or ignored their friends and community. So take the time at the start of this fresh and exciting year to write down two or three goals for the year. Keep them handy, consult them often and strive to complete your tasks at hand. You will never regret taking the time to contemplate your future and to plan accordingly.