Women of Yesterday and Today

This week you started your project on women of the 1800’s and woman of today. It is a great opportunity to learn about the accomplishments of women from the past and today. Our text spends very little time on the contributions of women and minorities so this assignment broadens our perspective. Make sure to consult the rubric so you can meet or exceed the standard. Please keep in mind that we are focusing in on significant and unique contributions that these women made to our society. This will be one of our last assignments for the third quarter.

During our last class period, you worked with a group to read over the grievances that woman had in the early 1800’s. The Seneca Falls Convention, held in 1848, used The Declaration of Independence as its model for writing The Declaration of Sentiments. As you read over the grievances, you had to put them into student friendly language and then sort them into economic, political, legal or social wrongs. Grouping and categorizing information is a way for us to see connections and to better understand complex issues. It is also a useful way to recall information.

Next week we will continue with reform movements and focus on the abolition movement. We will look at slavery from different perspectives and see how the north and south were both involved in using and benefiting from slave labor.

Law Day Contest Announced

Rhode Island students in grades 10 and 11 are eligible to compete for a $1,000 award for the winning essay in the annual Law Day contest.

The contest is sponsored by the Rhode Island Bar Association. The topics student’s can write about include downloading copyrighted music, posting personal information on the Web and minors using alcohol and drugs.

The submission deadline is May 2. For contest guidelines and forms, contact Frederick Massie at (401) 421-5740 or at fmassie@ribar.com.

This is a great opportunity for you to think about issues that are especially important to young people and at the same time compete for a substantial prize. This is also a great resume builder that you can use as you get closer to applying to colleges.

A Time for Change

This week we completed our study of Andrew Jackson by analyzing a cartoon and looking at the Trail of Tears event. In order to better understand historical figurers we need to look at multiple sources for different interpretations of their decisions. I like to imagine that a few years from now, historians will be delving into President Bush’s papers trying to piece together his thinking and reasoning for making certain decisions. Of course, we also have to keep in mind that the decisions of the past were made within the thinking of the times. Today we can be critical of decisions made in the past because we have evolved as a country and our attitudes change over time. Just a few decades ago we would have been shocked to see an African American and a woman as the leading presidential candidates for a major political party.

Let’s have a laugh

Your next current event which is due March 25 must be an editorial cartoon from a newspaper or news magazine. In order to get a wide variety of cartoons, please do not use the Providence Journal or Newport Daily News. Cartoons can be found on a variety of web sites. I have given you a Cagle’s site and provided a link to it as well. Once you have selected a cartoon, use our cartoon analysis guide (see link above) to help you write your two paragraph summery and comments. What persuasive techniques did the cartoonists use: symbolism, exaggeration, labeling, analogy or irony? Make sure to attach a copy of the carton to your paragraphs. On the 25th you will have the opportunity to share your cartoon with your group. This assignment is worth 10 points.

Reform Movements

In the 1800’s numerous reform movements arose: the push to ban alcohol (temperance movement), efforts to improve woman’s rights and require basic education for all children, and the push to end slavery (abolition). Women’s rights continue to expand and in your lifetime you have witnessed the first woman as Speaker of the House (Rep. Nancy Pelosi) and the first woman who could become the presidential nominee for the Democratic Party (Sen. Hillary Clinton). Reform movements seem to be a natural part of the American landscape as we look to improve opportunities and our daily lives.

We will be going beyond our text for the study of reform movements. You may have noticed that the text is dominated by political and military history and as such focuses on the accomplishment of men. One reviewer of text books estimated that only 3% of most American history text books talk about the contributions of women and minorities. Howard Zinn, a noted historian who writes about the silent people of history, has advocated for a more inclusive historical rendition of the past. We will try to be more inclusive with our study of women’s rights and the effort to end slavery.

As we approach our study of the abolition movement, I was especially interested in Senator Obama’s speech on race. He spoke eloquently about the history and struggle of African Americans and the need to take further steps to make this one country. If technology decides to cooperate, I plan on bringing in the speech via “You Tube.” According to The New York Times, over 2 million people have viewed the speech.

For movie fans

“Amazing Grace,” a film about the efforts to end the slave trade in England headed by William Wilberforce is now out on DVD. It is a great story with Wilberforce leading the charge to end slave trading and Lord Tarleton defending the right of the shippers. It has an all star cast and a great sound track complete with bagpipes playing the title song.

A Victory for the Common Man

Congratulations to all who handed in your final assessment on Territorial Expansion on time! When US business leaders were asked to rank the skills and traits they look for in workers, one of the top items was “arrives on time and meets deadlines.”

This past week we focused on Andrew Jackson. Why was his election considered a victory for the “common man?” How did politics change to encourage greater participation? After responding to these questions, we asked what qualities we look for in a candidate in 2008. One theme that became clear is that you are looking for someone with leadership skills. We should continue this discussion to describe what those skills look like. Who can we identify today as effective leaders? What can we learn from these leaders? Think about the opportunities you have to demonstrate leadership: during a group activity, as a member of a team or club, or taking a stance and writing a letter to the Wave or the Newport Daily News.

Andrew Jackson was a tenacious person. In 1824 he lost his presidential bid to John Quincy Adams, when the House was forced to declare the winner. The man from Tennessee, who won the popular vote, lost his bid for the presidency when the House handed the position to John Quincy Adams, son of the former president. Jackson would not accept this “corrupt bargain” and spent the next four years preparing another run for the White House. In 1828 he won the presidency.

In the 2000 election another man from Tennessee, Al Gore, won the popular vote but lost to the son of a former president when the Supreme Court intervened and declared George W. Bush president. Some political pundits have wondered if Al Gore would run again Interesting parallels!

Spoke Diagrams:

Your diagrams were great: neat, colorful, and directing the viewer to the most significant traits and characteristics of Andrew Jackson. If you followed the rubric, you should earn a high score. Keep in mind the rubric is there to guide you so you can be successful.

Next week we will watch a short video on Andrew Jackson and then you will be ready to write your essay. The topic: Should Andrew Jackson be on the $20 bill? This will be an in-class on-demand essay.

Class Folder

You are required to have an updated folder in the classroom. If you take your folder home to review your work, please return the folder ASAP to the bin. You do not want to lose credit because of a missing folder. The status of assignment sheet allows you to monitor your work and keep track of your grade. You can always find your percentage grade by adding up your points and dividing that sum by the total possible points.

Current Events

Next week we will have our current events quiz. You may use your notes for the quiz.

Course Selection

It is that time of year when you sign up for courses for your JUNIOR year...can you believe it? I hope you take the time to read over the course of study booklet and select classes that will challenge you. You become a stronger student by having the opportunity to engage in challenging studies. Think about taking an Honors course or an AP class. If you are thinking of going on to college, AP classes prepare you for that challenge. Admission offices look closely at student transcripts and having successfully completed an Honors or an AP class shows the college that you are ready and willing to tackle the college curriculum.

Riding Off Into The Sunset

The highlight of this week was our in-class primary. While our school results (88 for Senator Obama, 14 for Senator Clinton, 14 for Senator McCain and 12 for Governor Huckabee) did not mirror the final results for Rhode Island, we will have to wait for the national conventions for a final decision on the nominees. You did a great job getting ready to vote. Our discussion of election current events allowed us to review the different positions of Republicans and Democrats. It also gave us the opportunity to talk about some of the top issues: the economy, national security and immigration. And speaking of current events, our next day for our class discussion is March 11. You may bring in any national or international article.

Territorial Expansion

This week we completed our study of territorial expansion. The matching activity, timeline and map should have prepared you for the final assessment. Some of the treaties and terms that were part of the matching activity may have been unfamiliar so using a dictionary and multiple sources came to the rescue. In order to answer questions you must understand what the question is asking so take the time to look up unfamiliar words.

When I think of territorial expansion I think of President Polk. Our video illustrated Polk’s desire to add territory to the US even if that meant provoking war with Mexico. Polk was an advocate of Manifest Destiny and nothing was going to stop him from having the United States stretch all the way to the Pacific coast. As we ride off into the sunset, take a moment to reflect on how this land was gained and the impact it had on the
inhabitants of the territory.

Next week we are going to look at two famous paintings from this time period which will allow us to see two different points of view on expansion into the western lands.

Old Hickory

From territorial expansion, we now turn back to domestic politics as we study Andrew Jackson, the first president elected by the “common man.” We have seen that the first six presidents had similar backgrounds in terms of education and experience. Jackson breaks the mold and becomes the first president elected from the “West.” Keep in mind that in 1829 Tennessee was considered a western state.

The Power of the Letter

Once again, HBO is coming out with a miniseries based on historical events. Starting March 16 they will show “The Power of the Letter,” a series about John and Abigail Adams. We are fortunate that hundreds of their letters survive and are housed in the Massachusetts Historical Society. In addition to heart warming love letters, the correspondence follows John’s activities in Philadelphia during the writing of the Declaration and Abigail’s efforts to maintain the farm and run a busy household. John described Abigail as his “dearest friend” and most trusted political advisor.

I am sure this will be an exceptional series. In US II we are watching “Band of Brothers,” another HBO miniseries about the paratroopers of World War II. Thank you HBO for capturing some of history’s most memorable events!

Expansion: Costs and Benefits

Upon returning to Washington in 1806 from our Lewis and Clark trek, we soon saw storm clouds of war forming on the horizon. By 1811, War Hawks from the West and South were calling for war against Britain. These members of Congress wanted to “defend American honor,” which the British were offending by impressing our sailors and inciting Native Americans to attack settlers. The War Hawks also wanted to drive Britain out of Canada to gain more land for development. It was mainly New Englanders, worried about trade, who called for cooler heads to prevail. Opponents of war also argued that the United States was a young country with limited revenues and a small, inexperienced army and navy. Pressured by the War Hawks, President Madison in June 1812 sent a message to Congress requesting a declaration of war. His “War Message” was narrowly approved, and for two years war waged on land and sea. The successful resistance by defenders of Fort McHenry, which guarded Baltimore harbor, inspired Francis Scott Key to write our national anthem, the Star Spangled Banner. However, American forces were unable to prevent the British from seizing Washington and burning a number of buildings, including the White House and Capitol. The most famous battle, the Battle of New Orleans, took place two weeks after the Treaty of Ghent had been signed, ending the war. Because news of the treaty had to travel by ship, neither the American commander, Andrew Jackson, nor his British counterpart was aware that peace had been declared.

This “most peculiar” conflict, as one of our textbooks calls it, resulted in a stalemate, as no land was won or lost. But according to some historians, by defending its honor against the mighty British Empire, America gained new respect in Europe. Along with our national anthem, the war brought Andrew Jackson to prominence, preparing the way for his future election as President. A heroine of the conflict was Dolly Madison, the First Lady, who saw the British troops advancing towards Washington and had the foresight and perseverance to load priceless paintings and historic artifacts onto a wagon, which made its way to safety. Her action saved one of the most famous paintings of George Washington.

I would urge you to check out the blog posting from February 2006 entitled “The Second Battle of New Orleans” to see photos I took on a trip to The Big Easy after Hurricane Katrina.

Missouri Compromise

With the acquisition of the Louisiana Purchase settlers quickly moved into the region and started forming states. But would new states enter the Union as free or slave states? The Ordinance of 1789 had included a provision that all states northwest of the Ohio River would be free, but Missouri wanted to enter the Union and Missouri was outside the jurisdiction of the ordinance. After much debate, Congress, in order to preserve the balance of power in the Senate, allowed Missouri to enter the Union as a slave state, while Maine (carved out of Massachusetts) entered the Union as a free state. The Compromise went on to say that any other states north of 36/30 N latitude, carved out of the new “unorganized” territories, would be free while those below that line would be slave. Would this be a lasting Compromise? Is slavery an issue that can be compromised? Stay tuned for further disagreements that will erupt into war!

Oregon Trail: Opportunity and Challenges

This past week you read about the fur traders, missionaries and settlers who ventured further West. Some went for economic reasons and some went to Christianize the Native Americans and contribute to the cultural development of newly settled areas. You also started reading about President Polk and his ambition to gain land from Mexico by either purchasing large tracts or going to war to expand the boundaries of the United States. We will continue with this next week as we look at the war with Mexico and its lasting impact on US and Mexican relations today.

Revisions

Revisions should be turned in the next day unless you have asked for extended time. If you delay doing the revisions your work is going to accumulate and it will be difficult to keep up with the current assignments.

Current Events

Monday you have a current event due and it must be about the election. This will be our final opportunity to talk about the candidates and issues before you cast your ballot in our class primary.

In order to continue my own education about the candidates and issues, I went to Rhode Island College on Saturday to hear Senator Obama. I braved the cold and stood in line outside of the gym for over two hours before the security people started letting people enter. Umbrellas had to be left outside, no bags were allowed inside and great care was taken to insure a safe speaking environment for the Senator. I stood in the gym, with about 5,000 others, for another two hours while music played, people chanted OBAMA, and TV cameras and the media were strategically positioned on risers. I was struck by the number of young people and parents who brought along school children. Around 2:30, we heard a great cheer from outside the building. The Senator had arrived! Senator Obama spent about 30 minutes addressing the thousands of people who were unable to get into the gym. Finally, he entered the gym and was greeted with thunderous applause. For the next hour, the Senator clearly and passionately outlined his hopes for this country. The audience, which was a cross section of Rhode Islanders, responded with numerous interruptions of cheers and applause. Around 4:00 Senator Obama concluded by asking everyone to help get out the vote on Tuesday.

Our primary is on March 4 and Rhode Islanders have been treated to visits by every major presidential candidate. Seeing and hearing the candidates helps all of us make an informed decision as to who we want to lead this country for the next four years. While you may not be voting this year, the person who is elected in 2008 will most likely run again in 2012 and then it will be your turn to help decide who leads this country.