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.