American Revolution

The American Revolution was the beginning of America gaining the powerful leadership we have today, our government. Though many would fight that our government only empowers those in power it could be fought. That statement may be true; it does seem that the people our government favors are the wealthy and powerful citizens, and not the working class men and women that I consider to be the countries backbone. The government has laws in place that keep the country working as a well-oiled machine, for both the rich and poor.

Zinn says “The reality behind the words of the Declaration of Independence was that a rising class of important people needed to enlist on their side enough Americans to defeat England, without disturbing too much the relations of wealth and power that had developed over 150 years of colonial history.” Zinn meant that he believes that the Declaration of Independence was created as a means of freeing the US from England without the wealthy to become poor. He also says "So even that gesture towards the black slave was ommited from the American Revolution's great manifesto of freedom." Explaining the equality even with in are own declaration of independence.

            Zinn shows us the reality of are history not just the glorification they have painted for us as children. The United States constitution was created to form a strong government, but didn’t specify on who it would include. Eventually over time, as all cultures do. We evolved our ways of thinking and stopped slavery, gave everyone "equal rights", let everyone vote, and now we are even attempting to pay back our debt to the Native Americans. Not everything has changed. We still (as a nation) have many problems. Change is always happening and I can see our nation changing every day as a whole, becoming more aware of our problems and finding more solutions. But the fact still reminds class is what separates this country. For as to fix this country we need to help every one not just the wealthy.Although we may not wont to see it there is a class war going on . The dictatorship of the wealthy have been controlling this country for to long. I'm very grateful that Zinn is bring light to it.

Zinn, Howard. "Tyrany Is Tyranny." A People's History Of The Unite States. New York: New York, 2003. Print

Two Sick Men

I do not agree with George Fitzhugh’s thoughts. George Fitzhugh believes in slavery for both whites and blacks. He believes that slavery was a way to protect the slaves, like a child needs protecting by its parents. Fitzhugh believed that slave owners were protecting the slaves from harm in society. Fitzhugh says “He the Negro is but a grown up child, and must be governed as a child, not as a lunatic or criminal.”

James Henry Hammond had similar thoughts to Fitzhugh. Hammond said “Our slaves are black, of another and inferior race. That status in which we have placed them is an elevation. They are elevated from the condition in which God created them, by being made our slaves.” Hammond not only believed in slavery being a necessity, but also molested three of his nieces. Hammond was a twisted individual, he believed that blacks were a lesser race and thought that the ways in which they were being treated was better than they deserved.

I do not agree with either of these men. I believe they are both ignorant and I cannot believe they would try to justify slavery as necessary. These men believed in slavery because it was profitable to them, and because they were blinded at the time. I believe slavery is one (and continues to be one) of the worst things about this country. Everyone deserves the right to be free, then and now.

Bibliography

1.    "Mudsill Theory." PBS: Public Broadcasting Service. Web. 15 Dec. 2011. <http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/4h3439.html>.

2.      "George Fitzhugh advocates slavery" WebCT. Dec. 2011.http://webct.dvc.edu/SCRIPT/HIST120_5179_FA11/scripts/student/serve_page.pl?1219012956+readings120_onlinea.htm+OFF+readings120_onlinea.html.

Puzzle Pieces

Tobias Thomas

November 18, 2011

Puzzle Pieces

            Looking upon all the puzzle pieces that led up to the Civil War one of the key pieces of the puzzle were the Abolitionists. The Abolitionists had the power of the media. I think the reason the Abolitionists were a key part of the beginning of the Civil War was because they got the word out about the reality of slavery. A good example of that was William Lloyd Garrison, editor of the Liberator from Boston Massachusetts, helped to form the National Anti-Slavery Society which published the harsh truth of what slavery was. The economic and civil differences, the Kansas and Nebraska Act which gave them the power of popular sovereignty, and Abraham Lincoln running for president were defiantly key pieces in the lead up to separation of the North and South.(2)
            The differences between the North and South were a primary factor in completing the puzzle to the Civil War. The South had their cash cow (Cotton), and they were dependent on Slaves to milk it. The North economy on the other hand, didn’t rely on subserviently but on industry. The Northern urban life and Southern agricultural high society created a difference in ethics. This difference in ideals set the infrastructure for the Civil War.

The Bleeding Kansas was a series of events that took place over a five year span that was set in motion by the Kansas Nebraska act which gave Kansas the ability to choose if it would be a slave or anti slave state also known as popular sovereignty. The first act took place when the North sent in settlers to vote to make Kansas a free state, yet the South sent border ruffians (who were almost like a pro slavery mulisha fueled by the hatred of the Northerns in the idea of freed slaves living side by side them) from Missouri to sway the vote to pro-slavery. Several altercations and battles took place; the first battle was the sacking of Lawrence in which the boarder ruffians destroyed the printing press and the hotel, and looted the village. The following day two congressman get in a physical fight in which the one that is anti-slavery almost gets beat to death. John Brown comes in from the North and violently kills 5 pro-slavery men. In the end of Bleeding Kansas 56 people had died. Shortly after, the Civil War began.(1, 3, 4)

 You could then say that after everything had happened with Bleeding Kansas, the Abraham Lincoln running for president was the last straw for the Southerns. And when it came to the point where he was expected to win, it was the final nail in the coffin. All of the factors led up to the completing of the puzzle leading up to the Civil War.I do strongly believe that the issues that stem from the Bleeding Kansas still exist with the greed and ignorance. In modern day, in a much larger scale we have let history repeat itself with our lust for oil that we have allowed to separate us.

Citations

(1)       Foner, Eric. “Bleeding Kansas”. Give Me Liberty!: an American History. New York: W.W. Norton &, 2008. 463+. Print

(2)       Foner, Eric. “William Lloyd Garrison”. Give Me Liberty!: an American History. New York: W.W. Norton &, 2008. 407, 423, 425+, 430+. Print

(3)       Foner, Eric. “Kansa, Violence in”. Give Me Liberty!: an American History. New York: W.W. Norton &, 2008. 464+. Print

(4)       Foner, Eric. “Kansa Nebraska Act”. Give Me Liberty!: an American History. New York: W.W. Norton &, 2008. 459-462, 464, 466+. Print

Module #2 (Homework)

I chose the evolution of Civil War technology. My reason for writing about this is Im interested in how technology was created for negative purposes (death), but has transformed into being used in positive innovations. I am an Electrical Engineering major and I have always found technology interesting. Without technology we would be very basic people. I found it interesting the reasons for how much technology advanced during the civil war was to kill each other, yet now we use the same technology for everyday life. 

At the time our technology was in infancy, yet during that time we created things like armored ships, telecommunications, tin cans, cameras, steam powered ships, observation balloons, and submarines.

One example of technology that was created then that has taken us farther into the future is the telephone. No one today looks at a telephone and realizes that it was once created so generals could speak to their troops to give orders on war. Telecommunications is such a big thing in today’s world. When telecommunication was first created it became the first network. Without the advancements in telecommunications during the war there would be no way to call your loved ones, there would be no internet today.

Another example is tin cans. When we go to the grocery stores in the canned food section we don’t realize that they were originally created so we could ship food to the Union troops that wouldn’t parish quickly.

Armored boats, the same technology used to protect the boats from enemy weapons now protects our ships from the harsh elements such as storms and ice.

Observation balloons were used.....during the Civil War. But are used for scientific purposes now such as weather balloons and space exploration

The advancements in technology during the Civil War have furthered our innovations in progressing everyday life.

Civil War Academy

Wiki

First Modern War

Civil Military Advancements

Wiki

Observation Balloons

Submarines

My sources for this information are