Doctoring Up Photos

After reading a small article related to news organizations that doctor photos for their own satisfactions is an extreme issue. The media already has problem with exaggerating the news. And now for them to change photos so that it can say one thing when it actually means another is ridiculous. Not only has there been one or two incidents but there has been multiple events of this happening, and it should be stopped.

For example here is a photo of President Obama and McCain. It looks as if President Obama is angry and probably madder than what he really is. This was intentionally done to make President Obama look bad.

WOW Ray Buchanan

Vibrant, spunky, and outgoing NFL Falcon Ray Buchanan is definitely a dominant personality. While watching an episode of Good Day Atlanta which appeared in about 2002 Buchanan was the life of the party , or should I say the life of a Good Day. He kept the show interesting and kept people entertained, keeping it hard for people not to get up to check the beans that were on their kitchen stoves. Buchanan had jokes for each segment, and he stayed funny throughout the whole show. WOW is how would describe Ray Buchanan’s personality, wild but tamed, over the top but not too much, and wonderful just enough for people to stay interested in order for them to have a good day after watching Good Day.

Girl Gets Kidnapped…Now She’s Found, What A Relief!

I went home over the weekend to Dallas, Texas, due to a death in my family. After a long day, going from the funeral, and visiting all of the family my family and I finally made it home. While sitting on the couch, relaxing the news came on. The news reported that a white female, who is a senior in high school had gone missing. The story was that after school she went to work at the Frisco Dr. Pepper Baseball Park and as she was leaving, on her way to the car she mysteriously vanished. I just felt so bad for her and her family, because that could’ve been me. I was just hoping and praying that they would find her. Well, Sunday morning while I was getting ready for church the news came on and reported that she had been found in Muskegee, Oklahoma. The kidnappers left her somewhere and she got away to an open Braum’s. Her family was contacted immediately and she was put in protective custody. I was just so relieved that she was found , and that she was able to get home safely.

Music and Activism Blog

The year is 1971 and R&B legend Marvin Gaye releases his hit single “What’s going on.” In the song “What’s going on,” Marvin Gaye pours his heart out through song about the struggles that he sees are hindering the world during that time. The song is about a Vietnam veteran returning from the Vietnam War and when he gets back to the United States he sees that nothing is getting better. What the song reveals about the time is war, injustice, anguish, and abhorrence. During this time President Nixon is in office. Even though the war is still going on, the United States reduces troops in Vietnam. South Vietnamese at this time forces begin an offensive in Cambodia. Integration is not really being accepted. Moreover, the pentagon papers which explains Nixon waging an illegal war in Cambodia and Laos is released. For a more specific example, Marvin Gaye sings, “…and picket signs…,” which explains the protests that were going on at the time for anti-war. All of these aspects that have been mentioned are what Marvin Gaye was signifying in his song. As a result Marvin Gaye wanted peace in the world and he explains that the world needs more peace; thus presenting this song to the world.  The significance of this song was a world cry for hope. At this time this cry was really needed. Gaye’s purpose was to put a song out at the time that people could enjoy. However, with the enjoyment he brought along a message that the world could relate to. The message was to love more. It became a movement, and people listened. This song played a huge factor in the 20^th century due to all of the suppression.

 

American Imperialism Blog

A defined definition of Imperialism is the policy of extending the rule of authority of an empire or nation over foreign countries, or of acquiring or holding colonies and dependencies. My definition would be basically building an empire and doing what you have to do to be the best of all empires. America did indeed become an imperialist country. But America did it the way they wanted. It was Imperialism, American style. The American Imperialism motivations were nationalism, national rivalries, economics, and racism. Which America had all of these aspects of their style of imperialism. Nationalism is having a spirit of patriotism for your country. In 1898 there was a court case Plessy vs. Ferguson that basically stated “separate but equal.” This proves my point about one of America’s motivations which was Racism at this time. Also in 1823 the Monroe Doctrine was put into place. The Monroe Doctrine stated that western hemispheres were closed for colonization. America will not interfere with European wars.  This to me is one of the main aspects of Imperialism differences between different colonies. As far as economics the Americans interests was sugar, new arrivals, and indigenous Hawaiians. The technology was becoming. There were new arrivals of medicines. The use of racial science was dominant as well. They were definitely building a dominant empire. I do feel like America became an Imperialist country because they met the “requirements” of being an imperialist country. Everything they did was not right but that’s what they did. Still to this day I feel like America is an imperialist country we’re always involved with other countries business and they’ll do anything to be the best.

 

Education is Key to Success

I totally agree with W. E. B about the Negro Problem. Although Booker T. Washington states valid points about the Negro Problem I most agree with Dubois. Booker T. Washington’s argument was that we (as in black people) were “ignorant and inexperienced…” In a way I felt that he felt that it was okay for us to have this mentality of being ignorant and inexperienced. Washington was saying that since the blacks had just been free from slavery; not for that long that we were ignorant to society. Blacks were trying to migrate from the South to the North thinking that life would be better there. But Washington said, “Cast down your buckets where you are.” Washington was basically saying stay where you are and in a sense stick with what you know. Washington’s argument stated that we have to start from the bottom and work our way up to the top. “It is at the bottom of life we must begin and not the top.” He was saying that since we were so fresh out of slavery that we were not going to be able to be millionaire’s right after that basically we had to start somewhere. Another relevant argument that he brought up was the whites casting there buckets down as well and just to befriend the blacks. Washington states, “Cast it down among these people who have without strikes and labor wars tilled your fields, cleared your forests, builded your railroads and cities, and brought forth treasures from the bowels of the earth and helped make possible this magnificent representation of the progress of the South.” Here Washington was saying give my people a chance the ones who made it possible for the South to even be prosperous we’re the ones who helped you so return the favor. Although I agree with Washington I agree most with Dubois position on the Negro Problem and his position is that, “Education must not simply teach work it must teach Life.” Dubois believed that if we are trained in school then way of life would be easier. He believed that college wasn’t for everyone but some people would go. Dubois makes a relevant point in his argument when he explains how basically the white man abused all of our morals out of us. Dubois says, “for three long centuries this people lynched Negroes who dared to be brave, raped black women who dared to be virtuous, crushed dark-hued youth who dared to be ambitious, and encouraged and made to flourish servility and lewdness and apathy. But nor even this was able to crush all manhood and chastity and aspiration from black folk. A saving remnant continually survives and persists, continually aspires, continually shows itself in thrift and ability and character.” We were ambitious, and virtuous we had purity virginity but it was taken away from us without permission so we never had the chance to show what we were really made of. Your thoughts, do you agree with me?

Notes on the State of Virginia

Thomas Jefferson the African Race

 

Thomas Jefferson’s attitudes regarding race have affected his apparently mixed feelings about slavery, I think, because he thought that “blacks were inferior to “whites.” Which gives me the reason to believe that is why he kept his slaves from liberty. Jefferson confuses me a plethora of times throughout this excerpt because he is very contradictory the entire time. But maybe not because, just because he thinks that slavery is cruel doesn’t mean that he does not contradict the fact that he thinks that “blacks are inferior to “whites.” What do you think? Obviously his feelings changed about “blacks” from the years of 1776 when he wrote the Declaration of Independence to the year 1781 when he wrote Notes on the State of Virginia. The reason I say that is because in the Declaration of Independence Jefferson stated that slavery was a “cruel war against human nature itself,” which he said violated “sacred rights of life and liberty,” which I agree is true. Jefferson loses me in his book Notes on the State of Virginia when he stated that “blacks” were inferior to “whites.” He compares and contrasts multiple times about how “blacks” are better in many other aspects of life than “whites” but still feels that we are the inferiors, is that very legitimate? Now he does give one ignorant difference on why he thinks they are better and his answer was skin color. I felt like he could have come with a more improved superiority than that. Now, where he does come with intelligence and without even knowing that he is giving us (blacks) the superior hand is when he says that we are brave and adventuresome, ardent, and that we are more gifted in music. At the end Jefferson states that we are, “inferior to whites in the endowments both of body and mind.” From what I have said what do you think about this statement and everything that I have said?

 

Atlantic World

I am going to approach looking at the spread of Christianity through the development of the historic Atlantic World. This time period was so relevant because at this time there was colonization and conquest, the Columbian exchange, ecological imperialism, cross cultural encounters, cultural and social, and capitalism. I will be focusing on cultural and social. It was the time during the 16^th and 17^th centuries when the spread of Christianity started. Nonetheless, there were altercations on the way. While there was a centralized monarchy on the rise in Europe, Christianity split in the year 1054. So instead of Christianity prospering the Roman Catholic Church was dominant in Western Europe. The spread of Christianity for “government” purposes was so that they could have a sense of control, it’s all about control. For example, Innocent III 1198-1216 the popes wanted control. After this there was the humiliation of the Pope 1294-1303. After this incident the popes resided at Avington from 1305-1378. And then Pope Gregory ended the Babylonian Captivity 1370-1378. So the pope was distorted and everything was going wrong. Then the Italian Pope was elected and he was so mad because this is not what their religion was about. He scolded for worldliness and attempted to reduce their revenues, but then he was removed for violence. Then came what I like to call a “savior” Martin Luther. Luther basically was upset about what had been going on these past years and decided he was going to change it. Martin Luther became a legacy and after he died people still taught Luther’s teachings. After all of his teachings and writings Luther was ordered to recant. However, even though he was ordered to recant the first Protestant Church was established in 1522, which meant something stuck. The Atlantic World means struggle but victory.

“Anti-slavery:” YES!



Yes I Agree

                The way the slaves were treated in the middle passage justifies the “anti-slavery” argument. First of all the middle passage was a horrible experience. Equiano totally sways me to be “anti-slavery” just based on how he describes the way the slaves were treated. For example in chapter three Equiano explains, “The closeness of the place, and the heat of the climate, added to the number in the ship, which…almost suffocated us…the air soon became unfit for respiration, from a variety of loathsome smells, and brought on a sickness among the slaves, of which many died…” No one wants to be chained together with people they don’t know for long periods of time. If a person had to endure this situation they would be “anti-slavery” too; and if they’re not there is a problem. Equiano uses great imagery to show what the slaves endured, that would make me abolish slavery quickly. Now, there is no area of this story that is unreliable or questionable. Any person with a heart or feeling wouldn’t wish this law on anyone. I think Equiano’s comparisons and contrasts of the Europeans are very sarcastic. Throughout the entire story Equiano compares black people to the Europeans; really to show that we are no different than them we just have different skin colors. But at the same time the Europeans at the time of the Middle Passage thought black people were diabolic and needed redemption when in all actuality I feel like Equiano was signifying that your people (Europeans) are like that more than we will ever be. For instance, when they were traveling on the boat Equiano’s master told him “the black people [are] not good to eat, and would ask [him] if [they] ate people in his country.” Equiano said no. Equiano was signifying that you Europeans eat people and we don’t but we’re the ones that are diabolic. The last example that I will give comes from chapter three as well; Equiano compares black women to the Europeans women. He says, “I was astonished at the wisdom of the white people in all things I saw; but was amazed at their not sacrificing, or making any offerings, and eating with unwashed hands, and touching the dead;” which again explains my point on how the Europeans didn’t think we were civil but we were more civil than they were. What do you think about what I have said, feel free to comment?

Reflective Essay

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Annessa Young

HIS 201

Reflective Essay

            History has never been my strongest subject, but I have always managed to do my best and come out on top. Even though I have never really liked history I have managed to do tremendously well. Sometimes I even surprise myself with the grades that I have made. Writing has never been a problem for me. In high school I always did well on all of my  academic papers, although I never really had many history papers to write in high school I figured that writing is simply writing; whether writing for history or not. Now that I am in WISE, writing is combined with history challenging me to do better academically in writing and history. Thus far, this combined challenge has been beneficial to me because usually I don’t like a challenge, nonetheless, now that I see that I can be challenged and do exceedingly well, it makes me more confident about history and not only about history, but it makes me confident when writing for history. Through this semester’s journey in the WISE history program I have grown rapidly; I have gained knowledge about history and I have been challenged beyond my expectations. I have learned more than what I expected and my writing ability for history continues to get better. This evidence has been shown not only in the many blogs that I have had to do, but also in my major assignments. The two major assignments that I will mention will be the Culture Analysis and the Civilization essay.

            To begin, the first major paper that I was expected to do in WISE history was the Civilization essay. At the beginning, I was skeptical about it because I thought, “I have no idea how to write this paper,” but with thorough explanation, dedication, and hard work I did it. One of the many things that I learned while doing this essay was about the different civilizations; how

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they derived, and what time period. My weaknesses came when it was time do research. For me research is a drawn out process that frustrates me and makes me feel I am really moving nowhere at a fast pace. But, what I learned while doing this was that I have to be patient and take time to research, and not to procrastinate. Now I see that through that learning experience I use what I didn’t know then to help me when I write papers now. I do not procrastinate and I take time to remember what I did in class or to just research.

            However, with my Culture Analysis essay I did wonderfully well. I made a B+. With this essay it was so much easier because, we did many first drafts in English. Since English and History are combined in WISE, when it came time to turn in the Culture Analysis for history it was an easier road to travel. All I had to do was more research and bring out the historical factor. In the beginning this assignment was very hard for me because I didn’t know where to start. The research again just like with the Civilization essay was hard for me as well because this paper was much blunter.

            Conversely I think the blogs and the technology factor of this course has benefited in many ways as well. In the beginning blogs were hard for me, after I got the concept that history is about evidence, dates, and also my analysis, it became easier. After a while I managed to do well on my blogs every time. The blogs also gave me a chance to express how I felt about a historical topic, and challenged me. The challenge came when trying to put all of my many thoughts into 20-25 sentences. I didn’t think a formal academic paper, with the factors of an introduction, body paragraph, and conclusion could be converted into a 20-25 sentence paragraph. Technology also made it easier for me because of the convenience factor of not having to print. The luxury of putting most of our work on wordpress.com was convenient too

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because if something was wrong it made it easier to revise and edit. Now I’m better at wordpress.com and now I see that all of those challenges bettered me.

            I have learned so much by just being in the WISE history program. I’ve learned about almost every civilization, religion, dynasty, map, and more. I have also learned how to navigate different software (wordpress.com), which is great. I have accomplished so much in this course; my goal for the end of the semester was to get an A and I have managed to do that, and more; and I look forward to growing even more academically next semester.