James' History WebLog

#12 - Thoughts on 9/11

Where can I even begin to talk about my experience on Septemember 11, 2001.  It was a day that changed my whole perspective on this country and my input on life.  Anytime I think about this tragic day, I remind myself of the rollercoaster of emotions that ran through my head that day.  If 9/11 put any significance in my life, I would say it made me more humble and generous as a human being.

I was just finishing up a very tiring, and in my opinion pointless, day of physical education.  I remember being in the gym when an announcement came on.  It was very long and seemed important, but many people, including myself, were too distracted from the noise of people talking to hear about it.  I was a freshman in highschool and I just got done changing my gym uniform to my regular clothes in the locker room.  Instead of waiting to leave in the hallway for my next class, a male gym teacher irregularly told us to go back in the gymnasium.  There, I saw every student that had P.E. during that class period.  I started getting curious and I asked a student in my class what happened.  He was telling me about some sort of terrorist attack that happened in the D.C. and New York.  It was a very exciting moment for a lot of people because no one really knew what was going on.  We had no access to televisions like the other classes since we were in the gymnasium.  A lot of people were talking about leaving school early and there were rumors of early dismissals and such.  I didn't see how serious this was until I was allowed to go to my next class.  I was shocked to see only about 7 people there instead of the usual 28 students.  During that 7th period class, there was no communication from the students nor the teacher.  There was no regular lecture or teaching.  All our eyes were glued to the television, and that's when I first saw one of the planes hit one of the World Trade Centers.  I was astonished.  It was so clear and so concrete that I felt like I was watching a movie.  My dad took me home early and we picked up my little brother at his middle school.  As soon as I got home, I was hooked on the television until the next day.

There were many emotions and feelings I felt that day.  The first thing i felt was shock.  Now I understand why bad news is always the most attentive from the viewers.  It was the evening time when it sunk to me that this situation really happened.  That was the first time I ever felt vulnerable in the United States.  This is because I had never experienced a tragic event that hit close to home.  I really felt sympathy and compassion for the people that lost their lives and families that day.  I wouldn't say I was mad like most people, but I definetly was curious about the next couple of days at hand.  Would there be another terrorist attack?  Is school going to be cancelled for the next week?  Is this just a sign for a nuclear attack?  Did I have any friends or family that were killed in New York or D.C.?  All these questions just ran through my head that night.

One of the things that changed for me after 9/11 was my new perspective on the United States.  It really hit me and made me realize that this country isn't perfect and that I was in threat of anything.  In a way, I think 9/11 was a step of maturity turning my teen years.  It made me more aware of my surroundings and my outlook on the world.  Ever since this day, I would watch the news and actually have more care for politics and the issues at hand.  I also felt very blessed as none of my family members or friends were killed from these attacks.

Today, I see the news and all I see is people blaming other people for the attacks.  I think it's important to find out who was responsible for these horrendous acts and if it could of been avoided.  However, I feel that even after a couple years after this day, people have become comfortable again and forgotten about the people we lost that day.  I wish people would keep 9/11 in their memories and the impact it had on all of us. 

#11 - Best of the Best

    Towards the end of the 1960s and beginning of the 1970s, America struggled to improve societal and economic conditions.  The country’s economy experienced severe recession and inflation which left many Americans poverished and unemployed.  The rise of counter culture and racial tension divided the nation deeply [1].  “But the Vietnam War, more than any other single factor, destroyed the promise of prosperity, equality, and a Great Society” [2].  The Vietnam War brought an onset of counter cultural beliefs for Americans who were in and out of the country.  Within the country, music, film, and various past times were susceptible to influences from the war.  The following top 10 films and songs of 1970 in accordance to domestic review have either been susceptible or non-susceptible to the influences of the Vietnam War.

    The Vietnam War had certain influences among the top ten songs in 1970.  The number one song of 1970 was B.J. Thomas’s “Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head.”  This song, to a degree, refers to the events occurring in America during the Vietnam War.  This song is about an individual who can’t get away from the raindrops that keep falling on his head.  The raindrops are a symbolic representation of the turmoil and chaos that have fallen upon the Americans.  The person in the song disapproves of the sun sleeping on his job and causing continuous rainfall.  The sun serves as an equivalent to the United States Government.  American’s believed the government wasn’t executing the war in Vietnam properly.  Civilians and military personnel eventually developed feelings of betrayal and animosity to their government.  The song also has a powerful message to the American people though, especially the soldiers in Vietnam.  The song emphasizes that hope and happiness shall prevail at the end of the road.  The #4 song, “Thank You Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin” by Sly and the Family Stone, also makes references to the Vietnam War.  Lyrics such as “Lookin' at the devil, grinnin' at his gun, Fingers start shakin' I begin to run, bullets start chasin' I begin to stop, we begin to wrestle, I was on the top” and “Flamin' eyes of people fear, burnin' into you many men are missin' much, hatin' what they do” describe the emotional terrors of Americans serving in the war. [3]  The #5 song, Simon and Garfunkel’s “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” is an uplifting song that was used to support the mentality’s of those who had or lost loved ones fighting in Vietnam.  The lyrics show comfort and support as it reads “When you’re weary, feeling small, when tears are in your eyes, I will dry them all I’m on your side when times get rough.” [4] This song shows that through rough times, hope shall prevail.  The #6 song, “Let It Be,” by the Beatles is similar to “Bridge over Troubled Water” since it too is an inspirational and comforting song.  This song informs people that it is best to live life with “words of wisdom.” [5]  “Bridge Over Troubled Water” and “Let It Be” reflect on the idea that individuals are capable of overcoming their tribulations.  The #8 song, “American Women” by The Guess Who was a controversial song during the war.  The lyrics make it appear as if the singer wants the American women to get away from him and this was interpreted to have connections with the draft. [6]  The lyrics are a scathing commentary on America's imperialistic attitude towards Vietnam.  Ray Steven’s #9 song, “Everything Is Beautiful,” preaches on anti-racism, anti-discrimination, peace, and harmony.  It gives the perspective of what the world should be like and that everyone should get along instead of fighting.  The #10 song, “Long and Winding Road,” by the Beatles also reflects on abandonment and loneliness.  This can be related to the soldiers serving in Vietnam and how they felt being away from their loved ones.

    In addition to music, movies also had ties to the events occurring in the Vietnam War.  The #3 move,“M*A*S*H,* by Robert Altman, tells the story of two surgeons working in a mobile surgical hospital during the Korean War.  Although the plot of the film is set during the Korean War, the film’s significance is attributed to the instance of the Vietnam War.  The #4 movie, Patton, by Franklin J. Schaffner, depicts the controversial career of famous World War II General George S. Patton, Jr.  The movie depicts Patton’s life during the war from his rise to fall as a World War II commander.  The film portrays Patton as a tremendously flawed individual, but the film also signifies his sense of duty, honor, and patriotism.  Patton’s positive and negative qualities are shown in an unbiased manner.  This portrayal of such a man parallels with the experiences the American soldiers may have faced during the Vietnam War.  Such parallels include mental, spiritual, and emotional struggles of war.  In comparing the two films, both are complete polar opposites of each other.  M*A*S*H, condemns the United States Government for involving in the Vietnam War through satirical and comical means.  This film truly embraces an anti-war, anti-establishment, and anti-religion stance [7].  However; Patton, portrays Patton as a direct representation of the emotionally distraught American’s serving in the Vietnam War.  The #9 movie, “Tora! Tora! Tora!,” delineates the events that lead up to that attack on Pearl Harbor.  The film shows war’s inhumanity and directs these feelings to the war in Vietnam. The #10 movie, “Catch-22,” however; takes an anti-war approach as it shows the main character, Yossarian, trying to escape his duties as a soldier by claiming insanity.    The #2 movie, “Airport” is about a blizzard that strikes the Lincoln Airport and causes a plane to get stuck in a snow drift.  The primary runway gets shutdown and problems slowly begin to arise due to their setback.  The stranded people at the airport represent the stranded American soldiers in Vietnam.  The #8 movie, “Ryan’s Daughter,” also emphasizes on the Vietnam War by introducing the events of the Irish Rebellion in1916.  The feelings of betrayal and hate the Irish had towards their nation were similarly felt by the Americans towards their own government during 1970.

    While many popular songs and movies focused on the war, others didn’t.  Love songs were made for people to escape the extremities of war.  This is evident in the #2 song, “I Want You Back,” by the Jackson Five.  This song tells the story of an individual who took his lover’s companionship for granted.  She left him for another person and now he is full of regret.  The #3 song of 1970, “Venus” by Shocking Blue is a song about beauty and love, with lyrics such as, “The summit of Beauty in love/And Venus was her name” [8]. The # 7 song, “ABC,” by the Jackson Five also didn’t reflect on the Vietnam War.  The song simply encouraged education among young Americans. [9]  Aside from music, 1970 films such as the #1 “Love Story,” #5 “Aristocats,” #6 “Woodstock,” and #7 “Little Big Man” too lacked references to the war.  “Love Story” is about a rich girl who falls in love with a low class girl and the problems they encounter due to their differences.  The Aristocrats is a Disney film where a cat inherits lots of money and gets the baggage that comes with it.  The cat’s family is ultimately kidnapped and it’s up to him for their rescue.  “Woodstock” depicts the popular three day musical extravaganza that most young Americans go to.  “Little Big Man,” is lastly a comedy about a man's experience in the closing days of western cowboy life.  These songs and films lack correlation to the war.  They offer no insight or importance to the events happening in this time frame.

    More films and songs were influenced by the Vietnam War than others.  It is unique though how the songs and films that have traces of Vietnam influence are geared towards an adult audience.  The songs and films that avoided the conflicts of 1970 represented the positive attitudes that the Americans were searching for.  The family oriented films ranged from comedy to drama, but focused on encouraging the ideas of heroism and patriotism.  The songs emphasized on love and compassion.  These themes are irrelevant to the ones that were influenced by the devastation of the Vietnam War.

[1] Davidson, Gienapp, Heyrman, Lytle, & Stoff. (2006). Nation of Nations. Boston: McGraw-Hill. pg. 883.
[2] Davidson, Gienapp, Heyrman, Lytle, & Stoff. (2006). Nation of Nations. Boston: McGraw-Hill. pg. 324-326.
[3] Sly and the Family Stone Thank You Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin http://www.lyricsdownload.com/sly-and-the-family-stone-thank-you-falettinme-be-mice-elf-agin
[4] Simon and Garfunkel’s Bridge Over Troubled Water http://www.geocities.com/WileyMike/6Bridge.html
[5] need link from Vernon
[6] “American Women” http://www.superseventies.com/1970_2singles.html
[7] M*A*S*H http://movies2.nytimes.com/gst/movies/movie.html?v_id=64361
[8] Shocking Blue. “Venus.” http://www.lyricsdomain.com/19/shocking_blue/venus.html
[9] The Jackson 5 ABC http://www.superseventies.com/1970_6singles.html

We had to do a lot of research to write this blog.  We split up the work so each of us had to research two of the top 10 movies and two of the top 10 songs.  Tri researched "I Want You Back" and "Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head" along with M*A*S*H and Patton. Brittany researched "Venus," "Thank You Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin," The Artistocats and Woodstock. Vernon concentrated on "Bridge Over Troubled Water," "Let It Be," Love Story and Airport.  James found information about "ABC," "American Woman," Little Big Man, and Ryan's Daughter, while Mark researched "Everything Is Beautiful," "Long and Winding Road," Tora!Tora!Tora! and Catch-22.  After receiving all of this information over the weekend, Brittany wrote a rough draft which she sent to Tri for revision.  He revised the rough draft and wrote the introduction and conclusion.  Brittany wrote the group report too.

    Towards the end of the 1960s and beginning of the 1970s, America struggled to improve societal and economic conditions.  The country’s economy experienced severe recession and inflation which left many Americans poverished and unemployed.  The rise of counter culture and racial tension divided the nation deeply [1].  “But the Vietnam War, more than any other single factor, destroyed the promise of prosperity, equality, and a Great Society” [2].  The Vietnam War brought an onset of counter cultural beliefs for Americans who were in and out of the country.  Within the country, music, film, and various past times were susceptible to influences from the war.  The following top 10 films and songs of 1970 in accordance to domestic review have either been susceptible or non-susceptible to the influences of the Vietnam War.

    The Vietnam War had certain influences among the top ten songs in 1970.  The number one song of 1970 was B.J. Thomas’s “Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head.”  This song, to a degree, refers to the events occurring in America during the Vietnam War.  This song is about an individual who can’t get away from the raindrops that keep falling on his head.  The raindrops are a symbolic representation of the turmoil and chaos that have fallen upon the Americans.  The person in the song disapproves of the sun sleeping on his job and causing continuous rainfall.  The sun serves as an equivalent to the United States Government.  American’s believed the government wasn’t executing the war in Vietnam properly.  Civilians and military personnel eventually developed feelings of betrayal and animosity to their government.  The song also has a powerful message to the American people though, especially the soldiers in Vietnam.  The song emphasizes that hope and happiness shall prevail at the end of the road.  The #4 song, “Thank You Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin” by Sly and the Family Stone, also makes references to the Vietnam War.  Lyrics such as “Lookin' at the devil, grinnin' at his gun, Fingers start shakin' I begin to run, bullets start chasin' I begin to stop, we begin to wrestle, I was on the top” and “Flamin' eyes of people fear, burnin' into you many men are missin' much, hatin' what they do” describe the emotional terrors of Americans serving in the war. [3]  The #5 song, Simon and Garfunkel’s “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” is an uplifting song that was used to support the mentality’s of those who had or lost loved ones fighting in Vietnam.  The lyrics show comfort and support as it reads “When you’re weary, feeling small, when tears are in your eyes, I will dry them all I’m on your side when times get rough.” [4] This song shows that through rough times, hope shall prevail.  The #6 song, “Let It Be,” by the Beatles is similar to “Bridge over Troubled Water” since it too is an inspirational and comforting song.  This song informs people that it is best to live life with “words of wisdom.” [5]  “Bridge Over Troubled Water” and “Let It Be” reflect on the idea that individuals are capable of overcoming their tribulations.  The #8 song, “American Women” by The Guess Who was a controversial song during the war.  The lyrics make it appear as if the singer wants the American women to get away from him and this was interpreted to have connections with the draft. [6]  The lyrics are a scathing commentary on America's imperialistic attitude towards Vietnam.  Ray Steven’s #9 song, “Everything Is Beautiful,” preaches on anti-racism, anti-discrimination, peace, and harmony.  It gives the perspective of what the world should be like and that everyone should get along instead of fighting.  The #10 song, “Long and Winding Road,” by the Beatles also reflects on abandonment and loneliness.  This can be related to the soldiers serving in Vietnam and how they felt being away from their loved ones.

    In addition to music, movies also had ties to the events occurring in the Vietnam War.  The #3 move,“M*A*S*H,* by Robert Altman, tells the story of two surgeons working in a mobile surgical hospital during the Korean War.  Although the plot of the film is set during the Korean War, the film’s significance is attributed to the instance of the Vietnam War.  The #4 movie, Patton, by Franklin J. Schaffner, depicts the controversial career of famous World War II General George S. Patton, Jr.  The movie depicts Patton’s life during the war from his rise to fall as a World War II commander.  The film portrays Patton as a tremendously flawed individual, but the film also signifies his sense of duty, honor, and patriotism.  Patton’s positive and negative qualities are shown in an unbiased manner.  This portrayal of such a man parallels with the experiences the American soldiers may have faced during the Vietnam War.  Such parallels include mental, spiritual, and emotional struggles of war.  In comparing the two films, both are complete polar opposites of each other.  M*A*S*H, condemns the United States Government for involving in the Vietnam War through satirical and comical means.  This film truly embraces an anti-war, anti-establishment, and anti-religion stance [7].  However; Patton, portrays Patton as a direct representation of the emotionally distraught American’s serving in the Vietnam War.  The #9 movie, “Tora! Tora! Tora!,” delineates the events that lead up to that attack on Pearl Harbor.  The film shows war’s inhumanity and directs these feelings to the war in Vietnam. The #10 movie, “Catch-22,” however; takes an anti-war approach as it shows the main character, Yossarian, trying to escape his duties as a soldier by claiming insanity.    The #2 movie, “Airport” is about a blizzard that strikes the Lincoln Airport and causes a plane to get stuck in a snow drift.  The primary runway gets shutdown and problems slowly begin to arise due to their setback.  The stranded people at the airport represent the stranded American soldiers in Vietnam.  The #8 movie, “Ryan’s Daughter,” also emphasizes on the Vietnam War by introducing the events of the Irish Rebellion in1916.  The feelings of betrayal and hate the Irish had towards their nation were similarly felt by the Americans towards their own government during 1970.

    While many popular songs and movies focused on the war, others didn’t.  Love songs were made for people to escape the extremities of war.  This is evident in the #2 song, “I Want You Back,” by the Jackson Five.  This song tells the story of an individual who took his lover’s companionship for granted.  She left him for another person and now he is full of regret.  The #3 song of 1970, “Venus” by Shocking Blue is a song about beauty and love, with lyrics such as, “The summit of Beauty in love/And Venus was her name” [8]. The # 7 song, “ABC,” by the Jackson Five also didn’t reflect on the Vietnam War.  The song simply encouraged education among young Americans. [9]  Aside from music, 1970 films such as the #1 “Love Story,” #5 “Aristocats,” #6 “Woodstock,” and #7 “Little Big Man” too lacked references to the war.  “Love Story” is about a rich girl who falls in love with a low class girl and the problems they encounter due to their differences.  The Aristocrats is a Disney film where a cat inherits lots of money and gets the baggage that comes with it.  The cat’s family is ultimately kidnapped and it’s up to him for their rescue.  “Woodstock” depicts the popular three day musical extravaganza that most young Americans go to.  “Little Big Man,” is lastly a comedy about a man's experience in the closing days of western cowboy life.  These songs and films lack correlation to the war.  They offer no insight or importance to the events happening in this time frame.

    More films and songs were influenced by the Vietnam War than others.  It is unique though how the songs and films that have traces of Vietnam influence are geared towards an adult audience.  The songs and films that avoided the conflicts of 1970 represented the positive attitudes that the Americans were searching for.  The family oriented films ranged from comedy to drama, but focused on encouraging the ideas of heroism and patriotism.  The songs emphasized on love and compassion.  These themes are irrelevant to the ones that were influenced by the devastation of the Vietnam War.

[1] Davidson, Gienapp, Heyrman, Lytle, & Stoff. (2006). Nation of Nations. Boston: McGraw-Hill. pg. 883.
[2] Davidson, Gienapp, Heyrman, Lytle, & Stoff. (2006). Nation of Nations. Boston: McGraw-Hill. pg. 324-326.
[3] Sly and the Family Stone Thank You Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin http://www.lyricsdownload.com/sly-and-the-family-stone-thank-you-falettinme-be-mice-elf-agin
[4] Simon and Garfunkel’s Bridge Over Troubled Water http://www.geocities.com/WileyMike/6Bridge.html
[5] need link from Vernon
[6] “American Women” http://www.superseventies.com/1970_2singles.html
[7] M*A*S*H http://movies2.nytimes.com/gst/movies/movie.html?v_id=64361
[8] Shocking Blue. “Venus.” http://www.lyricsdomain.com/19/shocking_blue/venus.html
[9] The Jackson 5 ABC http://www.superseventies.com/1970_6singles.html

We had to do a lot of research to write this blog.  We split up the work so each of us had to research two of the top 10 movies and two of the top 10 songs.  Tri researched "I Want You Back" and "Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head" along with M*A*S*H and Patton. Brittany researched "Venus," "Thank You Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin," The Artistocats and Woodstock. Vernon concentrated on "Bridge Over Troubled Water," "Let It Be," Love Story and Airport.  James found information about "ABC," "American Woman," Little Big Man, and Ryan's Daughter, while Mark researched "Everything Is Beautiful," "Long and Winding Road," Tora!Tora!Tora! and Catch-22.  After receiving all of this information over the weekend, Brittany wrote a rough draft which she sent to Tri for revision.  He revised the rough draft and wrote the introduction and conclusion.  Brittany wrote the group report too.

#10 - 1950s Photo Essay

My 1950s Photo Essay - Fallout Shelters in the 1950s

#9 - Comments

I commented on the following:

Estephanie's Post #7 - Civil War Photo Essay

Taylor's Post #7 - Photo Album

Group 6's Post #8 - State of Montana vs. Rehberg and Societies Impact on the Outcome

#8: The State vs. Rheberg

In the trial of the State vs. Rehberg (1885), Edward Rehberg is accused of committing second-degree murder.  Edward is accused of fatally beating his young daughter, Clara Rehberg, to the point of inducing septicemia and piemia to produce gangrene.  Clearly on the basis of the information and evidence provided in the written transcript, a 20th century jury would find Edward innocent of committing murder.  Louisa Rehberg, stepmother to the Rehberg children, would instead be charged for the crime since all the evidence from the witness testimonies indicates her as the primary suspect.  Although the evidence points to Louisa, it is most likely that Edward would still be found guilty in a nineteenth century court room.  Individuals from the 19th century were heavily influenced by the Second Great Awakening and post Civil War attitudes.  There beliefs and ideology differed greatly to those of the 20th century thinkers.  When comparing a 19th century American jury to that of a 20th, the verdict for the State vs. Rehberg trial would be different between the two solely on the basis of family values and education within a societal ranking system.
    The nineteenth century jury would have found Edward guilty due to the oblivious assumption that women were incapable of committing atrocious acts, such as murder. They viewed that women took part in a “socially defined role as guardians of morality” [1].  They were domesticated to provide care within their homes and construct an environment away from the competitive work place [2].  A mother was the source for emotional support where she would provide love, comfort, and teaching values to her children [3].  The nineteenth century conditioned society to believe that women were incapable of being violent and their firm beliefs would overshadow the natural state of the trial.  Edward would most likely be convicted and incarcerated for the jury’s one-sided reasoning. 
    The twentieth century jury, however; would disregard such beliefs and take into consideration the testimonies and evidence to prove Edward’s innocence.  Every witness stated in their testimony that Edward had spent the whole day working on the haystack and the only time he left the haystack was to eat [6].  Even during his meals he was accompanied by his co-worker, Joe Tiebow.  His constant presence around people would’ve confirmed the jury’s belief that he must have lacked the capacity to attack Clara.  Over the course of time, society has accepted that in addition to men, women were also capable of committing evil crimes.  The twentieth century courts evolved to form an impartial justice system with discrete legislation.  This level of sophistication demonstrated in the twentieth century jury would inevitably serve justice by validating Edward’s innocence and convict the true criminal, Louisa. 
    During the course of the trial, Clara’s final words were mentioned as testimony for the jury.  Her “deathbed declaration” stated that it was her stepmother, Louisa Rehberg and not her father, who was the cause of her condition [5].  The nineteenth century jury would presumably invalidate her testimony based on her age, gender, and social status.  The Rehberg’s were part of the lower social class during this time in history.  Nineteenth century jurors viewed children, such as Clara, to be uneducated individuals who lack the qualifications necessary to distinguish what is right from wrong.  The jury would overlook Clara’s deathbed declaration and continue to prosecute Edward. 
    The twentieth century, on the other hand, would be attentive to Clara’s final words and incorporate that into their overall decision for Edward’s verdict.  Moving from the twentieth century till now, it is mandatory for children in America to attend public schools, no matter where they may stand on society’s social ladder.  This requirement for children to receive an education increases a broader range of children becoming intelligent thus making their decisions more credible.  Clara’s testimony would no doubt leave the twentieth century jury exculpating Edward’s accusation and convict the most sensible suspect, Louisa.
    Many differences can be acknowledged in how a nineteenth or twentieth century jury would perceive the case of the State vs. Rehberg (1885).  The various movements that swept through the nineteenth century left society classifying that an individual’s level of education was dependent on the state of his/her social class.  Society viewed children and women as frivolous beings.  These assumptions, however; would no longer be of importance for the twentieth century thinkers.  The sophisticated level of thinking shown in the twentieth century jurors would demonstrate the true nature of justice by surmounting the clouded and improbable judgments of the jurors in the nineteenth century.

[1] Davidson, et al., Nation of Nations, 320.
[2] ibid., 319.
[3] ibid.
[4] ibid., 320.
[5] State vs. Rehberg, Reader, 32.
[6] ibid., 17-32.

#7 - Foreshadowing Freedom

Photo Essay - Black Soldiers During the Civil War

#6 - Comments

I commented for these three members of my comment group:

Lauren Individual Post #4 - Sometimes Ignorance May be a Strength

Jamison Individual Post #4 - Native American Exodus

Taylor  Individual Post #4 - How Native Americans Changed in the 19th Century

#4 - Trail of Changes

     Beginning in the 1820s, whites expanded their agrarian-favored society by the removal of the Native American Indians in the west. As this pressure for removal was at hand, their views and attitudes of Indians had changed as they "began to argue that the Indian was a permanently inferior savage who blocked progress [1]." The Indians angrily refused the idea of leaving their lands. In 1827, "the Cherokees adopted a written constitution modeled after that of the United States [1]" trying to adopt white ways and avoid any forms of removal. Also, they even "enacted the death penalty for any member who sold tribal lands to whites without consent of the governing genereal council [1]." When Congress passed a removal bill in 1830, the Cherokees still retaliated by filing a suit in federal court: the case of Worcester v. Georgia, which ruled that Georgia had no right to extend its laws over Cherokee territory [1].  Despite such desperate attempts to keep their lands, the Indians were removed and their traditional culture fusioned with white customs and lifestyles. In his painting, "Pigeon's Egg Head", George Catlin shows the relinquished and "child-like" transformation of the Indians from American influence.

     Catlin uses a before and after appearance to express the change of culture. His painting shows a traditional Indian standing next to his American-altered self. The traditional Indian is wearing an enthusiastic head dress, hinting him as a chief of his village. His serious facial expression and proud posture shows his stoic and dignified characteristics. His outfit is ornate and filled with richness; this speculates that he was a high rank of his people. He is holding a piece pipe, adding to the conviviality of his appearance. Overall, his colorful and intricuate quality of his dress allows the viewer of the painting to feel the originality and innovativeness of the Indian people. Behind this traditional Indian is a faded picture of the Capitol, which foreshadows the conversion of his physical appearance and lifestyle of white culture.

     The American-altered Indian shows a blatant comparison to his old self. An obvious change to white culture is shown as he resembles the military. He is wearing an epillette on his shoulder and the stripes on his legs corresponds to a military official status. His graceful posture has changed to a soldiery stance, as if he had something to drink; a bottle is even shown on his back pocket. His seriousness is diminished as he is smoking a charoot and has heels on his boots. This changed Indian also looks confused as he is wearing female-like clothing. He seems fascinated by things like a child, still exploring what the white culture has to give. Behind this altered Indian are tipees, and this faded image flashbacks to his old, comfortable ways.

     The Indians were assured by Jackson that they would be removed only voluntarily, but "the governments harassed the tribes into surrending lands [1]." In the end, the Choctaws, Chickasaws, Creeks, and Cherokees were inevitably removed and sent to present-day Oklahoma. The Trail of Tears was tragic as "of the 15,000 who traveled, approximately one-quarter died along the way of exposure, disease, and exhaustation [1]." Not only suffering from physical pain and emotional losses, these Indians lost something precious to them: their culture and way of life.

[1] Davidson, Gienapp, Heyrman, Lytle, & Stoff. (2006). Nation of Nations. Boston: McGraw-Hill. pg. 295-297.

Comments

I commented on Lauren's Post,Jamison's Post, and Group 6's Group Post #2

#2 - The American Joke

         In the Mid to late 18th century a rise for a revolution instilled Americans with turmoil and resentment towards their superior counterpart, the British Empire.  The series of British Acts passed would eventually leave the American colonies directing a revolt for their independence.  The British believed that Americans were "selfish and self-interested, unconcerned with the welfare of the empire as a whole." [1] The British disregarded the American resistance and even took light of the situation by mocking the political activism of American women.  The British began expressing their political scorn towards patriotic American women in cartoons and artworks. The political cartoon, "Society of Patriotic Women, Edenton, North Carolina," emphasizes on three important ideas; the loss of femininity, responsibility, and family values for American Women during the American Revolution.

       An aspect of the cartoon is the unattractive portrayal of American women.  A woman in the front of the painting can be seen bending over and showing her large backside to the viewer.  This feature is unladylike and leaves the viewer with unpleasant thoughts on American women.  The cartoon showed women taking on men's role and participating in politics.  During the 18th century, as a part of the status quo for British ideology, women had limited rights that forbade them to govern in politics.  The idea of women contributing to law was absurd and unheard of according to the British, but in America, women were taking charge and helping their government.  Colonials were protesting and their upheaval brought much disruption to British rule.  In 1768 the Daughters of Liberty took part in protesting the Townshend Acts by wearing homespun clothes instead of English finery, served coffee instead of tea, and boycotted shops selling British goods [1].  Political cartoons, much like the "Society of Patriotic Women, Edenton, North Carolina," served as a medium for the British to express their disgust and disdain views on American women "

       The cartoonist continues to stress the idea that women lack the responsibilities to govern politics by exposing sex and alcohol in the artwork.  In the background of the drawing, a woman is seen drinking what is likely alcohol out of a bowl and another is holding a flask that contains it.  While the wom en in the background are drinking alcohol, a man in the front of the painting is seducing a woman working on a political document.  These features direct a misconception towards American women by making them appear corrupt and loose.  With the lack of being responsible women, the British began diminishing the integrity of Americans with various forms of artwork.  These artworks would serve as political propaganda permitting the British to take light of the American Revolution.

        In addition to the lack of women's responsibilities, the British believed the idea that family values in America were deteriorating.  The cartoon shows a baby sitting underneath a table, with a tray of food spilled in front of her.  There is also a dog present licking the baby's face and urinating on the floor beside her.  This unsanitary presence depicts the room being chaotic and unruly.  A woman's traditional duty was to care for her family and step out of politics.  The cartoonist strongly points out their belief that women in America were losing their moral values and respect for themselves.  Their contribution to politics is generating problems and disturbances for not only their government, but their families too.  The lack of control and dirty conditions of the room gives the British more reasons to disregard the American Revolution.

       The initial process of the American Revolution sparked little to no interest for the British authority.  The British dismissed them as a "discontented radical fringe."[1] Their mockery of American women consisted of the utmost absurd obscenities.  The physical, intellectual, and moral behaviors these women are demonstrating are in complete opposition to how civilized beings should behave.  The British believed that women lacked the right to participate in governmental politics.  This belief would only lead to an unexpected, undesired result where the desire for freedom and independence would instill strength and courage for the Americans.  This strength and courage could be found in every patriotic American and it was what allowed them to surmount over the most powerful European empire of the 18th century.

[1] Davidson, Gienapp, Heyrman, Lytle, & Stoff. (2006). Nation of Nations. Boston: McGraw-Hill. pg.124,130,136.