The dust bowl
I read a book a long time ago called out of the dust by Karen Hesse. It is about a young girl and is a good read, as long as you forget that the book is historical fiction and someone could have gotten killed by it, could have lived that way.
This novel was written to describe the horrible conditions the dust bowl was under. It was a horrible, terrifying hell, which is why so many people left States such as Oklahoma, where this book is set.
The people left not only for economic hatdships, but also for pure terror of being caught in a large wind, blowing enough topsoil to suffocate a person.
There were many things that the United States did to change this, and those things worked, such as using:
Cover crops
Drip irrigation
And other means of keeping the topsoil where it is supposed to be- on top of the soil, not in the air. Many of the ideas with sustainable farming keep topsoil where it is supposed to be, which is a great resin to switch to sustainable farming.
Out of the dust, Karen Hesse
Friday, May 18, 2018
Bessie Coleman, a queen
Bessie Coleman was an amazing woman. I've written multiple blog posts about Amelia Earhart, another female pilot, but history often overlooks Bessie Coleman. As a woman who was both black and Native American, Bessie Coleman is not treated with the same respect that Amelia Earhart was, even though Bessie Coleman began flying much earlier than Amelia Earhart. She was the first civilian African American pilot in the world. She spent her youth working in a cotton field after she was born in 1892. When she decided to become a pilot, no schools in America would take her. She was a black woman, and wasn't treated with respect. She went to France to go to flight school. Bessie left for France in 1921, and learned to fly. She used her position for good once she gained fame. She refused to perform unless the audiences were desegregated, and donated the money she earned to start a flight school for black people.
https://www.nationalaviation.org/our-enshrinees/coleman-bessie/
https://www.nationalaviation.org/our-enshrinees/coleman-bessie/
Gerrymandering in America
You might have heard the term "gerrymandering" being thrown around on the news in recent years. The topic has had growing importance in politics as some people have noticed Republicans have had an unfairly easy time in controlling the House of Representatives. In fact, an incredible amount of districts are super gerrymandered, as shown below.
But how does gerrymandering happen? Well, since the task of drawing up a state's congressional districts usually falls to a state's legislature, when a certain party controls the state legislature, they are often prone to drawing the district lines in order to give their party the most districts. One drastic example of this is North Carolina, which has undergone extreme redistricting based on which party controls the state legislature and therefore makes the congressional map.
While both parties gerrymander, with Democrats actually making the trend popular in the lates 1990s by gerrymandering Southern districts to keep their control of the South as Republicanism swept through the South. However, in recent years, Republicans have been more known to gerrymander, with the Republican strongholds of North Carolina, West Virginia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Utah, Arkansas, and Ohio all only being so strong due to Republican state legislature manipulation. There are actually far more Democratic votes cast in these elections that are represented in the House.
To be fair, Democrats gerrymander as well, with the states of Maryland and California (yes, even California) being gerrymandered to give an advantage to Democratic candidates.
For those concerned about this pressing issue that turns our representation into some sort of manipulation puzzle game for state legislature majority parties, there is hope. In the past year, outraged Democrats in North Carolina, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania and Republicans in Maryland have filed cases citing gerrymandering as illegal manipulation of voter representation. Well, these cases have been very controversial, with some even reaching the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court temporarily blocked pleas to change the North Carolina map, but chose not to block a similar case out of Pennsylvania, allowing the districts to be redrawn.
Clearly, gerrymandering is a complex issue that will not be easily solved. However, with newly gained attention and court cases that have or may reach the Supreme Court, people remain hopeful that something will be done about this immoral process which has infiltrated our democracy.
https://www.britannica.com/topic/gerrymandering
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2015/03/01/this-is-the-best-explanation-of-gerrymandering-you-will-ever-see/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.10ffa40ae19a
https://rantt.com/the-top-10-most-gerrymandered-states-in-america/
https://www.brennancenter.org/analysis/ongoing-partisan-gerrymandering-cases
The Third Wave
The Third Wave was an experiment in 1967 that was lead by Ron Jones, then a young teacher at Palo Alto High School. Yes, this experiment took place in California, right near here, more than 50 years ago. Jones was teaching his students about the Holocaust and the inaction of the German population. His students could not grapple with the idea that people could accept and perpetuate such a terrible ideology. In response, Jones believed that an experiment in fascism might teach them better than anything he could recall from history. So began a four-day experiment where a group of high school students became a microcosm for the fascist regime of the past.
On the first day, Jones began with extensive drilling of his students and proper seating. They were told to sit up straight and greet him uniformly when he entered the class. They were told to address him as Mr. Jones and be proper with asking and answering questions. In addition, one of the provisions for the experiment was that if the students went along, they would get an A, and if they tried to overthrow him, they’d get an F. If they did not want to participate, they would be sent to the library. In addition, they were told this movement was one that was going to overthrow democracy. Ethically, this was of course questionable. However, it had the effect that Jones had intended.
Jones initially planned the experiment to only last one day, but it didn’t. On the second day, the class had adopted a strong sense of discipline and community, and were taught a salute similar to Hitler salute of the old Nazi regime. They were told to salute each other outside of class as well. The students were told that the experiment extended to outside of school, and any student who did not comply with this would be punished.
By the third day, the experiment had gathered a following, expanding past just his class to students who had a free period and were interested in this event. More elements were adopted, such as member cards and tasks for the members. Jones was surprised when members began to approach him with information on other members who were not fulfilling their responsibilities. The class had tremendous motivation by this point, and each student’s academic scores had improved.
The fourth day was when Jones decided the experiment had gone out of his control, and needed to end. He falsely announced that this was a nationwide movement, and a presidential candidate would be revealed the next day.
On the final day Jones revealed the candidate, which was just a static screen, and then told his students about the implications of the experiment. He then played a video on the Nazis. Some students had their suspicions confirmed about the experiment, while others were horrified at their descent into fascism. They all realized the power of the such a movement, and while his means definitely were not justified, Jones had taught them a valuable lesson about the motivations of the German people. It goes to show that the reality of the past is different from the lens we see it through from the future, and there is more the issue than meets the eye.
How Hawaii Became a state
Queen Liliuokalani was the last queen of Hawaii. She became the queen in 1891, after her brother, who was the king, died. Her brother, King Kalakaua had been forced by white farmers to sign "The Bayonet Constitution." It limited the monarchy's power and gave more power to white Americans. Queen Liliuokalani drafted a new constitution which gave more power to the monarchy as well as restoring rights to native Hawaiians. White people did not approve. They formed a “committee of public Safety” (if you’re a monarch and your citizens form a Committee of Public Safety, you know that nothing good is to come.) They formed a mob and went to discourage the queen from signing her own constitution. The US navy decided to protect the mob during their coup. The queen was forced to abdicate, and the white farmers formed a provisional government. They accused Queen Liliuokalani of treason and put her under house arrest in her palace for defending her right to the throne. President Benjamin Harrison approved of the annexation of Hawaii into the United States after that. After that, Grover Cleveland was the president, and he said he wouldn't approve of the annexation. After deciding that the coup was unjust, he turned the matter to congress. Congress decided to recognize the provisional government white farmers set up, led by Sanford Dole. Dole as in Dole pineapples. Although Queen Liliuokalani was under house arrest, she wouldn't stop fighting for Hawaii and the rights of Native Hawaiians. She went to congress as soon as she was released to fight for rights, but at that point the Spanish American war started, and Hawaii was seen as a strategic stronghold. The government decided to annex Hawaii, and Queen Liliuokalani lost her title as queen. However, she never stopped fighting for good. She was proud of her identity as a Hawaiian, and refused to watch the annexation ceremony. She started a foundation to help orphans in Hawaii, and even wrote music that is still used today.
http://www.anb.org/view/10.1093/anb/9780198606697.001.0001/anb-9780198606697-e-0300590
http://www.anb.org/view/10.1093/anb/9780198606697.001.0001/anb-9780198606697-e-0300590
Coakley vs. Brown: A Stunning Upset in a Very "Blue" State
As 2009 wound down, a powerful movement was growing: the "Tea Party". This group of conservatives was strongly motivated by religion, the second amendment, and a feeling that the government was not representing them at all. Led by individuals such as Sarah Palin and Paul Ryan, the Tea Party became a grassroots movement, spreading across the country and inciting conservatives to flock to the polls.
One of the most shocking results of this movement was a special election in Massachusetts on January 19, 2010. The race gained notable attention for two reasons. First, the special election was being held to replace the seat held by Ted Kennedy since 1962. Massachusetts had seemed generally very happy with the performance of this liberal senator, so it was expected that someone just as liberal would replace him.
The second reason the race was closely watched was because of the current balance of power in the Senate. Following the Democratic sweep in 2008, Democrats controlled 60 seats in the Senate, while the Republicans controlled 40. With such a majority by the Democrats, it was impossible for Republicans to hold a filibuster, negotiating on and possibly blocking some bills. This allowed Democrats, who also held a majority in the House, to freely pass whatever bills they wanted to. For this reason, Republicans were very hopeful that there would be an upset in consistently Democratic Massachusetts that would change the seat count to D-59 and R-41. With one more seat to their name, the Republicans would legally be allowed to filibuster.
The Democratic candidate in the race was Martha Coakley, Massachusetts's popular attorney general who had easily won her primary a few months before the general election. She was highly expected to win the race without much difficulty.
The Republicans chose Scott Brown, a relatively unknown Massachusetts state senator. However, despite his lack of recognition, Brown had his own powerful weapons. First, he had the support of the Tea Party movement, which was developing great power in sending conservatives to the polls and creating revolutions. Second, he was able to play on the fears of moderates who seemed worried at the performance of the Obama administration. Shaky attempts to pass the tax bill and the health care bill using only the support of Democrats had been two lows in Obama's track record that concerned everyone from conservatives to moderates to even some liberals.
Despite a history of Democrats in the state, which would indicate a strong win by Coakley, Brown appeared to be doing amazingly well in the polls. What he would bring as a new outsider to Congress who would promise to oppose some of the actions unpopular to the general public had proved effective in winning over independents and even Democrats. Coakley grew increasingly concerned about her chances, and realizing this vote would determine whether Democrats could prevent filibusters or not, she decided she needed to call Obama up to Massachusetts the weekend before the election.
However, this last-minute attempt to send Democrats to the polls in droves did not succeed, to the dismay of Democrats trying to pass the healthcare bill. Brown won a stunning upset, 52% to 48%, and took hold of the 41st seat necessary for filibusters.
https://www.politico.com/story/2010/01/brown-pulls-off-historic-upset-031674
https://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/20/us/politics/20election.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate_special_election_in_Massachusetts,_2010#General_election_campaign
David Boies
David Boies
David Boies is a remarkable man who has shaped American society with his actions. He is lawyer whose cases have greatly influenced the modern era, and he continues to have an impact. David Boies is known for his involvement in the Westmoreland vs. CBS case, the IBM cases, the case of the 2000 election, and, most famously, the antitrust case against Microsoft. Recently he has been the subject of some controversy due to his representation of the media mogul turned social pariah Harvey Weinstein. Boies is exceptionally intelligent, with a near photographic memory and the ability to flawlessly hold several conversations at once. He is undoubtedly one of if not the most prominent trial lawyer of this generation.
Boies was born in Marengo, Illinois to two teachers. He was raised in a farming community before moving to California, where he graduated from Fullerton Union High School. He married his high school sweetheart and considered settling down, but decided instead to enroll in college. He attended a small Baptist school before transferring to Northwestern University. At Northwestern, Boies shined. He was the top student by far, and this was where he got interested in law. By this time he was separated from his first wife, and he met his second wife while at the school. Unfortunately, this woman was married to a professor, and the ensuing scandal lead to his banishment from the school. He was fine, however, because he was able to transfer into Yale, his dream school, for a program in law and economics. He was hired right out of college by Cravath, a fairly prominent law firm at the time. It was at Cravath that Boise began his conquest of the litigation world. It was after his tenure at this firm, however, that he was asked by the U.S. Department of Justice to try their case against Microsoft and Bill Gates for violating the antitrust laws. Boies agreed, and so began his involvement in one of the most important cases for the new era of technology. This exchange was immortalized when the two clashed, and Gates’ deposition was a clear demonstration of his underestimation of Boies. In the end, Boies won, and Gates and Microsoft were humbled by the power of this lawyer. Boies later stated that he would not have minded representing Gates and Microsoft, as he takes cases based on interest, and to him Gates was certainly an interesting guy. Boies then went on to represent Al Gore in his case of the 2000 election, where unfortunately he lost when the Supreme Court ordered the recount to stop.
This man, David Boies, is a remarkable individual whose actions have molded the laws of recent history, not by changing them, but by upholding them in the pursuit of justice. He will go down in history as one of the greatest American trial lawyers of all time. While he will not join the U.S. Justice Department, his involvement with some of the most pivotal cases of recent history have enshrined him in this history of America’s government.
Sacco and Vanzetti Case
Sacco and Vanzetti Case
On April 15, 1920, a paymaster for a shoe company in Massachusetts was murdered, as well as his guard. The perpetrators of the crime, described as two Italian men, escaped with more than $15,000. On May 5, 1920, Sacco and Vanzetti, two Italian anarchists, were arrested for the crime. Although both men were found with guns and told lies when they were arrested, the police had trouble linking them to the crime.
The trial of Sacco and Vanzetti happened during the Red Scare, when people everywhere were afraid of Communists and other radicals. This led many to believe that the arrest of Sacco and Vanzetti was very biased because they were both anarchists and being subjected to lots of unfair prejudice. The defense lawyer, Fred. H Moore, tried to turn Sacco and Vanzetti into typical working class people, hoping it would draw support from the masses. This seemed to work, as groups such as the New England Civil Liberties Union joined and lent their support to Sacco and Vanzetti’s defense. When the trial finally opened on May 31, 1921, it was heavily guarded by police, showing just how
During the trial, District Attorney Frederick Katzman used ballistics experts to demonstrate that the bullets fired were fired from Sacco’s gun. In addition, he provided evidence that Sacco was absent from work on that day, and he was wearing a cap that was left behind during the crime. However, the defense provided several witnesses saying that Sacco was elsewhere on the day of the crime. The cap however, was a difficulty for the defense. Katzman had a medical examiner confirm that the hairs from the cap matched Sacco’s hair.
The case against Vanzetti was a lot weaker. While there were many eyewitnesses who claimed to identify Sacco, none of them identified Vanzetti. Katzman built on the fact that the gun found on Vanzetti was the same type of gun that was stolen from the paymaster’s guard. In addition, Katzman emphasized that Vanzetti’s initial lies about his weapons suggested consciousness of guilt.
In addition to fighting to prove their innocence, there was lots of drama in the courtroom as Sacco and Vanzetti tried to promote their anarchist ideals. This certainly did not help their case, and on July 14, the Jury decided that Sacco and Vanzetti were both guilty. Many large protests incorporating working class people occured after this conviction, the largest being in France and Italy. A bomb would also explode in the American Embassy in France.
Despite several attempts at postponing the execution Sacco and Vanzetti would be executed in August,1927. Their deaths triggered widespread protests not just in America, but in Europe as well. A mob of 5,000 in Geneva all things American, and in Germany six were killed during the protests. Although it is unclear to this day whether or not Sacco and Vanzetti were actually guilty, the lack of solid evidence used in their conviction convinced many that they were a victim of nativism and prejudice against radicals.
Sources:
Education and Schools: The 1800's and Now.
Education has changed a lot from the times of one-room schoolhouses to the present with schools like Los Altos High. In early middle America, most students didn't go to school year-round like present day, but it should also be noted that the reason summer vacation exists is that of the original education system. Most farmers back then would keep their kids on the farm if it would get busy. Since summer is the time of harvest, most kids wouldn't be going to school much, ergo, summer break. A difference between schools back in the 1800's and present day is the concepts taught. While there was still basic things like math and English, there was more of a focus on "Real Life" concepts. For example, in a link I have provided at the bottom of the page, rests examples of question from an 8th grade final in 1895. One of the later questions asks the student to fill out a receipt and a bank note. While these things today are more digital, it cannot be disproved that there aren't any "Real Life" Classes for things like doing taxes or managing money. The closest thing to that would be Autoshop, but that's been around for decades in most schools that can have it. There is also of course, the discrimination involved when looking at schools in the 1800's. The vast majority of Girls didn't go to school, as decided by their parents, and schools were also divided by race and religion. Finally, I want to mention how, for most middle class kids, the 8th, grade was their final year of education. Since High Schools which at the time were called grammar schools, were only in big cities and towns, and also expensive, most kids just didn't go. They would go on to become farmers, like their parents. Overall, education and how schools work is a lot better, but could be improved, mainly with the addition of "Real Life" topics. If I could take a class on how to manage money or how to invest properly, I would be all over that!
Sources:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2015/10/16/heres-the-famous-1895-eighth-grade-test-from-kansas-see-how-you-would-do/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.39ab33129624
http://mentalfloss.com/article/58705/11-ways-school-was-different-1800s
Sources:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2015/10/16/heres-the-famous-1895-eighth-grade-test-from-kansas-see-how-you-would-do/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.39ab33129624
http://mentalfloss.com/article/58705/11-ways-school-was-different-1800s
Iranian Hostage Crisis
The Iranian Hostage Crisis
The Iranian Hostage Crisis began on November 4, 1979, when a large mob of Iranian students stormed the US Embassy in Tehran, and took 66 hostages. 52 of these hostages would be held for over a year. This crisis marked the end of American involvement in Iranian affairs, and would heavily damage American-Iranian relations.
The hostage crisis had its origins in events related to American interference in Iran. Oil was a very important resource, and British and American companies controlled most of Iran’s petroleum reserves. In 1951, when Iranian Prime Minister Mohammed Mossadegh announced plans to nationalize the Iranian Oil Industry. In response to this, the American CIA and the British devised a coup to overthrow Mossadegh and replace him with a pro western leader.
The plot succeeded, and Mohammad Shah Reza Pahlavi, a member of the Iranian royal family, became the new leader. Pahlavi was very pro - western, and agreed to give 80% of all oil reserves to the Americans and British. Iranians were very upset by what they saw as American involvement in their affairs. To make matters worse, Pahlavi was a dictator who used his secret police to brutally suppress the people. By the 1970s, the Iranian people were fed up Pahlavi. They turned to Ruhollah Khomeini, a radical Islamic cleric, who preached about revolution and more Iranian autonomy. In July, 1979, the Iranian people forced Pahlavi out of government. When the US government allowed Pahlavi into the United States for cancer treatment, anti US fervor in Iran exploded. On November 4, 1979, angry Iranian students entered the embassy and took many embassy workers hostage.
Diplomacy was largely ineffective, as both sides could not reach a deal to release the hostages. Iran demanded that Pahlavi be extradited to Iran for trial, whilst the US froze Iranian assets in America. Unable to reach a diplomatic settlement, President Carter decided to launch Operation Eagle Claw, which would sent an elite special forces team in to rescue the hostages. On the day of the mission in April 1980, a large sandstorm occurred, causing several helicopter malfunctions and one of the helicopters to crash into a transport plane. Eight American servicemen were killed, and the operation was subsequently aborted. This accident was a huge embarrassment for the Carter administration. After renewed diplomatic efforts, the US and Iranian governments finally reached a deal, and the hostages were released on January 1981, minutes after Reagan gave his inaugural speech.
The hostage crisis had a large effect on America, both domestically and internationally. At home, the large media coverage of the crisis depicted President Carter as an ineffective leader who struggled to free the hostages. In addition, his efforts to release the hostages kept him from campaigning, which ultimately allowed him to be defeated easily by Reagan during the elections. Internationally speaking, American and Iranian relations would be very heavily damaged by this crisis. In an effort to undermine Iran, America would support Iraq in the Iran and Iraq War. These actions would be very consequential, as it upset the balance of power in the Middle East. The United States would end up going to war against Iraq in 1991, just a decade after the Iranian hostage crisis. The Iranian hostage crisis heavily transformed Middle Eastern politics, and its effects can still be felt today.
Sources:
Racial and Political Divisions in America: The Lizard Brain
I believe that the divide in politics is not necessarily caused solely by historical and philosophical happenings, but also in part to the prehistoric brain prevalent in most humans. The "Lizard Brain". The Lizard Brain is, as Mr. Stewart has called it before, is the undeveloped and more animalistic processes that an organism acts on to survive. This is the root cause of racism before we would consider race, and it is one of the causes of political division. From the documentary we've been watching in class the past few days, we can see that with the election of 2008, the political and racial divisions only worsened. I believe it was in due in part, to the lizard brain. As shown multiple times throughout the videos, there were multiple moments where white people, for seeming reasons unknown, felt fear. fear that former president Barak Obama would "reverse the tide" in favor of the black community. This was obviously false, Obama if anything wanted to set the economic playing field equal, but the fear in white Americans should be noted. If we look at this fear in terms of the lizard brain, in ancient times, if a subgroup in a large group of people has always been dominant, and specifically the larger majority of said group in total, and the minority group seems to be growing in prominence, it makes sense for the larger group to feel fear. though the fear may be misplaced, their survival may rely on that uneasy feeling compelling them to act.
Sources: The videos we've been watching in class.
Julia Child: American Chef and WW2 Spy
Julia Child is most famous as a popular TV chef and author. Born in Pasadena California in 1912 Julia knew she wanted to be a chef. After studying abroad at culinary school Le Cordon Bleu in France and the publication of her first cook book "Mastering the Art of french cooking" Child became an icon. She cookbook which was a bestseller in 1961 was followed by many of her other works including "Baking with Julia" and "In Julia's Kitchen with Master Chefs". Childs became even more renowned when in 2009 there was a movie done called Julie and Julia starring Amy Adams and Meryl Streep which chronicled her childhood.
While Child was a renounced chef her 2nd it was recently released along with 24,000 employee names that Child was a spy during WW2. Long before any of her cook book days during the summer of 1942 Child worked as a "civilian volunteer in Los Angeles with the Aircraft Warning service, which tracked shipping along the California coast in an effort to prevent enemy attacks. She soon applied for the WAVES (Women Accepted for Voluntary Emergency Service), but at 6'3 was rejected for being too tall" (History.com)
Before becoming famous as a chef Julia worked at the raw age of 28 for "clerical work with the intelligence agency and later worked directly for the OSS Director William Donovan." (NBC). She originally begun as a typists but quickly moved up to head secretariat. Only a year after young Julia was transferred to a new group called the "Emergency Sea Rescue Equipment Section". Through this group Childs helped develop technology that allowed downed pilots that were stranded to survive in remote locations. From their Childs took on projects from out of the country; places including, Sri Lanka, China etc, where as the head of the OSS registry she was incharge of some very important documents. While she was technically not out in the fields spying on people the agency categorized her as a "senior civilian intelligence officer."
https://www.history.com/news/6-people-you-didnt-know-were-wwii-spies
https://www.biography.com/people/julia-child-9246767
http://www.nbcnews.com/id/26186498/ns/us_news-security/t/julia-child-cooked-double-life-spy/#.Wv5__y_Mz_Q
While Child was a renounced chef her 2nd it was recently released along with 24,000 employee names that Child was a spy during WW2. Long before any of her cook book days during the summer of 1942 Child worked as a "civilian volunteer in Los Angeles with the Aircraft Warning service, which tracked shipping along the California coast in an effort to prevent enemy attacks. She soon applied for the WAVES (Women Accepted for Voluntary Emergency Service), but at 6'3 was rejected for being too tall" (History.com)
Before becoming famous as a chef Julia worked at the raw age of 28 for "clerical work with the intelligence agency and later worked directly for the OSS Director William Donovan." (NBC). She originally begun as a typists but quickly moved up to head secretariat. Only a year after young Julia was transferred to a new group called the "Emergency Sea Rescue Equipment Section". Through this group Childs helped develop technology that allowed downed pilots that were stranded to survive in remote locations. From their Childs took on projects from out of the country; places including, Sri Lanka, China etc, where as the head of the OSS registry she was incharge of some very important documents. While she was technically not out in the fields spying on people the agency categorized her as a "senior civilian intelligence officer."
https://www.history.com/news/6-people-you-didnt-know-were-wwii-spies
https://www.biography.com/people/julia-child-9246767
http://www.nbcnews.com/id/26186498/ns/us_news-security/t/julia-child-cooked-double-life-spy/#.Wv5__y_Mz_Q
History of American Ballet
Ballet originated in France during the time of Louis XIV. Since then, Russia and England have formed their own interpretations of the dance form, and the American style of ballet was born from a mixture of these influences. The first three ballet companies founded in the US were the American Ballet Theatre (ABT), San Francisco Ballet, and New York City Ballet (NYCB), and these continue to be the three premier ballet companies today.
Perhaps the most important pioneering figure in American ballet was George Balanchine. Born in Russia, he studied at the Imperial Ballet School and joined the Mariinsky Ballet. In 1933, he moved to New York and founded the School of American Ballet (SAB), which would train dancers for the New York City Ballet. To this day, the company’s core repertory is comprised of Balanchine’s creations, including Apollo, Serenade, Agon, Rubies, and Jewels. Interestingly, Balanchine was inspired by Igor Stravinsky’s radically modern music and created many story- and myth-based ballets, paving the way for modern plotless ballets.
In 1940, the American Ballet Theatre emerged and became known for creating theatrical story ballets. Its repertory consists of pieces such as Romeo and Juliet, Swan Lake, Giselle, and La Bayadère. One of the ABT’s most famous artists is Alexei Ratmansky, who has choreographed a new version of The Nutcracker, The Bright Stream, and the Shostakovich Trilogy. One factor that distinguishes ABT from NYCB is that ABT’s company members come from a wide variety of backgrounds, while NYCB only accepts SAB trainees.
Other than these two companies, several other companies have sprung up, each with their own unique twists. One example is the San Francisco Ballet, led by Helgi Tomasson and known for its diverse collection of classical and contemporary works. Another example is Ballet Hispanico, which showcases works by Hispanic artists. Joffrey Ballet revived the Danish Bournonville style, while Alonzo King Lines Ballet put a modernized and athletic spin on ballet. As more and more artists and companies continue to create and be created, ballet in the United States is becoming more diverse, more eclectic, and more reflective of American culture.
Sources:
http://www.dancemotionusa.org/media/30139/dmusa_americanballet_english.pdf
https://www.nycballet.com/Explore/Our-History/George-Balanchine.aspx
Perhaps the most important pioneering figure in American ballet was George Balanchine. Born in Russia, he studied at the Imperial Ballet School and joined the Mariinsky Ballet. In 1933, he moved to New York and founded the School of American Ballet (SAB), which would train dancers for the New York City Ballet. To this day, the company’s core repertory is comprised of Balanchine’s creations, including Apollo, Serenade, Agon, Rubies, and Jewels. Interestingly, Balanchine was inspired by Igor Stravinsky’s radically modern music and created many story- and myth-based ballets, paving the way for modern plotless ballets.
In 1940, the American Ballet Theatre emerged and became known for creating theatrical story ballets. Its repertory consists of pieces such as Romeo and Juliet, Swan Lake, Giselle, and La Bayadère. One of the ABT’s most famous artists is Alexei Ratmansky, who has choreographed a new version of The Nutcracker, The Bright Stream, and the Shostakovich Trilogy. One factor that distinguishes ABT from NYCB is that ABT’s company members come from a wide variety of backgrounds, while NYCB only accepts SAB trainees.
Other than these two companies, several other companies have sprung up, each with their own unique twists. One example is the San Francisco Ballet, led by Helgi Tomasson and known for its diverse collection of classical and contemporary works. Another example is Ballet Hispanico, which showcases works by Hispanic artists. Joffrey Ballet revived the Danish Bournonville style, while Alonzo King Lines Ballet put a modernized and athletic spin on ballet. As more and more artists and companies continue to create and be created, ballet in the United States is becoming more diverse, more eclectic, and more reflective of American culture.
Sources:
http://www.dancemotionusa.org/media/30139/dmusa_americanballet_english.pdf
https://www.nycballet.com/Explore/Our-History/George-Balanchine.aspx
John Dewey
John Dewey was an American philosopher and teacher that helped to found the school of thought known as "pragmatism" as well as had a huge influence on progressive education. Born in 1859 in Burlington, Vermont and died in 1952, Dewey graduated from the University of Vermont in 1878. He would go on to receive his PhD in philosophy from Johns Hopkins University and teach at the University of Michigan, Chicago and finally Columbia University.
Dewey's beliefs regarding what education should look like has had a profound effect on the education system that we have today. His adherence to the idea of pragmatism, the belief that reality must be experienced to understand it and know the truth behind it, led him to believe students must take a hands on approach in order to learn properly. Unlike the traditional more authoritarian classroom setting, in which a teacher would stand at the front of the classroom and have kids memorize and regurgitate information, Dewey emphasized a more democratic approach. He thought that it was imperative for children to play an active role in their own education so that they could learn practical life skills and what it meant to be a productive member of society.
Dewey's impact on our education system can clearly be seen today. Memorization is very much de-emphasized, projects are much more common and different tactics are continuously implemented to try and give kids an opportunity to experience new things and partake in activities that interest them. You might not agree with Dewey's philosophy or you even might think his ideas were not implemented properly, but it cannot be denied the influence he has had.
Bibliography:
https://www.britannica.com/biography/John-Dewey
https://study.com/academy/lesson/john-dewey-on-education-impact-theory.html
http://www.pbs.org/onlyateacher/john.html
Dewey's beliefs regarding what education should look like has had a profound effect on the education system that we have today. His adherence to the idea of pragmatism, the belief that reality must be experienced to understand it and know the truth behind it, led him to believe students must take a hands on approach in order to learn properly. Unlike the traditional more authoritarian classroom setting, in which a teacher would stand at the front of the classroom and have kids memorize and regurgitate information, Dewey emphasized a more democratic approach. He thought that it was imperative for children to play an active role in their own education so that they could learn practical life skills and what it meant to be a productive member of society.
Dewey's impact on our education system can clearly be seen today. Memorization is very much de-emphasized, projects are much more common and different tactics are continuously implemented to try and give kids an opportunity to experience new things and partake in activities that interest them. You might not agree with Dewey's philosophy or you even might think his ideas were not implemented properly, but it cannot be denied the influence he has had.
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| John Dewey |
Bibliography:
https://www.britannica.com/biography/John-Dewey
https://study.com/academy/lesson/john-dewey-on-education-impact-theory.html
http://www.pbs.org/onlyateacher/john.html
Pets in the white house?
While this term Donald Trump does not keep any animals in the Whitehouse, it is a longstanding tradition that the president have a pet. And while Trump currently does not have a pooch friend, many of his predecessors back to the Washingtons did. Its personally hard for me to imagine how one like myself might bring my two horses to the white house but there has been a wide variety of animals that have resided in the white house before. Here is a list of some of the most abstract and interesting ones so far.
#1 Alligators in the white house?--> This was the case not only during President John Quincy Adams term but also Herbert Hoover's. Adams who had been gifted an alligator apparently by Lafayette reportedly kept his alligator in the bathtub. Herbert Hoover's son Allan was another who had some alligator companions. Allan had two alligators which were apparently allowed to occasionally roam the white house grounds
#2 Not to be outdone by her husbands outlandish pets including his alligators, Mrs. Louisa Adams has little silkworms as pets, presumably to make her own silk for her dresses and clothing.
#3 A pygmy hippo!--> Of all the presidents with pets Calvin Coolidge was probably the most famous for what was called the "Coolidge Zoo". Coolidge had dogs, donkeys, cats, goose, 2 BABY LION CUBS, and the main attraction; a pygmy hippo by the name of Billy. Billy was from Liberia and a gift to president Coolidge from Firestone. Coolidge donated Billy to the Smithsonian National Zoological Park, and since then Billy has fathered 23 little baby hippos.
#4 An elephant at the white house! James Buchanan who was president for (1857-1861) had received a herd of elephants from the king of Siam. This was interesting as while in the past congress had made people like Lyndon B Johnson donate their animals such as LBJ's tiger cubs, congress allowed Buchanan to even keep one of his elephants on site
#5 Apparently Washingtons, George's wife as well as James's Madison's wife both had pet Parrots. While not super abstract this was funny at the current time
#6 Another animal George had was a bunch of dogs. Washington was known for having many dogs some of which were named "drunkard" and "sweet lips"
#7 In another unfortunate case of naming, Abigail Adams had two dogs one of which was named Juno and the other SATAN. Not exactly the most warm and inviting dog name like Fido.
#8During WW1 the white house had sheep! Under the rule of Woodrow Wilson during the years of the first world war, the white house was not only home to the royal family, but the front yard was a home to a group of sheep who not only helped provide clothing for people fighting the war etc but also to help keep the grass clean.
#9 Thomas Jefferson during his presidency had a pet Mockingbird
http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/wayoflife/11/07/mf.presidential.pets/index.html
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/05/white-house-pets_n_2625671.html
#1 Alligators in the white house?--> This was the case not only during President John Quincy Adams term but also Herbert Hoover's. Adams who had been gifted an alligator apparently by Lafayette reportedly kept his alligator in the bathtub. Herbert Hoover's son Allan was another who had some alligator companions. Allan had two alligators which were apparently allowed to occasionally roam the white house grounds
#2 Not to be outdone by her husbands outlandish pets including his alligators, Mrs. Louisa Adams has little silkworms as pets, presumably to make her own silk for her dresses and clothing.
#3 A pygmy hippo!--> Of all the presidents with pets Calvin Coolidge was probably the most famous for what was called the "Coolidge Zoo". Coolidge had dogs, donkeys, cats, goose, 2 BABY LION CUBS, and the main attraction; a pygmy hippo by the name of Billy. Billy was from Liberia and a gift to president Coolidge from Firestone. Coolidge donated Billy to the Smithsonian National Zoological Park, and since then Billy has fathered 23 little baby hippos.
#4 An elephant at the white house! James Buchanan who was president for (1857-1861) had received a herd of elephants from the king of Siam. This was interesting as while in the past congress had made people like Lyndon B Johnson donate their animals such as LBJ's tiger cubs, congress allowed Buchanan to even keep one of his elephants on site
#5 Apparently Washingtons, George's wife as well as James's Madison's wife both had pet Parrots. While not super abstract this was funny at the current time
#6 Another animal George had was a bunch of dogs. Washington was known for having many dogs some of which were named "drunkard" and "sweet lips"
#7 In another unfortunate case of naming, Abigail Adams had two dogs one of which was named Juno and the other SATAN. Not exactly the most warm and inviting dog name like Fido.
#8During WW1 the white house had sheep! Under the rule of Woodrow Wilson during the years of the first world war, the white house was not only home to the royal family, but the front yard was a home to a group of sheep who not only helped provide clothing for people fighting the war etc but also to help keep the grass clean.
#9 Thomas Jefferson during his presidency had a pet Mockingbird
http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/wayoflife/11/07/mf.presidential.pets/index.html
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/05/white-house-pets_n_2625671.html
The Evolution of the Television
The first invention that resembled a television was the Octagon by General Electric in 1928. It used mechanical rotating disk technology in order to display videos on its three-inch screen. It screened the world's first television drama, "The Queen's Messenger". As with all technology, the original televisions that were first commercialized for at home viewing was only afforded by the wealthy as a luxury item. At a time where the average salary was $1368 annually, a television set cost anywhere from $200 to $600. The 1936 Cossor Television was advertised to be incredibly more interesting than the radio, as if the radio was blind before television came along. This television came in a wooden cabinet, with cabinet doors covering the front, a design later scrapped, with round screens, and later, built in legs. In the early 1950's, consumer culture, with the drive of the Cold War, increased and flourished, allowing television technology to because an average household item, no less important than a kitchen table. By 1951, there were more than 12 million television sets in America alone. Over the decades, buttons replaced knobs and dials, screens got slimmer, and the colorful screens became black. By the early 2010's, over 95% of American homes had a television set in them. The average American viewer spends about five hours daily watching their screens.
The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) became the first broadcasting network to feature regular broadcasting in 1939. Initially, NBC only transmitted to about 400 television sets in the New York region. The WTCG by Ted Turner was the first basic cable network, launched in 1976. Demands for more channels grew, and so did cable subscriptions. Video stores began to appear in the 70s, set up to accommodate the VCR, which allowed you to watch tapes on demand and record television programs. Soon after, the DVD had overtaken the VHS. In 2010, the government shut down analog broadcasting, leading television broadcasters to go digital. This was made a law for safety reasons, but inevitable became an evolutionary turning point in the progression of television. Today, streaming and video on demand (VOD) replaced DVDs. Roku, Google, Apple, all allow costumers to easily stream movies and television programs to their devices. The biggest benefits to VOD are the convenience, the timing, and effectivity.
The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) became the first broadcasting network to feature regular broadcasting in 1939. Initially, NBC only transmitted to about 400 television sets in the New York region. The WTCG by Ted Turner was the first basic cable network, launched in 1976. Demands for more channels grew, and so did cable subscriptions. Video stores began to appear in the 70s, set up to accommodate the VCR, which allowed you to watch tapes on demand and record television programs. Soon after, the DVD had overtaken the VHS. In 2010, the government shut down analog broadcasting, leading television broadcasters to go digital. This was made a law for safety reasons, but inevitable became an evolutionary turning point in the progression of television. Today, streaming and video on demand (VOD) replaced DVDs. Roku, Google, Apple, all allow costumers to easily stream movies and television programs to their devices. The biggest benefits to VOD are the convenience, the timing, and effectivity.
Thursday, May 17, 2018
Brown v. Board of Education
Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka was a Supreme court case that ruled unanimously that racial segregation in public schools violated the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution. The decision declared that separate educational facilities for white and African American students were inherently unequal. It thus rejected as inapplicable to public education the “separate but equal” doctrine, advanced by the Supreme Court in Plessy v. Ferguson (1896), according to which laws mandating separate public facilities for whites and African Americans do not violate the equal-protection clause if the facilities are approximately equal. Although the 1954 decision strictly applied only to public schools, it implied that segregation was not permissible in other public facilities. Considered one of the most important rulings in the court’s history, Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka helped to inspire the American civil rights movement of the late 1950s and 1960s.
The case was heard as a consolidation of four class-action suits filed in four states by the NAACP on behalf of African American elementary and high school students who had been denied admission to all-white public schools. In Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka (1951), Briggs v. Elliott(1951), and Davis v. County School Board of Prince Edward County (1952), U.S. district courts in Kansas, South Carolina, and Virginia, respectively, ruled on the basis of Plessy that the plaintiffs had not been deprived of equal protection because the schools they attended were comparable to the all-white schools or would become so upon the completion of improvements ordered by the district court. In Gebhart v. Belton (1952), however, the Delaware Court of Chancery, also relying on Plessy, found that the plaintiffs’ right to equal protection had been violated because the African American schools were inferior to the white schools in almost all relevant respects. The defendants in the district court decisions appealed directly to the Supreme Court, while those in Gebhart were granted certiorari (a writ for the reexamination of an action of a lower court). The case was reargued to address the question of whether the framers of the Fourteenth Amendment would have understood it to be inconsistent with racial segregation in public education. The 1954 decision found that the historical evidence bearing on the issue was inconclusive.
Writing for the court, Chief Justice Earl Warren argued that the question of whether racially segregated public schools were inherently unequal, and thus beyond the scope of the separate but equal doctrine, could be answered only by considering “the effect of segregation itself on public education.” Citing the Supreme Court’s rulings in Sweatt v. Painter (1950) and McLaurin v. Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education(1950), which recognized “intangible” inequalities between African American and all-white schools at the graduate level, Warren held that such inequalities also existed between the schools in the case before him, despite their equality with respect to “tangible” factors such as buildings. Specifically, he agreed with a finding of the Kansas district court that the policy of forcing African American children to attend separate schools solely because of their race created in them a feeling of inferiority that undermined their motivation to learn and deprived them of educational opportunities they would enjoy in racially integrated schools. This finding, he noted, was “amply supported” by contemporary psychological research. He concluded that “in the field of public education, the doctrine of ‘separate but equal’ has no place. Separate educational facilities are inherently unequal.” In the end, Warren ordered the district courts and local school authorities to take appropriate steps to integrate public schools in their jurisdictions “with all deliberate speed.” Public schools in Southern states, however, remained almost completely segregated until the late 1960s.
https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/347/483/case.html
http://www.uscourts.gov/educational-resources/educational-activities/history-brown-v-board-education-re-enactment
Mexican American War
By 1846, Polk began to prepare a war message to Congress, justifying hostilities on the grounds of Mexican refusal to pay U.S. claims and refusal to negotiate with Slidell. That evening he received word that Mexican troops had crossed the Rio Grande on April 25 and attacked Taylor’s troops, killing or injuring 16 of them. In his quickly revised war message, Polk claimed that Mexico had “invaded our territory and shed American blood on American soil.”
Congress overwhelmingly approved a declaration of war on May 13, but the United States entered the war divided. Democrats, especially those in the Southwest, strongly favored the conflict. Most Whigs viewed Polk’s motives as conscienceless land grabbing. Indeed, from the outset, Whigs in both the Senate and the House challenged the veracity of Polk’s assertion that the initial conflict between U.S. and Mexican forces had taken place in U.S. territory. Further, legislators were at odds over whether Polk had the right to unilaterally declare that a state of war existed. Principally at issue was where the encounter had actually taken place and the willingness of Americans to acknowledge the Mexican contention that the Nueces River formed the border between the two countries. Active Whig opposition not only to the legitimacy of Polk’s claim but also to the war itself continued well into the conflict. In December 1846 Polk accused his Whig doubters of treason. In January 1847 the by-then Whig-controlled House voted 85 to 81 to censure Polk for having “unnecessarily and unconstitutionally” initiated war with Mexico.
Abolitionists saw the war as an attempt by the slave states to extend slavery and enhance their power with the creation of additional slave states out of the soon-to-be-acquired Mexican lands. One abolitionist who agreed with that interpretation was author Henry David Thoreau, who was incarcerated in July 1846 when he refused to pay six years’ worth of back poll taxes because he felt the U.S. government’s prosecution of the war with Mexico was immoral.
When war broke out, former Mexican president and general Antonio López de Santa Anna contacted Polk. The U.S. president arranged for a ship to take Santa Anna from his exile in Cuba to Mexico for the purpose of working for peace. Instead of acting for peace, however, on his return, Santa Anna took charge of the Mexican forces.
By the end of the war, Polk had assigned Nicholas Trist, chief clerk in the State Department, to accompany Scott’s forces and to negotiate a peace treaty. But after a long delay in the formation of a new Mexican government capable of negotiations, Polk grew impatient and recalled Trist. Trist, however, disobeyed his instructions and on February 2, 1848, signed the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. According to the treaty, which was subsequently ratified by both national congresses, Mexico ceded to the United States nearly all the territory now included in the states of New Mexico, Utah, Nevada, Arizona, California, Texas, and western Colorado for $15 million and U.S. assumption of its citizens’ claims against Mexico. Zachary Taylor emerged as a national hero and succeeded Polk as president in 1849. The war reopened the slavery-extension issue, which had been largely dormant since the Missouri Compromise.
https://www.history.com/topics/mexican-american-war
Feminist Movement in mid 1950s
When American soldiers returned after WWII, women were almost uniformly fired and forced out of the jobs they had learned and worked at for years in order to give these jobs “back” to men returning from military service and not necessarily the same men who had held them before the war. Women were expected to return to their private sphere and their duties of domestic chores and child-raising – and to do so without complaint – but the opportunity to be part of the labor force left an impression and a desire to be an equal part of the national workforce. Second wave feminism was a reaction to this post-war obsession with the ideal of the contented housewife and suburban domesticity, a lifestyle that often isolated women and severely limited their choices and opportunities.
The second wave of feminism in America came as a reaction against the renewed domesticity of women after World War II. During the late 1940s post-war boom, there was an unprecedented economic growth, a baby boom, citizenry flocking to the suburbs, and a general Leave it to Beaver mentality of the American family. In short, women were expected to stay at home with the kids and support their husbands in almost anything he did. Society was male-centric, and it was clear women were considered the second sex in America. As the girls born during this era grew up, they began to rebel in various ways, specifically in the utilization of a social movement, starting sometime in the early 60s. What is the second wave feminist movement, and when exactly did it begin? It's a much more enveloping movement than the first one, but these concepts are most of the generally accepted hallmarks from that time.
At the 1960 Democratic National convention, President John F. Kennedy made women's rights a huge part of the New Frontier. The New Frontier was a progressive platform and the Democrat's agenda for much of the coming years. He placed many women into high-ranking posts throughout his administration and established a Presidential Commission on the Status of Women. It was headed up by Eleanor Roosevelt and helped to actively engage women in politics. While not perfect in its design or execution, it helped get more women in positions of power and influence and, in many ways, was only the start of things that were still yet to come. Important to think about when considering the second wave feminist movement.
In addition to those legal victories in the earlier half of the 60s, there were a few other cases that were won as a result of the second wave feminist movement. Griswold vs Connecticut is a landmark case in the United States in which the Supreme Court of the United States ruled that the Constitution, through the Bill of Rights, implies a fundamental right to privacy. It granted the right to marital privacy, and the state couldn't involve itself in private matters—such as restricting birth control and condoms to prevent pregnancy. While there are no exact parameters, it is generally thought that the second wave feminist movement lasted until the 1980s, where Regan and company would slowly work to roll some of these wins back.
https://dailyhistory.org/What_was_the_Second_Wave_Feminist_Movement%3F
The Young Guns
WHO ARE THEY??
THE TEAM:
The group of self proclaimed "Young Guns" had a plan to establish the Republican Party as a new force to be reckoned with. Through the popular advertisement, the team of three became known as the "Young Guns". Hoping to be the next Reagan revolution representing his conservatism the three in the 2010 election were able to get 62 of their candidates elected to senate and the house of reps, completely changing the republicans to the majority party.
According to PBS the Young Guns have also "created a model for candidates who shared their values that explained the steps that they could take to running for office. They set up a website, wrote a book, and started looking for strong candidates who could run for office and take back the House in 2010." (PBS)
THE LEADER: Rep. Eric Cantor, Virginia; the majority house leader
Eric Cantor's superpowers are his ambition and uber intelligence. He came to the house in 2000 and in 2003 was appointed chief deputy whip. During the Obama Administration Cantor's power grew and in 2011 he challenged current speaker of the house John Boehner for the spot. He was then appointed Speaker of the house and formed a close alliance with fellow rep Paul Ryan. The two then became intermediates of the Tea Party gaining much of their following from the Party's base.
THE STRATEGIST: Rep. Kevin McCarthy, California; majority whip
Kevin McCarthy's superpowers are his good social skills and his reputation of being a well liked and trusted rep, he also had an eye for spotting "new talent outside of traditional beltway politics". McCarthy who is the representative for California came to the house in 2007, and has two terms under his belt by the time the house flipped in 2010/2011. McCarthy was most well know for his friendliness and how he mentored many of the "freshman" often even having pizza parties in his office.
THE BRAINS: Rep. Paul Ryan, Wisconson; House Budget Chairman
Paul Ryan's superpower is his super brains. Ryan was considered the be the intellectual leader of the conservatives as he lead the new budget which he called the "Path to Prosperity". The plan "offered a bold new blueprint in line with Tea Party values:slashing entitlements, lowering taxes, and curbing debt. Instead of only opposing the president, Republicans now had a plan to stand behind." (PBS). Ryan is also considered a very fluent communicator and was one of the best face to face conversationalists.
https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/article/meet-the-gops-young-guns/
THE TEAM:
The group of self proclaimed "Young Guns" had a plan to establish the Republican Party as a new force to be reckoned with. Through the popular advertisement, the team of three became known as the "Young Guns". Hoping to be the next Reagan revolution representing his conservatism the three in the 2010 election were able to get 62 of their candidates elected to senate and the house of reps, completely changing the republicans to the majority party.
According to PBS the Young Guns have also "created a model for candidates who shared their values that explained the steps that they could take to running for office. They set up a website, wrote a book, and started looking for strong candidates who could run for office and take back the House in 2010." (PBS)
THE LEADER: Rep. Eric Cantor, Virginia; the majority house leader
Eric Cantor's superpowers are his ambition and uber intelligence. He came to the house in 2000 and in 2003 was appointed chief deputy whip. During the Obama Administration Cantor's power grew and in 2011 he challenged current speaker of the house John Boehner for the spot. He was then appointed Speaker of the house and formed a close alliance with fellow rep Paul Ryan. The two then became intermediates of the Tea Party gaining much of their following from the Party's base.
THE STRATEGIST: Rep. Kevin McCarthy, California; majority whip
Kevin McCarthy's superpowers are his good social skills and his reputation of being a well liked and trusted rep, he also had an eye for spotting "new talent outside of traditional beltway politics". McCarthy who is the representative for California came to the house in 2007, and has two terms under his belt by the time the house flipped in 2010/2011. McCarthy was most well know for his friendliness and how he mentored many of the "freshman" often even having pizza parties in his office.
THE BRAINS: Rep. Paul Ryan, Wisconson; House Budget Chairman
Paul Ryan's superpower is his super brains. Ryan was considered the be the intellectual leader of the conservatives as he lead the new budget which he called the "Path to Prosperity". The plan "offered a bold new blueprint in line with Tea Party values:slashing entitlements, lowering taxes, and curbing debt. Instead of only opposing the president, Republicans now had a plan to stand behind." (PBS). Ryan is also considered a very fluent communicator and was one of the best face to face conversationalists.
https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/article/meet-the-gops-young-guns/
Cornelius Vanderbilt
Cornelius Vanderbilt was one of the self-made millionaires of the guilded age. He brought himself up from rags to riches by developing a shipping business and then a railroad company. He was able to do this by using brutal cutthroat tactics to out compete his competitors, earning the nickname the "Commodore". He died a rich man but donated some of his money to form Vanderbilt University.
Vanderbilt was born to a family of Dutch immigrants in 1974 on Staten Island, New York. Vanderbilt had to help out his father with his ferrying business and did not regularly attend school. As a teenager he bought his own boat that he used to make money, and he than expanded his business by acquiring more and more boats.
Vanderbilt married a cousin not once but twice. He first married his cousin Sophia Johnson with whom he had 13 kids. When she died he married another cousin of his who was over 40 years younger than him.
Vanderbilt's real ticket to fame was in the steamship industry. Steam power was becoming very important and he took advantage of the growing industry. He learned a lot about steamships and used this knowledge to expand his boating industry. He also increased his wealth by crushing his competitors by lowering prices. Vanderbilt drove his competitors out of business by lowering the fare of a trip on his boats. He knew that he could survive a period operating at cost but his competitors could not afford to do so. He also profited during the Gold Rush as there was a great demand for his ships.
Vanderbilt took advantage of steam ships so went on to take advantage of another growing transportation industry: railroads. Vanderbilt bought some railroad lines and stations that gained him money.
Vanderbilt died in 1877 but his influence led to the rise of other gilded age robber barons like Carnegie and Rockefeller.
Sources:
https://www.history.com/topics/cornelius-vanderbilt
Scientific Management in MY Household
In the early 1900s, the American economy was booming and efficiency was at an all time high. This was due in part to the incredible mechanization about industry and the theory of “scientific management”. Developed by engineer Frederick “Speedy” Taylor, his theory helped to drive prosperity and the creation of mass production. His words would go on to inspire entrepreneurs such as Henry Ford, who transformed the automobile industry with the assembly line.
Originally, Taylor’s ideas were directed towards industrial production and improving the economy. However, he also had a great impact on American government. Modified techniques were applied beyond the factory to offices and servicing stations in order to maximize efficiency. In fact, Herbert Hoover was greatly influenced by Taylor. Known as an “economic mastermind”, Hoover used his administration to gather exact information and wage “war” on wasteful practices.
In the domestic sphere, Taylor’s ideas had applications to the home. Renamed the “science of household management”, it served to help women reduce the amount of time spent on housework and menial tasks. It arose partially in response to the “servant problem” and the dissatisfaction many middle class women felt. Christine Frederick, an editor of the Ladies’ Home Journal, helped to popularize these ideas. In 1912, she published an article on the “efficiency gospel”, where she uses terms such as “inventions”, “standardized operations”, and “scheduling” to convey the idea that mechanization and organization were key to efficient housekeeping. Frederick also uses personal anecdote, and pushes early feminism by saying that men are responsible for helping women with managing the household. Clearly, Taylor’s ideas were used to remedy perceived discontents all over American society. Frederick would go on to write numerous books and pamphlets on Taylorism in the household.
In education, scientific management was used to standardize school schedules and maximize use of classroom space. In order to do this, school administrations often treated students like workers. They created rigid schedules, strict tests, and focused on task delivery rather than critical thinking and true understanding. In fact, this is how class “periods” originated- they were designed to help minimize the time “wasted” on each subject and create maximum efficiency for learning. One tradition of Taylorism in education that continues is standardized testing, which forces students to only understand concepts superficially and forces teachers to design unrewarding curriculums based on these tests. It remains to be seen whether or not this is minimizing the “waste” in schools.
Taylor would not go without backlash. His “efficiency revolution” would be opposed by many labor groups, who viewed the changes as threatening to their work and wages. Many workers thought that scientific management made their work monotonous and meaningless, and subjected them to harsh working conditions. Today, there are many critics of standardized testing and the harsh rules we subjects kids to. While scientific management has transformed the American economy and made America into the industrial powerhouse it is today, it has touched every other aspect in American society in ways that may not be as positive.
Sources
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