Fort Sumter (Isaac)

On April 12, 1861 on a little island off Charleston, South Carolina a battle broke out. On this island was the American Fort Sumter. On this island the start had the civil war begun. A few month before the battle Carolina demanded that the U.S. Army leave Charleston. So on December 26, 1860 U.S. Major Robert Anderson moved his troops Fort Sumter. However because he was surrounded by the Confederate Army so, he began to run out of supplies. The Confederation knew this and they were hoping that Major Anderson leave. Major Robert Anderson was hoping that a supply ship could get through to the fort.
On April 12, 1861 General Beauregard sent Major Anderson a message saying that he would fire in one hour if Anderson didn't surrender. Anderson did not surrender and the battle had began. The Confederate shot at Fort Sumter from all sides. After many hours of bombardment, Anderson realized that he had no chance to win the battle. He was almost out of food and ammo and his forces were outnumbered. He surrendered the fort to the Confederate Army.
Even though no one died in the battle, accept two nimrods who killed themselves in the a surrender ceremonies, the civil war had begun. Now actions were made in the preparation for war such as choosing side and beliefs.

Now that the first shots were fired, the war had begun. Many states that had not picked a side, now choose the North or the South. Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Arkansas joined the Confederation. West Virginia broke away from Virginia to become their own state so they could stay with the Union. At the time he still thought the war would be short and fairly small. It turned out to last for more than 4 years and over 2 million men would fight as part of the Union Army.

The impact on our lives from the civil war. Army’s before the war largely depended on slavery. Slaves were used for agriculture and were traded in the South for high prices. Now Black people have just have must rights has white people. In this war the ends did justify the means.

 Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Fort_Sumter
http://www.civilwar.org/battlefields/fort-sumter.html

Lincoln: The Man and the Movie

Lincoln: The Man and the Movie

     You've probably heard of Abraham Lincoln, our 16th and arguably best president. They even made a movie out of the last four months or so of his life. That movie, "Lincoln," is actually an incredibly accurate take on his life. Down to even the pitch of the main character's voice and what the first lady dressed like. That's dedication for you.

     You may have noticed that in the movie, Lincoln seems to age. He grows wearier, more tired, and more hunched over. Even his signature gait is like every step requires a monumental amount of effort. If you look at pictures of Lincoln throughout the Civil War, he does in fact look older. Even one of Daniel Day Lewis's friends said, "he looks like a laborer coming home after a hard day's work." What may have contributed to the significant aging is that not only did Abraham Lincoln have to run the country, he did a lot more than most presidents did in two short terms. He had to keep the war going so he could get that amendment signed, because if the war ended, the amendment would have "a snowball's chance in hell."

Lincoln after the Civil War

     In the movie, Lincoln and his wife, Mary, are obviously in a very rocky relationship. They fight a lot, and they fight heated. Abrahan Lincoln actually did fight with Mary all the time. In the movie, Lincoln yells at Mary, "They think I should have clapped you in the mad house!" Mary replies, "Then do it! Do it, don't you threaten me you do it this time, lock me away!" Perhaps a reason why they didn't get along is that after her son "Willie" died at age twelve, she literally stopped mothering her other son Tad. She couldn't bear to mother him because he reminded her of Willie's absence. Lincoln had to take over as mother and father, as well as be the president of the United States. That's too big a job for any man.

Lincoln with Tad

     Abraham Lincoln, hero to a good deal of Americans, was actually some kind of a dirty politician. He did pretty much everything a president can do to get an amendment signed. In the movie, he says, "I am the president of the United States of America, clothed in immense power. You will procure me these votes." He bullied his allies, he negotiated, he almost bought "yes" votes to get that amendment signed. I suppose you can't blame him for wanting those votes, otherwise we still would have slavery amongst our society.

Lincoln (Daniel Day Lewis) trying to get a "yes" vote or two

     One of the amazing things about this movie is the great lengths Steven Spielberg went through to make this movie historically accurate. He went out and managed to get first editions of books Lincoln actually read.

A bit of Lincoln's recreated desk

     In one scene, you see Lincoln hunched over a desk with a watch ticking in the background.

     Steven Spielberg managed to negotiate with a museum to record the ticking of the actual watch Lincoln wore. So when you hear that in the movie, that's the same ticking Abraham Lincoln heard so many times. What's truly amazing is that Steven Spielberg got so many things about Lincoln's life accurate, down to the way he sounded. In the movie, Daniel Day Lewis's voice is actually a bit more high pitched than usual. Friends say that he never came out of that octave until filming was over.

     Abraham Lincoln was a truly incredible man. Without him, the United States of America would be so different than it is today. Every year in his birthday, we always go through an "Abraham Lincoln research kick". Truly, interest in him never ceases, and "Lincoln" is an amazing example. As a child, Abraham Lincoln knew he was some sort of genius, and he wanted to be remembered for something great that withstood the test of time. To say he accomplished that is an extreme understatement. Truly, Abraham Lincoln still lives in our minds and hearts.


Sources:
"Abraham Lincoln." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 14 Mar. 2013. Web. 14 Mar. 2013.
"Lincoln - Unite." YouTube. YouTube, 03 Oct. 2012. Web. 14 Mar. 2013.



Pictures:
http://sphotosb.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotosprn1/c156.0.403.403/p403x403/529487_10151417062599395_312648018_n.jpg

http://www.historyplace.com/lincoln/lincpix/last.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cf/A%26TLincoln.jpg/220px-A%26TLincoln.jpg

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=50140749n


Sites that EasyBib didn't like:
http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=50140749n
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiSAbAuLhqs 

Storytelling 2.0

     There have been many different versions of storytelling throughout time.  It is one of the ways that we communicate and learn from one another.  The most basic form is simply through the words of another person, as they weave words into imagery.  I always think back to when I was very young and my mother would tell stories to my brother and I.  One of my favorites was the story of the Three Little Pigs.  My mom would change her voice for the different characters and interact with us as the story went on.  It created a lasting memory.

   
     I was reminded how powerful storytelling can be during the summer when I was in class at the University of Portland.  As part of one of my graduate classes, my classmates and I shared stories about our diverse and unique life experiences.  One of my classmates, Gabe, has an uncanny ability to hold the attention of everyone in the room with his words.  I’ll never forget how he was telling us a story of his time in Japan.  When he finished his story, half the class had to take a break and leave the room.  His words permeated throughout the air and affected us so deeply.  

     During the same semester, I also became engrossed in expanding my knowledge of using technology in the classroom.  Not being an Apple person, I purchased an Android tablet.  My use of that device lasted all of about three weeks.  I became frustrated with its’ interface and I was having issues with the screen.  I decided to break down and trade it in for the new, at the time, iPad 3.  To say that I have become an iPad fan would be an understatement.

     While exploring the uses of the iPad for use in the classroom, I came across Kathy Schrock’s website.  I became both ecstatic and engrossed with the myriad of possibilities that this device could offer students and teachers in the classroom.  Her page, Bloomin’ Apps, incorporating Bloom’s Taxonomy and device apps is mind blowing.  During my exploration of that page I came across the process of digital storytelling and how it can be used with students to help them explore and gain knowledge.  The idea of combining the art of storytelling with technology in the classroom got me extremely excited, and I knew that I had to explore this concept even more. Being able to put visuals such as images, maps, and charts, together with storytelling creates a much more in depth experience that involves and stimulates more of one's multiple intelligences.

     In the midst of my exploration, I felt like a digital Indiana Jones, I came across an app for the iPad, and other iOS devices, called Puppet Pals.  This was my Sivalinga stone, Holy Grail, and Ark of the Covenant all in one.  This app could allow for students to explore, construct, and learn with ease.  After buying the the Director’s Pass for only $2.99 I could create a digital story about any subject I wanted.  The most exciting part for me was that I could incorporate myself, friends, family, and more importantly history into my stories.  With the Director’s Pass I now had the ability to research tell a historical story with ease.  The app allows you to take, or import pictures, from your iPad and make them part of your story. Being a visual learner myself, digital storytelling allows me to experience history in a new and exciting way.

     After seeing the movie Lincoln, I decided to explore the Civil War through my own digital story.  The Puppet Pals app gave me a welcoming interface and environment to express some of my ideas and thoughts about the Civil War.  This is what I came up with.

     During the course of the Revolutions! unit, students will be creating their own digital stories using the iPad and the Puppet Pals app.  As I transition to the next step of my student teaching at Catlin Gabel, I will be coaching the students on how to use the app, and how to create their own historical digital story.  I believe that the process of digital storytelling will create excitement, intrigue, exploration, and growth in both the students and me.


Pictures courtesy of:
http://www.watchthisspace.ca/pixelpost/images/20070825165040_around_the_fire_wales.jpg
http://www.indianajones.com/site/enlarge.html?filePath=media/photos/large/991130-photo-55.jpg

Child Labor During The Industrial Revolution

Child labor was very big during the industrial revolution. Many families were poor at that time, so their only option was to have their children work. 

Even though the children often died in factory accidents or got seriously injured it wasn’t a big deal to the families because they had so many children and it was unlikely that they would live very long either way. Some children would start working at the early age of six or even younger. The young children were too young to work the machines so they worked as assistants to other factory workers.
 

 The factories these children worked in often treated the children cruelly along with having extremely dangerous working conditions. They worked in factories such as cotton mills, coalmines, and glass factories. Children commonly worked over sixteen hours a day non stop. many people during that time were very against these laws, that there were children being allowed to work. but the owners of the factories didn't care because it made their jobs much easier. In 1833 the factory act was passed stating that the children under nine years old were not allowed to work, and children of ages 9-13 were only allowed to work 12 hours a day, even that still a lot of time, it was definitely an improvement.

Gettysburg

            The battle of Gettysburg was one of the most substantial accidental battles. Both the confederate and union armies weren’t planning on fighting in Gettysburg. All the roads around Gettysburg go through Gettysburg. On a map it looks like a bicycle with the roads as the spokes. When the North ran into the South, the only option was to fight.

            Coming into the battle, the South was dominating their way up the south, and into the north. With the North on the run they were in hot pursuit. Following the roads, they ran into the North a little west of Gettysburg. After pushing the North into town, and then out into the mountain range, the South was unstoppable. Although they had a great chance of beating Meade and the North, they lost their chance and were crimpled. They were fighting for slavery and states rights, for the South. They were a group of states built on nothing but farming. To the South, The North was a bunch of snooty rich people afraid to get their hands dirty, but did they get that one wrong.

Day 3 of the Battle of Gettysburg

            After suffering many defeats in the south, the North was on the run. They were trying to make it back home, but ran into the South. They were outgunned and outmanned, which resulted in a hasty retreat. After they made their hook formation on the ridges, the North, under command of George Meade, knew that they couldn’t let the South into their homes. After some poor decisions from the North sergeants, the North almost lost, but just barely got by. They held off Picket’s charge, and kicked the South
right out of the North. After this slim victory, the North, who hadn’t been too engaged in the war, woke up. With help from president Lincoln, they came together and started to really turn the war.

            Gettysburg was a real turning point in the civil war. As one of the two battles fought in the North, the Union fought hard and strong and eventually claimed victory over their former brothers. With an end to the war, came changes. Three new amendments were instated: the outlaw of slavery, the establishment of citizenship and due process, and the right to vote for all male citizens. Only a short while after the war, president Abraham Lincoln was assassinated. Also post war the North was hardly touched, but after the charge to the sea, the South was a disaster. All the land and farms were destroyed. The South still has never forgiven the North for that.

            The Civil war really changed America into its current form. If it weren’t for president Lincoln, there would never had been the emancipation declaration, and without that there might still be slavery today. The Civil war was made up of many battles, but out of them the entire one that turned the tide the most, was the battle of Gettysburg.

           

            http://www.history.com/videos/the-battle-of-gettysburg#the-battle-of-gettysburg
Short Summery video of Gettysburg

Slavery in The Civil War Era

The Thirteenth Amendment spoke, "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction." There is a long past of history of slaves in the United States. In the beginning it was introduced in the Colonial times, from 1619 - 1790. It was in the independence and Civil War era, lasting from 1790 - 1865. Slavery was a part of pretty much all the colonies, due to the independence. Although, The Northern colonies didn't really have a need for the slaves. By 1820, there were around 3,000 slaves in the Northern colonies. Most of the 3,000 were working on farms in New Jersey. Slavery was not vital part of the Northern economies, so therefore there were less slaves. Slavery could be abolished way easier in the North, then in the South. Another reason why the people in the south needed slaves more, was because they grew cotton. They needed people to grow and look after the cotton. 

Workers in a cotton field

Being a slave was no fun of course. You were over worked and rarely paid. You really had no choice though. There was multiple punishments including, whippings, threatening to sell there families, and short rations. Although, many of the slaves didn't have families, since they had been sold, or torn about due to lack of work. Slaves were not allowed to testify in court, to earn their freedom. If you were lucky enough you would sleep in a hut, with about 10 - 12 other slaves. You would have been treated like a object. Slaves would be bought, sold, or even given away as a gift. 

Slaves being sold

Slaves first arrived to America in Jamestown, New jersey 1619. There was about 20 of them. People realized that it was nice having a helping hand around decided they wanted more. Between the 16th and 19th century fifteen million more slaves were imported.  In the 1820’s there were 1,538,022 slaves in America. Starting just from the few 20. It's almost sick to think about, all of those innocent people, being worked for other peoples use. After the gin cotton was invented, the demand for slaves was even higher. A well built could be sold for $500.00 a pop. Eventually that man would be worth $1,800.00. 


We have all heard about the underground railroad. If you haven't, it's time you learn. This place was a environment where you could be free.  It was a place where slaves would run to and travel at night. They would move in to slave free states or Canada. Sometimes, your salve owner would catch you, or somebody else. 50,000 to 100,000 were believed to have used the underground railroad on their road to freedom. A person called Harriet Tubman was known for helping about 300 salves into their freedom. *The rail road was used mainly in Ohio, Indiana, and Pennsylvania.*

Slaves using the underground railroad

 

I chose the video below because it has no words. It really lets you think. Don't worry there is captions telling you what is going on. Enjoy!

The Effects of The Cotton Gin

            Change is inevitable in our world. People continue to invent great things that cause our world to change. Some of these inventions cause change for the better, and others cause change for the worse. Some inventors do both, without meaning to. When someone invents something revolutionary, they are usually trying to make life easier or better in some way. They have no idea that their invention could negatively affect peoples lives at all. 

One of those inventions is the cotton gin. When Eli Whitney invented it in 1794, all of the cotton owners agreed that it was a magnificent, revolutionary invention. It caused major changes in the cotton industry. People no longer had to pick the cotton seeds out of the cotton by hand, which was a very slow and tedious task. People could simply put the freshly picked cotton with the seeds in it in one end, turn the handle, and the cotton would come out the other end with no seeds in it! Although this may not sound very amazing to us, because of all of the incredible inventions from our time, this invention shaped more than just the cotton industry. Cotton could be separated 50 times faster with the cotton gin than by hand, which caused the industry to explode. 

For many families in the South during the 1790s, cotton was their livelihood. Children grew up on cotton plantations, and many would eventually become the owners. Families depended on cotton for their income. If I were growing up in a family like that, the cotton gin would have been an important, exciting invention for me. My family would be able to process cotton 50 times faster, and expand our plantation. But more cotton means more work. We would have to hire people to help us, and the only solution to that would be hiring slaves. 

    I and many other southern cotton owners were against slavery, but it was a tough decision to make. People had to support their families, and their only means of doing that was with cotton. Eli Whitney’s cotton gin caused such a massive explosion in the industry, that cotton owners had to keep up with everything by growing more and more cotton. They needed slaves to work in order to support their families. What would they do?

    Many people, even though they were against slavery, chose to give in and hire slaves in order to expand their plantation and support their families. More and more slaves were hired everywhere in the south. This affected all of their lives, and many people who were against slavery were forced to hire slaves.
     Although Eli Whitney’s cotton gin really was a revolutionary invention, there were some negative affects from all of this change. When Whitney invented the cotton gin, he most likely wanted to make it easier to process cotton. He did not expect that his invention could change so many people’s lives in good and bad ways. It is amazing that one invention could change so much.