Friday, May 25, 2012

Activity 3 Mini Project/Lap 9


I chose the songs, when will we be paid by Playing the staple singers, 1971 and you are a tourist by Death Cab for cutie. When will we be paid by Playing the staple singers is about negro’s giving their blood, sweat and tears and getting nothing in return. It’s about slavery, the unfairness of the nation and the wrongs of the whites. You are a tourist by death cab for cutie is about not letting the doubts in your mind turn your rights into wrongs. About not letting society or the place you live affect you.

            Both songs, when will we be paid by playing the staple singers and you are a tourist by Death cab for cutie are about feeling unwelcome in your home, being treated unfairly and doubted.  They both symbolize feeling unwelcome in the place they’re in and not being proud of where they are living. 

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

(Picture from the Franklin D. Roosevelt Library, courtesy of the National Archives and Records Administration.)

Migrant family looking for work in the pea fields of California in 1935. A whole family is looking for work, even the kids. They're also living in a tent around their car. Now and days you can still see this, sadly. But not as frequently as you could during the great depression.
(Picture from the Franklin D. Roosevelt Library, courtesy of the National Archives and Records Administration.)

During the great depression many farms were forclosed due to the bad economy. Farmers couldn't afford to keep up with their farms, hire workers or trade. Today, America's farms have the money to keep up with their farms and such. Some farms still become forclosed but not many. Not like during the great depression.

A dust storm in 1934 and 1936 drought and dust storms ravaged the great American plains and added to the New Deal's relief burden.

During the great depression there were many dust storms that added to the destruction in America and also affected the economy, in a bad way. Today, there aren't many dust storms in America and if they do occur they aren't as bad or tragic as they were then.

(Picture from the Franklin D. Roosevelt Library, courtesy of the National Archives and Records Administration.)

This is a photo during the Great Depression, a Christmas dinner in the home of  Earl Pauley near Smithland, Iowa in 1935. The children and man are gathered around a very small table and look to be very hungry, the way they're going at the food. This is a dramatic change from how the world is today, you wouldn't expect and mostly likely wouldn't find a Christmas dinner like this in America.

What is un-american? Is it difficult to define? Who gets to decide what un-american is?


I believe un-American is not following the laws of America. There are laws for the citizens and even visitors/tourists that we have to follow and obey. An American is taught from youth to obey the laws America has made and are forced to follow them by law. To follow the laws of America is an American custom and a necessity of a citizen. Some say it is difficult to define what un-American is and I agree. It is difficult to define what un-American is because different people have many different opinions on what un-American is. But to put it simply, being non-American is not being American.  Americans get to decide what un-American is, since they're American. They get to decide what's un-American is because they have the right to have freedom of speech, so they have the right to say what's un-American and what not. Freedom of speech is a law, which American’s follow and obey.

Friday, March 30, 2012

Do you support imperialism for your country? Explain.

I do not support imperalism for our country. Even though we may be able to get more supplies, better our country and expand ourselves i do not support it. I wouldn't support imperalism for most countrys. I believe countries should expand themselves before jumping to overthrow another country. Imperalism causes nothing but hatred, war and doesn't help the world create much needed peace. I believe America is good as is. There are many countries that are way worse off then we are. We have most of the supplies and other things needed. We shouldn't become greedy. Instead of trying to take over smaller, weaker countries we should be looking to help those countries. The countries that actually need help. We could expand with them and help them, they could even have things America would need. We shouldn't go to war just for simple products and resources which is what imperalism would cause The only reason we should go to war is to for freedom.

Imperialism today is not often quite as blatent as it was in the past. What are some examples of imperialism today? How is it different or similar from the past? Explain

Some examples of imperalism today is companies taking over other companies to expand their own company. Such as water companies, food companies, cable companies; any major company can take over a smaller, less wealthy company. This is different from the past because then there weren't as many companys so not many companys attempted to take over other companies.

Another example of imperalism today is when a country owns or controls another country but doesn't officially calling them apart of their country. Such as the United States and Puerto Rico. There are also other kinds of imperalism. Such as robbery. When a person steals something that is not their own to take and claiming it as their own. This is similar to the past because robbery has been going on for ages, since the begining of time. People have always stolen from others and claimed things as their own.

Should countries pursue policies of imperialism, or empire expansion?

I believe countries today countries should pursue policies of empire expansion. If we expanded our empires we would have more supplies, products and freedom. Empire expansion would also bring peace among the countires. Empire expansion would do nothing but good for all countries. Imperalism is taking over smaller, weaker countries and overthrowing them. This wouldn't bring peace among the countries but only bring more problems. It causes war and hatred. If a countries needs goods or military weapons they can just expand their country with another country instead of attempting to overthrow the country. Instead of impearlism, empire expansion would be simpler and peaceful.  If more countries pursued empire expansion i believe there would be less poverty in the world and more wealth. Countries could lean on eachother for help, they could share products and there would be less war. Empire expansion would be a better choice no matter what.

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Lap 5 mini project

Question: How is urbanization changing this century?


Urbanization is the physical growth of urban areas as a result of global change. It is projected that half of the worlds population would live in urban areas at the end of 2008. During these years of urbanization people are moving from farm lands to more urban areas. Most people are looking for jobs which may increase the economy but we may also run out of jobs since more people are leaving farms to look for work. When people move from suburban areas to more urban areas they may not succeed in finding what they're looking for because they may experience poverty. Urbanization is changing the century but may not be changing it for the better, when more people move to more urban areas we may run out of jobs, therefore experience poverty. Urbanization is changing our economy and many peoples' way of living. It may change our economy for the worse and many people who lived in surban areas will live differently in more urban areas.

Sunday, March 25, 2012

Do you think an indivdual today can rise from "rags to riches" like Andrew Carneige did? Why or why not?

Yes, I believe an individual can rise from "rag to riches" like Andrew Carneige did. It would be hard work and some people may fail at trying to do this but many can. It all depends on what you're selling, making or what kind of factory or store you're running. It depends on the merchandise and money put in it. Andrew Carneige rised from "rags to riches" through hard work, earning money and working for the right people. He progressed up the ranks of his job and eventually went out on his own and opened his own factory. From then on he rised from "rise to riches". A individual today can still do this, rising up the ranks like Andrew Carneige did and eventually opening up his own factory. I believe if you take the same steps Andrew Carneige did you can rise for rags to riches. Anyone can try this but few would probably succeed. It's a hard task but many people can do it, rising from rags to riches.

Friday, March 23, 2012

Describe/comment on a Jacob Riis photo.

Picture. The photo is named Necktie workshop in a Division Street tenement, 1889. This photo is of women and men workers in a small tenement making neckties. The tenement looks small, dirty and raggedy. There are cloths, sewing supplies, trash and many other things all over. The workers are concentrating on their work, most not even looking up and looking poor and tired. I think this photo shows the conditions workers in the 1880-1890's had to work in. Poor conditions, definitely not healthy. Many workers probably got sick from the trash and many germs around. Tenements are small, not enough room for workers. The tenement is overcrowded and run-down. I would definitely not enjoy working in these conditions. The workers most likely got very little pay even though they were forced to work in such poor conditions.

Monday, March 19, 2012

Compare the conditions workers in China face currently with those of workers in America at the turn of the century.

The working conditions in China are currently is distress. China is over populated, there are not enough jobs and labor conditions are poor. Much like America there are not enough jobs because we are becoming more and more populated. Working conditions in Chinese factories are terrible, the workers work all day, get little money from it and some workers even live in the factories. In America and China there workers are sometimes discriminated against, weather it's your gender or race. Both America and China's working conditions are becoming worse and worse.

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

What purpose do primary documents serve in history? How has the world of primary documents changed in the past two decades? What impact will this have on the "telling" of history?

Primary documents are like records of historical events. They serve as answers about history that we can't find out any other way. Primary documents can help us understand things from hisory better. Primary documents give us a lot of information. If we didn't have primary documents we wouldn't know much about history, therefore primary documents are a big part of history today. In the past two decades we have found better, more efficent ways to document historical events and make primary sources. We have technology and intelligence. We have the internet where there are primary documents all over. We have video's that record historical events. We now have many ways to record historical events. This will impact the "telling" of history in a good way. People of the future will have better ways to find historical documents and have more efficent primary documents. It will be simpler to find primary documents through technology.

The less fortunate, the poor.

The poor really inspire me. They inspire me to always be greatful for what I have, to not always complain because i've got it way better then they do, to focus on what I do have and not on what I don't have. They also inspire me to one day make a good amount of money so that I can give to the less fortunate. The poor inspire me to stay in school, go to college and find a good job so I won't be one of the less fortunate when I grow up because I know I can become poor too. I want to be able to give to the poor because it isn't always their fault that they became poor. I think the poor should be a inspiration to others too. It should inspire people to want to be successful, inspire them to focus on the good in their life and to want to give to the poor, the less fortunate.

Monday, November 14, 2011

What does it mean to be American?

Being an American means being free, able to speak your mind and being treated equally no matter what race you are. It also means being your own individual, being able to pick your religion and not be judged. Being an American means you are your own person, free to do whatever you believe in. Having opportunity, religious freedom and having the chance to reach your goal without government interference. You can be anyone to be an American, you even have the choice to be an American or not. Being an American simply means being free.

Discuss how culture influences your lives: How has culture made you the people that you are today? How different would you be had you grown up in a different culture?

Culture influences almost every aspect of our lives. The way we dress, the foods' we eat, the music we listen too and many other things. My culture shaped me into the person I am today. My Spanish culture made me into a strong willed, independent young woman. My culture influenced everything I do today, from what I eat to the way I dress. I believe I would be a very different person. I wouldn't be the same Alissa. I'd be influenced by different people who may believe in different things, such as religion. I'd eat different foods', I'd probably dress a different way and I may have a different attitude towards thing. I'd be like a whole different person.

Saturday, October 29, 2011

My inspirtaion, my sister.

My sister inspires me, a lot. She inspires me always stay strong, don't give up, she inspires me to belive in myself. She probably doesn't know this but she does. Why does she inspire me? She inspires me because she's always stood strong, she never gave up and she believes in herself. She is such a strong woman even though she has had a rough time. She has gotten pregnant at a very young age, had to grow up fast and support herself and her kids when she was still a kid herself. I watched her go through all of this. I seen her break down sometimes but she always got back up and stood strong. She at times wanted to give up but she never did. She sometimes felt like she couldn't do anything right but in the end believing in herself is what got her through everything. She is such an inspiration. She inspires me to be the best woman I can be. She is not only my inspiration but someone I look up too. I just hope to be as strong as she is.