Category: Lewis and Clark Expedition

Chapter 1 The Project

Intro

The world Hayden Bailey lives in is full of technology, advanced enough that citizens are able to travel through time and space. In fact, months are like seconds and years are like minutes, one year in the past equals to one minute in real life. This story is based on the facts of Lewis and Clark Expedition and a little bit of imagination. The story begins… Hayden Bailey, a black-haired boy who adores his denim jacket so much that he wears it every day, sat in the classroom quietly, listening to the teacher’s words. “This month you will be doing a project on Expeditions in the Past. Each student must write a journal for the expedition. The most outstanding work of each class will be presented in the library. This project would be due next month. ” The discussion began, the blacked-haired boy wasn’t involved in any conversation, instead he took out his laptop and planned out his next trip.

After school, Hayden sprinted towards his house, can’t wait to show his mother about his project plan. “Mom! I got something for you,” yelled Hayden, “I’ve planned out a trip to the past for my History project.” “Oh my boy, let me see, let me see,” Jelena, Hayden’s mom, shouted with excitement. Jelena took away Hayden’s laptop:

• Lewis and Clark Expedition (May 1804 to September 1806)
• Clark recruit men for the expedition in Kentucky 1803
• I could join the expedition if I travel to Kentucky
• Then I can write my journal during the expedition
• I won’t have to research for every detail of the expedition because I participated in it

“This is awesome! Okay, you can get ready, and I’ll operate the time machine tomorrow, right after you take back from school.”

The morning breeze blows through the window, carrying a sense of excitement. Hayden stood behind the door, ready to go to school. “Remember, come home right after the class is dismissed, or the time machine will automatically shut down. Have a great day!” Jelena closed the door and hurried up the roof where the time machine settles. The machine is a ball of pure white marble with a ring of the glass window in the middle, it is the newest product of the Speed-X time machine collection, which Jelena Bailey herself designed. She put on her control glasses and started to operate the time machine, three clicks on the right, then one click on the left, words appear on the machine:

• The machine will be fully charged in 8 hours
• Your final destination: Kentucky 1803 Nov. 23rd

For the whole day, Hayden isn’t paying attention to the surroundings, all he thinks of is the adventure that is about to begin… After school, Hayden threw his backpack on the ground, then ran to his bedroom to grab his journal. “Hey, Hayden! Ready to start the journey? Everything is ready in the machine, your clothes will be changed automatically once you arrived,” said Jelena “Thanks mom, I’ll be back in about three minutes, love you so much!”

Chapter 2 A New Friend

Three seconds countdown before blast off, three, two, one, the journey begins. The black-haired boy sat on the sofa, with a seat belt on, traveled through time. Inside the time machine, there is a food bar, which makes all kinds of food, American, Chinese, and even Hungarian, also there is a controlling center right behind the glass window. Outside, was the scene that human fifty years ago could never imagine, thousands of planet Earth rotating around in different directions. Instead of floating planets, old buildings appeared in sight, while the speaker speaks up, “You have now arrived in Kentucky, America, November 23rd, 1803. You will be able to travel home anytime you want, the secret code is ‘Hey, Speedo’, have a great time in the past!’ Hayden took out his notebook and wrote the secret password on the first page.

Hayden, now wearing a brown adventure coat, walked out of the time machine, looking for any sign of William Clark recruiting men for the upcoming adventure. Hayden saw a crowd gathering in the corner of the streets, he walked across the street and stood behind a boy, with blonde hair. The blonde boy turned around, and looked at Hayden curiously, “Hello? Are you here to join the expedition too? ” asked the boy, “I’m Jasper Allison, what’s your name?” “I’m Hayden Bailey, I’m lining up to join the expedition,” said Hayden, “That’s great! I’m here to join William Clark too!”

The two boys joined the expedition and started to prepare for their adventure. On the way to the market, Hayden and Jasper had a conversation on their thoughts about the expedition. “Did you know that this expedition is the first time Americans step on the western part of the land?” asked Jasper. “Yeah, I can’t wait to see what it looks like in the west,” said Hayden, “ I hope we can find wild animals and plants, we’ve never seen before!” “Thanks to President Jefferson, I can finally leave my town and explore the new land,” Jasper told Hayden.

Chapter 3 The Journey Journal

The sun rose from the east, bringing up the brightness between the trees, Hayden is already dressed up, sitting beside the table, thinking deeply about his plan. The bell on the tower rang, it is time to get ready for the adventure, he picked up his bag and went downstairs. At the plaza, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark counted the supplies and organized men. “HAYDEN! HAYDEN!” shouted Jasper, searching for the black-haired boy. “Jasper I’m here,” as he speaks, Hayden runs towards his new friend with excitement.

• Dear Diary,

On the way to the west, we discovered dozens of rivers and lakes, we also found new species of plants, one of them is called a bitterroot. We found it hiding beside the stones on the ground. A bitterroot has fifteen dark pink petals, and we predicted that it grows in a dry environment. I drew a sample of the flower. Everything was perfect until Sergeant Floyd suffered a very severe appendicitis and unfortunately died. Lewis and Clark buried him on a nearby cliff beside the Missouri River. We wish you the best Sergeant Floyd.

Hayden Bailey September 1st, 1804

• Dear Diary,

We built a fort near the Big Hidatsa Village where the natives live, I found out one of the main goals of this expedition is to make contact with Native Indians. We spent this winter meeting the natives and gave them peace medals and traded goods. The best thing about the native tribe is that one of the native women, named Sacagawea, agreed to lead us through the unknown land! Time flies, I’ve been on the expedition for half a year! Every sample of new species, notes on soil and climate, and freshly graphed maps were already sent back to President Jefferson, hopefully, we will get a response from him very soon!

Hayden B. January 3rd, 1805

• Dear Diary,

We walked along the Missouri River and arrived at Yellowstone! Mom took me here once and this place is completely different from the one I’ve been to! Thanks to Sacagawea who took us here, we saw wild buffalos, deers, elks, and antelopes. The most significant thing was Captain Lewis being chased by a Grizzly Bear, he could’ve died if the man from our group didn’t kill the bear. Jasper and I also tried to feed the deers, but we failed because we were scared they might attack us. Thinking about mom, I miss her signature hamburger and my breakfast smoothie, in the expedition we can only eat buffalo meat or fish. Nevermind, I can wait until the end of the expedition, and order some meal from the food bar!

H. B. April 30th, 1805

• Dear Diary,

The past few days are exhausting, we had to borrow horses from Sacagawea’s tribe to go through the mountains. As we reach the Lemhi Pass, we saw the endless Rocky Mountains and figured out that there are no direct passageways to go through. On our way through the mountains, there were no animals for us to hunt, with the freezing temperature on the mountains, it was a total nightmare! I wish I can call my time machine, but I have to finish my project! Let’s hope my project will be presented in the library.

Hayden Bailey August 19th, 1805

The team went through the mountains successfully and arrived at the Shoshone Tribe, where Sacagawea’s brother lent them horses, but they don’t know what lays behind the mountains.

Chapter 4 The Most Dangerous Part

The team’s next obstacle is the Lolo Pass where 200 miles of snowy tracks laid firmly on the ground. As they went through, they were dehydrated and suffered from frostbites. To survive the team had to kill four baby horses.

• Dear Diary,

After we left the Lolo pass, we arrived at a prairie called Weippe Prairie. We stayed in the tribe for a month, and the natives showed us the route to the Clearwater River, so we could reach the Pacific Ocean. In this expedition, I figured that the natives helped us so much, we were not able to pay them back. From the tribe’s horses to the guidance from Sacagawea, we could never make it without help from them!

H. B. October 25th, 1805

• Dear Diary,

Our team arrived at the Pacific Ocean, where we could see the blue horizon far away. We built a fort to get ready for our returning trip. I planned out a list of things I could do, either I should travel back home now, or I could finish the trip. And I chose to stay, to add the ending into my journal. Maybe there will be another discover on the way back home! Who knows?

Hayden B. November 16th, 1805

Chapter 5 The Perfect Ending

• Dear Diary,

We are finally back to Missouri, on the way back we definitely found new places and streams, which we added in our maps. We found a total of 126 new species of plant on this expedition and provided detailed notes on plants, animals, and natives. I am so glad we finished our expedition and discovered a lot.

Hayden Bailey September 22nd, 1806

St. Louis, Missouri 1806 AD September 23rd

After Congress awarded the team with double pay and public land, Jasper said, “Goodbye my friend, I will never forget this journey.” Hayden nodded his head and walked in the crowds. “Hey, Speedo,” shouted Hayden, the time machine appeared beside him. Hayden hopped into the machine and pressed the largest button that says ‘HOME’ on the control center.

Three seconds countdown before blast off, three, two, one, the journey begins. Hayden sat back into his sofa, enjoying his breakfast smoothie made by the Food Bar. There are thousands of planet Earth rotating outside the time machine, one to the left and one to the right. All of the planets stopped, and the familiar sight appears on the window. Skyscrapers, flying cars, and white clouds, Hayden Bailey is back home! He ran downstairs into his bedroom, where he organized his journal for his project.

California, America 2053 AD

“And the most outstanding project goes to —— Hayden Bailey,” said the History teacher. Hayden walked to the front and accepted his award and the unstoppable applause, nothing else can describe the glorious smile on his face, but the word SATISFIED.

END.

Back of Book Summary

Time machines are the most popular way to spend a vacation in the 2050s, people either travel to the past or to the future. Hayden Bailey, a black-haired boy planned out his next trip and went on board. This isn’t a vacation, but a mission to complete his history project. Through his journey, Hayden joined Lewis and Clark’s expedition to the west, where he wrote a journal about the unexplored west. How do students work on their projects in 2053? What is it like to travel via time machine? Will Hayden be able to survive through the expedition? Or will he suffer from terrible diseases? All the answers will be revealed in the book…

Jon Meacham’s ‘Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power’ takes a look into the life of the 3rd President of the United States, Thomas Jefferson. However, his story does not begin there, Jefferson was a well-known individual before his presidency. He was a man of culture, philosophy, and politics. Jefferson defied the original thinking of having to be either a person intensely knowledgeable on culture or just politics. Instead, he pursued both of these areas and created thought through looking at the world around him. He was a person who could enter a room and open people up rather than being larger-than life; closing himself off from the ordinary man. Despite this aura, he was in-fact, larger than life. Thomas Jefferson, being one of the founders of the United States, helped to give life to the country we live in today. His thoughts, principals, and actions have carried over into the modern era. Meacham takes a look into this extraordinary figure’s life and weaves together a tapestry that stitches together Jefferson’s life. He meticulously pays close attention to each stitch, thus, showing readers the creation of the Thomas Jefferson.

Meacham’s thesis looks into what influenced Jefferson’s policies and views of the world around him. He dives deep into the thoughts, relationships, and actions that created Jefferson’s perception of how the United States should run. As his title states, “The Art of Power”, shows how Jefferson was able to both move his audience through his words, but also pushed them into action. He was eloquent and charming, but not so flowery and unreachable that he pushed the common man away. In short, Meacham looks into how Jefferson’s experiences and actions were so influential in creating the man that went down in American history.

Jon Meacham is an author who writes biographies looking into the lives of popular American history individuals through the ages. His works are mostly on United State Presidents and how they became the people that would eventual take control stirring the ship that is the United States. Some of these presidents include, respectively, Thomas Jefferson, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and Andrew Jackson. Meacham works as the editor and the Executive Vice President for the publishing company known as Random House. Not only this, but he also spends time working as an editor for Time magazine. From viewing his works and his career life, it is quite clear that Meacham knows the inner-workings of how to become a successful published author. What was not clear, until reading the book, is that not only does he know how to be a publisher, but he can also write a biographical piece that is both heart-warming and instils American pride without being flamboyant.

Meacham uses many primary and secondary sources that look at the writings and relationships of those who were in Jefferson’s life. This was both from political figures and individuals from his private life who had a more intimate relationship with this revolutionary icon. These writings reveal, not only Jefferson’s thoughts, but the opinions that others had thought of him. This helps readers see not only the public view of Jefferson, but the private view that few would have seen during his time of government politics. These two points-of-view helps show a character that is deeper than his written and spoken words. We see the man, and his passions, that reveal the true magnitude of his life.

Evidence that Meacham uses to prove his thesis that Jefferson uses the power of words to shift the public to his will is littered throughout the work. However, instances that bring to light the true power Jefferson possessed can be found when Meacham discusses Jefferson’s earlier life. Jefferson was in awe of political figures of his time that had a way with words that he saw that he lacked; one such figure was Patrick Henry. Instead of wishing that he could be an orator, such as these men, he decided to work towards this skill. Jefferson learned how to let the audience talk rather than speaking over them with his ideals. He talked to people about their own lives, he spoke to them about the views they held and the values that were important to them, and most importantly he cared about these views. A visual representation of Jefferson’s power is with the signing of the Louisiana Purchase. Before the actual signing, Jefferson had gotten a name for himself during the Revolutionary War as being a coward. Not because he actually was, but because he had fled Monticello from the incoming British lead by Benedict Arnold and Cornwallis. This did not look good to the colonist, but what would they have had him do? Sit and be captured and hung for treason? Regardless of looking at this from a rational point of view, this had bothered Jefferson. So, when we jump to the time of the Louisiana Purchase, we have more of an understanding of why Jefferson bypassed congressional approval. Originally Jefferson was to go to congress and get approval for the purchase of the French Territory. However, after time had passed with trying to get the deal to go through, Napoleon started to second-guess the selling of the land. To avoid losing out on doubling the size of the country and looking like a coward, Jefferson, with much hast, agreed to the purchase without the approval of congress. This rash decision would be one that would later spark the Louis and Clark expeditions.

Meacham successfully proves his thesis on Jefferson. Jefferson was cultured and endowed in the sense of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. He knew that the forming of a country, split from its master, had challenges ahead, but he took great pride in knowing that these were the necessary steps in creating a place where everyone could prosper. Despite this, Jefferson was not folly to the undertaking of this task. He knew mistakes would be made and there would be disagreements in the direction the country should take. Instead, of hoping for the best, he decided to put use to the great knowledge he had gained through study and use these tools to move the American people. He was able to not only speak to the public but move them like the ebb and flow of the ocean. This is not to say that he did not have off days. One such instance is found in the work done to abolish or reform slavery in the states. Jefferson had tried, in the past, to address the issue of slavery. Alas, things did not always look in his favor. In 1784 he tried to pass the 1784 Northwest Ordinance. This would outlaw slavery in the western portion of the United States. However, this proposal would lose by one vote in congress. Downtrodden by the multiple loses, he would never again visit the topic of slavery reform.

Jefferson was a man who lived in a time where a monarchy was the common form of government. However, after the Revolutionary War happened in the colonies, he was faced with the burden of creating a society from the ground up. What would be the laws, the form of government, how would the powers be checked in order to avoid a monarchy, and how would the people play a factor in this government? These questions had no definite answer, they could only hope that their choices would lead them to prosperity. Not to mention, the British breathing down their necks waiting (and watching) for them to slip up and come back into the arms of the mother they had turned their check to. However, fortune would be good to them and they would prosper; this is not to say there were no bad times, but the country flourished and was accepting of the roles created for this newly formed republic. How was Jefferson responsible for this great change though?

Jefferson, while there were other influential characters at play, can be seen at the creation and growth into maturity of the United States. He also was one of a few founding fathers that got a presidential seat; that must count as something, right? He didn’t rely on only influences from the states or form Britain. He looked to other countries; their creations, their reforms, their art, music, clothing, and even essence. He took their embodiment and held it next to the United States’. He looked at how he could take some of Europe’s style and dress up the U.S. While he was abroad, he also made sure to market. He lifted up his country, while observing other countries, and he showcased the excellency that was the United States of America. Presidents can always be criticized for their works, or the lack-there-of, but Jefferson seems to be one of the rare ones where he worked to do only good onto others. He had his flaws, as men do, but his work, the effort he put into the work, and his innate understanding that all men were created equal, seems to override some of those flaws. Thomas Jefferson was the United States 3rd U.S President; a man who encapsulates the undying spirt of the United States.

Thomas Jefferson gave a proposal to Congress to have a secret expedition in the West. In his proposal, he stated that it was for, “economic reasons which could lead to commercial intercourse”. Congress approved and Jefferson was quick to begin planning for the expedition. The territory that Jefferson wanted to explore was owned by the French. Napoleon had lost many soldiers in Hispaniola and lost interest in America therefore decided to sell the land know as Louisiana, at its time, for $15 million which had about 900,000 square miles. Jefferson’s opponents thought that the purchase of unknown lands was ridiculous because no one knew what was there but the idea won congressional approval and the exploration turned into an exploration of American territory.

Jefferson chose a person to lead the exploration and his name was Meriwether Lewis who was a brave man and knew about Indian manners. Jefferson and Lewis were very good friends and were both curious of the West. Lewis prepared for the exploration by learning about the Indians and gathering questions to ask them in 1803 at the University of Pennsylvania. Lewis wanted a crew of smart men who were good at hunting and surviving and who could push each other the entire journey. He chose a good friend William Clark which served with him in the Indian wars of the 1790s. Lewis wrote Clark a letter stating that he wanted Clark to help in the exploration of the West and to learn about the culture, wildlife and plants. Clark’s response was very enthusiastic and said, “I will join you with hand and heart”.

Lewis spends the early part of summer choosing equipment and weapons which would be taken. Lewis designed an improved version of the Kentucky rifle which was known as the Harpers Ferry Rifle and was used as a standard army weapon. The men brought shirts, blankets, medical supplies and even 193 pounds of powdered soup in the case that other food supply would run out. Lewis had a barge constructed about 60 feet long propelled by oars, poles and a sail which was loaded with the supplies and was used to travel down Ohio to the Mississippi. While heading downstream through the Missouri river, the men came across many issues in the water and had to unload and load the barge several times but they maintained their good spirits and kept going. The men reached Saint Louis on December 5th and constructed cabins where they recruited the last of their men. They had a total of 29 men on the expedition along with sixteen soldiers and river men helping them travel up the Missouri River.

After a year of preparation for the expedition, on May 14th, the expedition was finally ready to begin. Lewis ordered the boats to row down the Mississippi River and begin their journey up the Missouri river. There were many problems along the way such as windy conditions, animals and sunstroke but the men enjoyed the journey because they liked the idea of exploring new territory. As the men were traveling, Lewis and Clark recorded their observations of what they saw such as trees and different landmarks which were new or had already been discovered. They ate lots of pork during the journey and occasionally the animals and plants they found such as deer, bear, beaver, raspberries, apples and grapes. As they were heading upstream, they met and convinced a French-Canadian man named Pierre Dorien to help along the journey as a translator. They traveled downstream for days not finding any Indians. Finally, on August 2nd, the Indians arrived and fired their rifles to announce their comings.

The Indians and Lewis and Clark’s crew were together and enjoyed each other’s company. The whites told the Indians the American’s terms which were to behave properly and see America as their friend and then gave the Indians medals, powder and some whiskey. Through the coming weeks, the whites met many friendly groups of Indians. They compiled much of the information they learned from these groups such as their language and religion and sent them to Jefferson which made a publishing known as ‘A Statistical View of the Indian Nations Inhabiting the Territory of Louisiana and the Countries Adjacent to Its Northern and Western Boundaries’.

As winter approached, weathers dropped in the negatives and the men built a winter encampment with eight log huts. They spent some time here gathering food while the temperature was not too cold and they had campfires running all day and all night to help keep them warm. At the fort they built which was known as Fort Mandan, they found a young Indian women called Sacajawea. At first, they did not think much of her but she ended up being one of the most useful members in the exploration. When spring came and the water was clear of ice, they were ready to get sailing again and continue the discovery of the new land. They continued to head up the Missouri and within a few weeks passed the Yellowstone River. They came across several grizzly bears but it seemed that each bear they killed took more and more shots. The rivers were not running clearly and the groups challenges began to get harder. On May 26th, Lewis saw the first glimpse of the Rocky Mountains. Sacajawea was credited for having led Lewis and Clark through the expedition, but in reality, she did not know much more than Lewis and Clark did of the Rockies. A few days later, the group reached Great Falls which is present day Montana and it had beautiful waterfalls. On July 25th they arrived to a point where the Missouri River split off into 3 sections. They followed a path known as the Jefferson because it was the most Westward path. Then on August 13th, Lewis came across 3 Indian women and 60 warriors. Lewis offered them gifts to show that they came in friendship and they welcomed them. The spend several days with them and continued their journey across the mountains. The season began to get late so they started heading downstream. They setup a camp to allow their equipment and clothes to dry due to canoes overturning. They then continued back to Missouri in separate groups and later regrouped. They left Sacajawea and Charbonneau in their country and continued downstream. They later arrived in Saint Louis on September 23rd.

The country was excited to learn that they came back safely and there was much national attention on Lewis and Clark. The Lewis and Clark expedition is regarded as one of the most successful in history. They all made it back except 1 person that they lost due to disease and traveled over seven thousand miles from Saint Louis to the Pacific and back. They discovered a total of 178 plants, 15 reptiles, 44 mammals, 51 birds and 12 fishes. In all, Lewis and Clark discovered much of the land that is known as modern day America and they did it without vehicles but by small boats, time and lots of walking and hiking.

1620–1728: Puritanism

Plymouth Plantation founded

During the reign of King James I in September of 1620, nearly 100 mean and women boarded the Mayflower and set sail for the New World. These people were members of the English separatist church. The Mayflower landed on Plymouth Rock, the place that would later become the permanent settlement of the Europeans in New England. Most of the settlers died off within the first winter and those who survived secured peace treaties with neighboring Native Americans such as the Tisquantum, Squanto, and the Pawtuxet tribes. The settlers, with the help of the Native Americans, managed to build a self-sufficient economy in five years. In 1621, the Pilgrims shared a feast with the Pokanokets. This day became known as Thanksgiving, a tradition still celebrated to this day. The first Thanksgiving was a major impact on the US. Also, the foundation provided by this event gave our country the fuel that it needed to become its own nation.

Salem Witch Trials

In Spring of 1692, the Salem Witch Trials had begun. This was because a group of young girls in the village of Salem, Massachusetts was said to be possessed by the devil and accused of performing witchcraft. Those accusations caused a special court to convene. One of the first of the witches, Bridget Bishop, was accused of witchcraft and later hung. Other women later faced the same fate as Bridget. Many women and children were wrongly accused and killed, but by September of 1692, the craziness began to die down after the public had begun to turn against the trials. Further on, the Massachusetts General Court decided against the accused witches and granted protection and security to their families. The bitterness left in the community stayed with them for centuries.

1750–1800: Rationalism

Boston Massacre

On March 5, 1770, British soldiers were sent to support a sentry being pressed for messing with a crowd of colonists. Soon, shots were fired, resulting in 5 deaths. Captain Thomas Preston, the British officer in charge at the time, was arrested for manslaughter along with 8 other men. This event is known for helping to galvanize the Colonies to the Patriot Cause. This event was a defining moment in the path leading up the the American Revolution.

1800–1860: Romanticism

Lewis and Clark expedition

In 1804, Lewis and Clark led an expedition through the uncharted American interior in the Pacific Northwest. This expedition spanded 8,000 miles and took 3 years to accomplish. It was also known as “the Corps of Discovery”. The expedition ran up the Missouri River, across the Continental Divide, and all the way to the Pacific Ocean. Lewis and Clark began their journey in ST. Louis, Missouri in early 1804, keeping a detailed journal of collected samples from plants and animals along the way. They recieved aid from many natives on their journey. This expedition overall helped to change the face of the US by exploring its uncharted territory known as the American West. Lewis and Clark also helped to inspire many other explorers to follow their path. They managed to greatly advance in scientific knowledge, and made many discoveries.

1836–1860: Transcendentalism

Women’s suffrage movement

The first campaign for women’s suffrage began in the decades before the Civil War. In the 1820s and 30s, most states had extended the campaign to all white men, no matter their amount of money or property. In 1884, a group of abolitionist activists gathered in Seneca Falls, New York. This group met to discuss the issue of women’s rights. In the 1850s, the women’s rights movement has lost its steam because of the Civil War. By 1890, women’s suffrage groups had formed the National American Woman Suffrage Association. Beginning in 1910, some of the Western states began to extend vote to women for the first time in 20 years. However, many southern and eastern states resisted the movement. Because of World War I, the suffragists’ campaign was slowed down. Eventually, on August 26, 1920, 100 years ago, the 19th amendment was added to the Constitution, giving women the right to vote.

1850–1900: Realism, Regionalism, and Naturalism

Civil War

In the spring of 1861, Years of simmering tensions between the Northern and Southern parts of the US. This was over issues including state rights against federal authority. The Civil war ended up lasting from 1861 through 1865. The war ended in Confederate surrender in 1865. Around 620,000 soldiers were killed, and millions were injured. It proved to be the costliest war ever fought in the US.

1900–1950: Modernism

The Great Depression

In 1929 to 1939, the worst economic downturn in history of the western industrialization occured. This began after the stock market crash of October 1929. This sent Wall Street into a panic while wiping out millions of investors. Through the next several years, consumer spending and investment heavily dropped. This caused a steep decline in the industrial output and rising levels of unemployment as more and more workers were laid off. In 1933, 13 to 15 million Americans were unemployed, and half of the country’s banks had failed. President Roosevelt helped to lessen the effects of the Great Depression in the 1930s, but the economy did not fully turn around until 1939.

1920–1932: Harlem Renaissance

World War I Great Migration

The Harlem Renaissance was known to be the relocation 6 million African Americans from the rural south to the cities of the North, Midwest, and West from 1916 to 1970. This was a great migration that hugely impacted urban life in the United States. African Americans were driven out of their homes by harsh segregationist laws. Many of these former slaves headed to the North, where they took advantage of the need for workers. Migrants were forced to deal with poor working conditions, competition for living space, and widespread racism and prejudice. All while states like Chicago and New York watched their black populations grow. Eventually, African Americans were able to build a new place for themselves in public life. These events helped our country to become what it is today, and give African Americans a great and accepting life.

1950–Present: Contemporary

Cold War

The first military action in the Cold War began in June of 1950 when the Soviets and North Korean’s invaded the south. American officials feared this was the start of a communist campaign to take over the world. Truman had sent the American military into Korea, but the war had dragged into a standstill and ended in 1953. The legacy of the cold war continued to influence world affairs, but it also defined the political role of the US.

First African-American President

In 2008, the United States met their first African American president. President Barack Obama, former senator of Illinois. He was the 44th president and served two terms. In 2007, Obama officially announced his candidacy for the presidential election. Obama’s campaign during the primaries worked to build support for his campaign with his inspiring life story. On November 4, 2008, the US experienced a significant day in history. It was the day the first-ever African American man was elected president. This election really showed our country that anyone can be anything here, also that we can overcome anything.

Reflection

All of these events helped to shape modern American life, values, and ways of thinking. For example, without the settlement of the Plymouth plantation, we would not be where we are today. We would certainly not celebrate Thanksgiving and other holidays such as the 4th of July. The same circumstance occurs for all of the other events. The Salem Witch Trials also brought new ways of doing things. Because of this event, America was taught a tough lesson. With so many innocents facing charges of murder, these trials brought resentment that lingered in Salem long after the trials were “over”. This disagreement between the court and the people brought upon a legacy that would last for centuries. These events, although dark at times, taught us how to avoid a future incident from occurring. Another example of this is the Boston Massacre. Both this and the Salem witch trials resulted in loss. Although, events like the Lewis and Clark expedition brought great advances in science and knowledge. These events further as well as change our ways of thinking and our values.

This ultimately affects American life as a whole. Because of events such as the Women’s suffrage movement, life for Women in the US changed forever, and for the better. Events such as the Civil War taught us that things go wrong, but if we preserve, we can overcome it. Although America still faces problems, the progress we’ve shown in our country gives us hope for the future. We’ve even had an African American president who was re-elected and served two terms. 100 years ago, that would have seemed unthinkable, and even impossible. Our progress is the reason America has become such a great country. American life as we know it has been shaped by our history. Our values are constantly changing and evolving, and will continue to.

Connection Between Historical

Contexts and Texts

Different time periods bring different perspectives. They bring up new issues, and with these different time periods comes varying levels of knowledge. Writings during the time Plymouth was first settled in, may have been concerning the knowledge in which is being absorbed at the time. During the Salem witch trials, writings possibly could have been about the accused witches or those in which being convicted of it. At the time of the Boston Massacre, writings may have been regarding the British or the Patriots. All of these writings provided information for the people and advanced our knowledge.