American History 121, Spring 2009

Keeping Dixie Alive...in Brazil!

Here's a link to the information I the mentioned last week about ancestors of Confederates who fled to Brazil.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2LLM38bHDY

Let the fun begin!

Welcome to History 121 at Northern Virginia Community College, Alexandria, VA campus.

This course is a survey class intended to introduce you to many of the important themes in American History, from the arrival of Columbus in 1492 to the end of the American Civil War in 1865. Since this is a lot of material to cover in such a short period of time, I am using this blog to help facilitate a deeper exploration of American History and to facilitate communication not only between me and you, but between you and your fellow students. History should be a "collaborative learning" experience and that's what this blog is intended to accomplish.

This course is a survey class intended to introduce you to many of the important themes in American History, from the arrival of Columbus in 1492 to the end of the American Civil War in 1865. Since this is a lot of material to cover in such a short period of time, I am using this blog to help facilitate a deeper exploration of American History and to facilitate communication not only between me and you, but between you and your fellow students. History should be a "collaborative learning" experience and that's what this blog is intended to accomplish.

This course is a survey class intended to introduce you to many of the important themes in American History, from the arrival of Columbus in 1492 to the end of the American Civil War in 1865. Since this is a lot of material to cover in such a short period of time, I am using this blog to help facilitate a deeper exploration of American History and to facilitate communication not only between me and you, but between you and your fellow students. History should be a "collaborative learning" experience and that's what this blog is intended to accomplish.

Questions about the test??? Post them here.

Post any questions you may have about the test materal here for everyone to see, answer and learn from......

Question for the test

As we discussed in class, below is the essay question everyone must do on the test. You will not be allowed to use your notes when you write it on the test; you must pull it from memory.

Since this is essentially a take home question, I expect well thought out answers from everyone. Also, I'm going to increase the number of points this question is worth from 5 points to 10 points, and also reduce the number of additional essay questions that you need to do from 4 questions to 2 questions (it's to your advantage, trust me :-)  ). So here's the question:

The political debate about slavery began at the Constitutional Convention in 1787 and continued until 1860 and the start of the Civil War. Is it safe to say that things really got "heated up" when slavery went from being just a political issue to also being a moral one? If so, when and how did this transition happen? What were some of the events that contributed to the increase in tensions over slavery? (I just added this last sentence)

You may work together on this question as well as post your thoughts and comments here for everyone else to see and respond to.

Civil War and your thoughts

What are your thoughts so far about the Civil War based on the documentary we watched on Saturday (I'm asking about the actual event, not the documentary itself). We already discussed in last week's blog wheather or not the war needed to be fought. Has your opionin changed? Could it have been avoided? Are there any people from the event that impressed you -- Lincoln, Davis, Mary Cheastnut, Elija Hunt Rhodes, etc.? Are there any events that grabbed your attention? What else?

"The Civil War"

In preparation for our next two classes, please visit the web-site for the documentary, The Civil War. In addition to the guide I'm going to hand out in class, this site will help make things a little more clearer.

Davis vs. Lincoln

When you read Jefferson Davis's inaugural address and then Lincoln's inaugural address, what, in your opinion, was each man trying to do? What was their message?" Who was their audience? What were their motivations?

Big Question....

Ok, here's the big question that has a lot of room for debate.....

Given all we've studied since the beginning of this class, and given all the recent material you're read, especially letters, newspapers, etc. from the Valley of the Shadow and the material for this coming Satrurday, WAS THE CIVIL WAR INVEVITABLE? What do you think? Supportyour reasoning with examples and evidence from class. There's no right or wrong answer.

Valley of the Shadow

As we discussed in class on Saturday, I want you to go to the Valley of the Shadow archive listed on the syllabus for April 18 and look at material (letters, diaries, journals, newspapers) from both Franklin County, PA and Augusta County, VA. Specifically, I want you to look at material from the Eve of War and the War Years to see if there were different attitudes and perceptions toward the conflict before and during the war, as well as between the two communities. Also, from the material you read, what is the war about? Does it differ between the two communities?

Women's Rights and Seneca Falls

In looking at the Seneca Falls Declaration of 1848, you'll notice it follows the same language and pattern as the Declaration of Independence. What advantages do you see, if any, in following this model? Have the rights these women were seeking in 1848 been fulfilled today? Are there any that still need to be fulfilled? In what ways does this declaration affirm the principles of the American Revolution (ie. the tenets of Declaration of Impendence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights) and in what ways, if any, does it run counter to these tenets?

Slavery....

After reading the three slave spirituals posted on the course calendar for Week 10, is there any single theme or message that runs throuhout them all? Why do you think they have a more "Old Testement" feel to them?

As I mention on the course calendar, I want you to read one of the listed slave narratives at the Library of Congress's, Born into Slavery, and describe it here. I want you to pay particular attention to how the slave you pick describes his/her experience with slavery. Was it a good experience or bad one?