Blog #2A - Reconstruction

I'll throw out those two focus questions that I posed on Monday for discussion (and then add the third one as well):

1. Do you think the South should have been punished or forgiven for their role in the Civil War? Why?

2. After all that happened, do you think that Reconstruction was a success or failure? Which one and why?

3. Does Andrew Johnson deserve to be in the Top 5-10 worst Presidents lists that he is normally put in? Why or why not?

Since I'm posting this around 9:40 p.m. on Wednesday night, I'll take posts until Friday (12/14/07) at the beginning of class. Minimum of 150 words. Thanks. Sorry for the delay.

Blog #8B - Pick a quote on America

Blog #8B: Pick one of these quotes and tell me what you think the speaker means by it and what he/she is saying about America specifically (150 words minimum). Do not just rephrase the quote.

1. "America's greatest strength, and its greatest weakness, is our belief in second chances, our belief that we can always start over, that things can be made better." Anthony Walton, writer

2. "America is the greatest, freest and most decent society in existence. It is an oasis of goodness in a desert of cynicism and barbarism. This country, once an experiment unique in the world, is now the last best hope for the world." Dinesh D'Souza, writer

3. "What's right about America is that although we have a mess of problems, we have great capacity - intellect and resources - to do some thing about them." Henry Ford II, US automobile manufacturer (1917 - 1987)

4. "I don't measure America by its achievement but by its potential." Shirley Chisholm, US politician (1924 - 2005)

5. "The genius of the United States is not best or most in its executives or legislatures, nor in its ambassadors or authors or colleges, or churches, or parlors, nor even in its newspapers or inventors, but always most in the common people." Walt Whitman, US poet (1819 - 1892)

6. "America is a large, friendly dog in a very small room. Every time it wags its tail, it knocks over a chair." Arnold Toynbee, English historian & historical philosopher (1889 - 1975)

Blog #1A - Pick a quote and answer it!

Blog #1A: Pick one of these quotes and tell me what you think the speaker means by it and what he/she is saying about history/peace specifically (150 words minimum).

Mankind must put an end to war, or war will put an end to mankind...War will exist until that distant day when the conscientious objector enjoys the same reputation and prestige that the warrior does today- John F. Kennedy

The best way to destroy an enemy is to make him a friend - Abraham Lincoln

Nothing could be worse than the fear that one had given up too soon and left one unexpended effort which might have saved the world - Jane Addams

Each must for himself alone decide what is right and what is wrong, and which course is patriotic and which isn't. You cannot shirk this and be a man. To decide against your convictions is to be an unqualified and inexcusable traitor, both to yourself and to your country, let man label you as they may - Mark Twain

If our country is worth dying for in time of war let us resolve that it is truly worth living for in time of peace - Hamilton Fish