Michelle

Reasearch question: How and why was the Women's Liberation Movement influential to the United States?

SEMESTER 2
5/26/2009 Reagan brought back the pride of America. Money talked loudly during the Reagan years. Korean immigrants were happy for the money... Gerald Wolford: "It was like the Gold Rush years...
 * Reagan Years movie clip**

What conclusions can you draw about Republicans and Democrats? Give a one paragraph summary for each. Describe one thing about these interviews that surprised you. How does each interviewee fit and Not fit into the typical party member?
 * Democrat vs. Republican** - Journal

Republicans have a tendency to be more in the Southern region of the United States, which is also the more religious region with many Christians. I can conclude about the Republicans that they favor pro-life and free-market. They could bee seen as conservative people who support low taxation. They tend to believe that social programs, as well as government spending should be cut back and concentrated on other parts of the nation. Their understanding of law is very precise and straightforward.

The Democrats are in favor of issues such as abortion and civil rights. I can conclude that they are doubtful about the United States' military force acting upon international affairs. They believe that awareness of the bigger issues at hand is important. They also value civil rights should extend to all people. Constantly pushed to be liberal, the Democrats are passionate about the military and abortion issues.

From the interviews, I was surprised that the Republican (Dave) thought that his political party should "pitch a bigger tent." Despite the support he gave to the Republican party, he finds the Democrats greater in power because of their opening up to a wider range of ideas.

5/25/2009
 * Reagan's Popularity: what made him so popular?**
 * He was anti-union, therefore his supporters would be the upper-class because they like the tax cuts and they want to suppress the working class from rising up and being in the same level as them.
 * The wealthy were the employers and had problems with the unions.
 * His economic policies were easy-fix for people.
 * Leasing public lands to coal companies and allowing for oil-drilling on sea floors was way to 'quick money'
 * Social views are attracted by the people
 * conservative, anti-ERA, anti-abortion, anti-gun-control, support prayer in school.
 * Support of the New Right and the **Moral Majority** (coming from the South, headed by a minister..Christian organization that supported his economic defense policies and social policies) - it helped Republicans gain control of the senate in 1980
 * He was able to explain things in simple terms that all people could understand
 * //America is good, Communism is evil. Government is the problem, not the solution. Free-market capitalism delivers prosperity. Taxes and regulation strangle business//
 * Economics cut taxes by 25% over three years
 * **Reagan Democrats**: able to attract the south and people who normally voted democratic by promising tax cuts (ironic that he was anti-union)
 * Working class may be supportive of Reagan because of his anti-Communist ideologies and social views/outlook.
 * He was more optimistic than Carter

5/13/2009 Journal Homework - Watergate In a democracy, people should know what's going on, be able to vote on what happens in their nation, and have the country running based on the people's opinions. Free press is important because it’s a way to ensure that the government represents its people. The freedom for press to tell the truth about the government leaves the possibility of the government being held accountable. It prevents government propaganda and allows the government to view through a normal man’s eye. By allowing free press, the people are informed about everything from the government to the economy to politics to entertainment to sports.
 * How important is a free press in a democracy?**

The press is, in a way, controlled by authority figures. Aside from the fact of whether it is right or wrong to do so, that’s the truth. There is most likely some connection to which types of information the press releases based on the opinions of authority figures of the government. On the contrary, it’s also important to notice how the press would most likely focus their stories on certain authority figures, such as the Watergate incident. The press wants to reveal certain information about authority figures, but the authority want to avoid the press from doing so. Therefore, their relationship is not completely positive. Authority figures may fear the rpess because of press's freedom to give out any information.
 * What do you think the relationship is between the press and authority figures? Think about Watergate and the Washington Post, also the reading we did in class.**

There should be restrictions, to a certain level, on what newspapers can or cannot print. This is because of the risk of damaging a reputation of some kind that would arouse problems in the nation. People or organizations should be able to have the right to protect their personal information without revealing every aspect to the public.
 * Should there be any restrictions on what newspapers can print?**

Newspapers should not be able to report without revealing their sources because the citizens reading the paper would automatically believe that the information is reliable, when in reality it isn’t so. It’s important to let the readers know where the information they are being acknowledged of is coming from. Without the origins of the information, the source is basically unreliable and could be coming from anything, any place, or anyone. Without the sources revealed, the newspaper would be untrustworthy.
 * Should newspapers be able to report without revealing their sources? Why or why not? Is this important?**

5/8/2009 - CLASS NOTES __Nixon Presidency__
 * 1) He thought that the laws were leaning towards the suspects too much.
 * 2) **"Silent Majority"**: everyone else in the country--"the non-demonstrators". They don't normally make their voices heard
 * 3) Criticism of Johnson and Kennedy - wasting money, civil rights, social progresses couldn't be handled by making laws
 * **Family Assistance Plan**: supported families, and made sure that adults able to work were to go to job training.
 * 1) Federal Gov. gave blocks of money to state to decide how to use the money on the people.
 * 2) Republicans tend to want a smaller gov., less government intervention and regulations, especially of the economy
 * 3) Democrats want a bigger government with more responsibility on the gov.
 * This becomes a fundamental difference between Democrats and Republicans
 * Health care, medic-aid - mainly a federal program; split on HOW to spend the money
 * 1) **Stagflation**: occurs when inflation and unemployment go up together, when normally they work as opposites
 * In order to curve inflation, he froze prices, rents, and wages
 * Made him unpopular with unions because the unions would earn little due to his new policies. Unions are always fighting for better working conditions and higher wages.
 * AFL-CIO: 'he robs from the poor and gives to the rich'
 * 1) Ford started WIN (Whip Inflation Now)
 * 2) Energy: first time US started thinking about other ways of getting energy other than foreign oil - fossil fuels
 * **Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries -** OPEC (Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, Iran, etc)
 * Oil embargo = not enough oil in the US.
 * If you put an embargo on a country, you're cutting exports.
 * 1) Plan to start building nuclear power - not good because of the amount and quality of waste it produces.
 * 2) Chile - Allende (Socialist): US supported the military who were against Allende to overthrow him
 * **realpolitik**: do what is what is practical and good for your country, rather than support democracy and human rights.
 * 1) Foreign Policy: China & Soviet Union - President Nixon tried to improve relations with China without increasing U.S.-Soviet tensions.
 * establish deténte
 * 1) **Strategic Arms Limitation Talks** (SALT): limited the number of intercontinental nuclear missiles--those capable of traveling long distances to other continents--each nation could have.

5/6/2009 This excerpt shows values of redefining the relationship between the federal government and the states during the early 1970s. Nixon talks of Kennedy's New Frontier and Johnson's Great Society, both foredoomed methods which led to almost prohibitively high costs in terms of the way it undermined fundamental relationships within the federal system, created confusions about national values, and corroded American belief as a people and as a nation. Despite his expressed values and views, he later encountered domestic and foreign-policy issues.
 * What values and view of government are expressed in this excerpt from Nixon's Memoirs?**
 * He was afraid too many people would be dependent on welfare programs.
 * Compared to the effect, the previous plans were too costly.
 * Spending money on social programs does not work.
 * Predecessors' plans weakened the federal government (?)
 * It's not the government's job to pass laws regarding social progress
 * Nixon's job: pulling government out of people's lives.
 * Dem tend to spend money and have taxes
 * Rep tend to not increase tax .. think that if they have more tax, the gov has more money to spend


 * Nixon is considered a "Law and Order" president. How would the events of 1968 make Nixon an appealing candidate?**
 * After Martin Luther King Jr.'s death, people were looking for stability--and Nixon had that.
 * Tet Offensive - turning point where people began to realize that US might not win.

4/10/2009 . 3. What important information does the doc give you: . 4. explain significance of the document: consider the effects it may have had . 5. explain what the doc adds to the understanding of the War . 6. What is the attitude towards the US in this document? . 7. Do you see anything "wrong " in this document? Meaning do the goals seem just? . 8. Who or what country do you think has the right to resist these goals, if anyone?
 * Viet Con Program, 1962**
 * 1) Who wrote the document: People's Revolutionary Party of Vietnam
 * 2) Main Points:
 * overthrow Ngo Dinh Diem
 * pushing for democracy in this area
 * build a nationalistic progressive culture and education
 * Re-establish relations between North and South to reunite Vietnam
 * Equalize importance (race, gender, etc)
 * The document states that the United States is working for world peace through these actions stated.
 * This document may have caused some people to believe the there is a leaning towards a goal that did not involve creating world peace.
 * The dislikes Vietnamese had against the U.S. even when the U.S. was applying 'help'
 * They didn't want the US to dominate Vietnam
 * "will abolish economic monopoly of the U.S. and its henchmen"
 * "eliminate U.S. cultural enslavement and depravity and build a nationalistic progressive culture and education" - want Vietnamese culture to evolve.

4/8/2009 The U.S justifies escalation by giving reasons in which say that Vietnam was creating a serious threat to to international peace. Also, the U.S makes remarks on the campaign of aggression taking place by the Vietnamese. The stated U.S. goals are assisting and protecting the freedom of the people of southeast Asia, taking any step necessary in order to assist any member or protocol state of the South-east Asia Collective Defense Treaty requesting assistance in defense of its freedom, repel any armed attack against the forces of the United States and to prevent further aggression. The purpose is to promote the maintenance of international peace and security in southeast Asia. The Tonkin Bay Resolution authorizes the president to take "all necessary measures to repel any armed attack against forces of the United States." The resolution doesn't have an expiration date, but expires when the president determines that peace and security is assured.
 * Tonkin Gulf Resolution**

4/2/2009 During the Civil Rights Movement, many activists were arrested, wounded, hosed, and harassed in other ways. The white people were not happy about these actions the activists were taking. For example, when relatives of Hollis Walkins had walked by without saying a greeting, it was only because they were afraid of the consequences they might have had to face just for being a relative. The goals that these activists were reaching for were worth the pain because they were able to gain something that their race hadn't been able to achieve for many years in the past. In this situation, I would have done the same and stuck to my beliefs because I knew they were right. It would be following the crowd, but for this case, the crowd would be the reasonable side. However, if I were someone in the Northern states' position, it would be difficult to sacrifice myself for someone I have never met and for issues that do not really involve me.
 * What does the quote (on risks associated with civil rights activities) tell you about the risks and resistance Black activists faced in working to get the vote. Is it worth it? What would you do in this situation?**

3/30/2009 There are certain times when it may be or may not be justifiable to treat others differently, depending on the circumstances. The matter also depends on how the word 'differently' in interpreted. When referring to harsh treatment of different people because of having a different race, religion, gender, anything else, it is not justifiable because that only causes discrimination and is morally wrong to do so. However, when the word 'differently' is taken in positively, it may be justifiable. For example, if there is a handicap and a normal person, it is obvious that somebody would treat the handicapped person with more care and help them out more. On the other hand, that somebody would help the normal person only when asked for the help.
 * Is it //ever// justifiable to treat people differently based on race, religion, gender, handicaps, etc.?**

3/9/2009 1)Compare CIA intervention in Guatemala and Iran to Eisenhower's handling of the Suez Crisis? Did the US act justly and according to its values? What were the motivations in each case? Which one do you think was handled better and why?

- Did the US act justly and accordingly to its values? No, the US did not, because its actions were contradicting to their democratic ways and beliefs and so when the democratically elected president's programs were altered by the US, thinking the nation was headed for communism. - What were the motivations? The motivation was the keenness to contain communism in other nations, as well as itself. When Arbenz made pro-communist-like decisions, US was bound to stop him from going any further into plans.
 * CIA intervention in Guatemala (1954)**: Eisenhower called on the CIA and ordered a covert action to oust the democratically elected Guatemalan president, Jacobo Arbenz Guzmán, for possessing uncultivated sections of Guatemala's largest plantations in order to redistribute land among the rural poor.

- Did the US act justly and accordingly to its values? No, the US did not, because its actions weren't in relation to its beliefs in free-elections and such, forcefully driving the leader out of position and interfering in the Iranian affairs. - What were the motivations? The motivation was procuring oil fields and oil itself. When the oil fields were nationalized, that endangered the US supply of oil.
 * CIA intervention in Iran**: Due to Iranian leader Mohammad Mosaddeq's nationalizing of British-owned oil fields in Iran, Eisenhower suspended aid to Iran and authorized a covert action by the CIA to organize a military coup against Mosaddeq. Mosaddeq was arrested and replaced with the young pro-American shah of Iran, Pahlavi, because he was suspected to be sympathetic to communism.

- Did the US act justly and accordingly to its values? Yes, the US did, beacuse when Egyptian leader, Nasser nationalized the Suez Canal, this left many political problems at hand, including a threat to Western oil trade. Eisenhower's immediate cease-fire and withdrawal of invading troops eased the crisis--supporting the US values of peace within and between nations. - What were the motivations? The motivation was to secure Western oil trade from threat. When the Suez Canal was nationalized, it threatened the Western oil trade because ships wouldn't be able to travel through the canal.
 * Handling of the Suez Crisis (1956)**: President Eisenhower issued the Eisenhower Doctrine in 1957, seeking to counter Soviet influence in the Middle East. This doctrine offered military aid to any Middle Eastern nation seeking help in resisting Communist aggression.

In my opinion, the Suez Crisis was more preferably handled than the other two cases. This was because President Eisenhower was the wisest in his decision for this instance--considering the American values as he carried out his plans. He looked to the US values of peace among nations and free trade. The other two cases were dealt as covert wars and contradicted with the usual American principles of free-election and democracy.

2) What was the significance of the Gary Powers incident on page 850? The Gary Powers incident, or the U-2 incident, caused the brief thaw in the Cold War, bringing it to an abrupt end. In May 1960, just before Khurshchev and Eisenhower was to begin summit, and American U-2 spy plane had been shot down over the Soviet Union. Although the US officials made insisted that it was a weather-research plane, the pilot--Francis Gary Powers--admitted his spying mission. This led to Khrushchev's refusal to proceed the summit unless the US halted spying missions and apologized. However, Eisenhower did not fully agree to this: he agreed to stop the U-2 flights, but would not apologize. Khrushchev refused to meet with Eisenhower again.

__Chapter 27 assignment__ After the war began, women began to fill in the empty jobs that were left when men went off to fight in the war. This was the opportunity for women to rise in political power and social status by covering up for the needed work without the male workers. The women were able to take responsibility and recover whatever hand was missing. They used this to benefit their lives.

Pg.809 picture: This picture shows that women, during the time of the war, were to take place of the men that were fighting in the war. Norman Rockwell's cover of Liberty Girl on the //The Saturday Evening Post// shows a woman carrying heavy loads of all different kinds of stuff. This was a symbol for how women at this time were doing all sorts of work, regardless of category, to fill up the empty jobs spaces.

SEMESTER 1

11/24 I chose reason number three as the most compelling: Because [the U.S.] would have faced economic collapse if the Allies could not pay back all the loans made to them by American bankers. As the most logical reason for the United States to enter the war, the loaning of money by the American bankers was something they needed back. Through entrance of war, they were intending to receive the money loaned. All the money that the Allies had borrowed had to be regained, and the only way the United States had a chance to get it back was by entering the war.
 * Read the list of primary sources, pick two of which are the most compelling reasons for war. Defend your position in a one paragraph wiki post.**

The other reasons would not have been as sensible as reason 3 because while U.S was under attack despite its neutrality, they later entered the war and eventually broke that neutrality. Making the world "safe for democracy" wouldn't be as reasonable because the "ultimate peace of the world" could, in no way, be met by going to war. Although entering the war would have been good for business, it wasn't as broad and effective as reason 3. The cultural, historical, and economic ties with Great Britain focused too much on a certain biased view about the time period. Lastly, the result of expansion of the U.S's armed forces and weaponry didn't necessarily give a specific reason for entering the war, but just how it influenced America when they entered the war.

Pro- and Anti-imperialism Questions

The cartoon shows a ship, which is heading towards a land with “HARD TIMES” written in front of it. On the ship are rich men such as Vanderbilt, Gould, and Field. Their stomachs are round and full with a dollar sign on it. They are sitting on bags that have ‘millions’ written on it—which expressed millions of dollars. Under the ship are poor workers who are carrying the rich instead of the ship sailing on its own. The ship is made not of simply wood, but piles of paper, linen, lumber, cloth, and iron. The subjects of the cartoon are the rich men on board—Field, Gould, and Vanderbilt. They are represented with money all around them. They have so much around and in their stomachs that their facial expressions are cringing and their hands are on their bellies as if they’ll pop soon. Their representation is seemingly the opposite of the workers who are suffering. There seems to be two types of symbols in this cartoon. One would be the ship itself. The ship is made of, as said before, materials such as linen, iron, paper, and so on. These products that the workers are carrying as well as the rich men have notes posted on them with a price of how much a worker of that material would be paid per week. This symbolizes the hard working conditions that the workers carried around (or lived with) everyday. Also, the ocean, or body of water, the workers are walking through seems like the path in which the working class were heading towards hard times. Somehow, as the cartoon only has this one land available, it seems to portray a message that the workers had nowhere to go towards other than “hard times”. The cartoonist’s opinion towards the subjects, which are the rich men, is greedy, indifferent, and careless. This is expressed most obviously through their face expressions that are almost even sick of having all the wealth they own. Also, their attitude of sitting on bags of money as if they’re nothing shows their indifference. While the workers are being tortured under them, the rich men’s carelessness is shown where none of them bother to look under the ship and care about those who are actually giving them the money. The working class may also agree with the cartoonist’s opinion because this cartoon expresses the hard-’ships’ that the working class is suffering through at this time. The workers under the ship are obviously very thin, in comparison to the wealthy men. Also, their face and body expressions show exhaustion and weariness. The workers would really able to relate to this cartoon and agree that they are on a journey towards “hard times”, which will basically only continue to benefit the wealthy, upper class. The overall message of the cartoon is the social, political, and economical class difference of the workers and the hierarchy, and how much difference there is in their lifestyles of luxury verses complete pain and fatigue of the workers.
 * 1) What do you see in the cartoon, including objects and people, as well as caption and words in the cartoon?**
 * 2) What or who is the subject of the cartoon and how is the subject represented?**
 * 3) Which of the things in the cartoons are symbols? What do you think the symbols mean?**
 * 4) What is the opinion of the cartoonist toward the subject and how is it expressed?**
 * 5) Who might agree/disagree with the cartoonist’s opinion?**
 * 6) What is the over all message of the cartoon?**


 * 10/26**

- Once they came, they could live amongst people with similar backgrounds (immigrant communities) and likes. - Religious institutions (churches, synagogues, & temples) helped immigrants feel belonging and interact with others. - Benevolent societies gave aid to help immigrants in case of sickness, unemployment, and death. - More and more immigrants came rushing in, making the immigrant life more common as time went by.
 * Immigrants' Opportunities:**

- They came to America under hard conditions--they were escaping from poverty and seeking economic opportunities - They came in ships under steerage accommodations--the poorest. - They were urged to follow the American mainstream to be included in society - The younger generations thought of the older generation's traditions and practices old-fashioned. - They did the 'dirty work' and earned a very low wage (mines, sweat shops)--they were difficult and physically exhausting
 * Immigrants' Disadvantages:**

__IMMIGRATION POWERPOINT__ The picture shows a white house in the background and a man dressed in red, white, and blue, Uncle Sam, standing at the gate of the United States of America. An Jewish immigrant is standing, waiting to come in with bags of disease, poverty, sabbath desecration, anarchy, and other things that are not beneficial for America. Uncle Sam is holding his nose, as if the man smells really bad. The sign on the gate says, "ADMITTANCE FREE.WALK IN! WELCOME", but the American man is nowhere near welcoming the immigrant. The message being sent is that although it seemed like the United States of America was welcoming all immigrants and life would be good for newcomers, it wasn't like that in reality. The natives and people who were already in America disliked the immigrants' rush of coming into the nation. In reality, the lives of immigrants were just as harsh as they were in the country they had come from.
 * What is the message being sent here?**