U.S. History

5-4 2011-12

2012-01-23T10:54:00.001-08:00

State Of The Union Address 2012: Obama Speech Scheduled For Jan. 24 : Listen and discuss your reactions.

5-3 2010-11

2012-01-13T15:14:00.000-08:00

Describe the Harlem Renaissance and new trends in literature, music, and art, with special attention to the work of writers.

Ms. C. I continue to enjoy the works of Langston Hughes and I love the music from this era.

5-2 2011-12

2012-01-09T09:36:00.000-08:00

Discuss how Theodore Roosevelt's foreign policy promoted American power around the world.

Mid Term Review 5-1 2011-12

2012-01-05T10:18:00.001-08:00

US History Chapters 1-13

Mid-term review questions: Here is your chance to study together online! You may have one page of handwritten notes to reference on the midterm.

1. Which African kingdoms were enriched by foreign trade?

2. How did contact between the East and Europe change life in Europe during the Crusades?

3. Understand the significance of the Emancipation Proclamation?

4. What was the thinking behind Enlightenment? Its impact on colonies and the Declaration of Independence.

5. Describe the views and attitudes of the Puritans.

6. Who promoted the idea of freedom of religion?

7. Understand the effect of the First Great Awakening?

8. What did the followers of the Social Gospel believe?

9. What was the turning point in the French and Indian War?

10. What significant contribution can be attributed to Thomas Paine?

11. Describe the powers given to the national government by the Articles of Confederation.

12. How did the Great Compromise change representation in government?

13. Why is the system of checks and balances important?

14. What was the Antifederalists position on the Constitution?

15. What is the significance of Marbury v. Madison?

16. What was the purpose of the Lewis and Clark expedition?

17. What happened during the "Trail of Tears"?

18. What was the purpose of the Monroe Doctrine?

19. Who is Nat Turner?

20. What resulted from the Compromise of 1850?

21. What is the significance of the Dred Scott decision?

22. Why the Battle of Gettysburg is considered the turning point of the Civil War?

23. What was Lincoln’s plan for Reconstruction?

24. What happened to most African Americans during the late 19the century?

25. What was the impact of the massacre at Wounded Knee?

26. Who were the exodusters?

27. How did the railroad impact the era of wide-open western frontier?

28. What did the members of the Populist Party support?

29. What are the beliefs of the Open Door Policy?

30. What caused the Red Scare?

31. How did the Treaty of Versailles come about?

32. When did the American Civil Liberties Union form?

33. What helped generate pride in African-American culture during the 1920s and 30s?

4-3 2011-12

2011-12-13T13:03:00.000-08:00

Happy Holidays! Follow the new, post on a current event of your choice.

4-2 2011-12

2011-12-05T10:09:00.001-08:00

Which of the technological advances do you feel had the most impact on turn of the century urban planning?

4-1 2010-11

2011-11-29T15:15:00.000-08:00

Explain and discuss the role of political machines and political bosses.

3-4 2011-12

2011-11-17T16:54:00.001-08:00

For each new morning with its light,
For rest and shelter of the night,
For health and food, for love and friends,
For everything Thy goodness sends.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Happy Thanksgiving!

3.3 2011-12

2011-11-10T13:53:00.001-08:00

Explain social Darwinism and its effects on society. Analyze the similariteis and differences between the idiologies of Social Darwinism and social Gospel. (Can you name thses men?)

3.2 2011-12

2011-11-04T09:14:00.000-07:00

Discuss the effects of the Civil War and Reconstruction and the industrial revolution, including demographic shifts and emergence in the late 19th centruy of the U.S. as a world power.

3.1 2011-12

2011-10-28T13:44:00.000-07:00

The first ammendment of the Constitution protects our rights and freedoms. Currently the "Occupy Wall Street" events happending all over the United States are creating controversy and much discussion. Look on the web, in papers, magazines, any place you find your new. Report out on one of the Occupy events around the U.S. Give your reactions. Would you participate in a rally? WHY OR WHY NOT?

2..4 2011-12

2011-10-21T12:42:00.000-07:00

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Kadafi is dead! Discuss the political, national, and internal effects his death will have on the world. You can use quotes from the media, be sure to give credit.

2.3 2011-12

2011-10-14T15:33:00.000-07:00

Voting rights in the United States gradually expanded over time. Various groups (women, African Americans, 18-year olds) often had to struggle to achieve the right to vote. Why do you think so many people, especially among those aged 18-21, fail to vote? Is it a right or a privledge? Does your vote matter? Can you change things by voting?

2.2 2011-12

2011-10-07T15:16:00.001-07:00

In modern political cartooning two styles have begun to emerge. The traditional style, involving visual metaphors and symbols like Uncle Sam, the Democratic donkey and the Republican elephant, and labels is described as the "nast-y" style (named after Thomas Nast), and the more text-heavy "altie" style that tells a linear story, usually in comic strip format.[original research?] Although their style, technique or viewpoints may differ, editorial cartoonists draw attention to important social and political issues. Political cartoons are an effective way for artists to express their thoughts about the events in a certain period in a comical manner. Cartoons can be very diverse, but there is a certain established style among most of them. Most use visual metaphors and caricatures to address complicated political situations, and thus sum up a current event with a humorous or emotional picture. Often, their content includes stereotypical, biased and/or demonizing portrayals of people and events.

Once you have identified the persuasive techniques that the cartoonist used, DISCUSS:
What issue is this political cartoon about?
What is the cartoonist’s opinion on this issue?
What other opinion can you imagine another person having on this issue?
Did you find this cartoon persuasive? Why or why not?
What other techniques could the cartoonist have used to make this cartoon more persuasive?
Labels: Political Cartoon 8 comments

2.1 2011-12

2011-09-29T09:26:00.000-07:00

After reading the quote, discuss with your peers your reflections, questions, statements about your reaction to the quote. Encourage others to respond to your thinking.

One of the most admirable things about history is, that almost as a rule we get as much information out of what it does not say as we get out of what it does say. And so, one may truly and axiomatically (fundamentaly) aver this, to-wit: that history consists of two equal parts; one of these halves is statements of fact, the other half is inference, drawn from the facts. To the experienced student of history there are no difficulties about this; to him the half which is unwritten is as clearly and surely visible, by the help of scientific inference, as if it flashed and flamed in letters of fire before his eyes. When the practised eye of the simple peasant sees the half of a frog projecting above the water, he unerringly infers the half of the frog which he does not see. To the expert student in our great science, history is a frog; half of it is submerged, but he knows it is there, and he knows the shape of it. -( The Secret History of Eddypus)

10-3

2011-06-02T13:14:00.001-07:00

This is it! Final discusssion...I'd like this to be a reflection on the semester's learning. Your choices are: look back on the blogs make a new comment based on what you know now, ask your peers a question to discuss, give me some feed back on DB's or the final, or what you would like to see in U.S. History next year. Thank you all for your participation, I enjoyed reading your comments, your insights were very interesting and informative.

10-2

2011-05-26T11:20:00.001-07:00

Enjoy your weekend.

10-1

2011-05-20T12:09:00.000-07:00

You have studied many interesting presidents this year. Who has made the largest impact on you and why? My personal favorite is Abraham Lincoln. So much has been written about Lincoln. The reason I admire him is for his fight for keeping the United States united and his humanity.

Fun facts about Lincoln:

He was the tallest president at 6ft. 4 inches.

He had deep depression, even though he would frequently tell stories and jokes to friends and family.

He was the first president to have a beard.

Lincoln, one week before his death, had a dream of someone crying in the White House, when he found the room; he looked in and asked who had passed away. The man in the room said the President. When he looked in the coffin it was his own face he saw.

"A house divided against it cannot stand. I believe this government cannot endure permanently half-slave and half-free. I do not expect the Union to be dissolved - I do not expect the house to fall but I do expect it will cease to be difvided. It will become all one thing or all the other.

"Whatever you are, be a good one. "

U.S. HISTORY final study guide

2011-05-17T15:23:00.001-07:00

U.S. History Final Study Guide: Chapters

TERMS
genocide
blitzkrieg
command post
iron curtain
the hot line
OPEC
communism
social security

EVENTS: the causes, effects, benefits, goals, significance

• Great Depression
• Dust Bowl
• New Deal
• Truman Doctrine
• Marshall Plan
• Warsaw Pact
• GI Bill
• Black Power Movement
• the U.S. in Vietnam
• Cold War
• Military draft
• Equal rights amendment
• Presidential election 1960

PEOPLE: Know the significance of each of the following individuals; what was their impact in U.S. history?

 President Hoover
 General MacArthur
 John F. Kennedy
 President Truman
 Phyllis Schlafly
 President Nixon
 Jerry Falwell
 Malcolm X
 Black Panthers
 Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party
 John Steinbeck

9-3

2011-05-06T11:53:00.000-07:00

Has Justice been served? Now What?

9-4

2011-05-06T11:26:00.000-07:00

Freedom Riders were civil rights activists, both black and white, who traveled to the South from the North on buses in the 60s. They were protesting racial segregation in interstate bus terminals by testing to see if they were ignoring a 1960 Supreme Court ruling. Freedom riders were harrassed and sometimes violently and physically attacked. Many were also arrested once they reached the Southern, segregated states, but they maintained their nonviolent movements.
Finally, the rides had the desired effect: the Interstate Commerce Commission wrote guidelines allowing equal access to all bus terminals. These protests are part of the culture in the1960s where organized groups find that strong-minded, well-organized protests can be effective.

Would you be a Freedom Rider? Why or why not?

9-2

2011-04-29T10:52:00.000-07:00

Civil Rights-after decades of discrimination, African American begin a struggle for equality. They made gains against unfair laws in athe South, but as the movement reaches northern cities, gains are fewer. During the 1960"s segragaton divides the nation's people. Discuss the meaning of liberty and equality, what would you fight for? Discuss the events that occured during the 1960's (chapter 21).

9-1

2011-04-15T11:02:00.000-07:00

http://www.cde.ca.gov/

Strategies to help you choose the correct answer to a multiple choice question.

1. Read and think about each question carefully before looking at the possible answers. 2. Pay close attention to key words in the question. (not) 3. Read ALL of the possible answers before making your choice. 4. Reduce the number of choices by eliminating any answers you know are incorrect.

Multiple choice questions: Why some of the remaining choices might also be incorrect.

1. If two of the choices are pretty much the same, both are probably wrong. 2. “Answers that contain any of the following words are usually incorrect: always, never, none, all, and only.

If you are still not sure…it may be correct if…

1. When one is longer and more detailed than the others. 2. When a choice repeats a word that is in the question. 3. When two choices are direct opposites, one of them is likely the choice. 4. When one choice includes one or more of the other choices. 5. When a choice includes the word some or often.

Now try your new skill and knowledge- go to the web sit and answer some of the released questions.

8-3

2011-04-07T11:57:00.000-07:00

Read your peers comments/questions and post discussion based on thoughts to their questions. Current events are good for discussion too. There is quite a bit of news out there.

8-2

2011-04-04T09:36:00.000-07:00

Thank you for giving us some questions. This is what discussion boards should look like. Please go to the blog and answer the questions your classmates have asked and continue to add questions of your own.

7-4

2011-03-21T09:46:00.000-07:00

Where you are. As you complete your studies for this month I would like you to create the discussion question. It is fine if it is on one of the areas I have already posted.

7-3

2011-03-15T12:37:00.000-07:00

"NO Pain High Gain" a high school workshop running three Wednesdays in April, 1:30-3:30. Want to ace you next exams, do better on the CST?

Learn:

what your learning style is, to tame test anxiety, common test phrases, do's and don'ts test taking strategies, types of questions, ways to take notes, and MUCH more.

Discuss what is difficult for you? Where do you need help? Is studying, getting started and staying organized your difficulty? Help me know what you need?

7-2

2011-02-25T16:58:00.000-08:00

Discuss the details of American's trun to isolationism in the 1930's

7-1

2011-02-11T11:06:00.000-08:00

Discuss the dtails of American's turn to isolationism in the 1930's.

6-4

2011-02-11T11:03:00.000-08:00

Discuss the purpose of t he "New Deal".

6-3

2011-02-11T10:59:00.000-08:00

Discuss how the image of the "flapper" embodied the changing values and attitudes of young women in the 1920's.

6-2

2011-02-07T11:51:00.000-08:00

Discuss which of the following you believe to have been the worst aspect of the the Great Depression: homlessness, unemployment, poor diets, list any others I may not have thought of. Give reasons for your choice.

Midterm Review

2011-02-03T14:52:00.000-08:00

History

Know about the powerful African kingdoms

Contact with the East during the Crusades changed life in Europe by…

Puritan’s views and attitudes

Who promoted idea of freedom of religion?

Turning point of the French and Indian War was…

Who wrote Common Sense?

Powers of the Articles of Confederation

Name the system that maintains the separation of powers among the branches of the government.

Which group supported the adding of the Bill of Rights?

Which town had roads blocked by the French troops?

Event leading to Compromise of 1850

Dred Scott decision

Nat Turner

Monroe Doctrine

Trail of Tears

Marbury v. Madison

Lewis and Clark

Civil War and the main goal of the president

Battle of Gettysburg

Emancipation Proclamation

Word describing original plan for Reconstruction

Federal government and the Plains Indians

Exodusters

End of the era of the wide-open western frontier

Declaration and Enlightenment

Reconstruction

Great Compromise, Missouri Compromise

First Great Awakening

Social Gospel movement

Populist Party

Open Door Policy

Red Scare

World War 1

Organizations of the 1920s

Harlem Renaissance

6-1

2011-01-31T14:28:00.000-08:00

How did the New Deal expand the role of the federal government?

5-4

2011-01-24T16:50:00.000-08:00

Watch or review the President's State of the Union Address give your thoughts and opinions.

5-3

2011-01-13T10:14:00.000-08:00

http://http//www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/12/obama-arizona-memorial-sp_n_808335.html

In light of the incident that occured in Tuscon on January 8th, what is your opinion on gun control? Also discuss civility after listening to Obama's speech at the above link.

5-2,

2011-01-07T16:02:00.000-08:00

Describe the Harlem Renaissance and new trends in literature, music, and art, with special attention to the work of writers.

Ms. C. I continue to enjoy the works of Langston Hughes and I love the music from this era.

5-1

2011-01-03T13:04:00.000-08:00

Discuss how Theodore Roosevelt's foreign policy promoted American power around the world.

4-3

2010-12-10T11:21:00.000-08:00

Happy Holidays! This weeks post is a study guide for your mid term. If you have any questions please add them to the discussion board and I will follow up for you. Ms Chipman. Go to last year weeks 16,17,18 January. There you will find the review questions for your mid-term.

4-2

2010-12-03T14:59:00.000-08:00

Which of the technological advances do you feel had the most impact on turn of the century urban planning?

4-1

2010-11-30T09:34:00.000-08:00

Explain and discuss the role of political machines and political bosses.

3-4

2010-11-17T17:22:00.001-08:00

Take the week off!

3-3

2010-11-10T17:06:00.000-08:00

Explain social Darwinism and its effects on society. Analyze the similariteis and differences between the idiologies of Social Darwinism and social Gospel. (Can you name thses men?)

3-2

2010-11-09T10:05:00.000-08:00

Oh my, I forgot this was a short week, I'll make it easy...Review what you have been studying so far (good for the mid-terms). Evaluate and support your ideas regarding the responsibilities of being a good citizen.

2010-10-29T09:50:00.001-07:00

November 2, 2010 Election Day. Watch the news this week pay close attention to the advertisements for the election (frequency, special interest groups, times they run, patterns). Watch the results, discusses your reactions to the propositions and candidates that win. How will this election affect you?

2-4

2010-10-25T12:18:00.000-07:00

What implications did the Dred Scott v. Sandford case have for the future? How did the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments reverse the Court’s decisions on race, citizenship, and slavery?

2010-10-19T09:42:00.000-07:00

2-2

2010-10-11T12:30:00.000-07:00

In modern political cartooning two styles have begun to emerge. The traditional style, involving visual metaphors and symbols like Uncle Sam, the Democratic donkey and the Republican elephant, and labels is described as the "nast-y" style (named after Thomas Nast), and the more text-heavy "altie" style that tells a linear story, usually in comic strip format.[original research?] Although their style, technique or viewpoints may differ, editorial cartoonists draw attention to important social and political issues. Political cartoons are an effective way for artists to express their thoughts about the events in a certain period in a comical manner. Cartoons can be very diverse, but there is a certain established style among most of them. Most use visual metaphors and caricatures to address complicated political situations, and thus sum up a current event with a humorous or emotional picture. Often, their content includes stereotypical, biased and/or demonizing portrayals of people and events.

Once you have identified the persuasive techniques that the cartoonist used, DISCUSS:
What issue is this political cartoon about?
What is the cartoonist’s opinion on this issue?
What other opinion can you imagine another person having on this issue?
Did you find this cartoon persuasive? Why or why not?
What other techniques could the cartoonist have used to make this cartoon more persuasive?

"History teaches everthing including the future." Lamartine

2010-10-04T08:59:00.000-07:00

The study of history; whether it be World, American, Government, or Economics is all in how you look at it. After reading the quote from Mark Twain, discuss with your peers your reflections, questions, statements about your reaction to the quote. Encourage others to respond to your thinking.

One of the most admirable things about history is, that almost as a rule we get as much information out of what it does not say as we get out of what it does say. And so, one may truly and axiomatically (fundamentaly) aver this, to-wit: that history consists of two equal parts; one of these halves is statements of fact, the other half is inference, drawn from the facts. To the experienced student of history there are no difficulties about this; to him the half which is unwritten is as clearly and surely visible, by the help of scientific inference, as if it flashed and flamed in letters of fire before his eyes. When the practised eye of the simple peasant sees the half of a frog projecting above the water, he unerringly infers the half of the frog which he does not see. To the expert student in our great science, history is a frog; half of it is submerged, but he knows it is there, and he knows the shape of it. - "The Secret History of Eddypus"

Week 34 Review

2010-05-19T23:01:00.003-07:00

Final Study Guide- Comment on where in the textbook the information needed to answer the question can be found.

21. President Nixon adopted a policy known as ___ in order to reduce the size and power of the federal government.

22. In 1973, the OPEC nations cut off their supply of ___ to the United States.

23. In the 1980s, reports on education revealed that U.S. schools were

24. Fundamentalist Christian leader and televangelist Jerry Falwell formed the organization called

25. The aging of America's population will strain the government's ability to

Week 33 Review

2010-05-19T23:01:00.001-07:00

Comment on where in the textbook the information needed to answer the question can be found.

11. General Douglas MacArthur commanded U.S. forces in ___.

12. One of the benefits that the GI Bill of Rights offered to returning veterans was ___.

13. President Truman threatened to ___ striking workers to prevent strikes from crippling the nation.

14. John F. Kennedy, the Democratic nominee for President in 1960, was a senator from

15. Kennedy appointed his brother, Robert, to serve as

16. The hot line established in 1963 did all of the following except

17. Which of the following is not associated with the Black Power movement?

18. ___ was the United States' main goal in Vietnam.

19. In the early years of the war, a young man could automatically be deferred from the draft by ___.

20. Phyllis Schlafly became well known for her efforts to

Week 32 Review

2010-05-19T23:00:00.000-07:00

Comment on where in the textbook the information needed to answer the question can be found.

6. What is genocide, as practiced by the Nazis?

7. On what did the German military strategy of blitzkrieg depend?

8. Which of the following countries was an Axis power?

9. Which country was one of the Allied powers?

10. The main goal of the ___ was to stop the spread of communism.

U.S. History Final Study Guide Week 31

2010-05-17T17:18:00.001-07:00

Comment on where in the textbook the information needed to answer the question can be found.
1. Which was not a cause of the Great Depression?

2. Which was not a cause of the Dust Bowl?

3. After the stock market crash, how did President Hoover try to help the economy?

4. Which of the following was a goal of the New Deal?

5. Who wrote the novel The Grapes of Wrath about the grim lives of Oklahomans fleeing the Dust Bowl during the Depression?

Week 30

2010-04-17T23:23:00.001-07:00

Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same. Ronald Reagan

What does this quote mean to you?

Week 29

2010-04-14T12:30:00.001-07:00

Compare and contrast two important figures from this week's chapter. Post your findings and then comment on a classmates post.

Week 28

2010-03-26T16:18:00.000-07:00

Watch the video link below and then answer the following questions:

1) What kind of war was the Cold War?
2) What caused the Cold War to heat up and cool down?

http://www.laentrada.pylusd.org/World%20Hist/Cold%20War%20to%20Guerilla%20War.asf

If you can't get the video to play, use your book or the internet.

Week 27

2010-03-23T17:42:00.001-07:00

Current Affairs: What are some of the key point to the Health Care reform? I am not asking for opinions yet, just take a look at the key points and report.

Week 26

2010-03-12T10:32:00.000-08:00

Chapter 18

Describe the efforts of Senator Joseph McCarthy to investigate alleged Communist influences in the United States. Could something like that happen today?

Week 25

2010-03-05T09:07:00.001-08:00

Please attend the WASC Committee Student Meeting from 1:00-2:00 Monday. You may post a feedback comment.

Week 24

2010-02-28T20:42:00.001-08:00

This week we will play an interactive review game. Each student will write two questions based on this weeks' chapter. Avoid asking basic recall questions. Check back in a few days and choose another student's questions to answer. Post your responses. You must choose questions that have not already been answered.

Week 23

2010-02-19T11:14:00.001-08:00

This is a short week and so I have a special assignment for you.
1. Go to the Parkview Website at www.parkviewpylusd.org
2.Click on Forms
3. Select WASC
4. Read Chapters 4 and 5
5. Comment back on 3 things that you think are particular strengths of our program.

Week 22

2010-02-16T08:41:00.000-08:00

Search through your text and online. Provide two examples of women who have contributed in politics and /or government functions. What was their contribution?

Week 21

2010-02-03T21:51:00.000-08:00

Describe the events that led to the start of World War I. In your opinion, which were the most significant and why?

Week 20

2010-01-28T16:03:00.001-08:00

As we start this new semester it is time to reflect and take another look at our schoolwide learning goals, aka ESLRs, and make some goals.
Please review our goals and think of how you can meet those goals this semester. Remember to leave a comment.

EXPECTED SCHOOL WIDE LEARNING RESULTS (ESLR’s)
Panther’s set the P.A.C.E.
Panthers are…..
1. Partners in Education who:
• Team with parents and teachers in order to reach their full
potential
• Achieve through a personalized learning program
2. Academic Achievers who:
• Self evaluate and reflect as life long learners
• Utilize technological skills to master content and efficiently
produce and publish assignments
• Collect, organize, interpret, analyze, and supply information to
make decisions and solve problems
3. Compliant with State and District Standards
• Complete assignments based on best practices
• Demonstrate mastery of grade level skills and concepts
4. Effective Communicators who:
• Organize, analyze, evaluate and deliver presentations
• Write and speak with a command of Standard English
conventions appropriate to their grade level

Week 19 1/25/10

2010-01-13T10:17:00.001-08:00

Midterms are this Monday 1/25 from 10:00- 12:00 and 1:00-3:00. Please contact your teacher with any questions. You may bring one page of notes, front and back, for each midterm you are taking.

Week 18

2010-01-13T10:07:00.000-08:00

review continued...

11. What was the purpose of the Lewis and Clark expedition?

12. Describe the significance of Marbury v. Madison.

13. What happened during the "Trail of Tears"?

14. What are did the Monrow Doctrine aim to free from European influence?

15. Who is Nat Turner?

16. What resulted from the Compromise of 1850?

17. What is the significance of the Dred Scott decision?

18. Why is the Battle of Gettysburn considered the turnng point of the Civil War?

19. What did the massacre of Wounded Knee end?

20. Who were the ecodusters?

21. What brought an end to the era of wide-open western frontier?

Week 17

2010-01-08T14:19:00.000-08:00

Study guide continued...

6. What are the main arguments made in the document Common Sense?

7. Describe the powers given to the national government by the Articles of Confederation.

8. Describe the separation of powers among the branches of the federal government.

9. Why would the Ant federalists want a bill of rights added to the Constitution?

10. What is the significance of Marbury v. Madison?

Week 15

2009-12-13T16:39:00.000-08:00

Take this week to catch up on your studies so that you can enjoy your two week break!

Week 14

2009-12-06T11:11:00.000-08:00

Compare and contrast life at the turn of the 20th century to the 21st century.

Week 13

2009-11-30T16:26:00.000-08:00

Your textbook has a companion website with activities and quizzes to help you master your assignments. Use the "links" section of our school webpage at www.parkviewpylusd.org to find the companion website and try at least two different activities. Leave a comment stating what you did and how beneficial it was to your learning.

Week 12

2009-11-17T19:22:00.001-08:00

We are one third of the way through the school year. Now is a good time to reflect on what you have been learning and how it relates to our school's learning goals. Below you will find our school-wide learning goals. Choose two and connect them to your learning for this subject area. Comment on one classmate's comment.

Panthers are…..
1. Partners in Education who:
• Team with parents and teachers in order to reach their full
potential
• Achieve through a personalized learning program
2. Academic Achievers who:
• Self evaluate and reflect as life long learners
• Utilize technological skills to master content and efficiently
produce and publish assignments
• Collect, organize, interpret, analyze, and supply information to
make decisions and solve problems
3. Compliant with State and District Standards
• Complete assignments based on best practices
• Demonstrate mastery of grade level skills and concepts
4. Effective Communicators who:
• Organize, analyze, evaluate and deliver presentations
• Write and speak with a command of Standard English
conventions appropriate to their grade level

Week 11

2009-11-13T19:20:00.000-08:00

Discuss the main points of chapter 7.

Week 10

2009-11-01T18:16:00.001-08:00

Last week we read an op-ed column by Thomas Sowell. This week I would like you to examine the forms of rhetoric Mr. Sowell used to persuade the reader.Please cite at least two examples and state what form of rhetoric he used. What form of rhetoric did you use in your response?

Rhetoric (n) - the art of speaking or writing effectively. (Webster's Definition)

According to Aristotle, rhetoric is "the ability, in each particular case, to see the available means of persuasion." He described three main forms of rhetoric: Ethos, Logos, and Pathos.

Go to : http://www.rpi.edu/dept/llc/webclass/web/project1/group4/index.html

In order to be a more effective writer, you must understand these three terms.
Ethos
Ethos is appeal based on the character of the speaker. An ethos-driven document relies on the reputation of the author.

Logos
Logos is appeal based on logic or reason. Documents distributed by companies or corporations are logos-driven. Scholarly documents are also often logos-driven.

Pathos
Pathos is appeal based on emotion. Advertisements tend to be pathos-driven.

Week 9

2009-11-01T18:06:00.001-08:00

Thomas Sowell wrote an interesting column in the op-ed section of the newspaper. Please read the article and then tell me why you agree or disagree with his point of view.

Tuesday, October 27, 2009
When will we wake up?
Bit by bit, Obama's changes are dismantling America as we've known it.
Thomas Sowell
Thomas Sowell
Syndicated columnist

Just one year ago, would you have believed that an unelected government official, not even a Cabinet member confirmed by the Senate but simply one of the many "czars" appointed by the president, could arbitrarily cut the pay of executives in private businesses by 50 percent or 90 percent?

Did you think that another "czar" would be talking about restricting talk radio? That there would be plans afloat to subsidize newspapers – that is, to create a situation where some newspapers' survival would depend on the government liking what they publish?

Did you imagine that anyone would even be talking about having a panel of so-called "experts" deciding who could and could not get life-saving medical treatments?

Scary as that is from a medical standpoint, it is also chilling from the standpoint of freedom. If you have a mother who needs a heart operation or a child with some dire medical condition, how free would you feel to speak out against an administration that has the power to make life-and-death decisions about your loved ones?

Does any of this sound like America?

How about a federal agency giving school children material to enlist them on the side of the president? Merely being assigned to sing his praises in class is apparently not enough.

How much of America would be left if the federal government continued on this path? President Obama has already floated the idea of a national police force, something we have done without for more than two centuries.

We already have local police forces all across the country and military forces for national defense, as well as the FBI for federal crimes and the National Guard for local emergencies. What would be the role of a national police force created by Barack Obama, with all its leaders appointed by him? It would seem more like the brown shirts of dictators than like anything American.

How far the president will go depends of course on how much resistance he meets. But the direction in which he is trying to go tells us more than all his rhetoric or media spin.

Barack Obama has not only said that he is out to "change the United States of America," the people he has been associated with for years have expressed in words and deeds their hostility to the values, the principles and the people of this country.

Jeremiah Wright said it with words: "G** damn America!" Bill Ayers said it with bombs that he planted. Community activist goons have said it with their contempt for the rights of other people.

Among the people appointed as czars by President Obama have been people who have praised enemy dictators like Mao, who have seen the public schools as places to promote sexual practices contrary to the values of most Americans, to a captive audience of children.

Those who say that the Obama administration should have investigated those people more thoroughly before appointing them are missing the point completely. Why should we assume that Barack Obama didn't know what such people were like, when he has been associating with precisely these kinds of people for decades before he reached the White House?

Nothing is more consistent with his lifelong patterns than putting such people in government – people who reject American values, resent Americans in general and successful Americans in particular, as well as resenting America's influence in the world.

Any miscalculation on his part would be in not thinking that others would discover what these stealth appointees were like. Had it not been for the Fox News Channel, these stealth appointees might have remained unexposed for what they are. Fox News is now high on the administration's enemies list.

Nothing so epitomizes President Obama's own contempt for American values and traditions like trying to ram two bills through Congress in his first year – each bill more than a thousand pages long – too fast for either of them to be read, much less discussed. That he succeeded only the first time says that some people are starting to wake up. Whether enough people will wake up in time to keep America from being dismantled, piece by piece, is another question – and the biggest question for this generation.

Week 8

2009-10-17T20:58:00.001-07:00

Last week you posted possible questions for our midterm exam. This week I would like you to answer up to three questions posted by your classmates. You will receive receive one point of extra credit for correctly answering questions posted by classmates. You may earn up to 3 extra credit points.

Week 7

2009-10-17T08:52:00.000-07:00

Throughout the semester I will be requesting that students submit possible questions for our midterm exam. Please review your studies in U.S. History to date. Form three questions that you would like to see on the midterm that are reflective of the content covered thus far.

Week 6- Chapter 7 : Immigrants and Urbanization

2009-10-10T07:10:00.000-07:00

Compare and contrast the "merit system" to the "spoils system." Do you think these systems exist today?

Week 5

2009-10-02T06:26:00.000-07:00

Chapter 4- The Dred Scott Case

What was significant about the Dred Scott case? What do you think about the power held by the Supreme Court?
You can read about the case here: http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/refpages/RefArticle.aspx?refid=761560456

Week 4

2009-09-22T20:54:00.001-07:00

Take this week to reflect on what you have learned this month. Has anything influenced you strongly? What topics or subjects would you like to see on this discussion board?

Week 3

2009-09-18T17:49:00.001-07:00

What does it mean to be an American?

How to view the videos

2009-09-14T19:16:00.001-07:00

Windows Media Player or comparable is required to view the video.

Week 2

2009-09-12T10:21:00.000-07:00

Review last week's discussion and comments. Do you agree or disagree with your classmates? Why?

Week 1 9/08/09

2009-08-28T23:37:00.000-07:00

1.Watch the following video.

http://www.laentrada.pylusd.org/US%20History/Road%20to%20Revolution.asf

2. Why was the revolution inevitable?

Finals

2009-05-07T07:28:00.000-07:00

Finals will be held June 1st from 10:00-3:00 with an hour lunch from 12-1:00. Please be sure all discussion board assignments for this semester have been completed by June 1st. No new posting will be made as STAR Testing and finals will satisfy your interaction requirements.

Watergate 3/30/09

2009-03-31T11:43:00.000-07:00

1.Watch the following video and post a summary of the main points concerning Watergate.
2. Do you think the Watergate scandal would have the same end result in today's world? Why?

http://www.laentrada.pylusd.org/US%20History/Watergate.asf

The Cold War 3/23/09

2009-03-19T22:42:00.001-07:00

3/16/09 Word War ll

2009-03-13T09:43:00.000-07:00

Watch the following video and answer the two questions posed at the beginning of the video.

http://www.laentrada.pylusd.org/US%20History/World%20War%20II.asf

Week of 3/9/09

2009-03-06T10:33:00.000-08:00

Chapter 17 Video - 3/9/09

This week you are responsible for:
1) watching the following video- cut and paste in your address bar
http://www.laentrada.pylusd.org/US%20History/Great%20Depression.asf

2) After viewing, please post 2 questions concerning the content of the video.

3) Check back on the discussion board later this week and answer another student's posted questions or your own.

Obama Speech

2009-01-26T07:51:00.000-08:00

Read President Obama's inaugural address and post one comment and one question concerning the content of the speech. Follow up by responding to two posted questions from your fellow classmates.

OBAMA: My fellow citizens:

I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition.

Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because we the people have remained faithful to the ideals of our forebears, and true to our founding documents.

So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.

That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.

These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land — a nagging fear that America's decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights.

Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America — they will be met.

On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.

On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.

We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.

In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of shortcuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted — for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things — some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.

For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life.

For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.

For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sanh.

Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.

This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions — that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.

For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act — not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology's wonders to raise health care's quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. All this we will do.

Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions — who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage.

What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them — that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works — whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. Those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account — to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day — because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.

Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control — and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous. The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our gross domestic product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on our ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart — not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.

As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our founding fathers ... our found fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience's sake. And so to all the other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more.

Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.

We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort — even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.

For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus — and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.

To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society's ills on the West — know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.

To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to the suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world's resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.

As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages. We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment — a moment that will define a generation — it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.

For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter's courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent's willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.

Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends — hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism — these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility — a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.

This is the price and the promise of citizenship.

This is the source of our confidence — the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.

This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed — why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent Mall, and why a man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.

So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America's birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:

"Let it be told to the future world ... that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive...that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet (it)."

America, in the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.

Thank you. God bless you. And God bless the United States of America.

Election

2008-11-11T16:15:00.001-08:00

Please answer and check back later in order to comment on two of your classmates' comments.

Women in Politics and Govenment

2008-10-11T10:18:00.001-07:00

Search through your text and online. Provide three examples of women who have contributed in politics and /or government functions. What was their contribution?

2008-09-05T14:53:00.000-07:00

What aspect of the November, 2008 election do you think will be an important part of our nation's history? You may address other ballot issues besides the presidential candidates.