November 29

Todays class caused a flashback to fifth grade, back when my teacher read Lyddie to us. We talked about the industrial revolution today, and how factories began to form. Whenever I think of early factories in America, I always think of Lyddie. I'm not sure why, it just seemed to stick. We also talked about how the Northwest advanced in tools for agriculture, tools made by people like John Deere. The fact that the John Deere name is so old surprised me. Personally I thought it was a new thing, obviously I was wrong, very wrong. Other than that we have lots of homework, and some reading to do which I'm going to catch up on now.

Project

I did like the idea of the newsreport.. but I'm not sure if I liked this project overall. I feel like I learned a little bit about my subject.. but not everything. Which makes me wonder how would I do if I was tested on this material? Thats what scares me. I'm not sure what could make this project work better to teach me more... Maybe it was just that my group and I figured out what we were doing very last minute. I guess if we had been more organized it would've gone over better.

November 22nd

Mission accomplished, the project is finished. Well mostly, my group and I still have to record our voices tomorrow, but everything else is done... Finally. There was so much debate over what we were going to do and we really didn't decide until the last minute. The presentation we watched in class today was wicked good, I'm hoping my group will be able to measure up. Here's a heads up though... it may be a tad bit corny...

November 15

War of 1812, aka Mr. Madison's war. The newly established U.S. did seem to resemble a scrappy little kid on the play ground that somehow miraculously won every battle. We beat the British.. again.. in the war of 1812, but honestly we couldn't have if not for Napolean. He really did help us out a lot, between the Louisiana purchase and distracting the British, we should've sent him a thank you letter. The war of 1812 really did help us to make a name for ourselves, but I wonder did it really accomplish much? We had Washington D.C. burnt down and signed a treaty that made us leave everything the same as it was before the war.. Pointlessness? I believe so.
Now I'm going to go study for tomorrows quest.

November 9

Today in class my group and I began to figure out some of what we'll be doing for our history project, which has a fast approaching due date. We also discussed about Manbury.. (sp) and how he failed to get his commision due to basically corrupt leaders. Well thats a bad word for it, but the best I could think of right now. Honestly, day by day I'm learning more about the U.S. government from when it started to the way it is now. Day by day I'm learning that my elementary school out look on the government being perfect and not truly understanding, or caring how it worked, is being shattered.

November 3

Today in class we discussed if helping France would be a good or bad idea. I think its a good idea. The class "discussion" turned into more of a debate kind of thing.. sorry Mr. Boyle. Debates are what I'm known for, it not that I ignore everybody else and refuse to listen to their opinion on the situation. Its just that I tend to be very opinionated, and I want everybody to know why I feel the way I do on a situation. Personally I love debates, I find the interesting and enjoyable.
On the topic discussed today, I felt that we should help the French, so what if the power has changed hands from the king to revolutionaries? First off we owe them for supporting us and helping us to win our Revolution. Secondly if France became more like us then we'd have more support and we "wouldn't be the only ones on the island" as Mr. Boyle put it. We were a new country and had our own problems, I understand that, but we need to make a name for ourselves. We need to do something to eliminate the idea that we were going to fail and somebody could easily take us over. Obviously there was the chance that the French could lose their war, but it is worth the risk to try and help them. Maybe there are limitations to the type of help we give them, such as actual people versus supplies, that would be understandable. The United States just can't sit back and let the world pass them by in this situation, we need to help somehow.

November 2

Today in class we went over the documents we were given for homework, it was a timeline. We also got into groups and are planning on making a news report presentation. We are supposed to do a voicethread thing kind of thing, but my group and I decided to make a video instead. I think its going to be great.