Jenni Geurink Reading Thoughts: Connections: One major connection I found deals with my personal life. The relationship between William and Ben Franklin is very similar to many relationships I have. Politics can create dividing lines, but this line was so distinct in their family. One was a beloved leader of the rebellion and the other a harsh royal governor disliked by his constituents. None of my relationships are as extreme, but a lot of my friendships are stunted by differing political views. I connect with them because it puts a strain of the relationship. A loyalist against a rebel is almost the same as a republican against a democrat.
Importance: The strong work ethic of the rebel soldiers I found to be not only endearing but powerful. The colonists had reason behind their fighting, they weren't hired or forced, they simply wanted freedom. They were passionate about their cause and this gave them more motivation than any British soldier. The quote from p. 377 showed real importance, "Had we been supplied, we would still be up there." They had passion behind their madness, they knew what they wanted.
Reading Like a Historian: Cause and Effect: One instance where the cause and effect were so drastically apparent was with Thomas Paine's story. Common Sense enlivened the people. It gave them passion and a reason to fight. It inspired and sometimes gave their viewpoint's a 180 degree turn. The effects were definitely intentional because Mr. Paine certainly knew what he was getting into. Most supported the change, but as always some were resistant (mainly the Tories and King George's employees). This change was very necessary though.
Through Their Eyes: I think the people viewed this whole ordeal as momentous change. It must have been so exciting to be there at the vote for freedom. To feel the passion of the enraged people. Those town meetings must have just been crazy. I think they might have gotten a little caught up in themselves though. I am not so sure that they truly understood the effect their choices would have. Abigail Adams had a really good point when she brought what would happen if we succeeded in the revolution. Her words meant something to me, someone living hundreds of years from her lifetime. Her feminist sprit was very powerful. And she showed from an early standpoint that she had been thinking too. It wasn't just a man's world anymore. America had a lot of work yet to do.
Alexis Abrego: Reading Thoughts: Evaluation: I was very surprised when I read the biography on Thomas Paine and how Common Sense was his only real experience with fame. I was disappointed about how he was described as “disagreeable, slovenly man who shows no patience for argument…” I always thought of him as an inspiring rebel who the cement that held the country’s feeling of unity together, but here I learned that it was mostly a stroke of genius that he wrote this and the fame reached from this was never seen again.
Importance: I thought when Franklin tried to convince Dickinson of the importance of independence was a major aspect of the book. It summarized everything that the colonists had been struggling with in the entire book. “Independence. A word that no one dared utter a year ago is now spewed with perfect glee…Independence is not a philosophy. It is a fact…and America is entering a new era. No matter how tightly King George wishes to hold his power over us…it does not matter. His hold has already been broken.” This “speech” that Franklin gave was so important though it fell on deaf ears. It is the essence for this book.
Thinking Like a Historian: Through their Eyes: Washington was so worried and nervous when he took the position as general for two reasons his thought of lack of experience, but I also think he was nervous because he was going against the most powerful army in the world with an “army” of untrained militia and farmers. However, within a few weeks he changed that with his Assault on Boston that caused the English to leave the town. They were organized, precise, and an actual threat, so even though the men didn’t see battle it was a moral victory that showed that they could be an army and might actually have a chance against the British.
Differing Perspectives: When Thomas Jefferson originally wrote the declaration of Independence in was poetic and had reference to slavery being the faults of the King, but as different people such as Franklin and Adams took it and made changes they were able to hammer the document out and adjust it. The same was done with the entire Continental Congress. All those different perspectives and different ideas helped to make the document what it is today. Without those ideas put together the document may not have had the same effect because not everyone would have been happy with it. It would have been one man’s ideas not the entire nation’s ideas put together.
Comment: I agree with Jenni, though it is unintentional differing political views can harm relationships since it is a deep grounding everyone has. Though differing political views can also provide a way to fully examine your views and get a different perspective on the same topic to be well rounded. So it all depends what you do with a friendship that makes those differences a challenge or a way to learn.
Jenni You have made many excellent points throughout your blogs. I particularly liked how you were trying to humanize are historical figures. It is important to realize just because these people were famous important figures does not make them any less human. I also specifically like how you pointed out the fighting stile at breed hill..its if funny how just because the British learn once does not mean that they continue to keep what they learn...they do go back to the old style which is one of the reasons your image did not match up with their fighting style this one time. Thanks for your preparation and work. Have a great rest of the summer
Alexis Thanks for all your insights. I really appreciate that you picked up on specific details about individuals like how Thomas Paine life would have been completely different without "Common Sense" and then analyzed big picture ideas like comparing revolutions. Being able to look at the overall picture and appreciate the details is a great skill to have as a historian. Thanks for sharing and completing your blogs in a timely fashion. Enjoy the rest of your summer.
Evaluation: I have learned a lot from reading this book. Most of these things are Accurate to me. It backs up the stuff I learned in 8th and 9th grade. The author of this book seems to be a bit bias towards the colonies. Most of the book is on America's perspectives. You get a little glimpse into the mind of the enemy, but not a whole lot. This event is still acknowledge today. It has helped other people rebel against their home land. One example I can think of is Mexico rebelling against Spain. I think the colonies victory helped their moral and confidence.
Question: The book had said that no one liked General Ward." Washington had developed a genuine dislike for the older man, and in quiet conversation with many of Ward's junior officers, he had not been surprised to learn that ward was disliked by almost everyone. Ward's actual contribution to the French and Indian War had been at best a display of mediocrity, but the man had spent years creating himself in the role of a heroic son of Massachusetts. with the focus now so clearly on Washington, he had shrunk to a grumbling malcontent. Worse, few among the Massachusetts officers had much faith that ward could lead an army anywhere... While Ward's men had devastated the British advance, their commander had anchored himself safely in the comfort of his headquarters at Cambridge. It was no mistake to assume that the disastrous mismanagement of both ammunition and reinforcements had been entirely his fault."(474) My question is, why wasn't he removed? I'm sure there some one better to take his job. He seemed unorganized and some what afraid of fighting. He was second in command and he didn't fight with his men on Breed's hill.
Reading like a Historain
Using the past: From reading this book, it has shown me that arrogance solves nothing. It leads to many problems. Many event in history could have been avoided if people were not so arrogant. A big example is George Washington. He had served in the French and Indian war and had showed signs of leadership. If the British would have taken him in they probably would have won the war, but because they thought he was simply "an American", they did not. After reading this book it shows the impact of what an arrogant leader can do the its country.
Change and continuity: In this last section, a lot has changed, 12 of the 13 colonies want their independence. New York is slow to react. They joined forces and later with New York,sent King George the Declaration of Independence. One thing that has remained the same is the enthusiasm of the people. They are still willing to fight and resist their oppressive king. From this last change, the Colonies have befitted a lot more. They have gotten the British of their land for now and when they do strike back Washington will have a better more organized army. The British have lost their position in the colonies. They had to go back to Britain to reorganize.
Comment: I agree with Alexis about her "different perspectives". This is what makes America so great. It has many perspectives and even though it's not perfect, it can achieve more than what one man can think of(King George).
Connections: Commander Gage is the scapegoat of the disaster at Breeds Hill. "They have been so public, so noisy about condemning my weakness, my timidity, as though anyone else would have solved this crisis with such ease" 417). Gage feels that the public is blaming him for his way of solving the crisis, however when situations like these arise, there is really no right way to solve it in order to please everybody. I can relate to this because when certain situations come about there is just not a right way to solve it. Then my friends will criticize my decision even they don't understand the extent of it.
Evaluation: Jeff Shaara, the author of Rise To Rebellion shares information that corresponds with past information I have attained however his views are somewhat bias. I did a bit of additional research on him and found out he was born in New Jersey and later grew up in Florida. This insight does correspond with my thoughts that he is slightly biased towards General Lee. "Now on the other hand is General Lee… I would describe him as an absolute contrast to Washington" (447). General Lee is portrayed as less appreciated in this novel, and that could be because he was born in Britain and the colonist as well as the author possess a little bias behavior towards the British.
TLH Strategies:
Turning Points: The goal Franklin and his committee had was to convince Canada to break ties with Britain. Therefor by joining the colonies, Canada would not only add strength to the union but also eliminate access of British Troops through their territory. This was a main concern for Washington. He was afraid troops were going to invade through the Hudson Bay but with Canada on the colonists side this would narrow the actions the British army could attempt.
Through Their Eyes: Dickinson made his last appeal in July 1776. His views were not the same as the majority of the delegates but the fact that he spoke his views honestly and that was a very strong and courageous action. He did not support the war. "England has already pledged all of her resources to our suppression. And though so many of you are called upon to believe that the people of all our colonies are eager for this coarse, I do not believe it still" (521). Colonist all had their own opinions but most of them would not speak out against the majority, so Dickinson's courage did bring up another part of the spectrum, and that must have been very difficult for him to do because almost every other man there disagreed with his views.
Comment: After reading over Tou's thoughts I realized I agree with his idea that arrogance solves nothing. However, it is one of those things that is unavoidable, it is always going to be there. So yes, it could have prevented many conflicts in American history or even other nations but the fact of the matter is it is a way of life that cannot be avoided.
Connection: Franklin said, “I would draw no amusement from sitting around listening to my knees creak. There is much work yet to do.” (411) This reminds me of any elderly person who has something wrong with them but of course you can’t tell them anything. What they say goes. It’s like my grandmother she is 85 years old and she is doing things that she probably shouldn’t be doing. Nothing stops them like Ben Franklin he knows how much his body can take and if he wants to do something then by golly he will.
Change and Continuity: I found it interesting how much transportation can change. During this time period of the American Revolution carriages were the nice vehicles you could say and now we have so many different options. It seems today people are taking so much advantage of what we have. The transportation possibly could have been put to better use during the American Revolution.
Vocabulary: I stumbled across a word that I was unsure of. I didn't know what wrangle meant. I learned to understand that wrangle means basically an argument that could go on for a long time.
Using The Past: The people during the American Revolution were faced with difficult challenges. In the end they gained their independence. If they can do it then the people of our world today can handle anything that life puts at them. Our knowledge, abilities, and tools have grown so much. Therefore, our problems with our politics today or the men serving our country can be fixed if we try and live in the motto that the people of the American Revolution did. Then we can be successful.
Comment: I completely agree with your evaluation Tou. This book just kept building off of what knowledge we already had. You are right on how we didn't get to have that many sides of a story. It seemed to always be based on America's like you said. Although we didn't have that the author still proved the point and greatly gave a story that will never be forgotten.
Reading Thoughts Prediction – Since I read the series out of order, I already knew some of the events that had to occur in the final part of the book, but I wasn’t sure how it was going to happen. After Breed’s Hill, I thought there was no way the British would dare another massacre like that, so I had a feeling they would try any full scale attack on the soldiers outside of Boston. However, what I didn’t predict was that the British would continue destroying major cities all along the coastline. Other than that, my predictions were pretty accurate.
Big Idea – Throughout the events leading up to the American Revolution, the power of words proved to be a potent weapon for the rebels. Between all of the eloquent speeches given by Adams and Franklin, Thomas Paine’s Common Sense, and the words of other rebel supporters, words proved to have a powerful influence on Americans who had been uncertain if they wanted independence. One specific speech by John Adams that stood out to me was his speech right before the vote for independence. His use of rhetoric and words moved all of the representatives to vote as the people wanted them to vote, in favor of independence.
Reading Like a Historian Turning Points – I think the fact that the king reacted to the Olive Branch Petition by blowing up coastal cities was one of the most eye opening moments for those in Congress. Even Dickinson couldn’t defend what the king had done by declaring the colonies to be in a state of rebellion and essentially saying that they will be suppressed by any means available. This last effort for peace was responded to with an astounding amount of violence, but, once again, the violence helped the rebel cause. After the obvious rejection of the petition, members of Congress realized they now had no choice but to declare their independence and go to war.
Change and Continuity – Since this is my last blog, there are many things that have changed since the Declaration of Independence and the American Revolution. There are a few obvious ones, including Ireland being its own country and the way that wars are fought, but there are other things, too. For example, I think the fact that America defied everyone’s predictions by defeating the most powerful country in the world has given other countries courage to do the same. It also proved that you cannot rule a country without paying attention to the wants and needs of the people. I think the American Revolution changed the way a lot of people look at the world.
Comments Kallie, that is exactly how my grandma is, too! I guess when you get that old, you deserve to do whatever you please. I think this also shows his determination to do what is necessary, regardless of his own pain. Transportation has completely been transformed! Not only do we have fancy cars, but we have planes and mass transit. Also, it no longer takes weeks to deliver a message! Wow, I guess it’s pretty obvious I agree with your last point since that’s almost exactly what mine is, too.
Importance: In part three, I found that the Declaration of Independence was the most important detail. As I read towards the end, I was amazed at how much impact a piece of paper could do to raise the morale of the Colonists. The declaration was so important that they had five of their top orators and writers work on it to make it perfect. When Washington read it and the other soldiers heard it they were all inspired to fight against the British to gain their freedom. This was the influence that they had searched for all along; a document that contained all rights and freedoms the Americans wanted.
Evaluation: Rise To Rebellion by Jeff Shaara changed my perspective. I've already learned who most of these people were and what they did, but the way this was written, the way he brought the characters' perspective in this opened my eyes. Knowing how these men had lived their lives, being in their shoes makes the reader understand history much better. Another pro to this novel was that the author also went into Britain's perspective and not just the Americans. This was a different experience in learning about history.
Reading Like A Historian
Change and Continuity: I believe the biggest change was when the Colonists had finally decided to become one with a vote. It took them awhile, but they had all finally agreed. This was a dramatic change for the colonists. It brought on a positive step forward into making America what it is now. The British, however, suffered a great loss to this change. They never thought that the Colonies would ever unite as one.
Using the Past: Thomas Paine had made a commotion with his pamphlet called Common Sense. It's interesting to note that the reader can remember back to part two, Ben Franklin makes a reference to him. "Oh, really, Will. Mr. Paine is no threat. An unemployed bureaucrat with illusions of finding a voice among the oppressed"(248). To think that if Mr. Franklin hadn't helped Mr. Paine into America, he never would've gotten the opportunity to write Common Sense. I was beginning to wonder when my note of Thomas Paine was going to be of any use in the novel and was glad to know that he had a major impact on the Colonists later in the story.
Comment: Rachel, I completely agree with you in your Big Idea section. Speaking was a big deal in the Colonies. All they really did was talk and write in Congress. Words really can be inspiring and have an influence on the audience if the speaker is passionate about their topic. Luckily, they had many powerful speakers to help them motivate the people.
Connections Jefferson spends a lot of time writing, editing, and rewriting the Declaration of Independence. The paper was perfect without any scribbles or added phrases on the day it was approved of. This reminds me of us (students) when we write our essays. We do the exact same thing, the only difference is that we can type ours :)
Visualize I could definitely imagine the scene where men were cutting the statue of King George apart. It must have been great to break apart the enemy, even if it wasn't the real one. The best part of this scene is when the man discovers that the statue is actually made of lead and can be melted into musket balls. This reminds me of the scene where Isaac Smith's wife (her name wasn't mentioned in the story but it's Sarah Rockwell) and Abigail Adams are melting pewter into musket balls. This just goes to show that the people are ready to become one nation and willing to help progress things.
Turning Points One thing that really changed a person's mind was when John Adams gave his speech on page 522-523. It was moving how Adams, at one point, agreed with Dickinson's points but he had also added his own opinions. That was what made his speech so moving.
Comment I agree with Melanie's Change and Continuity. Every colony had their own opinions but everything changed for the good in the end. The only ones who really didn't have their way were the Loyalists.
Connections: Congress starts to realize how expensive it actually is to pay for this war and the army. They need to find a way to gain enough money, but as we know this war puts America deep into debt. This connects me to the world today. When we want something so immensely we give up whatever we need to in order to get it including high cost. That is just like in this part, how they want their independence, but war is a great way to get into debt.
Vocabulary: I came across the word oration on 405, and I had to look it up because I couldn't begin to guess what it meant. After researching this word, I discovered that it simply means a speech! Funny what you learn when you look something up!
Reading Like a Historian:
Through Their Eyes: On page 381, right in the beginning of Part Three we get to hear directly what is going on in Washington's head. We get to see that of course, Washington has some selfish pride within him about being recognized for his needed talents in fighting. He has regrets though, because now he is in a leading position and he misses being with his family at his home in Mount Vernon, the life that is truely fulfilling to him. I think that this must have been the thoughts of many of the soldiers fighting!
Change and Continuity: On page 403 and 404, we see how devastated Franklin is that now he comes home to his past before the war, and he no longer has Deborah. Reality hits that she is truely gone. Fighting for what you believe in, like he fought in this war was a choice, and making choices means gaining something and giving other things up, he never know what he might lose after fighting for the beauty of independence. Change is happening when he comes back, he no longer has his wife, Deborah. That exists today also, we make choices and give up something. Little do we know that we might lose a loved one due to some tragedy.
Comment: I agree with Melanie... Little did we know that writing a document would be such a big deal! The Declaration of Independence brought us to wear we are today, and without this war and that simple document, we may not be an independent nation. Scary!
Ashley Hanke Reading thoughts: Importance: I thought an important part of the final chapters of the book were when the Declaration of Independence was signed. I felt this impacted on how the colonists fought for there freedom against the British, and now they have it on a signed document. Which contains all there rights and freedoms. " We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal..." I thought this was an important quote towards the end of the chapter because it had all the congress men and delegates and many others realize just how important the Declaration of Independence really is.
Connections: When Jefferson is writing and rewriting the Declaration of Independence, as well as editing it. This reminds me of how us students have to do the very same thing to our papers to make sure they are perfect. Also our government today does the very same thing to make sure that everything is perfect before they send it out.
Reading like a Historian:
Using the Past: During the time of the American Revolution the colonist fought for their Independence; and they did. They might have had many challenges and conflicts, but they managed to gain their freedom. Today the U.S is also fighting for our country, and we may have more knowledge and many other advanced techniques, but if we think like they did. Anything is possible.
Change and Continuity: I feel a big change was when the colonists finally decided to vote as one. I feel that was one thing that changed the most, because first off the British didn't think the colonists would unite as one, and so therefore they suffered.
I noticed from reading this book how connected the 18th century and our 21st century are. When we learned about this stuff in previous history classes, I always pictured the historic people as still-faced, boring guys sitting in paintings. But when history is written in fictional story style like in Rise to Rebellion, I actually can relate to and understand what’s going on in the book. The people actually have emotions; they cry and laugh and get nervous, just like people from our century. It’s much easier to read this type of book than a nonfiction history novel, because this type of story plays on the emotions.
Preview/Predict
Margaret, Thomas Gage’s wife, was seen by a soldier sneaking over to Warren’s abode. At first I thought she was cheating on her husband, but then I read the Afterward of Rise to Rebellion, which had a section that said there were speculations that Margaret was secretly supplying information to the Colonists’ cause. It doesn’t make sense because she’s on the side of England and would not have any apparent reason to be sympathetic to the Colonists’ cause. The only link I could put to this was that she seemed to be a bit distant from her husband, who didn’t treat her well enough.
Differing Perspectives
General George Washington was introduced in this section of Rise to Rebellion. He is modest and doesn’t think he’s fit to command the army against the English, but he definitely has the skills to do it. Also, everyone likes his personality and admires him; even his soldiers place a great deal of respect in him. I thought it fitting that the book ended with George Washington’s perspective, because he was to lead the colonists into war and then become the United States of America’s first president.
Through Their Eyes
Franklin had been lazy; he kept putting off a trip to America. He hardly considered going there; he just kept with his business in England. I think every year he spent in England, the harder it would be for him to make the decision to go back over to America, since that was such a long while to be gone. Then, when he got the letter from his son that his wife Deborah had died, he finally wanted to go over. By then, it was too late. His wife was dead and his son didn’t like him. Then Franklin felt remorse. I can’t believe he went all those years without seeing his family. I think this book has many good examples of how politics and work can corrupt family life.
Comment:
Ashley, I concur with your insight about how Thomas Jefferson’s editing of his Declaration of Independence is much like what we as students have to deal with. Anything we turn in to someone professional must be edited and written nicely, and the same goes for in government.
Connection: On page 403 when suddenly Adams nice conversation with his wife Abigail turns soar and she shows her thoughts on how men think they are so grand and perfect that they can make all the decisions and expect women to simply stand by and except their household positions as nurturers of children and cleaning maides and simply wait for their darlings to come home. It reminded me instatly of the womens rights movement that would follow years after, and I still cannot understand why such a view of equal representation didn't reach the women as well on the first reforming of America.
Connections: During Franklin's more unfortunate moments, his age seems to be catching up with him yet he stubbornly and almost inspiringly pushes past his age and continues his work. Similarly my grandfather is in his seventies, such as Franklin, and yet he is still outside everyday on his tractor hauling out wood and mowing the grass, he simply refuses to lay down and let his bones grow weak. Truly an ispiration as Franklin was to many in his time.
Cause and Effect: Thomas Jefferson very valiantly offered to end slavery and the rather humerous thing is that if he would have been listened to, no civil war at all and we could have focused all of that energy into possibly being in a better financial position today, but it is unlikely our financial position would have improved enough because of the world wars to follow we put all the iron and raw materials we could find to supply our armies with the supplies they so often lacked.
Big Idea/Generalization: Although it was brought up that previous sections showed the colonists coming together as one to fight the British, I believe that the big idea of section three was the unity of a single nation. In section three friendships turned to enemies and enemies turned to friendships as both the colonists and the British choose there side in the revolution.
Evaluation: One part of the section that I found really interesting was how Washington recognized his need for powder and knew that a spy would most likely inform Gage of this weakness. But instead of creating a big issue of it. He simply improvised by creating the illusion that he had more powder then he needed in order to delay further progress from the British army. I thought that was a great idea by Washington and had an influence in the outcome of the rebellion, especially since Gage received the news of the high quantities of powder and thus postponed his attack.
Turning point: I believe the turning point in this chapter was on page 401 when George Washington finally showed his authority over his army. "He reached down, grabbed one man by the collar, then the other, pulled both of them up off the ground, held each one hanging helplessly against a flank of the horse", "Behind him the sounds retuned; he snapped the reins, thought, Not again, not already, he spun the horse around, saw them now. They where not cheering for anyone's drunken fight. They were cheering him" (401). I believe this occurrence is one of the main reasons Washington received any respect and obedience from his army.
Different perspectives: After receiving the news of the British burning Falmouth Adams was enraged; however, Sam, being notably calm mentioned, "There is some good in every tragedy. I have learned a great lesson through all of this, cousin. Patience If we feel we are confronting an abyss, just wait awhile, and sure enough, our enemies will build the bridge,... you cannot harvest the crop while it is still green. You must allow it to ripen. This congress is still green, but that is changing. The people cannot be pushed into accepting independence from their beloved king, they must ripen to it" (439). I found this very interesting how even though most of the congress was thinking negatively of the situation, Sam was still thinking of the bright side.
Comment: I found Mitchell Marten's connection of Franklin to his grandfather was very interesting. Its amazing how often we see people in there 70's and even 80's outside on a farm or in the guardian doing work as though it was 20 years ago. Likewise, my neighbor who has endured many health issues and is now around the age of 70, still works harder then almost anyone else I know.
Reading Thoughts Vocabulary: While I was reading, I came across the word "Perused" on page 511, chapter 43. I've heard of the word before, but wasn't sure what it meant. I looked it up at dictionary.com. They're definition was: To read through with thoroughness or care. The sentence in the book was, "Adams perused the document, and Franklin watched the younger man, moving in the chair, a bundle of nervousness" (511). That makes much more sense.
Visualize: I had a great visual image on page 534, chapter 45, when men took down the statue of King George. "They brought ropes, and a flood of men began to clinb up and over the iron picket fence, the ropes slung high, draped over the golden statue...It rocked slightly, shifting on its base, then, as the men gave one final pull, the great golden horse and rider toppled gouging heavily into the soft earth of the green" (534).
Reading Like a Historian Differing Perspectives: In chapter 34, General Ward unhappily gives up command to Washington, and does not believe Washington has the capability. The congress appointed him the position, but Ward doesn't believe Washington is cut out for the job. Ward also states, "'We've done mighty well on our own, without anyone from Virginia or anywhere else telling us what to do'" (388). I can see why Ward feels like this towards Washington, but this decision will have a great outcome.
Turning Points: In chapter 35, the Olive Branch Petition was approved and sent to London. But only King George could bring an end to the crisis. Later, in chapter 38, King George sends out a response to the petition, but the response was that he hadn't even read it. He had no interest in the details. Mr. Penn even declared that he made diverse attempts to gain audience with the king, but was unsuccessful. However, the king stated that all traitors will be brought to justice.
Comment: Emily, I agree with your Through Their Eyes portion stating that politics can corrupt family life. Even back then, specifically with Franklin, their job gets in the way of their family, just like today. Franklin couldn't help it, he's trying to do what's best for his country. However, I'd say these guys need to try to put in a little family time too. That's also important. Otherwise they're going to lose the ones they love; like Franklin and his son.
Comment:I completely agree with Mitchell's connection relating to Adams conversation with his wife. When I read that section I was thinking the same thing with the womens rights and also brought me back on how they could be pretty much ordered around like so for such a long time.
Reading thoughts: Visualize-Early in this section we got to learn about Horatio Gates, when I was reading on page 383 I got a great image of him and his relationship with Washington in my mind. "Horatio Gates was another expatriate Englishman who had settled in Virginia close to Washington's home. The two men could be more different, Gates a short, round man with poor eyesight, who seemed except to Washington..." (383). When reading this I kinda pictured him as almost a very strick man. Like short, Bald, fat and almost mean I guess.
Connection: While Washington was writing his letter to his wife Martha to explain how he wouldn't be arriving back to her when planned. He continiously thought back to this letter and reread it in his mind as he grew "farther from the familiar, from all that he loved about home, his doubts still nagged him, more of the letter to Martha in his mind" (385).
Thinking like a historain: Cause and effect- Once Washington figured that he had to be the one that had to tell Martha about his new plans because "she might very will hear about his new responsibility from someone else. That was unacceptable" (384). Because of writing this letter Washington reread sections many times in his head. As he got farther from his home and the carriage drew closer to his new headquarters "he began to understand that the soothing words, the explanation weren't just for her" (386).
Different perspectives- Once in Cambridge, Massachusetts Washington along with Mr. Lee for a meeting. After Mr. Lee left Washington, Washington got to aquainted to General Artmas Ward. General Ward then expalined to Washington the perspectives of how many people believed he wasn't needed there. Then General Ward stated, "I'm not sure what you expect here, General. But these men are not necessarily celebrating your arrival. We've done mighty well on our own, without anyone from Virginia or anywhere else telling us what to do" (388). To many there they believed that the congress were "...still sending sweetheart letters to the king. they can't agree on anything" (389).
Comment: Makenzie I love the passage you did for visualize. Its like you just see the sweat on the men as they climb the statue and the rope being pulled so tight that it reminds you of cartoons when it slowly starts ripping.
Visualize The easiest part for me to visualize when when Harrison was calling out the name of each colony, and then they would signify their vote. I could hear and feel the excitement in that room as they delegates from each colony cast their vote. "Georgia. Aye! Maryland. Aye! Massachusetts. Aye!" (pg 525)
Importance I feel that the most important part of this section, or even the whole book was the Declaration of Independence. This document represented the colonies as a whole greatly. It showed their unity and their dislike to the King. The Declaration represented them, and what they all had been through.
Thinking Like a Historian
Change and Continuity Earlier in the book the colonies all had different ideas and did not come together as a whole. In the last section of the book they finally voted together. They became one body and not 13 different ones.
Using the Past Because of the King and his actions against the colonies it is very apparent of why America is why it is today. The laws today and the way government is run today is a result of him, such as we don't have a monarchy system because of the amount of power from one person and how they are the one who makes the rules and don't care what the people under them think.
Comments: Elizabeth, I agree with the part that you thought was a good idea to visualize. Based on the description of Horatio Gates, I also thought of him as a strict man.
Through their eyes: When washington came to fill the position he was appointed to do, General of the Army, I mean, I really felt for him. I think it would have really not been fun to go to a new place, all fired up and ready to go, and be treated the way he was. Washington had good intentions, and seemed very passionate about what he was doing, but still Ward(who I personally didn't like) shot him down and treated him like he was annoying when it wasnt his idea to come in the first place.
Visualize: Being the hopless romantic that I am, my favoorite part of the whole book probably was when Washingto was leaving his home and his wife Martha to do his patriotic duty. I could feel his remorse and nervousness for what lay ahead of him, and it was very easy to visualize him as he was heading away from his familiar home.
Perspective: I felt like this whole time it was very easy to see The King as an awful tyrant, because of the perspective it was in. Obviously if you talked to a colonist, the kig was a tyrant and awful and not doing what he should have been. But then at the same time, iyou could very easily get a similar response from only hearing one side of any story, for instance, talking to a democrat about how a republican president is doing, and vice versa. Am I wrong?
Question: This is kind of a sutpid question, but I was wondering...how did Britain know about the Colonies plans to rebel? Like I know that there was the declaration of independence and everything, but I mean afterward. how did they know when battles would be and all of that?
Comment: Honestly I love everyone's blog posts. And I agree entirely with Matthew's Evaluation part.
Reading Thoughts Connections: Thomas Jefferson spent a lot of time writing and editing the Declaration of Independence. Which calls to mind political fights people have over the constitution and how it should be interpreted. One arguement is that we should follow the constitution exactly which makes some sense because the founding fathers spent so much time on it. I'm not saying I agree with that but it is a connection I made.
Importance: Easily the most important part of the book (in my opinion) was the Declaration of Indepedence. This is because it was all the opinions of the founding fathers written down. It also wrote down all the grevences that led to the war and served as a reminder for the soldiers
Reading Like A Historian Differing Prospectives: George Washington was introduced in this section and he had a very different outlook then Ward. Gen. Washington was humble and passionate about the army. He also tried to be an effect leader. But Ward only saw Washington is coming and taking over his command, which was insane considering it wasn't Washington's idea to lead the army. It took considerable coaxing from his fellow delagated at the Contiential Congress to have him take the post.
Through Their Eyes: I really feel for Ben Franklin. He was stuck in England doing the work of the colonies but the whole time he was seperated from his family, mainly his wife.(p.403-404) But he was stuck there long enough that he never say his wife again, she died while he was away.
Comment: I agree with Taylor's perspective comment. If the author had written from the prespective a loyalist the story would have been completly different, which is why prespective is so important.
Judith Spear Importance: I think one of the most important parts of the section was when they were voting on which colonies were for independence. When all the colonies had their name spoken and then their responce, "aye" it showed that all thirteen colonies were coming together as one country, as one people, free of England. Visualize: The part that I can really visualize is when Washington rode past the Old South Meeting Hall. "...rode out into a wide street, climbed a hill, could see the Old South Meeting Hall where so much of this rebellion had begun, where the great orators had planted the seeds on the people here" (492). I can see the meeting hall lying in ruins and just feel the emotion that Washington felt as he thought back to what that place meant and what had started there. THL: Turning Point: I think that the main turning point of this chapter was when Washington and the army were assembled and Brown read "The army will come to attention. As ordered by the commanding general, this army will now hear the Declaration as approved by the Continental Congress on July fourth, the year of our Lord seventeen seventy-six" (532). In this section, Washington said that he could see the emotion in all the surrounding people's eyes, and I as well could feel the power of the words. This small phrase said by Brown symbolized the beginning of a new country and the freedom of the Americans. Change and Continuity: In the beginning of the book, the colonists where living under the rule of the King and all of England. As the book went on, the colonists began to rebel and think about actually splitting away from England and it's ridiculous laws. At first, many of the colonists did not support the idea of independence, but as the book went on, the Son's of Liberty and other people begfan to help purseade the colonists that freedon was necessary, and that there was no turning back after the first battle, and that war was the only way. At the end, almost oll the colonists were in support of freedom and the declaration, and that can be seen when the vote for the Declaration of Independence was Unanimous. Comment: I agree with Taylor's perspective on the king. I can see his from both sides, the rebellion colonist and also the loyal british citizen.
Reading Thoughts- Visualization: I can definitely visualize the part in chapter 39 when it’s the morning of his meeting and Benjamin Franklin is still in his robe. “He had not yet had breakfast, began to think of the time, the difficulty of the walk to the State House. He reached for his watch on the desk, nearly eight o’clock, one hour before his committee meeting. He stood now, stretched his back, raised his arms high, tried to ease the stiffness, felt the icy cold on his body, realized his robe was open. Outside, he could hear a squeal, and he saw the horror on the woman’s face, one of his neighbors. ‘Morning, madam.’ He turned away, could not help a laugh, felt like an evil child getting away with some misdeed. He began to dress now, could hear the rest of the house coming alive, the voice of his daughter, the children up and about.” (Pg. 409) I found this part amusing.
Vocabulary: While reading, I came to a sentence, “...and the man gave a first impression as unfortunate as that of the rotund Knox.” (Pg. 426) I didn’t know what ‘rotund’ meant. I now know it means plump.
Reading like a historian- Perspective: While reading through this book, I’ve noticed that it’s presented mostly from the perspective of John Adams and Benjamin Franklin, with a few of the British in addition to that. I thought Adams was a very thoughtful and likeable character. Reading this book helped me get a more human perspective on the events leading up to the rebellion.
Change and Continuity: To me, I thought when the colonists had decided to become one with a vote, was a powerful change. The British didn’t think that the colonists would become one, but because they did, the British suffered, and lost a lot. On the other hand, it helped America become what it is today.
Comment: I agree with Judith. It was very important when the colonies voted to become one.
Connections In the very beginning of this section, Washington’s life became relatable to the lives of soldiers at war right now. “As important as the duty was, and as clearly as he accepted his role as a delegate, both journeys to Philadelphia had taken him away from a home life…” (343) Washington, along with the men and women that serve us today are dedicated to serve their country. They understand that their roles are incredibly important in order to keep not only their families safe, but also keep an entire country safe. Visualize On page 470, the men are beginning to vote on the Declaration of Independence. When it was Delaware’s turn to vote there is a problem, it is a divided vote. The colonies need a unanimous vote to carry through with independence. I can see the importance Mr. Rodney carries as he burst through the door, and the suspense the room is feeling as they wait for him to give his vote. I can also see a huge sigh of relief, after he gave his vote, from congress but also bitterness on the face of Read. Change and Continuity Ben Franklin had arrived at the Adams’ house for dinner. As he was delivering a letter from John Adams, he found Abigail doing something that was out of the ordinary. “‘…Doctor, we’re assisting the army. We have been told the pewter works well as lead. We’re making musket balls.’” (391). While the men are fighting with the muskets, the women were now filling them with the ammunition. This will help the colonists in the war and put the British at a slight disadvantage. The Colonists were making the balls right at home. The British would most likely get theirs in England and they would’ve had to wait for them to be shipped, which would take a lot of time. Turning Points Hancock read a letter from King George to the assembly. In the letter, it talked about how the colonies were basically going to be on their own, and how the British were willing to fight them. In response, Patrick Henry said, “’we can no longer hold ourselves to be protected by British law. We are no longer governed by British constitutions or British edicts. We have been severed from the king’s own hand… this congress has come to represent a people united…’” (397) It’s almost as if the king knew they were going to want independence, and were open to letting them have their independence. Why else would the king try to, in a sense, make the colonists be independent?
Comment Jordan, I agree with your visualize part. It is very amusing, and it seems that Franklin doesn't really care about how people view him. Which is very different compaired to how William Franklin is.
Preview/Predict: The section was called, "The Flag Unfurled." I predicted that in this section that the war would intensify. I also predicted that the conservatives in the congress would become or at least not oppose the movement towards becoming independent. I also predicted that the Declaration of Independence would be written and signed. One can easily predict what characters will be importatn in developing the new government once the Declaration was signed and the war was won. I predict/had prior knowledge that Ben Franklin, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson would be/continue to be some of the most influential people in the new government system. Two of these men would later become presidents.
Questions: When I read Abigal Adams' monologue about "Remember the Ladies", I wondered if other women and wives of the congressmen were asking their husbands to include their rights. Were women fighting for their rights, or were most content with their current role in society? When I read that the British were burning towns, I wondered why they were doing this. Did the towns they burned have military advantages to the colonial army, or did they burn them at random? Were the British trying to scare off the colonies' army?
Through their eyes: Patriots- They were estatic by the colonial army's victory at Breed's Hill. They were gaining move support through the pamphlet, Common Sense. Also, the congress majority was now in their favor. Conservatives: They were horrified at the war, and did not want to admit to themselves that it had begun. They also did not want to think that there was no way they could go back to the way things were. They were losing support and their king was not held important in society anymore. British- The British goal at this point was to crush the rebellion. If the British won the war, they were going to treat them horribly and tax them heavily. Other countries- Other countries were interested in trade and collaberating with America. However, until America won the war and became its own country, their currency was useless outside the colonies.
Turning Points: The decision to write and follow the Declaration of Independence was an unbelievably huge risk. What if the new country failed? What if America lost the war and all of the declarations' supporters/creators were convicted of treason? Once the congress vote of "Yea" was unanimous and the declaration was signed, there was no turning back. Decisions and their effects: All British supporters in the colonies were no longer able to have life go back to the way it was under the king's rule because of the congress' vote for declaring independence. Trade and supplies could no longer occur/be obtained by/from the British. This limited what was available for businesses to sell, and this made them suffer.
Comment: Jordan, I agree with your Perspective seciton. Adams and Franklin were the perspectives that the majority of the chapters in the section were from. This was probably because tehy were two of the most important men in the formation of the nation and the government system.
visualization- a very good visualization to make is when thomas jefferson was drafting the declaration of independance. this is also a very important happening in the overall outcome of how america is today. it is very easy to see him working and writing the declaration with his quill.
Vocab- right away i didn't understand what the section meant. "the flag unfurled." i didn't know what unfurled meant. it means, to be unrolled or opened, as in unfurling a sail from a box in order to operate a sail boat.
important scene- one of the most important happenings in the book is when the declaration of independance was being created. this is super important because this is the main document that americas infrastructure is based on. there has been many movies, pictures, and stories made based on signing the declaration of independance.
READING THOUGHTS: Connections: When Benjamin Franklin had a conversation with his son, William, and they fought about politics it kind of reminded me of a new movie coming out called Warrior. In the movie two brothers end up fighting the UFC finale for some amount of money, and even though they are blood brothers, they both were willing to fight one another. Like Ben Franklin and William. They both have different perspectives, but they're willing to fight for what they feel is right/want.
Evaluation: Personally, i thought fighting for Independence from Britain was going to be a little bit more bloody and long. I understand that it would've been a very long story if the author included every battle, but i just felt the descriptions of the battles lacked adjectives.
THINKING LIKE A HISTORIAN: Turning Points: Obviously the most important part of the whole story would have to be the creation of the Declaration of Independence. It gave the colonies and its' future the freedom of speech, religion etc...
Change and Continuity: The things that has changed is the colonies are now free from Britain and its king. Also, the thing that has changed is all 13 colonies came to an understanding as one. The thing that has remained the same is it's people. They're still colonists and they still thrived for a better change. Everyone living in the colonies and what now is known as the US is obviously benefited. The ones that have not benefited would be Britain because, well, they didn't win and gain land.
COMMENT: I would have to agree with Khalia about Importance. The Declaration is the main reason why it is what it is present day.
Big Idea: The main point of this section was the signing of the declaration. It showed that the rebels had finally acheived what they needed for freedom. They could finally rejoice with the happiness they have not felt in a long time. This was a great point in the book due to it summing up everything and the big reward at the end of everything.
Evaluation: If i was told about the idea to fight the British, the largest and most powerful army and government at the time. I would think you were stupidly crazy. Seeing how it all played out it wasn't that bad. It was alot shorter and alot less bloody than I would have imagined.
Reading like a historian
Cause and effect: The declaration being writen and signed was a major effect on the British. They lost their major finacial income and their largest coloney. They lost a major war and lost alot of their moral.
Through their eyes: Through the eyes of the colonists this must have been the greatest day of their lives. This gave them the courage to think that they can do anything. They defended and freed themselves from the most powerful army on the earth and even rebuilt their entire nation from the ground up.
Comment: I agree with Mai Xee in saying that the Declaratoin was one of the biggest points in the entire book. It was the final prize for all the hardships that the entire country fought for and went through.
Importance: For me the most important event in this section was Thomas Paine's "Common Sense.” It was definitely the fuel to the fire to declare independence, and made the colonists realize the wrong doings of the British and of the King. Besides “Common Sense” one of the most inspiring parts of the book for me was when George Washington was reflecting on the state of his army. While riding his horse and saw some men fighting over something ridiculous and decided to step in and set their priorities straight. Telling them to “spend more energy preparing to fight your genuine enemy.” After riding off he realized that the cheering he was hearing was for him. The choice he made to stop and talk to those men encouraged those who had pledged to risk their lives to give it their all, and also gained him much more respect from his troops.
Visualize: Each section of this book there has been at least one incidence where I can completely picture what's happening as if it's taking place right in front of me. In this section I could visualize what it would have been like to be young Thomas Jefferson sitting there while two of the greatest minds in history are reading what he wrote, changing so much of his original writing. It makes me think about what it's like when you turn something in to a teacher and you watch them grade it in front of you.
Turning Point: I think a major turning point in the book was when the congress was voting to have a declaration of independence and every colony, even New York, accepted the declaration. I understand that New York didn't directly approve it, but the fact that they didn't completely reject it allowed the congress to take a huge step toward independence.
Using The Past: When the draft of the declaration was being debated over, I began to think about what things today would be like had they added or deleted certain parts. What life would be like if they had thought that people didn't deserve freedom of speech. It's weird to think about how much their thoughts truly influence life as we know it today.
Comment: Anna, I agree with your question section. Much of the same questions were running through my mind as I was reading.
Vocabulary: While reading I ran across two words that I did not know. The first word I ran across was repugnant on page 344. I found that the word means distasteful or gross. The second word that I did not know the meaning of was tumultuous on page 416. It means a big commotion or noisy. Now that I know what the words mean it will help me understand what I have read.
Connections: On page 422 Washington said," Have you ever imagined there would be so much snow? And it never melts. It just...grows." It seems like when you want the snow to melt and just go away it just keeps on coming. Just when you think spring is on its way we get another foot of snow. Sometimes it seems like there is no end to the snow. But, that is Wisconsin weather for you.
Reading like a Historian
Differing Perspectives: Starting on page 403 Abigail Adams makes an excellent point to her husband John Adams. She tells him that all the people who have left their lives behind and all of those whose homes were burned to the ground in Charlestown deserve a say in the new government just as much as anyone else. Why should all the wealthy land owner be able to create this new country? Just because they are rich does not mean they know best. How do they know what is best for the society as a whole if they do not get to hear the side of the common people? Abigail even says that if this happens, many people will become upset and there might even be a second revolution. Later on page 413, Adams started pondering on what his wise wife had told him. He pictures himself as a farmer, a boat builder, and a blacksmith. He figures out that there is no way the rich can understand the needs of everyone. Everyone deserves to be represented in this new government. I absolutely agree with Abigail and Adams does too later on. To create a fair government all sides must be heard and considered. Being a wealthy land owner should not give you more power than anyone else. For everything to go smooth there must be cooperation and all ideas must be considered.
Using The Past: It is amazing to see that even during a stressful civil war, families can put it all aside and come together to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. On page 399 the Adams family celebrates Christmas just like we do today. You can feel the energy of Christmas and the cheer. Some traditions never change. It's important to share this time together as a family. Friends and family came to eat and have a good time. Abigail Adams would not turn anyone away. It was a joy to read this section because it nice to see the kindness of people on this day. It should spread to be like that every day.
Comment: Jordan, I agree with your perspective section. Adams was a very likeable character. Like many he was very easy to relate to. I also agree with your change and continuity. It is amazing to see the thirteen colonies become one and the steps leading up to it. The voting was an exciting part and a powerful change. Everything that happens creates what America is today.
IMPORTANCE: After finishing the last section of the book, I began to understand how the simplest actions can be of great importance. Also having a strong sense of leadership is very important to keep the mens' priorities straight. This can be seen in one passage when Washington came across two men that were fighting over something he saw as foolish. He told them to "spend more energy preparing to fight your genuine enemy." As he was riding off he heard cheering and realized that it was for him. This seemingly small act on his part encourged the men that pledged their lives for the Continental Army, and also gained him more respect from his troops. CONNECTIONS: While reading the last section there was a part where Pennsylvania created their own assembly in order to pledge their willingness to declare independence, while thise was a problem with many of the other colonies. While the people and groups that were initially responsible for the decision of whether or not to agree to declare independence were overthrown by the people's opposing view. I think that this inital realization that the people's opinion was important in deciding what happens to the country directly connects to why our government was created with the people and their ideas and values in mind.
READING LIKE A HISTORIAN-
CHANGE: I think one of the biggest changes happened toward the end of the book when the purpose of the congress changed. At the beginning their purpose was to decide what their options were in regards to their uneasy relationship with England. Ultimately though their pupose was to fulfill the demand to have England officially recongnize that they were pledging themselves as an independent nation.
COMMENTS- I agree with Mai Xee's connection. There is many instances where people within the same family will have disagreements because of differences in opinions.
Visualize: Something that I could clearly visualize was the meeting between Benjamin Franklin and his son, where Ben tries desperately to make his son understand that he is blindly following King George. Ben tells his son, "You are the royal governor. But that is all you are. Your own thoughts, your own beliefs..none of that matters with you" (414). I could feel the tension between the father and son, as they where both driven apart by their politics.
Importance Something that I found important was the kings response to the Olive Branch Petition. He refused to even look at the petition, and states, "all our officers, civil and military, are obliged to exert their utmost endeavors to suppress such a rebellion, and to bring the traitors to justice" (442). In his response the king has broken all ties with the colonies and given them no choice but to go to war.
READING LIKE A HISTORIAN
Turning Points: A huge turning point for Washington was the arrival of Henry Knox at Boston with artillery from Fort Ticonderoga. With the artillery in place at Dorchester Heights, Washington could force Howe out of the city and end the stalemate between the two armies.
Cause and Effect: The Deceleration of Independence had a great effect on the Colonies and on the men in Washington's army. The author stated, "like a great stone dropped into a vast deep pond, the impact of the Declaration of Independence would flow out in waves that would reach far beyond the colonies" (529). The Declaration said that the colonies were completely separated from British control, and also inspired the men in Washington's army to fight with a new hope.
Comment: I agree with Jenny about her differing perspectives section, about how the rich couldn't understand the needs of everyone, and that John Admas understood that somehow everybody had to be represented.
Importance: In my opinion the main important part of this entire book is the Declaration of Independence. That document represented everything that those men believed in and states that all government exists for the benefit of the people. So this just formed everything for the United States.
Perspectives: There are many different perspectives in this book but one that i found was when Adams found that the British burned Falmouth and how angry he was, but on the other side was Sam being totally calm and collected and seeing the good side of the bad things.
Evaluation: This book has given me a lot of information that i didn't know but also just reminded me of things that i already knew about but didn't know the full detail on. It also gives many different view points which i think is very helpful so you can look through everyone's eyes.
Comment: Mai Xee Vang i completely agree with your Evaluation i thought the same thing, that it seemed to lack detail about some of the important battles.
Importance: I thought that the soldiers were very empowering. They knew what they wanted and they were ready to risk anything to get their freedom. Their perseverance kept them going and eventually gain freedom from Britain.
Visualize: In this section I could vividly see how America was changing as a whole and getting all the more powerful and free. They had changed so much in this section and to get a clear picture in my mind helped when finishing the novel.
Using the Past: Today's government in America I believe is a direct reflection of the Revolution. We don't want to be told what to do by a King which is the reason we have a president and a democratic government.
Through Their Eyes: I believe that Franklin's choice to stay in England really hurt his family life. He put off coming to America and see his family for so long that it just shows how much politics and big jobs in general can hurt a family.
Comment: Grady, I agree with your evaluation section. This novel was very helpful to learn about the Revolution and it gave me more insight on what really happened before during and after America's freedom.
Jenni Geurink
ReplyDeleteReading Thoughts:
Connections: One major connection I found deals with my personal life. The relationship between William and Ben Franklin is very similar to many relationships I have. Politics can create dividing lines, but this line was so distinct in their family. One was a beloved leader of the rebellion and the other a harsh royal governor disliked by his constituents. None of my relationships are as extreme, but a lot of my friendships are stunted by differing political views. I connect with them because it puts a strain of the relationship. A loyalist against a rebel is almost the same as a republican against a democrat.
Importance: The strong work ethic of the rebel soldiers I found to be not only endearing but powerful. The colonists had reason behind their fighting, they weren't hired or forced, they simply wanted freedom. They were passionate about their cause and this gave them more motivation than any British soldier. The quote from p. 377 showed real importance, "Had we been supplied, we would still be up there." They had passion behind their madness, they knew what they wanted.
Reading Like a Historian:
Cause and Effect: One instance where the cause and effect were so drastically apparent was with Thomas Paine's story. Common Sense enlivened the people. It gave them passion and a reason to fight. It inspired and sometimes gave their viewpoint's a 180 degree turn. The effects were definitely intentional because Mr. Paine certainly knew what he was getting into. Most supported the change, but as always some were resistant (mainly the Tories and King George's employees). This change was very necessary though.
Through Their Eyes: I think the people viewed this whole ordeal as momentous change. It must have been so exciting to be there at the vote for freedom. To feel the passion of the enraged people. Those town meetings must have just been crazy. I think they might have gotten a little caught up in themselves though. I am not so sure that they truly understood the effect their choices would have. Abigail Adams had a really good point when she brought what would happen if we succeeded in the revolution. Her words meant something to me, someone living hundreds of years from her lifetime. Her feminist sprit was very powerful. And she showed from an early standpoint that she had been thinking too. It wasn't just a man's world anymore. America had a lot of work yet to do.
Alexis Abrego:
ReplyDeleteReading Thoughts:
Evaluation: I was very surprised when I read the biography on Thomas Paine and how Common Sense was his only real experience with fame. I was disappointed about how he was described as “disagreeable, slovenly man who shows no patience for argument…” I always thought of him as an inspiring rebel who the cement that held the country’s feeling of unity together, but here I learned that it was mostly a stroke of genius that he wrote this and the fame reached from this was never seen again.
Importance: I thought when Franklin tried to convince Dickinson of the importance of independence was a major aspect of the book. It summarized everything that the colonists had been struggling with in the entire book. “Independence. A word that no one dared utter a year ago is now spewed with perfect glee…Independence is not a philosophy. It is a fact…and America is entering a new era. No matter how tightly King George wishes to hold his power over us…it does not matter. His hold has already been broken.” This “speech” that Franklin gave was so important though it fell on deaf ears. It is the essence for this book.
Thinking Like a Historian:
Through their Eyes: Washington was so worried and nervous when he took the position as general for two reasons his thought of lack of experience, but I also think he was nervous because he was going against the most powerful army in the world with an “army” of untrained militia and farmers. However, within a few weeks he changed that with his Assault on Boston that caused the English to leave the town. They were organized, precise, and an actual threat, so even though the men didn’t see battle it was a moral victory that showed that they could be an army and might actually have a chance against the British.
Differing Perspectives: When Thomas Jefferson originally wrote the declaration of Independence in was poetic and had reference to slavery being the faults of the King, but as different people such as Franklin and Adams took it and made changes they were able to hammer the document out and adjust it. The same was done with the entire Continental Congress. All those different perspectives and different ideas helped to make the document what it is today. Without those ideas put together the document may not have had the same effect because not everyone would have been happy with it. It would have been one man’s ideas not the entire nation’s ideas put together.
Comment: I agree with Jenni, though it is unintentional differing political views can harm relationships since it is a deep grounding everyone has. Though differing political views can also provide a way to fully examine your views and get a different perspective on the same topic to be well rounded. So it all depends what you do with a friendship that makes those differences a challenge or a way to learn.
Jenni
ReplyDeleteYou have made many excellent points throughout your blogs. I particularly liked how you were trying to humanize are historical figures. It is important to realize just because these people were famous important figures does not make them any less human. I also specifically like how you pointed out the fighting stile at breed hill..its if funny how just because the British learn once does not mean that they continue to keep what they learn...they do go back to the old style which is one of the reasons your image did not match up with their fighting style this one time. Thanks for your preparation and work. Have a great rest of the summer
Alexis
ReplyDeleteThanks for all your insights. I really appreciate that you picked up on specific details about individuals like how Thomas Paine life would have been completely different without "Common Sense" and then analyzed big picture ideas like comparing revolutions. Being able to look at the overall picture and appreciate the details is a great skill to have as a historian. Thanks for sharing and completing your blogs in a timely fashion. Enjoy the rest of your summer.
Tou Vang
ReplyDeleteReading Thoughts:
Evaluation:
I have learned a lot from reading this book. Most of these things are Accurate to me. It backs up the stuff I learned in 8th and 9th grade. The author of this book seems to be a bit bias towards the colonies. Most of the book is on America's perspectives. You get a little glimpse into the mind of the enemy, but not a whole lot. This event is still acknowledge
today. It has helped other people rebel against their home land. One example I can think of is Mexico rebelling against Spain. I think the colonies victory helped their moral and confidence.
Question:
The book had said that no one liked General Ward." Washington had developed a genuine dislike for the older man, and in quiet conversation with many of Ward's junior officers, he had not been surprised to learn that ward was disliked by almost everyone. Ward's actual contribution to the French and Indian War had been at best a display of mediocrity, but the man had spent years creating himself in the role of a heroic son of Massachusetts. with the focus now so clearly on Washington, he had shrunk to a grumbling malcontent. Worse, few among the Massachusetts officers had much faith that ward could lead an army anywhere... While Ward's men had devastated the British advance, their commander had anchored himself safely in the comfort of his headquarters at Cambridge. It was no mistake to assume that the disastrous mismanagement of both ammunition and reinforcements had been entirely his fault."(474)
My question is, why wasn't he removed? I'm sure there some one better to take his job. He seemed unorganized and some what afraid of fighting. He was second in command and he didn't fight with his men on Breed's hill.
Reading like a Historain
Using the past:
From reading this book, it has shown me that arrogance solves nothing. It leads to many problems. Many event in history could have been avoided if people were not so arrogant. A big example is George Washington. He had served in the French and Indian war and had showed signs of leadership. If the British would have taken him in they probably would have won the war, but because they thought he was simply "an American", they did not. After reading this book it shows the impact of what an arrogant leader can do the its country.
Change and continuity:
In this last section, a lot has changed, 12 of the 13 colonies want their independence. New York is slow to react. They joined forces and later with New York,sent King George the Declaration of Independence. One thing that has remained the same is the enthusiasm of the people. They are still willing to fight and resist their oppressive king. From this last change, the Colonies have befitted a lot more. They have gotten the British of their land for now and when they do strike back Washington will have a better more organized army. The British have lost their position in the colonies. They had to go back to Britain to reorganize.
Comment:
I agree with Alexis about her "different perspectives". This is what makes America so great. It has many perspectives and even though it's not perfect, it can achieve more than what one man can think of(King George).
Holly Solomon
ReplyDeleteReading Thoughts:
Connections:
Commander Gage is the scapegoat of the disaster at Breeds Hill. "They have been so public, so noisy about condemning my weakness, my timidity, as though anyone else would have solved this crisis with such ease" 417). Gage feels that the public is blaming him for his way of solving the crisis, however when situations like these arise, there is really no right way to solve it in order to please everybody. I can relate to this because when certain situations come about there is just not a right way to solve it. Then my friends will criticize my decision even they don't understand the extent of it.
Evaluation:
Jeff Shaara, the author of Rise To Rebellion shares information that corresponds with past information I have attained however his views are somewhat bias. I did a bit of additional research on him and found out he was born in New Jersey and later grew up in Florida. This insight does correspond with my thoughts that he is slightly biased towards General Lee. "Now on the other hand is General Lee… I would describe him as an absolute contrast to Washington" (447). General Lee is portrayed as less appreciated in this novel, and that could be because he was born in Britain and the colonist as well as the author possess a little bias behavior towards the British.
TLH Strategies:
Turning Points:
The goal Franklin and his committee had was to convince Canada to break ties with Britain. Therefor by joining the colonies, Canada would not only add strength to the union but also eliminate access of British Troops through their territory. This was a main concern for Washington. He was afraid troops were going to invade through the Hudson Bay but with Canada on the colonists side this would narrow the actions the British army could attempt.
Through Their Eyes:
Dickinson made his last appeal in July 1776. His views were not the same as the majority of the delegates but the fact that he spoke his views honestly and that was a very strong and courageous action. He did not support the war. "England has already pledged all of her resources to our suppression. And though so many of you are called upon to believe that the people of all our colonies are eager for this coarse, I do not believe it still" (521). Colonist all had their own opinions but most of them would not speak out against the majority, so Dickinson's courage did bring up another part of the spectrum, and that must have been very difficult for him to do because almost every other man there disagreed with his views.
Comment: After reading over Tou's thoughts I realized I agree with his idea that arrogance solves nothing. However, it is one of those things that is unavoidable, it is always going to be there. So yes, it could have prevented many conflicts in American history or even other nations but the fact of the matter is it is a way of life that cannot be avoided.
Kallie Ziegler
ReplyDeleteConnection: Franklin said, “I would draw no amusement from sitting around listening to my knees creak. There is much work yet to do.” (411) This reminds me of any elderly person who has something wrong with them but of course you can’t tell them anything. What they say goes. It’s like my grandmother she is 85 years old and she is doing things that she probably shouldn’t be doing. Nothing stops them like Ben Franklin he knows how much his body can take and if he wants to do something then by golly he will.
Change and Continuity: I found it interesting how much transportation can change. During this time period of the American Revolution carriages were the nice vehicles you could say and now we have so many different options. It seems today people are taking so much advantage of what we have. The transportation possibly could have been put to better use during the American Revolution.
Vocabulary: I stumbled across a word that I was unsure of. I didn't know what wrangle meant. I learned to understand that wrangle means basically an argument that could go on for a long time.
Using The Past: The people during the American Revolution were faced with difficult challenges. In the end they gained their independence. If they can do it then the people of our world today can handle anything that life puts at them. Our knowledge, abilities, and tools have grown so much. Therefore, our problems with our politics today or the men serving our country can be fixed if we try and live in the motto that the people of the American Revolution did. Then we can be successful.
Comment: I completely agree with your evaluation Tou. This book just kept building off of what knowledge we already had. You are right on how we didn't get to have that many sides of a story. It seemed to always be based on America's like you said. Although we didn't have that the author still proved the point and greatly gave a story that will never be forgotten.
Rachel Maguire
ReplyDeleteReading Thoughts
Prediction – Since I read the series out of order, I already knew some of the events that had to occur in the final part of the book, but I wasn’t sure how it was going to happen. After Breed’s Hill, I thought there was no way the British would dare another massacre like that, so I had a feeling they would try any full scale attack on the soldiers outside of Boston. However, what I didn’t predict was that the British would continue destroying major cities all along the coastline. Other than that, my predictions were pretty accurate.
Big Idea – Throughout the events leading up to the American Revolution, the power of words proved to be a potent weapon for the rebels. Between all of the eloquent speeches given by Adams and Franklin, Thomas Paine’s Common Sense, and the words of other rebel supporters, words proved to have a powerful influence on Americans who had been uncertain if they wanted independence. One specific speech by John Adams that stood out to me was his speech right before the vote for independence. His use of rhetoric and words moved all of the representatives to vote as the people wanted them to vote, in favor of independence.
Reading Like a Historian
Turning Points – I think the fact that the king reacted to the Olive Branch Petition by blowing up coastal cities was one of the most eye opening moments for those in Congress. Even Dickinson couldn’t defend what the king had done by declaring the colonies to be in a state of rebellion and essentially saying that they will be suppressed by any means available. This last effort for peace was responded to with an astounding amount of violence, but, once again, the violence helped the rebel cause. After the obvious rejection of the petition, members of Congress realized they now had no choice but to declare their independence and go to war.
Change and Continuity – Since this is my last blog, there are many things that have changed since the Declaration of Independence and the American Revolution. There are a few obvious ones, including Ireland being its own country and the way that wars are fought, but there are other things, too. For example, I think the fact that America defied everyone’s predictions by defeating the most powerful country in the world has given other countries courage to do the same. It also proved that you cannot rule a country without paying attention to the wants and needs of the people. I think the American Revolution changed the way a lot of people look at the world.
Comments
Kallie, that is exactly how my grandma is, too! I guess when you get that old, you deserve to do whatever you please. I think this also shows his determination to do what is necessary, regardless of his own pain. Transportation has completely been transformed! Not only do we have fancy cars, but we have planes and mass transit. Also, it no longer takes weeks to deliver a message! Wow, I guess it’s pretty obvious I agree with your last point since that’s almost exactly what mine is, too.
Melanie Xiong
ReplyDeleteReading Thoughts
Importance:
In part three, I found that the Declaration of Independence was the most important detail. As I read towards the end, I was amazed at how much impact a piece of paper could do to raise the morale of the Colonists. The declaration was so important that they had five of their top orators and writers work on it to make it perfect. When Washington read it and the other soldiers heard it they were all inspired to fight against the British to gain their freedom. This was the influence that they had searched for all along; a document that contained all rights and freedoms the Americans wanted.
Evaluation:
Rise To Rebellion by Jeff Shaara changed my perspective. I've already learned who most of these people were and what they did, but the way this was written, the way he brought the characters' perspective in this opened my eyes. Knowing how these men had lived their lives, being in their shoes makes the reader understand history much better. Another pro to this novel was that the author also went into Britain's perspective and not just the Americans. This was a different experience in learning about history.
Reading Like A Historian
Change and Continuity:
I believe the biggest change was when the Colonists had finally decided to become one with a vote. It took them awhile, but they had all finally agreed. This was a dramatic change for the colonists. It brought on a positive step forward into making America what it is now. The British, however, suffered a great loss to this change. They never thought that the Colonies would ever unite as one.
Using the Past:
Thomas Paine had made a commotion with his pamphlet called Common Sense. It's interesting to note that the reader can remember back to part two, Ben Franklin makes a reference to him. "Oh, really, Will. Mr. Paine is no threat. An unemployed bureaucrat with illusions of finding a voice among the oppressed"(248). To think that if Mr. Franklin hadn't helped Mr. Paine into America, he never would've gotten the opportunity to write Common Sense. I was beginning to wonder when my note of Thomas Paine was going to be of any use in the novel and was glad to know that he had a major impact on the Colonists later in the story.
Comment:
Rachel, I completely agree with you in your Big Idea section. Speaking was a big deal in the Colonies. All they really did was talk and write in Congress. Words really can be inspiring and have an influence on the audience if the speaker is passionate about their topic. Luckily, they had many powerful speakers to help them motivate the people.
Pamela Moua
ReplyDeleteConnections
Jefferson spends a lot of time writing, editing, and rewriting the Declaration of Independence. The paper was perfect without any scribbles or added phrases on the day it was approved of. This reminds me of us (students) when we write our essays. We do the exact same thing, the only difference is that we can type ours :)
Visualize
I could definitely imagine the scene where men were cutting the statue of King George apart. It must have been great to break apart the enemy, even if it wasn't the real one.
The best part of this scene is when the man discovers that the statue is actually made of lead and can be melted into musket balls. This reminds me of the scene where Isaac Smith's wife (her name wasn't mentioned in the story but it's Sarah Rockwell) and Abigail Adams are melting pewter into musket balls. This just goes to show that the people are ready to become one nation and willing to help progress things.
Turning Points
One thing that really changed a person's mind was when John Adams gave his speech on page 522-523. It was moving how Adams, at one point, agreed with Dickinson's points but he had also added his own opinions. That was what made his speech so moving.
Comment
I agree with Melanie's Change and Continuity. Every colony had their own opinions but everything changed for the good in the end. The only ones who really didn't have their way were the Loyalists.
Anna Balk
ReplyDeleteReading Thoughts:
Connections:
Congress starts to realize how expensive it actually is to pay for this war and the army. They need to find a way to gain enough money, but as we know this war puts America deep into debt. This connects me to the world today. When we want something so immensely we give up whatever we need to in order to get it including high cost. That is just like in this part, how they want their independence, but war is a great way to get into debt.
Vocabulary:
I came across the word oration on 405, and I had to look it up because I couldn't begin to guess what it meant. After researching this word, I discovered that it simply means a speech! Funny what you learn when you look something up!
Reading Like a Historian:
Through Their Eyes:
On page 381, right in the beginning of Part Three we get to hear directly what is going on in Washington's head. We get to see that of course, Washington has some selfish pride within him about being recognized for his needed talents in fighting. He has regrets though, because now he is in a leading position and he misses being with his family at his home in Mount Vernon, the life that is truely fulfilling to him. I think that this must have been the thoughts of many of the soldiers fighting!
Change and Continuity:
On page 403 and 404, we see how devastated Franklin is that now he comes home to his past before the war, and he no longer has Deborah. Reality hits that she is truely gone. Fighting for what you believe in, like he fought in this war was a choice, and making choices means gaining something and giving other things up, he never know what he might lose after fighting for the beauty of independence. Change is happening when he comes back, he no longer has his wife, Deborah. That exists today also, we make choices and give up something. Little do we know that we might lose a loved one due to some tragedy.
Comment:
I agree with Melanie... Little did we know that writing a document would be such a big deal! The Declaration of Independence brought us to wear we are today, and without this war and that simple document, we may not be an independent nation. Scary!
Ashley Hanke
ReplyDeleteReading thoughts:
Importance: I thought an important part of the final chapters of the book were when the Declaration of Independence was signed. I felt this impacted on how the colonists fought for there freedom against the British, and now they have it on a signed document. Which contains all there rights and freedoms. " We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal..." I thought this was an important quote towards the end of the chapter because it had all the congress men and delegates and many others realize just how important the Declaration of Independence really is.
Connections: When Jefferson is writing and rewriting the Declaration of Independence, as well as editing it. This reminds me of how us students have to do the very same thing to our papers to make sure they are perfect. Also our government today does the very same thing to make sure that everything is perfect before they send it out.
Reading like a Historian:
Using the Past: During the time of the American Revolution the colonist fought for their Independence; and they did. They might have had many challenges and conflicts, but they managed to gain their freedom. Today the U.S is also fighting for our country, and we may have more knowledge and many other advanced techniques, but if we think like they did. Anything is possible.
Change and Continuity:
I feel a big change was when the colonists finally decided to vote as one. I feel that was one thing that changed the most, because first off the British didn't think the colonists would unite as one, and so therefore they suffered.
Emily Thiele
ReplyDeleteConnections
I noticed from reading this book how connected the 18th century and our 21st century are. When we learned about this stuff in previous history classes, I always pictured the historic people as still-faced, boring guys sitting in paintings. But when history is written in fictional story style like in Rise to Rebellion, I actually can relate to and understand what’s going on in the book. The people actually have emotions; they cry and laugh and get nervous, just like people from our century. It’s much easier to read this type of book than a nonfiction history novel, because this type of story plays on the emotions.
Preview/Predict
Margaret, Thomas Gage’s wife, was seen by a soldier sneaking over to Warren’s abode. At first I thought she was cheating on her husband, but then I read the Afterward of Rise to Rebellion, which had a section that said there were speculations that Margaret was secretly supplying information to the Colonists’ cause. It doesn’t make sense because she’s on the side of England and would not have any apparent reason to be sympathetic to the Colonists’ cause. The only link I could put to this was that she seemed to be a bit distant from her husband, who didn’t treat her well enough.
Differing Perspectives
General George Washington was introduced in this section of Rise to Rebellion. He is modest and doesn’t think he’s fit to command the army against the English, but he definitely has the skills to do it. Also, everyone likes his personality and admires him; even his soldiers place a great deal of respect in him. I thought it fitting that the book ended with George Washington’s perspective, because he was to lead the colonists into war and then become the United States of America’s first president.
Through Their Eyes
Franklin had been lazy; he kept putting off a trip to America. He hardly considered going there; he just kept with his business in England. I think every year he spent in England, the harder it would be for him to make the decision to go back over to America, since that was such a long while to be gone. Then, when he got the letter from his son that his wife Deborah had died, he finally wanted to go over. By then, it was too late. His wife was dead and his son didn’t like him. Then Franklin felt remorse. I can’t believe he went all those years without seeing his family. I think this book has many good examples of how politics and work can corrupt family life.
Comment:
Ashley, I concur with your insight about how Thomas Jefferson’s editing of his Declaration of Independence is much like what we as students have to deal with. Anything we turn in to someone professional must be edited and written nicely, and the same goes for in government.
Mitchell Marten
ReplyDeleteConnection:
On page 403 when suddenly Adams nice conversation with his wife Abigail turns soar and she shows her thoughts on how men think they are so grand and perfect that they can make all the decisions and expect women to simply stand by and except their household positions as nurturers of children and cleaning maides and simply wait for their darlings to come home. It reminded me instatly of the womens rights movement that would follow years after, and I still cannot understand why such a view of equal representation didn't reach the women as well on the first reforming of America.
Connections:
During Franklin's more unfortunate moments, his age seems to be catching up with him yet he stubbornly and almost inspiringly pushes past his age and continues his work. Similarly my grandfather is in his seventies, such as Franklin, and yet he is still outside everyday on his tractor hauling out wood and mowing the grass, he simply refuses to lay down and let his bones grow weak. Truly an ispiration as Franklin was to many in his time.
Cause and Effect:
Thomas Jefferson very valiantly offered to end slavery and the rather humerous thing is that if he would have been listened to, no civil war at all and we could have focused all of that energy into possibly being in a better financial position today, but it is unlikely our financial position would have improved enough because of the world wars to follow we put all the iron and raw materials we could find to supply our armies with the supplies they so often lacked.
Matthew Selting
ReplyDeleteBig Idea/Generalization: Although it was brought up that previous sections showed the colonists coming together as one to fight the British, I believe that the big idea of section three was the unity of a single nation. In section three friendships turned to enemies and enemies turned to friendships as both the colonists and the British choose there side in the revolution.
Evaluation: One part of the section that I found really interesting was how Washington recognized his need for powder and knew that a spy would most likely inform Gage of this weakness. But instead of creating a big issue of it. He simply improvised by creating the illusion that he had more powder then he needed in order to delay further progress from the British army. I thought that was a great idea by Washington and had an influence in the outcome of the rebellion, especially since Gage received the news of the high quantities of powder and thus postponed his attack.
Turning point: I believe the turning point in this chapter was on page 401 when George Washington finally showed his authority over his army. "He reached down, grabbed one man by the collar, then the other, pulled both of them up off the ground, held each one hanging helplessly against a flank of the horse", "Behind him the sounds retuned; he snapped the reins, thought, Not again, not already, he spun the horse around, saw them now. They where not cheering for anyone's drunken fight. They were cheering him" (401). I believe this occurrence is one of the main reasons Washington received any respect and obedience from his army.
Different perspectives: After receiving the news of the British burning Falmouth Adams was enraged; however, Sam, being notably calm mentioned, "There is some good in every tragedy. I have learned a great lesson through all of this, cousin. Patience If we feel we are confronting an abyss, just wait awhile, and sure enough, our enemies will build the bridge,... you cannot harvest the crop while it is still green. You must allow it to ripen. This congress is still green, but that is changing. The people cannot be pushed into accepting independence from their beloved king, they must ripen to it" (439). I found this very interesting how even though most of the congress was thinking negatively of the situation, Sam was still thinking of the bright side.
Comment: I found Mitchell Marten's connection of Franklin to his grandfather was very interesting. Its amazing how often we see people in there 70's and even 80's outside on a farm or in the guardian doing work as though it was 20 years ago. Likewise, my neighbor who has endured many health issues and is now around the age of 70, still works harder then almost anyone else I know.
Makenzie Williams
ReplyDeleteReading Thoughts
Vocabulary: While I was reading, I came across the word "Perused" on page 511, chapter 43. I've heard of the word before, but wasn't sure what it meant. I looked it up at dictionary.com. They're definition was: To read through with thoroughness or care. The sentence in the book was, "Adams perused the document, and Franklin watched the younger man, moving in the chair, a bundle of nervousness" (511). That makes much more sense.
Visualize: I had a great visual image on page 534, chapter 45, when men took down the statue of King George. "They brought ropes, and a flood of men began to clinb up and over the iron picket fence, the ropes slung high, draped over the golden statue...It rocked slightly, shifting on its base, then, as the men gave one final pull, the great golden horse and rider toppled gouging heavily into the soft earth of the green" (534).
Reading Like a Historian
Differing Perspectives: In chapter 34, General Ward unhappily gives up command to Washington, and does not believe Washington has the capability. The congress appointed him the position, but Ward doesn't believe Washington is cut out for the job. Ward also states, "'We've done mighty well on our own, without anyone from Virginia or anywhere else telling us what to do'" (388). I can see why Ward feels like this towards Washington, but this decision will have a great outcome.
Turning Points: In chapter 35, the Olive Branch Petition was approved and sent to London. But only King George could bring an end to the crisis. Later, in chapter 38, King George sends out a response to the petition, but the response was that he hadn't even read it. He had no interest in the details. Mr. Penn even declared that he made diverse attempts to gain audience with the king, but was unsuccessful. However, the king stated that all traitors will be brought to justice.
Comment: Emily, I agree with your Through Their Eyes portion stating that politics can corrupt family life. Even back then, specifically with Franklin, their job gets in the way of their family, just like today. Franklin couldn't help it, he's trying to do what's best for his country. However, I'd say these guys need to try to put in a little family time too. That's also important. Otherwise they're going to lose the ones they love; like Franklin and his son.
Elizabeth Wasniewski
ReplyDeleteComment:I completely agree with Mitchell's connection relating to Adams conversation with his wife. When I read that section I was thinking the same thing with the womens rights and also brought me back on how they could be pretty much ordered around like so for such a long time.
Reading thoughts:
Visualize-Early in this section we got to learn about Horatio Gates, when I was reading on page 383 I got a great image of him and his relationship with Washington in my mind. "Horatio Gates was another expatriate Englishman who had settled in Virginia close to Washington's home. The two men could be more different, Gates a short, round man with poor eyesight, who seemed except to Washington..." (383). When reading this I kinda pictured him as almost a very strick man. Like short, Bald, fat and almost mean I guess.
Connection: While Washington was writing his letter to his wife Martha to explain how he wouldn't be arriving back to her when planned. He continiously thought back to this letter and reread it in his mind as he grew "farther from the familiar, from all that he loved about home, his doubts still nagged him, more of the letter to Martha in his mind" (385).
Thinking like a historain:
Cause and effect- Once Washington figured that he had to be the one that had to tell Martha about his new plans because "she might very will hear about his new responsibility from someone else. That was unacceptable" (384). Because of writing this letter Washington reread sections many times in his head. As he got farther from his home and the carriage drew closer to his new headquarters "he began to understand that the soothing words, the explanation weren't just for her" (386).
Different perspectives- Once in Cambridge, Massachusetts Washington along with Mr. Lee for a meeting. After Mr. Lee left Washington, Washington got to aquainted to General Artmas Ward. General Ward then expalined to Washington the perspectives of how many people believed he wasn't needed there. Then General Ward stated, "I'm not sure what you expect here, General. But these men are not necessarily celebrating your arrival. We've done mighty well on our own, without anyone from Virginia or anywhere else telling us what to do" (388). To many there they believed that the congress were "...still sending sweetheart letters to the king. they can't agree on anything" (389).
Elizabeth Wasniewski
ReplyDeleteComment: Makenzie I love the passage you did for visualize. Its like you just see the sweat on the men as they climb the statue and the rope being pulled so tight that it reminds you of cartoons when it slowly starts ripping.
Keri Rogan
ReplyDeleteReading Thoughts
Visualize
The easiest part for me to visualize when when Harrison was calling out the name of each colony, and then they would signify their vote. I could hear and feel the excitement in that room as they delegates from each colony cast their vote. "Georgia. Aye! Maryland. Aye! Massachusetts. Aye!" (pg 525)
Importance
I feel that the most important part of this section, or even the whole book was the Declaration of Independence. This document represented the colonies as a whole greatly. It showed their unity and their dislike to the King. The Declaration represented them, and what they all had been through.
Thinking Like a Historian
Change and Continuity
Earlier in the book the colonies all had different ideas and did not come together as a whole. In the last section of the book they finally voted together. They became one body and not 13 different ones.
Using the Past
Because of the King and his actions against the colonies it is very apparent of why America is why it is today. The laws today and the way government is run today is a result of him, such as we don't have a monarchy system because of the amount of power from one person and how they are the one who makes the rules and don't care what the people under them think.
Comments:
Elizabeth, I agree with the part that you thought was a good idea to visualize. Based on the description of Horatio Gates, I also thought of him as a strict man.
Taylor May Hagenbucher
ReplyDeleteThrough their eyes: When washington came to fill the position he was appointed to do, General of the Army, I mean, I really felt for him. I think it would have really not been fun to go to a new place, all fired up and ready to go, and be treated the way he was. Washington had good intentions, and seemed very passionate about what he was doing, but still Ward(who I personally didn't like) shot him down and treated him like he was annoying when it wasnt his idea to come in the first place.
Visualize: Being the hopless romantic that I am, my favoorite part of the whole book probably was when Washingto was leaving his home and his wife Martha to do his patriotic duty. I could feel his remorse and nervousness for what lay ahead of him, and it was very easy to visualize him as he was heading away from his familiar home.
Perspective: I felt like this whole time it was very easy to see The King as an awful tyrant, because of the perspective it was in. Obviously if you talked to a colonist, the kig was a tyrant and awful and not doing what he should have been. But then at the same time, iyou could very easily get a similar response from only hearing one side of any story, for instance, talking to a democrat about how a republican president is doing, and vice versa. Am I wrong?
Question: This is kind of a sutpid question, but I was wondering...how did Britain know about the Colonies plans to rebel? Like I know that there was the declaration of independence and everything, but I mean afterward. how did they know when battles would be and all of that?
Comment: Honestly I love everyone's blog posts. And I agree entirely with Matthew's Evaluation part.
Calvin Cottrell
ReplyDeleteReading Thoughts
Connections: Thomas Jefferson spent a lot of time writing and editing the Declaration of Independence. Which calls to mind political fights people have over the constitution and how it should be interpreted. One arguement is that we should follow the constitution exactly which makes some sense because the founding fathers spent so much time on it. I'm not saying I agree with that but it is a connection I made.
Importance: Easily the most important part of the book (in my opinion) was the Declaration of Indepedence. This is because it was all the opinions of the founding fathers written down. It also wrote down all the grevences that led to the war and served as a reminder for the soldiers
Reading Like A Historian
Differing Prospectives: George Washington was introduced in this section and he had a very different outlook then Ward. Gen. Washington was humble and passionate about the army. He also tried to be an effect leader. But Ward only saw Washington is coming and taking over his command, which was insane considering it wasn't Washington's idea to lead the army. It took considerable coaxing from his fellow delagated at the Contiential Congress to have him take the post.
Through Their Eyes: I really feel for Ben Franklin. He was stuck in England doing the work of the colonies but the whole time he was seperated from his family, mainly his wife.(p.403-404) But he was stuck there long enough that he never say his wife again, she died while he was away.
Comment: I agree with Taylor's perspective comment. If the author had written from the prespective a loyalist the story would have been completly different, which is why prespective is so important.
Judith Spear
ReplyDeleteImportance: I think one of the most important parts of the section was when they were voting on which colonies were for independence. When all the colonies had their name spoken and then their responce, "aye" it showed that all thirteen colonies were coming together as one country, as one people, free of England.
Visualize: The part that I can really visualize is when Washington rode past the Old South Meeting Hall. "...rode out into a wide street, climbed a hill, could see the Old South Meeting Hall where so much of this rebellion had begun, where the great orators had planted the seeds on the people here" (492). I can see the meeting hall lying in ruins and just feel the emotion that Washington felt as he thought back to what that place meant and what had started there.
THL:
Turning Point: I think that the main turning point of this chapter was when Washington and the army were assembled and Brown read "The army will come to attention. As ordered by the commanding general, this army will now hear the Declaration as approved by the Continental Congress on July fourth, the year of our Lord seventeen seventy-six" (532). In this section, Washington said that he could see the emotion in all the surrounding people's eyes, and I as well could feel the power of the words. This small phrase said by Brown symbolized the beginning of a new country and the freedom of the Americans.
Change and Continuity:
In the beginning of the book, the colonists where living under the rule of the King and all of England. As the book went on, the colonists began to rebel and think about actually splitting away from England and it's ridiculous laws. At first, many of the colonists did not support the idea of independence, but as the book went on, the Son's of Liberty and other people begfan to help purseade the colonists that freedon was necessary, and that there was no turning back after the first battle, and that war was the only way. At the end, almost oll the colonists were in support of freedom and the declaration, and that can be seen when the vote for the Declaration of Independence was Unanimous.
Comment: I agree with Taylor's perspective on the king. I can see his from both sides, the rebellion colonist and also the loyal british citizen.
Jordan Zywicki
ReplyDeleteReading Thoughts-
Visualization: I can definitely visualize the part in chapter 39 when it’s the morning of his meeting and Benjamin Franklin is still in his robe. “He had not yet had breakfast, began to think of the time, the difficulty of the walk to the State House. He reached for his watch on the desk, nearly eight o’clock, one hour before his committee meeting. He stood now, stretched his back, raised his arms high, tried to ease the stiffness, felt the icy cold on his body, realized his robe was open. Outside, he could hear a squeal, and he saw the horror on the woman’s face, one of his neighbors. ‘Morning, madam.’ He turned away, could not help a laugh, felt like an evil child getting away with some misdeed. He began to dress now, could hear the rest of the house coming alive, the voice of his daughter, the children up and about.” (Pg. 409) I found this part amusing.
Vocabulary: While reading, I came to a sentence, “...and the man gave a first impression as unfortunate as that of the rotund Knox.” (Pg. 426) I didn’t know what ‘rotund’ meant. I now know it means plump.
Reading like a historian-
Perspective: While reading through this book, I’ve noticed that it’s presented mostly from the perspective of John Adams and Benjamin Franklin, with a few of the British in addition to that. I thought Adams was a very thoughtful and likeable character. Reading this book helped me get a more human perspective on the events leading up to the rebellion.
Change and Continuity: To me, I thought when the colonists had decided to become one with a vote, was a powerful change. The British didn’t think that the colonists would become one, but because they did, the British suffered, and lost a lot. On the other hand, it helped America become what it is today.
Comment:
I agree with Judith. It was very important when the colonies voted to become one.
Rachel Bauman
ReplyDeleteConnections
In the very beginning of this section, Washington’s life became relatable to the lives of soldiers at war right now. “As important as the duty was, and as clearly as he accepted his role as a delegate, both journeys to Philadelphia had taken him away from a home life…” (343) Washington, along with the men and women that serve us today are dedicated to serve their country. They understand that their roles are incredibly important in order to keep not only their families safe, but also keep an entire country safe.
Visualize
On page 470, the men are beginning to vote on the Declaration of Independence. When it was Delaware’s turn to vote there is a problem, it is a divided vote. The colonies need a unanimous vote to carry through with independence. I can see the importance Mr. Rodney carries as he burst through the door, and the suspense the room is feeling as they wait for him to give his vote. I can also see a huge sigh of relief, after he gave his vote, from congress but also bitterness on the face of Read.
Change and Continuity
Ben Franklin had arrived at the Adams’ house for dinner. As he was delivering a letter from John Adams, he found Abigail doing something that was out of the ordinary. “‘…Doctor, we’re assisting the army. We have been told the pewter works well as lead. We’re making musket balls.’” (391). While the men are fighting with the muskets, the women were now filling them with the ammunition. This will help the colonists in the war and put the British at a slight disadvantage. The Colonists were making the balls right at home. The British would most likely get theirs in England and they would’ve had to wait for them to be shipped, which would take a lot of time.
Turning Points
Hancock read a letter from King George to the assembly. In the letter, it talked about how the colonies were basically going to be on their own, and how the British were willing to fight them. In response, Patrick Henry said, “’we can no longer hold ourselves to be protected by British law. We are no longer governed by British constitutions or British edicts. We have been severed from the king’s own hand… this congress has come to represent a people united…’” (397) It’s almost as if the king knew they were going to want independence, and were open to letting them have their independence. Why else would the king try to, in a sense, make the colonists be independent?
Comment
Jordan, I agree with your visualize part. It is very amusing, and it seems that Franklin doesn't really care about how people view him. Which is very different compaired to how William Franklin is.
Anna Welton
ReplyDeletePreview/Predict:
The section was called, "The Flag Unfurled." I predicted that in this section that the war would intensify. I also predicted that the conservatives in the congress would become or at least not oppose the movement towards becoming independent. I also predicted that the Declaration of Independence would be written and signed. One can easily predict what characters will be importatn in developing the new government once the Declaration was signed and the war was won. I predict/had prior knowledge that Ben Franklin, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson would be/continue to be some of the most influential people in the new government system. Two of these men would later become presidents.
Questions:
When I read Abigal Adams' monologue about "Remember the Ladies", I wondered if other women and wives of the congressmen were asking their husbands to include their rights. Were women fighting for their rights, or were most content with their current role in society? When I read that the British were burning towns, I wondered why they were doing this. Did the towns they burned have military advantages to the colonial army, or did they burn them at random? Were the British trying to scare off the colonies' army?
Through their eyes:
Patriots- They were estatic by the colonial army's victory at Breed's Hill. They were gaining move support through the pamphlet, Common Sense. Also, the congress majority was now in their favor.
Conservatives: They were horrified at the war, and did not want to admit to themselves that it had begun. They also did not want to think that there was no way they could go back to the way things were. They were losing support and their king was not held important in society anymore.
British- The British goal at this point was to crush the rebellion. If the British won the war, they were going to treat them horribly and tax them heavily.
Other countries- Other countries were interested in trade and collaberating with America. However, until America won the war and became its own country, their currency was useless outside the colonies.
Turning Points:
The decision to write and follow the Declaration of Independence was an unbelievably huge risk. What if the new country failed? What if America lost the war and all of the declarations' supporters/creators were convicted of treason? Once the congress vote of "Yea" was unanimous and the declaration was signed, there was no turning back. Decisions and their effects: All British supporters in the colonies were no longer able to have life go back to the way it was under the king's rule because of the congress' vote for declaring independence. Trade and supplies could no longer occur/be obtained by/from the British. This limited what was available for businesses to sell, and this made them suffer.
Comment: Jordan, I agree with your Perspective seciton. Adams and Franklin were the perspectives that the majority of the chapters in the section were from. This was probably because tehy were two of the most important men in the formation of the nation and the government system.
Khalia Kulppi
ReplyDeletevisualization- a very good visualization to make is when thomas jefferson was drafting the declaration of independance. this is also a very important happening in the overall outcome of how america is today. it is very easy to see him working and writing the declaration with his quill.
Vocab- right away i didn't understand what the section meant. "the flag unfurled." i didn't know what unfurled meant. it means, to be unrolled or opened, as in unfurling a sail from a box in order to operate a sail boat.
important scene- one of the most important happenings in the book is when the declaration of independance was being created. this is super important because this is the main document that americas infrastructure is based on. there has been many movies, pictures, and stories made based on signing the declaration of independance.
Mai Xee Vang
ReplyDeleteREADING THOUGHTS:
Connections:
When Benjamin Franklin had a conversation with his son, William, and they fought about politics it kind of reminded me of a new movie coming out called Warrior. In the movie two brothers end up fighting the UFC finale for some amount of money, and even though they are blood brothers, they both were willing to fight one another. Like Ben Franklin and William. They both have different perspectives, but they're willing to fight for what they feel is right/want.
Evaluation:
Personally, i thought fighting for Independence from Britain was going to be a little bit more bloody and long. I understand that it would've been a very long story if the author included every battle, but i just felt the descriptions of the battles lacked adjectives.
THINKING LIKE A HISTORIAN:
Turning Points:
Obviously the most important part of the whole story would have to be the creation of the Declaration of Independence. It gave the colonies and its' future the freedom of speech, religion etc...
Change and Continuity:
The things that has changed is the colonies are now free from Britain and its king. Also, the thing that has changed is all 13 colonies came to an understanding as one. The thing that has remained the same is it's people. They're still colonists and they still thrived for a better change. Everyone living in the colonies and what now is known as the US is obviously benefited. The ones that have not benefited would be Britain because, well, they didn't win and gain land.
COMMENT:
I would have to agree with Khalia about Importance. The Declaration is the main reason why it is what it is present day.
Jacob Kolbeck
ReplyDeleteReading Thoughts
Big Idea:
The main point of this section was the signing of the declaration. It showed that the rebels had finally acheived what they needed for freedom. They could finally rejoice with the happiness they have not felt in a long time. This was a great point in the book due to it summing up everything and the big reward at the end of everything.
Evaluation:
If i was told about the idea to fight the British, the largest and most powerful army and government at the time. I would think you were stupidly crazy. Seeing how it all played out it wasn't that bad. It was alot shorter and alot less bloody than I would have imagined.
Reading like a historian
Cause and effect:
The declaration being writen and signed was a major effect on the British. They lost their major finacial income and their largest coloney. They lost a major war and lost alot of their moral.
Through their eyes:
Through the eyes of the colonists this must have been the greatest day of their lives. This gave them the courage to think that they can do anything. They defended and freed themselves from the most powerful army on the earth and even rebuilt their entire nation from the ground up.
Comment:
I agree with Mai Xee in saying that the Declaratoin was one of the biggest points in the entire book. It was the final prize for all the hardships that the entire country fought for and went through.
Jenna Maly
ReplyDeleteImportance: For me the most important event in this section was Thomas Paine's "Common Sense.” It was definitely the fuel to the fire to declare independence, and made the colonists realize the wrong doings of the British and of the King. Besides “Common Sense” one of the most inspiring parts of the book for me was when George Washington was reflecting on the state of his army. While riding his horse and saw some men fighting over something ridiculous and decided to step in and set their priorities straight. Telling them to “spend more energy preparing to fight your genuine enemy.” After riding off he realized that the cheering he was hearing was for him. The choice he made to stop and talk to those men encouraged those who had pledged to risk their lives to give it their all, and also gained him much more respect from his troops.
Visualize: Each section of this book there has been at least one incidence where I can completely picture what's happening as if it's taking place right in front of me. In this section I could visualize what it would have been like to be young Thomas Jefferson sitting there while two of the greatest minds in history are reading what he wrote, changing so much of his original writing. It makes me think about what it's like when you turn something in to a teacher and you watch them grade it in front of you.
Turning Point: I think a major turning point in the book was when the congress was voting to have a declaration of independence and every colony, even New York, accepted the declaration. I understand that New York didn't directly approve it, but the fact that they didn't completely reject it allowed the congress to take a huge step toward independence.
Using The Past: When the draft of the declaration was being debated over, I began to think about what things today would be like had they added or deleted certain parts. What life would be like if they had thought that people didn't deserve freedom of speech. It's weird to think about how much their thoughts truly influence life as we know it today.
Comment: Anna, I agree with your question section. Much of the same questions were running through my mind as I was reading.
Jenny Steinke
ReplyDeleteVocabulary: While reading I ran across two words that I did not know. The first word I ran across was repugnant on page 344. I found that the word means distasteful or gross. The second word that I did not know the meaning of was tumultuous on page 416. It means a big commotion or noisy. Now that I know what the words mean it will help me understand what I have read.
Connections: On page 422 Washington said," Have you ever imagined there would be so much snow? And it never melts. It just...grows." It seems like when you want the snow to melt and just go away it just keeps on coming. Just when you think spring is on its way we get another foot of snow. Sometimes it seems like there is no end to the snow. But, that is Wisconsin weather for you.
Reading like a Historian
Differing Perspectives: Starting on page 403 Abigail Adams makes an excellent point to her husband John Adams. She tells him that all the people who have left their lives behind and all of those whose homes were burned to the ground in Charlestown deserve a say in the new government just as much as anyone else. Why should all the wealthy land owner be able to create this new country? Just because they are rich does not mean they know best. How do they know what is best for the society as a whole if they do not get to hear the side of the common people? Abigail even says that if this happens, many people will become upset and there might even be a second revolution. Later on page 413, Adams started pondering on what his wise wife had told him. He pictures himself as a farmer, a boat builder, and a blacksmith. He figures out that there is no way the rich can understand the needs of everyone. Everyone deserves to be represented in this new government. I absolutely agree with Abigail and Adams does too later on. To create a fair government all sides must be heard and considered. Being a wealthy land owner should not give you more power than anyone else. For everything to go smooth there must be cooperation and all ideas must be considered.
Using The Past: It is amazing to see that even during a stressful civil war, families can put it all aside and come together to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. On page 399 the Adams family celebrates Christmas just like we do today. You can feel the energy of Christmas and the cheer. Some traditions never change. It's important to share this time together as a family. Friends and family came to eat and have a good time. Abigail Adams would not turn anyone away. It was a joy to read this section because it nice to see the kindness of people on this day. It should spread to be like that every day.
Comment: Jordan, I agree with your perspective section. Adams was a very likeable character. Like many he was very easy to relate to. I also agree with your change and continuity. It is amazing to see the thirteen colonies become one and the steps leading up to it. The voting was an exciting part and a powerful change. Everything that happens creates what America is today.
Alexa Denk
ReplyDeleteREADING THOUGHTS-
IMPORTANCE:
After finishing the last section of the book, I began to understand how the simplest actions can be of great importance. Also having a strong sense of leadership is very important to keep the mens' priorities straight. This can be seen in one passage when Washington came across two men that were fighting over something he saw as foolish. He told them to "spend more energy preparing to fight your genuine enemy." As he was riding off he heard cheering and realized that it was for him. This seemingly small act on his part encourged the men that pledged their lives for the Continental Army, and also gained him more respect from his troops.
CONNECTIONS:
While reading the last section there was a part where Pennsylvania created their own assembly in order to pledge their willingness to declare independence, while thise was a problem with many of the other colonies. While the people and groups that were initially responsible for the decision of whether or not to agree to declare independence were overthrown by the people's opposing view. I think that this inital realization that the people's opinion was important in deciding what happens to the country directly connects to why our government was created with the people and their ideas and values in mind.
READING LIKE A HISTORIAN-
CHANGE:
I think one of the biggest changes happened toward the end of the book when the purpose of the congress changed. At the beginning their purpose was to decide what their options were in regards to their uneasy relationship with England. Ultimately though their pupose was to fulfill the demand to have England officially recongnize that they were pledging themselves as an independent nation.
COMMENTS-
I agree with Mai Xee's connection. There is many instances where people within the same family will have disagreements because of differences in opinions.
Zach Neuner
ReplyDeleteREADING THOUGHTS
Visualize:
Something that I could clearly visualize was the meeting between Benjamin Franklin and his son, where Ben tries desperately to make his son understand that he is blindly following King George. Ben tells his son, "You are the royal governor. But that is all you are. Your own thoughts, your own beliefs..none of that matters with you" (414). I could feel the tension between the father and son, as they where both driven apart by their politics.
Importance
Something that I found important was the kings response to the Olive Branch Petition. He refused to even look at the petition, and states, "all our officers, civil and military, are obliged to exert their utmost endeavors to suppress such a rebellion, and to bring the traitors to justice" (442). In his response the king has broken all ties with the colonies and given them no choice but to go to war.
READING LIKE A HISTORIAN
Turning Points:
A huge turning point for Washington was the arrival of Henry Knox at Boston with artillery from Fort Ticonderoga. With the artillery in place at Dorchester Heights, Washington could force Howe out of the city and end the stalemate between the two armies.
Cause and Effect:
The Deceleration of Independence had a great effect on the Colonies and on the men in Washington's army. The author stated, "like a great stone dropped into a vast deep pond, the impact of the Declaration of Independence would flow out in waves that would reach far beyond the colonies" (529). The Declaration said that the colonies were completely separated from British control, and also inspired the men in Washington's army to fight with a new hope.
Comment:
I agree with Jenny about her differing perspectives section, about how the rich couldn't understand the needs of everyone, and that John Admas understood that somehow everybody had to be represented.
Grady Keding
ReplyDeleteImportance: In my opinion the main important part of this entire book is the Declaration of Independence. That document represented everything that those men believed in and states that all government exists for the benefit of the people. So this just formed everything for the United States.
Perspectives: There are many different perspectives in this book but one that i found was when Adams found that the British burned Falmouth and how angry he was, but on the other side was Sam being totally calm and collected and seeing the good side of the bad things.
Evaluation:
This book has given me a lot of information that i didn't know but also just reminded me of things that i already knew about but didn't know the full detail on. It also gives many different view points which i think is very helpful so you can look through everyone's eyes.
Comment:
Mai Xee Vang i completely agree with your Evaluation i thought the same thing, that it seemed to lack detail about some of the important battles.
MaKayla Cywinski
ReplyDeleteImportance:
I thought that the soldiers were very empowering. They knew what they wanted and they were ready to risk anything to get their freedom. Their perseverance kept them going and eventually gain freedom from Britain.
Visualize:
In this section I could vividly see how America was changing as a whole and getting all the more powerful and free. They had changed so much in this section and to get a clear picture in my mind helped when finishing the novel.
Using the Past:
Today's government in America I believe is a direct reflection of the Revolution. We don't want to be told what to do by a King which is the reason we have a president and a democratic government.
Through Their Eyes:
I believe that Franklin's choice to stay in England really hurt his family life. He put off coming to America and see his family for so long that it just shows how much politics and big jobs in general can hurt a family.
Comment: Grady, I agree with your evaluation section. This novel was very helpful to learn about the Revolution and it gave me more insight on what really happened before during and after America's freedom.
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