Nelson Mandela

There is so much to learn from Mandela!  If anyone could hold a grudge it was this man, but he did not! It was a sad day when the world lost him!

Two great movies about his life!

Historical Thinking Skills!

Today in class we discussed the nine historical thinking skills!  The APUSH Exam is designed around them - so you must know them!!!!

The link below is the College Board explanation of the historical thinking skills.  Know these!!!!

College Board Historical Thinking Skills

Skills Needed For The Future!

Over the summer I was inspired to ask my friends on Facebook what skills a young person needs for the real world?  I was  surprised over the response!  Over 40 people responded with wisdom!  Here is what they said you need to know to be successful in life:

Life Skills like cooking, cleaning, and money

Work/People Skills - Be Able to work with people!

How to study/research

Giving back to your community

Interview training

Note taking

How to think on your feet

Problem solve

Adapt - Especially when something does not go as planned

Taxes

Take responsibility for your actions

Ask questions

Self assessment

Do Not Stress

Suck it up!

This is advice from adults who have been in your shoes!  Life is too short to learn everything on your own! 

OKC Bombing Memorial

This last weekend I was in OKC to get   my monthly infusion.  I decided to visit the OKC Bombing Memorial.  I forgot all the emotions you feel when you stand in that sacred place!  I was hit with sadness, disbelief, shock, and so many more!  When you stand there, and realize what happened on April 19, 1995 it is almost to handle!   But you must go there, and never forget what happened there!

Before 9/11 this was the largest terrorist attack on US soil, and even today it is the largest domestic terrorist attack!  Every American needs to go to this Memorial, and it is in our backyard!!!!

The saddest  part are the chairs!  And they have little ones for the children that died!

The Survivor Tree

The Civil War Amendments

America has 27 Amendments in her Constitution.  I truly believe this is one aspect that makes America great!  Our founders knew that America would be different 50, 100, years later.  So they made it  possible to change.  Though the process is really hard!  And it should be!  Our Constitution has been changed 27 times!  On average it takes 7 years for an amendment to pass - they want to make sure it is truly needed! Only 3 Amendments were passed under the normal time - the Civil War Amendments!

Everyone knows certain ones like the 18th - Prohibition, 21st - Only Amendment to repeal one (the 18th), and the 19th - Gave Women the right to vote!  Teaching this every year I have noticed many of the Amendments deal with voting!  That is why you need to participate and vote!  If voting did not matter then why did the US Government try to restrict the right so much?  That is for another day!  Three Amendments have made an impact!

America had just fought the worst kind of war - a civil war!  It was brother against brother, father against son, and countryman against countryman!  It was after the war, and how was the country let the South back in?  They left the Union and declared war on America!  How do you deal with that?  Everyone had an idea!  I'm glad I did not have to deal with  that!  One thing the North wanted was to ensure the South would not reinstate slavery when they were readmitted!  To accomplish that they pushed the Civil War Amendments through.  They wanted the Southern States to ratify them before they were readmitted!  A great movie to see is "Lincoln."  It is Lincoln's goal of getting the 13th Amendment passed.  You really get to see the politics behind the 13th Amendment!

The South did not  like this new equality and freedom for the newly freed slaves!  They will ratify these Amendments, but enact things that makes it hard to follow.  Jim Crow is born!  Laws were written, created, and enacted that made  segregation legal!  It will take 100 years to get  rid of!  So sad!

These images symbolize Jim Crow!

I think the 14th Amendment is amazing because it protects us all!  It was created because of Jim Crow, but now it has expanded to us all!