Enjoy Winter Break!!!!

I will see you on the 4th!  I am going out of town tomorrow so I will not be posting till after the new year!!!  ENJOY YOUR BREAK!!!!

Sucess Tips from Denzel Washington

Declaring War on Japan

Success Tips from Will Smith

I will be out!!!

I am leaving for my grandmother's for Thanksgiving!  I will not be posting, but I wish everyone a HAPPY  THANKSGIVING!!!!

I have been gone!

This last weekend I took BTW Student Council to State in Guymon, Oklahoma.  It was fun, but I was not home to update the blog!

Do Not Be Afraid To Talk To People

One thing about our amazing technology is it is taking away people's ability to talk to people.  It feels like people would rather text or snapchat.  Here is some great advice on how to talk to people.  This is advice we  need today!

Homecoming 2016

It was such a GREAT week of fun and school spirit!  Thanks for putting up with me and all the Student Council craziness!

I loved this !!!!  The back of the homecoming tee shirt and a tutu!

I cannot claim this photo of Mr. and Miss Hornet.  Ms. Norman captured it as she was really close!

Friday night finally got a pic with Miss Hornet!!!You can also see the front of the Homecoming Shirt!

Royal Court walking out to the game!  I got to be their keeper Friday night!

Progressive Era

America has incredible growth in the 1890s due to industrialization!  It brought tremendous change to America.  Quickly reformers  began to analyze and look at the social problems caused by big business and industrialization.  Some of those problems include immigration, suffrage, political reform, and growth of urban cities.

That is just a small list of social problems and injustices that were tackled.   The Progressives picked up right where the Populists left off!!!!  The Populists were seen as a failure, but the Progressives were seen as a success, but the question becomes how effective were they?  They had presidential support from Roosevelt, Taft, and Wilson.  They also got 4 Constitutional Amendments (16th - 20th)

Here are 2 issues that were tackled!

The Progressives took on Suffrage for Women, and got the 19th Amendment passed giving all Women the right to vote!  It amazes me it took over 140 years before women to get this right!  When I hear women say they did not have time to vote - I am mind boggled!  Women were starved, beaten imprisoned, and tortured to get the right to vote!  The amazing part about this era is the fact that we are benefiting today from their hard work!  A great movie about the fight is Iron Clawed Angels.

The other is Ida B. Wells

Below is an amazing documentary about her life!  She was a mover and a shaker.  Ida B. Wells was  a crusader for African American Rights!  She tackled lynching, and put a national spotlight on the issue!  I believe the documentary below explains it all - so I will let it speak for itself.  One thing that I became present to was I want to eat dinner with her!  She seems amazing!

Congrats Mr. and Miss Hornet 2016!

Congrats Karl and Claire!!!!  I am so happy!  Congrats to the whole court - love you all!

Success from Warren Buffet

Populism

If you feel that ordinary working people should have the strongest political voice, you can say you believe in populism.

In politics, the term populism can have different meanings depending on who is using it and what their political goals are. At its root, populism is a belief in the power of regular people, and in their right to have control over their government rather than a small group of political insiders or a wealthy elite. The word populism comes from the Latin word for "people,"populus.

This is a definition from vocabulary.com.  The populist movement was a big moment in American History.  This was the late 19th Century during the Gilded Age.  This was a time of corruption, and many felt oppressed financially.  To help see this - here is a video about the politics of the Gilded Age and why it was so corrupt.

One group that was furious were the farmers.  They felt unheard politically and financially!  At this time the railroads controlled everything, and the farmers found them unfair.  The biggest thing was freight prices.  It cost an arm and a leg to ship product to American Markets.  

The Populist had a long list of what they wanted to happen.  They wanted better representation politically, graduated income tax, currency, and government ownership of railroads and communication lines.  They felt like if the government controlled these industries it would be fairer.

To get any kind of progress this Populist movement had to get political!  It will become political, and a huge supporter will be Frank L Baum.  That name might sound familiar because he wrote a famous book that was a political allegory of the Populist movement!  The Wizard of OZ!

Everything in this story symbolizes and represents aspects of this movement.  Here are some of the thing represented in the Wizard of OZ:

Dorthy represents Mary Elizabeth Lease - A mover and shaker in the  Populist Movement

Yellow Brick Road represents the danger of the Gold Standard

Silver Slippers (Ruby Silvers) represent silver coinage will save us

OZ represents ounce referring to gold and silver

Scarecrow represent the Western wise but naive farmer

Tin Man represents the dehumanized industrial worker

Cowardly Lion represents William Jennings Bryan - history does not remember him fondly

Wizard represents Gilded Age presidents

There are more symbols of the Populist Movement, but those are the big ones.  Everything represents something!  William Jennings Bryan put a huge spotlight on the movement when he gave his Cross of Gold Speech.  Where he discusses the danger of the Gold Standard.

Sadly the Populist Movement did not accomplish many of their goals, but the Progressives will pick up many of their goals, and be successful!

What is the Enlightenment?

My goal as a teacher is to have my students think for themselves!  So the first week we read "What is an Enlightenment?" by Kant.  I will admit it is a hard read, but we tackled it with AP strategies, and discussed it!  The main point of his essay is tto think for yourself, and do not let others think for you!  That is why I had them read this!  I want them to think for themselves!  After we read and discussed the essay they made mini posters of what the Enlightenment means to them!  They were so good!  Here are a few of my favorite!

It was the Age of Enlightenment, and Kant and others were fighting for us!  He said he will never experience Enlightenment, but he is willing to die for others to experience the Enlightenment!  That is amazing!!!!  The  ideals of the Enlightenment inspired America!  Here is the Essay we read:

What is the Enlightenment?

I believe this scene represents the Enlightenment.  You can know everything, but you have to experience life!

Flash Card Idea for APUSH

This is a GREAT study idea for APUSH!  One thing I hear over and over is if you want to be successful on this test you MUST know vocabulary!   All of my students told  me last year that knowing the vocabulary was so helpful!!!!  So this year I am having my APUSH students complete flashcards for each chapter.  On that card they are creating a pictograph.  Explaining the definition, significance, and drawing a picture representing that term!

One great thing is that they can keep theses and review them throughout the year.  To keep them handy they could hole punch a corner, and put them on a ring!

The Power of Peppermint

Researchers have proved that peppermint can improve test scores!!!!  Did you hear that?  So incredible!  This is another tool to put in your tool belt!  They even say if you study with peppermint, and then on the test if you eat a peppermint candy it will help you remember!  

So the next time you study - use peppermint!  Here is an article showing the positive impacts!

Power of Peppermint

I will provide Peppermints at  our first TEST!!!!

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

Draw Your Future

This is a fun TED Talk that looks at how to obtain your dreams! Worth the watch!

Tips For Success

One of my favorite things about history is that you can learn life lessons.  Trust me life is too short to try to learn all the lessons.  This series on YouTube is fantastic!  Successful people share their top 10 ways to success.  These people have done it!  So much to learn!

Here is Oprah:

During the Great Depression

Storming of the Bastille

Liberty Leading the People by Eugene Delacroix

This painting has become a symbol of the French Revolution

I love the French Revolution!  I could talk about it all day.  I love Robespierre, and one year I read every book I could get my hands on!  Then one night i had a dream that I time traveled back to Revolutionary France, and had dinner with Robespierre.  I knew I had tto stop reading!

Today is Bastille Day in France (July 14th) - their Independence Day!  The storming of the Bastille was a significant moment in the French Revolution.  France was divided into 3 Estates.  The second Estate was the nobility of France, and they wanted more power in society.  France had a Monarch who did not want to give the 2nd Estate more power.

Louis the 16th - King of France during thee Revolution

France was in a  financial crisis.  Every financial adviser told King Louis that he must tax the 2nd Estate.  The 1st and 2nd Estate did not pay taxes.  The 3rd Estate did, and what was ironic was that the 3rd Estate was poor, and did not have money.  No wonder France could not get out of debt!  Every time King Louis mentioned the 2nd Estate paying taxes - they freaked out!  King Louis had a plan to tax them, and instead of making them pay - he asked them to vote on it.  

One problem with King Louis the 16th had no back bone!  With his  power he could just make them do it, but instead he engaged with them.  King Louis needed the 2nd Estate to vote so he called the Estates General.  It had not been called in over 150 years.  That tells you something.  The Estates General was made up of all three Estates, and each Estate has one vote.  King Louis the 16th wanted the Estates to vote on his tax measure, and be done with it!  He would of had no idea it would last the whole summer!

The Estates General

It is May 1789, and the 2nd Estate had no intention of voting.  Instead the debated and discussed.  Poor King Louis is asking everyone to vote!  But no one will!  He is very frustrated!  So he hired a foreign army to force the Estates General to vote!  The mobs in Paris heard this news, and wanted to protect the General.  To do that they stormed the Bastille to get weapons and demolish the symbol of the old regime.

The Bastille represented the Old Regime or King Louis the 16th.  That is why this prison was selected! There were only less than 10 people in the prison, but it represented the evils of the monarchy!  They liberated the prisoners, took the weapons, tore the prison down brick by brick, and marched to Versailles where the Estates General was to protect them from the monarchy.

They used the bricks from the Bastille to build a bridge going to the assembly - so for the rest of time people would trample on the old regime.  This was a big moment!

The bridge built with the Bastille

What is left of the Bastille - it is a subway stop in Paris

Tips of Success

One of my favorite things about history is that you can learn life lessons.  Trust me life is too short to try to learn all the lessons.  This series on YouTube is fantastic!  Successful people share their top 10 ways to success.  These people have done it!  So much to learn!

We start with President Obama!

No Complaining

One quality every powerful, successful  and rich person says you should have is no complaining!  Everyone has it hard, and is going through a battle!  Life is hard for EVERYONE!  No is exempt!   Do not complain - do something about it!  I truly believe this is where  life happens!  I love the Last Lecture speech, and notice what he says about complaining and Jackie Robinson.  It was  written in Robinson's contract to not COMPLAIN when someone spits on him!  Wow!  

I feel like I am speaking to myself too!  I sometimes complain, and I need to remember this!  I have to suck it up!  There is always a solution!  A few weeks ago I asked my Facebook friends what high school students need to know before they graduate?  I was amazed at the response!  Over 40 people commented with great pieces of advice!  I am going to do a post about that, but one friend said something about this topic!

She said to learn to suck it up, and be able to adapt!  Life is going to throw you curve balls, but life is about how you react to the.  Complaining does nothing!

Great Video about Complaining

The link above is Gary Vee explaining why he finds complaining unattractive! My Mom introduced me to him this summer, and I heard him discuss this.  It actually inspired this post!  He is  an extremely successful businessman who has made millions.  I believe his point of view is valid, and should be listened to.  He has made it, and we can learn from him!

Do Not Be Silent

Do Not Ever Give Up!

On the plane home I got the  opportunity to watch "Eddie the  Eagle".  I never saw it in the theaters, and I really wanted to - so I was excited to watch it!  It did not disappoint, and at the end I cried!   I wanted to tell you about this movie because it has a great message!  

One thing that really stood out to me was his dream to be an Olympian Athlete!  Everyone told him there is no way that would happen, made fun of him, and laughed at him.  He did not care!  He never gave up, and stopped training!  It is really inspirational!

That is one of my favorite things about history!  We can learn life lessons from it!  Trust me life is too short to learn all the lessons individually!  This movie reminds us to go for our dreams and never give up on them!

The real Eddie!  Best part is that this is a true story!