Changes and Improvements

          There have been many instances in history where African Americans have been mistreated. One may assume that these people were only treated with disrespect when African Americans were slaves in the 1800s. Two of the most significant times of this impertinence were during the Reconstruction Era and the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s.

            The Reconstruction Era was a time of rebuilding and moving on after a devastating war. The 13^th, 14^th, and 15^th amendments were passed by Congress after the Civil War had ended. Though those amendments were ratified to give former slaves freedom and the same rights as whites, the promise of freedom didn’t live up to reality. The Ku Klux Klan struck fear into African Americans in the South, where slavery was promoted before the Civil war. This horrific group beat and killed former slaves, burned schools, and bombed the homes of these “free” people. The Ku Klux Klan was angry that slavery was abolished and that African Americans were considered by law equal to them. The police oppressed African Americans for no reason other than a difference in race. Former slaves were seen as inferior to a multitude of white Americans because they didn’t have money, jobs, or an education. Some African American stayed on the plantation that they worked on when they were slaves because they didn’t have any other job to go to. Southern states used Black Codes to control African Americans in various ways. African Americans had to pay a poll tax to vote, their rights were denied, and they were kept in a situation that was comparable to slavery as a result of the Black Codes in Southern states. Following the Civil War, African Americans rented land from white landowners. The African Americans had to give half of the crops they grew back to the landowners. This system was called sharecropping. If the croppers (the African American that rented the land) couldn’t grow enough crops, they would have to pay a fine to their landowners. The penalties that followed croppers left them broke and starving.

            The 1950s and 1960s were turning points in African American history. The 1950s was a time of making voices heard and the 1960s stood for desegregation in the United States. African Americans during this time period were beaten and hosed with water hoses by the police. In contrast to the Reconstruction Era, African Americans were more assimilated into American society. They were more educated, as they knew how to read and write. The U.S. military also helped African Americans to become more integrated into American culture. Many African Americans fought in World War II in the 1940s. This group of people saw the horrors of the concentration camps in Europe firsthand. They helped to free the innocent from these death camps. When they returned home from war, they began to yearn for their own freedom, too. Activists like Martin Luther King, Jr. and Rosa Parks led the way to demonstrations for civil rights in America. Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his famous “I Have A Dream” speech in Washington, D.C. in 1963. This was a huge step in encouraging the respectful treatment of African Americans. Rosa Parks wouldn’t give up her seat on an Alabama bus for a white man. She was arrested for doing what was equal and fair. Their courage and stamina to fight for what they believed in helped America to become what it is today.

            African Americans have achieved much in the subsequent years after the Reconstruction and the Civil Rights Movement. From the advances made in American thinking, schools now welcome all students, regardless of race. All people are judged equally and have the same rights. African Americans are now astronauts, doctors, lawyers, and one is currently the president of the United States.

Image Source: Sharecropping photo: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sharecroppers_chopping_cotton_-_1941.jpg

Civil rights photo: http://martinlutherkingjrhistory.com/images/martin_10.jpg

Sources: "Rosa Parks Biography -- Academy of Achievement."Academy of Achievement Main Menu. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Sept. 2010. <http://www.achievement.org/autodoc/page/par0bio-1>.

Heston, actor Charlton, NAACP president Roy Wilkins, and future U.S.. "The I Have a Dream Speech - The U.S. Constitution Online - USConstitution.net." Index Page - The U.S. Constitution Online - USConstitution.net. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Sept. 2010. <http://www.usconstitution.net/d

           

Brother vs. Brother

When I see this photo, I feel the anger and disagreement among the soldiers. These men look like they could have possibly been brothers. This shows how deep opinions of slavery were during the Civil War. There is a definite contrast in how the soldiers are dressed, what type of weapons they are using, and most importantly, the flag that stands behind each of them. This painting is an excellent example of how different views can turn brother against brother and father vs. son. Look at the colors in both of the flags. Don't they both have the colors red, white, and blue in them? Aren't both men in the painting American? I hope that my readers see that opposing viewpoints shouldn't tear a country apart like they did in the Civil War. Citizens should bring their own ideals to the table in hopes of creating a better America for the good of all people.

Image Source:      http://www.usronline.org/staff/cavallini/specialPrograms/eUllrich/ow/images/civil%20war%20soldiers.jpg

Overcoming Obstacles

Students in the United States take school for granted, myself included. In the days of slavery, there were some schools in the South that educated African Americans. These schools were illegal at that time. During the Reconstruction era, more schools were built and former slaves went to school to read, write, and learn. With an education, former slaves could make a better life for themselves and they could get better jobs. There were organizations that would scare  African Americans out of attending school. Former slaves were "punished" for going to school by getting fired by their white employers. Students and teachers alike were assaulted and schools were set on fire by the Ku Klux Klan. Segregation in schools was prevalent,causing more tension between the two races. Above all, African Americans were able to overcome these obstacles and succeed in their educational goals. This group has come from the bottom to making an important contribution to U.S. history and society.

Does free mean equal?

After the Civil War, slaves were free as the Constitution states. Is someone really "free" if they are seen as inferior? In 1865, at the end of the Civil War, Congress passed the 13th amendment to the U.S. Constitution. This amendment abolished slavery in the United Sates. Groups such as the Ku Klux Klan harassed African Americans even when all races were supposed to be equal. When the 14th amendment was ratified, all people born in the U.S. were recognized as citizens. A white person wouldn't dare kill another white person. The white murderer would face grave consequences. As in To Kill A Mockingbird, a black man would be seen as more guilty than a white man even if they committed the same crime. Citizens should be seen as equal no matter what race they are. African Americans feared voting at the polls because of how they were treated by whites depending on how they voted. These former slaves couldn't exercise their 15th amendment rights. I would say,yes, African Americans had more freedom during the Reconstruction than before the Civil War. Though, freedom unfortunately didn't mean equal.


Citation: "The Constitution of the United States: Amendments 11-27."National Archives and Records Administration. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Sept. 2010. <http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/constitution_amendments_11-27.html>.

Morals are just as important in war as the type of weapons the Army is using.

I believe a moral idea can win a war. Morals and values are what encourage people to fight in wars. Not many individuals are willing to put their lives at at risk just so they can kill someone on the other side. Morale gives an army the strength to carry on in a war. Soldiers need to keep in mind what they are fighting for. The people that were a part of the Union also tried to express their views to others in an attempt to get those people to change their minds on the subject of slavery. Sometimes this method worked and other times it didn't.There is power in numbers and more of a reason for change if many people are involved in a cause. Let's just say that the Union soldiers were tired of fighting and they thought, "This is a lost cause. Let's just let the Confederacy do what they want." If this actually happened, the United States would be a very different country from what it is now. If the soldiers don't believe in what they're fighting for or if they lose hope during battle, their chances of succeeding in the war are diminished.

If You Tell a Lie Enough Times...

To finish the statement above, if you tell a lie enough times people believe it to be the truth. Everyone has heard of the many stereotypes around the country. Some stereotypes are about race, some about religion, and others pertain to socio-economic groups. For example, someone says all Hispanics are loud. That person tells a bunch of other people and all of those people tell everyone they know. This is exactly how stereotypes spread. One thing for sure is that stereotypes are taught. No one is born discriminating against poor people or blacks. Back in the 1800s, white children were taught by their parents that blacks are undeserving and that's why they're slaves. "We're better, richer, smarter, etc. than them" , as white slave owners would say. The children, whose parents taught them to discriminate, then taught their children the same "fact" that they were told when they were young. One major aspect of stopping discrimination is to inform each other, including children, that stereotypes don't apply to all of the people of that group.

Has Big Brother Got You Down?

When Thoreau said, "that government is best which governs least", he meant that the best government to have is one that doesn't control every aspect of citizens' lives. The government (Big Brother) is constantly spying on you to see what you're doing. There are security cameras on streets, in stores, and in schools. The less a government tries to manage your life, the better. The government wants to know where you've been, what you've been doing, and wants to imply all of these ridiculous new laws that only benefit themselves and restrict your freedoms. Big Brother listens in to your phone calls and checks your emails if you look "suspicious" just because you mention the words "bomb" and "terrorism" in the same sentence.  I personally, don't like anyone constantly watching what I do. I think that if someone doesn't have anything to hide then they shouldn't fear the police. The government should treat its citizens in the same manner. The government should trust that its citizens have enough common sense to not do stupid things.