Hi Folks,

Just for the record, although next week is technically listed as a 'resource week', we will still be meeting up for our small group discussions on Tuesday afternoon. We will be discussing study skills amongst other topics, so be ready to discuss what you learned from the lecture/seminar task of marking the essay.

I would like to continue our blog for this week on the theme of the Amendments to the Bill of Rights; specifically that of the Freedom of Speech and how this might relate to censorship. Matt, you will be our lead poster this week (and please don't forget that you're to give your presentation as well, so please keep taking that vitamin C and drink lots of water to keep Fresher's Flu at bay!); please search out TWO websites that discuss the idea of censorship; one pro and one anti. Then, as per normal, all of us must respond to your posting with intelligent, well-considered posts that show how well we have read not only the sites Matt has chosen, but also how we feel about them. Please do ensure your posts are actually engaging with the subject! Remember, you will be marked on your participation in the blog.

I'll look forward to seeing all of you, then, on Tuesday as per normal at noon.

Best
Devon

The Bill of Rights

I've been looking on websites to try and find ones which are pro or anti one of the liberties from the Bill of Rights. The first website i have chosen is one which is promoting Religious Freedom, what i found interesting about this website is it isn't just focused on one religion, it covers many from Christianity to Islam. I found the articles on Islam interesting because of the connection that people make between muslims and terrorism. i think this website is really good, because i agree with what it's saying. I believe that everyone should have the right to believe what they want and the freedom to speak about it. Thereare many countries which don't have religious freedom, that doesn't mean that religion doesn't exist there, people find ways of practising their religion, just in secret. In Britian we're ment to have Religious Freedom, unfortunatly i don't think we completely do. We maybe able to go to church if we want, but its a bad thing when people are banned from sending Christmas cards at work incase they offend a muslim or Hindu.
http://crf.hudson.org/
The second website I have chosen is the Amnesty international page, which is a charity campaining for Human Rights. This website is very Anti the Death Penalty. It speaks of people having the right to live. No matter what someone has done nobody has the right to say that that person should be put to death. Even if someone murdered another person, by excecuting the criminal how are they better? they also will have then commited murder. when i was looking through this website i was shocked to see how many people were excecuted 2006, it made me feel horried and made me want to do something about it. The website has a petition which you can sign to abolish the death penalty. I think this website is set up very well, in someways I think it is trying to shock you into signing its petition.
http://web.amnesty.org/pages/deathpenalty-index-eng

Next sessions

Week 6
Next week's lecture will be a Study Skills session; the work it leads to for the small group (in Wk 7) will likewise deal with study skills.

For the small group for the week ahead: Print up and bring with you copies of the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights to the Constitution of the USA. In preparation for the meeting, research the background to these two great founding documents of America, discover what the attitude toward them is today in the US (find evidence!) and be prepared to debate their wording and their meaning. For the Blog for the week ahead:Lead poster – locate TWO websites, one pro and one anti any of the liberties identified in the first eight amendments of the Bill of Rights. Comment on how they present their case for and against, and justify which viewpoint you agree with - for instance, the death penalty, freedom of religion, freedom of expression, freedom of the press, guns, trial by jury’ (150 -200 words)Others – comment on the websites and state why you agree or disagree with the lead poster (100-150w) Everyone MUST locate their viewpoint in issues and evidence. Don’t discuss abstractly or generally. Show knowledge!

Howdy folks; great discussion this past week. I have very much enjoyed reading through your comments, esp on the Declaration of Independence site our poster introduced us to. I am a bit concerned that everyone is not participating in our blogged discussions, so may I just point out a few things:
1) Please do read all of the instructions! Don't forget that by tomorrow, you will need to have printed out the relevant sections of the Notes on Virginia (as assigned last week), read them, and be prepared to give us a 5-minute presentation on your particular section. We'll be giving three presentations tomorrow and three the next week (or thereabouts); I intentionally did not tell you who would be presenting each week, lest any of you avoid early preparation!

2) Presentations: the big thing to remember is to always evidence your views, by drawing attention to things in the document (or text) itself, rather than just making unsubstantiated assertions or speculations that you can't back up. Also, do remember to pay attention to the issues you have been assigned to consider--in this case, what do you think explains TJ's views at the time and how do they relate to America today?

3) Our blogging is improving slowly, but I'd still like to see longer/more engaged comments from everyone. I have been impressed in general so far at the quality of the postings (although your spelling leaves something to be desired!), but I still haven't heard from everyone.

If anyone has any questions/concerns, please don't hesitate to contact me via email and I will always try to help. If you need me to consider a draft of your upcoming written assignment, I will be happy to do so.

See you all tomorrow.

Thomas Jefferson

I have decided to post a web site concerning the Declaration of Independence. I feel that this was one of the most important aspects of Thomas Jefferson's life as well as being one of his greatest achievements.
I feel that this web site is very useful in showing us how influential Thomas Jefferson actually was in creating this important document and exactly what parts of it he was responsible for. It also contains information about the other people involved in creating the Declaration of Independence, such as George Washington, and what they were responsible for. Also right at the bottom of the page it contains other information such as pictures. I personally like the one of Jefferson holding the Declaration of Independence at the beginning of his presidential term.
I feel that this web site is pro Jefferson. It uses phrases such as “stunning” and “defining”.
I like the way this web site is laid out, especially how is has photos of the actual Declaration of Independence. The web site has been laid out very well, there are no huge chunks of writing and it is split down into manageable sized paragraphs, which are clear and concise.
This web site was quite easy to find.

http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/jefferson/jeffdec.html

The first image I have chosen is of a family farm. The interesting aspect of this seemingly normal photograph are the added images of oversized crops such as corn and cabbage. I think this depicts the American myth is the sense that things are percieved to be bigger and better. I believe Watson touches on this in his article when quotes Crevecoeur as saying "the American is... a new man". The idea that in America one can start over and anything is possible.




The next picture is of the view from a house window. The beauty and majesty of it all conveys the message of new beginnings, abundance, and yours for the taking. Watson discusses the desire for the remote and the urge that drove many people to America as the "love of wandering".

For next time

In the group meetings and in the blog following the lecture/seminars on Wednesdays of Wk4 and Wk 5, we will study NOTES ON THE STATE OF VIRGINIA by Thomas Jefferson (1782)
Notes on the State of Virginia was written by Thomas Jefferson (a Founding Father and second President of the United States) in response to questions posed by Francois Barbes-Marbois, the French representative to the newly independent USA. There is an electronic version here (with page numbers): http://etext.virginia.edu/toc/modeng/public/JefVirg.html.
The queries made and Jefferson’s answers are revealing of what Europeans found curious about North America and what Americans knew of the new country after a century or so of settlement. Some of the answers are largely descriptive of climate or terrain, others are more interpretative about the inhabitants of America – settlers, natives and slaves – and their way of life. They give us a fascinating snapshot of the new nation.
For the small group:This week and next, each of you will make short non-assessed presentation (5-7mins) to the rest of the group about one of the following Queries from the Notes (page numbers refer to the online edition.) This will be the springboard to our general discussions.
Your presentation should briefly summarise the general points made by Jefferson, but the core of your presentation should be a critical evaluation of what Jefferson writes – how would you account for the views he holds, how do those views speak to the emerging identity of being an American, especially as the “new man” declared by De Crevecoeur? What comparisons can you see to America and Americans today?
1) Query VI (section on animals pp165-72)
2) Query VIII Population (section pp210-5)
3) Query XI Indians section (pp220-28)
4) Query XIII Constitution (section on rebellion and republics pp249-54)
5) Query XIII Laws (section on slaves pp 264-70)
6) Query XVII Religion
plus, if needed 7) Query XXII Public Revenue
PLEASE PRINT AND BRING THE RELEVANT SECTIONS FOR THAT WEEK’S SMALL GROUP.
For the Blog:First week on Notes: The lead poster will locate and post a website concerning some aspect of the life of Thomas Jefferson, analysing the source website, its opinions and how it presents its materials; other members of the group should comment both on the website and on the post, agreeing, disagreeing and elaborating on the original post. The post and the comments should be at least 150-200 words.
Second week on Notes: The lead poster will locate and post a website concerning [a topic to be decided]; other members of the group should comment both on the website and on the post, agreeing, disagreeing and elaborating on the original post. The post and the comments should be at least 150-200 words.

The two images i have chosen i think depict Watsons view on the American dream. In the first picture where it shows the couple looking up to the skies, dreaming of the future with materialistic items drawn within the stars translates the American goal and myth of 'newness'. All the items are modern day technologies and represent a notion of wealth and high status with the swimming pool and big house.

In the second picture i have chosen, i think this also represents the myths of America quite well, as it has a fairly expensive maybach car shown in the middle of the photo with skyscrapers as a backdrop in new york city. The car symbolises Watsons idea of the "geography of mobility" and the big, Maybach car i believe translates this idea very well and ties into the notion of newness.

TWO IMAGES PLEASE

and reference to Watson's categories in your explanatory text

I have selected the image of Las Vegas. I feel that this sums up America, a large city with a population of almost 2 million, in the middle of the desert. It shows us how the American dream has lead people to be able to create something out of nothing and go against all reason but they manage to prevale and flurish. Las Vegas also depicts the excess and Commercialism of America. On the other extreme you have the vast deserts and open spaces that are not inhabited for hundreds of miles, and also the national parks which demonstrate the natural beauty of America.

Week 3 Post

!IGNORE CAPTION AT THE TOP!

When speaking of America, the so called "American Dream" always comes up as an important topic. Watson in his article explains to us how the geography of a country is that of the dreams of the people. The image of an open road seemed very appealing, as i find it symbolises the endless amount of opportunity, to explore and to build on. This being the dreams of the original settlers, believing that they were arriving to a land which would provide a new start for them. America is a country which praises itself on the maker of dreams, and personally, i feel that the open road is the perfect symbol for this.

DeBry

Burial Ceremonies for a Chief or a Priest

This image came from the California State Long Beach website and it shows the burial mound of an important or high member of the tribe. The entire image is very interesting because it has many details, especially in the people in the foreground. Also, the village homes in the background show an aspect of their living conditions.

i think that this picture is useful in how it shows how they had their own, alternative medical ideas of how to heal the sick. Also, it illustrates that they have an awareness of the environment of what plants help cure certain illnesses, as they used "a plant which the Brazilians call petum and the Spaniards tapaco" that they dried the leaves and used it to smoke on, (as seen in the picture) which apparently cured their various infections.

From this depiction of the natives, i feel it would also scare the settlers when they saw such acts taking place. It may come across as a devilish act and further fuel their notion of them being unhuman, savages.

I found this image useful as it demonstrates how the natives lived. Its interesting to see that the closer to the centre you were situated, the greater your power, thus the chief lives in the big hut in the middle. Also, in order to protect the village, not only were great walls built surrounding the area, but guard housing was placed on the outskirts in order to sniff out enemies from miles away. This i saw was very interesting, the fact that the native's main thought in constructing their habitats was protection.

I also found this picture on that web site. I like the way that it shows us that despite all the conflict and confrentation between the "savages" and the settlers, they still find common ground over trading goods. It also shows how both sets of people are taking any oppertunities that arise. It also shows how shocking it must have been for the natives to witness the arrival of these vast ships carrying so many new inhabitants, when they are only used to small vessels such as canoes.

i found this image on one of the websites Devon gave us. its a picture of the people preparing a feast. i just thought it was interesting the different ways that the 'savages' cooked and prepared a meal, and how one person had to jus sit by the fire and fan it to keep it going.

Week 2

I have chosen a website from the National Postal Museum in association with the Smithsonian Institution.
The page is titled Letter Writing in America and, as the title suggests, discusses early American settlers' means of communcating and the reasons behind their descriptive reports. I found these reasons to be interesting, especially the drive behind describing the New World with such enthusiasm and glory in order to satisfy their investors and reasure them that there was, infact, riches to be had.

http://www.postalmuseum.si.edu/LetterWriting/lw01.html

I found this webpage through the Smithsonian website. I chose this particular website because I know the Smithsonian is a reliable source and letter writing right now, for me, is quite interesting because I am sending letters to my family ("investors" of sorts) back home and they like to hear vivid details as well. These days, being able to use a telephone for most of that is much more convenient!

Reminder of the first task

In our meeting in Week 3 (our first proper meeting where you have a task to complete) we will discuss some of the early images of America produced by Theodore De Bry. This will build on William’s lecture on early settlement and our seminar on Jamestown in Week 2.

THE SMALL GROUP TASK FOR ALL GROUPS
1) Find out about Theodore De Bry, the images he copied, engraved and published. Read the short essays on De Bry’s engravings which you can find here:
http://www.vahistorical.org/cole/gallery.htm
Pay special attention to the section “Interpreting Historical Images” as this will guide you in how to understand and comment on the images in our small group meeting
2) Browse and select ONE image, either from the above site or from this site:
http://www.csulb.edu/~aisstudy/woodcuts/
and please post it to the blog, either as a link or as an image (latter is best.)
link: just copy the http address and paste it into the blog as a new post
image: click on the picture icon at the top of the new post option and follow the instructions for adding an image from the web
3) Make sure you visit the blog in advance of our wk3 meeting to check out the images. Come to the small group ready to discuss your selection as evidence of the European encounter with the New World – what can it tell us of the native inhabitants? What can it tell us of how the inhabitants were seen by the Europeans?
THE BLOG TASK:
The Poster: search for a website which deals with any aspect or detail of early American settlement. Post a link to it, and write an explanation of how you searched, why you selected the site you did, and what you found interesting, informative and useful about it.
Others: visit the website posted, and write your own comment on the site chosen, identifying aspects of it which you found informative and useful or conversely, aspects you did not.
Your small group tutor will identify who is the poster for each week. Guidance can be found in FAQ.

Welcome

This is our blog. Once you are signed in, we can start the regular process of blogging, in which each week one of you posts a link to a relevant website, offering an evaluation of why you think it is useful and interesting, and the others comment - including me. I hope we can also use the blog for general postings about America too.