Wednesday, April 30, 2008

George Clymer

George Clymer was born in Philadelphia, on March 16,.He was an American politician and Founding Father. He was one of the first Patriots to advocate complete independence from Britain. As a Pennsylvania representative, Clymer was, along with only four others, a signatory of both the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution. He died January 23 1813



He was a patriot and leader in the demonstrations in Philadelphia resulting from the Tea Act and the Stamp Act. He entered the Continental Congress as the successor to John Dickinson, George served in Congress from July 20, 1776, to September of 1777. With Wilson and others of the Pennsylvania members of Congress, he signed the Declaration along with John Hancock, Roger Sherman, Samuel Adams, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and more. A signer of the United States Constitution along with Jame McHenry and Jonathan Dayton. Clymer also helped write the US Constitution, becoming one of only six men who signed both the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution. The six men who signed both documents are George Read, Roger Sherman, Benjamin Franklin, Robert Morris, George Clymer, and James Wilson. He was the first treasurer of the central government and worked with Robert Morris in planning the financial affairs of the United colonies which was then a treasury without funds. While no orator, this George Clymer was well informed, a witty conversationalist, and a good writer. At the time of the signing of the Declaration, George Clymer was a prosperous merchant who was praised as one of the wisest of all delegates, excepting Benjamin Franklin.





In 1777, Congress asked Clymer to investigate conditions on the Pennsylvania frontier, and he traveled to Fort Pitt (now Pittsburgh), where he made the first peace treaty between Congress and the Cherokee and Creek Indians of Georgia during the last period of George Washington's administration. At the Constitutional Convention, Clymer served on those committees concerned with the military, commercial, and financial powers and responsibilities of the new government. An advocate of strong central government, he supported the Federalist position taken by Washington, Alexander Hamilton, and James Madison He entered the Continental Congress as the successor to John Dickinson.



His sympathy was with the people who were seeking their freedom. Clymer was opposed to England's tax plan because he, as a large and successful business man, was compelled to pay these taxes. He left Philadelphia and went to Boston to gain knowledge, returning to Philadelphia thoroughly filled with a desire for the independence of America. In 1785 he became a member of the Pennsylvania Legislature and served until 1788. During this time he, with the Quakers, fought against capital punishment for many offences, and against the public expose of criminals. He also was a member of the Federal Constitution Convention. Clymer was sent to the first Congress under the Constitution he had helped to create, as the first representative of a district that included the territory later represented in Congress by James Buchanan, who later became the fifteenth President of the United States.



I believe that George Clymer should be recognized more in U.S. history because he is one out of six to sign the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution, and not only did he sign the Constitution he helped write it too. So some of the laws we have today may been from Clymer himself. He also made the first peace treaty with Indians, which helped out allot in the war with them. George Clymer, should be talked about more in history classes because of his contributions too history. He should be recognized at the level as Washington or a little bit under. He may not have been in the war or a president, but he wrote some of the laws we abide by.

Wednesday, April 9, 2008

Gentlemen of the Jury, Edward Gerrish brought to attention to a soldier about there debt to a barber, and said he needed to pay. The soldier was offended and told Edward to come and say it to his face. The soldier struck him in the head with the butt of his gun which was unnecessary. This is what brought the mob and massacre to begin with. As the boys threw snow and such at the soldier it was only for the punishment for the earlier event, as he called the guards to help the people noticed this and formed a mob and got a little rowdy. As Capt Preston came he ordered his men to fire upon them to stop the mob. This was too far, Preston or one of his men could have taken their gun and fired one shot into the air to disperse the mob of people who were there to justify the event with Edward. I say that Capt. Preston and his men are Guilty for the deaths of five personnel for they could have prevented it all with a single shot into the air. The men should be sentenced to death by hanging for their impeccable crimes.
The king should get the message that this town will not take the violence that the soldiers gave upon us, that the people will take action against this. We the people will not tolerate the pompous acts against us and that the soldiers will hang for there crime, murder

Tuesday, April 1, 2008

Revolution and War

Revolution and War
1763-1789
Revolution Notes

1763—Proclamation Act
It's a line that tells what land the Indians can have and that the Britain's can not take it. It's in the Appalachian mountains. From the moutains to the ocean is Britians, the rest is the Indians.

1764—Grenville Acts (direct tax)
Sugar (molasses, wine)
Stamp
Quartering
Currency
Virtual/ Direct Representation
It's a direct tax of sugar and stamps, soldiers were placed in houses and Britain said that only their British pounds were to be used in all colonies.

1765—Stamp Act Congress
Sons of Liberty
Samuel Adams
Paul Revere

John Hancock
Propaganda
Boycotts
Is first time that colonies sent delegates to discuss issues against Britain.

Lobsters (Lobster-backs, Thomas Lobster)

1766—Declaratory Act
Britian takes away all taxes, but Declares that have the power to tax tgem on anything and anytime they want

1767—Townsend Acts (indirect tax)
Taxed glass, paper, paint, second attempt to tax the colonies
Charles Townsend
Writes of Assistance (search warrants)
Revenue used to pay Royal officials in the colonies
Tea Act (glass, paper, paint) support British East India Company
1770—Boston Massacre
Five people were killed, Propaganda was used in the picture to influence people to fight against the British.
March 5, 1770
Local reaction (primarily)
5 dead colonists
John Adams defends British soldiers/5 exonerated-2 convicted
Convicted men discharged and thumbs branded

1773—Boston Tea Party
Britshed taxed their tea so Samuel Adams got men angry and had them throw 10,000 British pounds into the sea. This cost British lots of money which starts the intolerable acts

November 30, 1773--Dartmouth sails into Boston Harbor
December 16, 1773--Tea dumped into harbor
340 chests of tea dumped (value of 10,000 British pounds)




1774—Intolerable Acts (Coercive Acts in Britain)
Because of the boston tea party the British closed the Port of Boston and shut down our government.
Close the port of Boston
Shut down Provincial and Town Governments
All offices appointed
Named General Thomas Gage as Governor
Gave all western lands north of the Ohio R. to Quebec, allowed Catholic Church to practice


1774—1st Continental Congress
September to October (7 weeks)
Carpenter’s Hall, Philadelphia
New England—John Adams, Paul Revere, Silas Deane
Virginia—Washington, Patrick Henry, Peyton Randolph, Richard Henry Lee
Pennsylvania—John Dickenson, Joseph Galloway (Plan for American council under Parliament, to avoid war)
New York—John Jay, James Duane
Maryland—Samuel Chase (future Supreme Court Justice), Charles Carroll (richest man in Maryland, Catholic)
Declaration of Rights—rejects Parliamentary authority over internal colonial affairs, colonies manage own defense, united aid to Boston if Intolerable Acts continue, absolute boycott of British goods to be enforced rigidly

1775— January
William Pitt urges Parliament to withdraw troops from America because the idea of managing the colonies through force was “too ridiculous to take up a moment of your lordships’ time”
1775—April 19 Lexington and Concord
Gen. Gage sends 700 men to Concord to seize the powder supplies
Paul Revere and William Dawes raise alarm the night before
Town of Lexington is on the way to Concord
Minutemen are assembled on the town common
“Shot heard round the world”
18 colonials killed and the rest run away
British march on to Concord and find the munitions were moved overnight
Minutemen ambush the British the whole way back to Boston
430 Redcoats make it back to Boston
30,000 Colonists surround Boston

1775—May
Gen. Howe, Gen. Clinton, Gen. Burgoyne
5,000 British troops
Ethan Allen, “Green Mountain Boys” seize Fort Ticonderoga
Henry Knox uses canon to lay siege on Boston
Benedict Arnold (Connecticut) takes Fort Crown Point to impede an invasion from Canada
1775—May 10, 2nd Continental Congress
Sam Adams pushes for Independence John Dickenson (Penn.) urges restraint
Agree to form Colonial Army
Delegates unanimously agree to Washington as Commander of Continental Army (John Adams suggestion)
1775—June 17, “Battle of Bunker Hill”
Actually fought on Breed’s Hill
Gen. Howe leads assault without canon support (his canon had been matched with wrong-sized cannonballs [Amherst at Ticonderoga])
Militia waited to within 30 yards (some say 15 yards)
Militia target British officers
Militia ran extremely low on ammunition
On the third assault, led by Gen. Howe, British troops overtake the colonial position
Britain losses almost 1000 men (about half the attacking force)
Colonials lose about 500 men

1776—January, Common Sense
Written by Thomas Paine
120,000 copies sold in three months

1776—March
Gen. William Howe evacuates Boston
July 2, lands in Staten Island, New York (Loyalist base)
1776—Declaration of Independence
June 7, Richard Henry Lee (Virginia) introduces legislation to declare independence from Britain
Before voting on Lee’s proposal Congress appoints five-man committee to draft a formal Declaration of Independence (Thomas Jefferson, 33, does most of the writing)
June 28, Declaration presented to Congress
July 2, Congress approves Lee’s legislation to declare the United States of America independent of Great Britain
July 4, Congress officially adopts the Declaration of Independence
The Declaration intended to:
Undermine loyalty to King George III
Outline basic principles of representative government
Establish the “right” of rebellion
War

1776—August, Brooklyn Heights, New York
Largest Naval group Britain will launch until the 20th century
British victory, city falls to England
As winter came “sunshine patriots” left the American Army
Initial colonial enlistments due to expire

1776—December, Battle of Trenton
Howe believes war almost won
1,400 Hessians stationed at Trenton
Colonel Rall (Hessian) builds no fortifications
Washington “Crosses the Delaware” Christmas night
2,500 men; 18 artillery guns
Surprise attack at dawn
106 Hessians killed, 918 captured
No colonial casualties
Washington retreats in secret to avoid Gen. Cornwallis counter-attack

1777—January, Princeton
Washington ambushes British troops
Colonial victory establishes this will not be a quick war for Britain

1777—September-October, Saratoga
Gen. Burgoyne plans a three-prong attack on colonials at Albany
Plan does not consider the terrain, forcing British troops to march through swamps, lakes, hills and forests full of rebels
Two of the three “prongs” never arrive (Howe goes to Philadelphia instead, St. Leger retreats to New York afraid of Benedict Arnold)
Sept. Burgoyne crosses Hudson River
Oct. 17, Burgoyne surrenders
Establishes American Army as real threat
Helps secure open French Alliance
Turning Point of the War

1777-1778—Winter at Valley Forge
Under-funded troops
Low morale
10,000+ troops
4,000 troops listed as “unfit for duty” due to poor supplies (boots, blankets, coats, etc.)
2,500 troops die of disease (typhus, typhoid fever, dysentery, pneumonia)
George Washington mentioned a lack of shoes so severe that the men's "marches might be tracked by the blood from their feet”
Local farmers would sell produce to Brits who could pay cash




1779—February, Vincennes
1780—August, Camden
1780—October, Kings Mountain
1781—October, Yorktown
British Gen. Cornwallis
American Gen. Washington (also “Mad” Anthony Wayne, Baron von Steuben)
French Gen. Rochambeau (also Marquis de Lafayette)
Essentially a French Naval victory
Last significant battle of the war




1783—Sept. 3, Treaty of Paris
Britain recognizes American independence
America gets all land from Atlantic coast to Miss. River, Great Lakes to Florida
Fishing rights to the Gulf of Saint Lawrence and off the coast of Newfoundland
America must pay debts to Britain
American congress would “earnestly recommend” all Loyalist property returned (States ignore this request)

Friday, March 21, 2008

General Outline for Book Portfolio

I. Introduction
A. Title, author, and Publication Date
B. Book Summary (may be two sentences)
C. Theme Statement
D. Significance of Theme
II. Theme of Book
A. Thematic Statement for Book
B. Specific Detail from Book
C. Specific Detail from Book
D. Specific Detail from Book
E. Significance of Theme for Book
III. Theme in History
A. Restate theme in historical context
B. Detail the shows theme in history
C. Detail the shows theme in history
D. Detail the shows theme in history
E. Significance of theme in history
IV. Conclusion
A. Restate Theme
B. Significance of theme in book
C. Significance of theme in history
D. Effectiveness of book in showing theme
E. Importance of understanding theme

Animal Farm

Animal Farm
Blaine Goodrich


The book Animal Farm is a historical fiction by George Orwell that is about a farm that is taken over by the animals so they can live free. They made seven commandants which were basic rules that humans and acting like them are bad. But it soon turned into a monarch by Napoleon who took power from Snowball, who then turned out to be just like the humans in the end. The theme of this book is not everything that believes they can lead can lead the right way. The significance of the theme is that some leader’s in history have the same story, made there people believe that they are free and gave them fictional dreams. Just to rule over and use them to their advantage.
Not everyone is fit to be a leader even if they are intelligent. The first details that supports this is that once the pigs had the farm they started to create their monarch by first taken the milk and keeping the apple to themselves. Next is the fact once the pigs started to believe that they were so superior that they did not need to work, but watch over the labor the animals that was for the profit of the pigs. At this point the pigs are building what is to believe a monarch. They are the ones who command everything and make choices without a vote. The last detail was in the end. The pigs were just like the humans in the end, they did the paper and money management while the other animals did all the labor while being fed poor rations of food. In fact the pigs had an agreement with the humans to live in peace and live as one. The pigs even were walking on their hind legs, which in the beginning was bad. The old saying was four legs good two legs bad the sheep always said until the pigs taught them a new one, four legs good two legs better. The significance of the theme is because although the initial rebellion for the farm was so that every animal lived in peace with no master and lived a free. Yes the pigs were smarter so they could lead the farm so that they would not starve or die. But in the end the pigs were not fit to lead the animals in a free life but into a monarch of which the animals worked long hours and were fed a small amount of food. They were actually being treated worse than they were with their previous owner.
The theme is that some leaders in history have had this same thing happen were they told of great things only to have lied and become a dictator. One of the first details is that Napoleon who was one of the pigs was based on Joseph Stalin. Napoleon begins to gradually build up his power, using puppies he took from mother dogs Jessie and Bluebell, which he raised to be vicious dogs as his guards. After driving Snowball, (previous leader) off the farm Napoleon Gains full power, using fake speaches from Squealer and threats and intimidation from the dogs to keep the other animals under control. Among other things he gradually changes the Commandments to allow himself to break the rules with no questions asked by the animals. By the end of the book Napoleon and his other pigs have learned to walk upright and started to behave like humans. Napoleon was created in the image of Joseph Stalin, who set up a dictatorship whose repression and despotism was far worse than that of the Imperial Russian government supplanted by the Bolsheviks. Snowball, a white boar, is Napoleon's rival. He is based onLeon Trotsky. He wins over most animals, but is driven out of the farm in the end by Napoleon. Snowball genuinely works for the good of the farm and devises plans to help the animals achieve their vision of a heaven for animals but is chased from the farm by Napoleon and his dogs and rumors are spread about him (by Napoleon) to make him seem evil and corrupt and that he is secretly sabotaging the animal's efforts to improve the farm. Each pigs and humans represented a historical person in this book. Squealer, a small fat pig who serves as Napoleon's speaker. Based on Vyacheslav Molotov and the Russian paper Pravda. Mr. Jones (previous owner of Farm) represents Nicholas II of Russia, the deposed Tsar, who had been facing severe financial difficulties in the days leading up to the 1917 Revolution. Mr. Frederick is the tough owner of Pinchfield, a well-kept neighboring farm. He represents Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party in general. Mr. Pilkington is the easy-going but crafty owner of Foxwood, a neighboring farm overgrown with weeds. He represents the western powers, such as Britain and the U.S. The significance of this is that it shows how each character provided in this book is historically connected to people who have importance in history like the Hitler, and Stalin who are both connected too WWII, and other’s who were connected to Stalin and Hitler.
People who are intelligent that can lead might not be the best to lead. The theme in the book is significant because the pigs had taken over and had become a dictator and used the animals as laborers. Even though the pigs were the smartest they became just as bad as the humans and maybe even worse. The significance of the theme to history is hat even the most intelligent person can prove to be the worst leader, even the ones who are not so smart can be also as bad. Through out the book it started to show the theme through the pigs when they decided to keep all the milk and apples and watched over the work the animals were doing instead participating. Until the end when it was a full monarchy and the pigs where in full control just as the humans were. The reason why it’s important to understand this theme is that even though a person goes on TV or makes a speech and sounds or even may be intelligent they could not be the best person to lead you for they could deceive you and end up like the animals on Animal Farm, slaves.

Friday, March 14, 2008

Tuesday, March 4, 2008

Plymouth Essay

Outline for Plymouth Essay

I. Introduction

A. Thesis statement [sample: The founding of English colonies in modern Massachusetts combined a strange mix of idealism and violence.]

B. Preview first major point (without support) [Miles Standish contributed important protection to the early colonies by using violence.]

C. Preview second major point (without support) [ Benjamin Church provided vital leadership to protect the colonies during King Philip's War.]

D. Preview third major point (without support) [Despite all of this violence, the colonies were also founded on religious idealism.]

E. Significance of Thesis [It is important to understand the full history of these areas because this is what Americans generally consider to be our nation's beginning.]

II. First Major Point

A. Statement of position (or point)

B. Detail of support

C. Detail of Support

D. Detail of Support

E. Significance of position (how it relates to thesis?)

III. Second Major Point

A. Statement of position (or point)

B. Detail of support

C. Detail of Support

D. Detail of Support

E. Significance of position (how it relates to thesis?)

IV. Third Major Point

A. Statement of position (or point)

B. Detail of support

C. Detail of Support

D. Detail of Support

E. Significance of position (how it relates to thesis?)

V. Conclusion

A. Restate thesis (not re-write)

B. Restate significance of first position

C. Restate significance of second position

D. Restate significance of third position

E. Summary of paper (why is it important)

Plymouth Essay


The founding of English colonies in modern Massachusetts combined a strange mix of idealism and violence. Miles Standish contributed important protection to the early colonies by using violence. Benjamin Church provided vital leadership to protect the colonies during King Philip's War. Despite all of this violence, the colonies were also founded on religious idealism. It is important to understand the full history of these areas because this is what Americans generally consider to be our nation's beginning.
Miles Standish contributed important protection to the early colonies by using violence. Miles Standish attacked the Indians because he thought they were planing to attack him. Standish also killed two Indians that he invited to supper because they had talked down to him. He even killed the Indian that talked bad to him with his own knife. Standish also busted into a wigwam looking for a man they had he thought was going to attack the pilgrims, just to find out he wasn't there. This shows that the English people who came over did get violent with the Indians that there was no real peace between them.
Benjamin Church provided vital leadership to protect the colonies during King Philip's War. During a battle between Church and his men against the Indians, he led them to a small decaying stone wall and he and his 20 men held off 300 Indians until a shipped arrived and saved church and his men without any casualties, even after he ran back to get his hat and sword. He killed king Philip and had his head mounted on a steak that was put in the middle of the town. Also Church protects the pilgrims, the reason he killed Philip was because he thought he was planning an attack on some pilgrims, so he attacked first. This showed that the soldiers who came used violence to solve their problems and that apart from Standish, Church did it for protection and in part that he was a military man.
Despite all of this violence, the colonies were also founded on religious idealism. Strict observance of the Sabbath No Hunting~ No Fishing~ No Shopping~ No Shaving. Church believed that he was protected by God during the Pea field battle, since that there was 300 indians against his 20 men and none of his men were injured including himself. The Pilgrims moved to the "New World" so they could have their own religion and laws. It shows that the pilgrims who lived and villages were for religious reasons not all for the land and money, also they did not get involved between the soldiers and the indians
The settlers who came to New England braught violence and idealism to the Indians culture. It is important to understand the full history of these areas because this is what Americans generally consider to be our nation's beginning. This shows that the English people who came over did get violent with the Indians that there was no real peace between them. It shows that the pilgrims who lived and villages were for religious reasons not all for the land and money, also they did not get involved between the soldiers and the indians.The essay Shows what the settlers braught to this new world and how they treated and overcomed the elements to creat their own nation threw violence and idealism between the indians . The Pilgrims who came along braught thier own reliogion to make thier own laws and beliefs in the new world.