Summary of Class 11/29-11/30

Yesterday in class, we started off class reading a document of why and what happened when John Browm raided Harpers Ferry VA in 1859. After reading it, we shortly discussed it and then we moved right into watching a video. Once we were done watching the video, we read three accounts by people in which some were townspeople, eyewitness', US mariens, etc. I had enough time to look at one of the documents and the guy who was testifying was a townsperson and an eyewitness. In his testimony he reffered to the amout of casualties that were killed and who he saw that was hurt, either townspeople or people that were helping out John Brown. When he was asked if he saw John Brown, he said no. Today, I did not have history class because E period is the period in which we did registration for the Plan ACT testing that we are going to have on monday.

Summary of Class 11/27-11/28

Yesterday in class, we entered and started right away about talking about slavery. We took a look at a case that had to do with a slave that moved to a free state and was still considered a slave. He then took it upon himself to try to free him and his family by suing his owner. This case was called the Dred Scott V. Sandford case. Roger B. Taney (who I had for my voice thread) was a huge part of the final decision. He declared that slaves were not citizens, but property and with that being said, they were not allowed to sue anybody. Today in class, we started off by watching a video of a debate between Stephen Douglass (Democratic) and Abraham Lincoln (Republican). They were running against each other for the U.S. senator representing Illinois. Their debate was based on the idea of slavery. We then looked at documents from other debates and with our knowledge from the video and the documents, we were able to fill out a chart based on slavery. Abraham Lincoln believed that the expansion of slavery should stop and in fact slavery as a whole should end. He didn't think of black and whites being equal because he thought that whites should hold all power, but he did believe in "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" for everyone. They slaves were entitled to this because they were humans too. Stephen Douglass still believed based on the Kansas Nebraska Act that states should be sorted based on popular sovereignty. States were allowed to choose what they wanted, not what the whole country wanted.

Summary of Class 11/21-11/26

Due to homecoming and a half day on Wednesday the 21st, we did not have class. Today in class, we started to connect the Missouri Compromise to the new Kansas and Nebraska due to Stephen Douglass. With this being said, the Unorganized Territory was being decided based on Popular Sovereignty, which earlier mentioned would decide if the Kansas and Nebraska Territories would be free states or slave states. Many Northerners were opposed to this idea of a slave state because they didn't want this territory to be a slave state sense it was a free state for the past 30 years. The Southerners were in favor because it could mean potential expansion for slavery, which in the end, ended up happening. We then went on to talk about the fighting that happened between the Northerners and the Border Ruffians in the Kansas Territory. The fact that the Border Ruffians were voting illegally to try to get slavery, ticked the Northerners off. These fights gave the name of "Bleeding Kansas" to the Kansas Territory. Towards the end of class, we started to talk about Charles Sumner.

** Thirty Day Challenge- Over the break, I was afraid I wasn't going to be able to accomplish my goal because I was away the whole time, but I managed to fit in my foul shooting along with running, playing 1 on 1, 2 on 2, knockout, etc. Today however, was the first day of tryouts in which I've been working so hard for. We took some foul shots during tryouts and I was not pleased, therefore right when I got home I took a couple, in hopes to get my rhythm back that I missed today.

Summary of Class 11/16-11/19

On Friday we started off class with looking at a picture of slaves escaping in Maryland. We were asked on what we thought was happening in the photo, given it was very dark and rainy. We then briefly discussed the book Toms Cabin and the story about Eliza. After our brief discussion, we were handed the packet, which contained the chapter about the story of Eliza. We then took the remainder of class reading it. Today in class, we took our seats and we immediately asked to review the story that we read on Friday, for purposes of our discussion. In our discussion, we talked about what the story was about and how it related to the slave law. We learned how unfair it was if you indirectly helped a slave and the consequences. We then received a sheet, although we didn't go over much of it.
** Thirty day challenge- There is some bad news, I failed over this weekend to reach my goal, although I did do it today during practice. Try outs is just around the corner so, I will defiantly be succeeding in reaching my goal over the Thanksgiving break.

Summary of Class 11/14-11/15

Yesterday in class, we started of taking notes on the Missouri Compromise. We then looked at papers about the Mexican war, where the Americans fought them. Along with the papers we read, we had to fill out a sheet based on it. Each different storie had the basic concepts like the president, mexican leader, other important figures and the reason. After we filled out the sheet, we discussed what we wrote down and how it all tied together. To sum up the whole lesson, we watched a video and then took a short true or false quiz on what we listened to. Today in class, we talked about the California and the new states and how they should be settled. A slave state, a free state or a half state. A "half state" if my term for a state that has half slavery and half not because the 36 30 line splits it. I think that it should be like every other state with the 36 30 line. So people agreed with me, but others disagreed greatly. Some even said that we should have given the land back to Mexico.
** My challenge is going great! Today in basketball, I managed to get there early so that I could start on my foul shooting. As for the workout, I had basketball yesterday and today, which is enough for me.

Roger B Taney Voice Thread

Summary of Class 11/9-11/14

On Friday, we were asked to finish our work from the class before. Many of us had already finished, so we sat quietly waiting for the remaining people to finish. We then started to take notes on slavery and their escape route. We learned that the way many of them escaped, was through The Underground Railroad. Although the name sugests it was a railroad, it was actually not. It was given this name because it was a series of stops, where people would find shelter for the night, eat, and rest. The names given to the different people involved, were the same as trains. We then received a document that had different textbook definitions and descriptions about the Underground Railroad and important people. The lady who was brought up in all of these textbooks, was Harriet Tubman. We then filled out a paper, based on the accounts that we had read. Today in class, we went to the media lab in the library where we then all sat down at a computer. We were asked to go on a bit.ly website that had a map. We then filled out questions that had to do with the 1820's and the population and land area of states and territories. After we finished that sheet, we were assigned to do another paper with a similar topic.

** I surprisingly have been doing my foul shots daily, although it is extremely hard to remember.

Summary of Class 11/6-11/7

Yesterday in class we looked at different parts of the Constitution, that could in some way relate to slavery. We were assigned many different clauses through out the Constitution. With these clauses were were supposed to write down ways in which an argument could be made supporting slavery and supporting anti-slavery. Today in class, we spent mostly all of class taking notes with the main topic of slavery. These notes included King of Cotton, the cotton gin, different types of slavery, and statistics of slavery as a whole. After taking notes, we were all given a document. At the end of the document, there were questions that we had to answer based on what we had just read. There was two documents, which meant that multiple people didn't read one and vise versa on the other paper. We partnered up with a parter with a different paper and shared the information that we had received.

**Thirty dad challenge update- Yesterday I was able to complete 100 foul shots and run a mile. Today I had basketball practice, which gave me a great opportunity to shoot 100 foul shots, which I did accomplish. Given that I had practice, I did not run a mile today because I got the same amount of running in through drills and scrimmages.

Summary of Class 11/2-11/5

On friday in class, we received one of two slavery stories. Each story was about a different person and their experiences. The story I received was called "Childhood."After reading the story with our group, we were asked to put on a blank piece of paper a description, significance, a story board, and a question that any one looking at it could answer. Today in class, we were asked to fill out a ven diagram comparing and contrasting the two stories that were on the board. After we did that, we then talked about the stories as a class. Everyone then got a document that had an important person on it. We got into groups matching up with the same person. We filled out a chart that included the day the person was born, where they were born, different parts of their education, hardships throughout their life, great accomplishments, for or against slavery, and the day that they died. After that, we got into groups with people that had different people than us and we filled out our chart based on what their article said.

**Thirty day challenge update- Today although it was rather cold out, I did complete my task of 100 foul shots. Due to the temperature and the amount of homework that I was assigned, I did not get enough time to run a mile.

Thirty Day Challenge

The thirty day challenge that I am setting for myself for the next thirty days is to shoot 100 foul shots a day. Another thing that I will try to do also is to run a mile everyday and if not everyday, every other day. With basketball season just around the corner, I have started to pick up my pace in being extremely dedicated to getting in shape. I did not do a fall sport, so this is key before try-outs. The foul shot's will help me improve not only my shot, but my ability to time manage, so I get it done. Physical exercise is great for your brain and body, which is why my thirty day challenge includes it.