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.