PSEC has been a new experience for me. I do not think I ever would have imagined learning this much. Even though I was learning at my high school and taking advances classes and passing with pretty good grades, I was not learning about myself. PSEC and Writing 101 has taught me about my writing process in ways that have helped me become a better, stronger writer.
I believe I have made a significant amount of progress since the beginning of this quarter. When I first arrived at PSEC, I was so used to the typical five paragraph essay format that had been pounded into my head for as long as I can remember, that I struggled with the first essay quite a bit. I had to relearn how to write essays to fit this new college format. So I have definitely progressed because I can now write something besides a typical high school essay. But I have also learned more about my writing style and my writing process. I do not think it has changed necessarily, but I now know what it is more and how to use that to my advantage.
I also believe that I have made considerable progress because of my performance on the final examination for Writing 101. I did find this exam quite challenging, but it did seem somewhat easier to write than the midterm. I do not think it was one of my best pieces of writing and I struggled a little trying to get started. It was easier once I was in the middle of it. The quote was a hard quote to use and it left me stuck and confused a few times but I was still able to produce a complete essay.
After taking this class, I am more aware of the specific improvements that I need to make in my writing. I am still in the process of making those improvements and changes. One of the things I need to improve on is my time management. I have formed a horrible habit of procrastinating over the years. When I procrastinate I am not able to put as much into my essays and it usually does not give me enough time to edit everything to the extent that I would like. This is the main thing that has affected my writing. For example, in my first essay on Bacon’s rebellion I did not give myself enough time before to organize all my thoughts as much as I would have liked. So I ended up rushing through the rough draft so when I went to edit it for the final I almost completely rewrote it. Another thing I still need to improve upon is my introductions and conclusions. They usually end up being kind of boring and just there for the sake of having one. I need to work on making them interesting for the reader so that they will want to keep reading. Another thing that I need to work on is hooks. “The making of America was not as simple as people coming here and settling down.” These also come across not very exciting and quite boring. I may have some things that I still need to improve but I also have some strengths that I have built upon in this class.
This class has helped me further develop some skills I already had. One of my strengths I have in my writing is having clear views and being authoritative. In the second essay we had to write I clearly stated my opinion to try and convince my “brother” to become a patriot instead of a loyalist. “It's the principle, the fact that they taxed us without our own representation. They did not have the right to do that. They have too much power over us and do not care about our rights.” I was also clear in my Bacon’s rebellion essay. I used direct quotes from my sources to clearly get my point across. I argued for my point and expanded on the quotes more in each paragraph. PSEC and Writing 101 specifically has helped me recognized these strengths and use them the best way possible.
Before PSEC, I was just like every other typical high schooler, taking all the basic classes and doing assignments to get by, not because I really cared. Now I am learning new things about myself and my work all the time, like how I learn and how I write. Also, I am being put in new situations that are changing me, I believe, for the better.
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
PORTFOLIO: ESSAY #1
“The poverty of the country is such that all the power and sway has got into the hands of the rich, who by extortious advantages, having the common people in their debt, have always curbed and oppressed them in all manner of ways.” The making of America was not as simple as people coming here and settling down. There were natives that had already claimed the land for themselves. Bacon's rebellion is all about ownership. Who has the right to what land. If there were only one class of people, there would have been no rebellion. Bacon’s rebellion was brought on by the differences in the classes of the Chesapeake colonies.
Until mid-century, classes were not separated by how much money you had, but by whether you were free or not. Towards the later half of the century, three changes in the economy occurred that changed the social classes. First, tobacco prices decreased because so much of it was being exported that it became less of a luxury. This made it harder for freed servants to save up enough money to buy their own land. Second, the mortality rate in the Chesapeake lowered, so more servants survived their indentures, leading to more free landless men. Finally, since the mortality rate was declining, planters lived longer so they had more time to make money and become wealthier. This created a planters elite (3). I agree that this would cause a gap in society. When the poor are not getting money as fast and the rich are getting more money faster then it makes sense that that would cause a gap. But I don’t think money was the only reason that the two social classes grew farther apart. I think it was also their view on the Native Americans. Since the two classes had different ideas about the Indians it pushed them apart even more. Because people with the same views and opinions, generally, clump together.
The elite farmers operated off of their own selfish motives. They did not care so much about the little amount of land available because they already had their land and were making a good profit off of it (2). It was the landless farmers that were trying to find land to buy and could not find it because of Berkeley’s loyalties to the Native Americans (4). Because of this, the lower class thought that the elite farmers were operating the government for their own gain because they did not do anything about the lessening amount of free land on the western frontier (4). I believe the landless farmers have a right to be angry because the elite were operating in a way that only benefited them personally. The friendship with the Native Americans was going good for the elite farmers so they were okay with it and did not plan to change it. But I also believe that the landless farmers took it a little too far with the rebellion, even if they did get their point across. In the end Governor Berkeley and the elite had to choose “the lesser of two evils”.
Bacon’s rebellion really pushed the switch from indentured servants to African slaves. Although the grandees still remained in power of the council, the tension between the two classes lessened, but the tensions between races increased (3). Some believe this is because after the rebellion, most planters and land owners made the switch to African slaves instead of indentured servants (2). I agree with this statement because after Bacon’s rebellion I would understand why farmers would not want indentured servants because they would be afraid of them rebelling or causing trouble once their indentures were over. So with the increase of African slaves that created a new lower class. Berkeley and the elite society realized that keeping a friendly relationship with their fellow white men was more important than their relationships with the Native Americans (3). This was a smart decision on their part because there were not as many of the natives and the farmers were not going to be shoved aside. Also, if they were trying to build a colony then they’re going to want to expand so they’re going to want those farmers to find land so that they can expand their colony.
There are still situations like this today. At first, the elite sided with the Indians because they benefited more since they were able to trade with them and for protection against hostile tribes (3). Just like today the bigger companies are hiring more immigrants because it benefits them since they can do the same amount of labor and the same quality for cheaper than if they hired the average American citizen. This is because the immigrants will accept the lower paying jobs.The debate over ownership fueled Bacon’s rebellion. The landless farmers wanted land so that they could make money of their own and settle down. Governor Berkeley and the elite farmers wanted to keep their relationship with the Indians for trade and protection, but also wanted to keep their relationship with the poorer, lower class. The landless farmers were trying to push for a decision that was in their interest so they decided to act. In the aftermath of the rebellion, the differences between the classes decreased and the differences between races increased as more African slaves were sold instead of indentured servants. Bacon's rebellion was a major part in forming the future Chesapeake society.
(1) http://caho-test.cc.columbia.edu/sim/15005.html
(2) http://www.bookrags.com/research/bacons-rebellion-aaw-01/
(3) The American Promise
Until mid-century, classes were not separated by how much money you had, but by whether you were free or not. Towards the later half of the century, three changes in the economy occurred that changed the social classes. First, tobacco prices decreased because so much of it was being exported that it became less of a luxury. This made it harder for freed servants to save up enough money to buy their own land. Second, the mortality rate in the Chesapeake lowered, so more servants survived their indentures, leading to more free landless men. Finally, since the mortality rate was declining, planters lived longer so they had more time to make money and become wealthier. This created a planters elite (3). I agree that this would cause a gap in society. When the poor are not getting money as fast and the rich are getting more money faster then it makes sense that that would cause a gap. But I don’t think money was the only reason that the two social classes grew farther apart. I think it was also their view on the Native Americans. Since the two classes had different ideas about the Indians it pushed them apart even more. Because people with the same views and opinions, generally, clump together.
The elite farmers operated off of their own selfish motives. They did not care so much about the little amount of land available because they already had their land and were making a good profit off of it (2). It was the landless farmers that were trying to find land to buy and could not find it because of Berkeley’s loyalties to the Native Americans (4). Because of this, the lower class thought that the elite farmers were operating the government for their own gain because they did not do anything about the lessening amount of free land on the western frontier (4). I believe the landless farmers have a right to be angry because the elite were operating in a way that only benefited them personally. The friendship with the Native Americans was going good for the elite farmers so they were okay with it and did not plan to change it. But I also believe that the landless farmers took it a little too far with the rebellion, even if they did get their point across. In the end Governor Berkeley and the elite had to choose “the lesser of two evils”.
Bacon’s rebellion really pushed the switch from indentured servants to African slaves. Although the grandees still remained in power of the council, the tension between the two classes lessened, but the tensions between races increased (3). Some believe this is because after the rebellion, most planters and land owners made the switch to African slaves instead of indentured servants (2). I agree with this statement because after Bacon’s rebellion I would understand why farmers would not want indentured servants because they would be afraid of them rebelling or causing trouble once their indentures were over. So with the increase of African slaves that created a new lower class. Berkeley and the elite society realized that keeping a friendly relationship with their fellow white men was more important than their relationships with the Native Americans (3). This was a smart decision on their part because there were not as many of the natives and the farmers were not going to be shoved aside. Also, if they were trying to build a colony then they’re going to want to expand so they’re going to want those farmers to find land so that they can expand their colony.
There are still situations like this today. At first, the elite sided with the Indians because they benefited more since they were able to trade with them and for protection against hostile tribes (3). Just like today the bigger companies are hiring more immigrants because it benefits them since they can do the same amount of labor and the same quality for cheaper than if they hired the average American citizen. This is because the immigrants will accept the lower paying jobs.The debate over ownership fueled Bacon’s rebellion. The landless farmers wanted land so that they could make money of their own and settle down. Governor Berkeley and the elite farmers wanted to keep their relationship with the Indians for trade and protection, but also wanted to keep their relationship with the poorer, lower class. The landless farmers were trying to push for a decision that was in their interest so they decided to act. In the aftermath of the rebellion, the differences between the classes decreased and the differences between races increased as more African slaves were sold instead of indentured servants. Bacon's rebellion was a major part in forming the future Chesapeake society.
(1) http://caho-test.cc.columbia.edu/sim/15005.html
(2) http://www.bookrags.com/research/bacons-rebellion-aaw-01/
(3) The American Promise
PORTFOLIO: ESSAY #2
Dear William,
I hope you are well in these times of turmoil. I am sorry to hear that your business is not going well. It is just another reason for us to end this war and separate from Britain. I do not understand why you are so afraid of becoming free and ruling ourselves. We do not need Britain to sustain us. All they have done is violate our rights and force us to start this horrible war.
Jacob left to help our brothers quite a while ago and I miss him terribly. I receive letters from him occasionally and he is doing well. I have had to take over all of the duties on the farm, which has not become uncommon around here. Some of the other women in town often come together and we discuss matters as if we were parliament.
You are not the only one who is still fooled by His Majesty’s illusions. There are many others here who believe that letting them take our rights is equal to the so called “protection” they give us. They have fooled some into believing that their “protection” is worth all the rights they take from us. Well who is going to protect us from them? The British make all these promises and give us supposed “rights”, but then they tax us without representation and do not give us the rights that our ancestors were given. The tax is only part of the problem. It's the principle, the fact that they taxed us without our own representation. They did not have the right to do that. They have too much power over us and do not care about our rights.
I fear for myself with my husband gone. The soldiers just barge into the house and demand food and lodging without any kind words. I know we need to be independent from Britain and that it is the best thing for us. I just can’t believe that you would believe that anyone that uses their authority that way would benefit us. And yet England does not see value in us enough to respect the rights that were initially given to us.
I know you believe that our resistance is worthless and we are only wasting our time trying to fight the most powerful nation in the world. But these are our rights, our freedom that we must claim for our own. We should be able to make our own laws and tax ourselves. And that money should go to us. They take away more freedoms than they let us keep, and how do we know if those are guaranteed? Yes, we have a lot of new, free land, but we do not need Britain to tell us what we can take for our own. That is simply opportunity, not freedom. I really wish you could understand this, brother. I know you want to remain loyal to the king but I strongly urge you to change your mind.
Well I wish for this letter to find you well. I am very concerned for you and pray for you everyday. Let me know if you ever need a favor. I will try and do all that I can for you. I hope that your business keeps you well sustained until we have our freedom. Then I promise you that you will prosper like never before. I speak the truth and I hope you will see that. I will write often.
Your dearest sister,
Elizabeth Bailey
Sources:
1)The American Promise text book
2)Paris Peace Treaty of 1783 (http://moe.ic.highline.edu:2048/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip&db=a9h&AN=21212324&site=ehost-live&scope=site)
3)Is Patriotism A Mistake? (http://moe.ic.highline.edu:2048/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip&db=a9h&AN=4012279&site=ehost-live&scope=site)
I hope you are well in these times of turmoil. I am sorry to hear that your business is not going well. It is just another reason for us to end this war and separate from Britain. I do not understand why you are so afraid of becoming free and ruling ourselves. We do not need Britain to sustain us. All they have done is violate our rights and force us to start this horrible war.
Jacob left to help our brothers quite a while ago and I miss him terribly. I receive letters from him occasionally and he is doing well. I have had to take over all of the duties on the farm, which has not become uncommon around here. Some of the other women in town often come together and we discuss matters as if we were parliament.
You are not the only one who is still fooled by His Majesty’s illusions. There are many others here who believe that letting them take our rights is equal to the so called “protection” they give us. They have fooled some into believing that their “protection” is worth all the rights they take from us. Well who is going to protect us from them? The British make all these promises and give us supposed “rights”, but then they tax us without representation and do not give us the rights that our ancestors were given. The tax is only part of the problem. It's the principle, the fact that they taxed us without our own representation. They did not have the right to do that. They have too much power over us and do not care about our rights.
I fear for myself with my husband gone. The soldiers just barge into the house and demand food and lodging without any kind words. I know we need to be independent from Britain and that it is the best thing for us. I just can’t believe that you would believe that anyone that uses their authority that way would benefit us. And yet England does not see value in us enough to respect the rights that were initially given to us.
I know you believe that our resistance is worthless and we are only wasting our time trying to fight the most powerful nation in the world. But these are our rights, our freedom that we must claim for our own. We should be able to make our own laws and tax ourselves. And that money should go to us. They take away more freedoms than they let us keep, and how do we know if those are guaranteed? Yes, we have a lot of new, free land, but we do not need Britain to tell us what we can take for our own. That is simply opportunity, not freedom. I really wish you could understand this, brother. I know you want to remain loyal to the king but I strongly urge you to change your mind.
Well I wish for this letter to find you well. I am very concerned for you and pray for you everyday. Let me know if you ever need a favor. I will try and do all that I can for you. I hope that your business keeps you well sustained until we have our freedom. Then I promise you that you will prosper like never before. I speak the truth and I hope you will see that. I will write often.
Your dearest sister,
Elizabeth Bailey
Sources:
1)The American Promise text book
2)Paris Peace Treaty of 1783 (http://moe.ic.highline.edu:2048/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip&db=a9h&AN=21212324&site=ehost-live&scope=site)
3)Is Patriotism A Mistake? (http://moe.ic.highline.edu:2048/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip&db=a9h&AN=4012279&site=ehost-live&scope=site)
Monday, December 10, 2007
PORTFOLIO: FINAL EXAM
“Why [consider history]? Simple because I am interested in the past? No, if one means by that […] a history of the past in terms of the present. Yes, if one means […] the history of the present.” This quote is by Michel Foucault, a French philosopher. He was very interested in the history of ideas and the system of thought. In this quote, Foucault presents a theory about history in terms of the present.
I think Foucault’s theory is to reflect back on the past and having that be history and how that will affect the present and the future. We need to study history not only just by reading about it, but we also need to think about how that reflects in the present. Connections can often be found between events in history and events now. If while studying it is considered how that reflects onto current issues it often makes it easier to understand the past.
This can applied in my history class. When studying the topics of this class, it made it easier to understand the motives, arguments, and interests of the people and groups of the past when they were related to motives, arguments, and interests of the present. This works because we understand the current issues because they are real to us and are about issues that concern us. We are not in the mindset of the past. Things that were important to them may no longer be important to us. Therefore, we do not understand their point of view.
Another part to this theory is not only relating the past to the present, but also the affects of the past on the present. How the past event affected the present and how the present event will affect the future. In my writing class I did pretty badly on the first essay but I went back and looked at it and did better on the second essay. My mistakes in the past affected how I wrote my second essay because I tried not to make the same mistakes and I did end up doing better. I have been trying to do that with all of my assignments. Looking back at my mistakes and then trying not to make those mistakes again so that I will gradually progress and have no mistakes in the future.
I do not think that my learning would have been that different with a different answer to Foucault’s question. It could have possibly been different for history because it would have made the class harder for me and it would have made some of the topics we went over harder to understand. I do not think that it would have changed my learning in writing though. When you make a mistake, you naturally learn from that mistake, at least I do. I think it is just natural to get better at things once you do them several times and make mistakes and have problems. Although, making an effort to not make the same mistakes again does help your progress.
Michel Foucault’s theory is about the past, the present and history. How we should relate the past to the present and then look at the affects of the past and project that into the future. This theory applies to my class experiences and will apply in the future also. Time is never-ending so there will always be a past, present, and future and there will always be
history.
Friday, December 7, 2007
Portfolio Reflection Letter Rough Draft
PSEC has been a new experience for me. I do not think I ever would have imagined learning this much. Even though I was learning at my high school and taking advances classes and passing with pretty good grades, I was not learning about myself. PSEC and Writing 101 has taught me about my writing process in ways that have helped me become a better, stronger writer.
I believe I have made a significant amount of progress since the beginning of this quarter. When I first arrived at PSEC, I was so used to the typical five paragraph essay format that had been pounded into my head for as long as I can remember, that I struggled with the first essay quite a bit. I had to relearn how to write essays to fit this new college format. So I have definitely progressed because I can now write something besides a typical high school essay. But I have also learned more about my writing style and my writing process. I do not think it has changed necessarily, but I now know what it is more and how to use that to my advantage.
After taking this class, I am more aware of the specific improvements that I need to make in my writing. I am still in the process of making those improvements and changes. One of the things I need to improve on is my time management. I have formed a horrible habit of procrastinating over the years. When I procrastinate I am not able to put as much into my essays and it usually does not give me enough time to edit everything to the extent that I would like. This is the main thing that has affected my writing. For example, in my first essay on Bacon’s rebellion I did not give myself enough time before to organize all my thoughts as much as I would have liked. So I ended up rushing through the rough draft so when I went to edit it for the final I almost completely rewrote it. Another thing I still need to improve upon is my introductions and conclusions. They usually end up being kind of boring and just there for the sake of having one. I need to work on making them interesting for the reader so that they will want to keep reading. I may have some things that I still need to improve but I also have some strengths that I have built upon in this class.
This class has helped me further develop some skills I already had. One of these skills is being able to work in a group. In our third essay when we worked in groups to write our essays I think I did a good job of contributing to the group and providing my thoughts and suggestions. I wrote my part of the essay on what we had agreed upon and got along with my group members well. Another strength I have in my writing is having clear views and being authoritative. In my Bacon’s rebellion essay I used direct quotes from my sources to clearly get my point across. I argued for my point and expanded on the quotes more in each paragraph. PSEC and Writing 101 specifically has helped me recognized these strengths and use them the best way possible.
Before PSEC, I was just like every other typical high schooler, taking all the basic classes and doing assignments to get by, not because I really cared. Now I am learning new things about myself and my work all the time, like how I learn and how I write. Also, I am being put in new situations that are changing me, I believe, for the better.
I believe I have made a significant amount of progress since the beginning of this quarter. When I first arrived at PSEC, I was so used to the typical five paragraph essay format that had been pounded into my head for as long as I can remember, that I struggled with the first essay quite a bit. I had to relearn how to write essays to fit this new college format. So I have definitely progressed because I can now write something besides a typical high school essay. But I have also learned more about my writing style and my writing process. I do not think it has changed necessarily, but I now know what it is more and how to use that to my advantage.
After taking this class, I am more aware of the specific improvements that I need to make in my writing. I am still in the process of making those improvements and changes. One of the things I need to improve on is my time management. I have formed a horrible habit of procrastinating over the years. When I procrastinate I am not able to put as much into my essays and it usually does not give me enough time to edit everything to the extent that I would like. This is the main thing that has affected my writing. For example, in my first essay on Bacon’s rebellion I did not give myself enough time before to organize all my thoughts as much as I would have liked. So I ended up rushing through the rough draft so when I went to edit it for the final I almost completely rewrote it. Another thing I still need to improve upon is my introductions and conclusions. They usually end up being kind of boring and just there for the sake of having one. I need to work on making them interesting for the reader so that they will want to keep reading. I may have some things that I still need to improve but I also have some strengths that I have built upon in this class.
This class has helped me further develop some skills I already had. One of these skills is being able to work in a group. In our third essay when we worked in groups to write our essays I think I did a good job of contributing to the group and providing my thoughts and suggestions. I wrote my part of the essay on what we had agreed upon and got along with my group members well. Another strength I have in my writing is having clear views and being authoritative. In my Bacon’s rebellion essay I used direct quotes from my sources to clearly get my point across. I argued for my point and expanded on the quotes more in each paragraph. PSEC and Writing 101 specifically has helped me recognized these strengths and use them the best way possible.
Before PSEC, I was just like every other typical high schooler, taking all the basic classes and doing assignments to get by, not because I really cared. Now I am learning new things about myself and my work all the time, like how I learn and how I write. Also, I am being put in new situations that are changing me, I believe, for the better.
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
AOD #10
On Monday, we have our debate in Craig and Ben’s class. We were in groups of four and each were assigned a state to represent. We were debating over the ratification of the Constitution. Each group researched the position of their state and fought for that position in the debate. I thought this was a good example of public judgment. We were making a decision to ratify the Constitution or not. We did an initial vote and then we voted again after the debate. As a whole, we made the decision to ratify the Constitution.
I thought this was public judgment because we were making a decision and we were allowed to vote and make the choice as to whether we wanted to ratify the Constitution or not. Also, each state had to be willing to make the Constitution work and be willing to work with all the other states.
I thought this was public judgment because we were making a decision and we were allowed to vote and make the choice as to whether we wanted to ratify the Constitution or not. Also, each state had to be willing to make the Constitution work and be willing to work with all the other states.
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