EdCafe Reflection: Yea or Nay?

The EdCafe was an interesting new experience to discuss topics. Instead of simply having one large class discussion, where few people were able to talk, 12 individual discussions took place, 4 at a time. This allowed people to be present at a total of 3 conversations (one of which they led). These types of discussions fostered a more open and lively conversation than a massive class discussion. The smaller groups of 4-6 people allowed people to contribute more freely. I enjoyed that the students were allowed to choose the EdCafe that they wished to attend for each time block, this meant that no one was forced into a conversation where they had little to say. To make the discussion better for the future, it would be helpful for each set of group leaders to come with visuals such as this diagram.

Venn Diagram used by Ellie and Simone to help present

Visuals would allow people to focus more on the discussion, and not have to stop constantly to take notes.

When Thomas and I presented, it went quite well, a hearty discussion was present for the entire time allotted for the EdCafe. There was little down time, where people were waiting for the next discussion question or there was nothing to talk about. The discussion questions which Thomas and I prepared were interesting and unique, so there was not much repetition from other discussions. Our discussion, and way of leading it fostered a friendly environment where all members felt free to talk, no one person was dominating the discussion. One thing that I would like to improve for next time is using a visual to aid in the discussion. I felt that the need to note-take was detracting from the depth and vibrance of the discussion. If we used a Venn-diagram or other note-taking visual, the members of the discussion would have been able to just take a picture of it after the discussion.

I was a good attendee at the two discussions I participated in. I was prepared for each discussion because I read the narrative which the discussion was about, and came to the discussion with a good knowledge of the narrative. I contributed when it was fit for me to contribute, but I tried not to dominate any discussion I was in by talking too much. Sadly, I do not think that my notes were an accurate representation of what I learned at the discussion. I was more focused on the discussion itself, and I did not wish to take away from the discussion by stopping every 30 seconds to type up notes on what was just talked about. If I had stopped often to take notes, I would have been less productive in the discussion. Overall I was pleased with the EdCafe format of discussion, and I hope to continue doing discussions in this manner in the future.

The Not-So-Anti-Slavery North

It is often assumed by many Americans, specifically people in the northern states, that in Antebellum America the northerners were against slavery. However, this is not the case. Many northerners supported slavery based on economic grounds. Some northerners relied directly on slavery for their income.
One family, the DeWolfs, out of Rhode Island were one of the leading families in the slave trade. From the year 1769 to just before the civil war, more than 10,000 free Africans were brought into the country on DeWolf ships. The importation of slaves was outlawed in 1808, but the DeWolf family was so powerful that they had influence with the president and were able to continue their business. The DeWolfs developed a triangle route of trading that involved Rhode Island, Cuba, and the African coast. They were trading rum and slaves and reaping a massive profit. This family of northerners were clearly not against slavery, they were supporting its continuation by illegally bringing more slaves into America, and continuing to sell them. This economic dependence on slavery by northerners led to many northerners resisting abolitionist movements.

This chart shows how the economy of Lowell was dependent on slave labor. The textile factories were completely dependent on the cotton that was harvested by slaves. The slave population can be seen to clearly coincide with a dramatic increase in jobs in the Lowell mills, and an increase in cloth production in Lowell. This means that the more slaves that were brought into the united states resulted in a greater profit for the owners of the mills and more jobs for the lower class workers. This means that the jobs of the workers depended on the slavery of millions of blacks. 

This broadside from a Public Meeting in Lowell is strongly advocating against slavery. The persons at this meeting claimed that they are against abolition because they believe that it is an "infraction of their [southerners] rights". The glaring irony in this statement is ridiculous. The people of Lowell are so concerned for the rights of the southerners, but what about the rights of the millions of blacks who are enslaved? The first signer of this broadside is none other than Kirk Boot, an owner of a mill in Lowell. 

Although some citizens of the north were against slavery on moral grounds, much of the population depended on slavery for their welfare and therefore supported slavery. The perception of a "morally superior" north is definitely not true.

Pictures: 

http://www.edline.net/files/_wdH6e_/044829789f60d8f83745a49013852ec4/Unit_4_Activity_5_Doc_8_Broadside.pdf

http://www.edline.net/files/_wdH5g_/e9aa25b9887eebbc3745a49013852ec4/Unit_4_Activity_5_Doc_2_Cotton_Prod_v_Slave_Pop.pdf

Nineteenth Century Protestant Revival

The protestant revival caused a great renewal of love for god in the common people of the time. The new ideas of revivalists appealed to many people. One method of getting this new message out to the masses was by having massive "camp meetings." These were events in which a stage was built, and a preacher would spout holy fire for thousands of listeners to hear. These events could last days, and even as long as a week in some cases.

Religious Camp Meeting
By J. Maze Burbank, 1839

J. Maze Burbank was an artist of relatively high esteem at the time. He exhibited this watercolor in the Royal Society in London. However, it is unknown what specific preacher this was, when it occurred or where it occurred. Because the creator of this painting had no known religious bias, it is assumed that he was painting this from a neutral point of view. Burbank described the watercolor as, "a camp meeting, or religious revival in America, from a sketch taken on the spot." When this painting was produced, the Protestant Revival was sweeping across the nation, and especially in the Northeast. Preachers and revivalists such as Lyman Beecher and Charles Grandison Finney were important figures in the revival movement. We can see from this painting that the speakers at the camp meetings were very powerful and sent a strong message. There are people in the crowd weeping, rejoicing and everywhere in between. However, this painting shows just one camp meeting, and there were likely hundreds throughout the protestant revival movement. We are not able to see whether all camp meetings were so emotional as this one. The author was not trying to convince us of anything, for he was simply recording the events that transcribed at this event.

J. Maze Burbank, Religious Camp Meeting, Watercolor, 1839, Old Dartmouth Historical Society-New Bedford Whaling Museum, New Bedford, Massachusetts

Andrew Jackson: Democratic or Not?

Andrew Jackson The Great Father of The Indians

This painting is a satire on the removal of indians during the Jackson administration. The controversy of Indian Removal first arose when the Americans were "running out of room" in the east. The American leaders, including President Jackson believed that they needed to expand to the west in order for the United states to continue to grow. Jackson also said that America would be better off with white people throughout, instead of the "savages" (native americans) who currently live there. Andrew Jackson tells the indians that it would be in their best interests to leave where they are and head farther west. He tells them that the migration would be voluntary, but in reality he forces them to leave. Some tribes that refuse to leave have to be shut out and destroyed by Jackson. However, from the point of view of the indians, specifically the Cherokee, this is an unfair proposal. They have already taken many steps to integrate into the American society, and they have not broken any laws or infringed on other people's rights. They wish to remain on the lands that their ancestors have lived on for countless generations. Finally, they raise the point that the land in the west will be unsuitable for the Cherokee lifestyle, and they will be in danger. However, Jackson is ignorant of this fact, and forces the indians to leave along the "trail of tears." Along this "trail of tears," over 2000 Cherokees died, and they were forced to walk hundreds of miles. Throughout this whole ordeal, Jackson claimed that he was acting like the "Great white father" to the natives. It is unclear whether he was delusional in thinking that he was helping the natives, or if he was just trying to maintain his democratic image with the American people.
This artist seems to be portraying Jackson in exactly the way that Jackson thinks he is treating the indian people. However, the scene is so childish, that it seems that the artist is poking fun at Jackson's idea of being a "Great father" to the indians. In my opinion, Andrew Jackson definitely does not deserve the "people's president" reputation that he has. He treated the Cherokees and other indian groups brutally, and essentially deported them to a strange land. Although this may have been good for the whites of America, a true democracy includes everyone, and is fair and equal to all. This was clearly not the case in Jacksonian America.

Nineteenth Century American Democracy

Although America has long been portrayed as a "beacon of democracy," The United States was not always as democratic as it is today. As a fledgling country, America was far from a true democracy.
According to Merriam-Webster, the definition of democracy is:
"1: a form of government in which people choose leaders by voting
2: an organization or situation in which everyone is treated equally and has equal rights"
This is a good definition for democracy, however it is vital that the second part of this definition be followed strictly to maintain a true democracy. All people, no matter what the social or economic class, should have the same rights as all other people. Someone's beliefs or their appearance should not govern how they are treated. However, these things were often not the case in the early stages of American democracy.
In the 19th century, The United States were not completely democratic. In a 1852 painting by George Bingam, he depicts some of the flaws of the American "democratic" election system.

The County Election - George Bingam, 1852

One flaw portrayed in this painting is the presence of the men up for election. He is standing next to the voting stand and attempting to convince the voters to vote for him. Another flaw with this system is that people are forced to say their votes out loud, and that they are not sure that the name that they say is actually being written down. The man in the red shirt in the top/middle of the painting is saying his choice, and the men on the porch to the right are writing down his vote. One vital part of this painting is the man in the bottom right. He is slumped over and has a bandage, as if he was just in a fight. This shows that even though the system is democratic and is supposed to please everyone, it is not always peaceful and people do get hurt. Finally, only men are present in this picture, showing that women were not allowed to vote, or take any part in the "democratic" process.
The democracy of 19th century America was also restricted by strict voting regulations. In order to vote, one must: be white, be a male, and must own $50 of property. This vastly restricted the amount of people who could vote. In 1816, presidential electors were not elected by the people, they were all elected by legislature, therefore making the government highly undemocratic. Through time, however more states began to have the electors chosen by people's vote. By 1836, all electors were elected by the people, except in South Carolina. The American "democratic" system was far from democratic in the 19th century. There were many restrictions in voting that made it so that only certain few people could vote.

Romanticsim

Pilgrim in a Rocky Valley
Carl Gustav 1820

Romanticism was a cultural and artistic movement during the nineteenth and early eighteenth centuries. Romanticism led to developments in literature, music and visual arts due to reactions to the order imposed in the enlightenment. There were five main artistic focuses of the enlightenment: awe of nature, emotion, importance of individual, grotesque/horrific, and irrationality.
This painting is a prime example of Romantic ideals. This painting shows: awe of nature, importance of the individual, emotion, and irrationality. Awe of nature is shown in the way that the landscape is depicted. The walls of the valley are fantastic and awe-inspiring; they are massive and looming. The star in the sky adds to the beauty of nature. Importance of the individual is shown by the sole pilgrim in the painting, he is the clear focus of this painting. Emotion is invoked by this painting by the humbling size and scale of the mountains. This makes the observer feel small, but also makes them appreciate nature. The pilgrim in the middle of the painting appears to be motionless, almost as if reflecting on himself. Irrationality is shown by the presence of the pilgrim in this seemingly isolated valley. What is he doing there? How did he get there?

Revolutions of 1830 and 1848

Most of the revolutions of 1830 and 1848 were failures, just as most historians conclude. Nearly every rebellion was crushed, and any gains made during the revolutions were lost. Thousands of rebels, and government forces lost their lives in bloody, unproductive wars.
One of these such wars was the Hungarian Revolution of 1848. This revolution was led by Louis Kossuth, and consisted primarily of Hungarian students and young adults rebelling against the foreign Austrian rule. The revolution gained ground temporarily, when Metternich was forced to flee Austria. When this happened, the Austrian emperor was forced to concede to the requests of the rebels. This revolution was powered by a strong nationalist movement, this is an excerpt from the Hungarian National song, "We truly swear the tyrant's yoke/ No more to bear!/ A miserable wretch is he/ Whofears to die, my land, for thee!/ His worthless life who thinks to be/ Worthmore than thou, sweet liberty!" This fierce nationalism, led by Kossuth did not last forever. The Russian Tzar used the principle of intervention and assisted the Austrians in crushing the rebellion.

This shows Russia and Austria "Overwhelming the Hydra of the Revolution"

The country was reverted almost entirely back to how it was pre-revolution, however, Metternich never did return to power. The revolution was rated to be a 2/5 on the success scale.
http://www.educreations.com/lesson/view/hungarian-revolution/13391210/?s=yyxHk3&ref=app

Another rebellion was the Frankfurt Assembly of 1848-49, this rebellion was a liberal, nationalist movement. The rebellion was against the conservative government and forces of Fredrick William IV of Germany. The rebellion was very successful for almost a year, a constitutional monarchy was established. However, after some time, Fredrick William IV rejected the constitution and put down the rebellion. Many people either died, were imprisoned, or fled the country. This image shows that Fredrick William did not believe that a piece of paper should diminish his power.

The Frankfurt Assembly was temporarily successful, but it was eventually crushed and all change accomplished was reverted, so it was rated a 2.5/5 on the success scale.

Yet another rebellion was the Decembrist Revolt of 1825. This revolution took place in Russia. The goals of this revolution were to make the system of rule more liberal, a written constitution, and social reform. However, their opponents, Tzar Nicholas and the Russian government had other things in mind. Tzar Nicholas says, “The leaders and the instigators of the conspiracy will be dealt with without pity, without mercy.  The law demands retribution and, in their cases, I will not use my power to grant mercy.  I will be unbending; it is my duty to give this lesson to Russia and to Europe.” The revolution was a complete failure, nearly all of the rebels are killed and the Russian Government instates even tighter restrictions. The revolution was poorly planned and spontaneous, this caused it to be stopped easily. This revolution was rated a 0.5/5.