Friday, October 23, 2009
Thursday, October 1, 2009
R. Wood's The war for independence was a social Revolution
Gordon Wood, “The War for Independence was a Social Revolution.” R.
After reading this provoking piece, my eyes were found skimming the pages of a dictionary. What is a revolution anyway? According to Mr. Webster, a revolution is “a sudden, radical, or complete change…a fundamental change in the way of thinking or visualizing something” (Revolution.) I would have to agree with Wood’s thoughts on the definition of a revolution because there are not a number of casualties or certain social conditions required to have revolution take place. This in fact was not the case for America, as Wood points out, there was no social unrest, no internal violence, nothing that would scream revolution to the average person. Focusing on the “change in the way of thinking and visualizing..” definition, America demonstrates a significant change in their social relationships. The American Revolution changed relationships, and is easily identified in the relationship of Southern people and their slaves. The revolution brought about a new idea that excluded dependency and slavery was an institution that was defined by a plantation owner’s dependency on slaves for manual labor. When people realized this, they became more apt to the thought of individual, working, independent people. This caused a major shift in thinking for those slaves, because they thought if all this change was occurring maybe the Declaration’s “all men created equal…” would apply to them as well. The immediate effects were not seen for that particular generation, but it started the initiative that would get that idea into the minds of Americans. One rather timely effect was the anti-slavery system in Philadelphia in 1775, which proves Wood’s thesis to the link of the revolution being social (Wood.) Later, this initial thought would create the origins of a very bloody battle, the Civil War and that would not have happened if it weren’t for this social revolution. In terms of the women living at this time, Wood explains why it was a social revolution for them as well. America was switching from a patriarchal society and women began, like the slaves, to think for themselves and gradually get up the courage and organization to demand rights denied to them previously. The social revolution created a sense for equality of all Americans, and it turned a previously broken and doubtful string of state/colonies into the idea of becoming a nation, the idea of becoming one. People like John Locke and his views on liberalism and natural rights and Thomas Paine’s Common Sense led the public intellectually to become more adjusted to the idea of an union. These new forms of literature would also help define a new American culture, one they could call their own, that did not imitate the British. These helped to support the thought of a separate, unified, and independent nation. Mentally and intellectually, people residing in this land called America wanted a new place they could adapt to and be unique in, which is why they left England originally. They wanted to get away from all the religious persecution and monarchial society and wanted away from England. Wood is completely qualified in his argument to why the revolution was social because it clearly was not one of great political and economic change, and it changed the minds of all Americans. The Civil War, Benjamin Franklin’s Join or Die campaign, women’s’ demands for rights, are absolute events that occurred because of the intellectual uprising of the revolution. Now that the “filial allegiance, mutual obligations between the rulers and the ruled, and the talk of paternal government,” was done, Americans were excited to take on the responsibility and the privilege they well deserved to transform themselves into a great unified nation, and as Wood states, it is because of this American, social Revolution, “that it was the revolution, more than any other single event, that made America into the most liberal, democratic, and modern nation in the world” (Wood.)
“Revolution.” Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. 2009.
Merriam-Webster Online. 1 October 2009
Wood, Gordon. “The War for Independence was a Social Revolution.”
Catie Schmitz
After reading this provoking piece, my eyes were found skimming the pages of a dictionary. What is a revolution anyway? According to Mr. Webster, a revolution is “a sudden, radical, or complete change…a fundamental change in the way of thinking or visualizing something” (Revolution.) I would have to agree with Wood’s thoughts on the definition of a revolution because there are not a number of casualties or certain social conditions required to have revolution take place. This in fact was not the case for America, as Wood points out, there was no social unrest, no internal violence, nothing that would scream revolution to the average person. Focusing on the “change in the way of thinking and visualizing..” definition, America demonstrates a significant change in their social relationships. The American Revolution changed relationships, and is easily identified in the relationship of Southern people and their slaves. The revolution brought about a new idea that excluded dependency and slavery was an institution that was defined by a plantation owner’s dependency on slaves for manual labor. When people realized this, they became more apt to the thought of individual, working, independent people. This caused a major shift in thinking for those slaves, because they thought if all this change was occurring maybe the Declaration’s “all men created equal…” would apply to them as well. The immediate effects were not seen for that particular generation, but it started the initiative that would get that idea into the minds of Americans. One rather timely effect was the anti-slavery system in Philadelphia in 1775, which proves Wood’s thesis to the link of the revolution being social (Wood.) Later, this initial thought would create the origins of a very bloody battle, the Civil War and that would not have happened if it weren’t for this social revolution. In terms of the women living at this time, Wood explains why it was a social revolution for them as well. America was switching from a patriarchal society and women began, like the slaves, to think for themselves and gradually get up the courage and organization to demand rights denied to them previously. The social revolution created a sense for equality of all Americans, and it turned a previously broken and doubtful string of state/colonies into the idea of becoming a nation, the idea of becoming one. People like John Locke and his views on liberalism and natural rights and Thomas Paine’s Common Sense led the public intellectually to become more adjusted to the idea of an union. These new forms of literature would also help define a new American culture, one they could call their own, that did not imitate the British. These helped to support the thought of a separate, unified, and independent nation. Mentally and intellectually, people residing in this land called America wanted a new place they could adapt to and be unique in, which is why they left England originally. They wanted to get away from all the religious persecution and monarchial society and wanted away from England. Wood is completely qualified in his argument to why the revolution was social because it clearly was not one of great political and economic change, and it changed the minds of all Americans. The Civil War, Benjamin Franklin’s Join or Die campaign, women’s’ demands for rights, are absolute events that occurred because of the intellectual uprising of the revolution. Now that the “filial allegiance, mutual obligations between the rulers and the ruled, and the talk of paternal government,” was done, Americans were excited to take on the responsibility and the privilege they well deserved to transform themselves into a great unified nation, and as Wood states, it is because of this American, social Revolution, “that it was the revolution, more than any other single event, that made America into the most liberal, democratic, and modern nation in the world” (Wood.)
“Revolution.” Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. 2009.
Merriam-Webster Online. 1 October 2009
Wood, Gordon. “The War for Independence was a Social Revolution.”
Catie Schmitz
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Catie Schmitz
Chapter Notes for Chapter 19 “Surprises”
Quotes from Helen Keller and Emma Goldman, suggest that even after a time when women gained the right to vote, their subordinate conditions seldom changed.
From an article in a magazine in the early 1930’s, it describes lists of items necessary in order for women to be physically acceptable, which I think could be argued as a beginning to the reasoning in why society today, it is assumed and completely accepted that females are focused only around their appearances and associated with the growing industry of hair products and cosmetics.
Women are used for manual labor much more often than men yet, in times of war and social struggles in the country. They feel these are the only times when they are pulled out of their position in the social status that they still remained in. World War II shows significant statistics of the sheer abundance of the women who lent their efforts in the war. Women also held very little legislative positions.
Women, while working some of the same jobs that men did, earned a significant amount less. Women who worked in the home, raising children and cleaning, were looked upon as the equal as domestic servants and serfs.
The 1968 Radical Women group was established to serve the purpose of protesting against the “Miss America,” contest. Results were women taking their personal beauty items (such as bras, curlers, girdles, false eyewashes, and wigs) and throwing them into what they called a “freedom trashcan.”
WITCH (women’s international terrorist conspiracy from hell), formed and protested the United Fruit Company for its treatment of women office workers.
A new executive law by President Johnson was passed banning sex discrimination in the work place and the NOW (national organization for women) formed to ensure its enforcement.
The 1973, Supreme Court decided in the Roe vs. Wade debate that the government could only interfere and prohibit abortion during the last three months of a women’s pregnancy. They also began to protest on issues such as rape and the way police force treated women in their interrogations.
A very effective notion was the meeting of groups across the nation in women’s’ homes.
Prisons were newly introduced during these times, such as an early one in the United States in attempts to reform the Quaker way of life. Later into the 19th century, a more idealized concept of a “prison,” was formed, with beginnings of hard manual labor and cruel punishment. As could be expected, some resistance was met in the beginnings of the prison. Such examples are listed in the text (San Quentin in California, Clinton, New York, and Long Island, New York.)
In cases such as when crimes are committed, the rich are granted much leniency and most often early bail as well as reduced fine, compared to the more harsh repercussions if that same crime (or even less a crime in value and danger) was committed by a poor. The prisoner revolts in this time (sixties, early seventies) were different than before because they were “affected by the turmoil in the country, the black revolt, the youth upsurge, the antiwar movement.” Crimes committed by the prisoners were no worse than the crimes being committed by the authorities who ran the system, the government. In the mid-seventies, change began to surface. Prisoners rebelled and women rebelled.
The greatest surprise (according to Zinn, also where the title of the chapter “surprises,” comes in) came about with the Indians. They began to rapidly increase their population size, from the 300,000 left after the Pine Ridge killings in the turn of the century to 800,000 in 1960.
The US government signed more than 400 treaties and broke every single one. The Indians used this as fuel. They decided to live in the abandoned Alcatraz prison in the San Francisco Bay area but were eventually physically removed. Indians did things to fight back, such as rebellion, posting literature in magazines, forming the Indian Historian Press which evaluated textbooks and their incorrect portrayals of Indians. The new emergence of Indian media began, with motion films that were based on novels; numerous books published. Some Indians also tried to gather at the remaining, old Pine Ridge location of the 1890 massacre to symbolize their demand for rights.
Concluding all the surprising revolutions, many people reacted and tensions were caused. All these were the result of discrimination. Now, sexual behaviors were changing. Premarital sex was common, homosexuality was out in the open, masturbation was a topic of public conversation, etc. All off this was reflected in the mass media, the films, the literature, and the conversation of this time. This was when the first ideas of rating a film, based on its content, was introduced. Living spaces changed, with more of an adjustment to living in close, apartment/dorm like apartments with both men and women together, sharing rent and tax obligations. Clothing changes were also on the rise. Women and men dressed more alike, with jeans and shirts, and the infamous girdles of females were a rare occurrence. Music contained lyrics of strong and influential topics such as one’s socialist thinking (Malvina Reynolds.) Catholic encounters within revolt happened and while many refused to conform to the culture, others did open their lives to worldly pleasures. Also the teaching style was re-examined in that it showed off a beaucratic form, with subordination to authority. Many were focusing less on big business of the government and experts, but on their own intuitions and ideas.
Zinn’s basis thesis for this chapter deals with the surprising and numerous revolts by many different exploited groups such as prisoners, women, and Indians. He tells of their efforts and renewing spirit to once again attempt victory in the means of freedom, just punishment and court rule (prisoners), rights and the government’s obedience or lack thereof for their treaties (Indians), and equality and expansion of rights to be upheld (women.)
My stance on this- I agree to qualify Zinn and his point of perspective on this text because of his wide range of hard evidence and abundance of primary documentation. It’s very clear in personal entries from many that our US government was extremely corrupt and because of the efforts and resistance demonstrated in this time that the world exists today consequently.
For the purpose of this essay, I chose to write that I agreed with his points, although in reality, I do not. I understand completely the point in reading this as an assignment to broaden our perspectives, and I agree that it has most definitely widened my understanding, although it was a bit painful for me. I respect the opinion of Zinn and I thought he did have substantial evidence which is why I decided to attempt an essay in favor of his thoughts.
Chapter Notes for Chapter 19 “Surprises”
Quotes from Helen Keller and Emma Goldman, suggest that even after a time when women gained the right to vote, their subordinate conditions seldom changed.
From an article in a magazine in the early 1930’s, it describes lists of items necessary in order for women to be physically acceptable, which I think could be argued as a beginning to the reasoning in why society today, it is assumed and completely accepted that females are focused only around their appearances and associated with the growing industry of hair products and cosmetics.
Women are used for manual labor much more often than men yet, in times of war and social struggles in the country. They feel these are the only times when they are pulled out of their position in the social status that they still remained in. World War II shows significant statistics of the sheer abundance of the women who lent their efforts in the war. Women also held very little legislative positions.
Women, while working some of the same jobs that men did, earned a significant amount less. Women who worked in the home, raising children and cleaning, were looked upon as the equal as domestic servants and serfs.
The 1968 Radical Women group was established to serve the purpose of protesting against the “Miss America,” contest. Results were women taking their personal beauty items (such as bras, curlers, girdles, false eyewashes, and wigs) and throwing them into what they called a “freedom trashcan.”
WITCH (women’s international terrorist conspiracy from hell), formed and protested the United Fruit Company for its treatment of women office workers.
A new executive law by President Johnson was passed banning sex discrimination in the work place and the NOW (national organization for women) formed to ensure its enforcement.
The 1973, Supreme Court decided in the Roe vs. Wade debate that the government could only interfere and prohibit abortion during the last three months of a women’s pregnancy. They also began to protest on issues such as rape and the way police force treated women in their interrogations.
A very effective notion was the meeting of groups across the nation in women’s’ homes.
Prisons were newly introduced during these times, such as an early one in the United States in attempts to reform the Quaker way of life. Later into the 19th century, a more idealized concept of a “prison,” was formed, with beginnings of hard manual labor and cruel punishment. As could be expected, some resistance was met in the beginnings of the prison. Such examples are listed in the text (San Quentin in California, Clinton, New York, and Long Island, New York.)
In cases such as when crimes are committed, the rich are granted much leniency and most often early bail as well as reduced fine, compared to the more harsh repercussions if that same crime (or even less a crime in value and danger) was committed by a poor. The prisoner revolts in this time (sixties, early seventies) were different than before because they were “affected by the turmoil in the country, the black revolt, the youth upsurge, the antiwar movement.” Crimes committed by the prisoners were no worse than the crimes being committed by the authorities who ran the system, the government. In the mid-seventies, change began to surface. Prisoners rebelled and women rebelled.
The greatest surprise (according to Zinn, also where the title of the chapter “surprises,” comes in) came about with the Indians. They began to rapidly increase their population size, from the 300,000 left after the Pine Ridge killings in the turn of the century to 800,000 in 1960.
The US government signed more than 400 treaties and broke every single one. The Indians used this as fuel. They decided to live in the abandoned Alcatraz prison in the San Francisco Bay area but were eventually physically removed. Indians did things to fight back, such as rebellion, posting literature in magazines, forming the Indian Historian Press which evaluated textbooks and their incorrect portrayals of Indians. The new emergence of Indian media began, with motion films that were based on novels; numerous books published. Some Indians also tried to gather at the remaining, old Pine Ridge location of the 1890 massacre to symbolize their demand for rights.
Concluding all the surprising revolutions, many people reacted and tensions were caused. All these were the result of discrimination. Now, sexual behaviors were changing. Premarital sex was common, homosexuality was out in the open, masturbation was a topic of public conversation, etc. All off this was reflected in the mass media, the films, the literature, and the conversation of this time. This was when the first ideas of rating a film, based on its content, was introduced. Living spaces changed, with more of an adjustment to living in close, apartment/dorm like apartments with both men and women together, sharing rent and tax obligations. Clothing changes were also on the rise. Women and men dressed more alike, with jeans and shirts, and the infamous girdles of females were a rare occurrence. Music contained lyrics of strong and influential topics such as one’s socialist thinking (Malvina Reynolds.) Catholic encounters within revolt happened and while many refused to conform to the culture, others did open their lives to worldly pleasures. Also the teaching style was re-examined in that it showed off a beaucratic form, with subordination to authority. Many were focusing less on big business of the government and experts, but on their own intuitions and ideas.
Zinn’s basis thesis for this chapter deals with the surprising and numerous revolts by many different exploited groups such as prisoners, women, and Indians. He tells of their efforts and renewing spirit to once again attempt victory in the means of freedom, just punishment and court rule (prisoners), rights and the government’s obedience or lack thereof for their treaties (Indians), and equality and expansion of rights to be upheld (women.)
My stance on this- I agree to qualify Zinn and his point of perspective on this text because of his wide range of hard evidence and abundance of primary documentation. It’s very clear in personal entries from many that our US government was extremely corrupt and because of the efforts and resistance demonstrated in this time that the world exists today consequently.
For the purpose of this essay, I chose to write that I agreed with his points, although in reality, I do not. I understand completely the point in reading this as an assignment to broaden our perspectives, and I agree that it has most definitely widened my understanding, although it was a bit painful for me. I respect the opinion of Zinn and I thought he did have substantial evidence which is why I decided to attempt an essay in favor of his thoughts.
chapter 19 surprises ap history
Catie Schmitz
Chapter Notes for Chapter 19 “Surprises”
Quotes from Helen Keller and Emma Goldman, suggest that even after a time when women gained the right to vote, their subordinate conditions seldom changed.
From an article in a magazine in the early 1930’s, it describes lists of items necessary in order for women to be physically acceptable, which I think could be argued as a beginning to the reasoning in why society today, it is assumed and completely accepted that females are focused only around their appearances and associated with the growing industry of hair products and cosmetics.
Women are used for manual labor much more often than men yet, in times of war and social struggles in the country. They feel these are the only times when they are pulled out of their position in the social status that they still remained in. World War II shows significant statistics of the sheer abundance of the women who lent their efforts in the war. Women also held very little legislative positions.
Women, while working some of the same jobs that men did, earned a significant amount less. Women who worked in the home, raising children and cleaning, were looked upon as the equal as domestic servants and serfs.
The 1968 Radical Women group was established to serve the purpose of protesting against the “Miss America,” contest. Results were women taking their personal beauty items (such as bras, curlers, girdles, false eyewashes, and wigs) and throwing them into what they called a “freedom trashcan.”
WITCH (women’s international terrorist conspiracy from hell), formed and protested the United Fruit Company for its treatment of women office workers.
A new executive law by President Johnson was passed banning sex discrimination in the work place and the NOW (national organization for women) formed to ensure its enforcement.
The 1973, Supreme Court decided in the Roe vs. Wade debate that the government could only interfere and prohibit abortion during the last three months of a women’s pregnancy. They also began to protest on issues such as rape and the way police force treated women in their interrogations.
A very effective notion was the meeting of groups across the nation in women’s’ homes.
Prisons were newly introduced during these times, such as an early one in the United States in attempts to reform the Quaker way of life. Later into the 19th century, a more idealized concept of a “prison,” was formed, with beginnings of hard manual labor and cruel punishment. As could be expected, some resistance was met in the beginnings of the prison. Such examples are listed in the text (San Quentin in California, Clinton, New York, and Long Island, New York.)
In cases such as when crimes are committed, the rich are granted much leniency and most often early bail as well as reduced fine, compared to the more harsh repercussions if that same crime (or even less a crime in value and danger) was committed by a poor. The prisoner revolts in this time (sixties, early seventies) were different than before because they were “affected by the turmoil in the country, the black revolt, the youth upsurge, the antiwar movement.” Crimes committed by the prisoners were no worse than the crimes being committed by the authorities who ran the system, the government. In the mid-seventies, change began to surface. Prisoners rebelled and women rebelled.
The greatest surprise (according to Zinn, also where the title of the chapter “surprises,” comes in) came about with the Indians. They began to rapidly increase their population size, from the 300,000 left after the Pine Ridge killings in the turn of the century to 800,000 in 1960.
The US government signed more than 400 treaties and broke every single one. The Indians used this as fuel. They decided to live in the abandoned Alcatraz prison in the San Francisco Bay area but were eventually physically removed. Indians did things to fight back, such as rebellion, posting literature in magazines, forming the Indian Historian Press which evaluated textbooks and their incorrect portrayals of Indians. The new emergence of Indian media began, with motion films that were based on novels; numerous books published. Some Indians also tried to gather at the remaining, old Pine Ridge location of the 1890 massacre to symbolize their demand for rights.
Concluding all the surprising revolutions, many people reacted and tensions were caused. All these were the result of discrimination. Now, sexual behaviors were changing. Premarital sex was common, homosexuality was out in the open, masturbation was a topic of public conversation, etc. All off this was reflected in the mass media, the films, the literature, and the conversation of this time. This was when the first ideas of rating a film, based on its content, was introduced. Living spaces changed, with more of an adjustment to living in close, apartment/dorm like apartments with both men and women together, sharing rent and tax obligations. Clothing changes were also on the rise. Women and men dressed more alike, with jeans and shirts, and the infamous girdles of females were a rare occurrence. Music contained lyrics of strong and influential topics such as one’s socialist thinking (Malvina Reynolds.) Catholic encounters within revolt happened and while many refused to conform to the culture, others did open their lives to worldly pleasures. Also the teaching style was re-examined in that it showed off a beaucratic form, with subordination to authority. Many were focusing less on big business of the government and experts, but on their own intuitions and ideas.
Zinn’s basis thesis for this chapter deals with the surprising and numerous revolts by many different exploited groups such as prisoners, women, and Indians. He tells of their efforts and renewing spirit to once again attempt victory in the means of freedom, just punishment and court rule (prisoners), rights and the government’s obedience or lack thereof for their treaties (Indians), and equality and expansion of rights to be upheld (women.)
My stance on this- I agree to qualify Zinn and his point of perspective on this text because of his wide range of hard evidence and abundance of primary documentation. It’s very clear in personal entries from many that our US government was extremely corrupt and because of the efforts and resistance demonstrated in this time that the world exists today consequently.
For the purpose of this essay, I chose to write that I agreed with his points, although in reality, I do not. I understand completely the point in reading this as an assignment to broaden our perspectives, and I agree that it has most definitely widened my understanding, although it was a bit painful for me. I respect the opinion of Zinn and I thought he did have substantial evidence which is why I decided to attempt an essay in favor of his thoughts.
Chapter Notes for Chapter 19 “Surprises”
Quotes from Helen Keller and Emma Goldman, suggest that even after a time when women gained the right to vote, their subordinate conditions seldom changed.
From an article in a magazine in the early 1930’s, it describes lists of items necessary in order for women to be physically acceptable, which I think could be argued as a beginning to the reasoning in why society today, it is assumed and completely accepted that females are focused only around their appearances and associated with the growing industry of hair products and cosmetics.
Women are used for manual labor much more often than men yet, in times of war and social struggles in the country. They feel these are the only times when they are pulled out of their position in the social status that they still remained in. World War II shows significant statistics of the sheer abundance of the women who lent their efforts in the war. Women also held very little legislative positions.
Women, while working some of the same jobs that men did, earned a significant amount less. Women who worked in the home, raising children and cleaning, were looked upon as the equal as domestic servants and serfs.
The 1968 Radical Women group was established to serve the purpose of protesting against the “Miss America,” contest. Results were women taking their personal beauty items (such as bras, curlers, girdles, false eyewashes, and wigs) and throwing them into what they called a “freedom trashcan.”
WITCH (women’s international terrorist conspiracy from hell), formed and protested the United Fruit Company for its treatment of women office workers.
A new executive law by President Johnson was passed banning sex discrimination in the work place and the NOW (national organization for women) formed to ensure its enforcement.
The 1973, Supreme Court decided in the Roe vs. Wade debate that the government could only interfere and prohibit abortion during the last three months of a women’s pregnancy. They also began to protest on issues such as rape and the way police force treated women in their interrogations.
A very effective notion was the meeting of groups across the nation in women’s’ homes.
Prisons were newly introduced during these times, such as an early one in the United States in attempts to reform the Quaker way of life. Later into the 19th century, a more idealized concept of a “prison,” was formed, with beginnings of hard manual labor and cruel punishment. As could be expected, some resistance was met in the beginnings of the prison. Such examples are listed in the text (San Quentin in California, Clinton, New York, and Long Island, New York.)
In cases such as when crimes are committed, the rich are granted much leniency and most often early bail as well as reduced fine, compared to the more harsh repercussions if that same crime (or even less a crime in value and danger) was committed by a poor. The prisoner revolts in this time (sixties, early seventies) were different than before because they were “affected by the turmoil in the country, the black revolt, the youth upsurge, the antiwar movement.” Crimes committed by the prisoners were no worse than the crimes being committed by the authorities who ran the system, the government. In the mid-seventies, change began to surface. Prisoners rebelled and women rebelled.
The greatest surprise (according to Zinn, also where the title of the chapter “surprises,” comes in) came about with the Indians. They began to rapidly increase their population size, from the 300,000 left after the Pine Ridge killings in the turn of the century to 800,000 in 1960.
The US government signed more than 400 treaties and broke every single one. The Indians used this as fuel. They decided to live in the abandoned Alcatraz prison in the San Francisco Bay area but were eventually physically removed. Indians did things to fight back, such as rebellion, posting literature in magazines, forming the Indian Historian Press which evaluated textbooks and their incorrect portrayals of Indians. The new emergence of Indian media began, with motion films that were based on novels; numerous books published. Some Indians also tried to gather at the remaining, old Pine Ridge location of the 1890 massacre to symbolize their demand for rights.
Concluding all the surprising revolutions, many people reacted and tensions were caused. All these were the result of discrimination. Now, sexual behaviors were changing. Premarital sex was common, homosexuality was out in the open, masturbation was a topic of public conversation, etc. All off this was reflected in the mass media, the films, the literature, and the conversation of this time. This was when the first ideas of rating a film, based on its content, was introduced. Living spaces changed, with more of an adjustment to living in close, apartment/dorm like apartments with both men and women together, sharing rent and tax obligations. Clothing changes were also on the rise. Women and men dressed more alike, with jeans and shirts, and the infamous girdles of females were a rare occurrence. Music contained lyrics of strong and influential topics such as one’s socialist thinking (Malvina Reynolds.) Catholic encounters within revolt happened and while many refused to conform to the culture, others did open their lives to worldly pleasures. Also the teaching style was re-examined in that it showed off a beaucratic form, with subordination to authority. Many were focusing less on big business of the government and experts, but on their own intuitions and ideas.
Zinn’s basis thesis for this chapter deals with the surprising and numerous revolts by many different exploited groups such as prisoners, women, and Indians. He tells of their efforts and renewing spirit to once again attempt victory in the means of freedom, just punishment and court rule (prisoners), rights and the government’s obedience or lack thereof for their treaties (Indians), and equality and expansion of rights to be upheld (women.)
My stance on this- I agree to qualify Zinn and his point of perspective on this text because of his wide range of hard evidence and abundance of primary documentation. It’s very clear in personal entries from many that our US government was extremely corrupt and because of the efforts and resistance demonstrated in this time that the world exists today consequently.
For the purpose of this essay, I chose to write that I agreed with his points, although in reality, I do not. I understand completely the point in reading this as an assignment to broaden our perspectives, and I agree that it has most definitely widened my understanding, although it was a bit painful for me. I respect the opinion of Zinn and I thought he did have substantial evidence which is why I decided to attempt an essay in favor of his thoughts.
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