Welcome to Mrs. Ballew's AP U.S. Government and Politics blog! I am so excited to have you in class this year! Get ready to work hard and learn a lot. We will use this blog throughout the course to discuss various topics related to U.S. Government and Politics. You will have a blog post due each Sunday night by 9:00PM. These posts will give you an opportunity to deepen your understanding of American government, practice your writing skills, and have meaningful discussion with your classmates outside of the classroom. I look forward to reading your thoughtful comments throughout the year!
Let's practice using the blog! In the comment section below, please answer 1 of the following questions:
A) If you could have dinner with 3 famous Americans, past or present, who would you choose and why? Please be detailed in your response!
or
B) If you could serve in any elected or appointed position in the National government, which position would you choose and why? Please be detailed in your response!
Below you will find the rubic I will use to assess your comments:
Excellent- 10pts
-use of higher order thinking in response to the problems, statements, and/or questions listed in the assignment
-introduces a new perspective to the topic at hand
-concludes with application to the outside situation
-generates further analytical responses from class members
-no significant grammar issues
Basic- 8pts
-articulates comprehension in response to the problem, statements and/or questions listed in the assignment
-compares posting to other posted messages, text material, or class content
-1-2 grammatical mistakes that distract the reader
Approaching Basic- 5pts
-minimal response to problems, statements, and/or questions listed in the assignment
-restates central issues in context of content
-plainly states the authors beliefs and practices respect among classmates
-3-4 grammatical mistakes that distract the reader
Unacceptable- 0pts
-discussion shows no understanding of problems, statements, and/or questions listed in the assignment
-5 or more grammatical mistakes that distract the reader
B) If you could serve in any elected or appointed position in the National government, which position would you choose and why? Please be detailed in your response!
ReplyDeleteAs Secretary of the Interior OR Secretary of Energy, I would work with Congress, the EPA, the NRCS, and state governments to promote the sustainable development of the nation's communities with sustainable transportation, such as the revitalization and acceleration of Amtrak, incentives for public transit systems, pedestrian/biker-friendly commuinities, mixed-use development, and the like, the promotion of sustainable fuels and energy,such as incentives for local and state governments that commit to sustainable developments of the communities under their jurisdictions, and for governments that reduce the sustainable function of their own facilities.
If I could choose any three famous people to have dinner with it would be : Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King Jr., and John F.Kennedy.
ReplyDeleteI would choose Abrahma Lincoln because out all of the presidents with him being the 16th, he realized that everyone should have equal rights and that the slaves should be emancipated,unlike the other presidents before him he didn't abuse his power.
Martin Luther King Jr. ,because he was brave enough to take on the leadership to take on the job of helping minorities in particular African-American's gain their rights as well as helping out within the community by starting out in the Church.
John F.Kennedy, because of all the Presidents he is my favorite one to learn about becasue his life story is very interesting,his family was the first young and intelligent one brought into the White House,and his wife Jacquline is my favorite first lady.I think it is fascinating how former President Clinton reminds me of him, knowing that when President Clinton was younger he met Kennedy.The two share similarities.
I chose these three famous Americans because they have impacted my life through change and making it possible for all races to be connected someway together whether it's in schoolings or out in the jobfield seeing how diverse this world is today also I think that it would be great and sit down and listen to their story on how they felt as from their point of view. One thing that all three of them share is that they all have been assassinated by expressing their belief.
If I could have dinner with 3 famous Americans I would choose Thomas Jefferson, Teddy Roosevelt,and Muhammad Ali. Thomas Jefferson because he did so much for our country and I want to ask him about writing the Declaration. Teddy Roosevelt because I did a paper on him last year and he was involved in so many things. He was president, he faught in the Spanish American War, he spent a year in Africa hunting big game, and he was a cowboy for a year. Muhammad Ali becuase he would just be funny. As a kid I watched some of his old fights on ESPN Classic and his press confrences before and after were hilarious.
ReplyDeleteIf I could have dinner with 3 famous Americans, I would choose Rosa Parks, Princess Diana, and Ronald Reagan. I would talk to Rosa Parks about her determination and commitment to African American rights and her whole experience in general. I think she'd be interesting to talk to since she was so influencial and respectable. I would like to talk to Princess Diana just to learn more about her life specifically. Honestly, the only information I know of her is that she was killed in a car crash. I feel like there's so much more to learn about her, but I've never had the time to research it. Also, hearing her stories about her life would fascinate me, considering she's spoken highly of. Lastly, I would like to eat dinner with Ronald Reagan. I've noted, both from reading about him and hearing about him, that he was an amazing president who really turned our nation around for the better. Even though I can get lots of information about him through textbooks or the internet, I would like to ask him about his personal experience, particularly when he almost was assassinated. He overcame the attempted murder very quickly and effectively and I would like to her his personal response and how he got through it physically and emotionally and with the knowledge that he was still in control of a whole nation.
ReplyDeleteIf I could have dinner with 3 famous Americans, they would be Nikola Tesla, Adam Savage from Mythbusters and Bill Gates.
ReplyDeleteNikola Tesla is one of my favorite scientists. He was a brilliant electrical and mechanical engineer and inventor. He claimed to have made many groundbreaking devices as well as stumbled upon several concepts taht weren't proven until later. I imagine dinner with Tesla would be awesome as I would feel honored to talk with one of the men who shaped the 21st century.
Adam Savage is one of the Mybusters. Mythbusters is a great show based in both science and fun. The mythbusters team test ideas that I wish I could test. Adam is generally and fun and excentric. Having him at dinner would be great as I would both learn and laugh.
Bill Gates is the last man I would like to invite this dinner. He is one of the leading computer engineers and buisness men of this time. He create his company from scratch, starting in a small warehouse with a few employees and has grown it to be one fo the most sucessful men in the world. Talking to him would be a great experience. I am sure that I could learn some of his business strategies. Being a computer guy, I would love to learn some of the cool tricks behind the microsoft operating systems and how they design them.
B)I would serve as a Supreme court Judge because it entitles me to the power of Judicial Review. With the power of Judicial review I can filter any laws that harm the rights of the citizens. Also, the post of Chief Justice is for life and I don't have to stress over reelection like other government officials. I don't have to be loyal to my party to save my post. Thus, this becomes a job where I can state my opinion and not what a political party wants. I also get more privacy in handling cases when being a sureme court judge and no one going to criticize me in particular for a decision since it was a majority decision. THe position is also fruitful because Imake decisions that alter everyday life of citizens. So I must do this job with meticulousness and prudence. I will feel a satisfaction that the decisions I make in these court cases constantly changes the future of America. It is also interesting because no two cases are the same. Cases range from civil rights to environmental problems. Thus, it is like having an exclusive interview with the person who was involved with the issue.
ReplyDeleteI would have dinner with Thomas Jefferson, Albert Einstien, and Michael Jordan. These are the 3 most interesting people in my opinion. Michael Jordan was a STAR basketball player and he would be very interesting to talk to. I would ask him about filming of space jamz because its one of my favorite movies of all time. Einstien moved to america and created some of the most breakthrough physics and mathematics for the time period. He also had cool hair and I'd like to speak to him on that subject, but mostly on his mathematical theorys. The person I'd most like to talk to was Thomas Jefferson because he was there for the most important times in our governements history. He also was flexible as president of our government, he went from a strict constructionalist to a loose constructionalist. He saw what was best for the country and wasnt stubborn about anything.
ReplyDeleteIf I could dine with three famous americans, past or present, I would invite Teddy Roosevelt, John Brown, and Edgar Cayce. Teddy Roosevelt is one of my favorite presidents as I admire his passion and courage (He once got shot and still delivered a speech.). John Brown, the famous abolitionist, is another character I admire for his unparalleled valor and bravery. He was the paragon of standing up to what you believe in and showed this by literally giving his life to fight slavery. Finally, and most assuredly, I would invite the sleeping prophet, Edgar Cayce. Cayce was a poor farmer who was rumored to have the special ability of prophetizing the answer to any question one asked him while he was sleeping- hence his nickname, "the sleeping prohpet". He revolutionized modern medicine through his recorded "prognostications" (many people would ask him how to heal a sick family member and he'd give them sn accurate herbal remedy). Edgar Cayce died in 1945 as the most documented "prophet" in history.
ReplyDeleteOk so unfortunatley my blog post with the solutions for the world problems were just deleted and im VERY upset, but here is the abridged version.
ReplyDeletePersonally I would choose president, due to the fact I can disperse troops with a single phone call and have legions of chefs catering to my every craving. Plus, with the power to control the budget I could divert our uneccessary funds to acutal needs for sustainable living. I would reinistate NASA to look for rescources in our solar system that could be harvested and used to drive the new space race. With the growing population there wont be enough room for everyone, So I would research colonies underwater and or in our solar system. This sounnds crazy I know but so is spending a trillion dollars to blow up arab teeppes in a desert. I would reward enviromentally friendly research of alternative fuels with tax cuts. A strong incenstive for any void filled heart of a businessman. Seeing as most of our world is covered in water I would move our weapons research funds to look into biodomes that could withstand huge underwater pressures. If our population can be diverted so can our waste. With an advanced sewage system that could funnel waste into the magma pools a few miles beneath the continental shelves we could eliminate the need to leave solid waste in the ecosystem.
So in all, a budget focused on the enviroment would be much more beneficial than a budget aimed at obliderating a harmless sandbox. Which is why I would make a good president. Thanks :]
If I could have dinner with 3 famous Americans, past or present, I would invite Abraham Lincoln, General George Patton, and Hank Aaron. Each of these men demonstrated great perserverance and bravery as they battled adversity in their lives. I look up to all three of these men as heroes, and I think that all Americans should have the utmost respect for them as well. In my opinion, Abe Lincoln was easily the greatest president that the United States has ever had. He held the nation together during the Civil War, fought to end slavery, and died a hero. General Patton was perhaps one of the greatest military leaders of all time. Without him, the Allies could have easily lost World War II. Finally, I look up to Hank Aaron as a huge role model. He was a hero both on and off the field. He passed Babe Ruth's home-run record,even though he received death threats every day, just because of the color of his skin. I would be thrilled to meet these men and I'm sure that they would have many great lessons to share.
ReplyDeleteIf I could have dinner with three famous Americans, I believe that I would choose Barack Obama, Glenn Beck, and Wilma Rudolph.
ReplyDeleteI still strongly believe in Barack Obama (I went to the inauguration), despite disagreeing with a few of the decisions he's made, and admire him on the whole as a person. I want to talk to him about what his overall goals and priorities are for the country, and hopefully get a better grasp of the pressures facing a president and maybe even slip some of my ideas in there. I believe he has the right motivation, which is to do good for the country and not to simply soothe trigger-happy powers, but I'd like to affirm this in person.
I chose Glenn Beck because I really want to understand what can possess a person to resort to fear mongering and spreading clearly incorrect rumors as a way to be heard. I've watched pieces of his shows and checked out his website, and I believe fear and irrational spite are what fractures countries and groups of people apart. I need to comprehend how he exploits people's emotional weaknesses so that I can try to do the opposite in many other divisions, so I can find ways to fight fear with intellect and hopefully educate people in the future.
Wilma Rudolph I deeply admire because of her ambition and her dedication to overcoming polio. She not only overcame it, however, by walking a running, she was eventually called "the fastest woman in the world." A lot of times I don't really want to work hard, I just want to slip by, but I think I spoke to someone like her it would inspire me to be more active and get what I want done.
If I could be appointed or elected a position in the National government I would be in the Supreme Court. I would want to be in the Supreme Court because when I grow up I want to be a lawyer and because I think the court cases they take are very intresting. The Supreme Court makes very important desisions that can change history, and I would love to be a part of their desision making process. Having a say in Supreme Court sentences seems like it could be fun. There are only 7 people chosen to be on the Supreme Court and being one of them would be a huge honor.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteIf I could have dinner with 3 famous Americans I would choose George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and Martin Luther King Jr. These 3 people have all influenced the country in both politics and social structure. President George Washington was the first president of the US and established the governmental structure of the US by turning down the offer to be "King". With this decision, America became a country without a monarch, but instead, a democracy with a government run "by the people, for the people". My next dinner guest would be Abraham Lincoln. As the 16th President, Lincoln led the US through it's "greatest internal crisis", the American Civil War. At the end of the war, Lincoln had saved the union and ended slavery by the Emancipation Proclamation. At the dinner I would like to ask Lincoln about his decisions and how he led America through the Civil War. Lastly, I would like to have Martin Luther King Jr. at the dinner. King is known for his efforts in the American Civil rights movement, as well as his “I have a Dream” speech. As a dinner guest, I would like to ask both Lincoln and King to exchange thoughts on the issue of segregation/slavery and civil rights. These guests at a dinner would be able to share thoughts, ideas and motives behind their actions and on society today, thus, they would be able to see how America has put their ideas into action.
ReplyDeleteIf I could be any officisl in the U.S. government, I would be the chief justice of the Supreme Court. The Chief Justice, like all justices is appointed for life which is the ultimste in job security. The only term limit I would have is my own lifespan. The Supreme Court is also a very influential structure because it has the power to declare any law that violates the spirit of the United States Constitution. As head of the Supreme Court, I would try to rule against earlier precedents that grant personhood status to corporations. As an aside, the Supreme Court justices wear snazzy black robes every day. There have been many admirable Chief Justices in history, such as John Jay who first introduced the power of judicial review. However, some of them have been bad, like Roger Taney who ruled that Dred Scott, as a slave, was property rather than a person. It is important that the Chief Justice is fair and well-meaning. The Chief Justice has a few previldges that the other justices do not have, such as appointing the director of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts and administering the Oath of Office to the incoming President. While the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court is not the most visible figure in the government, it is undoubtably one of the more influential positions and one that carries a rich history.
ReplyDeleteThough my appreciation for American artists and historical figures is constantly changing, at this moment in time I would settle with dinner with poet Emily Dickenson, jazz trumpeter and composer Clifford Brown, and alternative rock musician Black Francis. In my opinion it is America's ever-changing, free-spirited artistic collaborators who propel the evolving face of our country with their cultural contributions. Ms. Dickenson is a lovely image of mystery and words resting on cleverly disguised emotion. Although I have not explored as much of her writing as I would have liked to so far, I am fascinated by her style and wish to learn more. A conversation with an artist such as herself would provide insight and advice that would be otherwise inaccessible through sole phrases on paper. My appreciation of language is strong and always open to change, but it is truly two languages that mark my learning experience in recent years. This schoolyear marks the start of a third semester of jazz; it is an art form that I rather accidentally became exposed to, and I am very happy that I was. While there are still worlds to become acquainted with in such a field of study and expression, certain artists have mastered styles which I am in awe of and hope to learn from. Clifford Brown, a trumpet player native to Delaware, composed a piece called "Joy Spring", which my group worked on extensively last year. It is one of the most beautiful songs I know, with a form unlike any other I have worked with. To be able to compare ideas and take advice from such a creative person as Mr. Brown would be purely amazing. My final dinner guest adds to musical appreciation; Black Francis, lead singer and guitarist of the alternative rock group The Pixies shows incredible intonations, attitudes, control, and appropriate lack thereof in some cases. His albums display perfect flow and his aloof, unafraid voice is mesmerizing. Although I realize that I am playing into the stereotype of popular appreciation of frontmen, I still believe that it is his image that encompasses so much of this group's legend. A conversation with him would likely be entertaining and incredibly interesting in that his lyrics are at times somewhat confusing, surely covering emotions that are simply not easily expressed in song. Any of these people would be ideal for gaining expereince and insight in what is hopefully my evolution as an artist.
ReplyDeleteIf I could have dinner with any three Americans, I would probably choose Martin Luther King Jr., Obama, and George Washington. I would like to have dinner with them because they are all huge names in America, but for different reasons. I would like to eat with Obama because he is our first African-American President and it would be cool talking to him about the challenges that he faced when he was running and I would want to ask him what was the most difficult part in running for President. I would want to have dinner with Martin Luther King Jr. because he did so much for civil rights in America and everything he did was for the better of the country. The most amazing thing he did was give his "I have a dream" speech which was his most famous work. I would like to talk to him about making that speech and what he was thinking as he was writting it. George Washington is the most famous American in history by far because he was our first President. I would really like to have dinner with him to talk to him about what he thinks of our country now and if this was how he had planned it to be. I would also ask him if he had any advice for future Presidents like Obama. I would also like to talk to all of them about growing up as an American, what it was like and all the different struggles they faced or what obstacles they had to overcome in their life.
ReplyDeleteIf I could have any position in the National Government, I would want to be an American Ambassador to a West African nation. When I was eleven I spent a year living in Niger. During my time there, I got a sense of the lifestyle of many of the American who lived there. The entire American community in Niger was tight knit, and while it is an extreme, and often challenging lifestyle living in a third world country, I saw that there is also plenty of time for fun and great experiences. I spent time around American Marines, Peace Corp volunteers, Embassy officials, and teachers, all of whom loved their work and loved the experiences they were having in Niger. I enjoy travel and adventure, and it is fulfilling working with and trying to help others, so being an Ambassador in a struggling West African country such as Niger would allow me accomplish all of this.
ReplyDeleteIf I could have dinner with three famous people in America, it would be JFK, Malcolm X, and Ansel Adams. JFK was one of the most forward-thinking presidents in the history of America, and was killed before he could put a lot of his ideas into action. It would be interesting to hear his thoughts on the state of America in the early 1960's. Malcolm X was considered an extremist in the civil rights movement, and therefore did not ever receive much coverage on his struggles to achieve equality in the 1960's. It would be a breath of fresh air to hear a different perspective on the events that marked the civil rights movement. Lastly, Ansel Adams, who was an early 20th century environmentalist and photographer famous for his nature photographs, specifically his documentation of Yosemite National Park. recently a set of his slides found at a garage sale were valued at $200mil, and the pictures he produced leave documentation of the less developed America of the past.
ReplyDeleteIf I could serve in any elected or appointed position in the National Governement I would choose to serve on a legislative committee.In 2007 I attented a Youth Legislative Conference in Raleigh were I was placed on the committee concerning a water bill. It amazed me to see how intense debates would get about bills such as water, females smoking while pregenant, and bills concerning teenagers drinking and driving. From then on I saw the importance of a youth's imput on bills that should or shouldn't be passed and reliazed that our opinion as youth really does make a difference. I think that being apart of a legislativecommittee gives you the opportunity to voice your opinion and it also gives you a chance to see how other people think who aren'nt necesarilly of the same religion or nationallity as you.
ReplyDeleteIf I could choose to be appointed to any position in the National Government, I would be a linguist for the FBI. This job would require a knowledge of several foreign languages and intellectual skills for analyzing problems within our country. With a focus on anti-terrorism, I feel as though I could contribute many great ideas and solutions to protect our country as an agent for the FBI.
ReplyDeleteThe main reason that I would be interested in this position is my passion for languages. Even though I only know two languages now, English and Spanish, I would be excited to become fluent in more. I would show a great amount of dedication to serving and protecting our country while still learning the ins and outs of our allies, enemies, and neighboring countries. I feel like not only would this position benefit me and furthering my education, but I would be able to make a difference in our government.
Another reason that I would like to be appointed to this position is to analyze the thoughts and actions of others. I am very interested in psychology and the inner workings of the human brain. If I could observe the behaviors of criminals and terrorists, I would be assisting with the safety and well being of our country. Also, while learning about the mind, I would be able to be promoted to a higher position that would not only pay more but would extend my education of the government. Essentially, through the analysis of human behavior, I would be applying what I already knew and saving the country from dangerous criminals.
Overall, I know that if I was appointed to this position in the future, I would be able to exceed all expectations required of me in the FBI. Through education and intuition, I would be a great addition to our nation’s government.
The three Americans I would have dinner with would be George Washington, Audey Murphy, and Geronimo.
ReplyDeleteI admire George Washington the most out of all the US preidents for the simple fact that he IS the model of what every American should be. This man set the standards for all US presidents after him with his selfless actions to always help the nation as well as his strong sense of honor. He is both a man of war and a man of government. Having served in both the French and Indian war as a militiaman and the Revolutionary War as the General of the entire army, Washington knew the meaning of sacrifice that few presidents have experienced. Without his superior military skills, this country would not exist. Washington's role as US president would forever influence the nation. He set the precident to only serve 2 terms and avoided being mixed in with petty political parties. Mr. Washington is by far, the very meaning of what it means to be an American and I would be honored to even have a word with him.
I feel a simple conversation with the great American war hero, Audey Murphy, would forever change my life. Murphy served in the US Army in WWII, getting himself over 60 medals...more than any soldier of the entire war. He began as a lowly private, a frail and weak man that was always looked down upon by fellow soldiers of the war. Despite these shortcomings, Murphy proved his worth with multiple courageous actions during the European theater of the war. After that, no one dared to call him weak. I feel I could learn much from his experience from starting as a nobody and transforming into a national war hero.
I would love to meet Geronimo, the leader of the Apache Indians during the 1800s. His fearless leadership of one of the most powerful of Indian tribes has made a lasting impact on even today's Native Americans. Geronimo had a first hand experience of the pain and suffering his people were subject to by the US government (the removal of people from their lands, unfair treatment, no real citizenship, etc.). So, against all odds, Geronimo lead an insurgency and bravely fought back. Unfortunately, it would end his defeat as Geronimo no longer wanted further deaths of his Apache brothers. If I were to have a dinner with him, I know would I learn much concerning the Apache Indians as well as his life experiences in general. From all accounts of Geronimo, he was a man of great insight, a man of honor, and above all a man who loved his people.
B) If you could serve in any elected or appointed position in the National government, which position would you choose and why?
ReplyDeleteI would most likely choose to be the vice president. The vice president has enough power and influence to get some things done and to push issues that I feel are important, but really doesn't have the pressure that the president has to deal with every day. It seems like, just by looking at the news and reading the newspapers, the current vice president doesn't get mentioned near as much as president. President Obama's name is all over current news articles, for many different reasons, and seeing Biden in the papers is much less frequent. I understand that I would not have the same power as the president, not even very close, but I think the level of influence and connections to other political leaders that the vice-president has would be more than enough for me. Many vice presidents in the past have had pretty large accomplishments during their 4 years and I would try to do the same. But if I were the president, I probably wouldn't be able to meet the expectations and handle the pressures of the position. So that's why the vice presidency would be the perfect position.
If I could have dinner with 3 famous American’s they would have to be Rosa Parks, Bob Marley, and Michael Jordan. I want to meet Rosa Park’s to find out if she really was just tired that day on the Montgomery bus or was everything planned since the start of the bus boycotts started after that, it seems to me that her being arrested would be the perfect reason to start a peaceful rebellion. I also want to know what other peaceful or non peacefull protest she took part of after the bus boycott because shes really not talked about after that. I want to meet Bob Marley to find out the keys to life and his ideology on not worrying and being happy. I feel that the whole world could benefit from the way he thinks, and that if we were to all live like him the world would be a little less sad and gloomy and much more upbeat and cheerful. I would also like to meet Michael Jordan and ask him what kept him going, what was his drive in all of the things he took a part of such as as close sports, business managing.Even with all of the things he has accomplished he continues to expand his empire into new things and i would love to figure out how to become a mogul such as himself. I want to know the keys to surviving and maintaining a strong business in today’s world
ReplyDeleteA) If you could have dinner with 3 famous Americans, past or present, who would you choose and why? Please be detailed in your response!
ReplyDeleteIf I could have dinner with three famous people, I would pick Ke$ha, Gandhi, and Lee Harvey Oswald. These would be a good group of people to have dinner with because they each bring something different to the table. Ke$ha would bring some mad sass that I aspire to have and she could give me a few tips on how to live life to the fullest. Gandhi would bring the philosophical element to the dissussion. We could have huge trading of rad ideas on how to use non-violence techniques to beat out oppressors. And maybe he can help me brainstrom a few ideas for the Unity Project. After watching JFK, I am completely suspicious if Lee Harvey Oswald really killed JFK or if it was all a conspiracy. So I would ask him if he did it or not and it would interesting to hear if he was really in the Secret Service or not. As a Brazilian, I think that Americans a pretty interesting people, (even though Gandhi wasn't American his ideas affect the American Civil Rights moment more than people realize), together us four could have a big hardy meal with good discussions; it would be a tight dinner party.
If I could have dinner three famous Americans I would choose George Washington, Barack Obama, and Sarah Palin. I picked George Washington because I think it would be really interesting to hear about America from the first president and compare it to our America today. I also think it would be interesting to hear about the revolutionary war from someone who lived through it and especially because he had such a big part in it. I chose Barack Obama not only because he is the current president but I think it would be really neat to hear about his life directly from him. It'd be interesting to hear about how he got started in politics and struggles he faced, and his childhood. Hearing about people's lives through the media isn't nearly as interesting as hearing it directly from the person. I respect him a lot for his success and think it's amazing that our country has come so far from it's prejudice past that we now have a Black president. It'd be interesting to compare what Washington says to what Obama says about our country, and compare their beliefs. I picked Sarah Palin because I think it would be entertaining to her about her beliefs in politics and compare them to those of others. Very few women are involved in politics and I admire those who are. In my opinion she would be the most entertaining woman in politics to have dinner with. I disagree with a lot of her beliefs but it's good to get opposing opinions on some issues.
ReplyDeleteB) If you could serve in any elected or appointed position in the National government, which position would you choose and why? Please be detailed in your response!
ReplyDeleteIf i could serve in any elected or appointed position in the government i would be a supreme court justice. I would choose this because all i would do is listen to interesting arguments and come to a conclusion that everyone would have to obey. I love arguing and listening to arguments so this position would be fun for me. It would also be sweet to have my verdict always be obeyed and accepted. This position is also awesome because you have it for life. I wouldn't have to worry about elections or competition throughout my career. The president apoints supreme court justices so I wouldn't have to pay big bucks campaigning in order to innicially get in either. It seems like a really good time.
If I could have dinner with any 3 famous Americans, I would have dinner with Susan B. Anthony, Abraham Lincoln, and Rosa Parks. I would have dinner with Susan B. Anthony because she (and many others) fought very hard for women’s rights and I think that it has been a huge leap in our history. I think that she is a great figure in not only American history, but women’s history as well. I would have dinner with Abraham Lincoln because he was the president that abolished slavery which really helped African Americans fight for more rights in this country. Which is why the last person I would like to have dinner with is Martin Luther King Jr. because he lead a lot of the Civil Rights movement and he did some really great things that helped African Americans in America.
ReplyDeleteIf I could serve in any position in the National government, elected or appointed, I would choose to serve as the Secretary of State. Since a young age I have been enfatuated with international cultures and the relations between different nations and countries. Personally I would love to major in international relations and perhaps be a Diplomat one day.
ReplyDeleteThe Secretary of State is the head of foreign affairs and the State department for the United States. The secretary's job is to meet with foreign leaders and negotiate high-level negotiations including international economic agreements and war treaties. As Secretary of State I would give my views and opinions to the President and advise him on all foreign related subjects.
Henry Kissenger was my favorite Secretary of State for the United States. Learning about him in APUSH was quite a lot of fun for me. I loved learning about his negotiations that ended the Yom Kippur War between Israel, Syria, and Egypt.
I would personally love to have the opportunity to go to so many different countries and discuss future political interactions and to see firsthand the different cultures of both developed and developing countries. To shake hands with leaders from around the world would also be quite an amazing experience and I'd love to be able to gain insight from them and share ideas on how to make a better relations.
If I could have dinner with three famous Americans, I would choose George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and Ronald Reagan.
ReplyDeleteI am very interested to hear about Washington's time serving America. I would like to know his strategies for fighting the British in the Revolutionary War. I think the stories he would tell would be amazing. I would like even more to know how he worked to lead the country after the war. I wonder how he united the separate states and set up the first taxes and laws along with Congress.
I would like to meet Lincoln to know how he led the nation in one of, if not the toughest times in its history. I would like to know how he came up with the idea of the Emmancipation Proclamation and also if he was involved in planning any of the battles of the Civil War. I would also like to know his take on his assassination, and hear what he was thinking as it happened.
I am very interested in Reagan's terms as president. He was a great president and helped America's economy flourish. I would like to know how he came up with his policies and the details of his terms. I would also like to hear about the schedule of a more modern president. I am sure that he was incredibly busy and was almost always doing something, but I would like to hear about the things that very few people know.
If I could have dinner with three famous Americans, I would choose Abigail Adams, Abraham Lincoln, and Franklin D Roosevelt.
ReplyDeleteAfter learning more about Abigail Adams and her involvement in her husband's presidency, I was very interested in her opinions and views, as they seemed ahead of the times in the early 19th century. I would want to know more about her childhood and the foundations of what she believed. I would also want to learn more about her relationship with John Adams, as their marriage seemed one of the strongest between a president and first lady.
Abraham Lincoln would also be invited. Although he seems to be a typical choice for favorite presidents,I still hold him as one of our strongest and most admirable presidents. I would want to learn more about his personal trials during the Civil War, and how his interest in United States government began.
I would finally choose FDR. He is one of my favorite presidents, so I would love to hear about his time in the White House, and particularly about his struggles with polio, and how that effected his presidency. I also consider FDR and John Adams to be very similar in terms of the active roles their wives took in their presidency, so I would also like to learn more about Eleanor Roosevelt and her position alongside of her husband.
A) If you could have dinner with 3 famous Americans, past or present, who would you choose and why? Please be detailed in your response!
ReplyDeleteI would have dinner with Dwight Eisenhower, Ronald Reagan, and Ted Williams.
I chose Dwight Eisenhower because he was the general during World War II. World War II was a major part of the history of the United States because it established the United States as a world superpower. General Eisenhower’s strategy and tactics led the U.S. to victory against the Nazis and Japanese. He also helped devise a lot of the Normandy Invasion which gave the United States a firm foothold in Europe. The Normandy Invasion remains the largest and greatest amphibious invasion of all time. I would like to ask General Eisenhower exactly how he came up with his strategies and what he was thinking during the war.
I chose Ronald Reagan because he is my favorite president. His economic policies in the ‘80s following the economic disaster of the ‘70s helped the American economy to rise, recover, and prosper. His economic policies have been nicknamed Reaganomics and I am a firm believer in those policies. Further more President Reagan effectively dealt with terrorist attacks and kept them from happening against the U.S. until the September 11 attacks.
I chose Ted Williams because he is one of the greatest Red Sox players of all time. During his prime he went off to serve in the military during World War II and upon his return, a much older a man, he continued to post Hall of Fame worthy numbers. As a Red Sox fan it would be an honor to have dinner with him.
If I could have lunch with three famous Americans I would choose President Obama, Bev Purdue and Franklin D. Roosevelt. I chose all three of these people because I would like insight on the experience during their time in office. I chose President Obama because he’s a relavent person in the state of the United States right now. And, who better to ask than the mn in charge. I would raise questions about : restrictions on the oil companies, the economy, new orleans and troops in the middle east. I chose Bev Perdue because I would like to now why there are so many cutbacks in North Carolina. Of course it is a recession but where are these millions of dollars are spent and why. Lastly,I chose Franklin D. Roosevelt to get the orignal version of the Big Stick policy and how if it could help us today.
ReplyDeleteIf i could have dinner with 3 famous americans i would choose James K. Polk, Lanodn Donovan and Dwight D. Eisenhower
ReplyDeleteI chose James K. Polk because he was the president during the Mexican-American War and there was alot of controversy surrounding the issue at that time. Many People were opposed to the war because they saw it as a way to spread slavery. People who supported it saw it as a reasonable response to an attack on American troops. I would ask Polk if he had the intention of provoking the attack on American troops just as an excuse for war. I would also ask him if he wanted to gian more territory just to spread slavery
I chose Landon Donovan because he is a realy talented soccer player. I admire him because he has become an international soccer star. I would want him to give me advice on how to improve my crappy soccer skills and maybe even train me. There was alot of rumors about him getting the Swine flu virus and i would want to ask him if he really did get it.
I chose Eisenhower because he was an amazing general during World War II. He seems to be one of the greatest War generals and I would be really interested in meeting him and talking about millitary stuff. Under Eisenhower, the government began the Interstate Higway System. I would ask him about that because it supposedly made it easier to move soldiers and nukes around the country. I think he was a little too paraniod about attacks on the United States.
If I could have dinner with any three Americans, past or present, they would be Thomas Jefferson, William Penn, and Roberto Clemente. Thomas Jefferson’s writing of the Declaration of Independence shows his high intellect and progressive thinking for his time. He also made one of the best deals in America history with the Louisiana Purchase. However, I find him especially interesting because throughout his life, his actions were often hypocritical to his thoughts. Writing that all men were created equal, he proved ignore his words, being an extremely large slave owner. He was constantly willing to put the blame of the practice of slavery on everyone else, as he blamed Britain for slavery due to their economic demands from America. I would like to ask him his thoughts and true reasoning about slavery, as well as his opinions on state and federal balance (for he was a major supporter of state rights before becoming President). I would also like to speak with William Penn, the leader of the Quakers and the founder of Pennsylvania. His life is extremely interesting, being a son of a British noble navy man, trying to fit in with British dominance and rules. However throughout his life, he became more and more opposed to it, eventually deciding to lead the Quakers to the new world. Usually those opposed to the British were not ones who lived in Britain as nobles, so i would like to better understand his situation which made him feel like leaving. Finally, I would like to meet Roberto Clemente, a former Pittsburgh Pirate who died in a plane crash and who was so popular within the city. Being a baseball player and Pirates fan, I would like to know about the initial struggles he went through being a minority baseball player in the 70’s.But mainly, I would like to talk to someone who was actually alive when the pirates didn’t suck.
ReplyDeleteIf I could have dinner with 3 famous Americans I would have dinner with George Washington, Barack Obama and Martin Luther King. I would have dinner with George Washington because of his major role in the founding of our nation. Without such a man as George Washington the United States may have never come to be or have lasted. Washington served our nation as first a general in the army, and then as the president. His pivotal roles had a major effect on the founding of our nation, and I would enjoy hearing his perspective on what he had accomplished. I would choose Barack Obama primarily to hear how he thinks his presidency is going, in all aspects such as the war and the economy. I also think it would be interesting to hear George Washington and Obama compare their presidencies. Despite the obvious differences in their presidencies, I would not be too surprised to learn of at least a few similarities. These may be as small a secret hiding spot for the presidents items they both use or ideological similarities such as how to deal with wars or foreign leaders or wars. I would also like to hear what Obama thinks about the environment and how we are affecting our planet. Lastly I would have dinner with Martin Luther King to hear his stories of over coming such strong adversity, and his basic ideals that he lived by in his life. His basic ideals could be something I think almost every person could benefit from learning. It would also be interesting to find out what Martin Luther King was thinking when he gave his “I Have A Dream” speech or on one of his nights in jail. Having dinner with these people could greatly increase my understanding of the United States history, and the challenges the nation has faced and is currently facing.
ReplyDeleteIf I could have dinner with three famous Americans from the past or present day. I would have dinner with, Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King, and President Barack Obama.
ReplyDeleteAbraham Lincoln, because in my opinion, he was one of the best presidents that we have had. He was a great leader with a vision that has helped America become what it is today. One of Lincoln’s goals was to help eliminate slavery by signing the Emancipation proclamation, one the most important documents that we have from Americas history.
Martin Luther King, because he has played a powerful role in society. He was one of the greatest Leaders advocating for African Americans and achieving equality through all mankind. President Barack Obama because he shows the courage as a leader when our economy is not at its best right now. He has come a long way to now being president and his made history being, the first African American president and how he views America from his prospective.I hope he can and will acheive all goals that will help the economy.
If I could serve as an official in the National Government of America, I would choose to be the President. First of all, I think it would be really cool to simply have the title and be able to live in the White House in Washington, DC. It also would just feel nice to be on top as the head of the greatest country in the world. As the president, I would control the executive branch and be the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces. I would have so much authority and power. I would be awesome. Another reason that I would want to be president is because he is considered the most powerful person in the world, and as president, I would be able to help people and need. I could be able to make a difference and give aid to things that I felt the most passionate about. I would be able to forever effect the entire country by passing and vetoing laws as I saw fit. I would be able to be a powerful force in changing the world and making it a better place. To me, that is a good enough reason to want to be the president. Not to mention, it is also a pretty good paying job.
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