engine of souls | forum 3

Aubrie's work:

ID TERMS! Because i didn't know where else to put them 

1. Vietcong: The Vietcong was an army and political party which gruelingly fought with America in Vietnam and Cambodia. The Vietcong were ruthless, and employed guerilla warfare in the jungles of these respective countries.

2. Fidel Castro was Cuban Revolutionary who fought against the oppressive dictator, Fulgencio Batista, and later became the political leader of his homeland. He was born into a well-to-do family and became involved with politics and law in his youth. He served as Commander in Chief to the Cuban Army, and the biggest political player of the communist country until 2008.

3. Lee Harvey Oswald: Oswald was found guilty for the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, and was later assassinated himself by vigilante, Jack Ruby. Although he was once a marine, Oswald spent the majority of his adulthood in the Soviet Union, and tried to assassinate General Walker.

4. Bomb Shelters were created all across the country in the 1970’s in order to combat the rising waves of hysteria crashing over America due to the nuclear arms race in the Cold War.

5. Rosenberg Case: Ethel and Julius Rosenberg, two Soviet spies within American boundaries, were executed due to their attack on Homeland Security. The two presented facts to the Soviets about the Atom bomb and the Korean War. The pair was put to death, a decision which has been debated over since it was reached.

6. Blacklists: Due to the “Red Scare”, the House Un-American Committee, and men like Senator McCarthy, a list of men and women were convicted of Communist ties. These “guilty” men and women were barred from the entertainment industries. One great example of this was the exile of Charlie Chaplin.

7. Hydrogen Bomb: The creation of this super-weapon was in 1952 by the United States, and later it was also perfected in the Soviet Union. After the devastation caused by the Atom bomb, countries clamored to create something MORE powerful. The first testing was in Enewetak, but the creation and testing has become rather commonplace in the 21ist century.

8. The Peace Corp was formed by John F. Kennedy as a global volunteer network which would be hosted by the United States Government. It involved the youth of America with something bigger than themselves, something that had global impact. The abroad program was officially signed into action in 1961.

9. Che Guevara: “El Che” was part of the Cuban Revolution, and was a doctor who trekked along South America administering medical aid to the incredibly impoverished before becoming actively involved with Cuba’s post-Batista government.

10. East Germany: Controlled by the Soviets from 1949-1990, East Germany was carved out of the existing geography after the close of World War Two. It was a communist offshoot due to the political preferences of its mother country,

11. West Germany was the democratic portion of Germany during this time period and was controlled by the United States of America, France, and the United Kingdom. It was also commonly known as the Federal Republic of Germany.

12. The Berlin Wall separated Germany’s east and west factions from one another and ran the entire length of the previous capital city of Germany, Berlin. It was one of the major points of dissension between the US and the USSR, the wall was meant to keep the inhabitants of East Germany in, rather the citizens of West Germany out.

13. Ronald Reagan was a Republican President from the years of 1981-1989. He supported a revolutionary economic plan which promoted things such as tax cuts, policies that later became known as “Reaganonomics”.

14. The 38th parallel is the line which separates Northern and Southern Korea, and if ever crossed will mark the beginning of another Korean Civil War.

15. Senator McCarthy was the leader of an American witch-hunt, head of the House Un-American Committee and strove to shed light on all hidden communists within U.S. borders.


-- Edited by felicity on Sunday 28th of March 2010 08:10:06 AM

Assassinations and Myths
The late 1960’s and 1970’s was a perilous time for politicians in American history; revolutionary men such as Robert F. Kennedy, John K. Kennedy, Harvey Milk, Martin Luther King, and Malcolm X were all assassinated, leaving a gaping hole in the heart of the American people and upsetting the precarious balance their entities created. However, in recent years, their deaths have been marred by a cloud of doubt, and numerous conspiracies have arisen in their wake.
Perhaps the most apparent assignation conspiracy is the fallout surrounding the death of former President JFK. Countless documentaries have been made, analyzing evidence and hypothesizing more “probable scenarios”. For example, a common theory is the cooperation of other gunmen, presumably the men found in the “Grassy Knoll”. Many witnesses attested to seeing the gunshots fired from in front of the President, thus making an accomplice necessary. Another popular point is the “magic bullet”, the bullet thought to have proved fatal to the president also would have passed through Governor John Connalay. The bullets path would have had to changed course, an utter impossibility, for the assassination to have been committed as the government claims. Some witnessed also have testified to hearing shot being fired from the Dal-Tex building, a location that is not specified as a crime scene by the official investigation. The question is then raised, if Lee Harvey Oswald is innocent, then who is to be held responsible? This is also a topic of dissention, and the mafia, Cuban exiles, and government officials have all been accused of having involvement in the murder of one of America’s brightest stars.
Robert Kennedy’s death has also been subjected to myth and speculation. Many believe Sirhan Sirhan, the man identified as his killer, was either hypnotized into doing the act, or another organization such as the KKK, organized crime rings, or rouge CIA agents were responsible for his murder. Witnesses also have spoken out about the possible involvement of the “pretty girl with the polka dot dress” who was seen with Sirhan moments before he committed the crime; it is thought she may have been an accomplice or co- orchestrator. In fact the original investigation headed by the SUS was deemed unsatisfactory, and Moldea, an unwaveringly determined man was assigned to the case.
The assassinations and murder of these major figureheads distressed and destroyed both the assurance of safety for politicians in America and the unrelenting faith of the American people. Whether or not these conspiracies are valid or erroneous, they serve as an example of the effects of these assassinations on the American psyche.

Seminar Question

10. What is the psychological & sociological impact of US ‘celebrity culture’?

The celebrity culture leaves a lasting effect on Americans by being surrounded by these actors that are the pictures of perfection and we believe that we must strive to be like them. It creates the idea that people should act they way the celebrities act and influences society. It is believed that if someone famous is doing it, you should too. It also creates many self-esteem and self-identification problems by not following who you are but who everyone thinks you should be.

3. Was the Marshall Plan motivated by self interest or self-preservation?

The Marshall Plan was motivated by self-preservation. The Marshall Plan was to assist the ravaged nations, provide the United States with needed markets, and advance the nation’s ideological aims. They couldn’t stay uninvolved in the aftermath of the destruction in Europe from WWII and the American aid would permit the “emergence of political and social conditions in which free institutions can exist” according to Marshall. The Western European nations were loaned a total of $13 billion over a period of four years to 16 nations. It appeared that the United States wanted to help rebuild Europe for reasons that had nothing to due with them but they needed Europe to rebuild just as badly. They relied on the foreign markets and needed them back in running. Also by helping these devastated countries, they gain more allies and spread help ward off Communism. If these vulnerable countries became Communist, it would not only hurt them but the US by eventually being outnumbered.

ID Terms



~Domestic Affairs~

Martin Luther King- a southern-born African-American civil rights leader and activist in the United States; leader of the Montgomery Bus Boycott and known for his speech “I Have a Dream”

Blank Panthers- an American organization comprised of left-wing African Americans, fighting for the common cause of self-defense for black people, highly active in the 1960’s and 1970’s

Feminine Mystique- a nonfiction book published in 1963, written by women rights activist and feminist: Betty Friedan, the publication is regarded as one of the most influential books of the 20th century because it transformed the positions pertaining to women’s rights in the United States

Suburbs- a residential area outside of an urban setting consisting widely of families and workers that commute to the cities, which spread in the 20th century due to the advancement in road and rail transportations

Marilyn Monroe- a 1950’s American actress, singer, and model; notorious for her scandalous reputation and known as one of the biggest sex symbols in history

John F. Kennedy- America’s 35th president, serving from 1961 until 1963, ending with a short term because of his public assassination during a parade, also known for his excellence as a military commander in World War II

Malcolm X- an African-American Muslim minister, a civil and human rights activist, a renowned public speaker, and an image of a man working for the better of a country struggling for peace

Hippies- first made up of American youth in the 1960’s, the hippie culture was known as people who had inherited the counterculture values of the beat generation; the unique group quickly spread their beliefs to other people all over the world, made up their own communities, freely engaged in sexual intercourse, opened their minds with drugs such as LSD and marijuana, jammed to the new age rock music, were activists of peace commonly practicing the act of protest, and beat to the rhythm of their own drums

Drug Culture- the experimental practices of people; particularly hippies, engaging in drugs such as LSD, mushrooms, acid, and most commonly; marijuana, many would take the drugs to open their consciousness in order to develop greater perceptions and ultimately inventions

Harvey Milk- California’s first publicly gay man to ever be elected into office, he was an American politician who opened his eyes to public homosexuality and gay activism after the counterculture epidemic of the 1960’s

The Doors- an American rock band formed in 1965, consisting of the legendary Jim Morrison, the group was one of the most influential yet controversial rock bands of the time due to the unpredictable and wild stage persona and song lyrics

Birth Control Pill- a breakthrough in women’s rights, gave women in the United States the opportunity to control their own destiny, prevented pregnancy and encouraged the new age beliefs of casual sex in the 1960’s

Bob Dylan- an American musician, singer, and songwriter; Dylan was one of the most popular music figures of the 1960’s, residing in the famous New York City neighborhood of Greenwich Village, his music became symbolic for rights movements and many public causes

Montgomery Bus Boycott- led by Martin Luther King Jr., a campaign started in Montgomery, Alabama in 1955; it was the resistance of segregation on public transportation

AIDS & HIV- in the 1960’s, the start of the vastly spreading virus of AIDS & HIV in the continent of Africa began first starting its trek of wide-spreading through the middle of the continent in the early part of the decade; AIDS & HIV did not officially reach American soil until the first cases were discovered in urban gay men of New York City and California



~Foreign Affairs~

Berlin Wall- a concrete wall built by the soviets in the center German’s capital city of Berlin, made in order to keep Western residents of Berlin entrapped in East Germany; one of the results of World War II, the wall separated the millions of people living in Berlin and forever altered the course of the city and its people

Space Race- an unannounced competition between the United States and the Soviet Union that came about in the 1960’s when the Soviets launched Sputnik into space, which eventually led to the launching of man into space and the landing of the first man on the moon

38th Parallel- pertaining to the time of the Korean War, the 38th parallel split Korea in half creating North Korea and South Korea; no person from either side could cross onto the other side and matters were taken extremely seriously to ensure that the two side would be kept completely separate from one another

Kennedy Assassination- in Dallas, Texas in the year 1963, President John F. Kennedy was shot while seated next to his wife Jacqueline in a presidential motor vehicle during a parade

Joseph Stalin- holds the place as the first general secretary of the Soviet Union’s communist party and later the leader of the country; most commonly known for his brutal ways, conflict causing decisions, and desire of expansion

East Germany- the unofficial name given to the communist section of Germany, controlled by the Soviet Union, one out of the four sections that the country of Germany was spilt up into after World War II

Bomb Shelters- a secluded place designed specifically to protect people from radioactive debris and nuclear explosions; fear of foreign attack on the United States during the nuclear arms race of post World War II created fear in the eyes of American and government propaganda of the importance of using and building bomb shelters was constant

Peace Corp- a United States government ran organization comprised of volunteers promoting unity and peace throughout the world that rose about in the 1960’s

Afghanistan Invasion- the Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan was a ten-year conflict, often compared to the United States’ invasion of Vietnam

West Germany- the unofficial name given to the democratic sections of Germany controlled by the United States, Britain, and France, three out of the four sections that the country of Germany was spilt up into after World War II

United Nations- an international organization founded in 1945 after World War II to replace the League of Nations; it aimed towards incorporating international security, law enforcement, development, and human rights; holds the ideal goal of achieving world peace

Mao Zedong- China’s communist leader from 1949 until his death in 1976; he led the country on strict beliefs that held such significance that they are still practiced in China today

Cuban Missile Crisis- a confrontation between the Soviet Union, the United States, and Cuba in the year of 1962; created when the United States discovered that the Soviet forces had placed nuclear weapons on the island of Cuba

Third World- a term arisen during the Cold War period to describe countries left untouched and uninfluenced by the vastly spreading ideas of communism or capitalism; the term split up the world into three categories comprised of First World- capitalism and the United States, Second World- communism and the Soviet Union, and Third World- countries left unaffected by the grasps of either idea

Robert F. Kennedy- the brother of John F. Kennedy and a United States senator, he became highly popular in the American public during the 1960’s until his assassination in the year of 1968; known for his strong beliefs and great public speeches


-Sarah

music and social psychology: A case study / 1960s

RESEARCH TOPIC:

Automobile: Impact on American Geography & Identity

 

The automobile left one of the biggest impacts on Americans in many ways. It transformed the way people traveled, ate, where they lived, and worked. With more cars on the road, more roads were created and highways, changing the scenery. Forests were being knocked down for parking lots and new suburban homes. As more people bought cars, suburbanization became much more widespread. Families were moving into suburbs where all the homes were the same and they commuted to work with their cars. Due to the automobile, many new ways of entertainment arose like drive in movie theaters, fast food restaurants, and more people started to go onto vacations.

 

http://www.autolife.umd.umich.edu/ 
^very useful website

~Research Topics~


Foreign Affairs-

#6 Cuban Missile Crisis: How the World Was Lost & Saved

The Cuban Missile Crisis was a close call to the start of a nuclear world war. When Soviet forces developed the idea of placing intermediate-range missiles in Cuba to keep steady with the arms race against the United States, chaos was bound to quickly follow. Although war was avoided, as the plot thickened, the closeness of a fight between the Soviet Union and the United States was nearly unavoidable. Thanks to the decisions of President Kennedy, Soviet forces removed their missiles from Cuban lands after specific agreements had been met.

The world could have taken a drastic turning point towards nuclear destruction if agreements hadn’t been recognized and reasonably met between the United States and the Soviet Union. The U.S. had enough bombs to destroy all of the Soviet Union while the Soviet Union held enough nuclear power to destroy all of Europe. Dangerous amounts of ammunitions were available to both countries and steadily being created as crisis arose and conflicts lengthened among the two world power nations. Without a resolution being met, the world may not have been what it is today.

• Cuba welcomes Soviet Union policies on December 1, 1960
• U.S. terminates diplomatic relations with Cuba
• Kennedy declares no intervention with the Cuban Revolution
• Castro declares that the Soviet Union has invested in defending Cuba against attack
• Soviet Andrei Gromyko warns the public that an American advance on Cuba could potentially lead to war with the Soviet Union
• Senator Keating declares six intermediate-range missile bases are being constructed in Cuba
• U-2 is sent to western Cuba discovering missile sites and nuclear missiles
• Kennedy calls for a quarantine of Cuba with American ships positioned eight hundred miles from Cuba
• Khrushchev sends out a letter to Kennedy threatening “a serious threat to peace and security”
• Kennedy then decides to move back quarantine line 500 miles as a result
• Kennedy replies to Khrushchev proposing a removal of U.S. missiles from Turkey if Soviet missiles are removed from Cuban land
• Khrushchev agrees to remove missiles if Kennedy publicly agrees to never invade Cuba again which Kennedy agrees too
• Missiles are removed from Cuba on October 28, 1962


-Sarah

~Research Topics~


Domestic Affairs-

#7 Beat Generation & Counterculture; Impact Then & Now

The beat generation and counterculture of the 1960’s left a lasting impression over American society that presence continues to linger even in the present day. The sixties was an age of youth due to the post-war baby boom years after World War II. The 1950’s held a conservative and confirmative hold over the culture of the United States but the strict ways and beliefs did a complete turn when thoughts of revolution spread through the minds of “beatniks” and “hippies.” Change was desired by the American people and the differences that were thought to be altered were elements of importance such as lifestyles, education, music, values, laws, rights, and entertainment. As a result of the new age ideas, people aren’t afraid to stand up for what they believe in and protest against political or social issues. Revolutionary ideas that began in the 1960’s continue to reach the American people of the 21st century and are maintaining to evolve even today.

A new way of life began in the 1960’s that impacted all aspects of society and altered the course of American history as well as world history. The ideas of beatniks and participants of the American counterculture quickly spread overseas and people everywhere adapted to the edgy and scandalous ways of the hippies. The psychedelic rock music, the opening of consciousnesses through drugs, the beginnings of deeming “casual sex” socially appropriate, and the public activism promoting peace were the stems that kept the flowers of a beat generation growing. Inheritance of the counterculture was seen in the hippies of America, with a vast majority flocking to major cities and often creating their own communities within the urban settings.

Ideas of the beat generation and counterculture remain with the American people and continue to promote the activism of peace and unity. Drugs began to hold an impact over people during the 1960’s, as they do today among many individuals and groups. Marijuana continues to stand as an important part of many people’s lives, as it was in the 1960’s. The idea of “casual sex” has stuck and the American people have neglected to return to the more conservative days before the reform of the beat generation and counterculture. The great musicians of the 1960’s such as the Beatles, the Doors, and Bob Dylan continue to blast from the stereos of the young and old. Historic icons such as Audrey Hepburn and Marilyn Monroe continue to be idolized. Pop art, risky lyrics, and tie-dye t-shirts remain a popular part of our culture, which all originated in the turbulent times of the 1960’s.

I.D. Terms-Foreign Affairs

1. ICBM (Intercontinental Ballistic Missile)- a long range missile capable of traveling 3,500 miles and was created by Nazi Germany during World War II with the intent of attacking New York, along with along American cities.

2. Bikini Atoll- apart of the Marshall Islands and was best known for nuclear tests on the island. The island had the “bikini” swimsuit named after it in 1946.

3. Clark Clifford- served as Secretary of Defense under President Lyndon Johnson.

4. King Hussein- King of Jordan, who oversaw 40 years of Arab-Israeli conflict and sought to make his country more like Western Civilization.

5. Lech Walesa- a politician and civil rights leader who served as Poland’s first President in the new democratic nation between 1990-1995.

6. War Powers Act of 1973- justified that the President can only send armed forces into Congress with the approval or if the U.S. is under attack.

7. Nuclear Test Ban Treaty- bans all nuclear explosions in environments for both military and civilian purposes.

8. SALT Treaty- international treaties between the U.S. and USSR that set limits on arms productions.

9. START Treaty- an international treaty between the US and USSR to reduce nuclear weapons, that even today is still being revamped between the US and Russia.

10. Tonkin Gulf Resolution- passed a result of the conflict in the Tonkin Gulf between a North Vietnamese Naval Ship and one from the U.S.

11. Adlai Stevenson- a sophisticated intelligent politician, who was the Democratic Nominee for president in both 1952 and 1956, but was unsuccessful in winning the presidency.

12. Gamel Abdel Nasser- President of Egypt from 1956-1970, who persisted an agenda of modernization and socialism in Egypt.

13 Boris Yeltsin- became the first president of democratic Russia after the fall of the USSR.

14. Dean Rusk- served as Secretary of State under John F. Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson and is famous for his strong support of diplomacy in the Cuban Missile Crisis and strong U.S. defense in Vietnam.

15. Barry Goldwater- a conservative, five-term U.S. Senator from Arizona who was the Republican Nominee for President in 1964, but was unsuccessful in assuming victory.


-- Edited by Justin BRAGA on Monday 29th of March 2010 03:47:56 PM

~Seminar Question~

 

 

 

 Foreign Affairs-

 

 

 

10. Did America’s foreign image suffer or grow as a result of the Cold War?

 

            As a result of the Cold War, America’s foreign image grew a tremendous amount because after World War II, the United States was considered to be one of the most affluent nations in the whole world. America had unofficially saved Europe from Nazi occupation and it was one of the few countries along with the Soviet Union that had successfully blockaded German attacks during what is considered the most gruesome war in all of history. The defeat of Germany by the Allied Powers made the main participant, [the United States] an obvious leader in the world sphere, which continued to remain prominent during and after the Cold War period.

 

            During the Cold War period, many nations were taking desperate measures and relying on the help and relief of other nations. This other nation was the United States. Asia was in chaos from the bombing of Japan, Vietnam, and the Korean War. Colonies in Africa and the Caribbean were demanding independence and rebelling against the European nations that were currently in crisis. The Middle East was being invaded by the Soviet Union and the state of Israel was established causing even more strife. Most importantly, communism was spreading all across the world and half the planet was now influenced by the expansion.

 

            Economy in the United States was also growing and increasing due to the necessity of American products from other nations, especially the worn-torn countries of Europe. Coke-a-cola was an example of a popular American product that became highly desirable after the Cold War. With marketing and production at an all time high during after World War II and after the Cold War, America was climbing up on the latter of success in a domestic point of view and a foreign point of view.

 

             The United States also processed the greatest number of nuclear weapons and bombs in this time period with the Soviet Union following closely behind in the race. The United States also outshined the Soviets even after the launching of “Sputnik” because shortly after, Neil Armstrong landed himself and the American flag on the moon. By winning the nuclear arms race and the space race, America was so far ahead in the game, no other nation could begin to keep up with the countries’ advances. Therefore, America’s foreign image did nothing but spread in growth as a result of the Cold War for numerous reasons pertaining to a growth in market, trade, economy, and power.

-Sarah

-- Edited by Sarah Flood on Monday 29th of March 2010 05:01:30 PM

-- Edited by Sarah Flood on Monday 29th of March 2010 05:03:52 PM

-- Edited by Sarah Flood on Monday 29th of March 2010 05:06:31 PM

ID Terms


• Baby Boom- a period in which the birth rate increases dramatically. Baby booms often signify good times and periods of general economic growth and stability.

• Rosa Parks- an African American civil rights leader who refused to sit in the back of the bus and give up her seat to a white person.

• Roe v. Wade - a extremely important court case on the issue of abortion.
“The Court held that a woman's right to an abortion is determined by her current trimester of pregnancy:”
 In the first trimester, the state cannot restrict a woman's right to an abortion in any way. The courted stated that this trimester begins at conception and ends at the "point at which the fetus becomes 'viable'".
In the second trimester, the state may only regulate the abortion procedure "in ways that are reasonably related to maternal health" (defined in the companion case of Doe v. Bolton.)
In the third trimester, the state can choose to restrict or proscribe abortion as it sees fit when the fetus is viable ("except where it is necessary, in appropriate medical judgment, for the preservation of the life or health of the mother").
“The Court rested these conclusions on a constitutional right to privacy emanating from the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, also known as substantive due process.”

• 26th amendment-lowered the voting age from 21 to 18.

• Sputnik- was the first human made object (created by the Soviet Union) to orbit the earth.

• TV dinner- was created in the US in 1953. It was originally a thanksgiving meal that consisted of turkey, sweet potatoes, cornbread dressing, and frozen peas. It was in a aluminum tray and could be heated in the oven.

• NAACP-(National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) a civil rights organization that believed in fighting for their rights and tried to eliminate racial hatred.

• Jackie Robinson- the first African American major league baseball player.

• Rock n roll- a genre of music that consists of blues, jazz, and country.

• Neoconservatism- the political philosophy in the US that supported using American economic and military power to bring liberalism, democracy, and human rights to other countries.

• Jesse Jackson- and American civil rights activist and minister.

• I Love Lucy- an American sitcom that was the most watched show in america for 4 out of its 6 seasons.

• Gideon v. Wainwright- In the case, the Supreme Court unanimously ruled that state courts are required under the Sixth Amendment of the Constitution to provide counsel in criminal cases for defendants who are unable to afford their own attorneys.

• Little Rock Nine- a group of African American students who were enrolled in Little Rock Central High School and were then prevented from entering a segregated school by the Arkansas governor.

• VCR- (video set recorder) the first VCR was created in 1956 and it used removable video tape to capture audio and video of a television broadcast.

• Space Race- The competition between the US and the soviet to see who could send an object to space first. The soviets won succeeded but the US later sent the first human to the moon.

• Fidel Castro- a communist who was the prime minister of Cuba and was a primary leader in the Cuban revolution.

• George Kennan- was an American advisor, diplomat, political scientist, and historian and was a key figure in the emergence of the cold war.

• NASA- (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) an agency of the US government that is responsible for all space programs throughout the US.

• HUAC- (House Committee on Un-American Activities) was an investigative committee of the United States House of Representatives.

• Domino Theory- was the idea that if one country came under the influence of communism that all would follow like a domino effect.

• OPEC(Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries)- a group made up of 12 countries whose main goal is to ensure the stabilization of prices in international oil
markets.

• Capitalism- is an economic and social system in which capital and land are privately owned.

• NATO-( North Atlantic Treaty Organization) North Atlantic alliance in which they agree to a mutual defense in response to an attack by any external party.

• Escalation- is the process in which something is becoming more intense.

• SEATO (Southeast Asia Treaty Organization) - an international organization for collective defense.

• ICBM (Intercontinental Ballistic Missile) – a long range missle designed for nuclear weapons delivery.

• Start Treaty- treaty between the US and the Soviets on the Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms.

• Brezhnev- Soviet leader who led the Soviet Union through the Cold War.

The House Un-American Committee, spearheaded by Super-Senator Joe McCarthy, was a direct response to the “Red Scare” and following hysteria; it combed through the government, and even Hollywood, in the hopes to root out Communists ties in domestic soil. Mc Cathy’s Anti-Communist initiative was as popular as it was damaging, and led to the blacklisting of many celebrities and questionable indictment of countless politicians.

The House Un-American Committee’s actions in the cases of the “Hollywood Ten” catapulted them into unemployment; men like Charlie Chaplin were blacklisted and forced to leave the country in order to find job opportunities. The HUAC also was the driving impetus behind the monumental Alger Hiss and Edith and Julius Rosenberg trials. Both trials dealt with massive threats to homeland security, and sensationalized the country. The Rosenbergs were even sentenced to death by electric shock due to their treasonous actions.

The degree of paranoia is almost incomprehensible in the twenty-first century, but in the 1950’s “The Red Scare” was a very real and tangible threat to America, and many citizens feared that the Cold War tension would give way to an all-out battle, and culminate in WWIII.

Sorry, didn't realize that Courtney was doing this one too right above me :]. I do have different cases though.

Research Topic-Domestic Affairs

8. Supreme Court cases of the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s: Impact?

There were numerous cases during the 1950’s, 1960’s, and 1970’s that impacted the United States Government and the law of the land in numerous ways. The cases and their respective impacts are listed below:

• Brown v. Board of Education (1954): Ruled that racially segregated schools were unconstitutional and that the “separate but equal” doctrine constitutionally did not apply to public schools in terms of race.

"We conclude that the doctrine of 'separate but equal' has no place. Separate educational facilities are inherently unequal."
—Chief Justice Earl Warren

• Browder v. Gale (1956): The Supreme Court ruled, in a case that would have magnitudes in favor of civil rights, that buses could not discriminate certain sections based on race, as a result of the Montgomery bus boycott and Rosa Parks arrest.

• Mapp v. Ohio (1961): Determined that evidence obtained without a search warrant, or that is in violation of the Fourth Amendment, could not be used in trials in the state and federal court systems.

“. . . our holding that the exclusionary rule is an essential part of both the Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments is not only the logical dictate of prior cases, but it also makes very good sense. There is no war between the Constitution and common sense."
—Justice Clark, speaking for the majority

• Gideon v. Wainright (1963)- The Supreme Court determined in their interpretation of the Sixth Amendment that if a defendant in a criminal trial could not afford defense counsel, then it was the responsibility of the state to provide it for the said defendant.

"If an obscure Florida convict named Clarence Earl Gideon had not sat down in his prison cell . . . to write a letter to the Supreme Court . . . the vast machinery of American law would have gone on functioning undisturbed. But Gideon did write that letter, the Court did look into his case . . . and the whole course of American legal history has been changed."
—Robert F. Kennedy

• Miranda v. Arizona (1966)- The Supreme Court ruled that statements made by defendants in interrogation could only be submissable in the court of law if the said defendant is made aware that they have the right to an attorney and that they are self incriminating themselves, otherwise the said evidence submitted is in violation of the Fifth Amendment.

". . . the prosecution may not use statements, whether exculpatory or inculpatory, stemming from custodial interrogation of the defendant unless it demonstrates the use of procedural safeguards effective to secure the privilege against self-incrimination."
—Chief Justice Earl Warren,
speaking for the majority

• Tinker v. Des Moines (1969): The Supreme Court ruled that it was the First Amendment rights of students and people in general to protest U.S. war peacefully, in this case, wearing black armbands.

". . . In the absence of a specific showing of constitutionally valid reasons to regulate their speech, students are entitled to freedom of expression of their views."
— Justice Fortas, speaking for the majority

• Roe v. Wade (1973): The Supreme Court ruled that it was the right of a woman to have the choice whether or not to terminate her pregnancy or not up to the end of the second trimester. This law clearly gave more reproductive rights and more control over a woman’s body to the said woman. However, the ruling did not include federal funding for abortion, for the Hyde Amendment would block such funding to go to abortion through the Health and Human Services Budget.

“We … acknowledge our awareness of the sensitive and emotional nature of the abortion controversy, of the vigorous opposing views, even among physicians, and of the deep and seemingly absolute convictions that the subject inspires.” -
- Justice Blackmun (1973),
majority opinion in Roe v. Wade

* Nixon v. United States (1974): This unanimous ruling by the Supreme Court limited the power of the president, stating that he or she could not harbor and valuable information, even as an executive.

". . . Absent a claim of need to protect military, diplomatic, or sensitive national security secrets,
we find it difficult to accept the . . . [absolute] confidentiality of presidential communications."
— Chief Justice Warren Burger

• Regents of the University of California v. Bakke (1978): This ruling allowed for racial “affirmative action” however it stated that race could not be a sole reason for accomplishment or gain.

" . . . Race or ethnic background may be deemed a "plus" in a particular applicant's file, yet it does not insulate the individual from comparison with all other candidates for the available seats."
— Justice Powell, Speaking for the Court


-- Edited by Justin BRAGA on Monday 29th of March 2010 07:10:36 PM

-- Edited by Justin BRAGA on Monday 29th of March 2010 08:58:36 PM

-- Edited by Justin BRAGA on Monday 29th of March 2010 08:59:44 PM

Its ok Justin haha.!heyy how do you put up pictures?

Research Topic-Foreign Affairs

10. Reagan and the Cold War: Change, Consistency, and Effectiveness

President Ronald Reagan, while maintaining a consistent harsh stance toward Soviet communism throughout his term as president, however, also became more willing to work with the Soviets in ending the Cold War, and with a combination of the two, was able to crumble the Soviet Union and let democracy prevail over communism.

When Reagan assumed power in 1981, he knew the conflict that was before him. Reagan had no use for communism and in fact stated profoundly: “"Freedom and democracy, which will leave Marxism-Leninism on the ash heap of history." Reagan, with this strong nationalism, believed in and consistently kept up with a large defense budget and militant approach toward the Soviets. Reagan, advocated for an increase in weapons, including the Strategic Defense Initiative, or known as Star Wars, which sought to incept and destroy Soviet missiles in outer space.

While although, Reagan had a strong dislike of communism, he did realize, that like no other president, that the Cold War must be ended under his term. The Soviet Premier, Mikhail Gorbachev, was willing to work with the U.S. to bring an end to the conflict, and so Reagan took an advantage of this. He came to agreements with Gorbachev, such as the Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces Treaty in 1987 which reduced and destroyed 2,500 U.S. and Soviet nuclear weapons aimed at each other in Europe.

With a combination of militancy and compromise, Reagan was able to in a way bring the U.S. and democracy victory over the Soviets and communists. By raising the defense budget, Reagan put the Soviets in a position where they went economically bankrupt and could no longer afford to keep up with the U.S. financially in the arms race. Also, Reagan’s stern, yet willing compromise with Gorbachev led to the end of the Soviet Union, and eventually to the fall of the Berlin Wall, a united Germany, and Russia becoming a Republic. Truly Reagan though consistency and change brought about effectiveness, which was a prize of ending a bitter and costly world conflict.

Research Topic

Televison was a huge part of American society. By 1960 all three of the major telivision companies, ABC, NBS, and CBS, were established. The majority of talevision in the sixties focused on wrestling, cartoons, cooking shows, and the news. Millions upon millions of americans owned televisions, in part due to the economic boom following WWII. With millions of people watching television, propoganda and opinionated news pieces could be effectively shown to the public to persuade or sway one's position on a certain topic. Examples of this can be found with cartoons on the cold war, like the red dog. Ultimitaly televison brought the lives and familes of America together. The World Series became the most viewed event. Television has truly changed the lives of people forever.]

Seminar Question

The Space Age has had a large effect on the people in the sixties and of the people of today. During the sixties the Space race was a scary topic. When the Soviets orbited a small satellite, Sputnik, around the earth the people of America were greatly frightened due to the possibility of a space attack, upon which the country would be defenceless. However, the Soviets never did attack from space. In 1969 Neil Armstrong was the first man to ever land on the moon. In the years after the sixties satellites now orbit the planet. These satellties take pictures, send messages, send radio waves, and are even armed with rockets. Today Satellites control almost all are lives. From phones to computers the information and messages are sent from satellite to earth. Billions of dollars are spent today in improving the capabilities of space machinery. Satellites are so powerful they can pinpoint the date of a dime on the sidewalk from space. The Space age had a huge effect on the peoples of the sixties and the peoples of today.


Research Topic

The nuclear threat is the greatest danger mankind has everseen. Thousands of people can die in an instant, entire cities can be destroyed. During the cuban missle crisis a nuclear bumb could be rocketed on U.S. soil in under 5 minutes. During the Eisenhower administraion the U.S. foreign policy consisted of massive retaliation. This policy meant that if we were attacked in any way we would nuke the attacking country. This Massive Retaliation was a great threat. The United States was not the only country with nuclear weapons. Had a bomb been dropped it was very possible for an all out nuclear war. The Cold War can also be seen as the dangers of nuclear weapons. The bitter standoff was a period in which both countries were prepared to attack eachother by any means, including nukes. The nuclear threat was so great that Americans were given post detonation tips and the mass building of bomb shelters.


Seminar Question

The nuclear arms race was inetivable. After the dropping of the first Atomic bomb in Hiroshima all teh countries of the world were stunned about the power of a single bomb. The majors powers thirsted for such a weapon, a weapon that could be used to destroy anything. The bomb also came as wakeup call, in the sense that if the United States were to battle once again they would be unopposed. The Soviets in paticular wanted to create the bomb, and after they did, started a race to build more powerful nuclear weapons. The first bomb in the race was the hydrogen bomb which the U.S. had discovered and detonated first. Later that year a similar bomb was dropped by the Soviets. The race continued with the launching of Sputnik, which proved the Soviets could hit anywhere with a missile. This nuclear arms race was inetivible tbecause the Soviets wanted similar technology to counter the United States's nuclear Weapons

-- Edited by Danny on Tuesday 30th of March 2010 03:16:39 PM

Grades Updated 4/6/10

The Nuclear Question: Global Security or Global Danger?


Nuclear weapons are some of the most destructive weapons in history. In addition to the massive amount of deaths cause by the actual blast, nuclear weapons have harsh effects on the survivors of the blast. During this time, a new word called “megadeath” was created to describe the death of million people by nuclear war. This word was first used by a military strategist named Herman Kahn. He said in a nuclear war if the U.S suffered 10 megadeaths instead of 100 megadeaths it should be considered "tragic but distinguishable outcomes".

These bombs certain pose a colossal threat but they might also cause peace. The threat of mutually assured destruction could cause a nation to not start a confrontation with countries that own nuclear weapons. These bombs were used as bargaining chips during this time. Countries, even to this day, have to attack cautiously when the threat of a nuclear war is at stake.