Essays I wrote while in school about various historical events.
History
1986 Challenger Space Shuttle Disaster
Summary
Report I wrote way back in fifth grade about the explosion of the Challenger Space Shuttle in 1986.
Preview
It was on January 28, 1986 at 11:38 A.M. that the shuttle Challenger, NASA flight 51-L, the twenty-fifth shuttle flight, took off. It was the “Teacher in Space” mission. At lift-off, the temperature at ground level was 36° Fahrenheit, which was 15° Fahrenheit cooler than any previous launch by NASA. It was the Challenger’s tenth flight. Take-off had been delayed several times. Finally the shuttle had taken off. The shuttle had climbed high in the sky thirty-five seconds after take-off, and it was getting…
Andrew Jackson Trial Verdict
Summary
In American History class my Junior year of high school, we had a mock trial in which we tried President Andrew Jackson for three things - committing crimes against the indians, breaking treaties and laws, and creating a climate hostile to the indians. I wrote this verdict paper after the trial, explaning what I thought the verdict should be.
Preview
In this trial, Andrew Jackson has been charged with three things – committing crimes against the indians, breaking treaties and laws, and creating a climate hostile to the indians. I find Andrew Jackson not guilty of all three charges. He committed no crimes against the indians; rather, he was working to keep them safe from the crimes the white settlers committed against them. By going into detail, looking at each law and Supreme court ruling, we see that Jackson broke no previous treaties or laws by signing any of the treaties he signed. Jackson did not create a climate hostile…
Atomic Bomb Memo
Summary
For this essay, written for my Junior year American History class in high school, I took on the position of Military Advisor to President Truman. I was required to advise in favor of or in opposition to the dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima.
Preview
Mr. President, a quick analysis of all the facts of the war with Japan shows that Japan can clearly not be beaten unless we drop the atomic bomb on them. Naval blockades and invading Japan will get more Americans killed. Asking the Soviet Union for assistance will just give us more problems. Demonstrating the potential of the atomic bomb will make us look like fools. No other options are left, except to drop the bomb on Japan.
Breaching the Wall
For my history class Junior year of high school, I had to outline a movie about the Cold War, including picking actors, a setting, and writing a basic plot. This this what my friend and I came up with.
Nothing to Offer But...
Summary
In my sophomore English class, I was required to pick a person who thought I should be the person of the century. We had to give a speech and write a paper about the person and why they should be the person of the century. I chose Winston Churchill.
Preview
During the twentieth century, there were many people, some well known and others not so well known, who contributed to society in one way or another. When determining which one of these people was the biggest contributor to society during the twentieth century, and, therefore, the person of the twentieth century, their lives as a whole should be taken into consideration. In addition to contributing much to society in various ways, the best candidate for person of the century should also have had struggles and experiences that they overcame or went through and from which they learned…
President Comparison Essay
Summary
An essay comparing and contrasting Herbert Hoover, FDR, and Ronald Reagan that I wrote for American History class my junior year of high school.
Preview
Because of their positions in the government and their resulting influential abilities, presidents are either praised for advancing the nation, criticized for not doing anything to help the country, or even making the country’s situation worse. Their success as president is dependent on the success of the country. People don’t take into consideration the attempts presidents make, but only those things that help or hurt the country. This leaves room for there to be a good president who may not accomplish much and a bad president who may accomplish a lot.
President Herbert Hoover took…
The Guarani Indians and Missions of Paraguay
Summary
In Spanish class, we do more than simply study the language. Each year, we also study some cultural aspect of things. This is an essay I wrote my freshman year of high school about the Guarani Indians and the Jesuit Missions established in Paraguay.
Preview
The first contact anyone ever made with the Guarani Indians of Paraguay was in 1537 by Gonzalo de Mendoza. Mendoza founded Asuncion, now the capital of Paraguay. He also started the policy of intermarriage with Indian women and the policy of enslavement of the native tribes. It wasn’t until the first Jesuits, Fathers Barcena and Angulo, came in 1585 that the Indians had protection from slavery. More Jesuits followed soon afterwards. The Jesuits developed a college at Asuncion. In 1608 the king of Spain, King Philip III, issued a command to the Jesuits for the colonization of the Guarani Indians…<
Was the American Revolution a Revolution?
Summary
In American History class my junior year of high school, we discussed what is required for an event to be considered a revolution and then had to write whether the American Revolution was a true revolution. I wrote this essay explaining that it was a true revolution.
Preview
All of us alive today have grown up learning about the American Revolution. Although it contains the word “revolution” in its name, there are many who don’t consider the American Revolution a real revolution. After considering the definition of a revolution – a radical change of an entire system, usually by war, resulting in a change of the way of life of the people involved – and the American society before and after the American Revolution, it is obvious that those who don’t consider the American Revolution a revolution are mistaken. Among the many aspects of colonial…
West Chicago: the 1890's
Summary
Back in eighth grade, everyone in my language arts class had to report about a good sized town, West Chicago, IL, in a different decade, and I picked the 1890's. The project involved creating a Hyperstudio presentation of the content which I have since lost. (And, even if I could find it, I'd have no idea how to run Hyperstudio!)
Preview
“Not many people living today can fully or faintly recall the years of 1890 to 1900.” (Scobey 93) The 1890s, also known as the Gay 90s were a time of many changes in the city of West Chicago, IL. The 1890s brought many good things, some bad things, and an interesting bicycle fad.
To begin with, there were many changes in the railroads. Railroads had some history before the 1890s. The Eastern U.S. had the first railroads of the U.S., but they were horse-powered. Later on, still in the 1800s, a man by the name of John Stevens…
