ktmeng/mec huggingface dataset:
Topic: civil-war

This address that has remained stuck in the minds of so many a people, firmly stuck so much so that the real feeling can withstand the test of time yet continue to influence people in one way or the other. The speech took a short time but did much within that period. He began directly by hitting at the point, that all men were born equal an that in no way should one superior to the other, in this case, he tables his ideas so plainly that it only takes a slight struggle of the mind to get a glimpse of the while thing.
Topic: civil-war

In a rather solemn or somber mood, he talks about the position of the Union members in the battle. The speech was also welcomed by the American of black origin because president Lincoln illustrated his desire for equality and abolishment of racial discrimination. He put forward that all people should be allowed to visit any public utility and be employed in any office in the country. This opened up the country for progress. Even though the county later divided into two factions, further amendments became a major stepping stone to greatness.
Topic: civil-war

The president, also in his brief assignment brings out the reality that the soldiers who died in the a title are heroes who laid down their lives for the sake of freedom, he considers the soldiers heroes and also goes ahead to complement the ones who fought but never died. May be the aspect that remains touching most is the issue of slavery, he shows his strong ground on slavery, he is clearly against it, once more this is confirmed in his emphasis of the fact that all were men were created equal, he strongly campaigns for freedom and equality.
Topic: civil-war

The civil war, which prevailed earlier, own caused and claimed many lives, perhaps this might be the most obvius event that flows down to the current sitation. During the moment of the battle, many innocent soldiers lost their lives. This really signified a climax in the war and hence a call for fresh peace amongst people furthermore. The smell of the rotting bodies of the soldiers and the horses made the environment a little bit unbearable, hence the need to do something to counter the health hazards which were at stake.
Topic: civil-war

It therefore became the desire, a highly regarded priority to inter those who died in this battle in an orderly and dignified manner. Initially the town wanted to buy land for a cemetery and then ask the families of the dead to pay for the burial but Davis Willis; a wealthy Attorney objected to the idea and wrote to the Governor of Pennsylvania suggesting that a National Cemetery be funded by the States. He was authorized therefore to purchase land for a cemetery to honor those who died in the summer battle.
Topic: civil-war

Willis had planned initially to dedicate the new cemetery on Wednesday October 23, he invited Edward Everet wh9o had served as the secretary of the state, a Governor and a senator; he was great orator who was famous all over, Willis wanted him to be the main speaker. Everet on the other hand told Willis and his organizing committee to postpone the dedication as the time he had been given was too short for him to prepare an appropriate speech. This was done and the date changed to November 19.
Topic: civil-war

Episode V ,”The Universe of Battle”, of The Civil War series directed by Ken Burns reflects on how the Battle of Gettysburg in 1863 was a major turning point in the Civil War. He details how the Union defeat at Gettysburg, the work of women, and the entry of black men into the Union army enabled the North to significantly weaken the Confederacy. The Union and Confederacy both suffered thousands of casualties in the bloody battles that took place. However, by the end of 1863, the North was led to a “new birth of freedom” while the South had to come to the realization that the “bottom rail was on top”, now.
Topic: civil-war

Burns begins the episode with the first of three battles that took place in the rural town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania on July 1, 1863. The Union was led by Commander Meade who served under General Grant and the Confederacy by General Lee. Due to Lee’s commanders not delivering tactical support on the first day of battle, the North was able to hold their high ground, but did this not compare to what was going to happen in the following two days.
Topic: civil-war

This must have been very hard on Lee. It was shocking to hear that he tried to resign after he lost this battle. I thought it was very interesting that the Confederacy’s need for shoes is was what led them in to Gettysburg. I bet they never thought that the result of this stop would end up in 150,000 men fighting 51,000 men dying in the greatest battle ever fought in the northern hemisphere. The actual pictures, paintings, and simulated video used while describing these battles were really good and the helped me to gain a sense of what it was like to be there. I also enjoyed the irony in the fact that the North entered Gettysburg from the south and the South entered from the north. It was also interesting that the troops fighting over the Little Round Top were both from equal distances from Gettysburg in the opposite directions.
Topic: civil-war

Next, the importance of women supporting the war was examined. Women not only held down the farms and houses when the men were off at war, but many women also left their homes to care for the soldiers. In the north women started the Sanitary Commission and demanded better treatment and better food for the soldiers. This commission was made up of hundreds and thousands of women. In the south Sally Tompkins and a staff of six, nursed 1,333 wounded men. Unlike the North, the South did not have a Sanitary Commission and most men were treated in houses.
Topic: civil-war

In the north, Mary Ann Bickerdyke was a important female figure in the war. She traveled with the Union army for four years and sixteen battles. General Sherman stated, “She ranks me”. This statement by Sherman was extraordinary, especially for this era. It makes me happy that she received the credit that was due to her. Many women served as nurses, food gathers, and cooks, but I am exceptionally impressed with Mary Ann Bickerdyke’s story. I imagine she gave up a lot and the fact that she stayed strong during all of the gruesome battles she saw really says a lot about her character.
Topic: civil-war

Following the role of women in the Civil War, Burns details the forty-eight day siege of Vicksburg. During this battle the residents of Vicksburg were cut off from the world and were in desperate need of supplies. When Union had control over the well being of the Vicksburg residents, 31,000 Confederate soldiers under the command of General John C. Pemberton withdrew due to the concern of the health of the Vicksburg residents. The Union victory of this battle was significant because the Confederacy was now cut in two. I was surprised that Pemberton was a northern man fighting for the Confederacy. I would expect that soldiers would support their states. I also found it very interesting that after this siege, the fourth of July would not be celebrated in Vicksburg for eighty-one years.
Topic: civil-war

That is just crazy to me! Burns goes on to examine the first black regiment and the first federal draft call. In New York, a mostly Irish mob held an uprising over the draft. They were opposed to abolition because they feared blacks taking their jobs. It also made them angry that the draft favored the rich in that they could easily hire substitutes to take their place. Meanwhile, the uprising in New York was ended and the enlistment of the first blacks into the Union army had begun, this was a huge blow to the Confederacy. However, the blacks did not receive fair treatment, but they were key to the war. I am not surprised that black soldiers would fight without pay, but it was surprising that they declined it because it was not equal to the pay of the white soldiers. I like the pictures of the black soldiers.
Topic: civil-war

You could see by their facial expressions that their pride was different from that of the white men. In some of their pictures some of them were actually smiling unlike the pictures of white soldiers I have seen. I think it because they were truly happy to be fighting for their cause. Frederick Douglass put it best when he stated that blacks were, “the pivot upon which the whole rebellion turns, this war, disguise it as they may, is virtually nothing more or less then perpetual slavery against universal freedom and to this end the free states will have to come.” The 650 men of the all black 54th Massachusetts regiment proved to the Union that blacks were useful soldiers during the battle at Battery Wagner in South Carolina. Even though the Confederates were ahead in this battle, the battle ultimately ended in a protracted siege that was enabled by the 54th. It was because of their battle other black regiments were deemed worthy to fight.
Topic: civil-war

Finally, the episode ends with Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address. On November 19, 1863 Lincoln delivered one of the most memorable speeches in American history. Lincoln declared the love he had for his people and his unwavering pursuit for equality in just 269 words. I never realized that this speech was just a “side speech” at a dedication ceremony. It is almost unbelievable that Lincoln thought that this was a failed speech considering that even today most Americans know at least the first line of the Gettysburg Address. It is a shame that the photographer was not able to capture him delivering his speech, it would have been a great image to reflect upon today.
Topic: civil-war

Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States of America, summed up the perfects that would go on to shape one of the most powerful countries of the world. Although President Lincoln’s speech was about ten lines, in which he delivered in two minutes, he moved not simply the people who had collected for the honoring of the soldiers who bravely provided their lives in Gettysburg while combating for liberty, however likewise individuals around the world. In 10 lines the President spoke not only about American self-reliance, however about liberty in basic.
Topic: civil-war

Lincoln highlighted on the fact that the Gettysburg Address might be forgotten in time, however not the soldiers who voluntarily put down their lives for a much better tomorrow. He advised the event to use up the cause and finish the job at hand, to make sure democracy would remain in a federal government “of individuals, by the people, and for individuals”. The speech by Abraham Lincoln, in such a way specified the Civil War by focusing it on the nations belief system and democracy rather of separating the north from the south.
Topic: civil-war

He relayed the battle as one meant to witness the renewal of flexibility and people’s power over the state. The Battle of Gettysburg was a turning point in the civil war, making the battleground a burial ground for numerous soldiers. Its significance depends on the reality that Lincoln’s war effort challenged the result that otherwise appeared in favor of the south. The value of the Gettysburg Address sent the individuality of the country’s commitment to democracy like punch or blow to the opposition. Lincoln had efficiently made the individuals familiar with their rights and stated the federal government liable to individuals.
Topic: civil-war

He redefined democracy as by the citizens’ will and not some property of the state legislatures. The Gettysburg Address now finds its place on the south wall of the Lincoln Memorial. It is an inseparable part of numerous works in popular culture, designed for present-day audiences. Democracies around the world have now adopted the definition of democracyfrom the very words of Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln may have passed on, but his words still live in the hearts of many, inspiring and preaching to them the values of democracy as they strive towards better futures for their nations in attempt to base them on the values stated of liberty and equality.
Topic: civil-war

The Klan used public violence against blacks as intimidation; attempting to keep them out of jobs and off the land that whites believed they did not and should not own. To the Klan Blacks were a inferior race and should stay that way; working for whites as a labor force. As the years went by the Klan attempted to create a hierarchy with the various chapters in the south, however the plan failed and the various chapters went on to terrorize their areas and settle feuds that were boiling.
Topic: civil-war

The Klan choose to ride at night and use the darkness as their ally as they terrorized the black community. When they would ride at night they often dawned white masks to mask their identity from the community, mainly for the simply reason that the members of the Klan were often high ranking officials of the military or of the community. When the Klan would ride they often targeted black political leaders as well as heads of the families, along with the leaders of the churches, and community groups because these men and women were a icon in the community. The Klan was also against blacks voting, in a matter of weeks that Klan had killed or wounded over two-thousand black voters in Louisiana before the Presidential election of 1868.
Topic: civil-war

By 1868, just 2 years after the creation of the Klan its activities began to fade and die down. In 1870 the government stated that the Klan was an organized terrorist group and began to indict members of the Klan. A reporter in Georgia wrote in January 1870, “A true statement of the case is not that the Ku Klux are an organized band of licensed criminals, but that men who commit crimes call themselves Ku Klux.” (1) As the Klan decreased its unpopularity also shot down, in 1870 the Klan was destroyed in South Carolina and discriminated against in the rest of the south. In 1872 the Klan was completely disbanded and didn’t come back till 1915.
Topic: civil-war

In conclusion, the Klan was a group of men and some women that still held the beliefs that the black community was underneath the whites. They did not see them as equals and did not agree with what the north was trying to do after the Civil war. In the beginning the Klan was strong and had nearly 550,000 members that terrorized the south, but the lack of leadership and differing views ultimately led to their demise and eventual destruction of the Klan.
Topic: civil-war

Lenin led the Bolsheviks and Trotsky led the red army. When the Bolsheviks took power, they were a small unpopular government but Lenin in a very short time passed decrees, which satisfied the people and set up a strict secret police, which squashed opposition completely. Lenin used many methods to make his government strong but winning the people over certainly was a major factor as well as the fact that he was strong. Firstly, the power of the red army who were led by Trotsky meant that the Bolsheviks were well disciplined because there were harsh rules if any soldiers stepped out of line.
Topic: civil-war

The main features of war communism were that industrials were nationalized and strict centralized management was introduced. State control of foreign trade was introduced and discipline for workers was strict and striking was not allowed. Also when the war was over and his own supporters e.g. Kronstadt began to turn against him for his strict rules, he introduced NEP. This helped to make them strong because it helped stimulate the economy and it gave the Bolsheviks more supporters.
Topic: civil-war

By signing the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, Lenin could get Russia out of the war with Germany and then focus on the war inside Russia between Reds and Whites. By winning the civil war he got rid of his opposition, which were the whites, Tsarist supporters, Liberals and the provisional government. People supported Lenin. The workers liked the Bolsheviks because the Bolsheviks were mainly were on the side of the workers. They limited the working days to 8 hour and make decrees that helped the workers.
Topic: civil-war

Lenin used propaganda like posters that said good thing about the government to show that the Bolsheviks were defenders of Mother Russia and of the success of the Revolution I think the most important reason they grew strong was because the Bolsheviks had great leader like Lenin who was a brilliant speaker and clever Politian who had good ideas and was unafraid to share his ideas with the public. Another good leader was Trotsky who was a brilliant but arrogant military leader who commanded and trained the red army, with his harsh rules and respect among the men; he had a well-disciplined army.
Topic: civil-war

War is the horrible, the most cruel activity of man. It is nothing but mass murder. The evolution of human society towards something better has always been under wars. Millions of dollars are spend every year for deadly weapons of war. Human nature hates cruelty although some people believe that humans must shed blood to satisfy their blood thirsty nature. But is it so the case? Wars have been fought for a lot of reasons. But the Syrian one is the worst, civil war.
Topic: civil-war

In the new year, 2013 the war’s death toll had exceeded the 60. 000, still increasing, and over 30. 000 have been reported missing. In addition, many Syrians immigrate to neighbor countries, mainly Turkey, causing a lot of problems. Others have been imprisoned encountering a lot of violence. The cause was not only the one in 2011, everything started long time ago. Hafez al-Assad scorched a policy which massacred thousands. Even more, the government forces tried to crack down a Kurdish uprising which demanded rights. Nothing ever happened. Instead, dozens were killed again.
Topic: civil-war

The opposition continued in 2005, leading to the delivery of Damascus Declaration, criticizing government ruled and asked for democratic reforms. Regarding the Human in rights in Syria, Bashar Al-Assad is widely considered to have been unsuccessful applying a democratic change. The greatest irony is that all the other political parties are banned. Therefore, leaving the Bashar’s party itself to rule without free elections. Furthermore, even before the war, human rights such as those of free expression, etc were controlled by the government. Finally, women and Kurdish faced discrimination.
Topic: civil-war

They were denied citizenship until 2011 and occasional clashes between Kurdish and security forces happen after a conflict in a soccer match, in 2004. The uprising began on 15 March in Aleppo and in the city of Daraa. They were triggered by the torture of some young students as they painted anti-government grafitti. The first conflict was reported on March 18 and two days later several official buildings were burned down. Security forces without hesitation opened fire in civilians. Clashes continued in the next two months, the Syrian government offered political reforms, policy changes and announced many other things but never applied.
Topic: civil-war

Many other conflicts continued since then and still ongoing. Finally, Syria has been accused of having chemical weapons by other countries and threatened, in case of using them. To sum up, the point of the project is to show what a catastrophe a dictatorship can cause which is very similar to what we are studying ,absolute monarchy. Many people have died for the sake of justice, people have lost their homes, cities have been completed destructed. In my opinion, this war is very tragic and nobody does anything to save those people and all of that for power. Absolute monarchs have caused a lot of wars, deaths but never in that scale.
Topic: civil-war

The amazing thing about literature is that it can be interrupted differently by each person who reads it. Which means that while one piece of writing is amazing, creative, and witty to one person to another person it could be the most boring, uninteresting, and redundant piece of literature they have ever read. In this semester of Literature 221, I was given the opportunity to read works from many different genres, time periods, and styles of writing. Some of which, like Emily Dickinson’s Life I and Life XLIII, Joyce Carol Oates’ Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?, and Sherman Alexie’s What You Pawn I Will Redeem I thoroughly enjoyed and learned from.
Topic: civil-war

This is why I really enjoyed the two selections of her work we had to read this semester. In her first poem Life I, the very first two lines make you stop and think, “I’M nobody! Who are you? Are you nobody, too?” (Dickinson 2) Bam! I was hit in the face with self-reflection. Am I somebody? Or am I a nobody? Emily Dickinson continues by saying “how dreary to be somebody!” (Dickinson2 ) as if to be somebody is a bad thing.
Topic: civil-war

Instead of being able to live for yourself and for your own happiness you are forced to live by the way society sees you. It made me see that maybe it truly is better to be a happy, content nobody. In her poem Life XLIII, Dickinson again made me pause and self-reflect but this time on the beauty of the human mind and it’s capabilities. In this poem she states that the brain is “wider than the sky”, “deeper than the sea”, and “is just the weight of God” (Dickinson 3). The sky, the sea, and God. Three powerful, endless, and even omnipotent to the human eye and yet the brain is more than that because it has the capability to imagine all of it. You can hold images of God, the sea, and God all in your mind. Dickson wrote these poems with such beautiful imagery that really does make a reader stop and think. This is why her works are among my favorite reads from this semester.
Topic: civil-war

Joyce Carol Oates brought a real life serial killer to life in her tale Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been? Based off the actual murders of Charles Howard Schmid Jr., Oates tells the story of Arnold Friend and a young girl named Connie and the events that would eventually lead up to Connie’s murder. I loved this tale because Oates gave a real voice to the real life victims of Schmid. While an article by the Daily News stated that, “Despite his creepiness, ladies loved Smitty” (citation here news article) in Oates’ tale it was made evident that Connie wanted nothing to do with Friend and instead she tried to call the cops and even told him to “Get the hell out of here!” (Oates 340) When I read a tragic news article I will feel sorrow for the victim and their families for a moment and then go on with my life and forget about them.
Topic: civil-war

Yet when I read a piece of work that captures my soul and really moves me to feel emotionally about a character as if they were a real person, I can recall them for years afterwards. Oates’ made me feel for Connie because she gave her a background of a beautiful girl with a mother who disapproved of all she did and constantly compared her to her more homely sister, June. “Why don’t you keep your room clean like your sister? How’ve you got your hair ?xed—what the hell stinks? Hair spray? You don’t see your sister using that junk.” (Oates 333) A girl that may have been desperate for love and attention. Suddenly, in my mind, Oates’ has not only weaved a haunting tale of young, naive girl who made mistakes and talked to the wrong stranger on the wrong day but she also made me feel for the real life victims of Schmid. Suddenly they became more than just names on a page and their names, Alleen Rowe, Gretchen and Wendy Fritz, will forever be in my mind and probably countless others who have read her work and know who it was based on. While Oates’ is a talented writer and her words were beautifully written the reason her piece stands out as one of my favorites of this semester were for the deeper meaning and the legacy she left for the victims of a cruel, sick, twisted man.
Topic: civil-war

A reader cannot help but root for a character who has redeemable qualities despite whatever odd, crude, or socially unacceptable behavior they may exhibit. Such is the case in my final favorite piece of writing from this semester, Sherman Alexie’s What You Pawn I Will Redeem. In this tale of a homeless, alcoholic, money floundering Spokane, Washington Native American Indian named Jackson Jackson, a reader cannot help but fall in love with his spirit of never-ending generosity and unbreakable ties with tradition and family. Alexie’s particular style of writing gave light to Jackson’s seemingly uncaring, lazy, and unapologetically unmotivated he attitude in a way that a reader cannot help but find just a little bit comical. It is written in first person from the rambling mind of Jackson and lines such as “Piece by piece, I disappeared. And I’ve been disappearing ever since. But I’m not going to tell you any more about my brain or my soul” (citation here page 401) made me laugh out lou01d at the standoffish behavior of this character. Jackson was unable to maintain a job, any of his marriages, or his relationships with his children. In fact, the only thing he did seem capable of maintaining was a constant drunken stupor throughout the entire tale.
Topic: civil-war

Yet when he came upon his Grandmother’s stolen regalia at a local pawn shop he was determined to find a way to raise the $999 needed to rebuy this long lost family heirloom and return it to its rightful place. Each time he managed to earn or was gifted money for his mission he could not help but immediately spend it. However he was never selfish with his spending. He made sure that whatever he was given he shared with his fellow Indian. Never even coming close to making the necessary money to buy it make but still I found myself cheering him on. Because of his generosity, I was rooting for him to find a way to purchase back that precious connection to his family. And in the end, despite never actually managing to acquire the necessary cash, the pawn owner returned the regalia to Jackson, and I inwardly rejoicing in his success. And Alexie captured the moral for me in this thought, “Do you know how many good men live in this world? Too many to count!” (Alexie 415) Alexie challenged the stereotypes of a good person because he showed that even a drunken person who is unsuccessful in every societal standard can be a good person because he is a kind, generous soul. This is the reason why this is another of my favorites from this semester’s readings.
Topic: civil-war

When thinking of a literary legend a name like Ernest Hemingway often comes to mind, yet in this semester’s reading of Big Two-Hearted River, Mr. Hemingway missed the mark for me. While I appreciate the concept of a post-war soldier suffering from PTSD, I had a hard time really getting into this piece. Hemingway’s commonly used iceberg principle style of writing was apparent in this piece with its overall lack of a substantial plot and its seemingly never-ending descriptions of just about everything. It is just not a style that appealed to me as a reader. I found it boring and extremely long. The symbolism was often obscured by the unnecessary descriptions of the surrounding scenery. “On the left, where the meadow ended and the woods began, a great elm tree was uprooted. Gone over in a storm, it lay back into the woods, its roots clotted with dirt, grass growing in them, rising a solid bank beside the stream. The river cut to the edge of the uprooted tree.” (Hemingway 262) It just seemed excessive and unneeded to me.
Topic: civil-war

While this is definitely one of my least favorite of this semester’s readings, I have to say that Hemingway was a beautiful wordsmith who could make you feel as though you were part of the story. In this sentence, “He sat on the logs, smoking, drying in the sun, the sun warm on his back, the river shallow ahead entering the woods, curving into the woods, shallows, light glittering, big water-smooth rocks, cedars along the bank and white birches, the logs warm in the sun, smooth to sit on, without bark, gray to the touch; slowly the feeling of disappointment left him” (Hemingway 262) you can practically feel the heat of the sun on your back and the relief that Nick feels as if a burden was lifted from your own chest. This story had some beautiful imagery overall though it was just not a tale I enjoyed reading.
Topic: civil-war

Mark Twain is an inspirational writer with amazing talent and has written some remarkable classics. However, the excerpt from Roughing It When the Buffalo Climbed a Tree, will not be joining my list of his beloved masterpieces. Instead I found this fictional account tedious to read and found myself drifting off to sleep while at the same time trying to understand the particular vernacular used in this piece. The narrator of the majority of this tale was a character named Bemis whose style of speech was rambling and over-the-top. For example, “Well, I was first out on his neck – the horse’s, not the bull’s—and then underneath, and next on his rump, and sometimes head up, and sometimes heels—but I tell you it seemed solemn and awful to be ripping and tearing and carrying on so in the presence of death, as you might say.” (Twain 16)
Topic: civil-war

I can just imagine Bemis being this rambling, fool telling this ridiculous story with no ending in sight. It was just exhausting and mindless drivel that did not succeed in making me think about anything substantial or self-reflect which are qualities I rather enjoy when reading. I understand that according to Mark Twain, “to string incongruities and absurdities together in a wandering and sometimes purposeless way, and seem innocently unaware that they absurdities, is the basis of American art…” (Twain 13) and he accomplished that task beautifully. Nevertheless, it is just not a style that appealed to me and I struggled to enjoy reading this story.
Topic: civil-war

This semester was my first time reading any of Toni Morrison’s works. The excerpt from Sula was all of over the map for me. I had a hard time deciphering any real plot. It started off with two 12 years old girls walking through town and getting objectified by the men in the town. And if it wasn’t bad enough that two young girls were being gawked at by grown men, the girls actually seemed to enjoy it. “So, when he said “pig meat” as Nel and Sula passed, they guarded their eyes lest someone see their delight.” (Morrison 346) That line made my skin crawl with utter disgust. Then suddenly the girls are playing near a lake when a young boy named Chicken Little ends up drowning before their very eyes and their only reaction was “Nel spoke ?rst. ‘Somebody saw.’” (Morrison 351) I had a hard time reading a story about such loss of innocence at such a young age. Morrison’s writing was beautiful and captivating. The only reason this makes my least favorites list from this semester was I just genuinely felt sick the entire I was reading it. Completely horrified by these young girls lives and saddened by the fact that many girls’ lives of this time period were like this.
Topic: civil-war

This semester of Literature 221 was full of amazing pieces of writing. Tales that completely delighted, inspired, and captured my heart like those from Emily Dickinson, Joyce Carol Oates, and Sherman Alexie. As well as others who, for me, just did none of those things such as those from Ernest Hemingway, Mark Twain, and Toni Morrison. Overall I really enjoyed this class. I felt as though most of the forums gave me the opportunity to share my thoughts on each piece as well as opened my eyes to different perspectives. If I could give any constructive criticism it would be that sometimes I felt as if I could not quite meet expectations in the essay requirements because I felt as though they were not clearly stated. Other than that, I thoroughly enjoyed this class and I feel as though I learned a lot. It definitely has made me look forward to taking other literature classes in the future.
Topic: civil-war

Alexie, Sherman. “What You Pawn I Will Redeem” American Literature Since the Civil War. Create edition. McGraw-Hill, 2011. 401-415. e-Book. Works Cited Dickinson, Emily. “Life I & XLIII American Literature Since the Civil War. Create edition. McGraw-Hill, 2011. 2-3. e-Book. Hemingway, Ernest. “Big Two Hearted River.” American Literature Since the Civil War. Create edition. McGraw-Hill, 2011. 253-264. E-book. Morrison, Toni. “From Sula.” American Literature Since the Civil War. Create edition. McGraw-Hill, 2011. 346-354. e-Book. Oates, Joyce Carol. “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” American Literature Since the Civil War. Create edition. McGraw-Hill, 2011. 333-344. e-Book. Twain, Mark. “From Roughing It. When The Buffalo Climbed a Tree.” American Literature Since the Civil War. Create edition. McGraw-Hill, 2011. 16-18. e-Book. Twain, Mark. “How To Tell a Story” American Literature Since the Civil War. Create edition. McGraw-Hill, 2011. 12-15. e-Book.
Topic: civil-war

It is 1863, and the people of the United and Confederate States are wondering who will win this Great Civil War. Southern General Robert E. Lee decided to make a bold move and marched his troops to Pennsylvania to achieve a victory on Union soil. As the news of Lee’s army reached Northern General Meade, they followed in immediate pursuit. The Battle of Gettysburg is a crucial turning point in Civil War due to the termination of the Southern advance into Northern States and it resulted in a damaging impact in the Confederate Army’s supply of soldiers.
Topic: civil-war

Since the Battle of Gettysburg ceased the Southern progression into the North, it became a critical moment in the Civil War. Document A has shown that battles continued in Southern Territories, such as Georgia, Tennessee, and Missouri after Gettysburg. Without Gettysburg’s powerful effect, the Southern Army would have continued to have advanced into Northern Territories. The battle proved to be a dramatic change in the Northern Army, since it allowed more battles to form in the South, but never again in the North.
Topic: civil-war

Through ceasing Southern advances and extinguishing their army, the Battle of Gettysburg proved to be a tremendously significant turning point in the Great Civil War for the North. Although other major Battles, such as Vicksburg, which gave complete control of the Mississippi River to the North, Gettysburg resulted in more substantial effect in the War. The significance of Gettysburg is shown by the impacts in the Civil War, mainly negatively to the South. The Battle of Gettysburg can be related today because it shows that through perseverance the odds will come in your favor.
Topic: civil-war

In other words, the Bolsheviks believed that the state was the center of all authority and that it should be comprised of one political party. In short, the Bolsheviks were fighting for totalitarianism. Needless to say, this does not paint a picture of a faction that had universal appeal among the public. In order to centralize any problems with competing political factions, the Bolsheviks outlawed other political parties.
Topic: civil-war

Is this really a win or is it the case of the Bolsheviks using military force to impose their rule on a society that did not want them. To a certain degree, the Bolshevik victory was a matter of the party surviving (it would have been dissolved in the face of a loss in the same manner the opposition parties were dissolved by the Bolsheviks) and the ability to rule was performed by subjugating all opposition and suppressing any pretext of freedom or democratic socialism. (Keep in mind, socialism could have been instituted without totalitarian authoritarianism, but the militaristic approach was the one preferred by the Bolsheviks)
Topic: civil-war

When examining the Soviet Union and its place in history, one needs to ask the question as to what was the Soviet Union’s legacy. To a great extent, the Soviet Union was a colossal failure that squandered the minds and the will of a great people. The Soviet Union was little more than a military-industrial complex that invaded, conquered and occupied nations that despised being under the Soviet sphere of influence. Furthermore, the concept of the utopian socialist fantasyland was exactly that, a grim fairy tale fantasy where over sixty-million people living in nations that prescribed to the philosophy of communism died from famine.
Topic: civil-war

When it comes to the Bolshevik’s success in the Russian Civil war, what was it that the Bolshevik’s accomplished other than the establishment of a failed military-industrial complex state? To that degree, winning the Russian Civil War was hardly a win in the sense of, say, a former colony winning independence. Ultimately, the survival of the Bolsheviks after the Russian Civil war is hardly celebratory as the eventual establishment of the Stalin regime and the advent of the long and hard Cold War hangs a dark cloud over any perceived victory the Bolsheviks could claim.
Topic: civil-war

By the end of 1854 the two sections, the North (Union) and the South (Confederacy) had actually reached an impasse and that Civil War was inescapable eventually. The conflicts grew stress between the two, the production section of the North and the agricultural South, which resulted in Civil War. Between the North and the South there were financial, social and political distinctions. The North had a variety of goals worrying slavery and the South. The North wished to abolish slavery, stop the spread of slavery in the western territories, and the spreading of slavery in Kansas.
Topic: civil-war

In this territory after the 1852 election, the temporary peace of the Compromise of 1850 came to an end. Senator Stephen Douglas passes the Kansas-Nebraska Act which developed 2 brand-new territories of Kansas and Nebraska. The status of slavery in the area was chosen to be by popular sovereignty. This act wrecked 2 compromises The Compromise of 1820, and 1850, and the democratic party. While the act formed a brand-new party: the Republicans.
Topic: civil-war

As the North and the South became angry at each other and took different sides, one of the main conflicts was the election of 1860. The new Republican Party chose Abraham Lincoln for their candidate, which won for president. Now with Lincoln being the president the south felt very uncomfortable since Lincoln wanted a preserve union and anti-slavery. For this reason South Carolina succeed from the union. As later on more states started succeeding from the Union, where they formed the Confederacy. This outraged the North. Now the North and the South had become two different sections, making the Civil was inevitable.
Topic: civil-war

The American Civil War was the bloodiest American War, which placed brother against brother and tested the will of the Union. There were many causes to the breakup of the Union in 1860 to1861, but there are three that stood out the most. Many people believe that the Civil War was a war fought solely over slavery, but the reality was it was fought on several fronts. The three main causes were: the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Act, the decision of the Dred Scott case, and the South’s cultural influenced fanaticism on slavery.
Topic: civil-war

In 1846 Dred Scott, a slave from Missouri, was involved in a case that would further the separation between the North and the South. After his master died, Scott tried to sue Missouri for his freedom claiming that since he lived in Illinois and was a resident there that he was no longer a slave, for slavery was barred under the Northwest Ordinance. Also he was a citizen in the Wisconsin Territory, where slavery was outlawed under the Missouri Compromise. Chief Justice Roger Taney declared that blacks were not citizens therefore Scott had no right to sue the court. Furthermore, the court ruled that his residence in the Wisconsin Territory did not make him free because the Missouri Compromise had been ruled unconstitutional.
Topic: civil-war

Taney’s controversial decision in the case widened the breach between the North and South and further aggravated debates over slavery. Southern justices argued that according to the Bill of Rights, the federal government could not deprive anyone of their right to life, liberty or property. The northerners were angered by the courts decision to employ the Bill of Rights in order to keep blacks in slavery. This case was a controversy for years. The problem wasn’t that Scott had to return to being a slave but that the decision made slavery a national institution instead of it being a local one. It widened the gap between the two sections, the North and the South, feeding a fire that was to burn the rope holding the two together in union.
Topic: civil-war

As the North gained power over the national government, the northern Free-Soilers and the Abolitionists pressured the South on the issue of slavery. In a world where “Cotton is King” the institution of slavery grew at the crack of a whip in order to fatten the pockets of the social elites. Their entire economic system was based on the institution of slavery. That is why they were so fanatical about it and that is why they refused to let it go. When the North went against the Constitution by allowing fugitive slaves to reside in northern states and not returning them to their owners, as was their duty under the Fugitive Slave Act, the South threatened succession.
Topic: civil-war

The South now had no safety net and their economy would fail without the manual labor of slaves. The North did require the same type of cruel labor that the South required with the tobacco and cotton fields in their own factories. With the influence of the Industrial Revolution in the North, slavery was fading away. The two sides debated back and forth over slavery. When the North denied the Southern states the right to secession, the South thought the North was denying them their constitutional rights. The two sides stood at Fort Sumter, South Carolina for the first shot. With the first Southern shot, the South succeeded and the Civil War began.
Topic: civil-war

In conclusion, the Civil war occurred due to a combination of small events that, had they not occurred, so many lives could have been saved. The diversity between the North and the South really influenced the decision the South made to secede. They figured that they were so different from the rest of the country might as well be separated. Events such as the decision of the Dred Scott case and the signing of the Kansas Nebraska Act were main causes to the break up of the Union but the underlying and most important issue was slavery.
Topic: civil-war

However, in the South in had begun to prosper greatly. This was due to the invention of the cotton gin in 1793 which allowed large amounts of cotton to be raised using slave labour. The North was in favour of the abolition of slavery, this was partly to help ease their conscience. Also they knew that financial loss would not really be felt in the North if the abolition went through. The issue of slave abolition was one important during the civil war and in one of Lincoln’s speeches he summed up the feeling of the nation “A house divided against itself cannot stand.
Topic: civil-war

In the North, it was viewed that the talks of fighting was just a counter in politics, and threats were used to get what you want, calling their bluff. The South on the other hand didn’t realise that the Federal Union meant so much to the North, and presumed that the North would be happy to be rid of slave owners and any obligations to the slaves. The South also believed that the North would not have the strength or people to form a worthy army. However, on April 23rd 1961 the war began, and it turned out to be the bloodiest in America’s history. More that 620,000 American soldiers died during the war, more that World War One, World War Two and Korea combined.
Topic: civil-war

One of the first battles which took place was at Bull Run in Virginia, this battle was significant in demonstrating that victory was not going to be quick or easy for either side. Most of the Navy was in the hands of the Union and the Secretary of the Navy began to strengthen it which allowed Lincoln to set up a barrier to the Southern states. This helped to stop many shipments of cotton to Europe as well as the importation of clothing and medical supplies which the South needed.
Topic: civil-war

General Robert Lee’s first invasion of the North took place September 16th to 18th 1862. The battle was known as the Shaftsbury battle by the South and the battle of Antietam by the North. This was due to the battle taking place in the fields bordering Antietam Creek near the town of Shaftsbury, Maryland. The 17th September saw one of America’s bloodiest days in history. By the evening of the 18th Lee ordered his Army back and the North did as well due to so many men injured or dead. The battle finished with more than 23,000 casualties, more than any other battle.
Topic: civil-war

The battle of Gettysburg took place between July 1st – 3rd 1963. In the May of 1963 Lee had been given the go ahead for a north invasion. Lee hoped that a victory in the north would help increase the peace movement which was gathering some support there. This, along with the weakening of the Union army, may initiate talks of surrender by the Federal Army. On June 30th come of the Confederate army marched into the town of Gettysburg but wee driven back by a Union cavalry which was already there. So, the next day the Confederates attacked with more force, with troops from the wast, north and east. This drove the Union army back and up onto Cemetery Hill. This however, resulted in giving the Union a good position for defence. On July 2nd Lee ordered more attacks and an attempt to storm Cemetery Hill.
Topic: civil-war

This was unsuccessful, but resulted in 9,000 casualties. At 1.00pm on July 3rd Confederates opened fire on the Federal line and major duel continued for two hours. Then the infantry moved forward which is known as “Pickett’s Charge” . The Confederate army was driven back and the battle was considered a Union victory. The battle left the Confederates with around 28,000 casualties and the Union with about 23,000 and was the last time that the south tried to invade northern territory. Also in July 1863, although the war would continue for another year and a half, the battle in Vicksburg which took place was crucial to the outcome of the war.
Topic: civil-war

Another event which was important to the ending of the war was Major General William Tecumseh Sherman’s “March to the Sea”. Sherman and his 62,000 men began their journey on 16th December 1964. They travelled at quiet a leisurely pace through Milledgeville towards Savannah. They were virtually unopposed and during the march tore up railroad tracks, released slaves, burned plantation houses and searched for supplies. Sherman reached Savannah on 20th December and presented the city to President Lincoln as a Christmas present. The troops then continued north to South Carolina and along the way destroyed more houses. They captured Charleston on 18th February and then Columbia, the state capital, on the 19th February. Joe Johnston’s Confederate army was highly outnumbered and withdrew from attacking. Then at Durham Station in North Carolina Sherman concluded an armistice with Johnston on 18th April 1965.
Topic: civil-war

Robert E. Lee, of the Confederate, was too late in his retreat south from Petersburg and Richmond (the Confederate capital) in March 1865. General Ulysses S. Grant led huge Union armies to surround Lee and his men. At Appomattox Courthouse is the official site where this took place on April 9th 1865. This was the end of the Civil War, although some sparse fighting continued for a few months longer.
Topic: civil-war

The civil war led to a vast number of American lives being lost. To begin with people hoped, and thought, that the war would only last a few months, not four years. There are a number of reasons that resulted in the war carrying on for so long. Both sides had different advantages over each other. The north had a much larger population, factories to produce war materials, a good transportation system, and a strong presence a sea. The South had fewer advantages but still some important ones. The South were fighting on home ground. This meant they knew the land and it gave them more immediate reason to defend their land and families. The South also had the leadership of great commanders and a military tradition. The battle of Bull Run showed the first of many bloody wins, in the east, for the Confederate.