This class has affected my understanding of American history through images by teaching the usefulness and power that images have. The first image I picked isn’t an image but the comparison between the Shaw Memorial and Confederate Memorial. I think that comparing the two monuments helps the understanding of American history through images. The differences between the two show the ideals of each side even after the Civil War. Even though the war was over another war started with art. The south used art like the Confederate Memorial by Moses Ezekiel commissioned by the United Daughters of the Confederacy to spread the “Lost Cause” ideology. With using art the “Lost Cause” the ideology caught on to a point where groups were forming and textbooks
During winter months, basic huts were constructed from wood when it was available. During the civil war, most of the soldiers fought only 75 percent of the time. When they were not fighting, their day usually started at 5:00 in the morning during the summer and spring, and 6:00 in the morning during the fall and winter. Soldiers would be awakened by fifes and drums, then the first sergeant would take a roll call, and all the men sat down to eat breakfast. During the day, soldiers would be engaged in sometimes as many as five 2-hour long drill sessions on weaponry or maneuvers.
The students and I took several pictures of the Marine Corps Memorial Sculpture to share with family and friends. In conclusion, I have The Marine Corps War Memorial sculpture known as the Iwo Jima Memorial is a vital part of American History. Furthermore, as the tourist from across the world visits the Marine Corps War Memorial daily, they are reminded of the sacrifices of the men, and women during World War II. And how they lost their lives to protect the United States of
Recently there has been news about people heavily wanting Confederate statutes to be taken down due to their relation with slavery. While many have their own views on the matter, one in particular stands out. The view of preserving them in a way that’ll keep both sides happy and to preserve the history behind them. This “contextualized” view, as discussed in Gary Shapiro’s “The Meaning of Our Confederate ‘Monuments’” I believe should not only be applied to the Confederate statutes but other monuments and memorials as well. Memorials being made in order to remember an event or person, while a monument is made in order to honor an event or person(Shapiro). While it is in fact very reasonable to want to take these statutes down due to evil background, they are still a part of history. Instead, we should follow the “contextualized” view and add context to all monuments and memorials as their meanings change throughout time.
A popular saying goes by a picture is worth a 100 words and when it comes to my image (artifact), the same can be said about the image I selected from the whitehouse.gov/issue website. The image was found under civil rights and the image has a quote inserted into it. The image has prominent members of the society whom were very involved in the civil rights movement like martin Luther king. When it comes to diversity, the image compromises of diversity in race and age group. The artifact consists of landscape, the white house and the American flag and also it is in white and black. At the bottom of the image, the quote by martin Luther king inserted is "If the worst in American life lurked in [Selma's] dark streets, the best of American instincts
enrich and provide substantial intellectual exploration into our college curricula” (George Washington Carver). Who doesn’t love art? Every day you wake up and experience some sort of artwork; whether it’s a sculpture or just seeing something made so wonderful. Walking across the magnificent campus of Iowa State you see many pieces of art, but the one that stuck out to me was the George Washington Carver Sculpture. When first looking at it you won’t catch all of the small details behind his wonderful work. Once you know all the fine details Christian Petersen did when creating George Washington Carver and why he created it the way he did; you will enjoy it that much more.
The third article I found is called, “What Happens When The Contentious Confederate Flag Debate Comes To A Sleepy Virginia Town.” Jack Jenkins is the author and the site gives a little bit of background as to what he has written and that is has been a reporter with his work appearing in the Huffington Post. The article was written recently and has reliable quotes from the curator of the museum featured in the article. I chose to use this source because it has in depth coverage on both sides of whether or not to take the confederate flag down in a public space. Both sides have good arguments and it was one of the first articles that I found that showed both sides of the argument and was bias.
America’s history-both good and bad-has much to teach us. Taking down, destroying these monuments is erasing, rewriting the physical symbols of the nation. This type of cultural whitewashing is inglorious. We can treat these monuments as a cautionary tool to remind ourselves what we are and what we are not. The cost forebears paid for the freedom of the nation should be remembered; therefore, people should retain these statues to remind of themselves what these monuments represent.
For instance, the penny is a large part of American culture. The penny has captured many of America’s greatest moments. “...pennies had different images of Lady Liberty on the front… produced two varieties of the Flying Eagle penny… Lincoln penny began production in 1909... ten varieties have been minted (Shelton 2, 3, 4).” This quote shows scenes of America’s greatest moments or accomplishments. Furthermore, the penny has images which display how the country has developed and grown into what it is today.
Both are tributes to greatness. One is a federal monument and national icon, the other a solitary dream.” The impact of the statue to millions of people around the country would mean little to nothing if it was not near the site in which so many battles were fought, including the Battle of Little Bighorn. The cultural importance of this architecture lives on through the lives of the American people it has taught.
Harvey, Eleanor. The Civil War and American Art: A Ride for Liberty?. Eye Level: Smithsonian American Art Museum, 21 February 2013. Web. 30 October 2013.
Organizations like the United Daughters of the Confederacy and others who supported the Confederacy helped to create memorials to honor the Confederacy and the beliefs the South fought for during the Civil War. Many of the monuments and memorials established after the Civil War were dedicated to people who reflected the Lost Cause. The Commemorative postcard of living Confederate flag in front of the Robert E. Lee Monument in Richmond, Virginia exemplifies how people of the South after the Reconstruction embraced the aspects of the Reconstruction through the perspective of the Lost Cause. Since the picture of the living Confederate flag was a famous postcard in the South in the 20th century, the postcard was likely viewed by a large number of people, especially in the South, which helped spread the influence of the Lost Cause and how the Lost Cause affected the legacy of the Reconstruction. An advertisement in the Confederate Veteran magazine in 1905 proved how monuments influenced people in the South during this time period. Since the Confederate Veterans magazine was a popular magazine in the South, Many people viewed the magazine’s contents and may likely have been influenced by articles in it. People in the South viewed monuments and memorials as a way to remember how life used to be before the Civil War and represent people’s views of the Civil War and the Reconstruction. Lost Cause advocated also believed that the Reconstruction was the North’s way of destroying the Southern way of
Whenever an opportunity arises where a researched-based strategy is presented as a viable option to use to assist students in their learning, we, as future educators, should be willing to use and/or adapt the method to improve our instruction and move our students forward. This article showed me the power of associative critical thinking using visual images. When students are able to draw symbols, sketch main ideas and include captions from an expository text they are reading into the outline of the human head, they are better able to recall the main ideas and include them in their own writing using their own words. Children in elementary school for the most part, enjoy drawing and so this strategy is appealing, and as Paquette & Fello (2010) point out, it is also developmentally appropriate for elementary-aged
Lewis, R., & Lewis, S. (2008). The Power of Art. Connecticut, United States: Cengage Learning.
I chose to write about the Statue of Liberty. The Statue of Liberty serves as a symbolic fixture of the principles America was founded on. She represents freedom, liberty, and opportunity. The location of the Statue of Liberty is an amazing feat in itself, it is right in the middle of a very wide and a very deep Hudson river, and at the time it was brought there, with the limited technology, was amazing. Adding to the location, The State of Liberty as everyone knows is right next to the old customs ports where thousands of hungry, and poor immigrants fresh off the boat would pass through looking for a better life. The fact that Liberty is a woman is an ingenious idea because a woman tends to be more sympathetic and willing to help, if Liberty was a man the statue would seem more cold, stiff, and even militant. Throughout history statues have been built to represent a great moment but the Statue of Liberty was build to symbolize a great idea and country. At that time in history people were flocking to America because they were either being persecuted in their home countries or they were just disappointed at the status of their lives and wanted to come to “the land of opportunity” to start a new life.
For example, while travelling in California there was a painting of a fallen soldier on the side of a warehouse, although it may not seem like a lot to some (generally those who seem to be against graffiti,) it can mean a lot to the others who think about what they are looking at and have a background with the art. The soldier on the side of the warehouse related to me because my brother was a Marine before he got discharged from a medical problem he got while stationed at a base out of state. That soldier showed me that a lot worse could have happened than a back injury to my brother and that I should be thankful that he’s still alive unlike so many others who are fighting for our country. If people are able to connect with the art being painted they will most likely be more accepting of it rather than calling it a destruction of the