The History of Alcatraz Island
Alcatraz Island has quite a distinct history. Many people know that Alcatraz served as a federal prison, but most are reluctant to know that this island served as fort. Built before the Civil War, it served two main purposes. First, that it was to guard the San Francisco bay area from enemy ships against a foreign invasion, and second, to hold hostage prisoners of war or POW's as they were called. In this report, I'll show you how this fortress came to be a federal prison, why it is no longer in operation today, and most importantly, to show why it was built in the first place. When the great "Gold Rush" of 1849 first started, California grew from what would be considered a small, unpopulated state, into what it is now. California is now one of the most populated states and it was mostly the gold rush that brought attention to California. As the government saw all of this happening, they realized that California was much more important than they ever realized. In their realization, they decided that California must be protected. San Francisco has one of the largest bays in all of California, and so this was where enemy countries would most likely to try to invade the country. So this is where Alcatraz was to lie, to serve as a military fort. It was supposed to serve as a secondary base in companionship to another base located on the other side of Golden Gate Bridge. But with severe problems trying to build this other base, Alcatraz was to remain alone. "Out in the middle of the San Francisco Bay, the island of Alcatraz is definitely a world unto itself. Isolation is just one of the many constants of island life for any inhabitant on Alcatraz Island. It is the most reoccurring theme in the unfolding history of Alcatraz Island. Alcatraz Island is one of Golden Gate National Recreation Area's most popular destinations, offering a close-up look at a historic and infamous federal prison long off-limits to the public. Visitors to the island can not only explore the remnants of the prison, but learn of the American occupation of 1969 - 1971, early military fortifications and the West Coast's first and oldest operating lighthouse. These structures stand among the island's many natural features - gardens, tidepools, bird nests, and bay views beyond compare." (1) Fortress Alcatraz ran in operation from 1850 - 1933. It served as San Fr...
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...worth THIS?" We can either learn from what valuable lessons that were taught at alcatraz, or we can be ignorant and let it happen again. Alcatraz was considered hostile, cruel, and unjust, and it was. But there was a lesson to be taught, now if we don't learn that human life is the most precious gift that we take for granted, then Alcatraz was a good idea and it needs to be reinstated. But when you allow a man to lose his freedoms that our forefather fought for, with impunity, it is simply the worst thing to happen. Alcatraz was built for a good reason, it served for a good reason. Then it was transformed into "The Rock." Al! l the good that went into was lost. We as a country lost sight of what was important to us, and now if we don't learn from it, we are only asking ourselves for it again.
Bibliography
1. The Alcatraz WWW Homepage, Yahoo Search Engine, 1996
2. Professor Clyde W. Richins, University of Michigan, 1990, Vol. 1 of "In the life of Alcatraz" pages 1944- 46
3. Doctor William M. Hellem, Medical Physician on Alcataz Island, 1983, Vol. 1 of "In the life of Alcatraz" pages 132-134
4.Lutenient George R. Hendershaw, Guard that seved on Alcatraz Island,
Jessica Hollon’s piece titled Hydrotherapy at Alcatraz represents a room of forgotten souls. She used a standard format paper to print on. This piece was taken at Alcatraz in the old part of the prison in the hospital area. They used this room for ice baths or hydrotherapy; it has two windows covered with vertical and horizontal bars, a tub, an old radiator, exposed broken pipes and some sort of an open commode. The tub is the only subtle hint of color that is captured in the piece. The bars on the windows seem to keep the secrecy and security of the room along with the dark shadows she captures in the corners
Kingston Penitentiary is located on the shore of Lake Ontario in Ontario, Canada. It has served as the main symbol of punishment in Canadian society. Penitentiary Houses were first created in Great Britain in 1779. It was on June 1, 1835 that Kingston Penitentiary formerly known as the Provincial Penitentiary admitted its first six inmates.
Rock of Ages is a short essay in which Didion describes life on Alcatraz after a recent trip she took there. Didion uses tone, diction, and vivid descriptions to describe the irony of people happily living in Alcatraz after it has been abandoned.
The Yuma Territorial Prison is one of the main pillars in the growth of Arizona as the wild west was tamed. Its existence served not only as a beacon of civilization but that of consequence for those who resisted human expansion’s natural progression. As it existed many thought of it as a joke giving those inside the easy life or the likes of a concentration camp but in the middle of civilian held war, the prison stood toward the future. From near modern advances to holding those refusing to be held and even continueing on helping those of Yuma for years to come. This paper will use sources explaining the history of the prison and be about the experience, conditions, and personality of many of the prisoners along with major events in the prisoners lives explaining how the prison evolved during and after their stay.
When envisioning a prison, one often conceptualizes a grisly scene of hardened rapists and murderers wandering aimlessly down the darkened halls of Alcatraz, as opposed to a pleasant facility catering to the needs of troubled souls. Prisons have long been a source of punishment for inmates in America and the debate continues as to whether or not an overhaul of the US prison system should occur. Such an overhaul would readjust the focuses of prison to rehabilitation and incarceration of inmates instead of the current focuses of punishment and incarceration. Altering the goal of the entire state and federal prison system for the purpose of rehabilitation is an unrealistic objective, however. Rehabilitation should not be the main purpose of prison because there are outlying factors that negatively affect the success of rehabilitation programs and such programs would be too costly for prisons currently struggling to accommodate additional inmate needs.
When people talk about Alcatraz, they usually remember it is an island with a prison on it, but many do not know what is included inside the prison. Two common places inmates were in most of the time were either the dining hall, where the prisoners and staff would eat their meals, or a library in which inmates could check out books and magazines. The Models Industries Building contained a laundry facility, and the New Industries Building contained a clothing factory, dry cleaning plant, furniture plant, and a brush factory where prisoners could work and earn money. Prisoners had the chance to make items such as gloves, furniture mats, and army uniforms. Military officers were found in the dining hall since that was where they ate their meals, but they were also found in the other places as well. Former Military Chapel was a small building, where the ground floor had quarters for the officers and their families who worked at the prison. In 1920, when the building was first built, the top floor of the building was used as a school and chapel, but in 1934 when Alcatraz became a Federal Penitentiary, the building became a Bachelor Quarters for unmarried officers. Later on, the officers and their families eventually stayed in Building 64 which was a three story apartment building. The best part of living in the prison for
military aggression and unjust U.S. government policies, the Native American occupations of Alcatraz Island set out to rein in nationwide attention to the unjust conditions inflicted on Native Americans in the past that continued to the present. The first occupation of Alcatraz Island occurred in 1963. Prior to the occupations, the U.S. had transitioned into Termination policy, seeking to resolve reservation poverty by relocating Native Americans from Indian reservations to cities. By the 1960s, over 60% of the 40,000 Native Americans in San Francisco were settled there as a result of federal work programs; while in cities, Native Americans continued to face poverty as they became exposed to the declining job market and lack of housing ("Native American Civil Rights”). In response to the Termination policy and overall poor living conditions on reservation land, six Lakota mean sought out to occupy the former San Francisco Bay prison. The group cited the Sioux Treaty of Fort Laramie in 1868, stating that "an abandoned federal facility must revert back to Indian ownership” ("Occupation of Alcatraz"). However, overall, the occupation received little attention from the media and federal government with both groups refusing to view the event as a sign of a serious issue brewing in America ("Occupation of Alcatraz"). While the occupation failed to produce immediate action, the event would prove not to be completely unsuccessful as it would set the foundation for the second and third occupations of Alcatraz Island in
Stowe, and the mother to seven children. Stowe lived in Cincinnati, and while living there she witnessed through her own eyes people that were being enslaved. She also met people who were enslaved. Stowe witnessed slavery when she visited places like Kentucky, because of it being a large slave city. She witnessed a lot of slavery growing up and as she was older. Stowe was opened up to slavery first-hand because of that fact that her own grandmother kept enslaved African Americans. Being exposed to all of it that all her life is what inspired her to write “Uncle Tom’s cabin”, and it was a significant role in speeding up the abolishment of slavery in the United States. Stowe passed away on July 1,
We live in a society today filled with crime and fear. We are told not to go out after a certain hour, always move in groups, and even at times advised to carry a weapon on ourselves. There is only one thing that gives us piece of mind in this new and frightening world we live in: the American penal system. We are taught when growing up to believe that all of the bad people in the world are locked up, far out of sight and that we are out of reach of their dangerous grasp. Furthermore, the murderers and rapists we watch on television, we believe once are caught are to be forgotten and never worried about again. We wish on them the most horrible fates and to rot in the caged institution they are forced to call their new home. But, where do we draw the line of cruelty to those who are some of the cruelest people in our country? And what happens when one of this most strict and strongest institution our nation has breaks down? What do we do when this piece of mind, the one thing that lets us sleep at night, suddenly disappears? This is exactly what happened during and in the after effects of the Attica prison riot of 1971. The riot created an incredibly immense shift and change not only in the conditions of prisons, but also in the security we feel as American citizens both in our penal system and American government. The Attica prison riot brought about a much-needed prison reform in terms of safety and conditions for inmates, which was necessary regardless of the social backlash it created and is still felt today.
Uncle Tom’s Cabin, by Harriet Beecher Stowe is a classic novel that some people claimed evoked the American Civil War. Stowe motivated people to take sides over the issue of slavery by discussing the issue and showing the cruel aspects of it. The main focus of the novel was to show whites that African American’s have souls and feelings like any other human; it was common for whites at the time to view blacks as cattle. Families were separated, and the white people’s reasoning was that blacks did not feel the loss the same way a white person would. Stowe’s basic argument is that it is wrong to mistreat blacks because they suffer just as much as whites.
(Internet) "What prisoners ate at alcatraz in 1946: a vintage prison menu | open culture."Open
Suicide and assisted suicide is often viewed as the most logical choice when faced with these circumstances. As far back as the 16th Century, people have been arguing for the terminally ill to be aided in ending life by physicians who should not be held morally or legally to blame for assisting the individual. The beginning of the 21rst Century saw many bills supporting the use of euthanasia proposed in many Western legislatures with little to no success. The fact is that everyone is going to die, the only question that remains to be answered is when, how, and under what conditions. Supporters of euthanasia state that everyone should have the same degree of control in choosing the circumstances surrounding their death as they do in choosing the manner in which they live” (Economist.com, 1997) I agree with this assertion, everyone should be able to choose their own
Alcatraz is an island located in San Francisco California. Its 1.25 miles offshore from the San Francisco bay.There is a prison located on Alcatraz island. The prison was opened August 11, 1934 and closed March 21, 1963. It was home 1,576 of the most horrific prisoners. Alcatraz island is twenty two acres all together. Alcatraz island was discovered in 1775 by a Spanish explorer Juan Manuel de Ayala. Juan Manuel de Ayala named the island “La Isla de los Alcatraces,” which translates to “The Island of the Pelicans”. In this satirical essay I believe the Native of Americans can take over Alcatraz.
Harriet Beecher Stowe wrote the anti-slavery novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin along with other lesser known works. Stowe wrote to bring to light the wrongs in society, most notably slavery. The literary period, the historical period, the community in which she lived, her family background, her religious beliefs, and her education all influenced Stowe’s desire to write Uncle Tom’s Cabin illustrating the lives of slaves. Despite the criticism she received, she continued to support the abolitionist movement with the same conviction, her actions eventually fulfilling her true goal: freedom.
Harriet Beecher Stowe wrote Uncle Tom’s Cabin to demonstrate the evil and cruelness mankind can possess upon another, the use of a living being as properties of other living beings. Stowe conveys her message of the the evil in slavery by the slaves relations with their masters, the consequences they endure for standing up for themselves. and slaves being separated from their families. The author uses Eliza and Uncle Toms journey’s and their experiences to show how there is evil in slavery.