Final Post of the Blog

Americanisation: 

For the last post I chose to focus on something that relates to all of the posts throughout this module, so I chose Americanisation. I picked these images because they represent Americanisation and the world being influenced by American culture, products and everything associated with it.

The Apple company have made a huge amount of money since they first began, with their products selling globally. It has become so popular that different versions of Apple products have been manufactured, such as the iPad, Mac-book, iPod and Apple headphones. This is a good example of how something from America has influenced the rest of the world in the form of technology.

The statue of liberty is well known all over the world, it is often the first thing many people think of when they think of the USA. It is also a recognisable statue which has become a symbol of not just freedom to Americans but also the world too, as a huge number of people know the history behind it and what it represents even today. Many films include images or moving pictures of it as well which then make the world associate it with the USA.

Coca-Cola is a great example of Americanisation as it is advertised throughout the year, especially around Christmas time and it has become part of the Western, European, Eastern European and the rest of the globes' culture to the extent that it is no longer considered a luxury or a novelty.

Within the sports industry, Nike is one of the most popular brands out there, and there are many out there, yet Nike has become one of the most popular of them all around the world, with the company selling thousands of shoes, clothing and accessories in shops all around the U.K alone, making it one of the most Americanised aspects of Americanisation.

America has dominated the T.V industry entirely with blockbusters, films, T.V programs and even the news. This sort of advertising of the USA in the form of realism or unrealistic terms shows not just Americanisation, but also how powerful the country is.

McDonald's is arguable one of the most popular fast food chains that there are! There are many not just within the United States but also in the U.K and the rest of the world. Even though many places change the menu slightly and adapt it to their culture, it is still essentially an American company especially as the symbol is the same no matter where you are.

Disney and Mickey Mouse are key things that many people relate to America, whether it be the tourist attraction Disneyland or the films, a lot of people would know what they were. The fact that these affect the fashion industry as there are tops etc. with the logos etc. on, music industry, film industry as well as many others indicates that this is a new level of Americanisation.

Music is heavily influenced by American bands and music as a lot of the 'popular' music nowadays is American. Also, the fact that within the music industry the saying about you don't make it big till you play at America or you go to America- suggesting that America is what gets you fame and/or fortune, which is interesting to think considering there are over 300 countries on the globe.

Starbucks is associated with America even though it originated from Europe, and America 'repackaged' it then distributed it to the globe, labeling it as an American product which created a large sum of money. Now, millions of people globally drink and consume this company and just like McDonald's it has become a normal thing within the culture and not seen as American, or at least foreign. The idea that if you are in a country where you don't understand the language, you can still eat as you would be able to recognise the symbol of Starbucks or even McDonald's, which is quite amazing.

So it would be interesting to know and see what the world would look like if there wasn't an America as it would probably be extremely different from what it is today. As you live in a world that has arguably become Americanised, because the things that you do in everyday life nearly always has a connection with the U.S, whether it be the T.V you watch, the clothing you wear, or the cup of coffee that you order in Starbucks on your way to work. All these things make you realise what the world would be like if they weren't so global as they are today.




Sources:

alextomasiello.wordpress.com 
en.wikipedia.org 


Grace La Traille

Doubts about America

I don't want to be here anymore, Rise Against

I chose this song as it's an opinion critical of the United States, and is voiced by a group of Americans in a band called Rise Against. Their song include criticisms of protest movements about economic and political issues such as extreme wealth inequality and national security surveillance, recent civil rights issues such as the shooting in Ferguson, MO, and the various global struggles which the U.S involved itself in since 9/11, including the recent campaign against ISIS.

"1, 800 shootings per year in Chicago" this shows that the U.S isn't new to shootings or civil rights issues that are associated with race such as the Micheal Brown incident. Even though the statistics on the screen do not state that they are specifically about race, the news shows us that it is a common event in America.

However, in the video there is a young black woman who says "I witnessed at a young age, my cousin get shot right in front of me, they hit her with a bullet in the head, my uncle got shot and robbed, no child can grow up in Chicago and just live it's life" this shows that there are racial issues as well as America not being an equal place.

There is also content within the song about the various global struggles which the U.S has involved itself in since 9/11. "1, 083 assassinations by ISIS last year" which suggests that the U.S aren't doing enough to stop ISIS. Another bit in the song "Major Iraqi cities are falling back under extremist control" which also shows that America cannot stop the extremists because major Iraqi cities are in the extremists control again, which would indicate that the U.S is finding it harder and harder to help out with these sorts of issues.

A political issue as well as a global one is with Obama's speech in the song, this is saying that the 'American combat mission in Iraq has ended', but then straight after, the video states that "2014 Americans are returning to Iraq to aid in the fight against new extremist threats" and "Iraq's Militia is now more than 50, 000 strong". These show that even when America gets out of any form of hardships, it is quickly back facing problems again, in this particular instance 2 years (2010-2014), and that various global struggles is an ongoing problem too.

"Won't back down, won't take no, for answers anymore" this shows that the American people want answers either from the U.S government, fellow Americans or the world as to why the U.S has become like this, and that if the world doesn't change for example the school shootings "America averages 1 school shooting every 5 weeks" etc., then there will eventually not be a United States, because of what it is becoming.

"I don't want to be here anymore!" this line is sang throughout the majority of the song, showing us that because of the circumstances of America in regard to the civil rights issues, global issues, economic and political issues too, that it has meant that they/him doesn't want to be living in the U.S anymore and would rather be elsewhere.

There are also economic and political issues in the song too "Something that you dream about, your home, your house, your food, your family, and just the little stuff that you take for granted now". This relates to the extreme wealth inequality that isn't about race, and the man is indicating that America is where you now have to worry about things such as financial equality.

"On pins and needles we are waiting for the fall" this is saying that America is hanging on and just coping with all these problems it faces, both internally and externally, but the fact that they 'are waiting for the fall' indicates that soon America will collapse and breakdown.

"No longer recognize the place that I call home" this shows that America is changing, and not in a positive way as the title of the song is I don't want to be here anymore meaning that he wants to get away from it all.

"I know there's nothing left worth staying for" is providing us with the idea that America is no longer  a place for his future and possibly for many people, even with politics saying that everything is going to be okay.

"Your paradise is something I've endured" this relates to the notion of The American Dream because it is saying that America, a place of paradise is something that no longer exists, as a result of these problems. But it also means that the life of America now, has become so bad that he can no longer put up with it. "See I don't think I can fight this anymore" which also shows that it has been going on for so long that he has got to the point where he has had enough and cannot take it anymore.

"The point where we break gets closer everyday" Again this is relating to the idea of America is not what it used to be as a result of these current issues and problems, and that it is only a matter of time before it fails completely.

"But where do we go? But where do we go?" This being said twice indicates that there is no way out of this, both physically as people but also as a place (country). The issues and problems that America is facing shows us that it is a never ending problem too.

"We need a better way" this line at the end of the song is saying that if America doesn't change the way it deals with things, then it isn't going to end well or these issues are only going to get worse.


Sources:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dv_cvxAAZ-Y
http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/riseagainst/idontwanttobehereanymore.html

1930's/2008

The Great Depression:



This image shows that during the 1930's many people who were unemployed found it very hard to get food and that The Great Depression hit the U.S hard, and had a huge impact in people's lives. The amount of people that were out of work during this time shows us that it was not necessarily the individuals fault, but the unstable economy of the country or even the government.

Recent Recession: 


Helping the homeless in New York City (2008)

This image shows that during 2008 (and still nowadays), people were homeless and most probably unemployed. This is because of the recession that hit the U.S in 2008 which made many people struggle financially, struggle to find jobs and were generally a lot worse off than before 2008. 

The differences between these two images include the severity of the recession because in The Great Depression image there are a huge number of people who are homeless and need food, whereas in the 2008 image there is only one person on their own, showing that homelessness is less of an issue in the 21st Century.

Another difference in the two images is that during The Great Depression there was help from the government as well as private funding, whereas in the 2008 image the man is on a random street in New York City and not with other homeless people getting help/food. The fact that ordinary people in the community are providing support for this man shows that unlike the 1930's, in 2008 the government won't and doesn't offer any support like funding for food banks or welfare/benefits.    

There are similarities between the two images as the first one shows people of many different job industries and it is not obvious whether any of them have education or not, but because the numbers of unemployed during this time was so high, it must have affected a range of people, including people with education. And this is interesting because it provides us with an understanding that in the 1930's it didn't matter so much if you had an education or not because The Great Depression was so great. The same thing is the same for the second image, because the homeless man seems to have books, and possibly an education, showing that even in the 21st Century even with an education you won't necessarily get a job in the recession and it does affect a wide range of people just like The Great Depression. The only difference though is the amount of help you get from the government.

Both images show that not every single person in the country is employed or able to provide for themselves, with food and/or shelter. However, judging just by these images, they show that in modern times unemployment and homelessness effects individuals rather than The Great Depression which effected a mass amount of people such as families. Both images are also anti-social as they both question the ideology of the American Dream.



Sources:
www.socialwelfarehistory.com 
en.wikipedia.org 

Success and Self Improvement

http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2014/06/23/why-believe-american-dream-is-still-alive/

This website uses the notion of The American Dream positively because it argues that it is still alive today.

"I had parents that believed deeply in this concept and instilled in me- and each of my five siblings- that nothing was unattainable if we worked arduously, courageously and with conviction,"

This shows that the image of success it presents is similar with the book Ragged Dick, because within the book it talks a lot about the importance of hard work and how hard work can make you successful. Also, because the story line of Alger's book is about a poor boy who you could consider having no hope at all in succeeding and living The American Dream, which mirrors what this website is saying- that nothing was unattainable.

This website is very similar to Alger's image of success, because the book seems to have many meanings of what success is and what the idea of The American Dream is. This is because Alger's book suggests that the image of success is not necessarily financial but more about character, which is similar to the websites idea of The American Dream "Could we as a nation have lost touch with what makes us so distinctly "American?"".

"The incredible stories of the Scholars counter any national skepticism about the American dream in a powerful way." This shows that the image of success it presents matches with what Ragged Dick presents because the website is not just talking about Alger's notion of The American Dream being real, but it's actually proving it by mentioning scholars achieving The American Dream, which is similar to the book because it mentions how education is such a great importance in order to succeed and to accomplish The American Dream.

"After emigrating from Vietnam to the United States in 1991, Nathan Nguyen, a 2004 Horatio Alger National Scholar, and his family faced significant financial hardships. Through passion and perseverance, he was determined to help his parents achieve their American dream while pursuing his own path to success. In 2006, two years after receiving his scholarship, Nguyen established Instrumental Savings, a music help center, which Music Inc. Magazine dubbed “the new future of the musical instrument industry” and by the age of 22 he was a millionaire." This is an example of the notion of The American Dream being used/shown positively which matches with the book Ragged Dick because it shows a person who is financially worse off (like the character Ragged Dick), who through hard work, passion and determination was able to achieve success and live The American Dream.

The only difference in the way that success is presented in the website and in the book is that the book doesn't just focus on the values of hard work, but also luck as well. Whereas the website focuses on the hard work element of achieving success "and by the age of 22 he was a millionaire." 

However, the website does show that success isn't just about money and wealth, but also about you as a person "These are just two examples of the many exemplary Horatio Alger Scholars who worked hard to achieve their goals with integrity and perseverance." This shows that these people worked hard but they also had integrity and perseverance, so this is similar to the way Ragged Dick presents the image of success, because they both include the idea of self improvement, which is needed as well as hard work etc. in order to succeed and to live The American Dream. 

Another difference in the way that the website and the book present the image of success is that Ragged Dick has a lot of different ideas about what success is and what The American Dream is. Whereas the website has a much more straight forward idea of what the image of success is and how The American Dream is defined as well as how you achieve it.



Sources:
http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2014/06/23/why-believe-american-dream-is-still-alive/ 

izquotes.com 
izquotes.com

Pro-gun and Anti-gun website comparison

http://concealedguns.procon.org/#Background

This website looks at both the pros and cons of gun ownership, showing that gun control and guns in general are good and bad that have positive and negative effects in societies,

The title suggests that pro-gun controls are needed because it says "adults" and doesn't mention children, so guns from this point of view are considered dangerous.

However, the fact that there are seven cons and pros to gun-control shows that neither pro-gun or anti-gun control is right or wrong.

Pro-gun control website:   http://csgv.org/
This website focuses on the point of view that guns within the U.S are dangerous, "50 children and teens shot every day in the U.S act now" this shows that they are trying to get across to the public that even though owning guns is a right, it is a dangerous right which has consequences and has a negative impact on the society because the guns are 'wiping out' the future generations.

It also has the argument that among African-Americans, guns are the number one killer of them "Gun violence is the #1 killer of African-Americans ages 15-34 act now" this shows that the point of view of pro-gun control is not to restrict people of their rights but to protect people from gun violence.

After watching the YouTube video on the website, it seems that many of the people who are involved in the pro-gun control website and coalition had been affected by gun violence personally, either by family or friends. So their point of view on guns and gun violence is going to be in favour of gun controls as deaths could be avoided if there were no guns.

 Anti-gun control website:  http://gunowners.org/
This website focuses on the view of the second amendment and making sure that they preserve and defend it. They also see gun ownership as a freedom issue rather than a gun violence issue. Because the main focus is on freedom and the second amendment, this point of view suggests that guns aren't dangerous and do not cause violence.

Throughout the website, the majority of the responses as to why you should join Gun Owners of America is mainly because of the right to keep and bear arms and not other reasons such as to defend yourself if you become in danger, or to hunt as a hobby etc. Although you could argue that by stating because of the second amendment, does mean these other reasons to own a gun, this website also suggests that other than this reason owning a gun is not vital.

However, this point of view is about the important rights of Americans which are important and have been rights for many years. And the fact that it's not just about guns it's about the meaning of owning a gun and the freedom to do so.

There are many statistics showing that deaths by gun violence suggests that guns are dangerous and that having pro-gun controls would be better and the best solution of reducing deaths by firearms. However, the other point of view is maintaining American values and rights which without them the right to bear arms wouldn't be an option in the first place. Anti-gun control points of views does also 'follow' the Founding Fathers thoughts on controversial topics such as gun control. "They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." Ben Franklin.

In my opinion I do not agree or disagree with either, because they both have reasons for and against that point of view. 

Sources:
beforeitsnews.com 
http://concealedguns.procon.org/#Background
http://gunowners.org/protect.htm
http://www.whatourforefathersthought.com/Quotes.html
http://gunowners.org/
http://csgv.org/
http://concealedguns.procon.org/#Background
http://gunowners.org/what-they-are-saying-about-gun-owners-of-america.htm

American Liberty

American Liberty:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TnZqtpVFkgQ

I chose this video because it is an expression of American liberty.

The song is aimed at all patriots who are not afraid to stand up against tyranny, the U.S government and Americans in general. When the song is aimed to the U.S government, it is about Americans standing up to the government and that the U.S government is a government of the people, by the people, for the people. The song is also stressing the point that the government won't and can't control it's citizens.

This song has so many complexities to it because it raises political issues and it is aimed at the U.S government and Americans and 'warning' them about the government and what it's doing to the country e.g. that you are being 'controlled' by the government.

"We the people, we're going to fight, for our rights". This in itself is an expression of American liberty because the people don't have to be controlled by the government and by fighting for your rights, includes having liberty. In the song it refers to "we have the right to..." which again relates to the rights, and in the Declaration of Independence it states "certain unalienable rights".

"Here they come, they're coming for your guns". This is related to the 2nd Amendment within the 'Bill of Rights' 'the right to bear arms' which is an aspect of American liberty, as it is a right for Americans to 'keep and bear arms' as it 'shall not be infringed'.

"Are you ready to stand?". This in itself is an expression of an aspect of American liberty, as it shows that you are free to stand up and do something about the government. Also, in the Declaration of Independence it states "it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing it's powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness." and "it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security."

The second part of the video emphasises how much the government controls the people "control our tongue", "your free to do what they say" and "control our thoughts". You could argue that this part of the song questions whether it is an aspect of American liberty and whether the rest of the song is relating to the ideology of American liberty, especially as 'liberty' refers to so many different things including individual liberty.

"1776, does it ring a bell?". This is an expression of an aspect of American liberty because 1776 is when the Declaration of Independence was written and when the United States was free from Britain. Within the song they are using this sentence as a 'reminder' to the U.S government that in 1776 the United States had changed and that the government cannot control etc. the American people. "That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it".

"Soldiers away from home". This is an aspect of American liberty because the soldiers that are away from home are fighting to protect American liberty, however some may consider this an ideological idea of American liberty, as there are other reasons that soldiers are away from home.

 "We have the right to speak". This shows an aspect of American liberty as in the 'Bill of Rights' the 1st Amendment states "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances."

You could consider this song as somewhat having an ideological take of American liberty "I love Arizona, State of the free". This is because technically all of the States are 'free' because they are all United.

This song in itself is an expression of American liberty because it shows the exercising of American rights.

I found this video really interesting. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lp7n5eN3LAE

Grace La Traille

Sources:
http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/declaration_transcript.html
http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/bill_of_rights_transcript.html
http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/constitution_transcript.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TnZqtpVFkgQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TnZqtpVFkgQ

Carol Moseley Braun

Carol Moseley Braun:
Carol was an American politician and lawyer who represented Illinois in the United States Senate from 1992-1999. Being an African-American shows that there has been a huge amount of change with race and the United States because Carol Braun is an example of the difference between now and 100 years ago. This also shows progression as well because for an African-American to be represented in the Senate, proves that race is no longer an issue nowadays. It also shows progress because it is an African-American woman and not a man- which shows that equality has also progressed along with race.

However, the idea that race has changed and progressed could just be ideological because whiteness shifts over time and slowly brings in immigrant group after immigrant group, so that eventually they become 'white'. Also there are different terms for race for example, coloured and not black means that the white and black binary is changed and this makes it equal. Or race may have changed because race is a historical product and is a cause of racial thinking, so people's mindset has probably changed over the years 'allowing' Carol to become a politician and a lawyer.

Since 1992-1999, there hasn't been another African-American woman in the same position as Carol which may indicate that there actually hasn't been any change at all and that Carol was a 'one off''. However this could just mean that modern day African-American woman don't want that kind of job, or the population is predominately non-African-Americans, or that race actually hasn't changed even today- when equality is as equal as ever.

Journal article: What ever happened to... Carol Moseley Braun? 
This is an interesting article which makes you question race in this day and age and whether it has made any progress etc. over the years.

"She ran for president in 2004 because of a conversation with her young niece, who pointed out that "all the presidents were boys.""

"Moseley Braun was the first, and to date only, African-American woman elected to the Senate."

"Moseley Braun says she has no plans to run for elected office again."

First of all the first quote shows that the lack of woman in politics was really obvious because a child could point it out, and that even though Carol did get represented it wasn't the norm- which must have been inspiration for many African-Americans and African-American woman especially. However this does also show that if you are determined enough, opportunities are there in the USA, even with incidents like this when it may seem like it is not an option.

The second quote shows that there was a breakthrough relating to race because she was the first, but then it goes on to say the only, as if suggesting that race hasn't actually progressed at all or at least very little since then. Although there has been an African-American president- but it isn't a woman.

The third quote suggests that she has made her point that African-American woman and men can be represented in the Senate (because she has done it), and this shows that race must be progressing because 100 years ago it may not have been the case that Carol was representing. But when it says that she has no plans to run for elected office again shows that it is possible to become a politician but you can only go so far, which makes you question whether race has changed over the years or not.

Sources:
http://www.biography.com/people/carol-moseley-braun-205626#synopsis
izquotes.com
Journal article: By Lunney, Kellie, national journal, 03604217, 11/3/2007, vol. 39, Issue 44



Grace La Traille

12 years a slave

12 years a slave- I think this film is an amazing film because it is really entertaining but also because how it portrays slavery. The fact that the story line is presented in the eyes of someone who would have been a slave and their views of slavery and that it is not in the eyes of the slave owners as their views on slavery would have been completely different, this gives a much better understanding of what slavery was like and how the slaves were treated as well as how they would have felt too.

I think that the key features of the condition of slavery in the film is that the woman and the men cost different, depending on their value as there would have been different jobs like plantations and a house slave. However women are treated just as bad as men, and this is shown in the film when the young woman got whipped by the main character because she went off to get soap.

The film is a great film for showing the reality of slavery as it shows that a free black man who has a family etc. can be living his life and then suddenly become a slave if he is not too careful-because he trusted the two white men at the beginning of the film. It also shows the reality of slavery because it shows the dominance of the white people and that they have control over the slaves, because they took away the main characters papers, so he couldn't prove that he was a free man. This shows that the slaves were treated like animals and not people. Another interesting point that the film highlights is that the two white men decided to get a black man (not caring if he was 'free' or not) and this shows what the mindset of the slave owners and slave catchers were like, because they only cared about their lives and not about people who were black but not actually slaves.

There was one significant anti-slavery voice in the film which was the Canadian man which I found one of the most interesting parts of the film and the way it portrays slavery. The film makes a really good scene where the Canadian is white but is working for the slave owners (but actually gets paid, has his own cabin and doesn't actually have to be there and can go whenever he chooses), and he his working with the slaves and doing the same jobs as them. I liked this bit of the film because it really made it clear in how bad slavery actually was, because the slaves had to stay there etc. But what is also really interesting is when the Canadian man talks about how the slaves are treated and the fact that he actually disagrees with what the slave owner is saying and doing to the slaves, yet because he is white he doesn't get punished for talking, but if the slaves spoke then they would be punished.

I found that there was some difference between Ford and Epps despite the apparent kindness that Ford shows to Solomon because I think that Epps takes advantage of the slaves more because he regards them as his property and that he paid for them so he can do what he wants, and doesn't think about how the slaves might feel.

When the slaves sing the song "Roll, Jordan, Roll" it really expresses the despair of slavery and it shows that slavery was really bad and that the slaves were really desperate and that there was no hope and no way out.

The beautifully shot landscapes defiantly shows conflict between the representations of the South and the cruelty of slavery that occurs because slavery is the complete opposite of the location in where the film was set. It is very contradicting and it makes slavery invisible because of the beautiful landscapes around it.

With the whipping of Patsey scene it shows that slavery was considered normal during that time and that Epps doesn't see the black people as people and humans but as animals/property as well as not people like them.

When Solomon returns to his family he doesn't show happiness because he feels like he has let his family down and that he has also missed the years with his family and his children growing up, and just generally feels that he has missed a huge part of his life (12 years). And the fact that he has waited ages to see them too.  

When the slaves were often shown wandering between plantations without apparent surveillance this suggests that a) That the slave owners made sure that the slaves knew the consequences if they did escape and not make it. And b) The mindset of the slaves is already installed in how they should behave and what they should do/not do.

I think that the overall film is a great portrayal of slavery because it shows more than just one perspective and one thing about slavery such as families being apart, it also shows children in slavery and what the life of slavery would have been like in general. The film is really good in how it starts with the black man free, equal and normal and the same as any other free man, whether they are black or white, but then the rest of the film shows him a slave, and this is good because it shows how cruel slavery really was.

Source: www.liveforfilms.com


   

Slave Narrative

I chose to write about Sarah Frances Shaw Graves (Missouri 87) because her slave narrative is really interesting.
"my mama, who was a slave owned by a man named Shaw"
Sarah seems to have been born into slavery as her mother was a slave which shows that slavery during this time was a cycle and would be nearly impossible to stop as there would be a new generation of slaves.

"owned by a man named Shaw"
This shows that during this time of slavery that some people got rich off of the work of others which shows that there wasn't equality at all between the slaves and the slave owners. This also shows that the slaves had no freedom because they were owned by others.

"We left my papa in Kentucky,"
This shows that families were torn apart because of slavery but the slaves still cared about their family even if they weren't in the same place. This also shows that the slaves had their own set of values that were mainly linked to family. It is obvious that many slave families struggled with losing family members either by death or moving to a different location. "Allotments made a lot of grief for the slaves,"

"My papa never knew where my mama went, an' my mama never knew where papa went."
This shows that the slave owners and people that were in favour of the slavery, didn't really see the slaves as people- only property as families weren't just separated but they were also not told where their families were. This must have caused problems when slavery was finally abolished as families couldn't reunite because they didn't know where their families were or if they were even alive. 

"They never wanted mama to know, 'cause they knowed she would never marry so long she knew where he was. Our master wanted her to marry again and raise more children to be slaves." 
This shows that the slave owners had a lack of care for the slaves and that the slaves would have no say in what would happen to them, for example whether they would marry again. The reason that the master would have wanted the woman to raise more children was so that they would also be slaves, and this way you would never run out of slaves, so the master would become wealthier. The standard of English within this part of the text shows that many, if not all slaves had bad reading and writing skills, which could mean that many slaves if not all of them didn't have the right to read and write and were not allowed to (as this would increase the intelligence of the slaves which would probably worry the slave owners).  

"They never wanted mama to know where papa was, an' she never did,"
This shows how bad the reality of slavery was, because the slave owners never wanted the mother to know where her husband was which is cruel but at the same time it's only an opinion of the slave owner. However this text also shows that not only did the slave owners think it but they actually made it happen because the mother never did know where her husband was. This also shows that the 'white society' or the 'non-slaves' had the power within the society because they can do whatever they want to. 

The fact that this slave narrative is from a person who was really young and was not only born into slavery but also grew up and lived in slavery, shows how long slavery lasted and had an impact on the people. 

Sources:
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/snhtml/snvoices02.html 
http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/i?ammem/mesnbib:@field(NUMBER+@band(mesnp+100126)):displayType=1:m856sd=mesnp:m856sf=100126  

Minnesota

Minnesota:
There are many features that typify it's inhabitants, these are the climate, the geography, mobility and a transient population.

The climate of Minnesota represents the state because the winter weather is really cold as well as having lots of snow during this season. The freezing conditions where water freezes before it hits the ground means that winter clothing is a main feature of the states inhabitants, as they have to wear beanie hats, snow shoes/boots, gloves, scarves and thermal clothing so that they can live during the harsh weather.

The geography is also a feature that represents Minnesota's inhabitants because it is situated in the north of the country (Canada's border) and here the climate is much different than a southern state such as Florida. Another feature is the lakes that are in and around Minnesota, 'The Great Lakes' including Lake Superior which because of where it is geographically, it is the coldest lake out of them all.

These features have an influence on the mobility of the states as people move either to or from Minnesota. Many people move away from Minnesota because of where it is in the United States as well as the weather in the winter. A lot of it's inhabitants go to Florida which are then known as 'snowbirds' because they have come from the colder states to the warmer states in order to get the sunshine in the sun, as well as escaping the harsh winter conditions such as the snow. many of these people are elderly who struggle to live in Minnesota through the winter because it is extremely cold. However others within Minnesota don't move at all through the winter months because they either can't due to work etc. or because they just don't want to and are happy to live through the harsh weather conditions during the winter season. People don't generally go to Minnesota from other states because of the weather, but also because of there are another 49 states to choose from, which may offer more than Minnesota as well as a much better standard of living too such as Florida where it has a much warmer climate through the winter.

In the past it has been known that as many as 73,000 people aged sixty and over left for the winter (to a warmer state). This shows that the mobility of Minnesota is extremely high! The highest percentage of movement include the months of November, December, January, February and and March.

The state or region determines your identity because the culture across America varies throughout the whole country and this means that people who are from Minnesota will have an identity different from someone from North Carolina or North Dakota. For example, the identity of Minnesota's inhabitants would be 'northerners' whereas the identity of Alabama would be 'southerner'. All these different identities vary between each state so the region does determine the identity of a person.

Sources:
  wcanada.remax.com 
http://conservancy.umn.edu/bitstream/handle/11299/119679/1/19-4-issue.pdf

Space and Place

This map reveals that the American society unemployment percentage in 2009 wasn't just in one area, but it was spread out throughout the whole country. This is interesting because there are people living all across America, but the higher percentage of unemployment are in the areas with a higher population. 

Higher percentage- Michigan, California, Oregon, North Carolina and South Carolina.

Lower percentage- Wyoming, Nebraska, Idaho and Iowa.

Michigan- Michigan has a higher unemployment percentage because Detroit has had a hard time bringing jobs to the city and transport is really bad, so people lose jobs because they can't get to them. There are also a large number of African-Americans in the state (82.7%) identifying as black and African-Americans typically experience higher unemployment rates. This shows that in American society, the higher unemployment rates were in states where there are a higher number of non-whites. 

California- "There's so much competition out there for jobs" California has such a high unemployment rate because there is a higher population of people, due to people wanting to live in the 'Golden State' where the land is one of the best for resources and general  living. And if there is a huge number of people then you have less chance of getting a job because you have more people to compete with. The unemployment rose from 9.7% to 9.9% (June 2014). California has also lost a lot of construction workers (7,300 jobs were lost), and this had an impact on unemployment. California also responded to the economic crisis by cutting public employment and services. 

Oregon- In Oregon there are less employment opportunities and because it is a Western state, many people live there which increases the level of unemployment. Oregon doesn't have a huge industrial or manufacturing industry, due to tax which would have made job opportunities and given people in Oregon work. It also has small cities compared to other cities in the U.S but have a similar population of people there, so there isn't enough jobs for people. In one month, Oregon's unemployment rate rose dramatically from 2006-2008 (U.S Bureau of Labour Statistics). Another factor to why Oregon has a higher percentage of unemployment is that it has high urban concentrations than other cities. However, the population change is not thought to be a factor which is interesting because Oregon is a Western state where land is in good condition for living, but because of the size of the state is relatively small, the population of 3.899 million (2012) it is a lot of people to get jobs in such a small place, especially where there aren't any industries that offer job opportunities. 

North Carolina- North Carolina has a high percentage of unemployment because some of it is imported. This is because people move there but don't get a job which has an impact on the unemployment rates. It is also really dependent on the manufacturing industry which was hit hard during the recession. The construction industry went down 1/3 which is 90,000 jobs due to the recession which has contributed to the unemployment. North Carolina has an unemployment rate of 9.2% (2012 National Women's Law Center). 

South Carolina- South Carolina doesn't have a specific industry, whereas Las Vegas has gambling and Pittsburgh has steel, which help to keep the unemployment rate low as there are more jobs for people. The sectors that provide the most jobs in South Carolina have been hit the hardest, these are tourism, construction and manufacturing. Construction alone has lost 2,500 jobs (2008).  

Wyoming- Wyoming has a lower percentage of unemployment because it has a lot of job opportunities and not many people that work there live there (they travel). So this would make the unemployment low because Wyoming is a state for work and not for living in. Wyoming has industries which help to provide jobs for people such as mineral extraction, tourism, agriculture and rural jobs. The unemployment rate has dropped to 3.7% (2014) which is similar to 2008. 

Idaho- In Idaho there was a lot of 'help wanted' signs (2008) which indicates that there wasn't a shortage of jobs, so this is why the unemployment rate is so low. Idaho has an unemployment rate of 4.7 (2014) and is ranked 11. Another factor to the low percentage of unemployment is that the wages are low, so employers can hire more people which makes the unemployment rate low because more people have jobs. 

Iowa- Iowa has a low percentage of unemployment because although it has a huge agriculture industry, it also has jobs in manufacturing, finance, insurance and government services. These different industries have helped to keep the unemployment percentage down because they offer many job opportunities to people. Iowa has an unemployment rate of 6.8% (2012). 

Nebraska- Nebraska has the lowest unemployment percentage of 2009. In 2010 the percentage was 4.8%- still very low! Hellbusch (a man who lives and works in Nebraska) says, "Everybody's got a job". This shows that people who are trying to hire others are really struggling because very few people are not employed. Also, it is common for people to hold multiple jobs, which would mean that if someone lost their job, then they would have a back-up so they wouldn't be unemployed. 

So analysing the map i have noticed that the built up areas have resources already due to the land, whereas the areas which have the least resources already (middle of U.S- The bread-basket) and this makes a difference to the unemployment. Because in places where the unemployment was low was areas where people had to work more in order to get the resources that they needed to live, as they live in rural areas. So more people would get work plus less people live in those areas too, so there is naturally less competition for jobs. But people in the cities and areas where the land is already in perfect living condition means less people need to work in order to get the resources needed to live. And this is a problem because there are a lot more people in the areas which need the least amount of jobs. 

What's also interesting is that the higher percentage of unemployment is along the West Coast, which is also where the most wealthy people in the country are too. 

Agriculture industries seem to offer more jobs, which matches the demographic map because it shows that. Every state has had job losses but some states were better off because they had the right industries, natural resources and skilled workers.    

Sources:

http://michiganradio.org/post/why-does-michigan-have-highest-black-unemployment-rate

http://articles.latimes.com/2013/aug/16/business/la-fi-california-jobs-20130817

http://reason.com/blog/2014/09/26/1-in-6-california-construction-workers-l

http://rdwolff.com/content/oregon-taxed-rich-does-not-seem-have-affected-unemployment-rate-last-august-what-did-tax-ore

http://www.city-data.com/forum/oregon/300900-why-oregon-unemployment-rate-so-high.html

http://archive.statesmanjournal.com/assets/pdf/J0131639327.PDF

https://www.google.co.uk/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=population%20of%20oregan

http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/05/20/2072771_why-nc-lost-so-many-jobs.html?rh=1

http://www.ncspin.com/2014/02/18/why-does-north-carolina-unemployment-remain-so-high/

http://www.nwlc.org/our-blog/north-carolina-has-fifth-highest-state-unemployment-rate-cuts-ui-benefits-women-and-men

http://www.postandcourier.com/article/20081230/PC1602/312309927

http://doe.state.wy.us/lmi/trends/0911/a3.htm

http://www.businessinsider.com/ten-states-with-ridiculously-low-unemployment-rates-and-why-2010-8?op=1

http://wyofile.com/gregory_nickerson/wyoming-unemployment-rate-drops-as-population-grows/

http://www.bls.gov/web/laus/laumstrk.htm

http://caldwellguardian.blogspot.co.uk/2009/01/idaho-economic-decline-deep-in-2008.html

http://www.city-data.com/forum/idaho/262120-lowest-unemployment-country-idaho-ties-1st.html

http://www.nbcnews.com/id/38838429/ns/business-us_business/t/states-ridiculously-low-unemployment/#.VCvKufldUno

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129016793

www.esri.com

Icons of America

Image 1: The American Flag
This image is iconic of America because of what it represents and stands for and when most people see the U.S flag they automatically know that it is associated with the U.S. This image affirms the association between America and liberty because it represents freedom "embody American freedom".Also, because the "white stripes stand for liberty". So this image is positive because it shows that liberty is related to America because of what it represents.

There is also a flag code which is the Federal Law relating to displaying the flag. In the flag code it states that, "No disrespect should be shown to the flag of the United States of America." This shows that America and liberty are associated together because the flag represents freedom and the flag code is suggesting that the flag is so special that you shouldn't show any disrespect to it.

With flying the flag it states; "It is the universal custom to display the flag only from sunrise to sunset on buildings and on stationary flagstaffs in the open. However, when a patriotic effect is desired, the flag may be displayed 24 hours a day if properly illuminated during hours of darkness."

Also, you "pledge allegiance to the flag" when you say the Pledge of Allegiance and this is positive because within the Pledge it states "with liberty" which relates to the American flag being associated with liberty.




Image 2: The Confederate Flag
This image is iconic of America because it is associated with America and it's history because of slavery and segregation during the civil war. This questions and negates the association between America and liberty because it was flown a lot during the civil war, in the south who were "mostly people in favour of states rights". So I think that the Confederate flag also shows that America isn't and hasn't always been a free nation that is associated with liberty.

An example of when the confederate flag has been controversial is when people in America have flown the flag because they believe that it doesn't represent slavery; "it's really about honoring the confederate soldiers who gave their lives." - Barry Isenhour. Barry also said that "If you're going to be offended by a flag, why not the Union Jack?" This shows that there is controversy with the flag because some people don't see a problem flying it and think that people should be offended by other flags because of history.

While others think that you shouldn't be proud of flying the Confederate flag as it reminds people of racism and slavery. "I wouldn't be proud of waving a flag that has an ambiance of racism and negativity." - Clenora Hudson-Weens.

Another example was when there was a proposal to fly a huge Confederate flag outside the state capital, Richmond in Virginia. This proposal had problems because people either believed that the flag reminded people of slavery during the Civil War whilst others saw it as a sign of respect.

There are states where flying the Confederate flag has been banned, however because of the First Amendment to the U.S Constitution people are allowed to fly the Confederate flag on their own property. But on government buildings there are restrictions. California is a state where you can't buy or fly the Confederate flag (May 2014). South Carolina passed a bill to remove the Confederate flag from the top of the State House dome in 2000, 12th April.

Sources:
 http://www.usflag.org/iamtheflag.html

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Rebel%20flag

www.huffingtonpost.com

forthdistrict.com 

http://www.senate.gov/reference/resources/pdf/RL30243.pdf

http://www.usflag.org/uscode36.html

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-23705803

http://www.answers.com/Q/Is_it_legal_to_fly_the_Confederate_flag_in_Ohio

https://news.vice.com/article/california-might-ban-sale-and-display-of-confederate-flag

http://askville.amazon.com/legal-fly-confederate-rebel-flag/AnswerViewer.do?requestId=10180714 http://isthatlegal.org/question-is-it-legal-to-fly-the-confederate-flag/

http://www.latimes.com/local/political/la-me-ln-assembly-passes-bill-banning-state-from-selling-confederate-flag-donnelly-only-vote-in-opposition-20140505-story.html