-KA+Responses+to+Essential+Questions-

8/30/09  England decided to colonize for a couple reasons. One of the main reasons was definitely to compete with Spain’s advancing world, but it was not the whole reason at all. England’s initial reason was to compete but it branched off into other reasons. One of the main reasons England colonized America was because the economy in England was very bad. They were going through a horrible depression and all their industries were shot. Some men proposed going to England because it was a way to jumpstart the economy. It helped with trade and they had new resources to start up the economy again. If they gave up the economy would be in another downfall. Another reason was because due to the poor economy a lot of men were out of work and there was an immense amount of poverty. There was always something to work on in the new world and it benefitted Europe. New goods meant new jobs of processing them and more. The last main reason was probably the most significant of the time. It was for the colonists to separate themselves and be independent from the oppression of Europe and the King. They had lived under the oppression of the King for decades and they finally wanted to live on their own. They said that even if they were in paradise with the government leaders, it would not be better then starving in America. They stayed so they could prove themselves independent. Not only that but they also invested too much in the plan to back out. So although competition was a good factor in colonizing, it was most certainly not the big motivator for doing so.

9/3/09

If I had to settle in either Pennsylvania or Massachusetts I would definitely pick Pennsylvania. I would pick Pennsylvania because it's networking with the Indians that led to a great economy, and that it's toleration to faiths and ethnicities with a lot of freedom, that led to social success. The Puritans were ones who eliminated anyone unlike them, this also meant the Indians. The Puritans pigeonholed themselves from the world and led them to a shaky downfall. The people of Pennsylvania believed in equal treatment and respected the Indians and even traded with them. Their openness with anyone led to a unique trading area. The items they had were diverse and it led them to prosperity economically. The Puritans, which were narrow minded, fought off anyone who was different then them. In Pennsylvania, they did the opposite, everyone was welcome. With this it led to social success because the community was so diverse and everyone could be enriched. This led to different ideals of living and helped them survive with each of their techniques. With no brutal assassinations or running anyone out of the colony for being different, Pennsylvania's social aspects were very peaceful and stable. Pennsylvania is therefor the better choice because it is a haven for people who are different, and a very stable colony for all to enjoy.

9/16/09

Essential Question (2) - __//Why is the French and Indian War a major turning point between British and colonial relations? Cite specific examples focusing specifically the economical and social aspects of the period. (1763-1774) Due Thursday 2nd Period.//__ The French and Indian war is almost ironic in what happened. The British and colonies fought together and won together, however this made tensions between them. When the British and the colonists got together, they thought they would be the same. However after living in two unique worlds each were vastly different. The colonists that were thought of as Englishmen had different values and were not controlled by Kings or Queens. Everything from their fighting, military organiztion, disciple, finances and demeanor were different. The British looked down on the colonists and vice versa. The economical reason they turned on each other was because Britain had pretty much paid for all the war with 132 million pounds of debt while America had a light debt of 2 million. Britain started taxing colonists like crazy with the Stamp Act, Sugar Act, etc. The colonies were outraged and more tension arose. Colonists were sending raw materials to Britain and were paying them for the manufacture that their material was used for. They realized this was not fair and started to loathe the British. The British and colonists separated from each other due to social and economical reasons.

9/23/09

__//Justify the actions of the American colonists in declaring and fighting for their independence.//__ The American colonies had every right to declare independence and fight the British. The British were growing increasingly out of hand with the colonists. They did everything for taxing like crazy to the Declaratory Act. The colonists were fed up with this irrational treatment. Due to all the finances Britian owed they used the Townshend acts to reclaim money from the colonists that was owed. The colonists started boycotting all British goods and did things like the Boston Tea Party to show their resentment towards Britain brewing. The Declaratory Act was set so that England could make all the laws they wanted. They also used the Coercive and Intolerable Acts to close down the Boston port and limit trading with them. This was the first official backlash against the colonists after all of their rejection of their laws. However, this made colonists push for independence more. The colonists had a right to declare their independence because they were being pushed around, they wanted freedom, and the salutary neglect gave them a huge smack in the face when they tried to take control again.

10/10/09

How does the constitution allow for an enduring political debate? Use support from activity completed in class.

The constitution is a big center for debate because it is the laws and rights of fellow Americans. Different people like Hamilton and Jefferson thought opposite about the way the country should be handled. Both of the sides interpreted the constitution differently, Jefferson being more tight knit and Hamilton with a looser interpretation. This led to many controversial meanings. Each debate topic was so countered that it made it really hard to bring up a way around it. An example of this was when Hamilton wanted shared debts to unify us and make us prosper, but Jefferson wanted seperate debts not wanting us to all equal out. They were such opposites that it could always be countered by the other side and it was almost an impossible fight without compromises. The only reason Hamilton got his way was because he let Washington D.C. be in Virgina. The constitution and Bill of Rights are two of the most fought over arguments in government politics.

10/25/09 __//Was the Revolution of 1800 truly a Revolution?//__

The Revolution of 1800 was the election of Thomas Jefferson against opponents Aaron Burr, John Adams, C.C Pickney, and John Jay. The Revolution of 1800 truly was a revolution because of the dramatic change of power that overtook America. Marxism ideals state there is no such thing as a nonviolent revolutions. True it was not bloody, and more so a peaceful change but it still had a dramatic effects. Other drastic revolutions like the falling of the Berlin Wall was peaceful, so that justifies this one. Another revolution that did not have violence is the Industrial Revolution. The main component that makes it a revolution is that there had been a strong steady Federalist method of Government since Washington. Most people were Federalist and to change government power and to take a huge risk was a revolution for this country. Breaking away from Britain was a revolution and same with breaking away from Federalism and going to Democratic-Republican methods. Revolutions are based off of a mass of people wanting something different. This Democratic-Republican change embodied that. The definition for revolution is "a drastic and far-reaching change in ways of thinking and behaving". This Revolution of 1800 could not fit that definition anymore.