Implications For Today?
Based upon the image gallery of American
movements/inventions/events/ideology/ways of life/ and cultural
phenomenon that you viewed within the classroom, please respond formally
through your blog response to the following questions.
- What did you observe?
- How did the images make you feel?
- How do they shape the fabric of American life?
- What have we gained from these American movements/inventions/events/ideology/ways of life/ and cultural phenomenon?
- What have we lost from these American movements/inventions/events/ideology/ways of life/ and cultural phenomenon?
- Do these embody the American spirit?
- Do these help us understand what it means to be an American?
- What implications do these create?
posted by Greg T at Sunday, August 21, 2016
26 Comments:
I observed many pictures of and relating to struggles of Americans as they try to achieve something in the past. Many of the pictures had pain while others had happiness. All of the events the pictures are of made America into what it is today. Many of the pictures, if not all, were very key events that shaped the nation greatly. Without these events, the present in America would look a lot different. These photos had events in many cases that resulted in gained rights, respect, power, and progress towards our modern America. Lost in these photos may have been tears, lives, and in some cases freedoms. The Americans in these photos showed how it takes work and struggle to get a positive, desired outcome. The pictures embodies the American Spirit because they show the work that went into something to get the positive outcomes they received. The picture help us understand what hard work was put into America to make it what it is today and that it takes hard work to get success.
While looking at the photos, I observed a wide variety of different ideas. Some of these include struggle, change, diversity, capitalism, democracy, hope, patriotism, power, and discrimination. In the photos, I saw ways of life a long time ago, I saw segregation, different jobs, some pictures of war. Although some images had negative connotation, they make me feel good about how much progress we've made as a country. We've gained more equal rights when it comes to race and gender, we've made much safer jobs. They shape the fabric of American life by showing jobs and daily life. Some of these do embody the American spirit, showing happy people with jobs. These create implications that as a country, a lot of progress has been made. Some of these pictures do help us understand what it means to be an American, we have had problems and still do, but we are free and we can do as we please.
The American life is greatly shown in the images. They show hey moments of the American Story, from immigration to Wall Street. In one image a mother and child await admission on Ellis Island so they could live in the U.S and live the american dream. Democracy and the idea of freedom and equality greatly impact the U.S. but in some images it shows the injustice and discrimination of America. African Americans protested and in return were hosed and attacked by dogs. Hypocrisy greatly over ruled democracy.
After going through a series of images showing the past of America and its long and continuing journey of history. Many problems have arisen from these past experiences such as diversity, change, hypocrisy, Power, freedom and much more. Even though these problems affected our country in a big way, it has also improved and changed our country for the better. All the picture tell a story, and within those stories are lessons. Lessons we must learn to prevent those many things from happening again. Many of the issues are connected to each other in ways that tell us as Americans that we have been fighting for the same issues for a long time, and in that time we haven't learned our lesson, but we are making progress by changing our American image for the better, and for the betterment of the children of America.
Looking at these pictures emotions float through the room. Americans went and still go through struggles and pain through the years. The main topic that really stood out to me was Equality and how race was a very big thing back in the 40's and 50's. Blacks were treated with disrespect and were never allowed to be in the same room or drink from the same fountain. Another eye opener was about how the government is always in control and controlling the peoples word and how people would get sprayed with a high powered hose for being at a parade or riot. Enough from the down side, there were many ups and excitement i saw in these photos. Families smiling when getting new things. Kids smiling in school and people being appreciative to everything that they own. Our country is very diverse and very two faced. The question i have for this country is our we in a struggle or is this country happy?
Today in the pictures I observed lots of things that made me feel a lot of certain ways. The pictures were full of unspoken ideas and stories. It was very interesting to me to see pictures from famous American times like the Great Depression or the Civil Rights Movements. There were riots on the streets, poverty stricken people begging, and unfair segregation signs lining the storefronts. The theme of most of these pictures was sadness and struggle. The pictures made it apparent how diversity created a disproportionate power pyramid. To be able to understand the hidden details, you had to view them with an open mind. There were lessons within the pictures that our society has either ignored or not learned yet. Even though most of the pictures were not from current times, they still had an impact on what is happening currently. Most of the struggles within these pictures can absolutely be related to today. We are stuck in a circle of race issues, power battles, government problems, and unwanted change. These issues have always been present, since the beginning of our nation. Like the video said, we call ourselves a free nation but we can’t turn on the news without hearing about a riot or an outbreak based off of legal issues. These pictures show people that America isn’t all it’s made out to be, which is very sad. They tell us in school that we learn about history in order to improve the future and not repeat the past, but that’s not working too well right now. A Civil Rights movement number two is happening, we have crazy president candidates, we’re in a war with an idea, and we can’t take a step back to evaluate what that did to our country in the past. As a society, we should look at these pictures with an open mind and willingness to change.
The images in class seemed like the media’s perspective of America through the past 100 years. They embodied noble ideas like diversity, technology and Capitalism, but also displayed things like struggle, change and controversy. Similarly, the emotions they portrayed rubbed off on myself. The history of any nation defines its future. Everything they embody is part of American life. As an American you can expect to encounter struggle on the path to greatness. Through these images one can understand that the true nature of America is not just one sided but multi-dimensional. Through our past we have seen what has and hasn’t worked. Through change we shape the greatest attributes of our nation currently, just as the future will present change to what we don’t like now. What we have gained significantly outweighs what we have lost. In fact I could argue that we haven’t lost anything, but only gained knowledge from what has passed. Everything we looked at in class has embodied the American spirit. I say this because the American spirit is capricious and changes over time. What we have done changes the current vision of the American spirit, just as what we do today changes it in the future. These images make a point that an American will reach triumph through struggle- that bad times may fall but as an American we will come out of it stronger than ever. These photos imply that being an American is something to be proud of and not to be taken for granted.
While looking at all of these photos, I saw both happiness and sadness. The photos made me realize that in the darkness there is light. With all the suffering and pain, comes progress and freedom. All of the images reminded me of the famous quote “Freedom is not free.” All of these events are necessary in order to get to where we are today in American life. All of the images also contribute to what the “American dream” is all about. All of these events do however have a tons of losses. For example, many American soldiers, African Americans and all groups that were discriminated against because of their race or religion lost their lives. I do feel that the American Spirit is well represented in these photos because it shows what America is all about. They imply that through suffering and hard work freedom can be achieved.
As I walked around the room looking at all of these different photos, I was feeling lots of mixed emotions. Some where I was sad how America was and some made me proud of how America has become. Yes, everyone of those photos show how someone was suffering, being discriminated against or some terrible tragedy happening, and yes that is still going on in America. By no means are we “fixed” but we sure aren't as bad. It also really inspired me how in those photos there were people who were suffering so bad but they kept up hope and faith and I think because of those people, America is better today than it was when those photos were taken. All you can hope for is that you don’t repeat history and you are better than the past.
In these pictures I observed how much America had to struggle in order to get where our country is today some of the struggles that we have had to go through are power/leadership,war and lots of change.One image that really got me thinking was the one where there were two separate bathrooms one for the colored and one for the white people it made me think of how much America Has Changed with segregation and how we can all go to the same bathroom now but we still have some struggles to overcome.Equality is a big part of America and will always be because people still want the diversity we don't have. Looking at these pictures made me feel sad because of how much Poverty there was and is and how much of a money struggle people had to go through it also makes me sad how much equality we still don't have but I think the struggles we went through in the past helped shape America as it is today.
After looking at many pictures scattered throughout the room I was amazed at the wide array of emotions I captured. I specifically saw one picture where their were 2 flappers (women) dancing with a man, and then the next picture I was was a man being carried out of destruction by firemen. This thought me many different things. One, was that although we believe that their are so many good things going on in our wold, we fail to see the destruction in our world that helps us to be stronger. I think it is important for people to be happy, but people also need to recognize and lear from the terror in our world. Second, I noticed how important jobs are back then as well as today. The man dancing with the flappers was most likely a wealth business man with is evenings off of work, while firefights work around the clock and don't get a lot of free time with family. All in all, after looking at the pictures I was surprised to see how so many lives were completely opposite of each other. Some lives were full of laughter and joy, while others lives were full of tears and sadness.
The pictures we saw in class on Monday have all hit a different level of emotion. I observed a lot of poverty, torn down exhausted houses behind a big future, tired eyes and gloomy faces, people sticking together, and a lot of touching commotions. The images I had looked at and overviewed made me feel depressed, but also full of faith and hope. A lot of the photos almost forced an emotional mindset of loss hope on to me. There was a lot of hopeful eyes in horrible situations. Almost as if they thought about it hard enough it would all go away. I think that's what shapes American life though. A sense of being able to reach your hopes and dreams, but being torn away by the reality of life. I don’t think these events have embodied the American spirit. For anything it has brought us closer together as a community and as a nation. I do believe these images are meant for us to understand what it means to be an American. Although, we have a lot of hope for our future, tragic things happen everyday, our lives can change in an instance.
Walking through the image gallery I saw a lot of amazing pictures that really summed up America's high and low points. I had a lot of mixed emotions when looking at the images but I had an overall feeling of patriotism. No matter if the scene portrayed in the picture was good or bad, they all brought America together and changed the the fabric of American life. We gain a lot from these big events but the main thing is a sense that all Americans are in this together. Weather it's happy like the party in Time Square when the Soviet Union fell or sad like when the Twin Towers fell, the American citizens are always being brought together. We have also lost a lot from these events. A lot of the time when a tragedy happens people lose hope. When the stock market crashed, Wall Street was flooded with people not knowing what to do. Many Americans lost hope that day along with their money, but when tragedy strikes, the American citizens become closer. All of these events embody the American spirit because they show America's ability to get together and sort things out. These pictures truly show what it means to be an American because they all show unity.
When I was walking around looking at all the different pictures there was a different reaction for every picture. Most of fate pictures I came across involved a lot of poverty or all the hate and destruction america has faced in its short life. Most of those images made me feel almost empty in a way, almost like I was thinking "I'm happy that wasn't me" or "I feel so bad for them and what had happen to them". But without all the stories and memories that were captured on the paper I saw, we wouldn't be where we are today for sure. Each picture played apart in where America is now and with out them things might have been a lot different then they are now. So no matter what picture you were looking at , good or bad, they made us who we are today. Another thing that really struck me was looking at the pictures that had to do with racism. People then and now judge people based on what they see on the outside and don't judge someone based on character and how they are on the inside and that bothered me, thats not the kind of american spirit I'm proud to have tacked onto the american name. Anyways overall majority of these pictures made me feel kinda sad and upset, maybe that because I only saw the harder pictures to swallow, but without out any darkness there can not be light the sad stories made us better.
After looking at the pictures we observed in class, I got to see America at its best and America at its worst, I saw many images of patriotism and also pictures of African Americans being treated unequally. Seeing these pictures of African Americans being sprayed with a fire hose or having to drink from separate water fountains made me very surprised that we once treated people of different race this way, as far as America goes I feel like we have grown so much as far as race equality goes. These photos make life seem so poor as a African American compared to the white man, I don't think these embody the American spirit at all because these pictures make you believe that America is not the land of the free because the color people had so many restrictions to what they could do. These pictures take us on a journey to the past, now we can see how far we've come as country and how much our nation has changed.
After looking at all the pictures that were laying out on the desks in class Monday, they caused a lot of different emotions. There were good and bad events shown in the pictures. I observed a lot of things from very many points of views getting to see America as the true state of Freedom and Liberty. Including how America is and will always be the strongest nation; and that it is the people who make America so memorable, and great to live in. The people who can change and redefine America. Bringing America closer to success.
from seeing all the pictures in class I did recognize a few. Most of them were historical moments in history such as protests, speeches and also famous figures in that time. What I really noticed was that this kind of reminds me of todays America. How people are still standing up for what they believe in. America has been advancing and getting better and better as the years go on, growing getting stronger and more powerful
What I saw when looking at the photos were several things. I saw both a mix of sadness and excitement that has been shown in our history. All of them made me feel different. Some made me feel happy and hopeful while some made me sad. I think that they show that it hasn't been easy to get where we are in America today. It shows that we have gained knowledge and learned lessons but with this have lost aspects of freedom like the freedom to live without worries. In the end what they all truly show is that it isn't easy to have freedom and that America is truly great to have it.
The images we viewed in class portrayed America’s Story. It’s a story full of highs and lows. These images inspire mixed emotions such as joy, regret, and inspiration. Images showing people protesting for equal rights that they hadn't been given due to the color of their skin. It was inspiring yet sad that people were fighting for rights they should have had out of the get go. Images like this show that the America we know today wasn’t always this way. At points in time people have had to fight tooth and nail to get to the country we know today. These pictures portray some of the people who stood up to fight for what they believe in. These images also portray brighter moments in America’s history, moments of joy and wonder. Portraying items that when invented changed the american way of life. However some of these moments have caused people to lose some of their innocence. Pictures of young people being sent off to war, some returning wounded or they didn't make it home. These struggles have caused Americans to have a different outlook on not only our country but the world. However we have gained from these moments as well. People have been able to accomplish what they would never have been able a hundred years ago due to their gender or ethnicity. However people refused to acquiesce to others demands which has created the America we know today. These pictures not only embody the american by spirit by showing we don't give in and will keep moving forward. They show us what it means to be American. To struggle through problems and get to other side. These pictures tell a story which shows there have been problems with this country however it will continue to move forward and progress.
Based upon the gallery of images that i looked at, there were lots of images that showed struggle, lots of images that embodied the american spirit, and some that illustrated the start of industrialized America. I think that the ideas shown in the pictures help us understand our background and the way our country is now. For example the start of WWII explains why our military is the way it is. I believe these implications leave us wondering what we should do in the future leading our country forward. As we can see from the past history repeats itself, for the most part. But not always. So I believe that we should be mindful of the past but also be aware of the present.
Observing pictures from the history of America says a lot about the nation of our country. There have been wars, depressions, and terrible acts of terrorism and hatred. But in comparison, this great country has had some of the most prosperous eras known. Growing up and learning about what it means to be an American, hoping and wishing that someday you may have that American dream house, or car, or family, or anything you feel like, because, well, this is America. As the ages go by, America is adopting more of an acceptance towards diversity. Looking back through US history, you find horrible racism, sexism, homophobia, and even getting persecuted for your religion. Being an American means that you can’t have alcohol until you’re twenty-one, but you can go to a foreign land to die for your country at the age of eighteen. In this land, so many things are backwards, but the majority of the time there are those who fight for the freedom that Americans have. People who stand up for those who have no voice, and we’re hoping that future generations have the ability to see the power of the voices they have in this country.
Thoughts on American Images. Blog #1.
As I was seeing all these images, they spoke to me and I contemplated diversity, hope and mostly patriotism. How Americans die just to defend and represent their country. I observed how Americans unite together in a fellow American's sorrow.
How they become one when an American is in need.
As I was seeing theses images, I felt pride even though I’m not an American. I felt great knowing that being from the same country is not only a common bond but it is also a common strength. Of course, as I was seeing theses pictures I felt really sad too because of how bad racism was over the years but every country has its history and that is what makes it a country. Nowadays, things are different. Women, African Americans and homosexuals have rights too.
Each and every single thing that I saw in theses images define what is like to be an American. An American is diversity, equality, hope of a better tomorrow, and most important of all is the past. The past hurts but you can either learn from it or never move on and keep doing the same mistakes. Americans learned from their past and look at the great accomplishments they have done throughout the years. Theses events in the past show us how we have gained more diversity, more acceptance and more patriotism.
I believe we have gained knowledge of what to do in these types of situations. How Martin Luther King Jr fought for his rights and for what he believed in shows us the type of knowledge we have acquire. I personally think that we have lost the joy of doing new things and actually hanging out with people face to face. I don't think technology is bad. I believe that everything in excess is harmful. I also remember seeing an image that describe how people were enjoying themselves by watching the first 3D movie, when I saw that image I felt the joy and astonishment they felt as they were enjoying that moment. Nowadays it seems that we have it all. It also seems that this generation is not impressed by anything and it is not actually used to utilize emotions in certain moments.
All of these images represent the American spirit, the way people stand up for what they believe in and how they unite to show their identities and where they come from. Hope, diversity and patriotism are what I saw and understood that describes the life of an American. This creates an identity because if you can recognize this culture in images that means Americans actually distinguish themselves from the others.
America is after all, the land of the free and the brave.
I observed many things while looking at the image gallery. I noticed many large overlying topics such as democracy, change, struggle, power, stories, key moments in history, breakthroughs in history and for movements. As well as many other things.
I had very mixed emotions looking at these photos some of them I would have joy because they are important events for our country. Also because i'm proud to be an american. Some I got upset about. Some I felt bad for the discrimination we had and the racism.
Many of these photos are key events and or events that lead to events that have shaped our country and who we are today. These events have made the american life what it is today.
We have gained many things to change our lifestyle and beliefs for the better. These events have made america the great country it is today. These events have had us as a whole gain so much. We have gained so many more rights and beliefs and changed people's lives and for there kind for life.
We have lost hope because as the world has changed there is still so much pain and poverty even though the U.S is one of the most successful countries in the world. We have lost many beliefs many that back than we believed were right.
I think that pretty much all of these pictures embody the american spirit. The only ones that have a little bit of question are the ones about immigrants but they were about immigrants coming to america and supporting us so even those kind of do.
Do these help us understand what it means to be an American? I feel like it helps us understand What we as a country had to do to get to the point that we are today. The amount of discrimination and racism and problems and wars to become what we are today. Its helps us understand how truliy lucky we are to be americans.
The implications that we can take from these images are the fact that as a country we have gone through it all everything and have passed it and changed it or fought it and won. We can conclude that as americans we take our lives and what we truly have for granted and need to be more thankful every day.
Observing pictures from the history of America says a lot about the nation of our country. There have been wars, depressions, and terrible acts of terrorism and hatred. But in comparison, this great country has had some of the most prosperous eras known. Growing up and learning about what it means to be an American, hoping and wishing that someday you may have that American dream house, or car, or family, or anything you feel like, because, well, this is America. As the ages go by, America is adopting more of an acceptance towards diversity. Looking back through US history, you find horrible racism, sexism, homophobia, and even getting persecuted for your religion. Being an American means that you can’t have alcohol until you’re twenty-one, but you can go to a foreign land to die for your country at the age of eighteen. In this land, so many things are backwards, but the majority of the time there are those who fight for the freedom that Americans have. People who stand up for those who have no voice, and we’re hoping that future generations have the ability to see the power of the voices they have in this country.
A lot of these pictures make me glad to be an American today and glad that I have the freedoms I have. There were a lot of pictures of people struggling in life with poverty, which is saddening, but there were also quite a few pictures of excitement and happiness like the Victory over Japan kiss. These pictures kind of show the good and bad of what it took to get to where we are today. Many things are still present, like excitement and the joy of our great nation, but there is still poverty, wars, terrorism, and other bad things going on. Although there are both good and bad things about America, I am still very glad to be an American and be able to live the way we can, with freedom.
Based on the image gallery, I observed lots of struggle. The images contained violence, hatred, discrimination, and lack of human rights. Yet there was also hard work, and determination for getting what the majority of Americans wanted. The images made me feel ashamed of the hatred that this country has in its past, and the violence towards other races or sexualities simply because they’re “different”. They shape the fabric of American life in the way that we can still see these beliefs today, but at the same time there are laws to prevent some of the happenings that we can see from that time, and those laws wouldn’t be in place if the events didn’t occur. We have gained diversity, acceptance, and more rights. We have lost the happiness of a simpler life. Where you wouldn’t be criticized for your job in most cases, because if you even had a job you were doing well. These embody the American spirit and definitely helps us understand what it means to be American and live in America.
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