The Vietnam War and the Korean War

Both the Vietnam War and the Korean War were key events in the more recent history of America, especially because these wars are often thought of as the more vital parts of the presidents time in office

I believe it is important to study these wars as I feel they have helped to shape the way  we view America now. I also think that it is important to understand the motives for declaring each war in the first place, the feelings of the American people and their reactions to the declaration of war and the events that took place during each war.

The effects of these wars are still being felt by many today and I believe it is important to understand why and how they have impacted us. Korea is often thought of as the Forgotten War, overshadowed by the Vietnam war, why is this so? perhaps because the Vietnam war went on for much longer, but both led to much bloodshed. Furthermore, would our views on America and the presidents of the time be different if these wars hadn't occurred?

Therefore, I think it is important to study both the Vietnam War and the Korean War when studying America as i believe they were key events for the presidents of the time and I think it is good to understand why the effects are still being felt today and how the declaration of these wars affected the popularity of the presidents of the time.

Is contemporary America in a state of Freedom?

Freedom is a central aspect of American ideology and for modern Americans it is potentially the most important thing to attain in life. Although by design, freedom is seen as inherent to American nationality.

The first account of what it meant to be free was outlined by Jefferson and the Four Fathers in the wording of the Declaration of Independence and later, the Bill of Rights.The Declaration states, "we hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal" and that all Americans are endowed "certain inalienable rights...life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.". So from the very beginning of America as a individual entity, a country in its own right - Freedom has been a key building block in the construction of a working constitution and therefore embedded into the American self.

Predictably, freedom meant something a little different in the Jeffersonian era. It was perceived that unless you had possession of your own land, you were not considered free. Now this may not correlate tangibly to twenty first century freedom but it is born out of the same aspiration to control your own life. Whether that be in a farming sense or a more materialistic, consumerist sense. Lets not forget that when Nixon spoke in Russia as vice president to open the American Exposition in 1959, he told Russians how his country had 72 million TV's and 65 million cars and multi coloured fridges and that was how he portrayed freedom in the United States at that time. The freedom of choice in the marketplace is something that was not accessible in Russia then, and is still seen by many Americans as a marker of their freedom today.

Eric Foner has some interesting ideas on the state of freedom in America which he outlines in, The Story of American Freedom (1998). In a 2004 interview he explains some of his ideas on the identity of freedom in the United States. Foner was asked, in relation to a George Bush quote from a time after 9/11, "So why do you think that statement, "They hate us because of our freedom," makes sense to a lot of Americans?" and some parts of his answer are particularly insightful." Foner, being American, says that 'we do have a very salutary pride in our freedoms. We are the inheritors of a vision of the United States as the embodiment of freedom around the world' highlighting how rooted freedom is in American ideology and how they feel it holds a more prominent place in an American life than any other. Furthermore, that idea of being the shining city on the hill, an example of freedom which the world should follow. Although Bush missed the mark with his statement, as Bin Laden and Al Qaeda had legitimate issues with American foreign policy and its affect on the East its conceivable that the arrogance in freedom that Americans sometimes exude has caused negative opinion in some groups around the globe.

In recent news, President Barrack Obama has reported that the US led coalition forces have killed ten high ranking and influential ISIL targets since last Spring. The war on terror has never ceased since 9/11 and has consequently threatened the freedom of Americans for over ten years. It is apparent that Obama defines freedom as not only the ability to shop in a mall twenty four hours a day seven days a week but also the freedom from the harmful and malicious tendencies of terror groups waging war with the West. When determining to what degree the United States experiences freedom today, it is important to distinguish between the freedom TO and the freedom FROM. The individual American has and I'de bet always will have the personal freedom to consume and prosper economically as they wish. However, the freedom from negative global opinion is something that the everyday American should possibly be more interested in.

Civil Rights Movement

The Civil Rights Movement would add to the modules examination of the US because it is a fundamental part of American history regarding race and equality. This era completely changed America, it gave African Americans a sense of hope and unity to overcome their inferior status in society.

Without the Civil Rights Movement America would not have Barack Obama as the first black President. In addition to Obama being President the issue of police targeting African Americans has become more prominent in the media, therefore the whole world can see that America still has some racial issues to this day.

Important figures in the Civil Rights Movement such as Booker T Washington, W.E.B DuBois, Stokely Carmichael, Malcolm X and Martin Luther King to name some of the most well-known leaders would follow on nicely to the progression from slavery to the Civil Rights Movement to the modern day. This can show the broad history of African Americans as well as whites attitudes towards them have changed across the years. Also how effective the different methods of approaching the Movement and the different beliefs the different leaders had would also assist in analysing the time period. In addition to this if people can only recognise Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, Stokely Carmichael and Rosa Parks they will not know some of the early leaders who began with equality in education and jobs before the later leaders received more media coverage. Therefore can decide who they believe was in fact the most influential leader of the time when faced with other leaders and noting the advantages and disadvantages of the approaches.

Colonial era: Salem Witch Trials 1692

The early colonial years were a time of hardship and promise. It also was a time of death and fear. This period of history is extremely important for the study of the United States of America as this is where the nation and its people began. During this period, there was much anxiety felt by the settlers as to whether or not they would establish a successful colony. Constant threats from the natives, the vast wilderness surrounding them and the turbulent weather was not a promising start to the establishment of the United States. By 1692, things were very different. Many of the first colonies in the East had overcome the initial struggles and were prospering. Then terror struck in that very same year in Salem, Massachusetts. In the January, the daughter and niece of Reverend Samuel Parris of Salem Village became ill. When they failed to improve, the village doctor, William Griggs, was called in. His diagnosis of bewitchment put into motion the forces that would ultimately result in the death by hanging of nineteen men and women. In the surrounding area around Salem, there was a strong belief in the devil, factions among Salem Village fanatics and rivalry with nearby Salem Town, a recent small pox epidemic and the threat of attack by warring tribes created a fertile ground for fear and suspicion. Mass hysteria was caused as young girls who were suffering in pain would cry out names of those who were responsible. Many men and women were hung, pressed to death or died in prisons due to the false accusations made upon them by other town members. Some historians believe people were branded a 'witch' if they possessed a lot of land or if they were widowed, especially if they were a woman. These events that took place in Salem would have been extremely interesting to study in the module as it shows how the colonial era was a very hard time for the settlers. The people of Salem became so "possessed" by the idea of witchcraft that they saw the murder of the innocent, or "witches", as the only solution to save the town. 

The Great Depression vs 2008 Recession

This image depicts a group of men (most of which a white men)lining up for something, perhaps lining up to collect a weekly parcel of food for their families, or potentially to apply for a job at a particular establishment. The sheer number of people in this line indicates how desperate people were for jobs during the Great Depression and how people would wait for hours just to hand in an application for a job they most likely wouldn’t get.

The fact that we can only see white men in this image I think is significant. This is because we very rarely hear about what the Great Depression was like for the black community. One assumes that their situation would be similar to that of a white man; however, it is likely that the situation of a black man would be worse. Employers were reluctant to employ black people at the best of times, however, when jobs and money were scarce, the employability of black people I assume would have declined further. If these men are in fact waiting to apply for a job, it looks to me as though the job is for some kind of office work, given their location. Perhaps the reason as to why we see no black men in this image is because it was rare for a black man to have an office role; they were more likely to be successful applying for manual labour roles. 

This image, like with the first shows a large group of people. However, this is where the similarities end. This image, in contrast to the first, shows a group of people, of varying races, stand together in a fairly disorderly fashion. It also looks as though the people in this image are not waiting patiently for food or to apply for a job, but are protesting in some way.

I think that a difference between the Great Depression and the 2008 recession is that during the GD people were willing to let the government deal with the mass problems while individuals worried about providing for their families and would be prepared to wait for hours for a potential job. Whereas in the 2008 recession, people were protesting that the government wasn’t doing enough to help those who needed it the most, as well as worrying about their own families,, they were prepared to make a stand and protest against the government to help bring the recession to an end.