The Civil War: Inevitable

Hey everyone! I'm studying the Civil War right now, so here's a paper on why I think the Civil War was inevitable. Hope you enjoy it. (Please, no arguments in the comments)

The Civil War: Inevitable

Was the Civil War truly inevitable? Some people say it was, some say it was not, but no one knows for sure. There are great amounts of evidence on both sides. Here are three pieces of evidence that the Civil War was inevitable.

The first piece of evidence to look at is that the Northerners and Southerners both refused to change. The Southerners were thoroughly dependent on slavery to preserve their economy by working their large and numerous plantations. These plantations produced all of the crops which formed their exports and livelihood. The Northerners, on the other hand, believed quite strongly that slavery should be abolished. They believed it so strongly, in fact, that they refused to follow the Fugitive Slave Law, which required the return of all runaway slaves. 

 

The next piece of evidence to examine is that both sides refused to compromise. The Northerners and the Southerners both wanted the western territories of California, New Mexico, and Utah. However, neither side was willing to let the other get a good hold on the territory for fear the slave/free state balance would be upset. When Henry Clay, the master of compromise, wrote a compromise in an attempt to smooth things out and prevent war, Congress was unable to get a majority to pass it. Clay then broke the compromise into smaller pieces, which were passed one at a time. This meant that the compromise had no Congressional majority supporting the whole thing. Clay's compromise included the Fugitive Slave Law, which made the Northerners extremely angry about being forced to help support the very thing they were trying to abolish.

When Northerner Abraham Lincoln gained the presidency in 1860, the state of South Carolina left the Union, believing that they could not trust a president who held opposite views. They were rapidly followed by six other slave states. President Lincoln refused to accept their secession announcement, and tried to compromise with the seceded states. However, the Southerners refused all attempts at reconciliation.

The final piece of evidence to consider is that both sides were clearly willing to fight. Northerner John Brown led a raid on the Harper's Ferry military arsenal in Virginia, with the probable intent of arming slaves and leading them to revolt. In Kansas, when the time came to decide whether it would be free or slave, fighting broke out between the two sides. Several other slave states also had internal fights raging over whether or not to secede. 

 

Fort Sumter in North Carolina was held by the Union, and the Confederates (as the seceded Southerners called themselves) summoned the fort to surrender. After Lincoln tried to send fresh supplies to the garrison, the Confederates opened fire and shelled the fort for twenty-six hours, resulting in two Union men killed and the fort's surrender. In response to the fort's capture, President Lincoln called for seventy-five thousand volunteers from state militias to create an army with. He also ordered a blockade of all Confederate ports. 

 

In conclusion, this evidence shows a strong likelihood of the war having been inevitable. When people are quarreling over something and refuse to change, a compromise is the next step. When that fails, and both sides are quite willing to fight, a war is pretty much inevitable. This was almost completely the case in the years leading up to 1860, which leads to the conclusion that the arguing and quarreling would have turned into outright war sooner or later.

Paul Anderson

Hey everyone!! Here's a paper about one of the Piano Guys, from one of my most favorite music groups!! Please follow the link in the paper, as they have some amazing videos on their site. Hope you enjoy!! (Note: this was written as an appreciation piece that could be used before the mentioned person makes a speech.)

Paul Anderson

Tonight we have Paul Anderson of the Piano Guys speaking about how music inspires him and why he works to inspire other people to create music.

Born in Blythe, California, Paul Anderson moved with his family to St. George, Utah, when he was 12 years old. Later, he found a job working at a piano store, where he met his future wife. They married and had four children. In 2001, he bought the piano store he worked at and renamed it the Piano Gallery of Southern Utah. He also created a website, ThePianoGuys.com, to attract more customers. 

 

One of their customers, Jon Schmidt, came to the store and used the pianos to practice for recitals. Paul eventually suggested that he and Jon make videos together. In 2011, the Piano Guys officially started. The group now consists of Paul Anderson, videographer and producer; Jon Schmidt, pianist; Steven “Sharp” Nelson, cellist; and Al van der Beek, music arranger and percussionist. They have become an extremely popular group, with over a million subscribers. They have around 30 videos on their site, http://thepianoguys.com/our-videos/, and they have many more planned.

Paul is a very cheerful, lighthearted, and outgoing person who enjoys meeting fans after shows. He also enjoys taking risks and is quite ambitious. His risk-taking and ambitious side is part of what helped create the Piano Guys and has also been helping them grow. He enjoys working with the group, making super amazing videos and sharing them with people around the world.

And now, ladies and gentlemen, it is my pleasure to introduce to you Paul Anderson!

Traveling West

Hey everyone! Sorry about blog posts becoming really random, things are getting mixed up timewise here. Here's my latest paper.

Traveling West

One fine morning in February, 1835, in the city of Independence, Missouri, a family was walking down the street. The parents, Henry and Gloria Harrison, looked rather worried. Their two girls, Anna and Maria Harrison, were happily playing with each other. “I really do not like how crowded it is here, Gloria. I want to move out West. I hear that there is plenty of land, as well as plenty of animals to hunt.” “But Henry, I do not want to move out there with the wild animals.” The family walked home, the parents still discussing the possibility of moving west.

About a week later, the family again went to town, this time to stock up on the things necessary for the move west. They bought a new wagon to replace the old one that they had. They also bought many oxen to pull it. After transferring the belongings that they would take with them to the new wagon, they began buying more supplies. Flour, salt, dried fruit and vegetables, salted meat, ammunition, gunpowder, and tools all were purchased and placed in the wagon. The girls no longer looked happy, but were now sad and scared. They had to leave all of their favorite toys behind, as well as their furniture and their pet cats. 

 

Early the next morning, they left town to join a wagon train at the next town. Their wagon was filled to the brim, leaving no room for the family to ride. The road was hard dirt, which did not easily send dirt flying. However, the sun was hot, and they all became thirsty. It was late in the afternoon by the time they pulled into the area where the wagon train had camped for the night. Finding a spot in the circle, they set up the tents and went to sleep. The girls and their mother were dreaming of the home they had left behind, and their father was dreaming happily about the home they were traveling to.

After about two weeks of traveling, the roads became dirt trails. The wagons kicked up huge clouds of loose dirt, which made the people start coughing. The wagons only carried a small amount of water, which was carefully saved and given to the people who needed it the most. The train only traveled about twenty miles a day, sometimes twenty-five. 

 

Great was the joy of everyone when the fort came in sight! The leaders of the wagon train planned a week-long stay, giving everyone enough time to rest and restock on supplies. The Harrisons wandered around the fort, purchasing some supplies for the remainder of the journey. They also finally got to eat some fresh food again, which was a welcome change from the dried and salted foods they had been eating. There was also plenty of fresh water, which people used to refill the water barrels on the wagons. 

 

Once the week was over, the wagon train set out again, refreshed by the stop. Everything settled back into the dreary pattern of walking and sleeping, occasionally broken by a hunting party or stopping to gather vegetables along the road. Everyone was becoming tired of traveling, and a few people began debating turning back. 

 

In October, the wagon train reached the mountains. As they were crossing the trail between the mountains, Anna and Maria were able to look up and see all the snow on the peaks. It was beautiful, and the girls wanted to stop and try to climb to it, but the wagon train needed to continue as fast as possible in order to finish the journey before the snow came down. 

 

Finally, the wagon train reached the Oregon Territory! Everyone was extremely excited about having made it. After walking around the small town, which was where the wagon train had stopped, the Harrisons went to the small government office and purchased three hundred acres of land. They drove out to it and set up the tents, then wandered around the property near the wagon. They were quite happy to have their own land at last, and not be crowded by neighbors.

Within a week, they had built a little cabin and some furniture and were beginning to settle in. They would have to work hard to earn a living out there, and there were no stores where they could buy what they needed, but they were all content with where they were.

Influences on Nathaniel Hawthorne's Works

Here's what was supposed to be Saturday's post. I keep forgetting to actually post on Saturdays.

Influences on Nathaniel Hawthorne's Works

Nathaniel Hawthorne was a famous author from the early to mid 1800s. He was one of the leading writers of his time, and some of his books are still popular today. However, his writings were more on the side of dark and gloomy. There were multiple events in his life that influenced his writings.

His early life played a huge part in providing themes for his books. He was born and raised in Salem, Massachusetts, which was a Puritan community. Puritan Salem served as a basis for many of his books. The Scarlet Letter is a good example of that set of his books. Nathaniel wrote many other books of that type. In fact, most of his books are written with that theme.

His ancestry also affected his writing style. One of his great-grandfathers, John Hathorne, had been one of the judges during the Salem witch trials, and Nathaniel felt the guilt from that. The guilt on his mind shows up as a theme in many of his books, including The Scarlet Letter and The Minister's Black Veil. That guilt was probably a large influence on his using sin as his topic in numerous writings. Also, a number of his books are written using symbolism, showing what happens if sin is left undealt with, whether or not it is kept hidden. The Scarlet Letter is an extremely good example of this style. The House of the Seven Gables was another book that he wrote using symbolism. 

 

One extremely important lesson from The Scarlet Letter is that sin will show itself eventually, no matter how hard the person tries to hide it. The old saying “time will tell” is quite evident in this story. It is better to confess and take the punishment than to live knowing that you have sinned and not telling anyone, waiting until it is found out. 

 

Also, The Scarlet Letter shows the struggle with guilt. Anyone hiding sin will struggle with guilt. No mater how hard that person tries to ignore or get rid of it, the guilt will stay. The only way to release the burden of sin and guilt is to confess the sin and repent of it. 

 

In his later life, he worked at the Salem Custom-House. Near the end of his time there, while looking through an old storeroom, he found a scarlet letter “A” in a letter, which was buried deeply in some piles of old abandoned documents. That piece of cloth was a main influence on the book that is titled after it, and is one of the main pieces in the story. He and his family also lived in an old manse for several years, and the old house inspired him to write the book Mosses From an Old Manse. 

 

While serving as U.S. Consul in England, he had the chance to travel around Europe. He kept journals of his travels, and later published Passages From Notebooks, telling about his experiences. During his travels, he stayed in Rome, Italy, for a year. While there, he was inspired to write The Marble Faun. Several other themes that show up in his writings are nature and mankind. These themes were probably inspired and influenced by seeing the many different cultures and landscapes while traveling through Europe. 

 

A final experience that influenced him was living at Brook Farm, a Transcendentalist community, for about a year. The Blithedale Romance was a book that Nathaniel wrote about life there in the community. 

 

In conclusion, the reason that Nathaniel Hawthorne wrote all of the dark and dreary books was because that was the life he knew. He had lived his whole life that way, and he did not want other people to also live such a dreary, dark, miserable life. The symbolism that he uses carries many lessons that would do this whole world much good if only the people would sit down and learn them.

Adams Family's Influence on America

Hey everyone! Sorry about the super late post, I've had a hectic schedule for the past week. I'll try not to forget about any more posts. Hope you enjoy this one!

Adams' Family Influence on America

The Adams family had a large influence on American history. For several generations, from John Adams down to Charles Francis Adams Junior, they all had a large part of building our country. Not all of them were presidents or Congressmen; some were simply journalists or ambassadors. High government positions or not, all of them had a part in shaping our country's history.

John Adams was the first of the Adams family to be mentioned in our country's history. He elected George Washington to be the Head of the Continental Army (such as it was). He was also among the signers of the Declaration of Independence. Once the Revolutionary War ended with Cornwallis surrendering in Charleston, Virginia, he went to England to assist in peace negotiations and help develop the Treaty of Paris. He also served as an American ambassador to several countries. He finished his political career by serving two terms as President of the United States.

Abigail Adams, who was the wife of President John Adams, acted as his trusted adviser throughout their marriage. She pressed for women's rights, as well as more educational opportunities for people. Because she believed that slavery was wrong, she also wrote extremely long letters to influential people, her husband among them, asking that slavery be banned and the slaves be released and treated as normal American citizens.

John Quincy Adams was the son of John and Abigail Adams, and one of several children. He worked as his father's personal secretary while on ambassadorships, and later became an ambassador himself. He served in the Massachusetts senate, and also served as both representative and senator for Massachusetts in the United States Congress. When the War of 1812 was being ended, he helped negotiate the Treaty of Ghent. Later, after Monroe finished his two presidential terms, John Quincy Adams became the sixth president of America for one term.

Charles Francis Adams Senior was the son of President John Quincy Adams. He was the United States minister to England, and served in both the Massachusetts state senate and house of representatives. He also served in Congress both as a representative and as senator for Massachusetts.

Charles Francis Adams Junior was the son of Charles Francis Adams Senior. He served as a soldier on the Union side during the Civil War. After the war, when the transcontinental railroad was being built, he served as a commissioner for the railroad, and later became the president of the railroad board.

Henry Adams was the brother of Charles Francis Adams Junior. He served as his father's private secretary while an ambassador to England. He was a political journalist, and also had the job of editor for one of the most influential journalist newspapers in America at that time. He entertained government officials and foreign visitors, and visited many political figures. Eventually, he retired from politics, having seen enough of it, and settled down to teach history. 

 

In conclusion, the Adams family has been one of the most influential families in the history of America. For four generations, this family of leaders has been building our country up bit by bit. From presidents and Congressmen, to ambassadors, to journalists and secretaries, the Adams family has been a famous and well-remembered part of our country's history.

Creation vs Evolution (Part 7)

Hey everyone! Here's part 7 of the creation vs evolution series. Hope you enjoy!!

The Debate About Molecular Machines

Living things contain natural molecular machines that are made of many tiny proteins. These machines have parts that are similar to parts in man-made machines and that form a complex system. A bacterial motor is an example of a molecular machine. It has 10 protein parts for the sensor, 10 protein parts for the control circuitry, and 10 protein parts to construct the motor. These proteins form parts such as rotors, stators, drive shafts, O-rings, and bushings. All of these proteins form a complex system that has multiple, separate, well-matched parts that work together for a special function. A bacterial motor is also irreducibly complex, which means each piece must be present and fully functional in order for the system to work. 

 

Opponents of evolution claim that the presence of molecular machines contradicts the idea of natural selection through mutation. The characteristics of natural selection and the characteristics of molecular machines are very different. Natural selection makes gradual changes, but molecular machines must be fully formed in order to work. Also, natural selection preserves small advantageous changes, but a small piece of a molecular machine would not provide an advantage, and therefore would not be preserved. 
 

The evolutionists attempt to explain molecular machines with an idea that they call co-option, which involves the use of previously existing parts to build a new machine. Those parts must be chosen, collected, recombined, and reassembled. The evolutionists claim that natural selection could build a complex structure by co-opting pieces of simpler machines. They point out that the cellular pump includes 10 proteins that are also found in the bacterial motor, and that protein parts can have multiple uses. Evolutionists conclude that since protein parts have multiple uses, natural selection could assemble a more complex machine from parts of simpler machines. 

 

Opponents of evolution point out 3 problems with the theory of co-option. The first problem is that the random process of natural selection has limits. There is no known way for a random process to co-opt pieces without breaking the vital, previously existing system. There is also no known way for a random process to guarantee that the randomly chosen pieces will fit together well enough to work properly. 

 

The second problem is with the pump-to-motor example. The motor proteins seem to be older than the pump, which means that the motor proteins could not have been taken from the pump. Also, the motor has 20 proteins that are not similar to any proteins in the pump or proteins in anything else, which means that those 20 proteins could not have been co-opted from something else. 

 

The final problem is with the requirements for assembling proteins. The bacteria would not only have to have genes to make the protein parts of the motor, but would also need information to tell how to put the proteins together. Another requirement is an irreducibly complex machine to assemble the proteins. In trying to explain where one complex machine came from, the evolutionists need to introduce another complex machine. However, explaining the origin of one machine with another does not sufficiently explain the origin of machines. Looking at all of the evidence against the evolutionists' theory of co-option, opponents conclude that it does not sufficiently explain how molecular machines can be developed through natural selection.

War of 1812

Hey everyone!! Sorry for missing 2 posts in a row. I forgot about Wednesday's post, and then got too busy to post Saturday's. Here's Saturday's post.

The War of 1812

The War of 1812 was a war between Britain and America. Britain was in a war with France, and America was trying to stay neutral. Britain did not like the fact that America was trading with both sides, and began capturing American trading ships headed for France. Britain also began using the practice of impressment, or taking sailors from their ships, and forcing them to serve in the British navy. France followed the example of the British and began capturing American trading vessels headed for Britain. America stopped trading with both countries, and France finally agreed to stop harassing trade ships. 

 

Indian attacks were becoming a large concern for the western frontier settlers. General William Henry Harrison defeated Shawnee Indian chief Tecumseh in Indiana at the Battle of Tippecanoe. British rifles were found that the Indians had dropped on the battlefield. After that defeat, the Indians decided they needed the British to come help fight to keep the Americans from taking even more of their land. 

 

President James Madison declared war on June 18, 1812. American soldiers immediately invaded British-held Canada, and were chased out as quickly as they invaded. The British general in Canada, Sir Isaac Brock, also captured Detroit before retreating. 

 

In September of 1813, Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry fought against and defeated the British naval squadron in the Battle of Lake Erie. This boosted the morale of the other soldiers. A few weeks later, at the Battle of Thames, General Harrison retook Detroit. Shawnee Indian Chief Tecumseh was killed in the battle. 

 

Meanwhile, Britain had finished their war with France and turned their full attention to America. First, they tried to come down Lake Champlain and capture New York City, but their plan failed, because the Americans had defeated the British squadron on the lake. Next, they landed in Chesapeake Bay and marched to Washington D.C., forcing the president and his family to flee. On August 24, 1814, the British soldiers burned the Capitol buildings and several other important buildings before leaving the town. 

 

On September 13, 1814, a large squadron of British ships bombarded Fort McHenry for 25 hours. It was during this battle that Francis Scott Key wrote the poem the “Star-Spangled Banner”, which was later set to music and made our national anthem. 

 

In late 1814, American and British ambassadors got together and worked out a treaty. The Treaty of Ghent was signed December 24, 1814. Both sides agreed to stop fighting, since they were sick of it, return all prisoners, and restore borders to what they had been before the war. However, nothing was said about the issues of impressment or the British helping the Indians. Those issues were resolved later.

Because news traveled slowly back then, the troops around New Orleans had not heard of the treaty yet. On January 8, 1815, the Battle of New Orleans was fought. The British were thoroughly defeated by General Andrew Jackson, also known as “Old Hickory” for his stubbornness. He became a hero of the war, as did Captain Isaac Hull of the U.S.S. Constitution, which did a tremendous amount of damage to the British fleet in the Atlantic. 

 

The Indians were unhappy with the results of the war, because they knew that they had lost their battle to keep their land. Britain forgot about it very quickly, considering it a minor war. In the U.S., however, it boosted national pride and self-dependance, and also encouraged expansion. The war also ended fighting in the government (at least for awhile) and destroyed the anti-war, unpatriotic Federalist party. 

 

The War of 1812 was a short war that left lasting impressions on almost all who participated in it. It also helped shape our country into what it is today. In conclusion, if this war had not happened, everything would be very different today.

George Washington

This week I decided to write a poem about George Washington for my unit project. Sorry about the meter, I'm still learning how to fit all that together.

George Washington

A man of valor,

A man of might.

He wasn't a sailor,

He wasn't a knight.

Many battles fought he,

On behalf of his country,

And led them to vic'try,

Down there by the sea.

He was elected president,

Twice elected was he.

He kept his country from being rent,

It was a job not easy.

He finally retired from office,

Weary and ready to rest.

He had fulfilled his purpose,

And he had done his best.

Creation vs Evolution (Part 6)

Here's the next part of the creation vs evolution discussion.

The Debate About Natural Selection

The evolutionists' theory of Universal Common Descent requires a mechanism by which organisms can change into entirely new species over time. The evolutionists believe that natural selection is that mechanism. The process of natural selection involves three steps. The first step is that a species varies, and the variation gives the individuals that have it an advantage. The second step is that the varied individuals survive better than the others in that species. The final step is that the variation is passed to offspring until most or all of the species have the variation. Examples of natural selection are finch beaks that become larger than normal and peppered moths that change color over time. Another example is selective breeding, which increases certain traits in certain species. The evolutionists claim that many small changes over time will eventually produce a new species, and conclude that natural selection is the mechanism for Universal Common Descent.

The opponents of evolution agree that natural selection does occur, and that the process does produce small changes within a species. However, they disagree that those many small changes can produce a completely new species over time, and they have evidence to support their opinion from several different fields of science.

The first evidence is from selective breeding. Selective breeding has limits in that traits can be increased or reduced by only so much. Selective breeding also has problems in that it increases the risk of disease and undesirable traits. In natural selection, these problems could kill off a whole species instead of turning it into a new species.

The next evidence is from micro-evolution. During a drought, Darwin noticed that the ratio of finches with larger beaks to those with smaller beaks had grown, because the finches with smaller beaks could not access and crush the few hard seeds that were left. This example of micro-evolution does not support the idea that natural selection can create new species, because nothing new was created and because the ratio of finches with larger beaks to those with smaller beaks decreased after the drought. More evidence from micro-evolution is that scientists noticed that different varieties of finches were merging, thus showing that the finches were all variations of the same species.

Another example of micro-evolution is peppered moths. Before the Industrial Revolution there were more light colored moths, but when the Industrial Revolution began and tree trunks darkened, there were more dark colored moths. This example does not support the idea that natural selection can create new species, because nothing new was created and because it was only the ratio of light colored moths to dark colored moths that was changing.

Also, scientists who support evolution did an experiment to try to prove that what they said about natural selection was true. They placed peppered moths on tree trunks and watched the lighter ones get eaten quickly while the darker ones survived. The experiment is invalid for two reasons. The first reason is that the moths were released during the day, while moths are usually active at night. The other reason is that they were placed on tree trunks when they usually rest in tree canopies. The example of peppered moths changing color does not provide evidence for natural selection's ability to change one species into another.

The last evidence is from genetics. Scientists have discovered that natural selection loses information instead of gaining it. Natural selection does not manufacture the DNA needed to produce the cells necessary for making the organs and tissues required to make a new species. This discovery does not provide any evidence for natural selection's ability to change one species into another.

Evidence against the idea that natural selection can change one species into another can be found in the areas of selective breeding, micro-evolution, and genetics. Looking at this overwhelming evidence, opponents of evolution conclude that it is impossible for natural selection to be the mechanism for Universal Common Descent.

Creation vs Evolution (Part 5)

Here's part 5 of the creation vs evolution series.

The Debate About Biogeography

Biogeography is the study of how different species of animals are distributed around the earth. As an example, consider the animals in South America and the Galapagos Islands. While animals in the Galapagos Islands resemble animals in South America more than animals in the rest of the world, they resemble each other best. They have unique traits that differ from the South American animals. Also, animals in the Galapagos Islands are capable of traveling long distances over water. This pattern also appears in other parts of the world.

The evolutionists claim that the fact that Galapagos Island animals can travel long distances over water supports their theory that animals from South America migrated to the Galapagos Islands. Evolutionists also claim that those animals that migrated became the common ancestors for the species there today, which explains the close resemblance between the animals on different Galapagos islands. Evolutionists believe that the migratory animals adapted in different ways, which explains the differences between the Galapagos Island animals and the South American animals. This evolution within a species is called microevolution. The evolutionists see that this process of migration and adaptation has happened around the world, and claim that microevolution is evidence for Universal Common Descent, or macroevolution. They conclude that biogeography supports their theory of Universal Common Descent.

The opponents of evolution agree that the process of migration and adaptation is a fact. However, they say that this fact does not support Universal Common Descent for multiple reasons. One reason is that it supports microevolution, but not macroevolution. Another reason is that it fully supports a polyphyetic view, but it does not fully support a monophyletic view. The final reason that the process of migration and adaptation does not support Universal Common Descent is that it shows an overall loss of genetic information, while macroevolution requires the addition of genetic information. The opponents of evolution conclude that biogeography does not support the theory of Universal Common Descent.

The Life of James Madison Junior

Hey everyone!! Sorry about the late post. I got sick last week and missed a day of school, so I will be posting history papers on Tuesdays instead of Saturdays now. Here's my latest one, hope you enjoy it!

The Life of James Madison Junior

James Madison Junior was born at Port Conway, King George County, Virginia, in 1751. He was educated at home by his mother early on, then attended the College of New Jersey, graduating in 1771. He stayed at the college for a year after his graduation to learn theology. 

 

Madison was deeply involved in government work for most of his life. He served on the Orange County Committee of Safety in 1775. A year later, in 1776, he attended the Virginia Convention, at which place he helped frame the state of Virginia's Constitution. He also served in the Virginia House of Delegates from 1776-1777, and again from 1784-1786. 

 

From 1778-1780 he was part of the Virginia Council of State. He was the main force behind the Mount Vernon Conference, which met to discuss state matters. He attended the Annapolis Convention, which met in 1786, and in 1789 was involved in the Congressional Committee. 

 

When the Continental Congress met in 1780-1783 and again in 1786-1788, Madison was chosen to represent Virginia and was an important part of helping to develop the Constitution. He also led Virginia to ratify the Constitution and wrote part of the book The Federalist. The Federalist was a series of papers to explain the purpose of the Constitution to the states and to convince the uncertain states to ratify it. Alexander Hamilton and John Jay helped Madison write the series. They were countered by the Anti-Federalists, who were stressing the importance of limiting federal government.

In 1788, he opposed the developing Bill of Rights and presented his own version. However, he eventually saw that he was wrong and helped to create and pass the Bill of Rights, which took from 1789-1797. 

 

From 1801-1809, he served as the Secretary of State, then was elected to be the fourth President of the United States, and he served in that capacity from 1809-1817. While president, in 1812 he declared war on Britain for impressing, or taking by force, sailors from American ships and making them serve on British ships. Several years after he had finished his two terms as president, he attended the Virginia Constitutional Convention, which lasted from 1829-1830. 

 

Aside from government business, he wrote about deficiencies in the Articles of Confederation. In 1798 he also wrote the Virginia Resolutions, which protested against the Alien and Sedition Acts passed by Congress. 

 

The Alien and Sedition Acts allowed the president to deport anyone who was considered a threat to peace and safety, as well as controlled what people could say that was critical of the government. The Acts also stated that in order to become a citizen, someone had to reside in the United States for 14 years; whereas before these Acts were passed the requirements were to have resided in the United States for only 4 years before becoming a citizen.

Madison served as the rector of the University of Virginia from 1826 until his death in 1836. He also wrote articles defending James Monroe - who became the fifth president of the United States in 1817 - and served as his foreign policy adviser.

Madison married Dolley Payne Todd, a widow with a son, in 1794. When he died in 1836, he was 85 years old and was outlived by both Dolley and her son.

Creation vs Evolution (Part 4)

Sorry for being a day late! Got sick with something and didn't feel well enough to post yesterday. But here's the post. Hope you enjoy!

The Debate About Embryology

Embryology is the study of how living things develop before being born or hatched. The evolutionists claim that the embryos of different species are similar during the earliest stages of development, and they support their claim with a drawing made by evolutionist Ernst Haeckle. They also claim that this similarity between embryos of different species points to a common ancestor. Another claim is that the embryos show what the embryo of the common ancestor looked like. The evolutionists say that ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny, meaning the development of an embryo repeats the evolutionary history of the species. They call this idea the “Law of Biogenesis.”

However, opponents of evolution point to the fact that there are many photos to prove that the embryos of different species look different during the earliest stages of development. They also see multiple problems with the evolutionists' drawing. One problem is that it leaves out the earliest stages of the embryo development, which, according to the evolutionists, is the stage at which the embryos are most similar. Another problem is that Haeckle made the embryos in the drawing look more similar than they really are. Opponents of evolution conclude that the evolutionists do not have any evidence from embryology to support their theory.

Reasons Americans Wanted Independence

Hey everyone! Here's my latest history paper. Hope you like it!

Reasons Americans Wanted Independence

The American colonists wanted independence for many reasons. Most of these reasons stemmed from the fact that the British saw the colonies in a very different way than the colonists did. While the colonists saw this as an opportunity to create a new society, one completely unrelated to a country 3,000 miles across the ocean, the British saw the colonies as a place to get raw materials from and send manufactured goods to. When the British told the colonists not to move west of the Appalachian Mountains, they were not happy. 

 

After the French and Indian War, Britain needed money, so the king began taxing the colonies to get the money. The Stamp Act was a direct tax to raise that money, and the colonists got quite upset. They did not want taxes meant for raising money, so the British repealed the Stamp Act and replaced it with the Townshend Act, which raised money from trade duties. The colonists felt like they were being placed under Britain's complete authority, and did not want that. The king also placed British soldiers in private homes to keep order and suppress rebellions in the colonies. The colonists were extremely angry about having to feed and house British soldiers. 

 

Another thing the colonists were upset about was that the British allowed the East India Company to have a tea monopoly in the colonies. The colonists were unable to sell their own tea anymore, so they threw a load of imported tea into Boston Harbor during what became known as the Boston Tea Party. The British closed the port, and refused to open it until the tea was paid for. They also posted soldiers in barracks in the city, and changed the constitution of Massachusetts, so that the king now chose who served in the government. This made the colonists so mad that they didn't want to associate with the British anymore, so they chose to demand independence instead of the rights of other British subjects. The outcome of the Revolutionary War was the independence the colonists wanted.

Creation vs Evolution (Part 3)

Hey everyone! Here is the third part of my creation vs evolution paper, summarizing chapter 3 of Exploring Evolution. Enjoy!

The Debate About Molecular Homology

Molecular homology is the study of the similarity of molecules, particularly proteins and DNA, in living creatures. All living things have a DNA code, which forms many different sequences. Those sequences are “translated” and used to gather the pieces of the amino acid code, which are then arranged to form amino acid sequences. The amino acid sequences become proteins. The codes and sequences of DNA and amino acids are similar among all living things, and evolutionists say this points to a common ancestor. 

 

However, there are some gene sequences that are found in one kind of creature, but not in any other kind of creature. Opponents of evolution say that because these gene sequences are only in one kind of animal, there does not seem to be any possible ancestor for that kind of animal, because there is no known source for that gene sequence outside of the kind.

Scientists used to think that there was only one genetic code for all creatures. More recent studies have shown that there are actually several different genetic codes. Scientists realize that a genetic code can not change without killing off the creature, so the only reasonable conclusion is that there are multiple ancestors.

Even without considering the above facts which contradict the idea of a common ancestor, opponents of evolution point out that the DNA and amino acid molecules may be similar simply because they do similar jobs. 

 

Another claim of the evolutionists is that the differences between proteins in different kinds of animals can be used to tell how long ago they began to evolve from the common ancestor. They call this method of timing the molecular clock. The biggest problem with it is that mutations happen at different rates, so no one knows how fast mutations have been happening. Because of this, the molecular clock can not be used to obtain any accurate information. It also runs based on circular reasoning, because the evolutionists are trying to prove something, and in trying to do so, they are assuming that what they are trying to prove is true. 

 

Furthermore, evolutionists claim that family trees based on anatomical homology match the family trees based on molecular homology, which they actually do not. Sometimes, a family tree based on one protein does not match a family tree based on a different protein. Also, two different laboratories doing the exact same test on the exact same protein can come out with two different family trees.

Faced with all of this evidence against their theory, some evolutionists are starting to wonder if there are multiple ancestors instead of just one common ancestor.

New History Paper

Hey everyone, here's my newest history paper. Hope you enjoy!

Acadian Deportation From Nova Scotia

The Acadians were descendants of French settlers and Native Americans in Acadia, which is the area of land now known as Nova Scotia, Canada. The French and British were fighting over that area of land. Acadians were keeping a supply line open to the French, and the British hoped to break the line by deporting the Acadians. Britain eventually won in 1763. 

 

The Acadian deportation has other names, such as the Great Upheaval, the Great Expulsion, and the Expulsion of the Acadians. The expulsion lasted from August 10, 1755 - July 11, 1784. 

 

King William's War, which lasted from 1688 – 1697, was fought when the Acadians forced Britains out of Acadia. British soldiers captured Acadia during Queen Anne's War, which lasted from 1702 – 1713. The Treaty of Utrecht in 1713 allowed the Acadians to remain on their land. In Father Rale's War, lasting from 1722 – 1725, the Acadians raided English vessels, and fought against the possibility of being deported. 

 

During King George's War, which lasted from 1744 – 1748, the Acadians tried to retake their capital from the British, and a number of Acadians were deported to France. The Acadians raided New England settlements during Father Le Loutre's War, which lasted from 1749 – 1755. Some Acadians also fled to French territories and refused to trade with Britains. 

 

When the French and British fought over who owned Ohio in the French and Indian War, lasting from 1754 – 1763, the Acadians gave French supplies and help. The British deported more Acadians to try to keep the French from getting more help. After the war, Acadians who swore allegiance to the British were allowed back into Acadia. 

 

The Acadians were deported to many places. Destinations included Maryland, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Virginia, the Carolinas, Georgia, France, England, and Louisiana. The Acadians who went to Louisiana became the people group we call the Cajuns today. Thousands of Acadians died during deportation, and thousands more had lost their property. In conclusion, the Acadian Deportation was a terrible event which affected thousands of people, many of them innocent, and created a lasting effect upon them.

Creation vs Evolution (Part 2)

Hey everyone! Here is the second part of my creation vs evolution paper, summarizing chapter two of the book Exploring Evolution. Hope you enjoy!

The Debate About Anatomical Homology

If one looked at the forelimb of a human, a bat, a pig, and a horse, one would see that the structure is very similar, with one bone in the upper limb and two bones in the lower limb. The study of similar structures in creatures is called anatomical homology. There are different areas of anatomical homology. There are similarities in skeletons, brains, nervous systems, blood vessels, muscles, and digestive systems. As with many other things, the evolutionists have one view about anatomical homology, and the opponents of evolution have a completely different view.

The evolutionists think that there are similarities between different species because the creatures inherited the traits from a common ancestor, therefore pointing to common descent. The opponents of evolution, however, think that there are similarities between different species because a designer used a similar design. Two other theories are that the similar body parts were designed for a similar purpose, or that they are obeying natural laws. 

 

The evolutionists say that because of common descent, similar genes and developmental pathways should produce similar structures, and different genes and developmental pathways should produce different structures. However, other people point out that many times, the exact opposite is true.

In addition, there are some similar structures that everyone agrees are not due to common ancestry, even though they are found in different types of organisms. The evolutionists call this convergence, and try to explain it by saying that natural selection acting on two or more different species produced similar structures. However, other people, when considering convergence, say that it is extremely unlikely for the random process of natural selection to result in many similar complex structures.

Letter From the 1600s

Hey everyone. Sorry about being late, again. I've been getting distracted by other stuff. Here's my history project from last week.

March 22, 1653

Corn Hill Road

Boston, Massachusetts Bay Colony

Dear family,

There is a good Puritan church here that I have gotten involved in. We have chaised out Quakers several times in the past few monthes, and are planning to chase out some more next monthe. I have found a job working in a corn field, and fortunately was able to buy a house near by. Once or twice a monthe I go hunting for the fun of it. Last time I caught a deer. 

 

Boston is a very muddie place. There are no sidewalks, and everyone either walks or rides horses, for carages simply get stuck in the mud. The houses are small, one-storey log affairs with two or three rooms. The stables are about the same size as the houses, and can hold about four horses or cows apiece. There is a large space near the center of the town set aside for a garden, and the townspeople all work together to grow food. There are three cornfields, a vegetable garden, and some fruit trees, outside the town are several grain farms. I would write more, but I need to go help plow the fields.

Your loving son,

Samuel Cooper

Creation vs Evolution (Part 1)

Hey everyone! Sorry for being a day late on this one. I'm still trying to get used to having a blog. Anyways, here's my first chapter summary, summarizing the first chapter from the book Exploring Evolution. Enjoy!

The Debate About the Fossil Record

If one could split open the earth's crust anywhere in the world, different layers of rock and sediment that often include fossils of various types would be revealed. These layers, called strata, and the plants and animals that have been preserved in them, are called the fossil record. One of the deepest layers of the fossil record is called the Cambrian layer. In the Cambrian layer, all of the different types of animal fossils suddenly appear, which fact scientists call the Cambrian Explosion. Below the Cambrian layer is the Precambrian layer. The Precambrian layer only has a few fossils, some of which are trace fossils. Trace fossils are preserved tracks or tunnels that creatures have left behind.

The fossils of a certain species appear abruptly in the record, show little to no change where they appear throughout the strata, and then disappear abruptly from the record. There are no proven transitional forms, which are fossils of creatures in the process of evolving from one species to another, and there are also few possible transitional forms. Even though these facts never change, there are two different interpretations of the fossil record.

The evolutionists believe that it takes millions of years for creatures to evolve. Because of this, they believe that each layer of the fossil record represents millions of years. However, opponents of evolution believe that the layers do not necessarily represent millions of years.

Evolutionary theory states that all creatures slowly evolved from a common ancestor, so the record should look like a large branching tree. However, opponents of evolution point out that the Cambrian Explosion contradicts that idea, because all types of creatures appear suddenly and fully formed.

The Precambrian layer is right below the Cambrian layer. There are few fossils in this layer, some of which are trace fossils. This contradicts what the evolutionists think about common descent. If common descent were true, there should be many more fossils in the Precambrian layer than there are. The evolutionists try to get past this problem by saying that the Precambrian creatures were too small and soft to be preserved. There are two problems with that. One is that we have recently found microscopic soft-bodied creatures that were completely preserved. The other is that even if the creatures were too small and soft to be preserved, they should have left many trace fossils and holes in the sediment where they were when they decomposed.

Evolutionists believe that the different types of animals evolved from one to another, so the fossil record should show each species of animal evolving into another species. However, opponents of evolution point out that each species of animal appears abruptly, shows little to no change wherever it is found, and then just as abruptly disappears. This contradicts the evolutionists, because if their theory was true, then the species should be changing into other species, but instead the fossil record shows little to no change in the species.

Also, if species continued to evolve, there should be what evolutionists call transitional forms, which are fossils of creatures in the process of evolving from one species into another. The only problem is that we have not found any proven transitional forms and have found very few fossils that could possibly be transitional forms.

The evolutionists try to solve this problem several different ways. One way they try to explain the lack of transitional forms is the theory of Punctuated Equilibrium, which says that the evolutionary process happened so fast that there were few transitional forms to begin with. Evolutionists also say that some of the transitional forms may have been destroyed, leaving only one or two that were fossilized. However, they cannot explain how creatures evolved from one species to another in such a short time.

Another way evolutionists try to explain why we are not finding transitional forms is that we simply have not dug up enough fossils yet. However, we have found a large number of fossils, and they are all fossils of fully formed species. Also, all the fossils we are finding are of fully formed species.

Evolutionists often speak as if their theories have been proven, but the fact remains that not all of the scientific evidence supports their theories. Scientists who carefully examine all of the facts often find themselves with a different interpretation, one which recognizes that the evolutionary theories are wrong. Far from being proven, evolutionary theory is still very much open to debate.

First History Paper

Hey everyone! As the title says, here is my first history paper this year. Hope you like it! :)

History of Ocala

The city of Ocala, Florida, was named for an important Timucua village that it was developed near. This Timucua village, called Ocale, or Ocali – which means Big Hammock – was abandoned, probably as a result of Hernando de Soto's attack in 1539.

In 1827, American soldiers built Fort King, and it saw use during the Second Seminole War, which lasted from 1835-1842. The city of Ocala began developing around the fort, most of the residents being soldiers who had come to serve in the fort.

The Civil War had some negative effects on Ocala. Both the population and value of property went down. However, by shipping fruits, vegetables, cotton, and merchandise, the city began to grow rapidly in wealth and importance. A railroad built to the city in 1881 encouraged even more development.

However, on Thanksgiving Day, 1883, a fire destroyed most of downtown Ocala. The destroyed buildings were rebuilt using bricks, which later gave Ocala the nickname “The Brick City."

In the 1900s, Ocala became a tourist attraction. Attractions included the Silver Springs Nature Theme Park and Wild Waters. In 1943, a man named Carl G. Rose started a Thoroughbred farm in Ocala called Rosemere Farm. The Thoroughbred industry expanded quickly, and Ocala, along with surrounding Marion County, has produced many good racehorses, including 1978 Triple Crown winner Affirmed, as well as 1997 Derby and Preakness winner Silver Charm and 1998 Derby and Preakness winner Real Quiet. Ocala is known today as the Horse Capital of the World.

My First Post

My first post! Yay! I made this blog primarily for sharing some of my school reports. Every Saturday I will post that week's history paper, and every Wednesday I will post a paper from a series I wrote last year. Hope you enjoy!