Jessica Ackerman
12-5-08
Reflective Letter
>>>>>The second day of class is when we truly started learning these essay process’s, though most of us didn’t realize that. Until then, I wondered why we were learning all of these different things that, at the time, seemed out of the blue. I realize now that were learning all these things to build into our essays. I’m thankful for all of the things we did in class, though sometimes it was boring. If it wasn’t for what we learned in class, I bet that my essays wouldn’t be as well written as they are now, even though I still have things that I need to work on. The writing process for me was long and sometimes complicated, however I know my essays are well written and I learned new things about my writing processes.
>>>>> I learned that outlines are what helped me the most. Before, the outlines I did were web outlines, the kind you see in elementary school. Now, I’ve learned how to do proper outlines that are completely different from the ones I did before. Using the outline that I was taught this quarter has drastically improved my essays. I’ve realized that if you write a thorough outline, half of your essay is already written. It was also very beneficial to learn about different interpretations from other writers, and how that could influence our writing and perspectives. Also, it was beneficial by using different templates to enhance our writing. It wasn’t necessarily about what others wanted from us; it was about what we wanted to share to them through my writing. I thought the writing process greatly influenced the quality in my essays, though I do think that writing my theses and sometimes I over think the processes, are what I struggle with the most.
>>>>>To attend Puget Sound Early College, I was required to write and essay on something that I was passionate about. I wish I could have learned everything with in the quarter before I turned in that essay. I’ve learned so much more about writing from taking Writing 101 than I’ve ever learned before. When I wrote that essay, it was last minute and probably not as well written as it could have been. The only thing I really did know about that essay, at the time, was what I was passionate about. I wrote that essay because I thought that kids still in school should be taught more about HIV/Aids because it has become a worldwide problem, but it’s increasing in the United States. When I first wrote this essay, before I made my edits, it was the start of my progression. I have greatly improved in my writing qualities throughout this quarter.
>>>>> When we started Bacon’s Rebellion, our very first essay of the quarter, I remember thinking to myself that I would do horrible. I regret thinking that now because even though I maybe didn’t get the best grade on it, it was my improvement. I improved tremendously in my writing as I wrote that essay. The Bacon’s Rebellion essay was everything I had just learned all in one and I thought that I had improved greatly from my entry essay. I think that with the revisions I’ve made to my Bacon’s Rebellion essay, that as far as quality, it is the best essay I’ve written. The Bacon’s rebellion essay has shown not only the readers but myself as well, my improvements as a writer.
>>>>>I feel that my progression throughout this quarter has greatly improved. If I hadn’t learned what I’ve learned throughout the quarter I would still be the same writer as I was when I first walked in the doors to PSEC. Every time I write an essay, now, it shows my improvement and my strengths. Though I do still need to improve on my weaknesses, the accomplishments I’ve made are far greater than anything I’ve done. Writing 101 has shown me that it’s never to late to progress in writing.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Essay#1
Jessica Ackerman
Bacon’s Rebellion Essay
Mass Consumption of Tobacco during Bacon’s Rebellion
Bacon’s Rebellion Essay
Mass Consumption of Tobacco during Bacon’s Rebellion
During Bacon's Rebellion, why did mass consumption of tobacco from colonies affect the decreasing price?
>>>>> There were many factors that caused the price of tobacco to decrease during Bacon's Rebellion. Because of the rebellion there was an increase in tobacco consumption; did this make tobacco prices decrease to an all-time low for colonists in this time? A number of authors and historians have suggested that tobacco is a major cause of Bacon’s Rebellion. The primary contributing factors were tobacco taxation, production and health reasons. These all connect to the cause of tobacco’s decreasing price, though supply and demand does have the greatest effect.
>>>>> In the Chesapeake, increased supply made the cost of tobacco affordable to both the rich and the poor. The Virginia Company started to produce and trade tobacco which attracted indulgence of tobacco. At first, the "...Virginia Company had no plans to grow and sell tobacco [,]" (Roark 77) however, “John Rolfe… planted West Indian tobacco seeds in 1612 and learned they flourished in Virginia” (Roark 77). Since the amount of tobacco produced increased, tobacco became affordable to a wider range of people, not just the wealthy. Tobacco "...became an affordable indulgence used often by many people" (Roark 77). Due to affordability colonists, slaves and Native Americans became consumed by tobacco. The availability gave all people the option to smoke tobacco. Some colonists said, “[e]veryone smokes while working or idling" (Roark 77). The cost of tobacco caused more intensive work for colonists to farm crop on the fields in Virginia.
>>>>>Tobacco farming needs caused the settlers to keep up with consumption demands by accumulating more land to grow the crop. The demand for land to grow tobacco was very important to Bacon’s Rebellion. Without land there was less growth of tobacco crops. This caused invasion onto Native American lands. There was a large demand for tobacco, and for hard labor from settlers, to produce enough to meet the tobacco demand. As the demand for tobacco increased, production of enough tobacco crops was essential. This demand caused more work for the settlers. The "...planters grew as much tobacco as possible” (Roark 77). The planters, whom were overworked, consisted mostly of indentured servants and slaves, both black and white. It was said that “the English settlers worked hard because their labor promised greater rewards…”(Roark 77). The hard work from these settlers meant that they received certain rewards for their work, such as land or time taken off of their indentured servitude. Having enough land was vital for planters to grow enough tobacco.
>>>>>Colonists cleared lands to plant tobacco crop in a unique way. The colonists cleared lands to plant tobacco by clearing all trees, but leaving the stumps, and planting around them. The American Promise by James L. Roark says that “Girdling brought sunlight to clearing but left fields studded with tree stumps, making the use of plows impractical” (Roark 77). “Girdling” is a process where the colonists cut a ring around the tree, eventually causing the tree to die. This process allowed planters to produce more tobacco crop for trade. In the 1600’s, tobacco was traded in many different ways to many different colonies. The increase in trade and demand affected the cost of tobacco, causing the price to decrease. Tobacco was mostly traded from the Chesapeake to the Europeans. English colonists traded tobacco which was sold mostly in European markets. “…English colonists in North America sent so much tobacco to European markets that it became an affordable indulgence used often by many people” (Roark 77). Europe decided the cost of tobacco colonists grew and sold, “The colonists grew tobacco to sell to English but English set the price” (Zinn and Stefoff 39). With the price set by the Europeans, the colonists would grow the tobacco then sell it for a price less than they expected. Trade was an important way for colonists to increase tobacco consumption. Physicians told the consumers that tobacco was good for their health, causing them to use more tobacco.
>>>>> Colonists in the Chesapeake also consumed large amounts of tobacco because physicians and doctors told the settlers that smoking tobacco was an herbal way to “cleanse” your body. These people called it a “holy drug” by which you could be cured. The American Promise by James L. Roark wrote about these beliefs, that “physicians praised it as a wonder drug.” Some settlers did not believe that this was true. They believed it was harmful to their bodies and to their own health. England’s King James contradicted that smoking was healthy by saying that smoking was “A custome lothsome to the eye , hatefull to the the Nose, harmefull to the braine, dangerous to the Lungs, and in the blacke stinking fume thereof, nearest resembling the horrible…smoke of the pit that is bottomelesse” (Roark 80). Today the known health effects of tobacco have worsened making the effects on people more harmful.
>>>>>Americans today tend to believe that consuming tobacco is bad for your health. Consuming tobacco has remained quite popular today, however, we now have strict laws and there are more harmful effects caused by the use of tobacco and heightened concerns of secondhand smoke. Tobacco consumption has been booming in recent times. Due to popular demand, use of tobacco has increased dramatically. Throughout the last decade, unlike the Chesapeake, tobacco prices have increased. Tobacco is sold with a “Sin tax” which is a tax levied on specific goods. This tax has increased the cost of tobacco which is causing it to become more and more expensive.
>>>>> Recently we have had tougher laws towards smoking because of the effects of secondhand smoke on non-smokers. Recent laws have prohibited smokers from smoking within 25ft of a building and in public places; the Washington State Legislature passed the law, RCW 70.160.030, which states that “No person may smoke in a public place or in any place of employment.” Tobacco continues to affect boundary lines today, similar to the Chesapeake during Bacon’s Rebellion. Land that was being invaded on was the start of the rebellion. Not just land was affected during the rebellion; the health of many settlers was a problem do to increased use, which is still a problem today.
>>>>>Tobacco also has very harmful effects which are more harmful to your body than in the Chesapeake times. A lifetime or less of smoking can cause cancers and lung diseases. Within tobacco, makers have included additives to cigarettes, causing people to become more addicted. Truth.com says that "Because of the tobacco industry’s products, about 339 people in the U.S. die of lung cancer every day" (Truth facts). They also say that “[i]n the U.S., 34,693 people die each year from cancers other than lung, trachea, and bronchus caused by smoking" (Truth facts). These long term effects severely cause trauma to the human body and eventually may cause death.
>>>>>Tobacco prices had become affordable to everyone, not only the rich, during the rebellion. Since these prices decreased and it became an affordable indulgence, settlers became more addicted to smoking tobacco. In conclusion, I agree that these reasons were all significant during Bacon’s Rebellion. Action was caused by a supply and demand effect of producing and using tobacco. Because of this supply and demand, there was an influx of decreasing prices in tobacco during the 1600’s, which increased popularity. The increased popularity in smoking raised health issues which remain today.
>>>>>Citations: - Tobacco and Slaves: The Development of Southern Cultures in the Chesapeake, 1680-1800. By Allan Kulikoffhttp://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=NCvU9_bj-1QC&oi=fnd&pg=PR7&dq=Bacon%27s+Rebellion+tobacco+consumption&ots=AxtdkPGJKd&sig=kKrpNAWlGMfwQK1Bsm11x3f1Mhc- http://www.thetruth.com/facts/facts.cfm?category=135-http://apps.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=70.160.030
>>>>> There were many factors that caused the price of tobacco to decrease during Bacon's Rebellion. Because of the rebellion there was an increase in tobacco consumption; did this make tobacco prices decrease to an all-time low for colonists in this time? A number of authors and historians have suggested that tobacco is a major cause of Bacon’s Rebellion. The primary contributing factors were tobacco taxation, production and health reasons. These all connect to the cause of tobacco’s decreasing price, though supply and demand does have the greatest effect.
>>>>> In the Chesapeake, increased supply made the cost of tobacco affordable to both the rich and the poor. The Virginia Company started to produce and trade tobacco which attracted indulgence of tobacco. At first, the "...Virginia Company had no plans to grow and sell tobacco [,]" (Roark 77) however, “John Rolfe… planted West Indian tobacco seeds in 1612 and learned they flourished in Virginia” (Roark 77). Since the amount of tobacco produced increased, tobacco became affordable to a wider range of people, not just the wealthy. Tobacco "...became an affordable indulgence used often by many people" (Roark 77). Due to affordability colonists, slaves and Native Americans became consumed by tobacco. The availability gave all people the option to smoke tobacco. Some colonists said, “[e]veryone smokes while working or idling" (Roark 77). The cost of tobacco caused more intensive work for colonists to farm crop on the fields in Virginia.
>>>>>Tobacco farming needs caused the settlers to keep up with consumption demands by accumulating more land to grow the crop. The demand for land to grow tobacco was very important to Bacon’s Rebellion. Without land there was less growth of tobacco crops. This caused invasion onto Native American lands. There was a large demand for tobacco, and for hard labor from settlers, to produce enough to meet the tobacco demand. As the demand for tobacco increased, production of enough tobacco crops was essential. This demand caused more work for the settlers. The "...planters grew as much tobacco as possible” (Roark 77). The planters, whom were overworked, consisted mostly of indentured servants and slaves, both black and white. It was said that “the English settlers worked hard because their labor promised greater rewards…”(Roark 77). The hard work from these settlers meant that they received certain rewards for their work, such as land or time taken off of their indentured servitude. Having enough land was vital for planters to grow enough tobacco.
>>>>>Colonists cleared lands to plant tobacco crop in a unique way. The colonists cleared lands to plant tobacco by clearing all trees, but leaving the stumps, and planting around them. The American Promise by James L. Roark says that “Girdling brought sunlight to clearing but left fields studded with tree stumps, making the use of plows impractical” (Roark 77). “Girdling” is a process where the colonists cut a ring around the tree, eventually causing the tree to die. This process allowed planters to produce more tobacco crop for trade. In the 1600’s, tobacco was traded in many different ways to many different colonies. The increase in trade and demand affected the cost of tobacco, causing the price to decrease. Tobacco was mostly traded from the Chesapeake to the Europeans. English colonists traded tobacco which was sold mostly in European markets. “…English colonists in North America sent so much tobacco to European markets that it became an affordable indulgence used often by many people” (Roark 77). Europe decided the cost of tobacco colonists grew and sold, “The colonists grew tobacco to sell to English but English set the price” (Zinn and Stefoff 39). With the price set by the Europeans, the colonists would grow the tobacco then sell it for a price less than they expected. Trade was an important way for colonists to increase tobacco consumption. Physicians told the consumers that tobacco was good for their health, causing them to use more tobacco.
>>>>> Colonists in the Chesapeake also consumed large amounts of tobacco because physicians and doctors told the settlers that smoking tobacco was an herbal way to “cleanse” your body. These people called it a “holy drug” by which you could be cured. The American Promise by James L. Roark wrote about these beliefs, that “physicians praised it as a wonder drug.” Some settlers did not believe that this was true. They believed it was harmful to their bodies and to their own health. England’s King James contradicted that smoking was healthy by saying that smoking was “A custome lothsome to the eye , hatefull to the the Nose, harmefull to the braine, dangerous to the Lungs, and in the blacke stinking fume thereof, nearest resembling the horrible…smoke of the pit that is bottomelesse” (Roark 80). Today the known health effects of tobacco have worsened making the effects on people more harmful.
>>>>>Americans today tend to believe that consuming tobacco is bad for your health. Consuming tobacco has remained quite popular today, however, we now have strict laws and there are more harmful effects caused by the use of tobacco and heightened concerns of secondhand smoke. Tobacco consumption has been booming in recent times. Due to popular demand, use of tobacco has increased dramatically. Throughout the last decade, unlike the Chesapeake, tobacco prices have increased. Tobacco is sold with a “Sin tax” which is a tax levied on specific goods. This tax has increased the cost of tobacco which is causing it to become more and more expensive.
>>>>> Recently we have had tougher laws towards smoking because of the effects of secondhand smoke on non-smokers. Recent laws have prohibited smokers from smoking within 25ft of a building and in public places; the Washington State Legislature passed the law, RCW 70.160.030, which states that “No person may smoke in a public place or in any place of employment.” Tobacco continues to affect boundary lines today, similar to the Chesapeake during Bacon’s Rebellion. Land that was being invaded on was the start of the rebellion. Not just land was affected during the rebellion; the health of many settlers was a problem do to increased use, which is still a problem today.
>>>>>Tobacco also has very harmful effects which are more harmful to your body than in the Chesapeake times. A lifetime or less of smoking can cause cancers and lung diseases. Within tobacco, makers have included additives to cigarettes, causing people to become more addicted. Truth.com says that "Because of the tobacco industry’s products, about 339 people in the U.S. die of lung cancer every day" (Truth facts). They also say that “[i]n the U.S., 34,693 people die each year from cancers other than lung, trachea, and bronchus caused by smoking" (Truth facts). These long term effects severely cause trauma to the human body and eventually may cause death.
>>>>>Tobacco prices had become affordable to everyone, not only the rich, during the rebellion. Since these prices decreased and it became an affordable indulgence, settlers became more addicted to smoking tobacco. In conclusion, I agree that these reasons were all significant during Bacon’s Rebellion. Action was caused by a supply and demand effect of producing and using tobacco. Because of this supply and demand, there was an influx of decreasing prices in tobacco during the 1600’s, which increased popularity. The increased popularity in smoking raised health issues which remain today.
>>>>>Citations: - Tobacco and Slaves: The Development of Southern Cultures in the Chesapeake, 1680-1800. By Allan Kulikoffhttp://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=NCvU9_bj-1QC&oi=fnd&pg=PR7&dq=Bacon%27s+Rebellion+tobacco+consumption&ots=AxtdkPGJKd&sig=kKrpNAWlGMfwQK1Bsm11x3f1Mhc- http://www.thetruth.com/facts/facts.cfm?category=135-http://apps.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=70.160.030
Essay #2
Jessica Ackerman
August 26, 2008
P.S.E.C. Essay
>>>>>In the U.S. alone, more than 400,000 people are living with HIV/Aids. Amounts are steadily increasing year by year, more so within the last two decades. In the 90’s, the promotion of education regarding HIV/Aids was the hot topic. Now many people are getting the impression that HIV/Aids is not an epidemic anymore, since education and promotion has gradually decreased.
>>>>>The numbers of people diagnosed with HIV/Aids are approximately 37,000 and death rates have amplified to 15,000. With numbers increasing this rapidly, I believe that education about HIV/Aids should be expanded on. Though more and more research is being done, research efforts are not being shared publicly. Education throughout schools is an important place for this information to come from, since youths are becoming more infected. However, from personal experience through my school, I did not learn much about HIV/Aids at all. I believe that schools should expand on this topic because if we don’t share the information to the younger generation, especially ones with no access to info, they won’t understand how serious the problem really is.
>>>>>One in four teenagers are infected with some type of sexually transmitted infection; one type is HIV/Aids. Education about HIV/Aids is the key ingredient to reducing numbers; numbers of deaths and diagnoses. If we don’t educate, no one can learn and I believe that everyone should be educated on problems within our world.
August 26, 2008
P.S.E.C. Essay
>>>>>In the U.S. alone, more than 400,000 people are living with HIV/Aids. Amounts are steadily increasing year by year, more so within the last two decades. In the 90’s, the promotion of education regarding HIV/Aids was the hot topic. Now many people are getting the impression that HIV/Aids is not an epidemic anymore, since education and promotion has gradually decreased.
>>>>>The numbers of people diagnosed with HIV/Aids are approximately 37,000 and death rates have amplified to 15,000. With numbers increasing this rapidly, I believe that education about HIV/Aids should be expanded on. Though more and more research is being done, research efforts are not being shared publicly. Education throughout schools is an important place for this information to come from, since youths are becoming more infected. However, from personal experience through my school, I did not learn much about HIV/Aids at all. I believe that schools should expand on this topic because if we don’t share the information to the younger generation, especially ones with no access to info, they won’t understand how serious the problem really is.
>>>>>One in four teenagers are infected with some type of sexually transmitted infection; one type is HIV/Aids. Education about HIV/Aids is the key ingredient to reducing numbers; numbers of deaths and diagnoses. If we don’t educate, no one can learn and I believe that everyone should be educated on problems within our world.
Portfolio: Final Exam Frame #2
Jessica Ackerman
12-11-08
Frame II
>>>>>Optimism One’s main point on the views of writing is that “…writing process[es] can be greatly improved” with peer review. The writer says that sometimes you can feel “unaccountable” for your writing if you don’t have someone review and edit it. I think that he touches on a really good point because without someone to review your work, you may miss the mistakes you’ve made. When I write my essays, I will read them over and over again, which causes me to skip over some things. That is when peer review becomes crucial, so that my editors find my mistakes and not my teachers.
>>>>>During this quarter every essay and assignment that we have worked on, we’ve had peer review. Peer review has had its challenges but for the most part it’s helped throughout my writing processes. I found it challenging throughout my experiences with peer review, that it is hard for the students who are editing my work to be honest about my writing. Some say, “everything looks great and you did nothing wrong.” I know that this is not true because it’s impossible to not make mistakes in writing. When people don’t say what’s wrong with my writing during peer review, it makes it hard for me, as the writer to develop a thorough essay. I need those comments to make edits and changes to my writing, to make progression.
>>>>>This quarter my essays were greatly influenced by peer review from the few people who did make thorough comments to my writing, though sometimes I wouldn’t even receive a peer review comment. Not receiving a comment made it a lot harder for me to make my changes. If I didn’t get god responses from my classmates during peer review, I would turn to someone else like a family member or my teachers. Although getting review from other classmates is the most helpful, when they do comment. I would have to say that even though some of the reviews I’ve received weren’t that great, there are still a lot of benefits to giving the reviews.
>>>>>What I thought was the most beneficial part of peer review this quarter, was giving the peer review comments. Giving those comments gave me a sense of something that I could be doing wrong as well as the person I was commenting. As I read peoples essays, I would correct their mistakes and correcting those mistakes helped me find my own in my writing. If some things were worded wrong, I thought to myself, maybe they are in mine too. Sometimes reading someone else’s writing and finding the mistakes they made, can help you find the ones in your own writing.
>>>>>The entire writing process this quarter has made the greatest improvement in my writing. The peer reviews are the biggest help, when you get the good ones at least. The peer reviews are what save us in our writing, they find our mistakes. We’ve learned a lot this quarter and that grades aren’t what matter; it’s the quality of our writing. Having peer reviews help us with that quality. The reviews put us one step closer to our final drafts, the drafts that almost seem to be glowing when we hand them in because we know it’s to our best ability. I don’t think that my essays would be as great of a quality without peer review. The peer reviews are what help us get our final edits, to that last glowing step.
12-11-08
Frame II
>>>>>Optimism One’s main point on the views of writing is that “…writing process[es] can be greatly improved” with peer review. The writer says that sometimes you can feel “unaccountable” for your writing if you don’t have someone review and edit it. I think that he touches on a really good point because without someone to review your work, you may miss the mistakes you’ve made. When I write my essays, I will read them over and over again, which causes me to skip over some things. That is when peer review becomes crucial, so that my editors find my mistakes and not my teachers.
>>>>>During this quarter every essay and assignment that we have worked on, we’ve had peer review. Peer review has had its challenges but for the most part it’s helped throughout my writing processes. I found it challenging throughout my experiences with peer review, that it is hard for the students who are editing my work to be honest about my writing. Some say, “everything looks great and you did nothing wrong.” I know that this is not true because it’s impossible to not make mistakes in writing. When people don’t say what’s wrong with my writing during peer review, it makes it hard for me, as the writer to develop a thorough essay. I need those comments to make edits and changes to my writing, to make progression.
>>>>>This quarter my essays were greatly influenced by peer review from the few people who did make thorough comments to my writing, though sometimes I wouldn’t even receive a peer review comment. Not receiving a comment made it a lot harder for me to make my changes. If I didn’t get god responses from my classmates during peer review, I would turn to someone else like a family member or my teachers. Although getting review from other classmates is the most helpful, when they do comment. I would have to say that even though some of the reviews I’ve received weren’t that great, there are still a lot of benefits to giving the reviews.
>>>>>What I thought was the most beneficial part of peer review this quarter, was giving the peer review comments. Giving those comments gave me a sense of something that I could be doing wrong as well as the person I was commenting. As I read peoples essays, I would correct their mistakes and correcting those mistakes helped me find my own in my writing. If some things were worded wrong, I thought to myself, maybe they are in mine too. Sometimes reading someone else’s writing and finding the mistakes they made, can help you find the ones in your own writing.
>>>>>The entire writing process this quarter has made the greatest improvement in my writing. The peer reviews are the biggest help, when you get the good ones at least. The peer reviews are what save us in our writing, they find our mistakes. We’ve learned a lot this quarter and that grades aren’t what matter; it’s the quality of our writing. Having peer reviews help us with that quality. The reviews put us one step closer to our final drafts, the drafts that almost seem to be glowing when we hand them in because we know it’s to our best ability. I don’t think that my essays would be as great of a quality without peer review. The peer reviews are what help us get our final edits, to that last glowing step.
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Reflective Letter Rough Draft
Jessica Ackerman
12-5-08
Reflective Letter
---The second day of class is when we truly started learning these essay process’s, though most of us didn’t realize that. Until then, I wondered why we were doing all of these different things that, at the time, seemed out of the blue. I’m thankful for all of the things we did in class, though sometimes it was boring. If it wasn’t for what we learned in class, I bet that my essays wouldn’t be as well written as they are now, even though I still have things that I need to work on. The writing process for me, was long and sometimes complicated, however I know my essays are well written and I learned new things about my writing process's, I learned that outlines are what helped me the most. It was very beneficial to learn about different interpretations from other writers, and how that could influence our writing and perspectives. Also, it was beneficial by using different templates to enhance our writing. It wasn’t necessarily about what others wanted from us; it was about what we wanted to share to them through my writing. I thought the writing process greatly influenced the quality in my essays, though I do think that writing my theses and sometimes I over think the processes, are what I struggle with the most.
---The second essay was, in a sense, easier than the first because I received a better understanding of what my teachers were looking for in our writing. I do think that as far as getting a better understanding of ways that writing can be shared, like making it a character or a letter reminded me there's even more ways to write. I think that with the second essay, even though it didn't turn out the way I wanted it to, it taught me more about the ways to prepare yourself and how your writing can be improved. I enjoyed the third essay the most, even though I was the most nervous for it with the debate. I think it turned out great and I wasn’t as nervous as I thought that I would be. I feel that as my essays are moving forward, that they are greatly improving and that everything I’ve learned has been beneficial to my writing.
12-5-08
Reflective Letter
---The second day of class is when we truly started learning these essay process’s, though most of us didn’t realize that. Until then, I wondered why we were doing all of these different things that, at the time, seemed out of the blue. I’m thankful for all of the things we did in class, though sometimes it was boring. If it wasn’t for what we learned in class, I bet that my essays wouldn’t be as well written as they are now, even though I still have things that I need to work on. The writing process for me, was long and sometimes complicated, however I know my essays are well written and I learned new things about my writing process's, I learned that outlines are what helped me the most. It was very beneficial to learn about different interpretations from other writers, and how that could influence our writing and perspectives. Also, it was beneficial by using different templates to enhance our writing. It wasn’t necessarily about what others wanted from us; it was about what we wanted to share to them through my writing. I thought the writing process greatly influenced the quality in my essays, though I do think that writing my theses and sometimes I over think the processes, are what I struggle with the most.
---The second essay was, in a sense, easier than the first because I received a better understanding of what my teachers were looking for in our writing. I do think that as far as getting a better understanding of ways that writing can be shared, like making it a character or a letter reminded me there's even more ways to write. I think that with the second essay, even though it didn't turn out the way I wanted it to, it taught me more about the ways to prepare yourself and how your writing can be improved. I enjoyed the third essay the most, even though I was the most nervous for it with the debate. I think it turned out great and I wasn’t as nervous as I thought that I would be. I feel that as my essays are moving forward, that they are greatly improving and that everything I’ve learned has been beneficial to my writing.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Essay #2 Reflection
Essay #2 was, in a sense, easier than essay #1 because I got a better understanding of what Ben and Craig were looking for in our writing. With essay #1 we had four weeks, with essay #2 we had not even two weeks. In a way this was easier because we had less time to overthink what we would write about, I thought it would be easier for me however, it turned out to be a lot harder than I expected. I did well in the start of the second essay but as we got closer, the plans I made, as far as content and structure of my essay, fell through. This caused me to drastically overthink things, I think this caused my essay to be completed poorly and I feel that I could of done a better job, unfortunatley it didn't work out that way. I do think that as far as getting a better understanding of ways that writing can be shared, like making it a character or a letter, showed , reminded me there's even more ways to write. I think that with the second essay, even though it didn't turn out the way I wanted it to, it tought me more about the ways to prepare yourself and how your writing can be improved.
Friday, November 21, 2008
Being a Patriot in Georgia during the 1760’s
Jessica Ackerman
11/21/08
Final Draft
>>>The southern colonies, such as Georgia and South Carolina, were mostly populated with loyalists; a very small percentile was patriots. I am a patriot in the state of Georgia and I do not believe the ways of the loyalists, I don’t understand why they want to be ruled by Britain instead of having the freedom and liberties in America. The British filled the land with poor, who they brought from England, making it harder for us to establish on lands.
>>> In the 1730’s, James Olgethorpe sent those who were poor, in England, to the Americas to inhabit land and make it prosper. Those who settled in Georgia were sent to inhabit land for a certain amount of time, “…that they from and after the Expiration of the said last mentioned Twelve Months, will, during the Two next succeeding Years, abide, settle and inhabit in the said Province of Georgia, and Cultivate the Lands which shall be to them and their Heirs Male severally allotted and given, by all such Ways and Means as according to their several Abilities and Skills they shall be best Able and Capable”(colonial settlements), was said by the British government as they inhabitants expectations. I don’t see why those people would want to live under British rule, and not be able to establish themselves on their own land and live with freedom. Then they put requirements on the land because of all the poor that were being sent, so they would all have enough land to prosper, little did Britain know, this would be a bad decision.
>>>I was given size amounts of land that I had to make prosper. We had to keep this land well taken care of, even though the British gave us unsuitable land. Some said it was “[i]n their passion for system and regularity, the Trustees had assigned lands without regard to fertility or worth and had thus left [us] both with inferior plots and at a serious disadvantage” (Jackson 282). Decisions like this made it hard for Georgia in the beginning; it made it difficult for us to prosper the land, without hardy soil.
>>> Living in the state of Georgia, being a patriot, is a hard thing to be. Almost the entire state is of loyalist people whom support the decisions of Great Britain. With these large numbers of loyalists, it gave British ground to take southern colonies. The states of “Georgia and the Carolinas appeared to hold large numbers of loyalists, providing a base for the British to recapture the southern colonies one by one…” (Roark et al 241) The British were trying to take the colonies so that the patriots couldn’t take it because Britain wanted all the states in America to be a reflection of how they wanted the states to be.
>>> Georgia was considered the state that other states looked upon, like a “city upon a hill.” Britain wanted “Georgia…to be not just a model colony but a model society for Britain” (Jackson 284). Georgia was Britain’s “example” of the way the Britain’s wanted to run the states, since Georgia was ultimately loyalist. In Georgia, following under British Government was the “rule” and if you didn’t you would be punished. My view is that Britain gave us our rights but only could the rights be decided for us by the British, which means that we basically had no rights at all. People must follow these rules because“…when any person insisted upon his just rights and privileges… [they were] punished without mercy” (Jackson 288). We patriots believe that “a colony of vassals, whose properties and liberties were, at all times, to have been disposed of at the discretion or option of their superiors” (Jackson 289). The British were happy if we “were “deprived of the liberties and properties of their birthright”” (Jackson 289).The so called “freedom” that was given by the British to us, was ultimately Britain ’s decision, it wasn’t our free rights. We should be able to make our own rights and have our own freedom, not have it chosen for us. Having the choice to have freedom and to defend our country is the reason I want to be a patriot. Why is it that loyalists would choose to have their freedom chosen for them?
Works Cited
-The Library of Congress, American Memory. "Establishing the Georgia Colony." Colonial Settlements. July 24 2003.17 Nov2008.
-The Library of Congress, American Memory. "The Georgia Trustees: Rules for 1735." Colonial Settlements. July 24 2003. 17 Nov 2008.
-Jackson, Harvey H. , and Phinizy Spalding. Fory Years of Diversity. University of Georgia Press, 1984.
-Raork, James L.. The American Promise. Fourth. Boston: Bedford/ St. Martins.
11/21/08
Final Draft
>>>The southern colonies, such as Georgia and South Carolina, were mostly populated with loyalists; a very small percentile was patriots. I am a patriot in the state of Georgia and I do not believe the ways of the loyalists, I don’t understand why they want to be ruled by Britain instead of having the freedom and liberties in America. The British filled the land with poor, who they brought from England, making it harder for us to establish on lands.
>>> In the 1730’s, James Olgethorpe sent those who were poor, in England, to the Americas to inhabit land and make it prosper. Those who settled in Georgia were sent to inhabit land for a certain amount of time, “…that they from and after the Expiration of the said last mentioned Twelve Months, will, during the Two next succeeding Years, abide, settle and inhabit in the said Province of Georgia, and Cultivate the Lands which shall be to them and their Heirs Male severally allotted and given, by all such Ways and Means as according to their several Abilities and Skills they shall be best Able and Capable”(colonial settlements), was said by the British government as they inhabitants expectations. I don’t see why those people would want to live under British rule, and not be able to establish themselves on their own land and live with freedom. Then they put requirements on the land because of all the poor that were being sent, so they would all have enough land to prosper, little did Britain know, this would be a bad decision.
>>>I was given size amounts of land that I had to make prosper. We had to keep this land well taken care of, even though the British gave us unsuitable land. Some said it was “[i]n their passion for system and regularity, the Trustees had assigned lands without regard to fertility or worth and had thus left [us] both with inferior plots and at a serious disadvantage” (Jackson 282). Decisions like this made it hard for Georgia in the beginning; it made it difficult for us to prosper the land, without hardy soil.
>>> Living in the state of Georgia, being a patriot, is a hard thing to be. Almost the entire state is of loyalist people whom support the decisions of Great Britain. With these large numbers of loyalists, it gave British ground to take southern colonies. The states of “Georgia and the Carolinas appeared to hold large numbers of loyalists, providing a base for the British to recapture the southern colonies one by one…” (Roark et al 241) The British were trying to take the colonies so that the patriots couldn’t take it because Britain wanted all the states in America to be a reflection of how they wanted the states to be.
>>> Georgia was considered the state that other states looked upon, like a “city upon a hill.” Britain wanted “Georgia…to be not just a model colony but a model society for Britain” (Jackson 284). Georgia was Britain’s “example” of the way the Britain’s wanted to run the states, since Georgia was ultimately loyalist. In Georgia, following under British Government was the “rule” and if you didn’t you would be punished. My view is that Britain gave us our rights but only could the rights be decided for us by the British, which means that we basically had no rights at all. People must follow these rules because“…when any person insisted upon his just rights and privileges… [they were] punished without mercy” (Jackson 288). We patriots believe that “a colony of vassals, whose properties and liberties were, at all times, to have been disposed of at the discretion or option of their superiors” (Jackson 289). The British were happy if we “were “deprived of the liberties and properties of their birthright”” (Jackson 289).The so called “freedom” that was given by the British to us, was ultimately Britain ’s decision, it wasn’t our free rights. We should be able to make our own rights and have our own freedom, not have it chosen for us. Having the choice to have freedom and to defend our country is the reason I want to be a patriot. Why is it that loyalists would choose to have their freedom chosen for them?
Works Cited
-The Library of Congress, American Memory. "Establishing the Georgia Colony." Colonial Settlements. July 24 2003.17 Nov2008
-The Library of Congress, American Memory. "The Georgia Trustees: Rules for 1735." Colonial Settlements. July 24 2003. 17 Nov 2008
-Jackson, Harvey H. , and Phinizy Spalding. Fory Years of Diversity. University of Georgia Press, 1984.
-Raork, James L.. The American Promise. Fourth. Boston: Bedford/ St. Martins.
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