The Great Rock Mountains By Thomas Jefferson - 1092 Words

At the time when Thomas Jefferson was president, the U. S. had bought new land in France. He had Meriwether Lewis to lead an expedition to the New Lands who turned to Wiliam Clark to be the Co-commanding captain which turned into the Lewis and Clark expedition. It was 1803. Thomas Jefferson was the president and he guided a piece of foreign diplomacy through the U.S. senate. After the Louisiana treaty was made, Jefferson took power of an exploration on a new purchased land beyond the â€Å"Great Rock Mountains† In the west. Jefferson wanted the expedition to travel through the Missouri River, up the rocky Mountains, and then down the Columbia River into the Pacific. His plan included gathering information on animals, plants, and minerals in†¦show more content†¦As the men traveled up the Missouri river, Lewis occasionally went ashore to discover all of the amazing animals he could see. He wrote in his journal saying â€Å"I do not think I exaggerate when I estimate the number of buffalo which could be comprehended at one view to amount to 3,000† At spring in 1805, the waters were raised and there was wonderful weather. The Lewis and Clark expedition set out further. They traveled up Missouri, Montana, and wisely chose the Jefferson River. By September they had their first encounter with the Indians. A small group of the explorers went ashore to talk to a group of Sioux Indians and offer them gifts. After a while, the Indians were demanding more gifts and did not let Clark go back to the boat. They soon let him go when the explorers showed they were ready to fight. When October came, they met a group of Mandan Indians who were really nice. The expedition decided to build a Fort next to their village and stay there for the Winter. During the winter, a trader named Toussaint Charbonneau and his wife, Sacagawea, a Shoshone, joined in on the expedition. The journey continued on April 7, 1805. The explorers were traveling in two dugouts and six canoes. Lewis and Clark sent a few men back on the Keelboat because the river hadShow M oreRelatedThe Founding Fathers Of Our Country Essay1062 Words   |  5 PagesCharles kanneh American History Thomas Jefferson is one of the founding Fathers of our country. Jefferson was one of the most inspirational members of history that led me to doing a research project about him. Thomas Jefferson was born to Peter Jefferson on April 13 1743. Peter Jefferson was a planter and surveyor which was a very important job back then. This meant he had some type of wealth to his name.Thomas Jefferson mother was Jane Randolph who was the daughter of a well know family withRead MoreMount Rushmore National Memorial: A Shrine of Democracy Essay1341 Words   |  6 Pagesmonument on Stone Mountain to attract tourists. Gutzon Borglum, with the help of his son Lincoln Borglum, immediately knew what and who they wanted to carve; he proposed George Washington and Abraham Lincoln because he wanted those presidents to be remembered and honored. He incorporated methods on how to work with dynamite and pneumatic hammers. Dynamite was used to get the desired measurements and pneumatic hammers were used to ge t smooth and white surfaces on the granite rocks (â€Å"History and Culture†)Read MoreThe Lewis ( 1774 ) And William Clark1735 Words   |  7 Pagesacross the Continental Divide, and to the Pacific Ocean. In 1803, President Thomas Jefferson sent the Cords of Discovery to the land never traveled before by any American to explore. They traveled over 8000 miles and discovered over 300 unknown species, 50 tribes of Indians, and the Rocky Mountains (â€Å"National Geographic: Lewis Clark†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ). It began May 1804 and ended September 1806. Before the expedition, Lewis was Jefferson s private presidential secretary. He also served in the military, where heRead MoreThe Black Hills Of South Dakota1242 Words   |  5 PagesENGINEERING MOUNT RUSHMORE Nestled in the Black hills of South Dakota sits one of America’s most iconic national landmarks. There, carved into the granite face of what the Lakota Sioux once called â€Å"six grandfathers† mountain, are the faces of four U.S. Presidents, who are credited with great contributions to the country and westward expansion. Few Americans know of the tremendous engineering required to accomplish the sculptures, nor do they know the arduous conditions the laborers endured to give AmericaRead MoreThe Legacy Of President Jefferson1715 Words   |  7 Pagescountry forever. This metamorphic compromise had been made by America s third president, Thomas Jefferson. He purchased the bountiful and beautiful land of Louisiana from France. Jefferson wanted to expand America, and adding more land seemed like the perfect solution. Indeed, if it had not been for President Jefferson, one may be living in an entirely different type of culture. President Thomas Jefferson needed men to explore the new land. An expedition would need to take place, and wouldRead More Thomas Jefferson Essay1561 Words   |  7 Pages Thomas Jefferson amp;#9;Thomas Jefferson was the third president of the United States. His terms lasted from the year 1801 to the year 1809. Jefferson was an American revolutionary leader as well as an influential political philosopher. Jefferson was among a group of the most brilliant Americans that resulted from the Enlightenment in Europe. Possibly one of the best writers during his time, Jefferson was the principal author of the Declaration of Independence. amp;#9;Jefferson ¡Ã‚ ¦s status asRead MoreThe History Of Lewis And Clark1651 Words   |  7 PagesThe History of Lewis and Clark In 1803, shortly after the Louisiana Purchase, Thomas Jefferson, our third US President sent two men, U.S. Army Captain Meriwether Lewis and William Clark out to explore the unexplored west and in search of a water route across North America, fulfilling the dreams of Thomas Jefferson in sending explorers across the America. Thomas Jefferson chose Meriwether Lewis who was previously his secretary to lead the expedition. Thus being chosen to lead the expeditionRead MoreThe Second President Of The United States1311 Words   |  6 Pagesbefore he became the third president of the United States, Thomas Jefferson had dreamed of sending explorers across North America. When Jefferson took office in 1801, most of the United States population lived within 50 miles of the Atlantic Ocean. Knowledge of the western part of the continent was limited to what had been learned from French traders and fur trappers and Spanish and British explorers. On January 18, 1803, President Jefferson sent a confidential letter to Congress asking for $2,500Read MoreEssay on Mount Rushmore2601 Words   |  11 Pagesthe most influential figures in American history. George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt are names that still to this day trigger thoughts of greatness and awe-inspiring men. All four of these men were presidents of the United States. They each had a signature style or brought a particular ideal the American forefront. George Washington was known as the father of our country. Thomas Jefferson co-authored the Declaration of Independence. Abraham Lincoln deliveredRead MoreThe Expedition Of Lewis And Clark1270 Words   |  6 PagesLewis and Clark already developed prior to the expedition would be very beneficial and help make the journey easier. The development of the mission played a key part in the expedition itself because if the development did not play out exactly how Jefferson planned, then the expedition may not have been as successful. A big part of history, the expedition was very significant and impacted American society in ways that no one will ever be able to understand. Although the expedition of Lewis and Clark

Sherman Alexie s `` Green World `` - 1195 Words

Sherman Alexie’s â€Å"Green World† recounts his experience with twelve windmills during the Second Great Depression. An old man acquired a grotesque job on an Indian reservation. His job consisted of him driving to the windmills and cleaning up the dead birds. When the first snow occurred, he witnessed quite a sight with twelve distinct bloody circles of dead birds caused by the windmills. While caught in his gaze at the reservation, an Indian approached him, and he was held at gunpoint. The Indian shot the windmill with his shotgun, only to be discouraged and walk off (16-21). In Sherman Alexie’s â€Å"Green World†, I would argue that the main intellectual conflict with the old man beckons the question is the advancement in technology worth the severe impact with the environment or should society strive for the preservation of the environment. This struggle resonates with Robert Sapolsky’s â€Å"Super Humanity† theme of it is human nature t o be unconstrained by nature because society strived to produce alternative forms of energy to help preserve nature, but society also harmed nature in the pursuit of protection. While non-reusable natural resources diminish, scientists have created engineering marvels, such as the Hoover Dam and hybrid cars, to preserve what little resources remain. Windmills are one such creation that utilizes the ever powerful wind to power generators to supply electricity, and the old man is mesmerized by them: â€Å"those windmills were rather simple and lovely butShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Sherman Alexie s The Lone Ranger And Tonto Fistfight 1233 Words   |  5 Pagespresented. Native Americans past and present continue to face stifling issues such as racism, alcoholism, isolation and suicide. Sherman Alexie makes it his obligation in his stories and poems to show Native American resiliency through humor. By using his characters to show resiliency through humor Alexie presents humor as an i ntegral part of Native American survival. In Sherman Alexie’s best work to date The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fist Fight in Heaven† humor allows his characters to display strengthRead MoreRhetorical Analysis Of Sherman Alexie s The Lone Ranger And Tonto Fistfight 1116 Words   |  5 PagesRebecca Edwards Newman 10/26/14 Essay 2 ENC 1102 (Green 2) In his stories Sherman Alexie’s humor, portays a role that helps bring people together,Alexie s sophisticated use of humor unsettles conventional ways of thinking and helps brain growth, which allows Indian characters to connect to their heritage in ways and forces non-Indian readers to reconsider their ideas on them. â€Å"The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven† by Sherman Alexie is a humorously told, short story detailing the struggleRead MoreAnalysis Of The Absolute True Diary Of A Part Time Indian1919 Words   |  8 PagesFalse Believes of Reservation Indians In the late 1400’s a navigator by the name Christopher Columbus was sent in search of a new trade route to the west indies from the motherland of Spain, but was accidentally sent off course during the excursion. As a result, him and his crew members discovered an entirely new land mass that eventually became one of the most famous discoveries of all time. Christopher Columbus and his crew had found a new land inhabited by multiple different cultures and peopleRead MoreThe Reservation Land For Native Americans980 Words   |  4 Pagesneeded income for impoverished tribal communities (Forbes). In Sherman Alexie’s book, â€Å"The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian,† the reader experiences firsthand the overwhelming devastation poverty wreaks on the lives of those living on a reservation. The story’s awkward teenage narrator, Arnold, expresses frustration when he shares how he lives â€Å"with his poor-ass family on the poor-ass Spokane Indian Reservation (Alexie 7). In what is undoubtedly the most heart-wrenching passage in theRead More Pocahontas and the Mythical Indian Woman Essay5406 Words   |  22 Pages Pocahontas. Americans know her as the beautiful, Indian woman who fell in love with the white settler John Smith and then threw her body upon the poor white captive to protect him from being brutally executed by her own savage tribe. The magical world of Walt Disney came out with their own movie version several years ago portraying Pocahontas as a tan, sexy Barbie doll figure and John Smith as a blond-haired, blue-eyed muscular Ken doll. Although Disney attempts to instill racial tolerance, inter-racialRead MoreLiterary Criticism : The Free Encyclopedia 7351 Words   |  30 Pagesusually wider and less technical. The birth of the Bildungsroman is normally dated to the publication of Wilhelm Meister s Apprenticeship by Johann Wolfgang Goethe in 1795–96,[8] or, sometimes, to Christoph Martin Wieland s Geschichte des Agathon of 1767.[9] Although the Bildungsroman arose in Germany, it has had extensive influence first in Europe and later throughout the world. Thomas Carlyle translated Goethe’s novel into English, and after its publication in 1824, many British authors wrote novels

James Fenimore Cooper Free Essays

Connor Roche Research Paper JAMES FENIMORE COOPER James Fenimore Cooper was an important literary figure of the 1800s, best known for his novels. He is perhaps most noted for his greatest work of literature: The Last of the Mohicans: A Narrative of 1757, a tale that chronicles the journey of several English people and a few Native Americans during the French and Indian War, also known as the Seven Days War. Cooper’s work on this novel and others such as The Prairie reflects his different approach regarding certain commonly held ideas of the time. We will write a custom essay sample on James Fenimore Cooper or any similar topic only for you Order Now This was especially true concerning the present-day views most people had about Native Americans. However, Cooper’s work also reflected his compliance with the most popular fine arts movement of his time: Romanticism. To completely grasp the scope of Cooper’s writing, some background on Cooper’s life, and the social customs and ideas of his time are necessary. Cooper was born on September 15, 1789 to Elizabeth Fenimore and William Cooper, the founder of the city of Cooperstown, NY. After expulsion from Yale College, Cooper pursued a career as a sailor on a merchant ship, traveling as far as the Strait of Gibraltar. Following this was a brief stint in the United States Navy, followed by farming. During his expeditions at sea, James Cooper seriously considered becoming a writer. In fact, most of his stories tell tales of sailors and sea trips, inspired by his own days on the water (Literature Network). At the time of Cooper’s writing, Native Americans were often held in contempt, mistreated, and oppressed. This had been a common aspect of society since the days of Columbus’ first expeditions to the Americas (Cassutto). The Native Americans were regarded with prejudice, hatred, and most of all fear, as is present when experiencing any unknown thing. Often times, brutal massacres were carried out, killing hundreds of innocent Native Americans. Cooper attempted to change such ideas through the relationships established between characters in his books, as is best shown by The Last of the Mohicans. This book was actually the second (and best known) in a series of five â€Å"Leatherstocking Tales† In this story, the two of the main characters are a white man named Natty Bumppo and a Native American named Uncas, who is the titular â€Å"Last of the Mohicans†. These two men, though they were from completely different backgrounds, form a very close bond, and show that interracial cooperation is extremely plausible, and actually useful. Furthermore, Natty Bumppo goes as far as adopting a Native American name, Hawkeye, to show that he truly could blend in with the Native Americans and act peacefully with them. The actual story takes place during the French and Indian War, about 30 years before Cooper was born. Though the war is named after two groups, the actual struggle was part of a huge conflict between several nations, including Austria, England, France, Great Britain, Prussia, and Sweden. In the American colonies, the war resulted from excessive pressure from the British for additional resource collection and production. This resulted in higher taxes, more strenuous work, etc. During the war in the colonies, the Native Americans (Indians) faced the French, who, allied with the British, extended the war for seven years. Considering the effects that the events of the time period would have had on the people, the works of James Fenimore Cooper could even be considered revolutionary. Despite the heavy racism of the time, Cooper stressed the importance and possibility of interracial cooperation, and even seemed to promote it. In other words, he was not afraid to change the stereotype and provide an alternate view of Native Americans. However, as with all situations, James Fenimore Cooper also provides a negative, more foreboding side to the relationship between different cultures. Specifically, he seems to promote friendship and brotherhood, but strongly warns against interracial romance. This seems to be a common theme of his contemporaries, who also strongly agreed that interracial romance was to be strictly off-limits. Though not stated directly by Cooper, the fates of several of the characters in The Last of the Mohicans shows that Cooper believed that interracial love would lead to tragedy. This is implicitly stated through the unfortunate deaths of two of the main characters. In the story, Uncas, the aforementioned Mohican, and Cora Munro, an English general’s daughter, begin a budding romance that leads to their eventual demise. Cora is kidnapped by the villain of the story, a Native American of the Huron tribe named Magua. During rescue attempts, both Cora and Uncas are inevitably killed. The death of these two characters seems to suggest that interracial romance will lead only to failure and is highly dangerous. On a very basic level, it is the essential differences between the cultures that cause a split that leads to the failure of the romance. In this case, the brutal nature of the Native Americans causes the death of both the sheltered English girl, and even the tough, hardened Native American man. At this point, it is clear that James Fenimore Cooper did not adhere to the racial conventions of his time. Despite some warning of the dangers of cultural mixing, in his literature, he stood by his own beliefs of interracial interaction. However, James Cooper did follow others in his era with the type of literature he wrote. His work was reflective of the Romantic style of writing and at the time of his novels’ creations, the Romantic Era was in full-swing in America. The Romantic era was a movement in the fields of art, literature, and intellectualism that originated in Europe in the late 1700s. The movement placed a heavy emphasis on emotions such as fear, horror, and awe rather than reason. Also, there is a superiority of mystery over clarity, and importance given to the individual, rather than the standards of society. This could be easily expressed through art, but through literature, the conveyance of such emotions was a very new experience. Certain effects of the movement were clearly reflected in Cooper’s literature. For example, along with the Romantic movement came the inspiration of political change, and also, in stark contrast, descriptions of heavily romanticized (hence the name of the period) situations and settings, such as â€Å"a mock-medieval castle perched dramatically above a craggy ravine† (History World). Elements such as these are clearly evident in Cooper’s work, especially the emphasis on setting. Using rich descriptive language, Cooper gives details of all the areas that his characters venture through. At times, the extensiveness of his description is so rich that a reader may feel as though he or she is actually experiencing the setting. This was very common in Romantic literature, and can be seen in the following passage from The Last of the Mohicans: â€Å"The mountain on which they stood, elevated, perhaps a thousand feet in the air, was a high cone that rose a little in of advance of that range which stretches for miles along the western shores of the lake, until meeting its sister piles, beyond the water, it ran off toward the Canadas, in confused and broken masses of rock thinly sprinkled with evergreens. † (The Last of the Mohicans, James Fenimore Cooper, 177) Aside from the Romantic descriptions of locations and characters, Coopers work also showed a great amount of diversion from previously held ideals, as mentioned above in his explorations of interracial friendships and interaction. This seems to carry an underlying feeling of political activism, which was another of the attributes of the Romantic Movement. The activism lies in the implication that racial boundaries should be reexamined and reevaluated. Though Cooper does not say outright that his novel should spark a revolution, his work does imply that there is a desperate need for change in society. Furthermore, some aspects of the novel could be seen as an anti-war statement made by Cooper. This was a shared sentiment among many of his contemporaries, and carried on even through the Vietnam War in the late 1900s. However, this sentiment could be seen by analyzing the novel from a Romantic Movement point of view. Returning to the idea of descriptive nature, Cooper often gives descriptions not only of the beauty of the land, but also of its inherent danger. In the story, nature provides almost as much of a struggle for the main characters as the war does for the soldiers. In a sense, it seems as if Cooper was trying to say that nature was the real enemy, not other humans. The anti-war sentiment could not only be interpreted metaphorically through the text, it was also sometimes stated explicitly. In the following passage, James Cooper’s disgust for war and fighting is evident, as he describes the battle as an extremely gruesome occurrence: â€Å"More than two thousand raging savages broke out from the forest at signal and threw themselves across the fatal plain with instinctive alacrity. We shall not dwell upon the revolting horrors that succeeded. Death was everywhere in his most terrific and disgusting aspects †¦ The flow of blood might be likened to the outbreaking of a torrent†¦ and as the natives became†¦maddened by the fight, many among them†¦drank freely†¦hellishly of the crimson tide. †(Mohicans, Cooper 222) As was made clear by this passage, Cooper clearly resented the war and the horrors it brought with it. In Conclusion, the works of James Fenimore Cooper gave a clear representation of the ideals and movements of his time. His writing was reflective of the new intellectual, artistic, and literary Romantic Movement, shown by its beautifully descriptive passages and also by its deviation from what was previously accepted as normalcy. Furthermore, his works deviated from not only his predecessors, but also his contemporaries, as he implicitly supported the furthering of positive interracial interaction and cooperation. Coopers work was a great addition to his era, and greatly helped reflect the changing times and culture of the 19th century. How to cite James Fenimore Cooper, Papers