Ellis Island Experience

What kind of emotions would you feel reuniting with a loved one at "The Kissing Post"?

           I would feel joyful because my family supports me and gives me advice. With them being separated from me, I wouldn't have the support and advice that they give me. I would feel relieve because I would have someone to help me get accustomed to the new lifestyle in the United States. Also, I would feel curious to know the experiences they have came across while away from me. 

Carnegie "Wealth" Essay

       The author states, "We assemble thousands of operatives in the factory, in the mine, and in the counting-house, of whom the employer can know little or nothing, and to whom the employer is little better than a myth." I agree with what the author says about the employers knowing little to nothing about the employees, and the employees knowing little to nothing about the employers. The author also says in the article, "All intercourse between them is at an end. Rigid Castes are formed, and, as usual, mutual ignorance breeds mutual distrust." I agree with the author. I believe that people don't have trust in each other when they don't know one another.
      "Beside this, it may fairly be said that no man is to be extolled for doing what he cannot help doing, nor is he to be thanked by the community to which he only leaves wealth at death. Men who leave vast sums in this way may fairly be thought men who would not have left it at all, had they been able to take it with them." I disagree with this quote because I don't think men who leave vast sums after their death would not have left it at al, had they been able to take it with them. This may be true in some men, but I don't think it is true in all men. Some men may not just want to receive the praise of their donation while they are alive, or they have some other explanation or reasoning.

Working Conditions

How do you think working conditions at this time in history will contribute to a massive change in labor? 
I think the working conditions at this time in history will contribute to a massive change in labor because it will cause there to be less workers. The conditions were so bad that people were dying from them. The deaths of these workers were lowering the number of workers. If more men die, the numbers are just going to keep lowering. The workers could decide to go on strike, too which would cause the amount of workers to lower. Soon, the numbers of workers will have changed drastically.  

Cartoon

How did analyzing these cartoons help you understand the relationship between big business and government better?

It helped me picture the difference between big businesses and the government. It showed me the feelings portrayed by big businesses and the government, also. 

Why would the position of the government be emphasized in these cartoons? 

 The position of the government would be emphasized in these cartoons because it plays a major role in our society. The government doesn't always know how to control things. 

How do these cartoons help you answer the essential question, "How does a society distribute wealth?"

These cartoons help me answer the essential question, "How does a society distribute wealth?" by describing the ways big businesses, consumers, and the government are connected. The actions of each group affect the other groups in some way. 

Railroad Game

1. What was your strategy? Did it work? What would you change about it?

Our strategy was to move across the region as quickly as possible while keeping some assets. Our strategy did not work. Eventually, we got put up for auction and got bought out. I would change the way we handled our assets. We should have moved slower and tried to keep as much assets as possible. 

2. Why do you think connecting the different economic regions made your railroad more money?

I think connecting the different economic regions made our railroad more money because it provided a way for people and resources to move from region to region. Without the railroads, it would be difficult for region to use resources from a different region. 

3.What do you think could improve this game? 

 I think offering more choices of hometowns would improve this game. I think that having more ways to create assets would improve this game, also. 

4. What were your overall thoughts of the game?

I liked the game. I though it was a good way to learn, but it was fun, also. 

5. After studying railroads and playing the game, how did this "innovation" change the United States?

This "innovation" of railroads changed the United States because it allowed resources to be transported from regions to regions. Businesses gained more consumers and were successful because their products were able to be transported farther. 

Patillo Higgins

A life lesson that I learned from Patillo Higgins is to never give up on something that you believe in. He believed strongly that there was oil in Beaumont. Several people told him that it was impossible and that he was wasting time and money. He didn't give up. He spent the last part of his money on an ad looking for an oil investor. He got one reply from a guy named Lucas. His new partner helped him prove to the world that he was right. They drilled one thousand feet into the ground and found oil. I thought it took him a lot of courage and confidence to stand up to the people that didn't have faith in his theory.

How Native Americans had their Culture Taken Away

Two Sides of the Story

1. How can two groups present such a different image of the same relationship?

Two groups can present such a different image of the same relationship because they aren't willing to good. I think as humans it is just naturally to look for the bad in people than the goo. Both groups mostly realized the bad things of each other's group. They never looked at the things they had in common or the good things each group was doing. 

2. What causes these two viewpoints to happen?

Disagreements and the opportunity for prosperity causes these two viewpoints to happen. The whites needed the land in order to prosper, so they went after the indians. The indians needed the land to keep prospering, so the fought back. The idea of being able to prosper controls what we do as humans most of the time. They both wanted to prosper and had disagreements which lead to the Wounded Knee Massacre.

3. Whose side of the story was more widely accepted as truth and what impact did that have?

I think that the white man's side of the story of indians was more widely accepted as the truth. Every white man had not personally seen an indian. They were going off the description of the white man out in the Midwest. The whites accepting the truth of the indians acting like savages had a great impact on everybody. This description or statement gave the whites the idea that the indians needed to be controlled. Since the indians needed to be controlled, the whites thought they could make them sign treaties that limited their rights and take their lands. This action towards the indians up-setted them. Later, it resulted in war and of what I think are unnecessary deaths. The story of the indians through the white man's point of view started the friction between the two groups. 

Gold Rush

1.What is it about the potential for wealth that causes people to make drastic life changes?

        I think people make drastic life changes for wealth because they think it will improve their lives. Most people will make drastic changes in their life for an opportunity of wealth. People that take risks for wealth aren't satisfied with how their life is at this moment. 

2. What opportunities could be presented to you that would cause you to pick up and move across the country? 

       Any opportunity that would change my life in a positive way. I would pick up and move across the country if it was for something I really wanted in life. I wouldn't move if it was something I am unsure I want in life. 

3. What are your own opinions about taking risks in life?

       I think taking risks get you further in life, but they are scary too. When people take risks in their lives, it requires change. I think taking risks teaches people that they are not always going to succeed. 

What do you think the opportunities were that caused this change?

I think that having more land was an opportunity that many people wanted. They could use the land for many different things. I believe that people wanted to move out into the Western part of the United States because of the resources out there. They resources out in the west may have been more valuable than the resources in the east. With these new and valuable resources, it would also create the opportunity to open new trading with different people. Sicknesses could have been a cause of the expansion. People had to move away, so they didn't get ill and die.