Return to the other six questions. Reread them and comment on AT LEAST 2 of them, giving your final words of wisdom to the topic. Be clear, insightful and detailed. Do not just ramble or blather.
I think we (humans in general) tend to judge people and things too quickly with our own first impressions. We really must learn how to look at an idea from all perspectives without being influenced by the personality it comes from. In the musical, the congressmen were bias towards John Adam's opinions because they disliked him but they were completly oblivious to all the signs of the approaching revolution. It's like what the care taker McNare said about the congressmen being the last ones to know about the lastest break outs or riots. You must be well-informed of a situation before forming an opinion on it. In order to be well-informed, you need to LISTEN to what the other people say with out just dismissing their ideas because you don't care for their personalities. I am a very visual and audio learner, so I get more out of watching a video than reading a chapter from a book. I also enjoy a subject more when there is humor in it. Watching 1776 has been a great learning tool because it helps me connect the events from all the paragraphs in the text to make it one big interrelated story in my head.
Well, touching again on the difficulty in abolishing slavery, I thought of when Ben Franklin said to John Adams that Congress was made of men, no more and no less. Men could only accomplish so much. They themselves felt the luxuries of owning slaves, wouldn't they be hypocrites to declare it wrong? If they left in the reference to the cruelty of slavery in the Decleration, the entire south would never vote for independency. So at the expense of thousands of American slaves, we - just plain ignorant men - had to learn our lesson the hard way. This was such a crucial point in the movie and it touches on the question about seperation of men from issues to further the main goal of Independency. Men are stubborn, but one side had to give in and it certainly wasn't going to be the delegates from the south. John Adams had to see, with the help of Ben Franklin and Thomas Jefferson, that there was no other way. The issue was independence, not slavery. This seperation of men from issues in order to achieve the main goal was a reoccuring theme. I especially apprecited Dr. Hall's decision to trust his own judgement and switch his vote in support of independence. He knew this was in the best interest of the people even if Georgia may not understand. You could truly see these men come together in the end, even through all the political back and forths, they realized personality didn't matter any more - Independence was of the greatest importance.
I think this movie was a really good showing of some of humans downfalls.A large one being that we don't really think for ourselves. A lot of times we just go with what is expected of us. For example the president would vote things the way of his party even if they didn't believe it! Or like in this movie a few of the southern states just voted the way the rest of the south voted! I thought this was a really awesome idea and i'm so glad we did it. As embarrassing as this is, i didn't even reallize some of those people were involved in all that and you really got to see alot. I canhonestly say i learned a lot fromt this!
After spending 3 days watching this film, I think I have come to appreciate it. I remember back in 7th grade when Mrs. Dunne made our whole team watch it the day before Christmas vacation. It was so long and boring, that I couldn't wait for it to end. (Especially during the scene when John Adams and his wife were singing. BORING!) But now, after watching it again I can really see the meaning behind it all. I didn't realize it back in 7th grade but their were a lot of hard and tedious decisions that the Congress had to make in 1776, such as Independence. I didn't make the connection then to just how much those congressmen really had on their shoulders. They are truly American heros.
This was a seriously eye opening section of study. It truly helped me understand the story of congress and independence more. I learned of the personalities of those members of congress and how much their either conviction or annoyance or brilliance influenced our independence. Also i learned of how those with truly strong beliefs should never back down and never forget their own opinions ever.
When we first were voting to watch this movie, I had no idea why the people in our class wanted to a watch a MUSICAL. After actually finishing the flim I have come to realize that I have actually learned from this movie. The question about the importance of personality in polotics was a very interesting topic. When I re-read the comments made many of them refer to the 2008 presidential election. We will come to see if either of the two candidates carisma will help the country. Also the chance topic was very interesting. Imagine if New Jersey had been at the vote that day, this country may not be independent today. WOW!
question number 8, the picture: the picture represents many different things. it shows a baby bird, holding a united states flag, hatching from an egg with the union jack on the side. the bird represents america, the fledgling nation. it is breaking out of the british egg that has restrained it untill this day where it broke free after its long hard struggle. Question 7, slavery: slavery is terrible and one of the worst things imaginable that one human can do to another, especially these men who were fighting for freedom and rights. now i think slavery is a cruel deprivment of rights, but it was nessasiry for the country to survive its first years and this is the only arguement that i can find to possibly begin to try and argue for slavery. that in the long run slavery was for the greater good at that point in time for america.
An admitted control freak, I found it personally inspiring to see such an uptight and driven John Adams "step out of the spotlight," as it were, and let others assume control in order to reach his ultimate goal of independence. Adams knew he was disliked by his fellow Congressmen, and acted upon that. However, I am personally aware that it must not have been easy for him to show such humility, especially in the face of all he had to lose.
Question 2, "Importance," made me think of the way the world- and politics- could be. Charisma, popularity, formal education and/or motive of the individual should not have to matter, especially when voting on such a sensitive matter as American Independence. Voting Congressmen should be above such influences; they should vote on the issue, and not the person presenting it. However, I am old enough to realize how romanitcized this wish is, and how unlikely it is to come true.
Looking back at the blog, I find myself questioning my own opinions. I try my hardest to look at subjects from all reasonable points of view. I try to put myself in one's shoes and believe I can understand where they are coming from. One who is not open to discussion or unwilling to listen to others opinions based on their personality or personal feelings towards them is bad bad bad. That action gains absolutely nothing. When one thinks like that, it causes conflict and it prevents your mind from expanding to boundaries you didn't even know you had. Listening to people speak who are different than you is how your brain develops intellect and more knowledge. Knowledge is power and having knowledge is the only way to gain power and respect because no one will want to listen to you unless you are intellectual about what you speak of.
9 comments:
I think we (humans in general) tend to judge people and things too quickly with our own first impressions. We really must learn how to look at an idea from all perspectives without being influenced by the personality it comes from. In the musical, the congressmen were bias towards John Adam's opinions because they disliked him but they were completly oblivious to all the signs of the approaching revolution. It's like what the care taker McNare said about the congressmen being the last ones to know about the lastest break outs or riots. You must be well-informed of a situation before forming an opinion on it. In order to be well-informed, you need to LISTEN to what the other people say with out just dismissing their ideas because you don't care for their personalities.
I am a very visual and audio learner, so I get more out of watching a video than reading a chapter from a book. I also enjoy a subject more when there is humor in it. Watching 1776 has been a great learning tool because it helps me connect the events from all the paragraphs in the text to make it one big interrelated story in my head.
Well, touching again on the difficulty in abolishing slavery, I thought of when Ben Franklin said to John Adams that Congress was made of men, no more and no less. Men could only accomplish so much. They themselves felt the luxuries of owning slaves, wouldn't they be hypocrites to declare it wrong? If they left in the reference to the cruelty of slavery in the Decleration, the entire south would never vote for independency. So at the expense of thousands of American slaves, we - just plain ignorant men - had to learn our lesson the hard way. This was such a crucial point in the movie and it touches on the question about seperation of men from issues to further the main goal of Independency. Men are stubborn, but one side had to give in and it certainly wasn't going to be the delegates from the south. John Adams had to see, with the help of Ben Franklin and Thomas Jefferson, that there was no other way. The issue was independence, not slavery. This seperation of men from issues in order to achieve the main goal was a reoccuring theme. I especially apprecited Dr. Hall's decision to trust his own judgement and switch his vote in support of independence. He knew this was in the best interest of the people even if Georgia may not understand. You could truly see these men come together in the end, even through all the political back and forths, they realized personality didn't matter any more - Independence was of the greatest importance.
I think this movie was a really good showing of some of humans downfalls.A large one being that we don't really think for ourselves. A lot of times we just go with what is expected of us. For example the president would vote things the way of his party even if they didn't believe it! Or like in this movie a few of the southern states just voted the way the rest of the south voted!
I thought this was a really awesome idea and i'm so glad we did it. As embarrassing as this is, i didn't even reallize some of those people were involved in all that and you really got to see alot. I canhonestly say i learned a lot fromt this!
After spending 3 days watching this film, I think I have come to appreciate it. I remember back in 7th grade when Mrs. Dunne made our whole team watch it the day before Christmas vacation. It was so long and boring, that I couldn't wait for it to end. (Especially during the scene when John Adams and his wife were singing. BORING!) But now, after watching it again I can really see the meaning behind it all. I didn't realize it back in 7th grade but their were a lot of hard and tedious decisions that the Congress had to make in 1776, such as Independence. I didn't make the connection then to just how much those congressmen really had on their shoulders. They are truly American heros.
This was a seriously eye opening section of study. It truly helped me understand the story of congress and independence more. I learned of the personalities of those members of congress and how much their either conviction or annoyance or brilliance influenced our independence. Also i learned of how those with truly strong beliefs should never back down and never forget their own opinions ever.
When we first were voting to watch this movie, I had no idea why the people in our class wanted to a watch a MUSICAL. After actually finishing the flim I have come to realize that I have actually learned from this movie. The question about the importance of personality in polotics was a very interesting topic. When I re-read the comments made many of them refer to the 2008 presidential election. We will come to see if either of the two candidates carisma will help the country. Also the chance topic was very interesting. Imagine if New Jersey had been at the vote that day, this country may not be independent today. WOW!
question number 8, the picture: the picture represents many different things. it shows a baby bird, holding a united states flag, hatching from an egg with the union jack on the side. the bird represents america, the fledgling nation. it is breaking out of the british egg that has restrained it untill this day where it broke free after its long hard struggle.
Question 7, slavery: slavery is terrible and one of the worst things imaginable that one human can do to another, especially these men who were fighting for freedom and rights. now i think slavery is a cruel deprivment of rights, but it was nessasiry for the country to survive its first years and this is the only arguement that i can find to possibly begin to try and argue for slavery. that in the long run slavery was for the greater good at that point in time for america.
An admitted control freak, I found it personally inspiring to see such an uptight and driven John Adams "step out of the spotlight," as it were, and let others assume control in order to reach his ultimate goal of independence. Adams knew he was disliked by his fellow Congressmen, and acted upon that. However, I am personally aware that it must not have been easy for him to show such humility, especially in the face of all he had to lose.
Question 2, "Importance," made me think of the way the world- and politics- could be. Charisma, popularity, formal education and/or motive of the individual should not have to matter, especially when voting on such a sensitive matter as American Independence. Voting Congressmen should be above such influences; they should vote on the issue, and not the person presenting it. However, I am old enough to realize how romanitcized this wish is, and how unlikely it is to come true.
Looking back at the blog, I find myself questioning my own opinions. I try my hardest to look at subjects from all reasonable points of view. I try to put myself in one's shoes and believe I can understand where they are coming from. One who is not open to discussion or unwilling to listen to others opinions based on their personality or personal feelings towards them is bad bad bad. That action gains absolutely nothing. When one thinks like that, it causes conflict and it prevents your mind from expanding to boundaries you didn't even know you had. Listening to people speak who are different than you is how your brain develops intellect and more knowledge. Knowledge is power and having knowledge is the only way to gain power and respect because no one will want to listen to you unless you are intellectual about what you speak of.
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