The documentary, “13th” by Oscar Nominated Documentary, Ava Duvernay was an incredible documentary in which she went in-depth displaying the prison house scheme in the United States and how it played a big part in racial inequality. Duvernay uses various sociological theoretical perspectives, particularly structural functionalism. What is structural functionalism? They are societies that are viewed as each aspect of society’s roles are independent. The communities of people are viewed as organisms who are independent, meaning that the community of people of each individual has their own goals which leads to the society coming together as a whole. If the parts of societies fight with each other and no longer work together to satisfy the goals of their own, then it could lead to the destruction of the society. This theory examines social patterns, their effect on society, and how individuals fit into a social pattern to form society. Like how the American society refuses to acknowledge the fact that the actions they’re causing onto the blacks, they are not only harming them by excluding them from the “white American humanity”, but they are also harming themselves from living in a toxic society because of their actions.

Duvernay goes back to the end of 1865, when the Civil War ended and the 13th Amendment was passed, putting an end to slavery and making all African Americans free of enslavement. Before then, they were labeled as evil and treated unfairly and poorly. Although the Amendment was good news for colored people, it also added another obstacle in their way. The whites have found another way to harass the colors using the Amendment which states, “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude except as a punishment for crime.” Due to this statement, throughout the years, police would arrest blacks for minor crimes and cuff these because of their suspicion. This caused a prison boom, with already over 70,000 blacks in prison. To add a bigger emphasis on why and how the arrest came to a conclusion, in the documentary, the time Nixon was president, he created a system that targeted black people without investigating the motivations that goes toward unjust criminal accusations. In 1982, President Ronald Reagan inserted the thoughts in Americans’ mind that drugs is killing the economy and blacks were felons. Possessions of marijuana and/or other drugs added to the arrest of Americans that were already detained.

Going further into the years, the law of “Three Strikes and you’re Out” law was passed when the tragedy of Paula Klass took place, the law indicating that when a person committed their third crime, they were imprisoned forever. Going on even further, the documentary shows how police now will not just stop the ones they think are conducting suspicious activities, but also fire within 15 seconds if the blacks try to plead their innocence. For example, Kalief Browder was arrested at the age of 16 for allegedly stealing a backpack and charged with robbery and assault. He had the chance to either plea innocent and wait for his trail, but the consequence was if he went down that path, if he ends up getting accused as guilty, he’d given a life sentence in prison. Because he didn’t want to take that chance and his family could not afford to bail him out, he was then imprisoned for three years in solitary confinement. He was then released when the prosecutor lacked evidence in his “misconduct”. After he was released, he committed suicide in his home by hanging himself. 

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In Confederates in the Attic, award winning, author Tony Horwitz travels through the lower South, visiting historical Confederate landmarks. On this journey he interviews the locals that he encounters about their connection to the Civil War and their thoughts of its effect on present-day America. Horwitz sectionalized the book by certain places, deciding to explain his entire visit to a state in one section, finishing out one before shifting into the next chapter along his expedition. Also, while many writers of nonfiction will often have a central argument that the author is trying to reason and prove, Confederates in the Attic does not. The text is more of an investigation of a places and its people, delivering a presentation of what he found along the way.

Though Horwitz spent the majority of the text interviewing only white Southerners, Horwitz does not neglect the views of southern African-Americans. In doing so, Horwitz briefly addresses the continued racial tension and conflict that is present in the South today. A few topics discussed where: debates over Confederate Memorial displays in public places, the flying of the Confederate Flag, and the legacy of integration and the Civil Rights Movement. Horwitz’s varied subjects do not shy away from confessing their honest opinion, ignoring however blunt or politically incorrect answers may have seemed. Nonetheless, this gives the book a sense of honesty and imminence where readers feel as if they, too, where in the room listening to the interviews.

Confederates in the Attic is split into fifteen chapters in which each focuses on specific places. Horwitz highlights the difference between the cultures among different Southern states and the people who reside in them. The common idea of “The South” being a singular mass, Horwitz details that the area is really a vast pool of southern individuals that each have their own distinct beliefs, backgrounds, and cultures. He adds, that these distinctions may vary from those of their neighbors. Nevertheless, what eventually transpired from Horwitz’s studies are the themes that serve to bind and create Southern Culture including: nostalgia, family, land, loss, heritage, and displacement.

Overall, Horwitz argues that the Civil War is still very much alive in the hearts of some Americans in the South. Also, the author is trying to demonstrate how these shapes the way many southerners perceive themselves and the world around them. He concludes the book with many conversations many white southerners who cherish the memory of the Confederacy. Also, he expands on how the Civil War plays a role in modern racial violence in the South. Confederates in the Attic is a must read for those interested in the Civil War and its influence on the past and the present.

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In the early days, there was a clear dichotomy between the roles of a man and a woman. The jobs of hunting and fighting naturally fell to males, who are physically stronger, while females were in charge of Housekeeping and child-rearing. As time passed, the requirement of physical strength to carry out work diminished. Despite this, females were still exclusively the ones staying at home. Modern workplaces also tend to favour characteristically male traits, such as aggressiveness. As a result of all this, males have traditionally been seen as superior to their female counterparts. Since men feel entitled to do so, acts of violence are committed against women, both at home and in the workplace. These acts of violence range from domestic to sexual violence, and usually result in physical and psychological harms[1]. In recent years, more has been done to empower women across the globe. Most countries have adopted legislation criminalising acts of violence against women and the increasingly famous #MeToo movement deals with the issue of sexual harassment[2].

Iraq believes that it is imperative to empower women and to prevent them from becoming victims of violence. We have implemented quotas for female parliamentarians, which ensure the representation of women so that their interests are not ignored during law-making. However, Iraq would also like to clarify that we have more pressing issues to attend to, such as recovering from the civil war that recently devastated the country, meaning we do not have many resources available. That being said, the Iraqi government, especially the Ministry of Women’s Affairs, will do everything in their power to aid women in their fight for equality.

The root cause of the problem is the attitude that men are inherently better than women, which is regrettably still prevalent. Especially in places where women may not have access to good education or opportunities, it is very difficult for them to dispel misogynistic beliefs. This is even more so when confirmation bias is taken into consideration — the moment one woman makes a mistake, everyone takes it that all women are therefore incapable. A challenge that undermines the effectiveness of legislative measures to prevent violence is that of victim shaming. Women who are abused are oftentimes afraid to speak out for they fear they will be frowned upon by their communities or they may even view themselves as the ones to blame[3][4].

The most effective way of dealing with this is to change people’s mindsets regarding the role of women in society. This can be done through increasing educational and job opportunities for women, affirmative action measures or actively teaching men about how vital women are for society to function. Iraq also encourages other countries, especially LEDC’s, to consider following her example in setting a quota for the number of women in governmental bodies. Alongside this, governments should also try to outlaw violence against women if it is possible and would be effective. In order to incentivise women to speak up more, it is crucial that governments create precedents and teach women that it is not their fault they were the victims of violence. Considering the large role NGO’s play[5], governments could also help streamline the processes they have to undergo to provide help to victims of violence

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The song “Just Before the Battle Mother” is an extremely emotional song to listen to in light of its resonance at such an important moment in our nation’s history during the Civil War. The lyrics show the underlying nature of the song as a national song in which the author addresses himself to his mother and God. The narrator embodies the American ideals of country, family and religion through his calls to “mother,” “comrades,” and “God.” The word choices the author makes are effective in painting a realistic atmosphere for the listener of a battle. The following military terms, “enemy,” “banner,” “soldiers,” “bugle,” “signal for the fight,” and “rally” all function in combination to create a mental image for the listener of a soldier gearing up for battle. Additionally, the author uses juxtaposing words and phrases in order to further highlight the main points and themes of the song. For example, we see reference to “comrades brave” as well as “traitors all around,” emphasizing the bravery of American soldiers in battle. The author also talks in the same verse of “thoughts of home” and waiting for the enemy “while upon the field,” thereby illustrating the need to give up the safety of one’s home for the dangers of a battlefield.

The chorus line “farewell, mother, you may never press me to your heart again,” evokes a feeling of sadness in listeners due to the possibility that a mother may lose her son. However, the lyrics, “press me to your heart again,” go further than just serving as a poetically written line. The lyrics summon an image of a mother holding, or rocking, a young child close to her chest, a picture that exaggerates, but reminds us of the youth of these soldiers torn away from their families.

Furthermore, the execution of the song musically works to augment the lyrical messages. The author is telling the story of a young soldier off at work before an ensuing battle so it follows that the tempo be 4/4 creating a more consistent, work type beat that would be typical of a battle or military feat. Additionally, the rhythm throughout the song is extremely constant and unwavering. The guitar is played almost lazily, and at a consistent speed all throughout the song, which contributes to the idea that there is continuous movement and preparation on the battlefield. The idea of movement is also supported by the singer’s return to the same first line, aiding the sense of nonstop movement in a circular pattern. Moreover, the singer at times holds long drawn out words that are often sung in two distinct syllables in the form of an eighth note followed by a quarter note. The longer notes and drawn out beats leave the listener intrigued, waiting on the singer’s every word to hear the rest of the story. The singer’s voice itself is quite monotone, contributing to the sense of repetition and steady motion, as well as setting the tone of the melancholy of a soldier longing for home. Finally, the accompanying female voices that join in just during the chorus help the listener follow the story and imagine not only the feelings of the soldier, but those of his mother left at home full of worry for her son. Adding on the female vocals in the background during only the chorus make the lyrics, “Farwell, mother, you may never press me to your heart again, but, oh, you’ll not forget me, mother, if I’m numbered with the slain” that much more powerful.

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Farming and Settling the West

Settling the west after the Civil War, grew steadily in the decades that followed. The Great Plains was the area in midwest-America stretching from Texas all the way up to the Dakotas. It was once thought to be terrible, draught and dry, but this land was where America’s Wheat Belt was transformed. As Americans started moving west, most people traveled with horses, wagons and boats. But the railroads made it way easier for people to travel and they could haul a lot more goods than a wagon could and they were way faster so it didn't take as long to get places. “The railroad, or 'iron horse,' became a vital new travel option, especially after the 1860's” (Slatta, Richard).

The first homesteaders faced many challenges. Without trees they had to build their houses out of sod, which is really packed soil held together by grass roots. To get water they had to drill wells 100 feet deep and operate the pump by hand. When they would plant seeds they would not grow because they would not get water so they tried a new method called Dry Farming that would plant the seeds deep in the ground where they could find enough moisture that they could grow. The land was so dry, the only way they could plant seeds was to use seed drills and plows. Farmers during this time were called Sodbusters because they were the first to go out and bust the sod. During the dry season the soil they plowed over and over would get blown away by the wind. Eventually many of the Sodbusters had to leave the farm as they had no good soil left to farm in.

Many immigrants, arriving from different countries, helped to settle the West. Most were young adult males coming for mining and to get rich quick. Ranching and farming drew whole families and the Homestead Act made it easier for these families to get farmland. They could claim 160 acres and in five years they would get the title to that land.

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Total War Portfolio

“War is cruelty. There is no use trying to reform it. The crueler it is, the sooner it will be over,” This is what Williams T. Sherman said to a lady that supported the Confederacy, who criticized him for the damage of Mississippi by the Army of the Tennessee during the Meridian Campaign. William T. Sherman was a U.S. Civil War Union Army leader who created 'Sherman's March.' The purpose of Sherman’s March was to lay waste to the South in efforts to frighten Georgia's civilian population into abandoning the Confederate cause. He believed that the Civil War would come to an end only if the Confederacy's strategic and economic mentality for war were firmly broken. Sherman explained that they needed to “make old and young, rich and poor, feel the hard hand of war.” Sherman's total war strategy weakened the resources the Confederates needed for the war, ruined Georgia's economy and forced people to see the effects war would have on their economy which aided the end of the Civil War.

Sherman’s march through the city of Atlanta was the most effective and destructive part of the total war strategy. Atlanta was a very important railroad hub and the manufacturing center of the Confederacy: It had military weapons,factories, foundries and warehouses that assured that the Confederate army was supplied with food, weapons and other goods. This document shows Sherman's plans for the city of Atlanta he states in the passage “The City of Atlanta being exclusively required for warlike purposes, will at once be vacated by all except the Armies of the United States and such civilian employees as may retained by the proper Departments of Government.” This shows how Sherman only wanted to make the military suffer even though things didn’t play out that way and he ended up affecting everyone in Georgia because they do not have the supplies they need to survive. In the document Sherman states “take possessions of buildings of all kinds and if all staple articles, such as cotton, tobacco, &c.” therefore elucidating the impression that Sherman wanted to take all of the militaries resources and use them for his military in order to weaken the Confederacy.

The Union also made people act very irrational because they were so frightened. According to Carrie Berry they were all frightened and afraid that the Union was going to “treat them badly.” She states that people were running with saques of meal, salt and tobacco. “They did act ridiculous breaking open stores and robbing them.” This evidence shows how fear of the Union made people act irrational. She also states that on the night that the Union came they burned the store house and by night it looked like the whole town was on fire. “ Soldiers were going around setting houses on fire where they were not watched. They behaved very badly. They all left the town about one o’clock this evening and we were glad when they left for nobody know what we have suffered since they came in.” This evidence shows how the union were executing their total war strategy and how it affected people because people were breaking into store.

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They were a hate group of supremacists that wanted to make themselves known and heard. Today we see the KKK continuing to found themselves into areas around the United States still holding true to their goals and missions. The Ku Klux Klan wanted the white race and the Protestant faith to be the most supreme race and faith in the entire world.

The Klan started in the United States primarily in the South in the 1920’s after the Civil War. It started out as people in multiple different groups with the same intentions but went about it in different ways. Before it became an organized group with leaderships and governments there was just disorganized chaos with brutal, violent attacks. They fought within each group about power, money, religions, but mainly about the immigration and reconstruction that was happening all around. (Chow) They held massive public rallies to try and intimidate the groups they were targeting. Boycotting places and having protests to scare away their targets. During that time frame there were so many things changing in society and groups that were also growing and the KKK was not accepting of any of those changes especially after the loss in the Civil War.

To the KKK you were anti-American if you were black, Japanese, Jewish, Mormons, and most importantly Catholic. Catholicism was growing. As Chow mentions in her article, the KKK believed the Catholics had intentions to start controlling politics and the police. Also during this time there were post suffrage groups that also wanted to have a voice so many joined the KKK. They had the same motivation that the Klan already had publicized and believed it would help strengthen their political stances and rights. Since the KKK did not interpret any favoritism towards gender they welcomed women to join their group. It was a way for them to say they value women, children and their family’s life and family values; those of course that are white-Protestant. (Blee)

Unfortunately, to this day there is still white supremacy in the United States. The group still holds true to their beliefs and values but go about it a little differently than in years before. Especially today with our technology, attacks and harassment on social media outlets are just another way the Klan can make their group recognized. There are pages out there that naïve, adolescences could find and easily get influenced into joining. The Klan still has a message or point they want to get out to as many audiences as possible and today’s society unfortunately makes all of that more accessible.

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In this picture, it was taken at the Western end at the Roman Forum.

Ancient Roman started in the Italian Peninsula during the 8th century. Rome was ruled by the czar named Romulus. Legend says that he had a twin brother named Remus and they were separated at birth. They also say that when they were older, Romulus fought his brother, Remus and killed him to become the next czar! Since Rome was a very war prone area, the life expectancy was about 20-30 years of age. Even though n roman history they teach that rome almost ruled the whole world, they only came close to about 12%. Later on the line Romulus died and the next few successors to his throne were Augustus Caesar, Tiberius, and Nero. in this era, a lot of the time there was always war. In this time there was also a lot of emperors, one of their names were called Vitellius.

He was also a general in the war and was kind of crazy about it too. Vitellius was upset about one of the rulers named Otho. Otho became ruler after one was assasinated, and the other commited suicide. Since Vitellius was upset about this, and he was the general of the army, he decided to start a civil war and overthrow that ruler. He was successful in his doing. A few days into his ruling, he was pronounced unfit for the throne so he was kicked and a man by the name Vespasian took his place. Vitellius was murdered by Vespasian’s men. Vespasian was one of the longest to rule, then he died but his son Titu took over and all of Vespasian's projects. One of the projects that Titus was most proud of to finish was the Flavian Amphitheater. During the reign of

Titus, the volcano erupted and buried the cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum. Titus sadly died of a fever so his brother Domitian succeeded him and continued on. As did his brother, Domitian continued what his brother had started on to help better the roman civilians. Domitian built back up the wall from when it was burnt down from the massive fire they had experienced and many other things.

The fire caused great devastation and sadness form the people. Later on, Domitian and greatly improved the lands economy which is one of the things he is greatly known for today. Even though he had fixed the economy, he was widely hated. So he was assassinated in 93 B.C. The next five emporers were considered the best emporers to live. The first was named Nerva. Then Trajan, Hadrian, Antonmiuns, and Marcus. 

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Current-day standards of communication and the acceptance of different people and cultures have gotten better (for the most part). However, this isn’t to say that people are perfect or that people know or care about how to respectfully treat people from different cultures or lifestyles. With an increasing amount of diversity in the people of America, it is sad to say that stereotyping and prejudice are still present today. Luckily, people still continue to fight for equality and respect for themselves and their fellow countrymen.

In-Class Activity

Something that I learned from the in-class discussion is the perspectives of other people in their experiences with discrimination. I thought I had an idea of how their experiences were but hearing them from them directly impacted me more. It showed me that stereotyping, the discrimination of a person based on generalized, incorrect, and usually offensive characteristics assigned to people of their ethnic or racial background, can be directed at just about anyone, regardless of their race, ethnicity, creed, sexual orientation, gender, etc.

My Positionality

I am privileged for multiple reasons. One of the reasons is because of the fact that I am able bodied. This makes me privileged because I am able to do most physical actions in the world without needing any accommodations. I am also privileged because I am a male. Because of this privilege, I don’t have to worry as much about walking around campus alone at night as my female friends. Another privilege I have is being American. Being American allows me to go to school in peace and not have to worry about whether or not I will live another day because of a civil war or other violent conflict. Though in many ways I am privileged, I am also marginalized in many ways. One of the traits that makes me marginalized is being Latino. I have faced discrimination and prejudice, hateful and discriminatory acts performed based on race, ethnicity, or another identity, multiple times in my life because of my ethnicity and have been hurt before by it. I am marginalized because of the fact that I am from Generation Z. People from my generation have higher suicide and depression rates than most if not all previous generations thanks to many obstacles that we currently face. Another way in which I am marginalized is by being in the lower middle class. Because of this it makes it more difficult for me to pay for school than some people. Although many of us are privileged, many of us are also marginalized by many of our traits, and it is because of this that we should work towards other-orientation, the act of focusing our attention on our communication partners instead of ourselves, to understand each other and create a more peaceful world.

Similarities and Differences with my Classmates’ Experiences

There were multiple similarities and differences between my experiences and those of my classmates. One of the similarities was that many of them faced problems and conflicts involving stereotypes. One of my classmates mentioned an experience in which people assumed that he spoke Spanish because he was Latino. A similar thing happened to me except that someone also assumed that I didn’t speak English because of my being Latino (not only did this person assume I spoke Spanish but they also assumed that I didn’t speak English). One of the main differences between 

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The climate in the North (the Union) is colder and more harsh with rocky soil and a short growing season. By contrast, the climate in the South (the Confederacy) is warmer with fertile soil and a longer growing season. The climate in the South suited a cash crop economy, in particular cotton and encouraged the establishment of a labor system based on slavery and large plantations. In the north, the climate did not support substantial plantations, making slavery become obsolete there. The slavery problem emerged directly from differences in geographic conditions which in turn generated political and economic aggravation, so much so that after Lincoln’s election, Southerners felt that their way of life was under attack. Starting with South Carolina in 1860, Southern states began to secede.

An essential attribute of the South’s landscape is its lengthy coastline. Its landscape extends from Virginia around Florida to Texas, and is marked with coves and harbors. The Appalachian Mountains are another characteristic that stand out. The mountains successfully split the Confederacy into two parts: the east and the west. Another striking physical trademark is the Mississippi River, which separates the Confederacy further. The northern strategists were concerned with the length of the southern coastline. They knew it would be vital to keep the South from getting necessary supplies. Most of America’s manufacturing was located in the North, which was a benefit to the Northerns. The Confederacy would have to depend on imports brought by ship to restock their supplies. The Union choose to blockade the South’s entire coastline. Union naval ships guarded the offshore waters, seizing Confederate merchant ships bound for Europe for supplies or returning with them. The blockade, which stretched for over 3,000 miles, became progressively victorious. Initially, the Union navy could not effectively block the mile upon mile of coastline because Confederate ships were too many.

As more and more ships were added to the Union’s navy and lost from the Confederate’s, the blockade grew more productive. The South’s landscape was a key influence on both war strategy and the war’s end result. Practically all the battles of the Civil War were fought on Confederate land. Therefore, the geography of the South held imperative significance to both sides. Much of the war happened in the South. Although, the Confederacy fired the first shots that began the war, the South’s strategy was not an aggressive one. To rebuild the Union, the Northern armies had to conquer and beat the Confederacy. The intention of the Confederacy, on the other hand, was to protect itself until the Union became too worn out to fight. The South did not invade the North because it did not desire any Union territory. The North planned to fight the war on the South’s land because of its properties. Knowing their armies must pervade, the North’s military mentors concocted a plan to separate the South. The South was already physically divided by the Appalachian Mountains and Mississippi River system. Control of both, the mountains and river system, would diverge Southern armies and block supply dispatches. It would also entail the outnumbered Confederate army to fight on two fronts, extending their restricted manpower thin in particular regions. In the West, reign of the Mississippi River and then its extensive tributaries, the Tennessee and Cumberland rivers, would additionally split the South.

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