What is your definition of a "hero"? This week we will study one of the greatest American presidents, one that many hold to be a true hero, Gerald R. Ford. He became president during one of the darkest periods in American history, in a political environment that was so bitterly divided that many citizens had abandoned hope of ever seeing a return to normalcy. On top of that, he inherited the worst modern economy other than the Great Depression and the awful aftermath of the War in Vietnam.
With all of this going on, it is easy to see why noone could govern without being despised by certain segments of society. President Ford was the first president to be "honored" with a full-time comedic double on Saturday Night Live, and Americans were easily influenced by the non-stop ridicule that was heaped on him and his family. Throughout his time in office, however, he did his best and never showed anger toward those that hated him. Twice he was targetted by assassins (he was not injured in the attacks), and while the Secret Service hustled him away on one of those occasions, he shouted back at the law enforcement officers not to hurt the college student that had attempted to kill him.
To say the least, President Ford's decision to pardon President Nixon following Nixon's resignation was a controversial decision, but one that Ford felt was in the best interest of the country. After two years of non-stop Watergate news and numerous officials bound for jail, prosecutors were gearing up for a criminal trial to put the former president in prison. Ford pre-emptively pardoned Nixon, telling the country that it was time to begin the healing process and to focus on the other problems that were challenging America. Ultimately this decision cost Ford his bid for re-election in 1976, but years later his most vocal critics would publicly admit that Ford's brave decision truly was for the best.
Now I would like to hear from you. Choose an individual we have studied up to this point in US History and explain why that person deserves to be recognized as a true American hero. Back up your opinion with facts and observations. The requirements for this assignment are exactly the same as those of every assignment preceding it. Thanks and God bless!
The person in history that I believe was a true American hero is Mr. Martin Luther King Jr. I know he is an obvious choice, but he is one of my favorite people in all of American history. The movements he made for the African American race are just awe-inspiring. It shows people that if you just stand up for what you believe in you can accomplish anything you set your mind to. What makes his story so fascinating is that he accomplished all he did during a hard, dark time towards his very race. There was violence going on all over the place, mainly in the school systems but also in other places. And other persecutions, some for doing things as simple as sitting in the wrong seat on the bus like Rosa Parks. Whoever would think that you could be arrested for sitting in the wrong seat? It is unheard of now-a-days and a lot of that is also paid dues towards Mr. King himself. His I have a dream speech not only changed history, but it placed hope inside of every single African American that things could and would change if they just stuck to it. And I believe anyone who can be an inspiration to an entire race, and get things done and start movements that led to the country we are today as a whole, not only in the African American race, is a true American hero.
ReplyDeleteTruthfully I don't think we can call any one person a true "American Hero". A hero is just somebody that a person looks up to and admires. So technically there Isn't an "American Hero" in my opinion. All of the presidents and important people did something good for America. Most everyone that pots on here will say a different person because they all admire somebody different for what they did. I personally cannot chose any specific person for this assignment. There are many people to chose from that we have learned about in the past in U.S. History. JFK for instance helped solve severed relationships with Russia. As Jaykub already posted Martin Luther King Junior did tons for the African American community. Lyndon B. Johnson did great stuff for medicaid and medicare. The list goes on and on. I mean there is Abraham Lincoln who almost completely abolished slavery. Franklin D. Roosevelt helped solve the Great Depression. I think I have made my point clear. I personally do not have a single hero. All of the people i mentioned and many many more have done man things the make them worthy of being called a "Hero". That may not be the right wording, but i think i got my opinion across. Thanks for the great assignment Mr. Akers sorry if it is not exactly what you were looking for.
ReplyDeleteThis one is tough. To pick just one!!!! Ok, here goes.
ReplyDeleteThe Native Americans did so much to settle the land that we now call home. Yes, most people think of them as the savages that would like nothing more than to kill you and keep your scalp. I know that I’m sounding a little harsh, but it’s true. The fact is it was their way of life and most of the time they were trying to protect their families, homes, and land that had been theirs for as long as they could remember. I don’t think that I can choose any one chief so I’m putting them all in the same group.
Each chief had to have the respect and loyalty of their people. Now, as different as each tribe and band was this was no easy job. Yes, I do think that peace between the Indians and the whites could have been achieved in an easier way, but with our greed and hatred that obviously didn’t work. I also think that the only way the Indians knew was to fight for what belonged to them. They did ask for peace numerous times but because of the language and literacy issues the “white men” took advantage of them on more than one occasion.
In the end the greatest people that had ever lived on that land were basically fenced onto reservations where many still live today. This does have its advantages but it is mostly disadvantages. The laws are different than what ours are but some are the same.
All this to say that we all too often overlook the mistakes that we made with the Indians and try to justify what happened. The problem is that some of us still haven’t learned from that mistake.
I classify the Native Americans as heroes because of their wisdom and their willingness to fight for what was theirs.
When I thought about this question the first person that came to mind was Martin Luther King Jr. Since Jacob Adams has already done this person I chose to do some one else. The next person was George H. W. Bush. To start with the thing that he was probably most famous for he was the 41st president of the United States of America. Mr. Bush was born in Massachusetts to Prescott and Dorothy Bush. He entered the US Navy at the age of eighteen and became the youngest Naval Aviator EVER. Not only was he the youngest but he was also one of the fortunate ones who were shot down and survived. During the mission his plain was hit by flack and the engine caught fire. He then preceded to finish his mission and fly away from his island target. He bailed out of his plain and waited four hours to be rescued. He then continued to serve in other operations against the Philippines. That is just in his early life. When he returned from World War II he got married and went to college. In college he was a member of the Skull and Bones Society. He also played in the first two College Baseball World Series. After college he went into the oil business. He was a millionaire by the age of forty. he then became a congressman, an ambassador, and the Director of the CIA. This is just the tip of the iceberg.
ReplyDeleteIts hard to just pick one to write about but i think that one of americas true american heros would be John F Kennedy.beacouse he was a great presedent(and the youngest to ever be in office) in a very stressfull period in our nations history.One of the things that he is known for is that while running for presedency he showed his support to the civil rights movement by getting Martin Luther King Jr out of jail,he also showed great support for civil rights while he was in office.Kennedy also did his best to discourage communism in cuba (although his attempts werent very succsesfull) he did however get the cubans to disassemble the missile sites that had been built.Kennedy also founded the peace corps,and he helped with funding to our space programs wich eventually led to getting to the moon. But kennedys presedency was cut short on november 22,1963 when he was riding in a motercade in downtown dallas texas when he was assasainated by lee harvey oswald.
ReplyDelete“So you’re the little woman who wrote the book that started the great war. ”
ReplyDeleteHarriet Beecher Stowe wasn’t African-American herself. But did she take a stand for what she believed was right in abolitionist movement? Absolutely. Though the Civil War wasn’t just a result of the unfairness being done to blacks, Harriet Beecher Stowe wrote the famous Uncle Tom’s Cabin that changed the way Americans viewed the mistreatment of slaves in a major kind of way. This best-selling book that sold 10,000 copies in the United States pushed for the freedom and equality that was given years before when our founding fathers were laying the foundations for our country. It portrayed characters that were slaves who the reader could emphasize with, and it also discussed the political and economic and welfare of slaves. According to some of the abolitionists, it was not a strong enough book to end slavery immediately. Harriet Beecher Stowe didn’t even let the criticism she got stop her from pushing onward; she wrote a book named The Key to Uncle Tom’s Cabin as a result so that people could better understand where she got her sources. She “put a face on those in slavery”-some critics commented. Some people may have never seen or understood just how terrible and brutal slavery really was if not for the book Uncle Tom’s Cabin. It’s incredible how much of a difference one person in history can make. To me, this woman was an American hero. She boldly took a stand for what was right and just, and made an huge impact from boldly writing and publishing a book.
“There is more done with pens than swords.”
This is kind of hard to decide. It’s difficult to point out one true American hero with all the great leaders we’ve had.
ReplyDeleteI already did a report on him earlier this year, but I like Ben Franklin. He was one of the greatest American intellectual minds in our history, up there with guys like Jonathan Edwards. Franklin was a statesman, scientist, inventor, and politician among other things. He was born in Boston in 1706 to a very large family of 19. His schooling ended when he was ten, but he taught himself by reading a lot. He worked for his dad a while, and he became an apprentice to his brother James, a printer, at age 12. The reason why he adopted the pseudonym “Mrs. Silence Dogood” for his famous letters is because he was denied an opportunity to write a letter to the paper. His letters became a subject of much conversation around town. When James found out that the secret correspondent was his brother, he was upset with Ben. Eventually, at age 17, Ben Franklin ran away to Philadelphia, seeking to make a good living there.
He would go on to invent the lightning rod, Franklin stove, and bifocals. I also like that he spoke against slavery. Even though Franklin wasn’t a Christian, he always declared that organized religion and morals are necessary. Ben Franklin also was the only founding father to sign all four of the major documents of the founding of our nation.
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteour country's short, yet extrodinary, history is full of "heros." this makes it somewhat difficult to choose just one that we have studied.
ReplyDeleteWhat inspired my person is a recent show on the ever fadding history channel, mr. William T. Sherman. Sherman was a man of great controversy. many people today see him as a ruthless, savage killer who was himself pro-slavery. but i would like to present a different aspect of sherman. sherman was one of the first generals to be known as a modern general, he was a master of military strategy. but sherman was not just a character in history's great plot, he was a person who felt and saw things unimaginable. he had feelings and a great love for his soldiers and our nation, he ate with and fellowshipped with his men. he wrote home constantly and often spoke with a direct, but fluent, state of voice. he loved our nation and won many critical battles in his march to the sea, in which he unterly crippled the southern ability to fight. sherman, i would propose, exemplifies humility in many ways. when congress passed a law making him equal to grant he refused and said he would not wish for a rival but a friend. he valued trust and relied on honor. a man who was wrough and tough but at the sametime complexly wise is a man i believe to be great. he lead in one of our countries darkest moments. he was a man that was educated, wise, true, strong, brave, and ultimately a true patriot.
There are many Americans throughout history that could be classified as an American hero. The one I chose is Abraham Lincoln. He was born on February 12, 1809, in Hardin County, Kentucky. He became the 16th President of the United States and served as President from March 4, 1847 to March 3, 1849. He was also the first Republican president, and he created the Secret Service. On April 14, 1865, Lincoln was shot by John Wilkes Booth and died the next day.
ReplyDeleteThere are two reasons why I chose Abraham Lincoln as an American hero. One, he was best known as the man that freed the slaves. If it wasn't for Lincoln signing the Emancipation Proclamation and doing everything else he could to free the black slaves then America would not be where it is today. Second, Lincoln led America through one of its hardest times, the Civil War. I have complete respect for Lincoln because the trials and struggles that he had to go through during the Civil War were beyond what the normal person could handle. He made many good decisions during the Civil War, and at the end of the war many Confederates had a great respect for him. I think Lincoln could be classified as one of America's true heroes.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abraham_lincoln
Josh, I like who you wrote your essay on. Benjamin Franklin is one of those people that is ranked at the top of the list in American history. Even though he only went to school till he was ten, I think Benjamin Franklin could be classified as one of America's smartest people because of the inventions he invented and his many discoveries such as with the kite and the key. I think Benjamin Franklin could be one of America's true heroes. Good essay, Josh.
ReplyDeleteCaleb Price, I really like who you chose for your essay. John F. Kennedy was a very influential person even though he did have some down falls. I think he was one of the few people that made the civil rights movement so successful. He made many good decisions throughout his presidency even though a few weren't. I think that John F. Kennedy could be put down as one of America's true heroes. Good essay, Caleb.
ReplyDeleteHonestly, I believe that A "True American Hero" is Franklin Delano Roosevelt. He did so many things for this country, like bringing us out of a economic depression, by releasing the "New Deal." which was designed to give relief by creating a great amount of government jobs for the unemployed. Also made to basically control wall street and recover the economy. And leading our country through World War 2, which was another hard time for our country. And one of his ideas is still running today, Social Security which was passed in 1935. He was also the assistant secretary of the navy in 1913. he founded the Navy Reserve as well. He tried his best to make America the "Arsenal of Democracy" by supplying Great Britain in the beginning of WW2. Until the attack of pearl harbor, which was a time that he needed to step up and show what he was really made of and i believe that he did. Those are some reasons that i believe FDR is a true American hero.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, my definition of a hero is this: an individual who does something to gain your admiration or utmost respect. Now there are many people that deserve this title, but I must choose one. The individual whom I would call “a hero” would be Ronald Reagan. We have just briefly began talking about him in class, but that’s just the thing, he became a hero very quickly in his presidential career. Within the first day of his presidency, he withdrew hostages we had in Iran. Maybe it was this particular style that I admire, but he is one of my favorite presidents because of his straight forward attitude. He was very firm in what he believed was right and came across as ready to get it done whatever it took. He had to be a hero to those who were rescued, to those who benefitted from his actions as president. It is easier to see these individuals as heroes when we look at what they did in the perspective of those it benefitted. We think of heroes as individuals who fly around saving people from certain death, but these great Americans did that in their own way. They did something that helped others. These things were admirable and deserving of respect.
ReplyDeleteJacob, Martin Luther King Jr. was a very good choice. He was truly a hero of our country, an individual to be proud of. He pushed through the barriers that had been put up by a country. One man, one individual, was such a leader in this civil rights movement that completely changed the course of our history forever. Of course there were many more individuals who fought with him, but he was a leader. It is hard to imagine going through what he did, and he ultimately was killed. He was truly a hero.
ReplyDeleteJosh, Benjamin Franklin was an excellent choice for a hero. He accomplished so much. He did more than just lead, he did more than just help govern, but he invented, worked for the better of our country and helped establish this great nation. He was amazing in that he accomplished so many different things. Great choice.
with as many people as we have studied, its hard to make a decision of who should and shouldn’t be a hero. so I am goin to choose benedict Arnold. hahah not quite. but seriously I think someone we have studied that should be considered a hero should be someone that has done something great for our nation. such as Martin Luther King Jr. but since jake already did him I will choose someone else. perhaps a Mrs Harriet Tubman. yea shes a woman, but she led hundreds of thousands of slaves to freedom. maybe not personally, but she helped many and inspired many many more. had it not been for her courage, she may not have inspired all the slaves to run away and disappear on the underground railroad, even though it wasn’t underground nor a railroad, but it worked pretty good. you cant help but admire a person like that for doing such a task.
ReplyDeleteFranklin Delano Roosevelt was the only American president elected to more than two terms in office. He worked America through the Great Depression and World War II.
ReplyDeleteRoosevelt came from a very wealthy family. His first cousin Ellen Roosevelt, was a very famous tennis champion. He was related to Laura In galls Wilder, Benedict Arnold, and the fifth president of the United States wife, Elizabeth Monroe.
Franklin was born on January 30, 1882,he was an only child. His father was 54 when he was born.
Roosevelt went to an Episcopal boarding school. He was influenced by it's headmaster, who preached that it was the duty of Christians to help the less fortunate.
Franklin Roosevelt was married to Eleanor on March 17, 1905 they had six children.
Roosevelt became governor of New York from 1929-1932.
His inauguration speech in 1933, occurred in the midst of a bank panic, it was from this situation his famous phrase "The only thing we have to fear is fear it's self".
Roosevelt came up with New Deal agencies that
would create jobs for Americans. One of Roosevelt's favorite's was the Civilian Conservation Corps which hired 250,000 unemployed young men to work on rural local projects.
Roosevelt through determination, wisdom, courage and time was able to hold the tide and put America back on it's feet and that is why I choose F.D.R. as an American hero.
One person I consider as a true American hero is Ronald Reagan. He was one of the greatest, most successful presidents the US has ever seen. With his socially and economically conservative values, he made the country flourish.
ReplyDeleteWith his conservative economics that took full advantage of the benefits of capitalism and minimal government intervention, he made the economy soar. Some of these policies include reduction in government spending, lower taxes, less government intervention in the economy, and control of printing money to reduce inflation. These excellent economic policies of Reagan’s are often referred to as “Reagonomics.” Reaganomics gave the US the most economic prosperity seen since the roaring twenties even after the mess Jimmy Carter left.
Reagan was more than just a smart economist in his conservative values. His foreign policies were also very successful. Iran released their US hostages as soon as Reagan was elected because they knew Reagan would have no mercy on them of they didn’t. He saw the end of the Cold War and calling the USSR an evil empire, he helped fight communism around the world.
He did quite a bit domestically too. His tough on crime policies lowered crime rates across the US. He also successfully initiated the war on illegal drugs. He signed several bills into law against illegal immigration.
Ronald Reagan has left a permanent legacy on the Republican Party. Along with Barry Goldwater, he set the standard for modern conservatism that he made the country flourish with. I think our country today could be tremendously helped if we implemented some of the common sense successful policies of Reagan’s day. Everything he has done, the success he brought our nation and the standard he set for conservatism is what I think makes him a true American hero.
For my essay I choose Johnson. I’m joking. I really chose Reagan. President Reagan is exalted by Republicans and envied by Democrats. What was it about Reagan that made him a good leader? Reagan was of noble character. Being poor, he went from bottom to top like all great leaders should do. He is the oldest president to have taken office. He also used to be a Democrat, which doesn’t bother me because Democrats are different now. He graduated from a collage smaller than our school. After collage he became a Hollywood actor. When WW2 began he was drafted but because to his poor eyesight he was stuck making training videos. Upon his return to Hollywood he found he was unable to star in a major movie. He uncovered a communist plot in Hollywood to promote communism in the US and testified to special congressional committee. This was the beginning of his political career. Regan began off as a new deal democrat but quickly became more conservative. He was elected to be Governor of California in 1967. He lost the 1976 election, but won the1980 election. He was shot only an inch away from the heart but survived. Reagan died recently in 2004 but his legacy still lives on in the hearts of conservatives everywhere.
ReplyDeleteHero is one of those words. Words like love and faith and friendship that can’t be defined. A word that’s definition transcends mere words. You can’t define a hero with other words. You can attempt, but you can’t really capture the essence. This is my attempt:
ReplyDeleteI’ll steal the title of a Flannery O’Conner short story to begin this essay: “A good man is hard to find.” Heroes come on both great and small levels. Heroes make a choice to give all or a major part of their lives toward a goal of saving others in some way or even literally. I pick CESAR CHAVEZ. I wanted to pick the Native Americans because they’re my heroes and I think we white people did a terrible terrible thing by just pushing them out of their land and then turning around and discriminating against blacks and Hispanics. Dumb. But Hannah got them, so I’ll be a nonconformist and chose Mr. Chavez. Cesar
Cesar was born to a Mexican American family. Life had been hard in Mexico, just as it is today for many. Wages were low and it is hard for them to make a living. Many migrated to the United States looking for a better life. They are hard workers, willing to do jobs others won’t; back-breaking jobs such as working in the fields and gathering crops. Cesar’s parents and grandparents taught him to love God and to respect and help others. Even at a young age, he saw a problem facing American society: Mexican American children were discriminated against at school, adults were being discriminated against at work, and the Mexican-American population was not being treated with equality.
When the workers tried to form unions to get better conditions, the landowners would do everything they could to defeat them because they didn't want to pay the cost to make conditions better for the workers. Cesar read about Gandhi, was inspired by his passive resistance and the changes it brought about, and determined to use the same methods to win rights for the farm workers. He organized the group United Farm Workers. The Delano Grape Strike was the most important event in Casar Chavez's crusade. It involved not only Mexican Americans, but also workers of other races and nationalities. The strike lasted for five years from 1965 to 1970. In the end Chavez and the workers got what they were wanting. In 1988 he went on a 36 day fast to protest the use of heavy pesticides used on the fields. The poisons were making the field workers sick. He continued to fight for the workers' causes until his death in 1993.
Not to copy everybody else, but the only person i can think of right now as a "hero" is Martin Luther King Jr.
ReplyDeleteI don't really need to write about his life, so here are a few of the reasons i think that he was such a great man
Even though he was an african american living in a very prejudeced time period, he rose above it all, and got a good education. This should be a lesson to us, because we have so many more opportunities for greatness, and yet we just sit back and don't take advantage of them. We need to strive, like he did, for perfection, so we can get the most out of life.
He also didn't let people intimidate him. He must have received thousands of of threats and hate letters. How would you feel if everywhere you went, there were people who hated you, and wanted to kill you? I would probably have gone crazy!
He never gave up, even under tremendous stress, and finally reached his goal. He was truely a great american.
As a side note, i also think that president Trueman was a great man. Anyone who can responsibily use a nuke has my respect.
xål ø
I must say that I would love to have picked Martin Luther King Jr. or Ronald Reagan because they really are true American heroes, but there is definitely not just one American hero; there were lots. I am choosing someone many people may not see as a hero, but I think if you look deep, you can see why. I think Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States, was a hero.
ReplyDeleteMany people may not personally like his political choices or think he was a good president, but that is not why I chose him (or didn't choose him). The main reason I see Lincoln as being a hero is because he was the first president to actually stand up for and execute actions against the abolition of slavery and his actions eventually led to the complete abolition of slavery in the United States not long after. Lincoln announced the Emancipation Proclamation on September 22, 1862 which freed slaves in territories not already under Union control during the Civil War.
Along with his abolition of slavery, Abraham Lincoln also had to deal with the Civil War after many Southern states seceded from the rest of the United States because of Lincolns bold and brave move to abolish slavery. The southern states were upset because they needed the slaves to continue to work on the rich white mens' farms. Lincolns held firm and although the war went on for over 4 years, the Union finally pulled through and won, bringing all the states back together.
Lincoln definitely had his work cut out for him during his four years in office until his death by assassination in April of 1865. Because he stood up for what he believed in during an era were slavery and black mortification was seen as completely normal and the fact that he carried the Union through a war, I find Abraham Lincoln to be an excellent 16th President and an American Hero!
A True American Hero.
ReplyDeleteI'm not exactly sure what an American hero is. There were many people who did great contributional and influential things to help and change America. Where the line for a "hero" is drawn, I do not know. But, and though my answer is clichéd and he is from a time in our nation's history that we have long since covered in class, I think that George Washington was an American hero if there ever was one. He was probably the most influential single individual in the formation of our country and government, and he established many of the customs of the executive department and the position of president. He was one of the greatest leaders that our nation has ever had. In 1775, George Washington was named commander-in-chief of the Continental Army, and led our nation to victory in the American War for Independence. He also presided over the Philadelphia Convention and aided in drafting the US Constitution in 1787. In 1789, in became the first President of the United States of America. He would support the ideals of the Federalist party, and was against involvement in foreign affairs, showed by his Proclamation of Neutrality. In my opinion George Washington was an extraordinary president and leader and is a true American hero.
Hero: a man of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his brave deeds and noble qualities.
ReplyDeleteWe all know who he is: a presidential candidate from the election of 2008. A senator from Arizona. Lieut. Commander John S. McCain III.
October 26, 1967, John McCain was on his twenty- third mission in the Vietnam War. He was flying over the town of Hanoi when a missile hit his plane. He proceeded to spiral towards the earth where he plunged into fifteen foot deep water. After a brutal struggle to get to the surface, and stay there, North Vietnamese soldiers swam to him and drug him ashore. They stripped him, beat him, yelled at him, kicked him, and then he noticed his right leg bent backwards in a ninety degree angle. He was brought to the Hanoi POW camp where he was brutally tortured, received no medical treatment, and got so bad that if he was hit only once he would become unconscious. He refused to give up information, and only when they found out that his dad was a “big admiral” did they consent to take him to a hospital. He describes his room as “ not particularly small, 15X15 feet, filthy dirty, and when it rained there would be about an inch of standing water on the floor.” A sixteen year old boy was assigned to guard him, and feed him because both of his arms were broken. He talks about the first time a doctor actually tried to fix his injuries. He says,
“About noon, I was put in a rolling stretcher and taken to a treatment room where they tried to put a cast on my right arm. They had great difficulty putting the bones together, because my arm was broken in three places and there were two floating bones. I watched the guy try to manipulate it for about an hour and a half trying to get all the bones lined up. This was without benefit of Novocain. It was an extremely painful experience, and I passed out a number of times. He finally just gave up and slapped a chest cast on me.”
While in the hospital, John McCain needed two surgeries but was only given one due to a “bad attitude.” Upon his return to America, an orthopedic surgeon told him all the ligaments on one side of his leg had been cut. He was continually tortured, placed in solitary confinement for months, went without clean water or even a bath.
Now, here is where I must stop and explain why I believe this man to be a hero. Several times he was asked if he wanted to return home. He was shone a letter from President LBJ. His wife even wrote him letters saying, “I wish you would be released.” Still, this man said no. Senator McCain could not walk properly; he weighed less than 100 pounds. This man literally was living in hell, yet he would not go home. He would not make these Vietnamese soldiers appear generous by releasing a top ranking commander’s son. He would not, by any means, leave his men. That is a hero.
John McCain says his last year and a half were the worst. He was severely beaten on a daily basis. He had broken ribs, legs, arms. He speaks of his longing to commit suicide, and says if it wasn’t for his faith in God and prayer, he would not have made it.
Now, John McCain says he does not hate the men that did this to him. Is that not incredible? I do not care what political party you are from, or which one is your favorite. John McCain is a hero because of what he did for his country. The things he endured for the sake of his soldiers in POW camps beat anything we may ever go through.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI have to say that in my opinion the American hero from this period of the notes would have to be W. Mark Felt. He saw the injustice that was being committed in the FBI and in the White House ,and witnessed it first hand. He could have gone to the police instead of spilling beans in the illegal manner that he did, but who would have listened to him honestly? They would tell him to go to the FBI with such volatile information the only problem was that he was the FBI. We see that Felt leaked info to reporters and very slowly tore the roof off the White House and exposed Nixon's underhanded deeds. That is why I feel that while he broke the law doing it Felt had no other option beyond that, and it is also the reason that I say he is an American Hero.
ReplyDeleteI used the following websites: Wikipedia
ReplyDeleteI decided to do my report on my favorite American President, Abraham Lincoln. I bellieve that he was one of the greatest people in history because he did so many things for the people and regarding rights for blacks. He always looked out for the rights of the people and he planned to send the slaves back to Africa but he was assasinated before any of that could occur. One thing a founs out on Wikipedia is ~ " [The Act has a] declared indifference, but as I must think, covert real zeal for the spread of slavery, I cannot but hate it. I hate it because of the monstrous injustice of slavery itself. I hate it because it deprives our republican example of its just influence in the world — enables the enemies of free institutions, with plausibility, to taunt us as hypocrites — causes the real friends of freedom to doubt our sincerity, and especially because it forces so many really good men amongst ourselves into an open war with the very fundamental principles of civil liberty."
Because of the statement above I see no reason why Abraham Lincoln would not be the best person that we have studied so far... I know that there are so many people that have made a difference. But he has made such a difference in Civil Rights and he is a true patriot ready to sacrifice for God and country [an example would be the Gettysburg Address].
I chose to write about the third president of the United States Thomas Jefferson. The main writer of the Declaration of Independence. He was a President, inventor, architect, archeologist, paleontologist, and even an inventor. He was a man of science and has been the only president to serve two full terms without vetoing a single bill. He was an amazing president and did his job and was a very hard worker. I think in my opinion he didn't like being President as much as some of the other things he did. This is one of his quotes "Never did a prisoner, released from his chains, feel such relief as I shall on shaking off the shackles of power. Nature intended me for the tranquil pursuits of science." He wrote this the day before Madison came into office. He went on to obtain a Nobel Peace Prize. He also had many more accomplishments including his inventions like the rotating book stand if you can believe it lol and also designed the first swivel chair imagine what life would be like without SWIVELING CHAIRS OMG I don't know what I would do lol. He also made several improvements to the polygraph and I’m sure he invented many other things he was a great man and is definitely worth admiring.
ReplyDeleteHero:
ReplyDeleteYeah we all know the definition. It's someone who goes beyond what is otherwise expected of them essentially.
This opens up an enormous scope of people. Men and women everyday are doing extraordinary things.
The main person who comes to mind is Allen C. York. Mainly because I woke up this morning, realized I didn't have my history homework done, threw on a teeshirt, and when I was thinking of a person I looked down and my shirt had his name on it. So there.
Allen C. York was born in 1887 in a small home in Tennessee. Into his teenage life he struggled with fighting, drinking, and other things associated with that lifestyle. However, when his friend was beaten to death in a bar in Kentucky, he turned his life around and became a wuss basically.
When he was drafted he went to a great effort to get out of going overseas. The idea of killing was horrific to him. But eventually he manned up and went to serve his country. It was during this service that on October 8th he was able to single handedly capture over 100 Germans. He got a purple heart the congressional medal of honor and many others to reward him for his great feat.
In my mind, someone who overcomes moral and ethical issues to fight for their country is a hero. Yay SGT York.
Chuckles:
ReplyDeleteI really liked your essay. Thomas Jefferson was pretty awesome. Did you know he went throught the bible and cut out the parts he didn't like and rewrote it? Haha to me, that seems hilarious, even if it isn't very reverent. Also, I did not know about the swivel chair! That changed the world. I bet he used to have his servents come and spin him while he was pondering life's greatest mysteries. I know I would. But anyway, keep up the great work, and keep the wheels on the ground.
Jaykub,
ReplyDeleteI thought you had a pretty cool essay also. W. Mark Felt was pretty badbutt in his way of bringing what was hidden into the light. Meeting secretly in a parking garage? I have NEVER heard of a cooler way of revealing political scandle. It is debated whether or not his motives were right, but he still was pretty awesome in the way he did the right thing. Maybe not a hero for some of the shady stuff he did, but definitely the coolest dude of the 20th century.
A true American hero... Like today and tomorrow will always hold onto the past. Affected by times trolling nature. Influenced by men’s very thought and desire to live and to live thoroughly. Just one man, or the existence of our whole ancestry? I thought of the men who gave fought for freedom, something we all thirst for and go through personal battles each day for- today I thought of who could be my hero? Martin L. Junior King, a man who stood for what he thought was right? Or Richard Nixon who’s own mind caved in on itself, crazed by his surroundings, imprisoned in the White House he called home. Who is this man or women that affected me the most, the person who I see that greatly affected our nation? The person who heroically stood for justices’ sake. Could it be just one man? One to chose but to me many will also stand. As cliché’ as it sounds, the men who fought for freedom and gave freedom for us is my True American Hero. They knew what they were dying for and gladly gave their lives so that someday we will all live in freedom in this land. In this land where freedom cost so much but they did it because they loved this land, and many of us are called like that. Maybe not physically for this country, but to be the warriors the Lord has made us for our generation, to rise up and fight for freedom within our Heavenly Father. The greatest kind of Freedom.
ReplyDeleteI believe one of the greatest American “heroes” we have had is James Madison, our countries fourth president. I’m not going to define hero or anything because most of you have done that already, and in many different ways. Mr. Madison was born in Virginia to tobacco planter James Madison Sr. He was well educated and eventually studied at the College of New Jersey now known as Princeton. He studied everything from Latin to philosophy to rhetoric, (“Rhetoric is the art of using language to communicate effectively”-wikipedia) which were all helpful to his future career in politics. Madison went on to marry Dolley Payne Todd and have one child as well as adopt her son (she was widowed). Now Madison’s influence on our country has been great. Obviously he was there to help shape our Nation when it was young, but before he was our fourth president he was there to shape our Constitution. First, though he never gained admission to the bar he still worked as a lawyer for many people he knew. He was later elected to the Virginia House of Delegates and helped guide Virginia towards decisions that helped lead to the formation of our United States.
ReplyDeleteMadison is known as the “Father of the Constitution”, but he disliked the name and even declined it, but the supposed misnomer stuck and to this day he is known by that title. He earned that title when he saw the weakness in the Articles of Confederation and went to work on a new system called the Virginia Plan. Many of its then radical ideas are now part of our government’s norm such as vetoes over state decisions (though now this tends to be done through the Supreme Court) and our three branch government system.
What I really think made Madison a hero though is his work on the Bill of Rights. Initially James Madison wanted nothing to do with a bill of rights separate from the Constitution, “because [he said] the Constitution itself was a bill of rights." Though after some time in the U.S. Congress he changed his mind and proposed twelve amendments to the Constitution. As we know, only ten were adopted and they were sort of tacked on to the end, though, Madison wanted them incorporated into the Constitution. Think about it though, at Tea Parties and NRA meetings, which are by far a majority of Republicans, what is one topic that commonly comes up? The Second Amendment, a piece of the Bill of Rights. When Democrats protest the Patriot Act and (attacked) Guantanamo they claimed the Bill of Rights was being attacked. Never has something been able to divide or unite our country quite like the Bill of Rights, and I think all of us would agree Madison did our country a favor when he created these first ten amendments for us.
Well, Charity, your essay was very creative and well written. I was impressed with the way you worded your choice of who you think is your true American hero. And you’re right, it’s hard to choose just one person(though that was the assignment), but I didn’t even think of those men who fought for our freedom as an option, so good job with expressing your own unique thoughts.
ReplyDeleteJByrd, great essay. I definitely agree with you that George Washington was a true American hero in the sense of the word. As a single individual he did do more for our country’s formation than most. He’s the first person I thought of as far as choosing a hero, but I wanted to choose someone a little less obvious. But you made a good choice, and you brought up all the things he did before his presidency and his extraordinariness.
A true American hero, to me, would have to be Dwight David Eisenhower, our country's 34th President and former 5-Star General of the United States Army.
ReplyDeleteEisenhower definitely had a life full of responsibility. After the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, Eisenhower was appointed to the General Staff in Washington, D.C. Here he was a key component of forming war plans to defeat Japan and Germany. He served this position until June 1942. After that, he was appointed the Commander of the European Theatre of Operations. He oversaw the invasion of North Africa and Italy. Then, in 1944, he was appointed to command the Allied invasion of Europe at Normany, codenamed Operation Overlord. He had a HUGE success in commanding the Allied forces, and was an intrical part in the Allied Victory in WWII.
Eisenhower was elected to the office of President of the United States in 1953, and did an outstanding job! Some of his accomplishments as President include: the Interstate Highway System, overseeing a cease-fire in Korea, maintaining pressure on the Soviet Union, starting the Space Race, and making nuclear weapons a HIGH priority in the United States. He finished office with an extremely high approval ranking.
Dwight David Eisenhower truly was a great leader, and a true war and presidential hero.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI like your essay, Pope. I think it’s cool that you chose William Sherman. You did a good job explaining who he was and why you think he was a hero. It’s cool how he cared for his soldiers and loved his nation. That is how the best generals should be. Despite being rough and tough, they take good care of their own. I don’t like the fact that he was pro- slavery, but he accomplished much for our nation.
ReplyDeleteSam, your essay is very good. Eisenhower is a great choice, in my opinion. Just about anyone who is a 5 star general that serves honorably deserves the title of “American hero.” He must have had a lot of stress throughout his life. Eisenhower was a very important man. He commanded Operation Overlord, and he served as president of the US. I find that amazing, not just because of his positions, but because he did a great job in both of them.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteEmily, you had an awesome essay. I loved how at the begining of your essay you started off with your definition of a true hero, and I thought that the definition was really good. Though I also believe that a hero a heor is a man(or woman) that gives up their life because they know that it is the right thing to do regardless of the outcome. I think that Reagan was a good president and accomplished alot during his presidency [ the Cold War ended and the Berlin Wall came down].
ReplyDeleteCaleb Price , you had a good essay. JFK was president in one of the most conflicting times in our nation's history. It was during the Vietnam War which caused alot of controversy in our nation and along with that the Civil Rights was a huge problem in the deep south. And all in all I think he did a pretty good job keeping the nation together.
ReplyDeleteAnna,
ReplyDeleteI loved your essay 1. Because you did such a great job on it and 2. Because Harriet Beecher Stowe is really an amazing person. My favorite part would have to be the quote at the beginning. There’s so much truth behind it. I think she is a great example of how, if you want change to come about, you should do it. Her book was controversial, but it made people think. It was the first spark of the fire, if you will. Good job on your essay Anna!
Sam, I agree with you I also believe that Eisenhower was a good president. When someone has that much to do with our country including all the wars that he was involved in. And he was a great President of the United States. It seemed that he did not make many mistakes and everything he did benefited our country in someway.
ReplyDeleteJaykub,
ReplyDeleteI almost chose W. Mark Felt. I really did. A lot of people may see him as a “bad guy”, because rather than go to the FBI or cops, he went to the media. But what you hit the nail on the head with the idea that no one would have really listened. I mean, he was the FBI and if he could not take care of it, no reason anyone else should have to. Plus, I love the way he did tear the roof off the white house bit by bit. That is exactly what those people deserved . It was very embarrassing for Nixon. Good job bud!
Jake, I really liked you you picked and your story behind why you picked that person. I think that it something special when a person can come back from a child hood/ teen years, and be that great of an American hero. I honestly believe that he lifted up America and gave everyone something to be comforted by. And for doing something like capturing 100 enemies is pretty incredible and i believe that he deserved all the recognition and medals he received.
ReplyDeleteCody
ReplyDeletei like what you said about an "American Hero" there isn't really one "American Hero." There are tuns of heroes presidents, government officials and to a little kids parents. I think in America we put high expectation for someone to be a true hero. We expect them to be faster than a speeding bullet. More powerful than a local-motive. Able to leap tall buildings in a single leap. When a true hero is someone who fights for a cause.
Everyone
i agree with you all on your choice of a hero. As i was looking through everyone that posted, i was having a hard choice on who to pick to comment on. There are just to many to chose from. Even though i chose FDR because of his outstanding record of what he did for our country. The thing is about that is there are more records just like his full off wonderful things people have done.
Okay well like many other people I am not sure how to pick just one person. Many people have had such an impact and been true American heros but since I must choose one I would have to say Martin Luther King Jr. even though others have already done theirs on him. I think that he truly fits the title true American hero. Martin Luther King Jr. was a leader and greatly impacted our nation. He led the civil rights movement and gained so much for the African Americans. He also gave his famous I Have a Dream speech which was very inspiring. He was not only a great leader but also a great example to follow. He proved that one man can make a difference and that if you believe in something enough and go after what you believe that you can change the world. I think this is what being a hero is about. Its someone who sees the need for change and doesn’t stand around and think about it but does something about it. And look at what he accomplished, he gained much for the African Americans.
ReplyDeleteHannah,
ReplyDeleteI like your choice for the “American hero.” I never thought of the Native Americans as American heroes but really where would we be had they not been here to show the Whites from England how to plant crops and live under much different circumstances than they were used to in England. Also, I think if you look deeper you can connect the Native American style of “governing” or running things is similar to ours today. They had a chief, we have a President. That had those who went to fight the whites, we have an army. They had those whose raised crops and made things, like we have many people with jobs today, or middle class. Our civilizations are very similar so yes, I think they can be considered American heroes.
Camden,
ReplyDeleteAlthough you mistook me for Jacob Adams I did enjoy your essay. George H. W. Bush also popped into my head along with Mr. King. He does have a pretty impressive resume for himself. Youngest naval aviator ever is pretty impressive. But what I liked best about him in your essay was his athletics. I never knew he played in the first two College Baseball World Series. That’s Awesome!!
Emily, I loved when you said, “It is easier to see these individuals as heroes when we look at what they did in the perspective of those it benefitted.” I think, like you mentioned, it’s too easy to see a hero as someone superman-esque, when we really need to see the everyday people who change lives and positively affect them as heroes. The actual hero you chose was Reagan, someone who, for the very same reasons as you, I think was a great man. His straightforwardness is so admirable. He really took charge of a situation before he was elected, and when he won the message was already sent loud and clear.
ReplyDeleteHannah Garland, your topic was really original, and when I was first mulling through what I know about Indians, as I read your article, I see how they really were heroes. Sadly, they are heroes we overpowered and forced away from our sight. I’ve known for quite a while of the abuses against American Indians, but I never have put the Indians in the category of “hero.” I think, somewhat, that is affected by what the cultural image of an Indian is, even to this day. Back in the day, Indians were wild savages who didn’t want to speak or negotiate, they wanted to fight. (I will say some tribes were violent and didn’t attempt peace.) Indians, now, own Casinos, and casinos tend to have a sinful quality to many people. I think it’s odd how we so readily put Indians in the bad category when we wronged them.
Shoot, my sources for my essay were:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Madison
http://www.earlyamerica.com/review/summer97/madison.html
I chose to write about Martin Luther King, Jr. King was born on January 15, 1929 in Atlanta, Georgia. He attended Booker T. Washington high school and skipped 9th and 12th grade. He later attended Morehouse College at the age of 15. He later attended a Crozer Theological Seminary in Chester, Pennsylvania. He graduated from there in 1951. I think he was one of America's greatest heroes because he was an excellent preacher and a great leader in the Civil Rights Movement. He also received the Nobel Peace Price in 1964 for his work toward ending segregation. King was the youngest man to ever win this honor. He donated the prize money to the Civil Rights Movement.
ReplyDeleteWithout Dr. King's accomplishments, America would likely not be as advanced as it is in respect to Civil Rights. It wasn't all that long ago that blacks and whites had separate bathrooms, water fountains, and seating on public transportation. Dr. King gave African-Americans hope to better themselves. Just 145 years ago slavery was abolished. America has come far since then. It took many years for African Americans to gain the same rights as other Americans. And Martin Luther King helped to make that happen.
Xalo, I really like your essay. Like you said, "We need to srtive like he did, for perfection, so we can get the most out of life." And I completely agree, if there were people that hated me almost everywhere i went, I would go crazy... Actually it'd prolly be worse than that.(lol) He was a strong man, and not just him, all African Americans that lived through all that and were just strong enough to get through all that. I couldn't imagine going through all that stuff that happened to them. He worked for what he believed in right until the day he was assassinated. He was indeed, a great American. Great essay!
ReplyDeleteJakob, I enjoyed your essay. Dr King was was a very strong man, he stood up for what he believed in and made a diference. He didn't just sit backand wait for someone else to do it, he went out and did it. I mean, what if he had waited for someone else to step out and try to stop segregation and all? It'd be a whole lot different. But the thing is, he didn't wait. He set out to make a change for African Americans, and he accomplished it. I really like what you said, " It shows people that if you just stand up for what you believe in you can accomplish anything you set your mind to." You're absolutely rigt when you say that. Anyways, good essay.
ReplyDeleteI liked what David said. I never realized how much Madison did for our country. He was one of our founding fathers. It seems that our founding fathers were more founding than certain political leaders of today. James Madison, being from a party which no longer exists is someone whom I respect. I wish he was still around today. People are so crazy about the interputation of the constitution that they should look at the lives of the ones who wrote. What did they say, the exact opposite of what politicians say now. I greatly admire James Madison.
ReplyDeleteI liked what bgruk said. George Washington was the man who led America to become America. He lead us through the toughest challenge of all, our beginning. No one ran against him. He could have very easily become king, but he decided that Democracy was better for the people. George Washington succeeded.
ReplyDeleteCharity I really enjoyed reading your essay. I agree that those who fought for our freedom and gave freedom for us are definitely heros. They did not put their lives in danger for themselves but for their families and for the people who live here and ultimately for our nation. They gave so that we could have. This is what a hero does and they should be recognized and honored for what they have given.
ReplyDeleteHero eh?That's an easy one. Ronald Reagan in my mind is one of the greatest American heroes not only in a political aspect but also in everday life!
ReplyDeleteIn Feb. 6, 1911 Ronald Wilson Reagan was born in Tampico, Illinois to Nelle Wilson and John Edward Reagan. Around 1920 The Reagans moved to northern Illinois in Dixon, the place Reagan considers his hometown. in 1926 Reagan worked as a lifeguard in Dixon. He saved 77 lives during the 7 summers he worked there. What a hero! He saved people's lives (and probably made them better as a president.).
As President he put the trickle down theory in to practice whcih was the idea that with lower income taxes the American "back pocket" would be larger thus stimulating sales. When sales tax was raised it would take care of the less oncome tax. People are more prone to spend when they have money..
Reagan showed all other presidents how to do it. He basically left a flawless blue print in their desk thaat seem to forget exists...
It is hard to just pick one person who stands out to me as a true American hero. I can think of hundreds of people who I would consider hero. But since we have been studying the Civil rights movement and the historical events of that time period a few people who lived during that era stand out to me. Martin Luther King Jr. , Rosa Parks, and the many other people who stood up for equal right to everybody really stand out to me. They fought for what they believed and what was right even though they were severely discriminated agaist.
ReplyDeleteThe high school and college who protested and stood up for equal right for everyone were true american heros. They were young and could have spent their spare time doing about anything but many of them instead went out and protested against the racism and unequal treatment of different people groups ( mostly blacks) that were being discriminated against.
They in many cases payed dearly for standing up for what was right and what they belived in. Some were killed, many were beaten. tortured, rioted against, made fun of, and went though much embarrassment at times. These young heros had courage and through much ofwhat they went through they kept on. This to me is true heroism. standing up for others what you believe even when you know it may cost you dearly and when you do pay dearly you dont stop but instead keep persisting and doing whats right.