The third pillar of AGS
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The Light Side / Dark Side Project - History, November During my first semester of AP United States History, we learned about the Jacksonian Era and the policies he implemented against Native Americans, while also understanding the timeline of movements such as Transcendentalism. In English class, we read stories such as "Nature" by Emerson, where the author spent years alone in the woods trying to connect with the world around him. We also explored the dark side, which I ultimately took more interest in, with stories such as "The Tell-Tale Heart" and "The Raven". In these, the class delved deep into the twisted side of the human self, and the selfishness that comes with it. My project fits within the pillar of Communicate Ideas because of the artifact me and my partner completed, and its realistic and somber way to communicate the feelings of Natives during this difficult time. The sinister appearance of Jackson was used to communicate the idea of irrationality, and how Jackson was acting in a manner that represented his overall attitude that the Natives were disposable, not equal as him. Jackson is also depicted as holding a heart, which represents the heart in the story “The Tell-Tale Heart”, and helps to communicate the overall idea that Jackson directly caused the death of thousands of Natives. Overall, we communicated the feelings of disdain and marginalization the Native tribes experienced as they were ripped from their homeland. This fits into my overall question because, evidently, this collision of cultures wasn't very beneficial to the development of a healthy American identity and set of principles. As the government allowed the horrible thing that was the Trail of Tears, the people believed it was okay, and the moral development of the country deteriorated. |
As Long as Grass Grows and Water Runs - History, February
In History, we read "As Long as Grass Grows and Water Runs" by Howard Zinn, wrote two Between the Lines questions and had a Socratic discussion with our table group about what we read and the questions we answered. The article shed light on the actions committed by Andrew Jackson, the then President of the United States, which included breaking promises to Natives, banishing tribes from their own land and using armed forces against resistant Native tribes. This reading and discussion fits within the pillar of Communicate Ideas because not only did we learn about actions committed by the federal government, but we were able to talk about them and discuss why he and us thought a certain way about the events. Furthermore, the reading by Zinn supported the concept of this pillar because it communicated some controversial ideas, as Zinn often does, and was able to make the reader question the morality behind many actions, and in turn communicate that to the people in the discussion. This source addresses my overarching question in that it shows how the American identity of the time depended upon subduing Natives and taking their land, regardless of the promises made against this by the government and its officials.
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Pocahontas Paradox - English, February
Pewewardy, Cornel. “The Pocahontas Paradox: A Cautionary Tale for Educators.”Blessingway, University of Arkansas, 2001, www.hanksville.org/storytellers/pewe/writing/Pocahontas.html. In English, we read "The Pocahontas Paradox" and annotated it for interesting ideas and literary devices. The excerpt from the journal shed light into the Disney favorite "Pocahontas," in which a Native American falls in love with a Jamestown settler and achieves peace between the groups. The text analyzed the stereotypical role Native women have played in Hollywood films, always being depicted as either savages or vital princesses, and attempts to bring a more humanistic approach and critic of the native female population. This excerpt fits within the pillar of Communicate Ideas, because by reading and understanding its context, I analyzed and pondered about the role mass media plays in our everyday lives, and in the lives of ethnic minorities such as Native Americans. I communicated not only the How? and Why? but also the What can be done?, as this inaccurate portrayal of Natives is not only harmful to their heritage but to the general public's perception of them. Furthermore, the "Pocahontas Paradox" addresses my overarching question in that it shows the modern effects of the collision of European and Native cultures. The article showed that the interaction between the two groups has made Americans feel superior to Natives and their traditions, and that this stigma is still being continued and propagated by industries such as Hollywood. |
Inquiry Based Learning - English, February
In English, we researched a modern Native American issue we thought was interesting in a project called Inquiry Based Learning, or IBL. During the project, my group and I decided to focus on the reasons behind higher Native American suicide rates, particularly in their youth. Later on, we created a video, a website, and shared our findings with a Native American Facebook group created for the families of Native America suicide attempt survivors. This project fits within the pillar of Communicate Ideas because as we researched what the reasons behind the higher rate was, we communicated these with each other and narrowed the reasons down to those which seemed most probable and credible. We also later communicated those ideas with our intended audience through the Facebook group, and helped many others understand the conclusions we came to. Furthermore, our project supports the concept of the pillar in that it forced us out of our comfort zone and into communicating ideas and possible causes of the problem at hand. It pushed our boundaries and encouraged many different approaches to the problem. The source addresses my overarching question in that it in fact proved that the collision of European and American cultures has destroyed many Native values, and has made them feel a loss of identity in their own Native land. This is supported by the reasons of higher suicide rates, such as: poor conditions inside reservations, intergenerational trauma and the tragedy of the commons.
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