Have you ever heard about the Era of Good Feelings? To be honest with you I haven’t heard of it,until I was assigned this topic. I have to admit its a very interesting topic. Why should we care? Why should it be interest to the teenagers? We should care because it when James Monroe and James Madison were elected president and being free from the influence of European & Political military events. What does that even mean you ask? A better translation is that when both of these men were elected president, it was better for our country. If I had to pick a saying that would explain why this topic is important and the saying had to fit on a bumper sticker, it would have to be: A quote for freedom and happiness is the Era of Good Feelings. I would pick this because it really did bring happiness to the people. It was a great time for everybody. It also did bring freedom because we were free from the influence of European military acts. Last reason why this is important is that people should remember this time for the rest of their lives because it was one of the happiest times there is in U.S history.

Andrew Jackson had a long life. He made various decisions in his life that influenced him to become President of the United States. Early in life, Jackson was born to poor Irish Immigrants on March 15th 1767. As a child, Jackson attended a good school and his mother had hopes for him becoming a Presbyterian Minister. When he was thirteen, Jackson and his brothers joined the patriotic cause and volunteered to fight the British. His oldest brother Hugh died of heat stroke following the Battle of StonoFerry in 1779.In 1781, Jackson and his brother Robert were captured. After their capture, a British officer slashed Jackson withhis sword because he refused to polish his boots. He and his brother Robert were taken prisoner-of-war and both contracted smallpox in prison.Jackson finally recovered but his brother died. After his recover, his mother nursed the sick in war! She caught cholera and died. This left Jackson to be a orphan. Jackson decided to do something important with his life, so he became an attorney. Jackson purchased his first African American slave named Nancy, in 1788.

Analyzingour opinions on Andrew Jackson becoming President: Andrew same many of his loved ones die, so since he saw and felt the feeling of sorrow and loneliness, he can relate to the people of his country that are having loved ones dieing. Also, he majored in law, and ran for president. Now he has a scence of what law and goverment is. So he can relate to his country.

Written by Allyson and Ashley Perry

Just think what is your first instinct when you see something bad? Do you judge them by what they just did or do you think how was that person raised in their household that made them think what they just did was okay? Personally, I really do think that people do not think first before they judge a person. I am sure I do it all the time, but I shouldn’t. I really do think that people should judge other people by their intentions not actions. They might mean well by their actions but it just didn’t come out they way they wanted it too. Another question could be when is the right age to punish someone for their doings. My answer is there is no age per say to punish someone for their doings. Everybody gets punished, but just in different ways. For example a toddler draws on the wall. What does the mother do? Puts them in timeout. Not throw them in jail. The toddler might of meant well by drawing on the wall to make something pretty, but the way it came out was bad. So every age is the right age to get punished, but just in different ways. So when somebody does something, think about what they just did, and think in moderation.

Over the past week, I took a survey between my family and friends. The survey question was: What does the American Flag symbolize to you? Pretty easy question right? Well I got some crazy, and out of the ordinary answers but the most frequent on to come up was Independence. Besides the people that I have asked, that was also one my meaning of the American Flag. It really does show independence because it shows our country, how it started. It tells a little story. It means we have our own country, we have freedom and most importantly we always fight for independence. So next time when you do your national anthem or pledge to your flag, think of what really does your flag symbolize to your country.

Have you ever wondered if the Star Spangled Banner is historically accurate? My opinion of this question is I really do think that the Star Spangled Banner is historically accurate. I think this because Francis Scott Key (original writer of Star Spangled Banner) wrote these words when the War of 1812 was going on. Another thing you can think of is, What do the words in the first verse of our National Anthem actually mean?

Oh, say, can you see, by the dawn’s early light,
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, thru the perilous fight,
O’er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming?
And the rockets’ red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
O say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

If you have ever had to translate the first verse what would you translate it to? This is my translation:

Can you see the the morning lights,

Proudly cheered at the sunset’s last shining?

Where thick stripes and bright stars, through our dangerous fight

Over the hills red glare, the bombs exploding in mid air,

Gave proof though the night that the flag was still there

Does the star spangled banner flow in air

Oh the land of the free and the home of the brave.

In class today, we watched 30 mins of a movie about 1812. In that 30 mins there was this little piece of imformation about Dolley Madison.Dolley Madison was the wife of James Madison (the current president at the time of war 1812)and the first lady from 1809-1817. While President Madison was out on the field, Dolly stayed in Washington at the white house. One night, President Madison told Dolley to leave the the white house. This statment was said because the British were coming to burn down the White House. Dolley said  that she was not leaving untill she got the painting of George Washington painted by Gilbert. She had the guards break the glass of the painting and take it out to secure it. I really think thats just amazing. Who would actually think of saving a picture when there are people coming to burn down the building that you are in at that time. If she had never done that then we probably would not have that picure with us to this day. She truely secured her spot in history as a Famous Female Legend .

My websites for this imformation and or if you want more imformation on Dolley Madison: Click on that link

When you think about symbols, what do you think of? Crucifix Cross? Your Country’s Flag? When I think of a symbol I think of something that has importance. Something that is unique to you in your own way. If you think about it, you usally create symbols everyday. We need symbols to symbolize whats important in our lives. One of my favorite and most important symbols is my Grandmothers Necklace. It just tells me that she is actually there with me protecting me from harm and leading me in the right direction. The American Flag would be considered as a symbol because it symbolizes the United State of America. Even though it has one meaning, every single person  thinks about the American Flag in their own unique way. The American Flag symbolizes to me, that is shows our freedom and independence that we have conquored over the thousands of years. The 13 white stripes show our first 13 colonys. The last 2 stars show how we got Hawaii, and Alaska. As       “When a symbol unmoors itself from what it symbolizes, it loses meaning. It becomes ineffective”. -Arundhati Roy. I love that saying because you always want to keep your own symbols meaning to yourself. Its your own personal meaning. Do you have your own symbol in your room that means alot of memories or importance in your life. My Grandmothers necklace means alot to me, and I know she will always be in my life whether she is here on earth or in my heart.

My passion is the art of Drama and Music.My passion is truely acting and singing. I always find time in my schedule for these 2 amazing things. I am currently in Chamber Choir in our school and also the school musical Dear Edwina. I am passionate about drama and music because you can hang around with people that have the same passion as you. It feels like all of you just fit together. Sometimes I wish that people would feel just the same way as I do, with the passion for Music and Drama. I don’t know if I am ever going to pursue Music and Drama into my life when I am older, but it will be great to know that I can always sing, if I ever have to let something out of my mind. Being in Drama and Chorus really does teach you not to hold back whats on your mind.

So many to pick from! I have to say that one of my favorite quotes that i just found would have to be this quote.

“Life is like music; it must be composed by ear, feeling, and instinct, not by rule.” -Samuel Butler

I absolutely love this quote because to me life is music. If I did not have my music, I would be lost. As what Mr.Butler said people don’t go by the rules in the world, they just swing it, like in music.

I think its so interesting to learn about your herritage and what makes you, you! I mean, sure you know that you are italian, and french and other herritages but I would like to know about other things like the people that i am related to! I visited AshleyP’s blog and it inspired me and was interesting me!