Pb Caroline

Did Thomas Jefferson show great leadership in pushing for the purchase of the Louisiana Territory(Louisiana Purchase)?  I think he did.  He had the guts to do it, he was good under the pressure of America argueing over it, and he cared about America in his effort to buy Louisiana territory.  Why?  Because there was fear that if America didn’t buy New Orleans from France that could lead to war.  Also France posed a potential threat to America.  And buy the Louisiana territory would double the size of America.  Article 1, section 8, clause 18 states: To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the United States, or in any Department or Officer thereof.  That was the elastic clause  Thomas Jefferson sided with the strict constuctionists saying that Congress can have very few implied powers so that the government remains small.  While the broad constructionists said that Congress should have more power so the government can take more control.  But Thomas Jefferson interpreted that clause very badly because he pretty much went against it even though it worked out for the better.  Everyone has been fighting around that clause: Democrats vs. Republicans and it still happens today.  Today the republicans have taken control of the House and are goin against the democrats in the Senate and the democrat president.  When the president wanted to pass a health care bill the Republicans were all up in his face giving him a hard time and vetoing it in the House, but the president refuses to give up.  That helps me understand Jefferson’s decision because like Barack Obama

Do great leaders make history? Or does history make great leaders?  Hmmmmmmmmm tough questions.  But which do you believe?  For me I say that great leaders make history.  It doesn’t matter what your history is.  It doesn’t matter what the world’s or your friend’s history is.  You can be a great leader and great leaders make history.  It’s just that simple.

There are a lot of great leaders in the world.  But a great leader that I know is Barack Obama.  I know everyone thinks it’s stupid that I picked somebody that a lot of people already know is a leader, but he IS.  He has guts first of all.  Running for president took that.  The president is the most powerful person in the free world who has to run the most powerful country.  Also he is good under pressure.  When dealing with all the people he hears saying how stupid he is for making a bill he doesn’t crack.  He goes and takes it head on.  But most of all the president cares.  He is always thinking about bills that will help the American people.  He is always working to make this country a better place.

The project I did with my group: Ashley and Bruce was on the election of 1800 when Thomas Jefferson won and the republicans took control of the House and the Senate.  We had to find a significant object and try and sell it.  I learned a lot from this project.  The biggest fact I learned is that it was the first big power shift in America.  The whole group put in a lot of effort and it was difficult at some points.  When we actually had to find a significant object to sell.  But the story was easy since it was very straight forward.  I think this project should be used again because it is fun to do.  Also when you sell the object the money goes to charity which is really cool.

This is the item my group is selling.  We said it was the quil used to write Thomas Jefferson’s inauguration speech and that speech was passed out to the people that atended the ceromony because Thomas Jefferson mumbled it so no one heard him.

What characteristics does a good leader have? 
    A good leader can think clearly under pressure.  Also he/she can make tough decisions.  He/she has a caring heart about their followers.  Also leaders must have bravery, and strength to actually be a leader.  
Are leaders made?  or born?  
     It can go either way for that question.  Some leaders are born with the characterisics in the last question.  But for some they will learn it as time passes.  But a leader is a leader no matter how they came to be it. 
Describe a time when you were a leader. 
      One time I was watching my sisters soccer game and my friends were there.  We were bored so we decided to look around in the woods behind the soccer field.  Who knew that we would wonder so far that we dot lost.  Since we were 10 or 11 all of us were scared.  Also we thought we heard gun shots.  There was no path pointing to how to get back.  Naturally we all got scared and we were freaking out.  But I got a hold of myself and calmes my friends down.  We started to go back the way we came.  At that point my friends made me the leader since I was the only one who kept her head.  Soon enough we heard our mother’s voices and we all got back safely.
Describe a time when you followed a leader.
     I was in a soccer game once.  We didn’t all of the players on the team and we were being outplayed.  Sure it was a tie, but we were tired.  Then, one of out older players talked to us saying that she knew we were tired and didn’t want to play anymore, but she said that we made it far enough in this game without losing and we couldn’t stop trying.  That pumped us up a little and she lead us through that last half with her own kind of leadership.  We lost the game but we didn’t care.  My team kept our heads held high.    
Can anyone be a leader?
     Yes.  Anyone can be a leader.  If you are born with those characteristics or get them you are or can be a leader.  You don’t need to be strong or heroic.  All you need is to care about something enough to take a stand for it.
Are you a leader?
     It depends.  Some times I can be a leader, and sometimes I’m not.   
What are you strongest abilities as a leader?
     Just to help out the people that  follow me like I did with my friends. 
If you don’t consider yourself a leader, what is standing in the way?
     Just the responsibility.  I’m scared about being in charge of people relying on me for advice or guidince.

As you can see here this is a pin.  Don’t really care right?  It doesn’t really mean anything to you right?  Well for me it does.  It’s not just some pin to me just like how some stuffed animal, or some baseball is not just some object to you.  It’s important.  I was given this by my Grandma.  But that’s not what makes it so special.  She was given it from her mother. It was my grandmother’s job to pass it down to her daughter.  But that backfired when she married my grandpa.  They had three boys including my dad.  So she couldn’t pass it down.   But finally my dad married my mom and had YOURS TRULY!  My grandma was pretty annoyed that her first two grandchildren were boys, but when I came along she was estatic.  Even though she couldn’t spell my name right.  But when I was about eight or nine she passed the pin down to me.  It gave me a sense of pride that my grandma trusted me enough to give it to me.

TODAY IS MY 14TH BIRTHDAY!  Yes it’s true!  Today 14 years ago I was brought into this world.  since today hasn’t happened yet I don’t know what will happen but it’s always fun to guess.
I’m not a bad person but I woncer what my presents will be.  I mean I’ve already gotten everything I need for Christmas but I can’t help but wonder.  I think I would ost likely get gift cards to my favorite places.  Hey, who can argue with that.  Also I most likely will get a couple more books to add to my 22 books I recieved for Christmas.
Also this is my first couple months on facebook.  That way everyone that goes on it will see it’s my birthday and WISH me a happy birthday.  That will make me feel loved.  I know I sound snooty but it’s my birthday-who isn’t snooty on this amazing day they can call their own.  Well hopefully this can happen.  All I need is a little bit to survive on this great day and hopefully I get it.  See you when this day comes.

Check out my cool be funky picture.  It reminded me so much of my dogs.

I bet you all have heard about the cherry tree story of George Washington.  Well that story is a lie.  If you look on this link you will see the real story of George Washington.  He was a very hot tempered boy that grew up to lead the Revolution of America and became the President.  Everyone thinks that the cherry tree story gave him the title of being an honest and fair man.  But that’s not it.  He was a kid like all of us at one point doing stupid things.  Not everyone tells the truth a ll the time.  In fact no one does.  We all have flaws.  George Washington was a great leader and a great President for America but no one not even him has never told a lie.

When the U.S. became an imdependant country it needed a navy.  So the Naval Act of 1794 was put into place.  With this act America recieved six navy ships.  One was the USS Costellation.  It was a frigate or warship with 38 guns.  Back then it was a very great ship, but today we have ships that are a lot different.  For instance today we have the USS Abraham Lincoln.  It’s different from the Constellation because it’s a super carrier or a very large air craft carrier.  While the Constellation is a gun ship.  A similarity is that they are both very important in the United States Navy.  Also Lincoln went to a lot more places around the world.  The two ships also had different construction so there are a lot of differences.

                          
USS Costellation                                                                                               

 
USS Lincoln