Conservapedia - User contributions [en]

Talk:Concepts Invented By Religions

2009-08-05T15:08:20Z

Joe B: /* Eternity */

==Invented or Discovered?==

Is it really appropriate to say that these religions "invented" these concepts? I mean, eternity is eternity, whether or not humans comprehended it prior to Christianity. Wouldn't it be more appropriate to say that these religions were the ones who first discovered or articulated these truths? --[[User:Benp|Benp]] 23:56, 3 August 2009 (EDT)

: The debate between "inventing" or "discovering" a concept is a philosophical one. I like "invent" because it is a stronger verb, but I don't feel strongly about this and understand your point that "discovered" is more appropriate.--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 00:14, 4 August 2009 (EDT)

==Universal Law==

Were there any instances of religions prior to Judaism that believed the entire universe was subject to a single, orderly, predictable set of laws laid down by a single lawgiver? This is a fairly crucial concept, since it in turn laid the ground for the scientific method. --[[User:Benp|Benp]] 15:39, 4 August 2009 (EDT)

: Zoroastrianism predated Judaism by 400 years or thereabouts. It's probably the oldest of all the 'organised' religions and very likely had a strong influence on the theology of Judaism. A central belief was the role of Ahura Mazda in creating ''asha'', the principle of truth by which the cosmos is ordered. I think that fits your concept of a single set of laws laid down by a single lawgiver. [[User:JosephMac|JosephMac]] 17:59, 4 August 2009 (EDT)

::Interesting comments, typical of the high-quality insights available on this site. Thank you both (without declaring this particular dispute resolved).--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 19:25, 4 August 2009 (EDT)

Talk:Concepts Invented By Religions

2009-08-05T15:01:47Z

Joe B: /* Eternity */

Talk:Concepts Invented By Religions

2009-08-05T15:01:24Z

Joe B:

Talk:Essay:Draft Conservapedia Application to Become SES Provider

2009-02-20T23:52:31Z

Joe B: /* Section A */

How can we use Conservapedia materials at all, when the application says masterials should be secular, neutral, and non-ideological?
And do you want suggestions just written in under each heading?

PS it looks like we should concentrate on Section D (do we have assessment programs?) and B )beef up citations in the lectures). [[User:AddisonDM|AddisonDM]] 21:35, 11 February 2009 (EST)

: Good catch about the requirement that materials be "secular, neutral and non-ideological." I think we meet that requirement better than public school textbooks currently used. I don't think they can ban someone simply for being conservative, although some liberals may try! The teaching materials themselves (i.e., the lectures and tests and homework) meet this test better than often-used textbooks.

: Don't think the lectures need more "citations". It's the application that needs citations to research, as odd as that may sound.

: Thanks for your good insights.--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 22:13, 11 February 2009 (EST)

:: P.S. Current [[SES]] providers include The Archdiocese of Newark, The Diocese of Camden, The Diocese of Metuchen, The Diocese of Paterson, and The Diocese of Trenton. I don't think Conservapedia is any less secular, or any more ideological, than they are.--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 22:25, 11 February 2009 (EST)

<edit conflict> 
My impression is that the courses will have to align with the NJ state standards. Standards for early world history are [http://education.state.nj.us/cccs/?_list_cpi;c=6;s=3;g=8 here], and they continue [http://education.state.nj.us/cccs/?_list_cpi;c=6;s=3;g=12 here]. Standards for US history are [http://education.state.nj.us/cccs/?_list_cpi;c=6;s=4;g=8 here] and [http://education.state.nj.us/cccs/?_list_cpi;c=6;s=4;g=12 here]. (Note that New Jersey history must be included.) Frankly, looking over these standards, there are some areas which might be problematic. Note also that the Social Studies Skills standards are to be integrated with the various subject courses. High school students are expected to do [http://education.state.nj.us/cccs/?_list_cpi;c=6;s=1;g=12 the following]:
# Analyze how historical events shape the modern world.
# Formulate questions and hypotheses from multiple perspectives, using multiple sources.
# Gather, analyze, and reconcile information from primary and secondary sources to support or reject hypotheses.
# Examine source data within the historical, social, political, geographic, or economic context in which it was created, testing credibility and evaluating bias.
# Evaluate current issues, events, or themes and trace their evolution through historical periods.
# Apply problem-solving skills to national, state, or local issues and propose reasoned solutions.
# Analyze social, political, and cultural change and evaluate the impact of each on local, state, national, and international issues and events.
# Evaluate historical and contemporary communications to identify factual accuracy, soundness of evidence, and absence of bias and discuss strategies used by the government, political candidates, and the media to communicate with the public.
Hope this helps, --[[User:Hsmom|Hsmom]] 22:30, 11 February 2009 (EST)

=="Evidence"==
When they say provide evidence of this or that, how do we do that? Letters of recommendation? I don't see there being citations online which report us comprehensively or favorably. Just another thought. [[User:AddisonDM|AddisonDM]] 22:32, 11 February 2009 (EST)

: I think we could cite to material covered in class. By "evidence" I think they mean detailed descriptions with meaningful data, such as how students did on standardized tests or where they went to college. I would include some of the data at [[User:Aschlafly]].--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 22:43, 11 February 2009 (EST)

::See [http://www.state.nj.us/education/title1/program/ss/application.pdf page 13], which explains the type of evidence needed for each type of thing. For example, to show that you have adequate liability insurance of at least $1 million, they want "a copy of adequate liability insurance", which I assume means some kind of statement from the insurance provider. They also need a business registration certificate, evidence of the alignment of the curriculum with state standards, documentation of instructor qualifications, tax returns, credit rating, and so forth. --[[User:Hsmom|Hsmom]] 23:01, 11 February 2009 (EST)
:::Oh, here is more about the insurance, on [http://www.state.nj.us/education/title1/program/ss/application.pdf page 33] - they want "a copy of the policy cover page depicting amounts per incident and per occurrence". The whole thing needs to be in a 2" binder on white 3-hole punched paper, single-spaced in 12 point font. Mr. Aschlafly, are you ''sure'' you want to work with under-achieving public school kids? Were you able to go to the SES info sessions in January?--[[User:Hsmom|Hsmom]] 23:24, 11 February 2009 (EST)

::::It's charity. As I conservative, I support charity with my time and donations. (I would have gone to the information session had I known about it.)

::::Our application may be rejected. I might be better off if it is rejected! But I'm going to act in good faith for the deprived kids, and I hope and assume someone receiving the application will act in good faith also.--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 23:47, 11 February 2009 (EST)

== Status of project ==

Should this be accepted, would Conservapedia be liable to receive payment for this education, and if so, how does that alter the status of Conservapedia as a voluntary project - would new editors have to sign formal contracts and so on? Or would professional editors/educators be hired? [[User:DeniseM|DeniseM]] 03:14, 12 February 2009 (EST)

==Assessment Programs==
Section D, which ask for assessment programs: what do we have to answer for this one? It seems to me that most of the sections are just a matter of gathering data we already have, but this one (and sec. E) ask for stuff I'm not sure about. [[User:AddisonDM|AddisonDM]] 12:48, 12 February 2009 (EST)

: Not a ton of points at stake in D and E, but it seems like we would do well by emphasizing:

:: weekly homeworks
:: midterm and final exams
:: friendly competition
:: reports by email to students and parents

: How's that?--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 13:00, 12 February 2009 (EST)

Good for you for offering your time to at-risk kids! Some thoughts that may be helpful:
*As for the weekly homeworks and exams, you'd have to beef up the assignments in US History to include the skills standards. For example, I don't remember any assignments where the students had to use multiple sources, and except for the cartoons, there wasn't much use of primary sources. (I didn't follow the course closely, so I may have overlooked these things.)
*The emphasis for this program is on language, math, and science, whereas your work so far has been in social studies. You'll want to think about whether you plan to incorporate the focus areas into your existing social studies classes, such as having your students do essay writing, or whether you plan to develop new material in the desired areas.
*The SAT has historically been considered an aptitude test rather than an achievement test (I'm not sure if this has been changed recently; I know there has been some talk about that), so it may not be a good tool to assess achievement. The SATII subject tests may be a better approach.
*I'm not sure that looking at your previous student's results will be all the state needs, in that they are not remedial students. It will provide evidence of your ability to teach, but it doesn't speak to improving the performance of students who are significantly behind.
*Section D is asking about evaluating a particular student's needs (in advance) and tailoring the work to address their weaknesses - you'll have to decide how you're going to do this, and you'll need to use research-supported strategies for both assessment and remediation.
*The reports by email are OK, but remember that they asked how you would communicate with families who do not have access to computers, and/or the ability to use them.
Remember that this is a ''significantly'' different student/family population than you have dealt with in the past, and the challenges are quite different. Do you have in mind running a course very similar to what you've been offering, only in an after-school setting? Or are you looking more at a one-on-one tutoring situation? --[[User:Hsmom|Hsmom]] 14:08, 12 February 2009 (EST)
::This is an interesting project, and towards that end Hsmom made some great comments above. The one thought that stood out is that the courses offered on CP to date do not seem to have been designed to help remedial students as much as they seem to be intended to serve general-population students. It might make sense, then, to approach the application process by creating alternate versions of these courses for a remedial audience, running one or two groups of students through them, and collecting the performance metrics the SES application is looking for. That may be a more effective means of attaining SES approval than trying to apply using the course-content and records available today.
::On a more general note, is the scope of this application meant to apply to the specific online courses offered on CP, or to the entirety of Conservapedia project/site? Getting approval for the latter would be unlikely, I'd think, so I'm wondering if the online courses should be placed into a standalone namespace. --[[User:DinsdaleP|DinsdaleP]] 14:21, 12 February 2009 (EST)

== Just a thought ==
Would it be possible to save paperwork and time by simply linking the authorities to the relevant pages on this site? I feel that this would give them a better idea of CP too(this would work in your favour, as some of the children whom you would teach under the SES may be from broken communities; it is possible that board overlooking your application will decide that the CP community may partly make up for this and help the children further, helping your application). [[User:ETrundel|ETrundel]] 14:40, 12 February 2009 (EST)

==Examples==
So is this along the lines of what you need? For the first subsection of Section C (that section looks like the most important):

In the Economics class offered by Conservapedia, the final exam was modeled after the CLEP exam. A large number of students achieved college-level passing marks. All students (mention how many?) who took the actual CLEP exam based on the course passed and earned college credit.
Ten students in the American History class scored over 600 on the SAT II US History exam, including one perfect score of 800. (one more set of examples?) [[User:AddisonDM|AddisonDM]] 18:05, 12 February 2009 (EST)

And for subsection 4: Student attendance has been nearly constant in past Conservapedia classes. Many students progressively improved in their performances on exams and homework as the classes went on. (Quotes or testimonials) (College acceptance info) [[User:AddisonDM|AddisonDM]] 13:06, 13 February 2009 (EST)

: Good suggestions. I'll take a look at some of the aggregate data.--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 23:26, 16 February 2009 (EST)

:: Don't forget to include the total number of students in your data. For example, looking at the [http://www.collegeboard.com/prod_downloads/highered/ra/sat/SubjTestPercentileRanks.pdf 06/07 scores], a 600 on the SAT II US History exam is the 46th percentile. To get a sense of whether ten students scoring above 600 is a good thing, the reviewer will want to know the total number of students taking the exam. You might also want to mention how many students scored in the top quartile (above 700), and the bottom quartile (below 520). (I'd provide quartile or percentile information rather than, or in addition to, a raw score.) You'll also want to provide a sense of what kind of students you've been working with - how many were remedial students, average students, and high achievers before they began your class - to show that your results were, ideally, higher than expected. Remember they want to see how you have ''improved'' the student's academic achievement. This is an ambitious project and I'm impressed you're taking it on. Do you plan on doing one-on-one tutoring, or offering after-school remedial classes, or just letting the remedial kids take your regular classes? Either way, you've got a lot of work to do - the standards compliance part alone is going to be a challenge, let alone the rest of the application - good luck! --[[User:Hsmom|Hsmom]] 17 February 2009

:By the way, section B DOES seem to demand citations in the educational materials:
Key instructional practices and ''major program elements'' must be (1) high quality, (2) based on research (citations required), and (3) specifically designed to ''increase student academic achievement''. This could mean our materials would need some improvement. [[User:AddisonDM|AddisonDM]] 20:49, 17 February 2009 (EST)

:Sections A and C look the most important. I don't know anything that they ask for, however. [[User:AddisonDM|AddisonDM]] 20:50, 17 February 2009 (EST)

:: I'll work on those here now. Thanks.--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 21:54, 17 February 2009 (EST)

:::If you didn't see my email, why don't you ask for testimonials by email from all our homeschoolers? [[User:AddisonDM|AddisonDM]] 13:49, 18 February 2009 (EST)\

:::I'm thinking another citation for sec. B. One is not enough.

Under the first answer in sec. C, you say "best university in New Jersey." Should probably name it.

Under answer two for sec. C, where we describe homework completion, also mention our midterm exam and perhaps the average homework scores themselves, which were very good. [[User:AddisonDM|AddisonDM]] 13:58, 18 February 2009 (EST)

Sec. D: I don't know anything about that. Should we develop our own diagnostic test or something, or can we use public school evaluations? As for Individual Student Plan to track individual students, do we have to develop that too? [[User:AddisonDM|AddisonDM]] 14:08, 18 February 2009 (EST)

: I'll get too many testimonials if I ask everyone! Another citation for Section B would be nice. I'll change "best university" to "a leading university." Thanks.

: Don't know about Section D. We're not going to test anyone in the next few days, when this has to be wrapped up. Suggest what you think is best.--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 14:10, 18 February 2009 (EST)

:: The only obvious option available is to use the tests from the last course and compare the mid-term and final exams to show progress and measurement of progress. Is the deadline really that soon? [[User:ETrundel|ETrundel]] 14:25, 18 February 2009 (EST)

:::Good idea. That works. The deadline is relatively soon. I suppose we could create a new test somewhat different than the midterm and finals, but I don't know if that's necessary. [[User:AddisonDM|AddisonDM]] 14:41, 18 February 2009 (EST)

Answer 1 sec. E:
Student progress can be reported to parents and families through returned homework asignments and tests (either in person or over the internet), as well as through communication with individual parents and families as necessary, including email and phone communication and in-person meetings.

How's that? I posted it already, of course to be improved as needed. [[User:AddisonDM|AddisonDM]] 14:20, 18 February 2009 (EST)

Our info for section G should be substantially beefed up. Evacuation plans? Or is everything covered already because we're using school facilities? And I suppose you would certainly need fingerprinting is necessary. [[User:AddisonDM|AddisonDM]] 14:52, 18 February 2009 (EST)

We also have to look into how our lectures align with the standards, which are linked to at the top of the page. As part of that, my guess is that creationist content in the world history lec. 1 would not be considered acceptable. [[User:AddisonDM|AddisonDM]] 14:55, 18 February 2009 (EST)

: The lectures are factual so I don't see a problem there, unless there is something in the state standards that says that a teacher must deny facts! Please feel free to check the state standards.

: As to fingerprinting of employees, are you saying it is required? That's an expensive hassle.--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 15:42, 18 February 2009 (EST)

::I don't know for sure about fingerprinting. However, it seems to be a standard procedure for hiring positions like this. I know at our church sunday school teachers get fingerprinted. By the way, how many employees are we going to have, anyway? [[User:AddisonDM|AddisonDM]] 19:15, 18 February 2009 (EST)

== Section A ==

2. They ask for a clear, demonstrable link between the academic program provided and the regular school day. Now there are fifteen points at stake on the answer provided here, so I think it's important to emphasize that a program that increases test scores and academic proficiency is complementary to any regular program (obviously not in those words). Particularly, familiarity with a subject naturally increases a student's ability to cope with any manner of course on the same subject. Is it safe to assume that by looking into what the state standards comprise it can be deduced how the equitable Conservapedia programs can be complementary? [[User:Joe B|Joe B]] 17:50, 18 February 2009 (EST)

: Yes, please proceed and edit the content page as you think best. Improving history and government test scores seems like the best fit for us.--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 18:02, 18 February 2009 (EST)

:: I'll edit the content now based on what I read regarding the CCCS. The problem is the CCCS is really specific in some places, yet entirely vague in others.--[[User:Joe B|Joe B]] 18:53, 20 February 2009 (EST)

Essay:Draft Conservapedia Application to Become SES Provider

2009-02-20T23:50:53Z

Joe B: /* 15 points */

This is a working draft of an application by Conservapedia to become an [[SES]] provider.

In New Jersey, there are seven key parts to the application for assessment, in addition to absolute requirements.<ref name="NJ Process">http://www.state.nj.us/education/title1/program/ss/application.pdf</ref>

For a new applicant such as Conservapedia, there are two parts to the application: Parts I and II. Part I concerns completion of mandatory requirements, while Part II is based on a point system with 98 out of 140 total points needed to obtain approval. (Part III applies only to renewal applications.)

:Part I (mandatory provisions):

:*Section A (identification info)
:*Section B (geographic service area)
:*Section C (academic/instructional information)
:*Section D (recruitment of students - 300 character limit)
:*Section E (statement of qualifications and effectiveness - 300 character limit)
:*Section F (fees, which can be a sliding scale)
:*Section G (attaching business documentation)

Part II consists of the program proposal, and it has several sections as explained below:

== Section A ==

Alignment to the New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards (CCCS)<ref>http://www.nj.gov/njded/aps/cccs</ref> and the district's instructional programs (40 points maximum)

The courses provided by Conservapedia include:

*U.S. History
*World History
*American Government
*Writing
*Economics

In addition, courses can be easily developed to address:

*pre-college mathematics
*pre-college science
*reading
*grammar

=== 15 points ===
Describe how the services offered are aligned with language arts literacy, reading, science and mathematics standards as outlined in the NJ CCCS. Cite examples of specific standards and elements of the program.

:Our program reinforces the ideas addressed in a given academic program that a student experiences during the course of a regular day with its emphasis on facts and concepts clearly outlined in the NJ CCCS. It is thereby complementary within the truth that it addresses and assists in the instruction regarding what is already contained within the district's prevailing instructional program. Some illustrations thereof are as follows:

:In the context of World History, topics such as the Scientific Revolution to European society are demanded by the NJ CCCS to be addressed in the appropriate social studies course. Whereas the framework implemented by means of the standard concentrates on the related education, our program helps realize a more thorough understanding of said information via idea-oriented lectures and homework. By operating in compliance with the model set forth by the NJ CCCS, our program tackles similar curriculum complementing existing courses with a perspective that is not only involved in detail but in concept. The result is that a student will not only be able to know who Galileo was, but be capable of dissecting the issues concerned with him and of analyzing the relevance of the discussion. The student will be better equipped to continue his or her education in World History.

:Another example of this link is in American History. The NJ CCCS clearly stipulates that students should be educated on the origin and development of the political parties, the Federalists, and the Democratic Republicans. Our program not only goes into detail about this development, but discusses the potential need for parties and encourages students to grow in understanding through inquiry and discussion in reference to that development. Additionally, the homework continues this trend by not only asking for information related to these events but by asking students to analyze and inquire regarding the perceived and real need for these parties. The students will find it easier to discuss the topic of these political parties by identifying historical persons and positions with them, and by being required to think on these topics the students will find themselves more competent in addressing them in the everyday educational format.

(Should more detail and perhaps more length be added to this?

=== 15 points ===
Demonstrate a clear link between the academic program that a student experiences during the regular school day and the instruction of the SES program provided. Explain how your program complements the district’s prevailing instructional program.

=== 5 points ===
Describe specific methods and strategies for serving eligible students from special populations such as students with learning disabilities, English Language Learners, etc.

: Our program has included many students having learning disabilities. We make the materials straightforward and as logical as possible to help those students gain knowledge and confidence. Specifically, a special effort is made to identify what is hindering the learning process. If the student is having difficulty reading, for example, then special attention is focused on that deficiency until it is overcome. A textbook entitled "Turbo Reader" is used to augment a student's reading ability, and this was used with an English Language Learner with success.

:Enhancing motivation is essential for overcoming other obstacles to learning, such as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Several students affected by this obstacle have overcome it with the straightforward teaching approach used by this program.

=== 5 points ===
Describe the organizational structure of service delivery (location, supervision, staff). In this section, include a typical schedule for SES. The schedule must be included for any program that exceeds three consecutive hours of instruction in one time period. (Do not include “snack time”.)

: Service delivery consists of a two-hour program with a break halfway. The program includes time for discussion and debate, but not "snack time." The planned location will be at the public school where the students are located.

: A typical schedule would be to meet every Tuesday afternoon at the participating public school shortly after the end of the official day. The students need a short break before the program starts, in order to socialize and gather materials. Then, perhaps at 3:15pm, the program would begin and run for an hour before taking a break at 4:15pm. The first hour is most effective as the students' minds can most easily absorb the material. A break of 10 minutes is then necessary, and then the second segment would run from 4:25pm-5:15pm. At that point the student would have the homework assignment and now has to complete it prior to the next class, which would meet a week later on Tuesday again, at the same time and place. This schedule would be flexible to accommodate the particular scheduling needs of the enrolled students.

: Sessions will meet one day a week for about 14 weeks. There is a midterm and final exam to motivate the students, along with weekly homework assignments.

: The internet is used for prompter feedback than is possible otherwise. If students do not have access to the internet, then they hand in their homework on paper. If students have access to the internet and are willing to post their work online anonymously, then feedback is within hours or days of their posting their work.

: In many teenagers there is an improvement in their homework if they post it publicly on an internet site, much as an adult improves his writings or presentations when he knows the public will be evaluating it. The use of the internet is voluntary in this program but results in substantial benefits for those who choose to participate in it.

: The teacher for this program is primarily Andy Schlafly. Other teachers, if any, will work with his close participation and supervision.

== Section B ==

Key instructional practices and major program elements must be (1) high quality, (2) based on research (citations required), and (3) specifically designed to increase student academic achievement (10 points maximum)

: The instructional materials consist of a combination of specially developed readings or "lectures", tailor-made homework assignments, occasional multiple-choice exams and, where appropriate, supplemental readings and books. Only materials that present the information in a clear and concise material are used.

: For improvement in reading skills, the textbook "Turbo Reader" is used.

: The suitability of these materials and program elements are confirmed by research that demonstrates that "the most effective way to get students to master important 'real-world' skills is to teach them the knowledge that is prerequisite to those skills." See Kathleen Madigan, "A repackaged education proposal," Boston Globe (Feb. 14, 209), http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2009/02/14/a_repackaged_education_proposal/

::"Leaders in Hartford chose to focus on "how to" skills like critical thinking and problem-solving over academic content; Massachusetts chose rich content and objective assessments. Connecticut has recently seen the error of its ways. It has discarded the focus on how-to skills and joined the growing number of cities and states adopting Massachusetts' academic standards as their model.

::Importantly, research also shows a strong correlation between raising verbal scores and narrowing achievement gaps. The states that saw the most significant gains in reading scores during the 1998-2005 period - Massachusetts, Delaware, and Wyoming - also made the most progress at narrowing achievement gaps. Conversely, achievement gaps widened in states like Connecticut and West Virginia that saw the largest reading score declines.

: This program emphasizes knowledge rather than "how to" skills, just as the successful program in Massachusetts has.

: In addition, this applicant emphasizes the use of friendly competition to bring out the best in an under-performing or under-motivated student. When the student sees other students performing better, and that the under-performing student can also do just as well as others with more effort, then often the student improves dramatically. Use of the internet, with public posting of homework and feedback, helps harness the power of friendly competition to bring out the best in each individual.

== Section C ==

Provide a clear, concise narrative including evidence of program effectiveness in improving student's academic achievement (35 points maximum)

'''Examples of Evidence of Effectiveness:''' 

 -Student achievement data from valid and reliable performance tests from a state, district, and/or an independent test developer.

: Our program has resulted in tremendous academic success by participants. In 2003, for example, about 30 teenagers took a one-semester course in this program on American History. The class was open to all without any pre-selection based on test scores or intelligence, and the diverse student body included those having a learning disability or having encountered difficulties in public school. The "in class" students totaled 28, and there were also a few purely on-line participants.

: Despite being only a one-semester course, students excelled on the College Board SAT II exam afterward. Five (5) students scored 720 or higher on the SAT II, and a total of eleven (11) students scored 600 or higher. Given that these students were competing against mostly older college-bound high school students who had taken a full year, or even two years, of U.S. History, these scores after this one-semester, one-day-a-week program were remarkable.

: Students from that class ultimately went on to excel far above expectations. One student, for example, who had struggled at public school, went on to win a full scholarship at a leading university in New Jersey, and will graduate in the 2009-10 academic year. Others eventually went to attend other top college programs, including the United States Coast Guard Academy, Grove City College, Thomas Aquinas College, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and Patrick Henry College.

: The success of the 2003 U.S. History course led to this program offering it again in 2006. Then 43 students took this one-day-a-week, one-semester class. The College Board SAT II exam had changed by then, with an emphasis on topics like popular culture that our class did not cover. Nevertheless, at least ten (10) students scored at 610 or higher, and one student attained a perfect score of 800/800. As before, students from this class ultimately went to fine universities, with one student earning a full college scholarship. Due to its remarkable success, in 2008 another offering of this course attracted 65 students.

: Other courses in this program have achieved even better results. A one-semester economics course in this program was taught in 2004 and 2007. It yielded a 100% pass rate on the college-level CLEP examination, with at least five students excelling on the exam. This program offered a course in American Government in 2003 and 2007, with similar success. After the American Government course in 2003, for example, seven (7) students passed the CLEP exam for college credit, and another three students who had done as well in the course could have passed the CLEP had they paid the fee and taken it.

 -Student performance data using a measure that is not nation- or statewide, using a measure developed by the SES provider, or using school grades, homework completion, or results from a school/teacher administered subject area test.

: Homework completion rates are extraordinarily high in this program. For example, in the U.S. History class offered in 2006, there were 504 homework assignments. 488 out of 504 assignments were completed by the teenage students, representing a completion rate of 96.8%.

 -Letters of reference from previous clients, such as parents or students, offering testimonials on the positive impact of your program.

: Can use emails of gratitude, plus ask for testimonials now

 -Additional evidence of improved outcomes, such as student attendance, retention/promotion rates,graduation rates, family/parent satisfaction, and/or improved student behavior/discipline, as well as narrative excerpts from students themselves.

: Over 170 students have participated in this program, from diverse backgrounds and without any pre-selection standards. There has not been a single disciplinary program by any of the students. To our knowledge, not one has fallen prey to the problems that afflict so many teenagers: drugs, smoking, alcoholism, depression, crime, or teenage pregnancy.

: Our college admissions rate has been nearly 100%. The following colleges have admitted students from this program: Abilene Christian University, Appalachian State University <format remainder without newlines>
 Ball State University
 Belmont University
 Biola University
 Bloomfield College
 [[Brown University]]
 California State University Sacramento
 [[Cornell University]]
 Diablo Valley College
 [[Drew University]]
 [[Emory University]]
 Fairleigh Dickinson University (graduating in 3 years using CLEP exams)
 Franklin & Marshall College
 Freed-Hardeman University
 Gordon College
 [[Grove City College]] (at least 6 students admitted here)
 Huntingdon College
 [[Liberty University]] (one on a full scholarship, and another on an independent scholarship)
 Messiah College
 Montclair State College
 [[University of Notre Dame|Notre Dame University]]
 Nyack College
 Oklahoma Christian University
 Palm Beach Atlantic University
 [[Patrick Henry College]] (one on a special writing scholarship)
 Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI)
 Providence College
 Ramapo College
 Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
 Rowan College
 Sacramento State University
 Seton Hall University (two students on big scholarships)
 [[Thomas Aquinas College]]
 Trinity College
 United States Coast Guard Academy
 University of Dallas
 [[University of Florida]]
 [[Vanderbilt University]]
 [[Villanova University]]
 Washington & Lee University

== Section D ==

Describe clearly the specific assessment programs and practices used to diagnose a student's needs, prescribe an instructional program to meet that student's needs, and evaluate and monitor that student's progress towards clearly identified goals (15 points maximum)

'''What the State is looking for:''' 

*Specific processes you will use to assess and diagnose a student’s needs, identify gaps in skills or knowledge, and prescribe an instructional program based on the student’s individual needs. 

*Specific processes you will use to evaluate, monitor, and track student progress on a continuous and regular basis. 

*How you will develop a timetable for each student’s achievement gain that includes clear goals for the student.

<compare midterm and final exams for American History here>

== Section E ==

Explain the proposed process of engaging parents/families and schools/teachers in the development of the Individual Student Learning Plans and the process of providing student progress reports to parents/families and schools (10 points maximum)

'''States will ask us to describe:''' 

*Specific procedures used to report student progress to parents and families. 

:Student progress can be reported to parents and families through returned homework asignments and tests (either in person or over the internet), as well as through communication with individual parents and families as necessary, including email and phone communication and in-person meetings.

*Services provided to parents and procedures used for involving parents in creating time lines and goals for their child’s academic progress. 

*Accommodations made for working parents’ needs and schedules. 

*Processes used to resolve any disputes or conflicts that you or your staff may have with parents. 

*Expected role of parents in the services provided by you to their children, if any, and how you work with parents to explain this role. 

*Training that you offer to staff on working with parents, including what is the content of the training, who is the training offered to, and when does the training occur. 

*Information provided by you to parents and families in languages other than English, and if so, which languages.

<note how email grade reports were sent to every family>

== Section F ==

Provide evidence of employment of qualified instructional staff (at a minimum 60 college credits or an associate's degree) and a demonstrated commitment to the provision of ongoing professional development and improvement of services (10 points maximum)

: The leader of this program is Andy Schlafly, B.S.E., Princeton University (1981), J.D., Harvard Law School (1991), Adjunct Professor, Seton Hall University School of Law (1995), instructor of 170 high school-aged students, 2002-2009.

: He welcomes feedback on this program and is committed to improving it each year based on student performance on class exams and homework and on standardized tests, parental feedback, and college admission rates.

: This program provides frequent reports to students and parents, preferably by email but also by mail or in-person as may be desired. This enables constant refinement and improvement of the program to better meet the needs of the families enrolled.

: Other staff, if any, will be limited to those having a proven record of academic achievement and at least 60 college credits or an associate's degree. They will be carefully screened using background checks, references, extensive interviews and a thorough review of their work-product. They will also be thoroughly trained in the methods of this program that maximize student improvement and achievement.

== Section G ==

Provide evidence that the program complies with federal, state, and local health and safety standards and that your agency has a plan to address discipline problems and emergency situations to ensure the safety of students while in the program (20 points maximum)

'''Note: This is worth 20 points and the application expects up to 2 pages of information!!! Each response must be clearly labeled with the section header and the number of the corresponding question:'''

: The program has taught over 170 students since 2002 without a single instance of a health, safety, discipline or other problem under federal, state and/or local standards. The nature of the program and approach taken is designed to minimize disciplinary issues.

1. Explain in detail the student discipline policy. Describe any policies, resources available for teachers, and how parents and classroom teachers are engaged with any student difficulties. (4 points)

: Any discipline problems will be reported directly to the program leader, Andy Schlafly. <describe procedure in detail. mention issue of inappropriate homework answers>

2. Describe the plan for emergency situations or temporary suspension of service such as fire, severe weather, or other disasters. Include emergency exit plans and notification procedures for emergency closure. (3 points)

: <address snow days; evacuation from school>

: The instructor has a cell phone and contact information for emergency services and families to address any crisis that may occur.

3. Explain the process used by the agency to conduct and document criminal background/fingerprinting checks before hiring employees. Include if applicable the process used to secure documentation from districts when employing district staff. In addition, where appropriate, indicate whether employees are bonded and identify any other background checks used. (5 points)

: <use internet services. Is fingerprinting necessary?>

4. Provide evidence of a student attendance policy. Describe the student sign-in procedure as well as the process for notification of student absences. (3 points)

: <address sign-in policy>

5. Provide evidence of safe facilities for SES use. (5 points)

: The courses will be taught at the public school, which already has facilities available to handle any emergencies that may arise.

== Section H ==

Provide evidence of financial capacity. It appears that no points are awarded for this section, but points may be deducted if inadequate.

: This program has existed since 2002 and has paid every obligation, and even donated time and money beyond its obligations. A letter is attached from a banking institution evidencing the creditworthiness. (need to attach letter).

== Application Format ==

The final application must:
*use single space and twelve-point font.
*In the footer, add the name of the applicant agency/district.
*be printed one-sided, on 8 1/2 x 11 '''three hole punched''' white paper.
*assembled in loose-leaf binders, with each section separated by inserting tabbed dividers with each section clearly identified;
*submitted as an original and two copies
*insert a copy of the Provider Profile in the clear slip sheet of the cover.
*limit necessary attachments to no more than will fit into a 2” binder.
*DO NOT PERMANENTLY BIND THE APPLICATION OR RELEVANT ATTACHMENTS.

Be sure to include:
*Provider Profile (Part I of the Application).
*Provider Program Proposal (Part II of the Application).
*Provider Assurances (Part III of the Application).
*Requested attachments.

== Innovative aspects of the courses to mention where appropriate ==

*give the lecture ''before'' the students read the same material
*use model answers based on student homework
*encourage students to post their answers public, for feedback that is also public
(add more)

== References ==

<references/>
[[Category:Essays]]

Essay:Draft Conservapedia Application to Become SES Provider

2009-02-20T23:50:30Z

Joe B: /* 15 points */

This is a working draft of an application by Conservapedia to become an [[SES]] provider.

In New Jersey, there are seven key parts to the application for assessment, in addition to absolute requirements.<ref name="NJ Process">http://www.state.nj.us/education/title1/program/ss/application.pdf</ref>

For a new applicant such as Conservapedia, there are two parts to the application: Parts I and II. Part I concerns completion of mandatory requirements, while Part II is based on a point system with 98 out of 140 total points needed to obtain approval. (Part III applies only to renewal applications.)

:Part I (mandatory provisions):

:*Section A (identification info)
:*Section B (geographic service area)
:*Section C (academic/instructional information)
:*Section D (recruitment of students - 300 character limit)
:*Section E (statement of qualifications and effectiveness - 300 character limit)
:*Section F (fees, which can be a sliding scale)
:*Section G (attaching business documentation)

Part II consists of the program proposal, and it has several sections as explained below:

== Section A ==

Alignment to the New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards (CCCS)<ref>http://www.nj.gov/njded/aps/cccs</ref> and the district's instructional programs (40 points maximum)

The courses provided by Conservapedia include:

*U.S. History
*World History
*American Government
*Writing
*Economics

In addition, courses can be easily developed to address:

*pre-college mathematics
*pre-college science
*reading
*grammar

=== 15 points ===
Describe how the services offered are aligned with language arts literacy, reading, science and mathematics standards as outlined in the NJ CCCS. Cite examples of specific standards and elements of the program.

:Our program reinforces the ideas addressed in a given academic program that a student experiences during the course of a regular day with its emphasis on facts and concepts clearly outlined in the NJ CCCS. It is thereby complementary within the truth that it addresses and assists in the instruction regarding what is already contained within the district's prevailing instructional program. Some illustrations thereof are as follows:

In the context of World History, topics such as the Scientific Revolution to European society are demanded by the NJ CCCS to be addressed in the appropriate social studies course. Whereas the framework implemented by means of the standard concentrates on the related education, our program helps realize a more thorough understanding of said information via idea-oriented lectures and homework. By operating in compliance with the model set forth by the NJ CCCS, our program tackles similar curriculum complementing existing courses with a perspective that is not only involved in detail but in concept. The result is that a student will not only be able to know who Galileo was, but be capable of dissecting the issues concerned with him and of analyzing the relevance of the discussion. The student will be better equipped to continue his or her education in World History.
Another example of this link is in American History. The NJ CCCS clearly stipulates that students should be educated on the origin and development of the political parties, the Federalists, and the Democratic Republicans. Our program not only goes into detail about this development, but discusses the potential need for parties and encourages students to grow in understanding through inquiry and discussion in reference to that development. Additionally, the homework continues this trend by not only asking for information related to these events but by asking students to analyze and inquire regarding the perceived and real need for these parties. The students will find it easier to discuss the topic of these political parties by identifying historical persons and positions with them, and by being required to think on these topics the students will find themselves more competent in addressing them in the everyday educational format.

(Should more detail and perhaps more length be added to this?

=== 15 points ===
Demonstrate a clear link between the academic program that a student experiences during the regular school day and the instruction of the SES program provided. Explain how your program complements the district’s prevailing instructional program.

=== 5 points ===
Describe specific methods and strategies for serving eligible students from special populations such as students with learning disabilities, English Language Learners, etc.

: Our program has included many students having learning disabilities. We make the materials straightforward and as logical as possible to help those students gain knowledge and confidence. Specifically, a special effort is made to identify what is hindering the learning process. If the student is having difficulty reading, for example, then special attention is focused on that deficiency until it is overcome. A textbook entitled "Turbo Reader" is used to augment a student's reading ability, and this was used with an English Language Learner with success.

:Enhancing motivation is essential for overcoming other obstacles to learning, such as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Several students affected by this obstacle have overcome it with the straightforward teaching approach used by this program.

=== 5 points ===
Describe the organizational structure of service delivery (location, supervision, staff). In this section, include a typical schedule for SES. The schedule must be included for any program that exceeds three consecutive hours of instruction in one time period. (Do not include “snack time”.)

: Service delivery consists of a two-hour program with a break halfway. The program includes time for discussion and debate, but not "snack time." The planned location will be at the public school where the students are located.

: A typical schedule would be to meet every Tuesday afternoon at the participating public school shortly after the end of the official day. The students need a short break before the program starts, in order to socialize and gather materials. Then, perhaps at 3:15pm, the program would begin and run for an hour before taking a break at 4:15pm. The first hour is most effective as the students' minds can most easily absorb the material. A break of 10 minutes is then necessary, and then the second segment would run from 4:25pm-5:15pm. At that point the student would have the homework assignment and now has to complete it prior to the next class, which would meet a week later on Tuesday again, at the same time and place. This schedule would be flexible to accommodate the particular scheduling needs of the enrolled students.

: Sessions will meet one day a week for about 14 weeks. There is a midterm and final exam to motivate the students, along with weekly homework assignments.

: The internet is used for prompter feedback than is possible otherwise. If students do not have access to the internet, then they hand in their homework on paper. If students have access to the internet and are willing to post their work online anonymously, then feedback is within hours or days of their posting their work.

: In many teenagers there is an improvement in their homework if they post it publicly on an internet site, much as an adult improves his writings or presentations when he knows the public will be evaluating it. The use of the internet is voluntary in this program but results in substantial benefits for those who choose to participate in it.

: The teacher for this program is primarily Andy Schlafly. Other teachers, if any, will work with his close participation and supervision.

== Section B ==

Key instructional practices and major program elements must be (1) high quality, (2) based on research (citations required), and (3) specifically designed to increase student academic achievement (10 points maximum)

: The instructional materials consist of a combination of specially developed readings or "lectures", tailor-made homework assignments, occasional multiple-choice exams and, where appropriate, supplemental readings and books. Only materials that present the information in a clear and concise material are used.

: For improvement in reading skills, the textbook "Turbo Reader" is used.

: The suitability of these materials and program elements are confirmed by research that demonstrates that "the most effective way to get students to master important 'real-world' skills is to teach them the knowledge that is prerequisite to those skills." See Kathleen Madigan, "A repackaged education proposal," Boston Globe (Feb. 14, 209), http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2009/02/14/a_repackaged_education_proposal/

::"Leaders in Hartford chose to focus on "how to" skills like critical thinking and problem-solving over academic content; Massachusetts chose rich content and objective assessments. Connecticut has recently seen the error of its ways. It has discarded the focus on how-to skills and joined the growing number of cities and states adopting Massachusetts' academic standards as their model.

::Importantly, research also shows a strong correlation between raising verbal scores and narrowing achievement gaps. The states that saw the most significant gains in reading scores during the 1998-2005 period - Massachusetts, Delaware, and Wyoming - also made the most progress at narrowing achievement gaps. Conversely, achievement gaps widened in states like Connecticut and West Virginia that saw the largest reading score declines.

: This program emphasizes knowledge rather than "how to" skills, just as the successful program in Massachusetts has.

: In addition, this applicant emphasizes the use of friendly competition to bring out the best in an under-performing or under-motivated student. When the student sees other students performing better, and that the under-performing student can also do just as well as others with more effort, then often the student improves dramatically. Use of the internet, with public posting of homework and feedback, helps harness the power of friendly competition to bring out the best in each individual.

== Section C ==

Provide a clear, concise narrative including evidence of program effectiveness in improving student's academic achievement (35 points maximum)

'''Examples of Evidence of Effectiveness:''' 

 -Student achievement data from valid and reliable performance tests from a state, district, and/or an independent test developer.

: Our program has resulted in tremendous academic success by participants. In 2003, for example, about 30 teenagers took a one-semester course in this program on American History. The class was open to all without any pre-selection based on test scores or intelligence, and the diverse student body included those having a learning disability or having encountered difficulties in public school. The "in class" students totaled 28, and there were also a few purely on-line participants.

: Despite being only a one-semester course, students excelled on the College Board SAT II exam afterward. Five (5) students scored 720 or higher on the SAT II, and a total of eleven (11) students scored 600 or higher. Given that these students were competing against mostly older college-bound high school students who had taken a full year, or even two years, of U.S. History, these scores after this one-semester, one-day-a-week program were remarkable.

: Students from that class ultimately went on to excel far above expectations. One student, for example, who had struggled at public school, went on to win a full scholarship at a leading university in New Jersey, and will graduate in the 2009-10 academic year. Others eventually went to attend other top college programs, including the United States Coast Guard Academy, Grove City College, Thomas Aquinas College, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and Patrick Henry College.

: The success of the 2003 U.S. History course led to this program offering it again in 2006. Then 43 students took this one-day-a-week, one-semester class. The College Board SAT II exam had changed by then, with an emphasis on topics like popular culture that our class did not cover. Nevertheless, at least ten (10) students scored at 610 or higher, and one student attained a perfect score of 800/800. As before, students from this class ultimately went to fine universities, with one student earning a full college scholarship. Due to its remarkable success, in 2008 another offering of this course attracted 65 students.

: Other courses in this program have achieved even better results. A one-semester economics course in this program was taught in 2004 and 2007. It yielded a 100% pass rate on the college-level CLEP examination, with at least five students excelling on the exam. This program offered a course in American Government in 2003 and 2007, with similar success. After the American Government course in 2003, for example, seven (7) students passed the CLEP exam for college credit, and another three students who had done as well in the course could have passed the CLEP had they paid the fee and taken it.

 -Student performance data using a measure that is not nation- or statewide, using a measure developed by the SES provider, or using school grades, homework completion, or results from a school/teacher administered subject area test.

: Homework completion rates are extraordinarily high in this program. For example, in the U.S. History class offered in 2006, there were 504 homework assignments. 488 out of 504 assignments were completed by the teenage students, representing a completion rate of 96.8%.

 -Letters of reference from previous clients, such as parents or students, offering testimonials on the positive impact of your program.

: Can use emails of gratitude, plus ask for testimonials now

 -Additional evidence of improved outcomes, such as student attendance, retention/promotion rates,graduation rates, family/parent satisfaction, and/or improved student behavior/discipline, as well as narrative excerpts from students themselves.

: Over 170 students have participated in this program, from diverse backgrounds and without any pre-selection standards. There has not been a single disciplinary program by any of the students. To our knowledge, not one has fallen prey to the problems that afflict so many teenagers: drugs, smoking, alcoholism, depression, crime, or teenage pregnancy.

: Our college admissions rate has been nearly 100%. The following colleges have admitted students from this program: Abilene Christian University, Appalachian State University <format remainder without newlines>
 Ball State University
 Belmont University
 Biola University
 Bloomfield College
 [[Brown University]]
 California State University Sacramento
 [[Cornell University]]
 Diablo Valley College
 [[Drew University]]
 [[Emory University]]
 Fairleigh Dickinson University (graduating in 3 years using CLEP exams)
 Franklin & Marshall College
 Freed-Hardeman University
 Gordon College
 [[Grove City College]] (at least 6 students admitted here)
 Huntingdon College
 [[Liberty University]] (one on a full scholarship, and another on an independent scholarship)
 Messiah College
 Montclair State College
 [[University of Notre Dame|Notre Dame University]]
 Nyack College
 Oklahoma Christian University
 Palm Beach Atlantic University
 [[Patrick Henry College]] (one on a special writing scholarship)
 Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI)
 Providence College
 Ramapo College
 Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
 Rowan College
 Sacramento State University
 Seton Hall University (two students on big scholarships)
 [[Thomas Aquinas College]]
 Trinity College
 United States Coast Guard Academy
 University of Dallas
 [[University of Florida]]
 [[Vanderbilt University]]
 [[Villanova University]]
 Washington & Lee University

== Section D ==

Describe clearly the specific assessment programs and practices used to diagnose a student's needs, prescribe an instructional program to meet that student's needs, and evaluate and monitor that student's progress towards clearly identified goals (15 points maximum)

'''What the State is looking for:''' 

*Specific processes you will use to assess and diagnose a student’s needs, identify gaps in skills or knowledge, and prescribe an instructional program based on the student’s individual needs. 

*Specific processes you will use to evaluate, monitor, and track student progress on a continuous and regular basis. 

*How you will develop a timetable for each student’s achievement gain that includes clear goals for the student.

<compare midterm and final exams for American History here>

== Section E ==

Explain the proposed process of engaging parents/families and schools/teachers in the development of the Individual Student Learning Plans and the process of providing student progress reports to parents/families and schools (10 points maximum)

'''States will ask us to describe:''' 

*Specific procedures used to report student progress to parents and families. 

:Student progress can be reported to parents and families through returned homework asignments and tests (either in person or over the internet), as well as through communication with individual parents and families as necessary, including email and phone communication and in-person meetings.

*Services provided to parents and procedures used for involving parents in creating time lines and goals for their child’s academic progress. 

*Accommodations made for working parents’ needs and schedules. 

*Processes used to resolve any disputes or conflicts that you or your staff may have with parents. 

*Expected role of parents in the services provided by you to their children, if any, and how you work with parents to explain this role. 

*Training that you offer to staff on working with parents, including what is the content of the training, who is the training offered to, and when does the training occur. 

*Information provided by you to parents and families in languages other than English, and if so, which languages.

<note how email grade reports were sent to every family>

== Section F ==

Provide evidence of employment of qualified instructional staff (at a minimum 60 college credits or an associate's degree) and a demonstrated commitment to the provision of ongoing professional development and improvement of services (10 points maximum)

: The leader of this program is Andy Schlafly, B.S.E., Princeton University (1981), J.D., Harvard Law School (1991), Adjunct Professor, Seton Hall University School of Law (1995), instructor of 170 high school-aged students, 2002-2009.

: He welcomes feedback on this program and is committed to improving it each year based on student performance on class exams and homework and on standardized tests, parental feedback, and college admission rates.

: This program provides frequent reports to students and parents, preferably by email but also by mail or in-person as may be desired. This enables constant refinement and improvement of the program to better meet the needs of the families enrolled.

: Other staff, if any, will be limited to those having a proven record of academic achievement and at least 60 college credits or an associate's degree. They will be carefully screened using background checks, references, extensive interviews and a thorough review of their work-product. They will also be thoroughly trained in the methods of this program that maximize student improvement and achievement.

== Section G ==

Provide evidence that the program complies with federal, state, and local health and safety standards and that your agency has a plan to address discipline problems and emergency situations to ensure the safety of students while in the program (20 points maximum)

'''Note: This is worth 20 points and the application expects up to 2 pages of information!!! Each response must be clearly labeled with the section header and the number of the corresponding question:'''

: The program has taught over 170 students since 2002 without a single instance of a health, safety, discipline or other problem under federal, state and/or local standards. The nature of the program and approach taken is designed to minimize disciplinary issues.

1. Explain in detail the student discipline policy. Describe any policies, resources available for teachers, and how parents and classroom teachers are engaged with any student difficulties. (4 points)

: Any discipline problems will be reported directly to the program leader, Andy Schlafly. <describe procedure in detail. mention issue of inappropriate homework answers>

2. Describe the plan for emergency situations or temporary suspension of service such as fire, severe weather, or other disasters. Include emergency exit plans and notification procedures for emergency closure. (3 points)

: <address snow days; evacuation from school>

: The instructor has a cell phone and contact information for emergency services and families to address any crisis that may occur.

3. Explain the process used by the agency to conduct and document criminal background/fingerprinting checks before hiring employees. Include if applicable the process used to secure documentation from districts when employing district staff. In addition, where appropriate, indicate whether employees are bonded and identify any other background checks used. (5 points)

: <use internet services. Is fingerprinting necessary?>

4. Provide evidence of a student attendance policy. Describe the student sign-in procedure as well as the process for notification of student absences. (3 points)

: <address sign-in policy>

5. Provide evidence of safe facilities for SES use. (5 points)

: The courses will be taught at the public school, which already has facilities available to handle any emergencies that may arise.

== Section H ==

Provide evidence of financial capacity. It appears that no points are awarded for this section, but points may be deducted if inadequate.

: This program has existed since 2002 and has paid every obligation, and even donated time and money beyond its obligations. A letter is attached from a banking institution evidencing the creditworthiness. (need to attach letter).

== Application Format ==

The final application must:
*use single space and twelve-point font.
*In the footer, add the name of the applicant agency/district.
*be printed one-sided, on 8 1/2 x 11 '''three hole punched''' white paper.
*assembled in loose-leaf binders, with each section separated by inserting tabbed dividers with each section clearly identified;
*submitted as an original and two copies
*insert a copy of the Provider Profile in the clear slip sheet of the cover.
*limit necessary attachments to no more than will fit into a 2” binder.
*DO NOT PERMANENTLY BIND THE APPLICATION OR RELEVANT ATTACHMENTS.

Be sure to include:
*Provider Profile (Part I of the Application).
*Provider Program Proposal (Part II of the Application).
*Provider Assurances (Part III of the Application).
*Requested attachments.

== Innovative aspects of the courses to mention where appropriate ==

*give the lecture ''before'' the students read the same material
*use model answers based on student homework
*encourage students to post their answers public, for feedback that is also public
(add more)

== References ==

<references/>
[[Category:Essays]]

Talk:Essay:Draft Conservapedia Application to Become SES Provider

2009-02-20T23:48:03Z

Joe B: /* Section A */

Talk:Essay:Draft Conservapedia Application to Become SES Provider

2009-02-18T22:50:42Z

Joe B:

How can we use Conservapedia materials at all, when the application says masterials should be secular, neutral, and non-ideological?
And do you want suggestions just written in under each heading?

PS it looks like we should concentrate on Section D (do we have assessment programs?) and B )beef up citations in the lectures). [[User:AddisonDM|AddisonDM]] 21:35, 11 February 2009 (EST)

: Good catch about the requirement that materials be "secular, neutral and non-ideological." I think we meet that requirement better than public school textbooks currently used. I don't think they can ban someone simply for being conservative, although some liberals may try! The teaching materials themselves (i.e., the lectures and tests and homework) meet this test better than often-used textbooks.

: Don't think the lectures need more "citations". It's the application that needs citations to research, as odd as that may sound.

: Thanks for your good insights.--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 22:13, 11 February 2009 (EST)

:: P.S. Current [[SES]] providers include The Archdiocese of Newark, The Diocese of Camden, The Diocese of Metuchen, The Diocese of Paterson, and The Diocese of Trenton. I don't think Conservapedia is any less secular, or any more ideological, than they are.--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 22:25, 11 February 2009 (EST)

<edit conflict> 
My impression is that the courses will have to align with the NJ state standards. Standards for early world history are [http://education.state.nj.us/cccs/?_list_cpi;c=6;s=3;g=8 here], and they continue [http://education.state.nj.us/cccs/?_list_cpi;c=6;s=3;g=12 here]. Standards for US history are [http://education.state.nj.us/cccs/?_list_cpi;c=6;s=4;g=8 here] and [http://education.state.nj.us/cccs/?_list_cpi;c=6;s=4;g=12 here]. (Note that New Jersey history must be included.) Frankly, looking over these standards, there are some areas which might be problematic. Note also that the Social Studies Skills standards are to be integrated with the various subject courses. High school students are expected to do [http://education.state.nj.us/cccs/?_list_cpi;c=6;s=1;g=12 the following]:
# Analyze how historical events shape the modern world.
# Formulate questions and hypotheses from multiple perspectives, using multiple sources.
# Gather, analyze, and reconcile information from primary and secondary sources to support or reject hypotheses.
# Examine source data within the historical, social, political, geographic, or economic context in which it was created, testing credibility and evaluating bias.
# Evaluate current issues, events, or themes and trace their evolution through historical periods.
# Apply problem-solving skills to national, state, or local issues and propose reasoned solutions.
# Analyze social, political, and cultural change and evaluate the impact of each on local, state, national, and international issues and events.
# Evaluate historical and contemporary communications to identify factual accuracy, soundness of evidence, and absence of bias and discuss strategies used by the government, political candidates, and the media to communicate with the public.
Hope this helps, --[[User:Hsmom|Hsmom]] 22:30, 11 February 2009 (EST)

=="Evidence"==
When they say provide evidence of this or that, how do we do that? Letters of recommendation? I don't see there being citations online which report us comprehensively or favorably. Just another thought. [[User:AddisonDM|AddisonDM]] 22:32, 11 February 2009 (EST)

: I think we could cite to material covered in class. By "evidence" I think they mean detailed descriptions with meaningful data, such as how students did on standardized tests or where they went to college. I would include some of the data at [[User:Aschlafly]].--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 22:43, 11 February 2009 (EST)

::See [http://www.state.nj.us/education/title1/program/ss/application.pdf page 13], which explains the type of evidence needed for each type of thing. For example, to show that you have adequate liability insurance of at least $1 million, they want "a copy of adequate liability insurance", which I assume means some kind of statement from the insurance provider. They also need a business registration certificate, evidence of the alignment of the curriculum with state standards, documentation of instructor qualifications, tax returns, credit rating, and so forth. --[[User:Hsmom|Hsmom]] 23:01, 11 February 2009 (EST)
:::Oh, here is more about the insurance, on [http://www.state.nj.us/education/title1/program/ss/application.pdf page 33] - they want "a copy of the policy cover page depicting amounts per incident and per occurrence". The whole thing needs to be in a 2" binder on white 3-hole punched paper, single-spaced in 12 point font. Mr. Aschlafly, are you ''sure'' you want to work with under-achieving public school kids? Were you able to go to the SES info sessions in January?--[[User:Hsmom|Hsmom]] 23:24, 11 February 2009 (EST)

::::It's charity. As I conservative, I support charity with my time and donations. (I would have gone to the information session had I known about it.)

::::Our application may be rejected. I might be better off if it is rejected! But I'm going to act in good faith for the deprived kids, and I hope and assume someone receiving the application will act in good faith also.--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 23:47, 11 February 2009 (EST)

== Status of project ==

Should this be accepted, would Conservapedia be liable to receive payment for this education, and if so, how does that alter the status of Conservapedia as a voluntary project - would new editors have to sign formal contracts and so on? Or would professional editors/educators be hired? [[User:DeniseM|DeniseM]] 03:14, 12 February 2009 (EST)

==Assessment Programs==
Section D, which ask for assessment programs: what do we have to answer for this one? It seems to me that most of the sections are just a matter of gathering data we already have, but this one (and sec. E) ask for stuff I'm not sure about. [[User:AddisonDM|AddisonDM]] 12:48, 12 February 2009 (EST)

: Not a ton of points at stake in D and E, but it seems like we would do well by emphasizing:

:: weekly homeworks
:: midterm and final exams
:: friendly competition
:: reports by email to students and parents

: How's that?--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 13:00, 12 February 2009 (EST)

Good for you for offering your time to at-risk kids! Some thoughts that may be helpful:
*As for the weekly homeworks and exams, you'd have to beef up the assignments in US History to include the skills standards. For example, I don't remember any assignments where the students had to use multiple sources, and except for the cartoons, there wasn't much use of primary sources. (I didn't follow the course closely, so I may have overlooked these things.)
*The emphasis for this program is on language, math, and science, whereas your work so far has been in social studies. You'll want to think about whether you plan to incorporate the focus areas into your existing social studies classes, such as having your students do essay writing, or whether you plan to develop new material in the desired areas.
*The SAT has historically been considered an aptitude test rather than an achievement test (I'm not sure if this has been changed recently; I know there has been some talk about that), so it may not be a good tool to assess achievement. The SATII subject tests may be a better approach.
*I'm not sure that looking at your previous student's results will be all the state needs, in that they are not remedial students. It will provide evidence of your ability to teach, but it doesn't speak to improving the performance of students who are significantly behind.
*Section D is asking about evaluating a particular student's needs (in advance) and tailoring the work to address their weaknesses - you'll have to decide how you're going to do this, and you'll need to use research-supported strategies for both assessment and remediation.
*The reports by email are OK, but remember that they asked how you would communicate with families who do not have access to computers, and/or the ability to use them.
Remember that this is a ''significantly'' different student/family population than you have dealt with in the past, and the challenges are quite different. Do you have in mind running a course very similar to what you've been offering, only in an after-school setting? Or are you looking more at a one-on-one tutoring situation? --[[User:Hsmom|Hsmom]] 14:08, 12 February 2009 (EST)
::This is an interesting project, and towards that end Hsmom made some great comments above. The one thought that stood out is that the courses offered on CP to date do not seem to have been designed to help remedial students as much as they seem to be intended to serve general-population students. It might make sense, then, to approach the application process by creating alternate versions of these courses for a remedial audience, running one or two groups of students through them, and collecting the performance metrics the SES application is looking for. That may be a more effective means of attaining SES approval than trying to apply using the course-content and records available today.
::On a more general note, is the scope of this application meant to apply to the specific online courses offered on CP, or to the entirety of Conservapedia project/site? Getting approval for the latter would be unlikely, I'd think, so I'm wondering if the online courses should be placed into a standalone namespace. --[[User:DinsdaleP|DinsdaleP]] 14:21, 12 February 2009 (EST)

== Just a thought ==
Would it be possible to save paperwork and time by simply linking the authorities to the relevant pages on this site? I feel that this would give them a better idea of CP too(this would work in your favour, as some of the children whom you would teach under the SES may be from broken communities; it is possible that board overlooking your application will decide that the CP community may partly make up for this and help the children further, helping your application). [[User:ETrundel|ETrundel]] 14:40, 12 February 2009 (EST)

==Examples==
So is this along the lines of what you need? For the first subsection of Section C (that section looks like the most important):

In the Economics class offered by Conservapedia, the final exam was modeled after the CLEP exam. A large number of students achieved college-level passing marks. All students (mention how many?) who took the actual CLEP exam based on the course passed and earned college credit.
Ten students in the American History class scored over 600 on the SAT II US History exam, including one perfect score of 800. (one more set of examples?) [[User:AddisonDM|AddisonDM]] 18:05, 12 February 2009 (EST)

And for subsection 4: Student attendance has been nearly constant in past Conservapedia classes. Many students progressively improved in their performances on exams and homework as the classes went on. (Quotes or testimonials) (College acceptance info) [[User:AddisonDM|AddisonDM]] 13:06, 13 February 2009 (EST)

: Good suggestions. I'll take a look at some of the aggregate data.--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 23:26, 16 February 2009 (EST)

:: Don't forget to include the total number of students in your data. For example, looking at the [http://www.collegeboard.com/prod_downloads/highered/ra/sat/SubjTestPercentileRanks.pdf 06/07 scores], a 600 on the SAT II US History exam is the 46th percentile. To get a sense of whether ten students scoring above 600 is a good thing, the reviewer will want to know the total number of students taking the exam. You might also want to mention how many students scored in the top quartile (above 700), and the bottom quartile (below 520). (I'd provide quartile or percentile information rather than, or in addition to, a raw score.) You'll also want to provide a sense of what kind of students you've been working with - how many were remedial students, average students, and high achievers before they began your class - to show that your results were, ideally, higher than expected. Remember they want to see how you have ''improved'' the student's academic achievement. This is an ambitious project and I'm impressed you're taking it on. Do you plan on doing one-on-one tutoring, or offering after-school remedial classes, or just letting the remedial kids take your regular classes? Either way, you've got a lot of work to do - the standards compliance part alone is going to be a challenge, let alone the rest of the application - good luck! --[[User:Hsmom|Hsmom]] 17 February 2009

:By the way, section B DOES seem to demand citations in the educational materials:
Key instructional practices and ''major program elements'' must be (1) high quality, (2) based on research (citations required), and (3) specifically designed to ''increase student academic achievement''. This could mean our materials would need some improvement. [[User:AddisonDM|AddisonDM]] 20:49, 17 February 2009 (EST)

:Sections A and C look the most important. I don't know anything that they ask for, however. [[User:AddisonDM|AddisonDM]] 20:50, 17 February 2009 (EST)

:: I'll work on those here now. Thanks.--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 21:54, 17 February 2009 (EST)

:::If you didn't see my email, why don't you ask for testimonials by email from all our homeschoolers? [[User:AddisonDM|AddisonDM]] 13:49, 18 February 2009 (EST)\

:::I'm thinking another citation for sec. B. One is not enough.

Under the first answer in sec. C, you say "best university in New Jersey." Should probably name it.

Under answer two for sec. C, where we describe homework completion, also mention our midterm exam and perhaps the average homework scores themselves, which were very good. [[User:AddisonDM|AddisonDM]] 13:58, 18 February 2009 (EST)

Sec. D: I don't know anything about that. Should we develop our own diagnostic test or something, or can we use public school evaluations? As for Individual Student Plan to track individual students, do we have to develop that too? [[User:AddisonDM|AddisonDM]] 14:08, 18 February 2009 (EST)

: I'll get too many testimonials if I ask everyone! Another citation for Section B would be nice. I'll change "best university" to "a leading university." Thanks.

: Don't know about Section D. We're not going to test anyone in the next few days, when this has to be wrapped up. Suggest what you think is best.--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 14:10, 18 February 2009 (EST)

:: The only obvious option available is to use the tests from the last course and compare the mid-term and final exams to show progress and measurement of progress. Is the deadline really that soon? [[User:ETrundel|ETrundel]] 14:25, 18 February 2009 (EST)

:::Good idea. That works. The deadline is relatively soon. I suppose we could create a new test somewhat different than the midterm and finals, but I don't know if that's necessary. [[User:AddisonDM|AddisonDM]] 14:41, 18 February 2009 (EST)

Answer 1 sec. E:
Student progress can be reported to parents and families through returned homework asignments and tests (either in person or over the internet), as well as through communication with individual parents and families as necessary, including email and phone communication and in-person meetings.

How's that? I posted it already, of course to be improved as needed. [[User:AddisonDM|AddisonDM]] 14:20, 18 February 2009 (EST)

Our info for section G should be substantially beefed up. Evacuation plans? Or is everything covered already because we're using school facilities? And I suppose you would certainly need fingerprinting is necessary. [[User:AddisonDM|AddisonDM]] 14:52, 18 February 2009 (EST)

We also have to look into how our lectures align with the standards, which are linked to at the top of the page. As part of that, my guess is that creationist content in the world history lec. 1 would not be considered acceptable. [[User:AddisonDM|AddisonDM]] 14:55, 18 February 2009 (EST)

: The lectures are factual so I don't see a problem there, unless there is something in the state standards that says that a teacher must deny facts! Please feel free to check the state standards.

: As to fingerprinting of employees, are you saying it is required? That's an expensive hassle.--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 15:42, 18 February 2009 (EST)

== Section A ==

2. They ask for a clear, demonstrable link between the academic program provided and the regular school day. Now there are fifteen points at stake on the answer provided here, so I think it's important to emphasize that a program that increases test scores and academic proficiency is complementary to any regular program (obviously not in those words). Particularly, familiarity with a subject naturally increases a student's ability to cope with any manner of course on the same subject. Is it safe to assume that by looking into what the state standards comprise it can be deduced how the equitable Conservapedia programs can be complementary? [[User:Joe B|Joe B]] 17:50, 18 February 2009 (EST)

World History Homework Three Answers - Student Two

2009-02-18T21:45:31Z

Joe B: New page: World History – Homework Three – Joe B 1. To me, Classical India is a more intriguing subject of study than Classical China. The self-preserving nature of the Indian religion and comp...

World History – Homework Three – Joe B

1. To me, Classical India is a more intriguing subject of study than Classical China. The self-preserving nature of the Indian religion and companion political structure assist India to particularly stand out in the context of ancient history. The flexibility of doctrine, accompanied by the inflexible bulwark of the Caste System, has enabled Hinduism to survive well past the average lifespan of most pagan religions.

2. Despite the fact that Hinduism is a forever renewing and self-preserving religion, it is not known for brilliant exploits in the field of evangelization. The same traits that when viewed in an introverted sense make for a durable religion become a considerably less impressive when viewed in a more extroverted capacity. Whereas as elasticity in doctrine might be compelling in self-defense, it is a far less forceful concept when applied in an assertive fashion. Moreover, the Caste System is not exactly a good selling point for use on potential converts.

3. This is the Yin and Yang symbol. The sides represented, Yin and Yang, denote a philosophically observed concept of a dualistic quality in nature. Contrary to the Western perception of struggle, Yin and Yang are actually indicative of the harmony between the intertwined forces of nature: Yin is to Yang, as feminine is to masculine, as dark is to light, and so forth.

4. Numerous aspects of the Hindu religion have served remarkably in facilitating its survival, two points coming immediately to mind. First, the flexibility of Hindu doctrine naturally tends to diminish the effects of foreign persuasion as it ultimately just adopts whatever religious concepts it encounters and incorporates them into itself seamlessly. Second, the idea of the Caste System, particularly in relation to reincarnation, has the ability to keep not only itself alive but a certain class of people in power, whereby including a self-serving incentive to those who uphold it. The religious system is so nearly flawless in both planning and execution that it has had a firm grip on India ever since its first implementation several millennia ago.

5. Though I am perhaps too ill-acquainted with the insights of Sun Tzu to have a favorite, one that is especially interesting goes as follows: “Confront them with annihilation, and they will then survive; plunge them into a deadly situation, and they will then live. When people fall into danger, they are then able to strive for victory.” Aside from the obvious militaristic meaning behind the idea, the social implication is equally gripping. The idea is simple, but the message is shrewd: those who possess the appropriate incentive will respond with success.

6. The chronology of the empires of ancient China is as follows. The Shang Dynasty from about 1766-1122 B.C., the Zhou Dynasty from 1027-221 B.C., the Qin Dynasty from 220-205 B.C., and the Han Dynasty from 206 B.C. to 220 A.D. After a period of regional governments China was reunited once again in 589 A.D. under the Sui Dynasty.

7. (A) Supposing I did hear of such plans, my view would probably be one of relative indifference. I could potentially be angry, but only if the location were exclusively reserved for use by the Muslim community. If by “adjacent mosque” is meant “instead of a Christian one” then the situation could potentially digress, but I personally believe that so long as the mosque is adjacent to rather than inclusive of the site than I have no objection. However, under no circumstance do I believe the actual location should be reserved solely for Muslim occupation and use.

World History Homework Two Answers - Student Six

2009-02-13T17:19:42Z

Joe B:

World History – Homework Two – Joe B

1. There is no accounting for pure brilliance; the case of Alexander the Great is no different. However, the single biggest factor that contributed to Alexander’s success was most likely his education under Aristotle. The fact that he probably had incredible intellectual talent from the start was a perfect marriage with the educational format of a home education he received under the direction of Aristotle. He was simply raised in the perfect environment to facilitate his extraordinary motivation and ability.

2. The isolated nature of Greek geography was definitely conducive to the development of democracy. All of the mountains, rivers, and other such boundaries lead to the creation of various city-states rather than one giant country. Such a political format made it difficult for one method of government to dominate all of the others. This geographically influenced lack of an overlying, and potentially oppressive, theocracy or monarchy bred the creation of a circumstance where there were a number of opportunities for different ideas of governance to be given a try. Democracy was one of the ideas that came to the forefront.

3. The emergence of a new method of writing language in the 1000s B.C., via the Phoenician Alphabet, was perhaps one of the biggest advancements in human history. It allowed for words to be further broken down, now into letters representing individual sounds as opposed to entire syllables. The result, naturally, was a more dynamic method of communication, one that allowed for the easier creation of new words to express ideas. The most influential languages in the history of the world developed as a precedent set by the Phoenician Alphabet.

4. It really is impossible to pick the most important Greek advancement in knowledge, but one veritably significant one would be the discovery, or rather the development, of Democracy. Our own current political system is at least partially descended from the Athenian model and just the concept of government for the people rather than for itself is an undoubtedly noteworthy advance. Naturally there were issues with that original model, but compared to the other political systems of the time it was a massive achievement.

5. Aesop’s Fables are an intriguing number of short stories in that each individual tale has a twist in it to bring to light some aspect of human life. The significance thereof is that the ultimate effect of these stories is not only enjoyment, but also an increase in understanding. This is interesting because the method is very reminiscent to that of the parables taught by Christ, or even vice-versa. Perhaps this lends credence to the idea that Christ taught in Greek? Even if this is not ultimately indicative of original language, at the least it shows that those with knowledge of Greek culture would have been very open to and understanding of Christ’s method of teaching.

6. To me, Socrates is the one who truly stands out, but not necessarily because he was the greatest thinker or philosopher among them. Socrates is the most impressive specifically because he was the one who set the example. Now naturally one cannot blame the others for coming later as it isn’t their fault. However, there is something profoundly important about being the one to set the precedent in the first place, and that is just what Socrates did.

7. The Assyrians comprised an ancient civilization in northern Mesopotamia. It became an independent civilization around the 14th century B.C. They were a harsh and cruel military people, who were referred to a number of times in the Old Testament due to their poor treatment of the Hebrews. After a temporary period of collapse Assyria reemerged in the 8th century B.C., but eventually collapsed toward the end of the 7th century B.C.

H3. I have a particular affinity toward the Greek philosophers because, of what I have heard, they just seem to be the most interesting. Just the entire discussion of philosophy is fascinating, and a lot of it started with the Greek philosophers. I am definitely looking forward to getting an opportunity to study them more thoroughly, perhaps in college.

H5. Going back to Alexander the Great, though in a different capacity, I believe he exemplifies an interesting paradigm: a different mindset from that of most individuals today. I think that might be typical of a number of historical figures, but Alexander the Great is just the perfect manifestation thereof. These days it seems difficult to get people interested or motivated enough to do practically anything, much less achieve something spectacular. What is even more profound is Alexander’s primary reason for conquest: he wanted to see/discover the Pacific Ocean (I believe it was it was known in legend as the Eastern Sea, though I’m not positive). Due to his studies under Aristotle, Alexander believed that the earth was round, to the great dismay of many of his soldiers, and he wanted to look on, with his own two eyes, the body of water of which he knew must exist. This just occurs to me as a particularly fitting spark to the genius of one of the most influential historical figures ever, and is one of the foremost reasons why I enjoy studying history. The remarkable such inspiration and determination that drove a man to known as “the Great,” is nothing short of awe-inspiring.

World History Homework Two Answers - Student Six

2009-02-13T17:18:58Z

Joe B:

World History – Homework Two – Joe B

1. There is no accounting for pure brilliance; the case of Alexander the Great is no different. However, the single biggest factor that contributed to Alexander’s success was most likely his education under Aristotle. The fact that he probably had incredible intellectual talent from the start was a perfect marriage with the educational format of a home education he received under the direction of Aristotle. He was simply raised in the perfect environment to facilitate his extraordinary motivation and ability.

2. The isolated nature of Greek geography was definitely conducive to the development of democracy. All of the mountains, rivers, and other such boundaries lead to the creation of various city-states rather than one giant country. Such a political format made it difficult for one method of government to dominate all of the others. This geographically influenced lack of an overlying, and potentially oppressive, theocracy or monarchy bred the creation of a circumstance where there were a number of opportunities for different ideas of governance to be given a try. Democracy was one of the ideas that came to the forefront.

3. The emergence of a new method of writing language in the 1000s B.C., via the Phoenician Alphabet, was perhaps one of the biggest advancements in human history. It allowed for words to be further broken down, now into letters representing individual sounds as opposed to entire syllables. The result, naturally, was a more dynamic method of communication, one that allowed for the easier creation of new words to express ideas. The most influential languages in the history of the world developed as a precedent set by the Phoenician Alphabet.

4. It really is impossible to pick the most important Greek advancement in knowledge, but one veritably significant one would be the discovery, or rather the development, of Democracy. Our own current political system is at least partially descended from the Athenian model and just the concept of government for the people rather than for itself is an undoubtedly noteworthy advance. Naturally there were issues with that original model, but compared to the other political systems of the time it was a massive achievement.

5. Aesop’s Fables are an intriguing number of short stories in that each individual tale has a twist in it to bring to light some aspect of human life. The significance thereof is that the ultimate effect of these stories is not only enjoyment, but also an increase in understanding. This is interesting because the method is very reminiscent to that of the parables taught by Christ, or even vice-versa. Perhaps this lends credence to the idea that Christ taught in Greek? Even if this is not ultimately indicative of original language, at the least it shows that those with knowledge of Greek culture would have been very open to and understanding of Christ’s method of teaching.

6. To me, Socrates is the one who truly stands out, but not necessarily because he was the greatest thinker or philosopher among them. Socrates is the most impressive specifically because he was the one who set the example. Now naturally one cannot blame the others for coming later as it isn’t their fault. However, there is something profoundly important about being the one to set the precedent in the first place, and that is just what Socrates did.

7. The Assyrians comprised an ancient civilization in northern Mesopotamia. It became an independent civilization around the 14th century B.C. They were a harsh and cruel military people, who were referred to a number of times in the Old Testament due to their poor treatment of the Hebrews. After a temporary period of collapse Assyria reemerged in the 8th century B.C., but eventually collapsed toward the end of the 7th century B.C.

H3. I have a particular affinity toward the Greek philosophers because, of what I have heard, they just seem to be the most interesting. Just the entire discussion of philosophy is fascinating, and a lot of it started with the Greek philosophers. I am definitely looking forward to getting an opportunity to study them more thoroughly, perhaps in college.

H5. Going back to Alexander the Great, though in a different capacity, I believe he exemplifies an interesting paradigm: a different mindset from that of most individuals today. I think that might be typical of a number of historical figures, but Alexander the Great is just the perfect manifestation thereof. These days it seems difficult to get people interested or motivated enough to do practically anything, much less achieve something spectacular. What is even more profound is Alexander’s primary reason for conquest: he wanted to see/discover the Pacific Ocean (I believe it was it was known in legend as the Eastern Sea, though I’m not positive). Due to his studies under Aristotle, Alexander believed that the earth was round, to the great dismay of many of his soldiers, and he wanted to look on, with his own two eyes, the body of water of which he knew must exist. This just occurs to me as a particularly fitting spark to the genius of one of the most influential historical figures ever, and is one of the foremost reasons I enjoy studying history. The remarkable such inspiration and determination that drove a man to known as “the Great,” is nothing short of awe-inspiring.

World History Homework Two Answers - Student Six

2009-02-13T17:17:54Z

Joe B: New page: World History – Homework Two – Joe B 1. There is no accounting for pure brilliance; the case of Alexander the Great is no different. However, the single biggest factor that contribute...

World History – Homework Two – Joe B

1. There is no accounting for pure brilliance; the case of Alexander the Great is no different. However, the single biggest factor that contributed to Alexander’s success was most likely his education under Aristotle. The fact that he probably had incredible intellectual talent from the start was a perfect marriage with the educational format of a home education he received under the direction of Aristotle. He was simply raised in the perfect environment to facilitate his extraordinary motivation and ability.

2. The isolated nature of Greek geography was definitely conducive to the development of democracy. All of the mountains, rivers, and other such boundaries lead to the creation of various city-states rather than one giant country. Such a political format made it difficult for one method of government to dominate all of the others. This geographically influenced lack of an overlying, and potentially oppressive, theocracy or monarchy bred the creation of a circumstance where there were a number of opportunities for different ideas of governance to be given a try. Democracy was one of the ideas that came to the forefront.

3. The emergence of a new method of writing language in the 1000s B.C., via the Phoenician Alphabet, was perhaps one of the biggest advancements in human history. It allowed for words to be further broken down, now into letters representing individual sounds as opposed to entire syllables. The result, naturally, was a more dynamic method of communication, one that allowed for the easier creation of new words to express ideas. The most influential languages in the history of the world developed as a precedent set by the Phoenician Alphabet.

4. It really is impossible to pick the most important Greek advancement in knowledge, but one veritably significant one would be the discovery, or rather the development, of Democracy. Our own current political system is at least partially descended from the Athenian model and just the concept of government for the people rather than for itself is an undoubtedly noteworthy advance. Naturally there were issues with that original model, but compared to the other political systems of the time it was a massive achievement.

5. Aesop’s Fables are an intriguing number of short stories in that each individual tale has a twist in it to bring to light some aspect of human life. The significance thereof is that the ultimate effect of these stories is not only enjoyment, but also an increase in understanding. This is interesting because the method is very reminiscent to that of the parables taught by Christ, or even vice-versa. Perhaps this lends credence to the idea that Christ taught in Greek? Even if this is not ultimately indicative of original language, at the least it shows that those with knowledge of Greek culture would have been very open to and understanding of Christ’s method of teaching.

6. To me, Socrates is the one who truly stands out, but not necessarily because he was the greatest thinker or philosopher among them. Socrates is the most impressive specifically because he was the one who set the example. Now naturally one cannot blame the others for coming later as it isn’t their fault. However, there is something profoundly important about being the one to set the precedent in the first place, and that is just what Socrates did.

7. The Assyrians comprised an ancient civilization in northern Mesopotamia. It became an independent civilization around the 14th century B.C. They were a harsh and cruel military people, who were referred to a number of times in the Old Testament due to their poor treatment of the Hebrews. After a temporary period of collapse Assyria reemerged in the 8th century B.C., but eventually collapsed toward the end of the 7th century B.C.

H3. I have a particular affinity toward the Greek philosophers because, of what I have heard, they just seem to be the most interesting. Just the entire discussion of philosophy is fascinating, and a lot of it started with the Greek philosophers. I am definitely looking forward to getting an opportunity to study them more thoroughly, perhaps in college.

H5. Going back to Alexander the Great, though in a different capacity, I believe he exemplifies an interesting paradigm: a different mindset from that of most individuals today. I think that might be typical of a number of historical figures, but Alexander the Great is just the perfect manifestation thereof. These days it seems difficult to get people interested or motivated enough to do practically anything, much less achieve something spectacular. What is even more profound is Alexander’s primary reason for conquest: he wanted to see/discover the Pacific Ocean (I believe it was it was known in rumor as the Eastern Sea, though I’m not positive). Due to his studies under Aristotle, Alexander believed that the earth was round, to the great dismay of many of his soldiers, and he wanted to look on, with his own two eyes, the body of water of which had been rumored, and that he knew must exist. This just occurs to me as a particularly fitting spark to the genius of one of the most influential historical figures ever, and is one of the foremost reasons I enjoy studying history. The remarkable such inspiration and determination that drove a man to known as “the Great,” is nothing short of awe-inspiring.

World History Homework One Answers - Student Four

2009-02-04T22:40:05Z

Joe B:

World History Homework One – Joe B

(1) Knowing what happened before enables one to understand what is happening now and conjecture regarding what will happen in the future. If one does not know what happened, then he really does not know anything. Therefore, I hope to accomplish a better understanding of world history in order to better my understanding of the world as a whole.

(2) The one date that strikes me is the estimation listed for the creation of Adam and Eve. Though it is, perhaps, possible to have occurred then, it is not a necessary theological or historical point that it happened during that time period. This goes under the heading of the idea that the world was literally created 6000 years ago, whereas Christianity does not in fact require this impression to be accurate in order to retain legitimacy as a religion. Time is relative, as are the ways of expressing that time. Therefore it is not necessary that 6000 years is an essentially correct estimation. Moreover it is quite probable that, as has been the case on other subjects, our present understanding of matters is a tad lacking. Personally, I do not claim to know when these heretofore undocumented events occurred, but I still find the speculation thereof to be fascinating.

(3) Hammurabi was the first king of Babylon. It was his code, therefore, that was responsible for helping make that civilization successful. The thing about the Code of Hammurabi which is most striking is not the relative harshness or fairness, but its enormous length and belabored detail. There are literally 282 laws in the code (decidedly more enjoyable to skim through than to read word for word) on seemingly every possible scenario calling for “government intervention” and what should be done if said situations should arise. Talk about mandatory sentencing. Hammurabi, assuming he was the one responsible for the content of the code, probably would have made a good lawyer.

(4) They were (in order) Sumer, Egypt, Babylonia, Israel, Assyria, Chaldea, and Persia. I would note that many of these empires overlapped in time, place, or even ethnicity. My favorite among these is probably Egypt, because it is the easiest (historically) to keep in context. Additionally, the Egyptians managed some exceptional feats in architecture and agriculture. Plus, a lot of Egyptian history and culture (including stuff we have not covered yet) is downright captivating.

(5) Probably the easiest controversy to see would be the one between the Israeli and Palestinian peoples, but I would be quick to point out that a large part of that conflict is surprisingly modern in basis. Though a number of people like to mention the seeming incessant, and probably to a degree true, feud between the Jewish and Islamic cultures, I think there is another point to be made on this same conflict, one that also can be traced back to ancient times. The link I’m referencing is, of course, Zionism. Though a name for a current political movement, it has its roots in an ancient belief. This general sentiment, the basis of which is debatable, dictates that the Hebrew (Jewish) people will never be safe unless existent within a thoroughly Zionist nation. The modern Zionist movement, though separate in its emergence, is essentially founded on this principle and is a major factor at work in the current Israeli-Palestinian struggle.

(6) The first, or Old Kingdom, of Egypt was free from foreign invaders, a fact that allowed prosperity and intellectual ferment enough for the construction of the Great Pyramid of Giza. The second phase, known as the Middle Kingdom, was a stage in which cultural advancement, namely in art and infrastructure, took place in Egypt. The third period of Ancient Egypt, which is called the New Kingdom, came after the foreign rule of the Hyksos and was hallmarked by military expansion. I personally do not possess a favorite out of the three, as I think the picture of Egypt is best viewed as a whole. However, if I were pressed to choose a favorite chapter in Egyptian History it would be that of the Old Kingdom as something about the construction of the Great Pyramid, perhaps the mystery shrouding it, is particularly alluring.

H3 – The construction of the pyramids by the Egyptians is one of the most confusing aspects of World History. How could an ancient civilization, without access even to the wheel until later in its lifespan, manage to construct such large structures with unparalleled precision and skill? I think it is important to understand that without modern distractions and the like the ancients (including the Egyptians) probably devoted far more time and energy in mastering the various arts to which they had access. That being said, time and energy, regardless of how ample, can never sufficiently account for genius, pure and simple. Literal explanations, naturally, are more complicated. The sadly flawed theory that the Egyptians used logs to build the Great Pyramid is incorrect for several simple reasons: a) the use of the logs is too close of a leap to the wheel for someone to use without making the connection, b) Egypt simply did not have the resources to muster such a supply of logs, and c) the logs would have snapped like twigs under the weight of multi-ton pieces of rock. If I had to guess how they managed to construct the pyramids I would assert that perhaps they used a series of planks and boards somehow slickened by oil, mud, water, or some thereof combination in addition with sledges to drag the pieces into place. In any event, even such an explanation cannot account for how precisely the measurements of the stones are, in addition to how spectacularly precisely the pyramid is aligned with the celestial heavens.

H4 – The one thing from the lecture which caught my eye was the debate on laws versus language. Though I previously would have chosen laws, claiming that the same ideas for governance must hold true in all languages, I have since changed my position. Though law is indeed an integral portion of society, law could not exist at all without language. Therefore, language is more important by default because without it laws would not and could not exist. However, the significance of language is far more profound than mere concrete manifestations thereof can illustrate. Language shapes the human mind more so than any other single thing in the history of human civilization. When people think they do so almost exclusively in terms of words, whether they are the words they believe, the words they hear, or the words they are accustomed to using. Think about it this way: the laws of ancient Athens allowed it to thrive; however, would it have thrived nearly so much without having had arguably the most powerful language in the history of the world, Greek, as its base? Or better yet: would Athens have achieved the same environment and laws to accommodate great thinking had it been based in a different, less powerful, language? More simply, one must possess the terms of language within which to think and ultimately convey the things of which he has thought.

World History Homework One Answers - Student Four

2009-02-04T22:39:43Z

Joe B: New page: World History Homework One – Joe B (1) Knowing what happened before enables one to understand what is happening now and conjecture regarding what will happen in the future. If one does ...

World History Homework One – Joe B

(1) Knowing what happened before enables one to understand what is happening now and conjecture regarding what will happen in the future. If one does not know what happened, then he really does not know anything. Therefore, I hope to accomplish a better understanding of world history in order to better my understanding of the world as a whole.

(2) The one date that strikes me is the estimation listed for the creation of Adam and Eve. Though it is, perhaps, possible to have occurred then, it is not a necessary theological or historical point that it happened during that time period. This goes under the heading of the idea that the world was literally created 6000 years ago, whereas Christianity does not in fact require this impression to be accurate in order to retain legitimacy as a religion. Time is relative, as are the ways of expressing that time. Therefore it is not necessary that 6000 years is an essentially correct estimation. Moreover it is quite probable that, as has been the case on other subjects, our present understanding of matters is a tad lacking. Personally, I do not claim to know when these heretofore undocumented events occurred, but I still find the speculation thereof to be fascinating.

(3) Hammurabi was the first king of Babylon. It was his code, therefore, that was responsible for helping make that civilization successful. The thing about the Code of Hammurabi which is most striking is not the relative harshness or fairness, but its enormous length and belabored detail. There are literally 282 laws in the code (decidedly more enjoyable to skim through than to read word for word) on seemingly every possible scenario calling for “government intervention” and what should be done if said situations should arise. Talk about mandatory sentencing. Hammurabi, assuming he was the one responsible for the content of the code, probably would have made a good lawyer.

(4) They were (in order) Sumer, Egypt, Babylonia, Israel, Assyria, Chaldea, and Persia. I would note that many of these empires overlapped in time, place, or even ethnicity. My favorite among these is probably Egypt, because it is the easiest (historically) to keep in context. Additionally, the Egyptians managed some exceptional feats in architecture and agriculture. Plus, a lot of Egyptian history and culture (including stuff we have not covered yet) is downright captivating.

(5) Probably the easiest controversy to see would be the one between the Israeli and Palestinian peoples, but I would be quick to point out that a large part of that conflict is surprisingly modern in basis. Though a number of people like to mention the seeming incessant, and probably to a degree true, feud between the Jewish and Islamic cultures, I think there is another point to be made on this same conflict, one that also can be traced back to ancient times. The link I’m referencing is, of course, Zionism. Though a name for a current political movement, it has its roots in an ancient belief. This general sentiment, the basis of which is debatable, dictates that the Hebrew (Jewish) people will never be safe unless existent within a thoroughly Zionist nation. The modern Zionist movement, though separate in its emergence, is essentially founded on this principle and is a major factor at work in the current Israeli-Palestinian struggle.

(6) The first, or Old Kingdom, of Egypt was free from foreign invaders, a fact that allowed prosperity and intellectual ferment enough for the construction of the Great Pyramid of Giza. The second phase, known as the Middle Kingdom, was a stage in which cultural advancement, namely in art and infrastructure, took place in Egypt. The third period of Ancient Egypt, which is called the New Kingdom, came after the foreign rule of the Hyksos and was hallmarked by military expansion. I personally do not possess a favorite out of the three, as I think the picture of Egypt is best viewed as a whole. However, if I were pressed to choose a favorite chapter in Egyptian History it would be that of the Old Kingdom as something about the construction of the Great Pyramid, perhaps the mystery shrouding it, is particularly alluring.

H3 – The construction of the pyramids by the Egyptians is one of the most confusing aspects of World History. How could an ancient civilization, without access even to the wheel until later in its lifespan, manage to construct such large structures with unparalleled precision and skill? I think it is important to understand that without modern distractions and the like the ancients (including the Egyptians) probably devoted far more time and energy in mastering the various arts to which they had access. That being said, time and energy, regardless of how ample, can never sufficiently account for genius, pure and simple. Literal explanations, naturally, are more complicated. The sadly flawed theory that the Egyptians used logs to build the Great Pyramid is incorrect for several simple reasons: a) the use of the logs is too close of a leap to the wheel for someone to use without making the connection, b) Egypt simply did not have the resources to muster such a supply of logs, and c) the logs would have snapped like twigs under the weight of multi-ton pieces of rock. If I had to guess how they managed to construct the pyramids I would assert that perhaps they used a series of planks and boards somehow slickened by oil, mud, water, or some thereof combination in addition with sledges to drag the pieces into place. In any event, even such an explanation cannot account for how precisely the measurements of the stones are, in addition to how spectacularly precisely the pyramid is aligned with the celestial heavens.
H4 – The one thing from the lecture which caught my eye was the debate on laws versus language. Though I previously would have chosen laws, claiming that the same ideas for governance must hold true in all languages, I have since changed my position. Though law is indeed an integral portion of society, law could not exist at all without language. Therefore, language is more important by default because without it laws would not and could not exist. However, the significance of language is far more profound than mere concrete manifestations thereof can illustrate. Language shapes the human mind more so than any other single thing in the history of human civilization. When people think they do so almost exclusively in terms of words, whether they are the words they believe, the words they hear, or the words they are accustomed to using. Think about it this way: the laws of ancient Athens allowed it to thrive; however, would it have thrived nearly so much without having had arguably the most powerful language in the history of the world, Greek, as its base? Or better yet: would Athens have achieved the same environment and laws to accommodate great thinking had it been based in a different, less powerful, language? More simply, one must possess the terms of language within which to think and ultimately convey the things of which he has thought.

American History Homework Five Answers - Student 32

2008-10-10T14:17:15Z

Joe B: New page: American History Homework Four – Joe B 1. The Revolution of 1800 was a bloodless revolution, and is significant as such. It is referred to as a revolution because of the dramatic power ...

American History Homework Four – Joe B

1. The Revolution of 1800 was a bloodless revolution, and is significant as such. It is referred to as a revolution because of the dramatic power shift from the Federalist Party (John Adams administration) to the Democrat-Republican Party (Thomas Jefferson administration) and was achieved by a vote and not by way of war. This is an immensely important aspect of American History as it highlights one of the ideas upon which it was founded, liberty without violence. Despite their differences, both of the major factions understood the importance of elections in a free society and because of this they both respected the results of the elections, regardless of the outcome.

2. The Louisiana Purchase is one of those occurrences in history in which a difficult decision had to be made, and yet a perfect solution seemed impossible to attain. It’s actually fascinating that Jefferson, traditionally thought of as a thinker and a philosopher, would make a decision that seems to have been so impulsive (indeed, had a president like Jackson or Truman made the Louisiana Purchase it would not have been the least bit surprising). Of course the choice did make sense, both at the time and historically, as the move was relatively cheap, opened up room for American expansion, and involved the obtainment of a valuable port city (New Orleans – the initial object of American interest). However, the apparent disregard for a strict constructionist mode of interpreting the Constitution is disturbing. Perhaps in a perfect world the Constitution could have been amended to specify that Federal treaties including acquisition of land had to achieve ratification from the states in addition to that from the Senate. This way the Constitution itself could have maintained its status as a document strictly interpreted as a set limitation upon the power of the Federal Government.

3. In reality there were a number of various causes of the War of 1812, but possibly one of the most noteworthy is that which began in Jefferson’s administration: the British seizing of American ships. The British were disgusted with the fact that French trade was being carried in American ships, and so they took it upon themselves to intervene. Some of these interventions included impressing American sailors into the British navy and the attack upon the American ship Chesapeake. Jefferson, similarly to his predecessors, did everything in his power to avoid a war with Great Britain because he realized that such a conflict could be detrimental to the preservation of the nation. His handpicked successor, James Madison, was even elected after him, but he would not prove as capable as Jefferson in avoiding war. With increased British encroachments upon the country, the American Congress was turned upside down. In 1810 the message from the people was clear: out with the compromisers and in with those who meant to protect the dignity of the nation. So it was that the new (and arguably hotheaded) congressional majority, after the revelation of a British plot to stir up unrest in New England, issued a declaration of war on England in June of 1812.

4. The Monroe Administration was comprised of a collection of rather curious acts and events. The Missouri Compromise was achieved under Monroe’s presidency, and his veto of the Cumberland Road Bill (and the general tendency of the Federal Government underneath him away from increased spending) was equally commendable. The Transcontinental Treaty continued the expansionist trend in America as the United States obtained, among other things, Florida. It should be noted however, that though there were several definite achievements under Monroe, there were also several disturbing occurrences. The Monroe Doctrine (named for the president, though John Quincy Adams was equally involved) was the continuation of a trend in favor of the ‘liberation’ of Latin America. The doctrine was perpetuated by an extremely misinformed world view, mostly liberal and pro-rebellion, which somehow equated the various conflicts in Latin America with that of the American War for Independence a number of years earlier. The Monroe Doctrine undermined Spanish (and indeed Christian) efforts in the New World, instead supporting blatantly immoral Creole rebellions. The idea behind the doctrine was to insinuate a Hands-Off Policy thereby limiting European involvement in America (though it is still unclear how Monroe imagined he would enforce such a policy), and yet it was merely issued to diminish competition with Europe for dominance over the American continents.

5. Jacksonian Democracy refers to the type of democracy that became popular as a result of Andrew Jackson’s presidency, mostly dictated by the policies Jackson held. Aspects of Jacksonian Democracy include the spoils system, manifest destiny, expanded suffrage (now all white males could vote), and laissez-fair economics (summed up perhaps by his opposition to the national bank).

6. The Marshall Court is known for expanding its own power, that of the Supreme Court. It did so through its decisions. Marbury v. Madison declared the principle of judicial review permitting the Supreme Court to declare a congressional act as unconstitutional. Fletcher v. Peck enabled the Supreme Court to declare a state law as unconstitutional.

7. The political cartoon at first glance seems to be a reference to the Treaty of Ghent with Bruin (the bear), representing the Russian Czar, mediating between the United States and Great Britain (as indicated in the subtext). However, there are several aspects of this cartoon which appear to be curious, particularly the conversation of having a peace conference and the lack of conversation referencing the existence of one, and so it was probably drawn before the actual treaty took place (est. 1813). However, what it probably did reference was the anticipation of such a treaty, most likely precipitated by the commencement, or talk, of negotiations. As far as the actual cartoon goes, John Bull is an obvious reference to Britain, as is Bruin to the Russian Czar and Columbia to America. The “Wasps and Hornets” John Bull speaks of are probably the privateers licensed by the United States Government to commit piracy against the British. Despite the increase in competence displayed by the American forces in the latter stages of the fighting, it was the privateers who had truly brought the war to Britain. Because of the piracy British trade was crippled. The resulting shortage of goods infuriated the British people (they had not counted on feeling the effects of an actual war) and they quickly called for an end to the conflict, wishing they “had never disturbed (the) Nests.” The political cartoon is almost certainly from the perspective of an American based on the kind portrayal of America (as the lady Columbia) in contrast to unkind take on Britain (the brutish, submissive, and blatantly ugly John Bull).

H1. I wouldn’t say that Jefferson receives better treatment by historians than he deserves at all. If anything he receives less credit than he should. Many historians seem to like citing how he borrowed on ideas from a range of other philosophical figures, including John Locke, as though it diminishes the significance of Jefferson’s efforts on the Declaration of Independence (despite the fact that Jefferson never passed it off as his own idea, but merely said he put into one document what a number of people already felt). Also, a number of people seem eternally hung up on his moral credibility, which is almost as offensive as stating that the Declaration was plagiarized as he wasn’t a traditional Christian and hence did not feel constrained by traditional Christian morality.
Here are some things one should not overlook in reference to Thomas Jefferson: Jefferson was a thinker, his attraction to pursuing his own education is admirable, and he was a brilliant scholar. He made a number of contributions to American political philosophy. His draft of the Declaration of the Independence forcefully echoed the idea of liberty and vaulted our nation into existence. In his time as a state legislator in Virginia he drafted 126 bills (this was in only three years mind you) the likes of which pushed academic reform, freedom of religion, and capital punishment reform. As Governor of Virginia he continued to push reform. Together with Madison he wisely opposed the Alien and Sedition attacks, which were among other things a blatant violation of freedom of speech. He was elected the third President of the United States, where he again played a huge role in the (at that time) present and future success of the nation by winning the First Barbary War and completing the Louisiana Purchase. Jefferson also managed to keep the United States out of a war with Britain during his presidency. Though Jefferson was far from perfect, he should not be pushed aside as merely a popular figure as his long-term popularity was certainly merited.

H2. Due to their opposition of the War of 1812 the Federalists convened in Hartford, Connecticut, in 1814 with plans to potentially secede from the Union in favor of Great Britain. However, in late 1814 the United States came to an agreement with Great Britain, and one of the effects was that the Federalists seemed like traitors for ever supporting the British. Naturally being labeled as traitorous was not helpful to the political success of the Federalists, and the party largely dissolved (therefore becoming irrelevant) in the aftermath.

H3. '''Debate: Can a State nullify an act of Congress? Can a State secede (withdraw) from the United States?'''
There is no reason why a state cannot nullify an act of Congress. Historically speaking (though you could not tell by looking at American politics today) the country is supposed to be the United States not the United State. Naturally certain things the Federal Government must attempt to impose, such as freedom from slavery, but there is no reason why a state should not be allowed to declare an act as being unconstitutional. In addition, the states came into an agreement to be united with the other states not part of the other states. If the founding fathers thought they were uniting together only to forfeit the sovereignty of their states, then they would have never bothered fighting the War for Independence.

American History Homework Four Answers

2008-10-10T14:16:09Z

Joe B:

Graded through student six by 11:32pm Thursday, 10/9.

*[[American History Homework Four Answers - Student One]]
*[[American History Homework Four Answers - Student Two]]
*[[American History Homework Four Answers - Student Three]] - DONE
*[[American History Homework Four Answers - Student Four]]
*[[American History Homework Four Answers - Student Five]]
*[[American History Homework Four Answers - Student Six]]
*[[American History Homework Four Answers - Student Seven]]
*[[American History Homework Four Answers - Student Eight]]
*[[American History Homework Four Answers - Student Nine]]
*[[American History Homework Four Answers - Student Ten]]
*[[American History Homework Four Answers - Student Eleven]]
*[[American History Homework Four Answers - Student Twelve]]
*[[American History Homework Four Answers - Student Thirteen]]
*[[American History Homework Four Answers - Student Fourteen]]
*[[American History Homework Four Answers - Student Fifteen]]
*[[American History Homework Four Answers - Student Sixteen]]
*[[American History Homework Four Answers - Student Seventeen]]
*[[American History Homework Four Answers - Student Eighteen]]
*[[American History Homework Four Answers - Student Nineteen]]
*[[American History Homework Four Answers - Student Twenty]]
*[[American History Homework Four Answers - Student 21]]
*[[American History Homework Four Answers - Student 22]]
*[[American History Homework Four Answers - Student 23]]
*[[American History Homework Four Answers - Student 24]]
*[[American History Homework Four Answers - Student 25]]
*[[American History Homework Four Answers - Student 26]] DONE!
*[[American History Homework Four Answers - Student 27]]
*[[American History Homework Four Answers - Student 28]]
*[[American History Homework Four Answers - Student 29]]
*[[American History Homework Four Answers - Student 30]]
*[[American History Homework Four Answers - Student 31]]
*[[American History Homework Five Answers - Student 32]]
(add more)

== Model Answers ==
*[[American History Homework Four Answers - Model]]

American History Homework Three Answers - Student 32

2008-10-04T02:36:35Z

Joe B: New page: My apologies for the late submission. I always write out my homework ahead of time, and due to shared internet times I'll submit it the day of class. However yesterday (Thursday) I was ent...

My apologies for the late submission. I always write out my homework ahead of time, and due to shared internet times I'll submit it the day of class. However yesterday (Thursday) I was entirely out of it (spawning such brilliance as 'monopulated') and forgot to submit my homework. Either way, here it is:

Joe B

American History Homework Three

1. One weakness of the Articles of Confederation would be that concerning foreign policy. The federal government was so physically impaired as a result of the Articles that it could not maintain its own borders, nor uphold the provisions of its own treaties (as it could not impose such provisions upon the states effectively). Another weakness of the Articles of Confederation was its financial inability. There were no federal taxes, and the federal government could not force the states to contribute to the upkeep of central government.

2. Article I of the Constitution establishes Congress and the powers of Congress. Article II of the Constitution establishes the Executive Branch and the powers thereof. Article III of the Constitution establishes the Supreme Court.

3. George Washington’s patriotism, or commitment to the country, was perhaps his most admirable characteristic. Though he was not a skilled tactician, or a brilliant diplomat, he still managed to win independence for the colonies (thereby becoming the United States) and protect that independence during the formative years of the Constitution. His commitment to the American people was further displayed through his willingness to step aside when the nation no longer needed him. Though he could have probably obtained anything he asked of the American people, and could indeed have served in command until his very death, he felt that American independence had been far too dearly bought to be placed subservient to his own ambition.

4. The most important invention of the 1790s was Eli Whitney’s cotton gin, which enabled the increased production of cotton (as one machine could do the work of 50 men) in the South. Due to this the South became even more of an economic powerhouse, and in fact became the biggest producer of cotton in the world.

5. The political cartoon looks as though it depicts the ratification of the United States Constitution. The title reads “Federal Superstructure” and the pillars of this superstructure, each in representation of one of the states who has achieved ratification, are the foundation upon which the whole is built. Another interesting clue is that the sixth state to ratify the Constitution, Massachusetts, is depicted as being the sixth pillar being put into position by what would seem to be heavenly means. All the states being in order of ratification, and Massachusetts being the one currently put into its place in the Federal Superstructure, the cartoon seems to specifically reference Massachusetts’s ratification of the Constitution, or at least the anticipation thereof. The argument at the time this was most likely drawn was whether or not the Constitution should be ratified by the states; the Federalists thought it should, whereas the Anti-Federalists believed that it should not. Due to the cartoon’s heavenly involvement in aligning Massachusetts with the other ratifying states it is most likely that the cartoon was written from the perspective of a Federalist.

6. The most important achievement of the Articles of Confederation was the establishment of the Northwest Ordinance in 1787. One significant achievement of the Northwest Ordinance was that it set a precedent for the creation of new states, with a specific process on how they were to be developed as territories and eventually admitted to the Union as states. A second significant achievement of the Northwest Ordinance was its protection of individual rights, such as religious freedom, which foreshadowed the later adoption of such individual rights as a part of the Bill of Rights.

7. The most significant part of the John Adams presidency was the signing into law of the Alien and Sedition Acts and the reaction of the states to the acts. The Alien Act gave the Executive Branch the authority to deport immigrants, and the Sedition Act made it illegal to criticize the federal government (that is in spirit, the actual legislation was a bit more drawn out and less to the point). The opposing party, the Democratic-Republican Party, and the leaders of the party (Jefferson and Madison) saw this as being directed specifically at them and drafted state resolutions to nullify the acts as unconstitutional. This set a precedent for the Southern states to later attempt to nullify federal laws and secede from the Union.

American History Homework Three Answers

2008-10-04T02:34:13Z

Joe B: /* Student Answers */

== Model Answers ==
*[[American History Homework Three Answers - Model]]

== Student Answers ==

Graded through Student Sixteen as of 10:10pm 10/3:

*[[American History Homework Three Answers - Student One]] - DONE
*[[American History Homework Three Answers - Student Two]] - The End :-)
*[[American History Homework Three Answers - Student Three]]
*[[American History Homework Three Answers - Student Four]]
*[[American History Homework Three Answers - Student Five]]
*[[American History Homework Three Answers - Student Six]]
*[[American History Homework Three Answers - Student Seven]]
*[[American History Homework Three Answers - Student Eight]]
*[[American History Homework Three Answers - Student Nine]]
*[[American History Homework Three Answers - Student Ten]]
*[[American History Homework Three Answers - Student Eleven]]
*[[American History Homework Three Answers - Student Twelve]]
*[[American History Homework Three Answers - Student Thirteen]]
*[[American History Homework Three Answers - Student Fourteen]]
*[[American History Homework Three Answers - Student Fifteen]]
*[[American History Homework Three Answers - Student Sixteen]]
*[[American History Homework Three Answers - Student Seventeen]]
*[[American History Homework Three Answers - Student Eighteen]]
*[[American History Homework Three Answers - Student Nineteen]]
*[[American History Homework Three Answers - Student Twenty]]
*[[American History Homework Three Answers - Student 21]]
* (gap in answers)
*[[American History Homework Three Answers - Student 26]]
* (gap in answers)
*[[American History Homework Three Answers - Student 29]]
*[[American History Homework Three Answers - Student 30]]
*[[American History Homework Three Answers - Student 31]]
*[[American History Homework Three Answers - Student 32]]

American History Homework Two Answers - Student 34

2008-09-19T03:23:10Z

Joe B:

Joe B

1. There were many underlying causes to the Revolutionary War; the following include three of most important. First, many of them had previously been entitled to govern themselves and were disgusted by the idea of the British Government suddenly decided to levy taxes in America. Second, in addition to the first point, a number of colonists found it highly offensive that they were being taxed without adequate representation. Third, quite a few of the colonists were adamantly anti-Catholic (there were actually a number of anti-Catholic laws both in England and throughout the colonies), and were appalled by the Quebec Act which granted rights, including freedom of religion, to French Canadian Catholics. Certainly there were a number of other important underlying causes of the American War for Independence, but the aforementioned three were some of the most noteworthy.

2. The phrase “No taxation without representation,” was coined by Reverend Jonathan Mayhew when he used it in his sermon in the mid 1700s. He used the term due to his strong distaste for the British practice of imposing taxes upon the colonies despite the fact that the colonies had no representation in the British parliament.

3. In December of 1773 a number if colonists, disguised as Indians and led by Samuel Adams, boarded a British ship full of tea and proceeded to dump all of the tea into Boston Harbor. This was in protest to the Tea Act, which was issued by Parliament and implemented a tea tax, and the episode thereafter became known as the Boston Tea Party.

4. It is not easy to say whether or not somebody should be blamed for the Salem Witch Trails. There are so many different theories circulating about what actually happened that it is difficult to pinpoint a specific person to blame. It is possible that the girls involved faked the symptoms out of boredom and spite, a number of the persons convicted were inexplicably subject to the verdict of persons with whom they had ongoing quarrels. There could have been some medical situation to blame for the scenario, and then there is the highly improbably answer that the convicted were actually responsible for bewitching people. The thing probably most deserving of blame was the system of trial used by the Puritans. Their use of spectral evidence, in addition to other ridiculous modes of conviction, was a mockery to the very notion of a fair trial.

5. Absolutely true. The British may not have been all about religious freedom, but the majority of the colonies were even less so. In fact, one of the causes of the American Revolution was that the colonists were bitter toward the British Government for granting religious freedom to Canadian Catholics as a part of the Quebec Act. Additionally, the foremost colony in conflict with England, Massachusetts, was one that looked upon religious freedom unfavorably.

6. If a jury were allowed to find a defendant “not guilty” regardless of what the law says then there would be little purpose in having the law to begin with, no? That being said, if the jurors find the law to be unjust then they have a moral obligation not to convict a person because of it. It is probably safest to allow the jury members to decide with their consciences, yet up to the attorneys to choose jurors who they feel will rule fairly.

7. The political cartoon is a depiction of why the colonies should unite in their attempt to defend themselves against the impending threat, particularly in the French and Indian War. It essentially states “Join or Die” as a direct appeal to the colonies to literally join together or die alone. This cartoon would later be revived for use in depicting a similar situation facing the colonies leading up to the American War for Independence. An approximate date for this cartoon would be 1754 (beginning of the French and Indian War).

H1. Probably the thing that I noticed most the first time I looked at a map of the thirteen colonies was how not all of them are exactly the same size or shape that they are today. Other than that, nothing really sticks out.

H3. There are a number of possible reasons for the possession-like symptoms experienced by the young girls during the Salem Witch Trials. Few believe that the any real witches were convicted as a result of the trials, and many suggest that the symptoms were actually faked by the girls in some elaborate conspiracy put together by a number of the townspeople. Some believe that the afflicted girls might even have been sick. Though there are many possibilities, perhaps a combination of several is the best explanation. Here is an example, albeit an unproven idea, of how events unfolded:

It is possible that at least the first girl afflicted by the supposed bewitching, Betty Parris, had actually come down with a strange illness unknown to the people of her era. The culprit sickness: convulsive ergotism (as suggested by Linda Caporael). Betty could have been subjected to the illness after accidentally eating rye (used in cereal and in bread) infected with ergot. Some symptoms of convulsive ergotism include, “violent fits, a crawling sensation on the skin, vomiting, choking and… hallucinations… LSD is a derivative of ergot.”[http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/salem/SAL_ACCT.HTM ] These symptoms certainly apply to Betty, and rye infected with ergot is a distinct possibility given the time and the place. As a result of this illness and of the superstitions of the times Betty could have literally thought and felt as though she was being bewitched. Given the circumstances, mass hysteria would have predictably followed. It is possible that the other girls then suffered from some manner of psychosomatic illness, whereby the stress and hysteria literally caused the girls’ bodies to emulate the symptoms they witnessed. The pain and symptoms experienced by these girls would be just as real as they would be had the girls actually had been ill in the first place.

Naturally this idea is mere theory, but it’s still some interesting food for thought.

H5. George Washington was great for several reasons. First, despite his lack of tactical brilliance, without his leadership the Americans might have lost the War for Independence. Second, when offered absolute command over the United States he declined, believing that the long term future of the country was more important than his own personal desires. Third, he helped to preserve the country he had helped form when he was elected president. Perhaps Washington wasn’t a particularly brilliant man, but without him there is no telling whether or not the United States of America would even exist at our current time.

American History Homework Two Answers - Student 34

2008-09-19T03:22:11Z

Joe B:

Joe B

1. There were many underlying causes to the Revolutionary War; the following include three of most important. First, many of them had previously been entitled to govern themselves and were disgusted by the idea of the British Government suddenly decided to levy taxes in America. Second, in addition to the first point, a number of colonists found it highly offensive that they were being taxed without adequate representation. Third, quite a few of the colonists were adamantly anti-Catholic (there were actually a number of anti-Catholic laws both in England and throughout the colonies), and were appalled by the Quebec Act which granted rights, including freedom of religion, to French Canadian Catholics. Certainly there were a number of other important underlying causes of the American War for Independence, but the aforementioned three were some of the most noteworthy.

2. The phrase “No taxation without representation,” was coined by Reverend Jonathan Mayhew when he used it in his sermon in the mid 1700s. He used the term due to his strong distaste for the British practice of imposing taxes upon the colonies despite the fact that the colonies had no representation in the British parliament.

3. In December of 1773 a number if colonists, disguised as Indians and led by Samuel Adams, boarded a British ship full of tea and proceeded to dump all of the tea into Boston Harbor. This was in protest to the Tea Act, which was issued by Parliament and implemented a tea tax, and the episode thereafter became known as the Boston Tea Party.

4. It is not easy to say whether or not somebody should be blamed for the Salem Witch Trails. There are so many different theories circulating about what actually happened that it is difficult to pinpoint a specific person to blame. It is possible that the girls involved faked the symptoms out of boredom and spite, a number of the persons convicted were inexplicably subject to the verdict of persons with whom they had ongoing quarrels. There could have been some medical situation to blame for the scenario, and then there is the highly improbably answer that the convicted were actually responsible for bewitching people. The thing probably most deserving of blame was the system of trial used by the Puritans. Their use of spectral evidence, in addition to other ridiculous modes of conviction, was a mockery to the very notion of a fair trial.

5. Absolutely true. The British may not have been all about religious freedom, but the majority of the colonies were even less so. In fact, one of the causes of the American Revolution was that the colonists were bitter toward the British Government for granting religious freedom to Canadian Catholics as a part of the Quebec Act. Additionally, the foremost colony in conflict with England, Massachusetts, was one that looked upon religious freedom unfavorably.

6. If a jury were allowed to find a defendant “not guilty” regardless of what the law says then there would be little purpose in having the law to begin with, no? That being said, if the jurors find the law to be unjust then they have a moral obligation not to convict a person because of it. It is probably safest to allow the jury members to decide with their consciences, yet up to the attorneys to choose jurors who they feel will rule fairly.

7. The political cartoon is a depiction of why the colonies should unite in their attempt to defend themselves against the impending threat, particularly in the French and Indian War. It essentially states “Join or Die” as a direct appeal to the colonies to literally join together or die alone. This cartoon would later be revived for use in depicting a similar situation facing the colonies leading up to the American War for Independence. An approximate date for this cartoon would be 1754 (beginning of the French and Indian War).

H1. Probably the thing that I noticed most the first time I looked at a map of the thirteen colonies was how not all of them are exactly the same size or shape that they are today. Other than that, nothing really sticks out.

H3. There are a number of possible reasons for the possession-like symptoms experienced by the young girls during the Salem Witch Trials. Few believe that the any real witches were convicted as a result of the trials, and many suggest that the symptoms were actually faked by the girls in some elaborate conspiracy put together by a number of the townspeople. Some believe that the afflicted girls might even have been sick. Though there are many possibilities, perhaps a combination of several is the best explanation. Here is an example, albeit an unproven idea, of how events unfolded:

It is possible that at least the first girl afflicted by the supposed bewitching, Betty Parris, had actually come down with a strange illness unknown to the people of her era. The culprit sickness: convulsive ergotism (as suggested by Linda Caporael). Betty could have been subjected to the illness after accidentally eating rye (used in cereal and in bread) infected with ergot. Some symptoms of convulsive ergotism include, “violent fits, a crawling sensation on the skin, vomiting, choking and… hallucinations… LSD is a derivative of ergot.”<ref>http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/salem/SAL_ACCT.HTM </ref> These symptoms certainly apply to Betty, and rye infected with ergot is a distinct possibility given the time and the place. As a result of this illness and of the superstitions of the times Betty could have literally thought and felt as though she was being bewitched. Given the circumstances, mass hysteria would have predictably followed. It is possible that the other girls then suffered from some manner of psychosomatic illness, whereby the stress and hysteria literally caused the girls’ bodies to emulate the symptoms they witnessed. The pain and symptoms experienced by these girls would be just as real as they would be had the girls actually had been ill in the first place.

Naturally this idea is mere theory, but it’s still some interesting food for thought.

H5. George Washington was great for several reasons. First, despite his lack of tactical brilliance, without his leadership the Americans might have lost the War for Independence. Second, when offered absolute command over the United States he declined, believing that the long term future of the country was more important than his own personal desires. Third, he helped to preserve the country he had helped form when he was elected president. Perhaps Washington wasn’t a particularly brilliant man, but without him there is no telling whether or not the United States of America would even exist at our current time.

American History Homework Two Answers - Student 34

2008-09-19T03:21:27Z

Joe B:

Joe B

1. There were many underlying causes to the Revolutionary War; the following include three of most important. First, many of them had previously been entitled to govern themselves and were disgusted by the idea of the British Government suddenly decided to levy taxes in America. Second, in addition to the first point, a number of colonists found it highly offensive that they were being taxed without adequate representation. Third, quite a few of the colonists were adamantly anti-Catholic (there were actually a number of anti-Catholic laws both in England and throughout the colonies), and were appalled by the Quebec Act which granted rights, including freedom of religion, to French Canadian Catholics. Certainly there were a number of other important underlying causes of the American War for Independence, but the aforementioned three were some of the most noteworthy.

2. The phrase “No taxation without representation,” was coined by Reverend Jonathan Mayhew when he used it in his sermon in the mid 1700s. He used the term due to his strong distaste for the British practice of imposing taxes upon the colonies despite the fact that the colonies had no representation in the British parliament.

3. In December of 1773 a number if colonists, disguised as Indians and led by Samuel Adams, boarded a British ship full of tea and proceeded to dump all of the tea into Boston Harbor. This was in protest to the Tea Act, which was issued by Parliament and implemented a tea tax, and the episode thereafter became known as the Boston Tea Party.

4. It is not easy to say whether or not somebody should be blamed for the Salem Witch Trails. There are so many different theories circulating about what actually happened that it is difficult to pinpoint a specific person to blame. It is possible that the girls involved faked the symptoms out of boredom and spite, a number of the persons convicted were inexplicably subject to the verdict of persons with whom they had ongoing quarrels. There could have been some medical situation to blame for the scenario, and then there is the highly improbably answer that the convicted were actually responsible for bewitching people. The thing probably most deserving of blame was the system of trial used by the Puritans. Their use of spectral evidence, in addition to other ridiculous modes of conviction, was a mockery to the very notion of a fair trial.

5. Absolutely true. The British may not have been all about religious freedom, but the majority of the colonies were even less so. In fact, one of the causes of the American Revolution was that the colonists were bitter toward the British Government for granting religious freedom to Canadian Catholics as a part of the Quebec Act. Additionally, the foremost colony in conflict with England, Massachusetts, was one that looked upon religious freedom unfavorably.

6. If a jury were allowed to find a defendant “not guilty” regardless of what the law says then there would be little purpose in having the law to begin with, no? That being said, if the jurors find the law to be unjust then they have a moral obligation not to convict a person because of it. It is probably safest to allow the jury members to decide with their consciences, yet up to the attorneys to choose jurors who they feel will rule fairly.

7. The political cartoon is a depiction of why the colonies should unite in their attempt to defend themselves against the impending threat, particularly in the French and Indian War. It essentially states “Join or Die” as a direct appeal to the colonies to literally join together or die alone. This cartoon would later be revived for use in depicting a similar situation facing the colonies leading up to the American War for Independence. An approximate date for this cartoon would be 1754 (beginning of the French and Indian War).

H1. Probably the thing that I noticed most the first time I looked at a map of the thirteen colonies was how not all of them are exactly the same size or shape that they are today. Other than that, nothing really sticks out.

H3. There are a number of possible reasons for the possession-like symptoms experienced by the young girls during the Salem Witch Trials. Few believe that the any real witches were convicted as a result of the trials, and many suggest that the symptoms were actually faked by the girls in some elaborate conspiracy put together by a number of the townspeople. Some believe that the afflicted girls might even have been sick. Though there are many possibilities, perhaps a combination of several is the best explanation. Here is an example, albeit an unproven idea, of how events unfolded:

It is possible that at least the first girl afflicted by the supposed bewitching, Betty Parris, had actually come down with a strange illness unknown to the people of her era. The culprit sickness: convulsive ergotism (as suggested by Linda Caporael). Betty could have been subjected to the illness after accidentally eating rye (used in cereal and in bread) infected with ergot. Some symptoms of convulsive ergotism include, “violent fits, a crawling sensation on the skin, vomiting, choking and… hallucinations… LSD is a derivative of ergot.”<ref>1</ref> These symptoms certainly apply to Betty, and rye infected with ergot is a distinct possibility given the time and the place. As a result of this illness and of the superstitions of the times Betty could have literally thought and felt as though she was being bewitched. Given the circumstances, mass hysteria would have predictably followed. It is possible that the other girls then suffered from some manner of psychosomatic illness, whereby the stress and hysteria literally caused the girls’ bodies to emulate the symptoms they witnessed. The pain and symptoms experienced by these girls would be just as real as they would be had the girls actually had been ill in the first place.

Naturally this idea is mere theory, but it’s still some interesting food for thought.

H5. George Washington was great for several reasons. First, despite his lack of tactical brilliance, without his leadership the Americans might have lost the War for Independence. Second, when offered absolute command over the United States he declined, believing that the long term future of the country was more important than his own personal desires. Third, he helped to preserve the country he had helped form when he was elected president. Perhaps Washington wasn’t a particularly brilliant man, but without him there is no telling whether or not the United States of America would even exist at our current time.

<ref>1</ref> http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/salem/SAL_ACCT.HTM

American History Homework Two Answers - Student 34

2008-09-19T03:20:35Z

Joe B: New page: Joe B 1. There were many underlying causes to the Revolutionary War; the following include three of most important. First, many of them had previously been entitled to govern themselves a...

Joe B

1. There were many underlying causes to the Revolutionary War; the following include three of most important. First, many of them had previously been entitled to govern themselves and were disgusted by the idea of the British Government suddenly decided to levy taxes in America. Second, in addition to the first point, a number of colonists found it highly offensive that they were being taxed without adequate representation. Third, quite a few of the colonists were adamantly anti-Catholic (there were actually a number of anti-Catholic laws both in England and throughout the colonies), and were appalled by the Quebec Act which granted rights, including freedom of religion, to French Canadian Catholics. Certainly there were a number of other important underlying causes of the American War for Independence, but the aforementioned three were some of the most noteworthy.

2. The phrase “No taxation without representation,” was coined by Reverend Jonathan Mayhew when he used it in his sermon in the mid 1700s. He used the term due to his strong distaste for the British practice of imposing taxes upon the colonies despite the fact that the colonies had no representation in the British parliament.

3. In December of 1773 a number if colonists, disguised as Indians and led by Samuel Adams, boarded a British ship full of tea and proceeded to dump all of the tea into Boston Harbor. This was in protest to the Tea Act, which was issued by Parliament and implemented a tea tax, and the episode thereafter became known as the Boston Tea Party.

4. It is not easy to say whether or not somebody should be blamed for the Salem Witch Trails. There are so many different theories circulating about what actually happened that it is difficult to pinpoint a specific person to blame. It is possible that the girls involved faked the symptoms out of boredom and spite, a number of the persons convicted were inexplicably subject to the verdict of persons with whom they had ongoing quarrels. There could have been some medical situation to blame for the scenario, and then there is the highly improbably answer that the convicted were actually responsible for bewitching people. The thing probably most deserving of blame was the system of trial used by the Puritans. Their use of spectral evidence, in addition to other ridiculous modes of conviction, was a mockery to the very notion of a fair trial.

5. Absolutely true. The British may not have been all about religious freedom, but the majority of the colonies were even less so. In fact, one of the causes of the American Revolution was that the colonists were bitter toward the British Government for granting religious freedom to Canadian Catholics as a part of the Quebec Act. Additionally, the foremost colony in conflict with England, Massachusetts, was one that looked upon religious freedom unfavorably.

6. If a jury were allowed to find a defendant “not guilty” regardless of what the law says then there would be little purpose in having the law to begin with, no? That being said, if the jurors find the law to be unjust then they have a moral obligation not to convict a person because of it. It is probably safest to allow the jury members to decide with their consciences, yet up to the attorneys to choose jurors who they feel will rule fairly.

7. The political cartoon is a depiction of why the colonies should unite in their attempt to defend themselves against the impending threat, particularly in the French and Indian War. It essentially states “Join or Die” as a direct appeal to the colonies to literally join together or die alone. This cartoon would later be revived for use in depicting a similar situation facing the colonies leading up to the American War for Independence. An approximate date for this cartoon would be 1754 (beginning of the French and Indian War).

H1. Probably the thing that I noticed most the first time I looked at a map of the thirteen colonies was how not all of them are exactly the same size or shape that they are today. Other than that, nothing really sticks out.

H3. There are a number of possible reasons for the possession-like symptoms experienced by the young girls during the Salem Witch Trials. Few believe that the any real witches were convicted as a result of the trials, and many suggest that the symptoms were actually faked by the girls in some elaborate conspiracy put together by a number of the townspeople. Some believe that the afflicted girls might even have been sick. Though there are many possibilities, perhaps a combination of several is the best explanation. Here is an example, albeit an unproven idea, of how events unfolded:

It is possible that at least the first girl afflicted by the supposed bewitching, Betty Parris, had actually come down with a strange illness unknown to the people of her era. The culprit sickness: convulsive ergotism (as suggested by Linda Caporael). Betty could have been subjected to the illness after accidentally eating rye (used in cereal and in bread) infected with ergot. Some symptoms of convulsive ergotism include, “violent fits, a crawling sensation on the skin, vomiting, choking and… hallucinations… LSD is a derivative of ergot.”<ref>1</ref> These symptoms certainly apply to Betty, and rye infected with ergot is a distinct possibility given the time and the place. As a result of this illness and of the superstitions of the times Betty could have literally thought and felt as though she was being bewitched. Given the circumstances, mass hysteria would have predictably followed. It is possible that the other girls then suffered from some manner of psychosomatic illness, whereby the stress and hysteria literally caused the girls’ bodies to emulate the symptoms they witnessed. The pain and symptoms experienced by these girls would be just as real as they would be had the girls actually had been ill in the first place.

Naturally this idea is mere theory, but it’s still some interesting food for thought.

H5. George Washington was great for several reasons. First, despite his lack of tactical brilliance, without his leadership the Americans might have lost the War for Independence. Second, when offered absolute command over the United States he declined, believing that the long term future of the country was more important than his own personal desires. Third, he helped to preserve the country he had helped form when he was elected president. Perhaps Washington wasn’t a particularly brilliant man, but without him there is no telling whether or not the United States of America would even exist at our current time.

1 http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/salem/SAL_ACCT.HTM

American History Homework Two Answers

2008-09-19T03:17:34Z

Joe B: /* Student Answers */

== Student Answers ==
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student One]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student Two]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student Three]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student Four]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student Five]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student Six]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student Seven]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student Eight]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student Nine]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student Ten]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student Eleven]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student Twelve]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student Thirteen]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student Fourteen]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student Fifteen]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student Sixteen]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student Seventeen]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student Eighteen]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student Nineteen]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student Twenty]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student 21]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student 22]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student 23]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student 24]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student 25]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student 26]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student 27]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student 28]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student 29]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student 30]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student 31]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student 32]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student 33]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student 34]]
(add more)

== Model Answers ==
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Model]]

American History Homework Two Answers

2008-09-19T03:17:17Z

Joe B: /* Student Answers */

== Student Answers ==
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student One]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student Two]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student Three]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student Four]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student Five]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student Six]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student Seven]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student Eight]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student Nine]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student Ten]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student Eleven]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student Twelve]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student Thirteen]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student Fourteen]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student Fifteen]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student Sixteen]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student Seventeen]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student Eighteen]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student Nineteen]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student Twenty]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student 21]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student 22]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student 23]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student 24]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student 25]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student 26]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student 27]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student 28]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student 29]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student 30]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student 31]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student 32]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student 33]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Stidemt 34]]
(add more)

== Model Answers ==
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Model]]

American History Homework Two Answers

2008-09-19T03:16:58Z

Joe B: /* Student Answers */

== Student Answers ==
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student One]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student Two]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student Three]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student Four]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student Five]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student Six]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student Seven]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student Eight]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student Nine]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student Ten]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student Eleven]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student Twelve]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student Thirteen]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student Fourteen]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student Fifteen]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student Sixteen]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student Seventeen]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student Eighteen]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student Nineteen]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student Twenty]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student 21]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student 22]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student 23]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student 24]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student 25]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student 26]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student 27]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student 28]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student 29]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student 30]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student 31]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student 32]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Student 33]]
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Stidemt 34}}
(add more)

== Model Answers ==
*[[American History Homework Two Answers - Model]]

American History Homework One Answers - Student 34

2008-09-13T17:52:14Z

Joe B: Just asking a question about the grade...

American History Homework One – Joe B

1. Spanish, English, French.

: Correct.

2. The aspect of Christopher Columbus that I find to be most inspirational is his unwillingness to give up, regardless of whether his adversity was lack of financial support for his proposed voyage or having his crew on the verge of giving up hope (and forcefully returning to Spain).

: Superb.

3. The reasons that some of the early settlements in America failed could have varied, but probably the underlying cause was probably lack of being prepared. Not being prepared for the climate, the environment, or the natives, probably caused the demise of most of these early settlements. Naturally the results would have been specific depending on the colony, such as the settlers of Jamestown having initially been on the verge of starvation due to being too lazy to actually work.

: Excellent.

4. The motivation of Massachusetts settlers was, ironically enough, not to settle in Massachusetts. More specifically they hoped to settle further South but had been blown off course. The reason the Puritans left England to begin with was because they wanted to set up their own religious community separate from the Church of England. Other, more mainstream Puritans simply wanted to ‘purify’ the Church of England from within.

: Correct.

5. William Penn was remarkable because of his insistence on practicing the religion of his choice and his toleration for the practice of other religions. He put this mode of thought into use when he was given (and founded the colony of) Pennsylvania, as its major selling point was freedom of religion.

: Correct.

6. The four types of colonies are as follows: joint-stock colonies that were invested in privately (such as Virginia), charter colonies founded on a grand of land by the king (such as Rhode Island), proprietary colonies owned and controlled by one or more persons (such as Maryland), and royal colonies that were founded or controlled by the king (Virginia was eventually taken back by the king of England).

: Superb.

7. Technically the Puritans had the right to expel people of other religions from their colony, as they had been its founders. They had set up the colony for the purpose of practicing their religion in a private community, and so they did have the ground to ‘deport’ people who sought to disrupt that. However, it should have never come to hanging those who persisted. They could have thrown them out as many times as was necessary or even thrown them in jail if the perpetrators failed to oblige. This may not register with many people who feel inclined toward freedom of religion, but the point is not that the people were being persecuted based on religion so much as they were impeding upon other peoples’ private community. Conclusion: deport people if necessary, but never execute them.

: Good.

H1. Perhaps the most obvious answer to this is Maryland. It was set up under a Catholic leadership (and in fact was based on a charter given to a Catholic), with freedom of religion being the rule. Eventually the Protestants (former indentured servants) outnumber the Catholic vote; many of them having completed their indentured servitude, but the colony remained in harmony for a time and did thrive economically. The Marylanders even had a constructive policy toward the Indians, forbidding colonist encroachment and working to convert them. Unfortunately, as the colony grew friction became an issue between it and Virginia, mostly due to anti-Catholic bigotry, and the Virginian commissioners Bennett and Claiborne led an invasion of Maryland, repealed an act for religions toleration (The Toleration Act), and outlawed Catholicism. As plainly viewed, a colony based on a particular religious ideal, when coming in contact with colonies of conflicting opinion, is more prone to being choked out by other colonies if that religious ideal is not part of the mainstream view.

: Superb analysis.

H4. Mercantilism was essentially an economic system whereby a colony is allowed only a limited number of imports from foreign countries and to maximize exports everywhere. This would be done by exporting materials to the mother country for distribution elsewhere. By selling more than buying the colony creates a wealth surplus for the mother country. Some problems with this system include that it often resulted in slavery existing within the colonies to meet the demand for exports. Also, as an idea mercantilism fundamentally should not be imposed upon colonies that were not founded as royal colonies, because this would impede on the freedom and potential prosperity of the persons in those non-royal colonies.

: No, mercantilism was used by the mother country to accumulate gold there. Colonies did not accumulate gold by exporting more than importing under this system. (Minus 2).

-I thought that I had that covered that? When I said "creates a wealth surplus for the mother country." I didn't think that I said that the colonies accumulated gold. Or were you pointing out something else?

H5. There are several compelling points to be made in reference to pre-Columbian exploration and settlement of America. First, and perhaps most widespread prevalent be Viking exploration. In the 10th century Eric the Red was exiled from Iceland and so sailed off to discover Greenland. A man by the name of Bjarni Herolffson was then blown off course and so found Newfoundland. Later Eric’s son, Leif Ericson returned and named the new land Vinland, but he only used it to collect timber, and made no attempt to establish a colony (he was actually later converted to Christianity). Another Viking came and established what was known as Vinland II, but as the conditions were inhospitable he soon returned home thereby abandoning the colony (which consequently failed to survive). Columbus’s later expeditions were the first, however, to have a lasting impact.

: OK, though I'm not convinced the Vikings really settled in North America. Good analysis anyway.

: Great start: 98/100.--[[User:Aschlafly|Aschlafly]] 18:00, 12 September 2008 (EDT)

American History Homework One Answers - Student 34

2008-09-11T14:44:36Z

Joe B: New page: American History Homework One – Joe B 1. Spanish, English, French. 2. The aspect of Christopher Columbus that I find to be most inspirational is his unwillingness to give up, regardles...

American History Homework One – Joe B

1. Spanish, English, French.

2. The aspect of Christopher Columbus that I find to be most inspirational is his unwillingness to give up, regardless of whether his adversity was lack of financial support for his proposed voyage or having his crew on the verge of giving up hope (and forcefully returning to Spain).

3. The reasons that some of the early settlements in America failed could have varied, but probably the underlying cause was probably lack of being prepared. Not being prepared for the climate, the environment, or the natives, probably caused the demise of most of these early settlements. Naturally the results would have been specific depending on the colony, such as the settlers of Jamestown having initially been on the verge of starvation due to being too lazy to actually work.

4. The motivation of Massachusetts settlers was, ironically enough, not to settle in Massachusetts. More specifically they hoped to settle further South but had been blown off course. The reason the Puritans left England to begin with was because they wanted to set up their own religious community separate from the Church of England. Other, more mainstream Puritans simply wanted to ‘purify’ the Church of England from within.

5. William Penn was remarkable because of his insistence on practicing the religion of his choice and his toleration for the practice of other religions. He put this mode of thought into use when he was given (and founded the colony of) Pennsylvania, as its major selling point was freedom of religion.

6. The four types of colonies are as follows: joint-stock colonies that were invested in privately (such as Virginia), charter colonies founded on a grand of land by the king (such as Rhode Island), proprietary colonies owned and controlled by one or more persons (such as Maryland), and royal colonies that were founded or controlled by the king (Virginia was eventually taken back by the king of England).

7. Technically the Puritans had the right to expel people of other religions from their colony, as they had been its founders. They had set up the colony for the purpose of practicing their religion in a private community, and so they did have the ground to ‘deport’ people who sought to disrupt that. However, it should have never come to hanging those who persisted. They could have thrown them out as many times as was necessary or even thrown them in jail if the perpetrators failed to oblige. This may not register with many people who feel inclined toward freedom of religion, but the point is not that the people were being persecuted based on religion so much as they were impeding upon other peoples’ private community. Conclusion: deport people if necessary, but never execute them.

H1. Perhaps the most obvious answer to this is Maryland. It was set up under a Catholic leadership (and in fact was based on a charter given to a Catholic), with freedom of religion being the rule. Eventually the Protestants (former indentured servants) outnumber the Catholic vote; many of them having completed their indentured servitude, but the colony remained in harmony for a time and did thrive economically. The Marylanders even had a constructive policy toward the Indians, forbidding colonist encroachment and working to convert them. Unfortunately, as the colony grew friction became an issue between it and Virginia, mostly due to anti-Catholic bigotry, and the Virginian commissioners Bennett and Claiborne led an invasion of Maryland, repealed an act for religions toleration (The Toleration Act), and outlawed Catholicism. As plainly viewed, a colony based on a particular religious ideal, when coming in contact with colonies of conflicting opinion, is more prone to being choked out by other colonies if that religious ideal is not part of the mainstream view.

H4. Mercantilism was essentially an economic system whereby a colony is allowed only a limited number of imports from foreign countries and to maximize exports everywhere. This would be done by exporting materials to the mother country for distribution elsewhere. By selling more than buying the colony creates a wealth surplus for the mother country. Some problems with this system includes that it often resulted in slavery existing within the colonies to meet the demand for exports. Also, as an idea mercantilism fundamentally should not be imposed upon colonies that were not founded as royal colonies, because this would impede on the freedom and potential prosperity of the persons in those non-royal colonies.

H5. There are several compelling points to be made in reference to pre-Columbian exploration and settlement of America. First, and perhaps most widespread prevalent be Viking exploration. In the 10th century Eric the Red was exiled from Iceland and so sailed off to discover Greenland. A man by the name of Bjarni Herolffson was then blown off course and so found Newfoundland. Later Eric’s son, Leif Ericson returned and named the new land Vinland, but he only used it to collect timber, and made no attempt to establish a colony (he was actually later converted to Christianity). Another Viking came and established what was known as Vinland II, but as the conditions were inhospitable he soon returned home thereby abandoning the colony (which consequently failed to survive). Columbus’s later expeditions were the first, however, to have a lasting impact.

American History Homework One Answers

2008-09-11T14:42:31Z

Joe B:

== Student Answers ==
*[[American History Homework One Answers - Student One]]
*[[American History Homework One Answers - Student Two]]
*[[American History Homework One Answers - Student Three]]
*[[American History Homework One Answers - Student Four]]
*[[American History Homework One Answers - Student Five]]
*[[American History Homework One Answers - Student Six]]
*[[American History Homework One Answers - Student Seven]]
*[[American History Homework One Answers - Student Eight]]
*[[American History Homework One Answers - Student Nine]]
*[[American History Homework One Answers - Student Ten]]
*[[American History Homework One Answers - Student Eleven]]
*[[American History Homework One Answers - Student Twelve]]
*[[American History Homework One Answers - Student Thirteen]]
*[[American History Homework One Answers - Student Fourteen]]
*[[American History Homework One Answers - Student Fifteen]]
*[[American History Homework One Answers - Student Sixteen]]
*[[American History Homework One Answers - Student Seventeen]]
*[[American History Homework One Answers - Student Eighteen]]
*[[American History Homework One Answers - Student Nineteen]]
*[[American History Homework One Answers - Student Twenty]]
*[[American History Homework One Answers - Student 21]]
*[[American History Homework One Answers - Student 22]]
*[[American History Homework One Answers - Student 23]]
*[[American History Homework One Answers - Student 24]]
*[[American History Homework One Answers - Student 25]]
*[[American History Homework One Answers - Student 26]]
*[[American History Homework One Answers - Student 27]]
*[[American History Homework One Answers - Student 28]]
*[[American History Homework One Answers - Student 29]]
*[[American History Homework One Answers - Student 30]]
*[[American History Homework One Answers - Student 31]]
*[[American History Homework One Answers - Student 32]]
*[[American History Homework One Answers - Student 33]]
*[[American History Homework One Answers - Student 34]]
(add more)

== Model Answers ==
*[[American History Homework One Answers - Model]]

Worcester v. Georgia

2007-09-21T05:37:01Z

Joe B:

'''Worcester v. Georgia''' was an 1832 to [[Supreme Court]] case. Before the case, there had been a number of disputes between the Cherokees and the State of Georgia, because Georgia had been attempting to strip the Indians of their rights and remove them to the West. The Cherokee Indians, under John Ross, tried to change minds by visiting Congressmen in Washington. However their efforts were brought to a resounding halt when Congress passed the [[Indian Removal Act]] in 1830. The Cherokees even took the matter before the Supreme Court in the [[Cherokee Nation v. the State of Georgia]]. However the Supreme Court declared it did not have the right to go against Georgia's laws.

The issue was re-opened in 1832 in the case of Worcester v. Georgia. A missionary named Samuel Worcester was residing with the Cherokees when Georgia passed a law forbidding white men to live with them outside of governmental consent. Worcester, along with serveral fellow missionaries, refused to leave and was and they were eventually arrested. Worcester was arrested three times, and was eventually sentenced to four years in prison. However, with lawyers highered by the Cherokees. The issue was brought before the Supreme Court, which made a dicision in favor of Worcester stating that the Cherokees were seperate from the United States and therefore Worcester didn't need Georgia's permission to reside thusly. This decision also indirectly nullified the [[Indian Removal Act]]. However, Georgia ignored the ruling and President Jackson refused to enforce. Georgia unconstitutionally removed the Indians, and imprisoned Worcester.

== Sources: ==

[http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/nge/Article.jsp?id=h-2720]
[http://www.civics-online.org/library/formatted/texts/worcester.html]
[http://www.oyez.org/cases/1792-1850/1832/1832_0/]

Worcester v. Georgia

2007-09-21T05:36:24Z

Joe B:

'''Worcester v. Georgia''' was an 1832 to [[Supreme Court]] case. Before the case, there had been a number of disputes between the Cherokees and the State of Georgia, because Georgia had been attempting to strip the Indians of their rights and remove them to the West. The Cherokee Indians, under John Ross, tried to change minds by visiting Congressmen in Washington. However their efforts were brought to a resounding halt when Congress passed the [[Indian Removal Act]] in 1830. The Cherokees even took the matter before the Supreme Court in the [[Cherokee Nation v. the State of Georgia]]. However the Supreme Court declared it did not have the right to go against Georgia's laws.

The issue was re-opened in 1832 in the case of Worcester v. Georgia. A missionary named Samuel Worcester was residing with the Cherokees when Georgia passed a law forbidding white men to live with them outside of governmental consent. Worcester, along with serveral fellow missionaries, refused to leave and was and they were eventually arrested. Worcester was arrested three times, and was eventually sentenced to four years in prison. However, with lawyers highered by the Cherokees. The issue was brought before the Supreme Court, which made a dicision in favor of Worcester stating that the Cherokees were seperate from the United States and therefore Worcester didn't need Georgia's permission to reside thusly. This decision also indirectly nullified the [[Indian Removal Act]]. However, Georgia ignored the ruling and President Jackson refused to enforce. Georgia unconstitutionally removed the Indians, and imprisoned Worcester.

== Sources: ==

http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/nge/Article.jsp?id=h-2720
http://www.civics-online.org/library/formatted/texts/worcester.html
http://www.oyez.org/cases/1792-1850/1832/1832_0/

Worcester v. Georgia

2007-09-21T05:33:00Z

Joe B:

Worcester v. Georgia

2007-09-21T05:31:47Z

Joe B: New page: '''Worcester v. Georgia''' was an 1832 to Supreme Court case. Before the case, there had been a number of disputes between the Cherokees and the State of Georgia, because Georgia had b...

'''Worcester v. Georgia''' was an 1832 to [[Supreme Court]] case. Before the case, there had been a number of disputes between the Cherokees and the State of Georgia, because Georgia had been attempting to strip the Indians of their rights and remove them to the West. The Cherokee Indians, under John Ross, tried to change minds by visiting Congressmen in Washington. However their efforts were brought to a resounding halt when Congress passed the [[Indian Removal Act]] in 1830. The Cherokees even took the matter before the Supreme Court in the [[Cherokee Nation v. State of Georgia]]. However the Supreme Court declared it did not have the right to go against Georgia's laws.

The issue was re-opened in 1832 in the case of Worcester v. Georgia. A missionary named Samuel Worcester was residing with the Cherokees when Georgia passed a law forbidding white men to live with them outside of governmental consent. Worcester, along with serveral fellow missionaries, refused to leave and was and they were eventually arrested. Worcester was arrested three times, and was eventually sentenced to four years in prison. However, with lawyers highered by the Cherokees. The issue was brought before the Supreme Court, which made a dicision in favor of Worcester stating that the Cherokees were seperate from the United States and therefore Worcester didn't need Georgia's permission to reside thusly. This decision also indirectly nullified the [[Indian Removal Act]]. However, Georgia ignored the ruling and President Jackson refused to enforce. Georgia unconstitutionally removed the Indians, and imprisoned Worcester.

Cherokee Nation v. the State of Georgia

2007-09-20T17:28:27Z

Joe B:

'''Cherokee Nation v. Georgia''' was a Supreme Court decision during the terms of United States President [[Andrew Jackson]] on a dispute between the Cherokees and the State of Gerogia. Georgia attempted to strip the Cherokee Indians of their rights, and force them to move. However, the Cherokees fought back by taking the situation to Washington. But in 1830 Congress passed the [[Indian Removal Act]], which allowed the President to remove the Cherokees from areas east of the Mississippi.

The situation might have ended there, but the Cherokees under John Ross brought the situation to the courts. It managed to get a case in the [[Supreme Court]]. The Supreme Court initially decided that it had no jurisdiction on an issue of Georgia's State Laws but later made a decision on the related case of [[Worcester v. Georgia]].

== Sources: ==

[http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?court=US&vol=30&invol=1]
[http://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/intrel/cherokee.htm]
[http://www.pbs.org/weta/thewest/resources/archives/two/cherokee.htm]

Cherokee Nation v. the State of Georgia

2007-09-20T17:19:10Z

Joe B:

'''Cherokee Nation v. Georgia''' was a Supreme Court decision during the terms of United States President [[Andrew Jackson]] on a dispute between the Cherokees and the State of Gerogia. Georgia attempted to strip the Cherokee Indians of their rights, and force them to move. However, the Cherokees fought back by taking the situation to Washington. But in 1830 Congress passed the [[Indian Removal Act]], which allowed the President to remove the Cherokees from areas east of the Mississippi.

The situation might have ended there, but the Cherokees under John Ross brought the situation to the courts. It managed to get a case in the [[Supreme Court]]. The Supreme Court initially decided that it had no jurisdiction on an issue of a proclaimed seperate nation but later made a decision on the related case of [[Worcester v. Georgia]].

== Sources: ==

[http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?court=US&vol=30&invol=1]
[http://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/intrel/cherokee.htm]
[http://www.pbs.org/weta/thewest/resources/archives/two/cherokee.htm]

Cherokee Nation v. the State of Georgia

2007-09-20T16:43:21Z

Joe B:

'''Cherokee Nation v. Georgia''' was a Supreme Court decision during the terms of United States President [[Andrew Jackson]] on a dispute between the Cherokees and the State of Gerogia. Georgia attempted to strip the Cherokee Indians of their rights, and force them to move. However, the Cherokees fought back by taking the situation to Washington. But in 1830 Congress passed the [[Indian Removal Act]], which allowed the President to remove the Cherokees from areas east of the Mississippi.

The situation might have ended there, but the Cherokees under John Ross brought the situation to the courts. It managed to get a case in the [[Supreme Court]]. The Supreme Court initially decided that it had no jurisdiction on an issue of a proclaimed seperate nation but later made a decision on the related case of [[Worcester v. Georgia]].

== Sources: ==

http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?court=US&vol=30&invol=1
http://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/intrel/cherokee.htm
http://www.pbs.org/weta/thewest/resources/archives/two/cherokee.htm

Cherokee Nation v. the State of Georgia

2007-09-20T16:39:47Z

Joe B:

'''Cherokee Nation v. Georgia''' was a Supreme Court decision during the terms of United States President [[Andrew Jackson]] on a dispute between the Cherokees and the State of Gerogia. Georgia attempted to strip the Cherokee Indians of their rights, and force them to move. However, the Cherokees fought back by taking the situation to Washington. But in 1830 Congress passed the [[Indian Removal Act]], which allowed the President to remove the Cherokees from areas east of the Mississippi.

The situation might have ended there, but the Cherokees under John Ross brought the situation to the courts. It managed to get a case in the [[Supreme Court]]. The Supreme Court initially decided that it had no jurisdiction on this issue but later made a decision on the related case of [[Worcester v. Georgia]].

== Sources: ==

http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?court=US&vol=30&invol=1
http://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/intrel/cherokee.htm
http://www.pbs.org/weta/thewest/resources/archives/two/cherokee.htm

Indian Removal Act

2007-09-20T16:38:20Z

Joe B: Redirecting to Indian Removal Act of 1830

#REDIRECT [[Indian Removal Act of 1830]]

Cherokee Nation v. the State of Georgia

2007-09-20T16:37:35Z

Joe B: New page: '''Cherokee Nation v. Georgia''' was a Supreme Court decision during the terms of United States President Andrew Jackson on a dispute between the Cherokees and the State of Gerogia. G...

'''Cherokee Nation v. Georgia''' was a Supreme Court decision during the terms of United States President [[Andrew Jackson]] on a dispute between the Cherokees and the State of Gerogia. Georgia attempted to strip the Cherokee Indians of their rights, and force them to move. However, the Cherokees fought back by taking the situation to Washington. But in 1830 Congress passed the [[Indian Removal Act]], which allowed the President to remove the Cherokees from areas east of the Mississippi.

The situation might have ended there, but the Cherokees under John Ross brought the situation to the courts. It managed to get a case in the [[Supreme Court]]. The Supreme Court initially decided that it had no jurisdiction on this issue but later made a decision on the related case of Worcester v. Georgia.

== Sources: ==

http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?court=US&vol=30&invol=1
http://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/intrel/cherokee.htm
http://www.pbs.org/weta/thewest/resources/archives/two/cherokee.htm

Talk:Contest

2007-09-18T17:49:58Z

Joe B: New page: I only have 1 quality entry (I think). So do I have ten points? Here is my entry: United States Federal Government

I only have 1 quality entry (I think). So do I have ten points? Here is my entry: [[United States Federal Government]]

User talk:Joe B

2007-09-18T14:41:30Z

Joe B: tis my talk page.

I seriously doubt anybody will post on this page, which is good, because I am not completely sure how to use it.

If anybody sees this, I'd appreciate a detailed explanation on citations. That seems to be what I am having the most problems with.

United States Federal Government

2007-09-18T14:38:08Z

Joe B: attempting to fix an internal link

The '''United States Federal Government''' is a name used for the chief governing body of the United States of America. It is responsible for the whole of the United States, and its power is not limited geographically in the manner which the State governments are. The Federal Government is the common government of the States, and governs those who reside within the [[Fifty States]].

The beginnings of the United States Federal Government can be traced to the [[First Continental Congress]], which was held during September and October of 1774. However the United States wasn't established until the Colonies seperated from England, which was effectuated by the [[Declaration of Independence]] on July 4th 1776. The Congress then took upon the duties of governing the unification of the States in the ensuing [[American Revolution]]. In 1881 the colonies ratified the establishment of a an offical government. The [[Articles of Confederation]], as it was called, was flawed and didn't last long. It led to the [[Constitutional Convention]] by which the States revised the Government to its current form. The [[Constitution]] and [[Bill of Rights]] were written as a result of the convention, and used as the format for the new government.

The Federal Government, was then and is now, divided into three sections: The Executive Branch, the Judiciary Branch, and the Legislative Branch. Their respective powers were and are listed in the [[United States Constitution]]. Thus the powers of the Federal Government, are the same as those listed belonging to the respective branches.

== Sources: ==

[http://www.articlesofconfederation.com/]
[http://www.americanrevolution.com/ContinentalCongress.htm]
[http://www.teachingamericanhistory.org/convention/]
[http://www.usconstitution.net/const.html]

United States Federal Government

2007-09-18T14:36:28Z

Joe B: I created this page

The '''United States Federal Government''' is a name used for the chief governing body of the United States of America. It is responsible for the whole of the United States, and its power is not limited geographically in the manner which the State governments are. The Federal Government is the common government of the States, and governs those who reside within the [[Fifty States]].

The beginnings of the United States Federal Government can be traced to the [[First Continental Congress]], which was held during September and October of 1774. However the United States wasn't established until the Colonies seperated from England, which was effectuated by the [[Declaration of Independence]] on July 4th 1776. The Congress then took upon the duties of governing the unification of the States in the ensuing [[American Revolution]]. In 1881 the colonies ratified the establishment of a an offical government. The [[Articles of Confederation]], as it was called, was flawed and didn't last long. It led to the [[Contstitutional Convention]] by which the States revised the Government to its current form. The [[Constitution]] and [[Bill of Rights]] were written as a result of the convention, and used as the format for the new government.

The Federal Government, was then and is now, divided into three sections: The Executive Branch, the Judiciary Branch, and the Legislative Branch. Their respective powers were and are listed in the [[United States Constitution]]. Thus the powers of the Federal Government, are the same as those listed belonging to the respective branches.

== Sources: ==

[http://www.articlesofconfederation.com/]
[http://www.americanrevolution.com/ContinentalCongress.htm]
[http://www.teachingamericanhistory.org/convention/]
[http://www.usconstitution.net/const.html]

Fifty States

2007-09-18T03:03:42Z

Joe B: Redirecting to Fifty individual states

#REDIRECT [[Fifty individual states]]

List of 50 states

2007-09-18T03:03:03Z

Joe B:

The following are the 50 member-states of the [[United States of America]].

*[[Alabama]]
*[[Alaska]]
*[[Florida]]
[[category:United States Government]]
[[category:articles proposed for deletion]]

Fifty States

2007-09-18T03:01:57Z

Joe B: Removing all content from page

Fifty States

2007-09-18T03:01:13Z

Joe B: Redirecting to Fifty individual states

#REDIRECT [[Fifty individual states]]

List of 50 states

2007-09-18T02:59:31Z

Joe B: Redirecting to Fifty States

#REDIRECT [[Fifty States]]The following are the 50 member-states of the [[United States of America]].

*[[Alabama]]
*[[Alaska]]
*[[Florida]]
[[category:United States Government]]
[[category:articles proposed for deletion]]

Debate:Which Christian denomination is the most true to the central teachings of Christianity?

2007-05-01T14:53:03Z

Joe B: /* None */

I would say either Presbyterian or Reformed Baptist. I belong to a non-denominational church and Reformed Baptist is everything I believe. The only thing I disagree with about Presbyterians is infant baptism. I could never baptize my child for any reasons.

I tend to be distrustful about denominations in general, but I tend to go with the Southern Baptists or the Methodists. [[User:MountainDew|MountainDew]] 20:03, 9 April 2007 (EDT)

: Is that what ''you'' believe? Or would say, Ethiopian Orthodox[http://ethiopianorthodox.org/english/indexenglish.htm][http://sellassie.ourfamily.com/culture/church.html] be closer to what was taught in old times? Alternatively, are you suggesting that the central teachings of Christianity have changed through time? I am fairly sure it is trivial to show that the Ethiopian Orthodox Church has not changed its teachings for at least a few hundred (if not a thousand or more) years - long before North America was a scribble on a map. And thus I ask, how can the Baptist church be closer to the central teachings of Christianity? And even more to the point - what are those central teachings? --[[User:Mtur|Mtur]] 20:10, 9 April 2007 (EDT)

Well, I don't really have a horse in this race, but I'll go for a long shot with Mormans.--[[User:palmd001|PalMD]][[User_talk:palmd001|talk]] 20:05, 9 April 2007 (EDT)

I foresee a hornet's nest here, especially seeing as one of our best editors is a Mormon and has already come under fire for that on this site. [[User:MountainDew|MountainDew]] 20:06, 9 April 2007 (EDT)

Another reason this whole page should be AFD'd. What a ridiculous question, prima facie.--[[User:palmd001|PalMD]][[User_talk:palmd001|talk]] 20:07, 9 April 2007 (EDT)

The answer to this question: Whatever denomination the answerer belongs to, probably. [[User:MountainDew|MountainDew]] 20:07, 9 April 2007 (EDT)

Not for me...i picked the one I just thought sounded cool. The one you pick is most closely related to the one your parents picked.--[[User:palmd001|PalMD]][[User_talk:palmd001|talk]] 20:08, 9 April 2007 (EDT)

Hey, BTW, which one is the morman??? JK. I don't think anyone should be forced to reveal their personal beliefs to the world at large unless they wish to.--[[User:palmd001|PalMD]][[User_talk:palmd001|talk]] 20:09, 9 April 2007 (EDT)

Crocoite is openly Mormon. [[User:MountainDew|MountainDew]] 20:11, 9 April 2007 (EDT)

NP. Some of my best friends....--[[User:palmd001|PalMD]][[User_talk:palmd001|talk]] 20:12, 9 April 2007 (EDT)

The whole question strikes me as "Richard-ish"[[User:palmd001|PalMD]][[User_talk:palmd001|talk]] 20:12, 9 April 2007 (EDT)

Hijole (ee ho lay), seems like the Catholics are the furthest while the original Protestants were the closest. Either way, i think God is the best judge of that one. [[User: Dfairlyxed13|Dfairlyxed13]]

==None==
If you are following people who require you to follow their teachings in order for your salvation, it's a good bet that you no longer adhere to the original disciples of the Son of God. Read the Bible and study it. It is spiritual manna. No human that places their teachings between you and the bible should be trusted before it. I only benefit from those that only teach the Bible without inserting their own liberal interpretations. Just about all that I know of have denominated their own words in addition to His word.--[[User:Roopilots6|Roopilots6]] 13:28, 18 April 2007 (EDT)

: Is it OK with you if they insert their own conservative interpretations? Reading the Bible is going to demand interpretations, some trivial, some of much more serious import. Even the selection of a specific version demands a selection of interpretations. [[User:Boomcoach|Boomcoach]] 13:37, 18 April 2007 (EDT)

::You should be able to go back to the original Hebrew text. Get a Concordance and get a good study Bible that hasn't been reinterpreted into something that's merely politically correct or denominational. Study history, language, anthropology, etc. Biblical truths don't change because of different translations. The only interpretation you should be looking for is the original one when it was written. Looking for the truth wasn't meant to be easy, was it?--[[User:Roopilots6|Roopilots6]] 17:41, 18 April 2007 (EDT)

:::For the NT, it would be the original Greek or Aramaic, and AFAIK, these are not available. There is a whole field of study devoted to trying to figure out what the original text said. Much is known, but much is still conjecture. A "good study Bible that hasn't been reinterpreted into something that's merely politically correct or denominational" is simply choosing one that matches your own preconceptions. In the end, any reading of the Bible is an interpretation, and the vast majority of people do not have the ability or the time to find the most original texts, learn a couple ancient languages, then create their own interpretation.

:::By definition, any translation changes from the original, so anyone's translation becomes an interpretation. The vast majority of people have little choice but to select a denomination that most closely matches their own preconceptions. [[User:Boomcoach|Boomcoach]] 10:56, 19 April 2007 (EDT)

Debate:Which Christian denomination is the most true to the central teachings of Christianity?

2007-05-01T14:52:48Z

Joe B: /* None */

Debate:Does bias impair Wikipedia's reliability?

2007-03-05T16:36:54Z

Joe B: /* The Pot and the Kettle? */

?????

Could you please give me an example of their liberal bias? I use Wikipedia all the time and it's always a reliable and in-depth encyclopedia.

'''Reply: There are some examples for you [[Wikipedia|here]]. Have a great day!
--[[User:SharonS|SharonS]] 15:23, 27 December 2006 (EST)'''

==The Pot and the Kettle?==
I think a more valuable question to be asking here is: Should political philosophies and religious/spiritual beliefs have a place at all in deciding the content of what is supposed to ostensibly be a resource of pure knowledge? If some people here find it repugnant that Wikipedia allegedly is "liberally biased", then I find it equally repugnant that someone felt the need to create a version of it with a "conservative/Christian bias" -- especially when it openly bashes what it was created to oppose. Ideally, knowledge should be like energy (in the physics sense of the word): neither good nor bad in it's essence, it just exists.

If your political, philosophical, or religious/spiritual beliefs are driving what you're calling "knowledge" or "fact" instead of citeable and/or independantly verifiable sources, then perhaps it should be re-examined instead of posted in a tome labelled "knowledge" or "fact" -- or at the very least, have the decency to call it "belief" instead of "knowledge" or "fact". -- Duncan Blackthorne, 22 Feb 2007

--------I think that bias does at times impair Wikipedia's reliability. Truth be told I think that the same thing is beginning to occur on Conservapedia.

Don't get me wrong, I agree with most of the views expressed in the various entries I have seen on Conservapedia. But I think that Conservapedia has become a bit hypocritical. When I looked up 'homosexuality' it was necessary to dig through several paragraphs before I could find an adequate description of the term. What I did find however was lots of conservatively biased viewpoints on a subject which had not even been sufficiently explained.

This would be acceptable if this website portrayed itself as a place for people to simply come and state views. But considering that this is supposed to be an 'encyclopedia' many of the term definitions themselves belong in the 'debate topics' section due to their lack of information and tendency toward conservative bias.

I heard that this website was supposed to cut-down on the pointless paragraphs of garbage, and offer concise informative entries. Instead I found much of bias, which whether I agree with or not, does not belong in an encycolpedia.

For the most part I believe Conservapedia is still on the right track, and far more reliable than Wikipedia. If it simply changes its policy slightly to eliminate biased entries such as the one on homosexuality, and sticks to simply stating the facts then it will greatly increase its credablity. (Note that I would have stated a term on homosexuaity more like this: The tendency of a person towards the same sex... This does not say whether or not homsexuality is right or wrong, it merely states what it is...) JB--------

== Yes: ==

They censor non-Christian stuff. They're really, really biased. They only accept LIBERAL BIAS!

Please read this: [[Wikipedia]].

== No. Not always: ==

Simply because they are liberally biased does not always effect their reliability.

For example: I want to know President Reagan dates. I go onto Wikipedia. They will tell me. They may also tell me he was a bad president. But simply because "they" tell me that he was a bad president does not mean they are unreliable and what they told me about his dates isn’t solid fact.

:Where does WIkipedia say that President Reagan was a bad president? The opening paragraphs of the article, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ronald_Reagan Ronald Reagan] say things like
::"He strongly opposed communism and socialism, and as president he pursued policies for fewer regulations, lower taxes, free trade agreements, and welfare cutbacks."
:and
::"His legacies include restoring America's strength and prosperity following a period of stagflation in the wake of the Watergate scandal and the withdrawal from Vietnam, reaffirming America's commitment to free market economics, large budget deficits, rejecting Détente and escalating the Cold War with the Soviet Union through a military build-up and a firm foreign policy of "peace through strength", and peacefully ending the Cold War with Mikhail Gorbachev, including a massive reduction in nuclear arms."
:and
::"In several recent ratings of American presidents, Ronald Reagan ranked high."
:::[[User:Dpbsmith|Dpbsmith]] 16:35, 24 January 2007 (EST)

Now, (still on Wikipedia) I want to know about Jesus. I look Him up in that little search engine, and what do I get? Junk. Because He’s controversial in today’s world.
Almost everyone has a blind side to controversial issues. This does not make Wikipedia bad, it merely shows that they are human.

In addition, (to the comment that Wikipedia censors Christian things) Conservepedia is biased against liberals and Islam. We probably censor things that we believe are wrong. Doesn't that affect our reliability?

I am not defending Wikipedia, I am just saying that it is often a reliable resource.

-this is fun!-
--[[User:Katja N|Katie]] 23:55, 17 January 2007 (EST)

Like any wiki will be when it is that big, wikipedia definately hase ''some'' unreliable content, yet wikipedia is still mostly reliable.

--[[User:BenjaminS|BenjaminS]] 23:02, 24 January 2007 (EST)

Just because they have terms on everything doesn't mean that they are unreliable. Infact I bet that people will be putting just as much stuff on Conservapedia soon.

----
WIkipedia has certain kinds of reliability problems, but they relate mostly to its being a Wiki that anybody can edit.

I don't think it has problems ''because'' of bias. In fact, I believe that in practice Wikipedia's "neutrality" policy usually results in articles that represent all points of view, at least in the sense of mentioning their existence and linking to other information.

For example, if someone goes to the article on [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evolution#Social_and_religious_controversies Evolution], they will see that it has section on "Social and religious controversies," which in turn links to a long article on [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creation-evolution_controversy Creation-evolution controversy]. There is also a long article on [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evolution#Social_and_religious_controversies Creationism]. Wikipedia acknowledges the controversy, even in its main article on evolution, and doesn't try to hide it.

Of course, in a controversial article, people on both sides tend to think that their ''own'' side wasn't treated fairly.

Wikipedia should not be trusted uncritically. Neither should other encyclopedias. Wikipedia is sometimes ''better'' than other encyclopedias in showing the ''sources'' where it got its information. [[User:Dpbsmith|Dpbsmith]] 17:26, 26 January 2007 (EST)

I just checked wikipedia and it actually uses A.D. B.C., try looking up Mesopotamia or Rome, maybe others. I'm not trying to be aginst Conservapedia, I'm just being objective.

Double Edge

Wikipedia is a tool of the reality-based community! It should be avoided by all people of Faith. -Unscrewyourhead

Reality has a well-known liberal bias. If people want want to live in a fantasy world they will come and edit this site.