The Crucible Act 1: Response

    

     My first reaction to this story and the characters in it was: “These people are tremendously religious and nothing could come between them and their worship.” As I began to read on through Act 1 I took on a new perspective. When everyone starts to find out that Betty, Abigail, and Tituba are associated with witchcraft, their motives seem to come from a strong faith in their religion that makes them despise the girls act. However as you receive more background on the Puritans lifestyle you see it is driven by fear. Some instances are during church sermons two people are sent out to make church everyone is in church at that time and if they are not then they will be punished, pastors tell everyone if they don’t follow the laws they will go to hell, and anyone who is even thought to be a witch will be severely rejected by the community. This fear can be sunk into the people so much that the Puritan religion is fear based instead of actual faith. If someone knows they are in the midst of being accused for any law breaking they will do whatever it takes to get the negatives out of their reputation. That includes actions such as lies, betrayals, and selfishness. I feel this is most portrayed at the end when everyone starts accusing others of being with the devil. They could be telling a lie just so they could protect themselves.

(244 Words)    

NoteCards

(3) The Chicago Race Riots occurred in July of 1966. Martin Luther King Jr. went to Chicago to campaign against housing segregation. The riots lasted for three days until 1,500 National Guards men and 1,000 police officers put a stop to it. Later in July some three hundred civil rights activist marched through Cicero street into a white neighborhood to protest the housing segregation. Unfortunately for them they were chased away by "mobs of angry whites". Dr. King ended his campaign after officials said they would end segregation.

(4) Dr.King was born in Atlanta, Georgia, into church-center family. His grandfather, father and brother were all pastors. King went to Booker T. Washington high school and then Moore House College where he received a sociology degree. In 1948 he went to Crozer Theological Seminary and earned a bachelor in divinity. After Crozer Dr. King went to Boston University where he met Coretta Scott (his future wife). King organized the Montgomery bus boycott and as a result bus segregation was unconstitutional. The Gandhi inspired Civil Rights activist engaged in getting federal action on civil rights. He met with the president to do so. His fight to end segregation in Birmingham led to him being sent to jail but after he got out things changed. King continued to organize protest walks, say speeches, peacefully fought against segregation until he was assassinated in 1968 by James Earl Ray.

(6) On a Friday in April of 1968 the Martin Luther King Jr. assassination riots began. Looting broke out on the city's West Side in the Lawndale and Austin areas and on the city's South Side in the Woodlawn area. White owned businesses were specifically attacked and vandalized. That Friday night Army units and Illinois National guards were sent in to control the streets. Rioters hit them with sniper guns but none were killed or heavily injured. During that Saturday soldiers calmed the rioters along the Eisenhower expressway with their machine guns. Sunday was continued to up hold violence but by Monday peace had returned. Mayor Daley ordered police "to shoot any arsonist or anyone with a Molotov cocktail in his hand...and...to shoot to maim or cripple anyone looting any stores in our city."  There is no official death toll but accounts say 9-11 people died. 350 people were arrested and 162 buildings were destroyed. The areas where the buildings were located became vacant lots.

(7) Illinois State rep. Art Turner gives reasons as to why the Lawndale area should have returned back to a prosperous area after the riots. He says: Chicago's downtown area is very close by, two interstates and three El lines are near and "Historic grey stone houses line the streets". In 1960, 124,937 people lived in North Lawndale. Now 41,768 people live in the area and more than 40% of the families are below the poverty line. There are new living spaces that are built but the poor area leaves them unsold. Businesses such as grocery stores could close soon because these anchor stores don't survive financially. This means the franchise can't expand. Since these areas are high-crimed and have police surveillance around the new businesses it discourages some residents. In the 1950's "Many white families moved away..." to the suburbs and North Side. The riots broke after King was assassinated and the area burned down in flames.

(8) Martin Luther King Jr. moved to Chicago in 1966 in a poverty-stricken neighborhood. His purpose was to draw attention to "the plight of disadvantaged African Americans." When he was assassinated rioters took to the streets and looted and burnt down buildings. 36 major fires were reported between 4p.m. and 10p.m. During this time more then 2,000 firefighters were out in the City on a 2-mile Madison Street stretch. Although there was a great number of fire fighters, rioters still held them from doing there job. They were met with bottles, rocks and sniper weapons. They were also met with the challenge of low levels of water because rioters would let off fire hydrants to lower the pressure. By Saturday 6,000 National Guard troops arrived to suppress the rioters. Then the next day 5,000 army units arrive in as well. The rioters were settled and as a result of this weekend one firefighter was wounded, 170  buildings were burned down and 1,000 people were left homeless.

(9) Over 100 cities were affected by the assassinations riots due to the effort of 100,000 black people. President Lyndon B. Johnson ordered 50,000 National Guardsmen to control and "squish" the violence. During the week of riots in the U.S. cities such as Washington D.C., Chicago, Philadelphia, and Cleveland issued curfews and had National Guardsmen arrest and shoot offenders. The chaos resulted in "...46 people dead, 4,000 injured, massive arrests and about $500 million dollars in damages." The F.B.I. was sent out to find the assassin of Dr. King. They found James Earl Ray who confessed to the murder and was sentenced to 99 years in jail. Negroes were also given the right to vote.

(10) After Dr. King died his organization called the SCLC put together King's funeral. Marches were held in multiple countries to honor King's legacy. Some schools and work places were closed so that people could participate in commemorative events. He was buried in Atlanta. The riots in Chicago took up 28 blocks on West Madison. Rioting also occured "...between Roosevelt Rd. on the south and Chicago Ave. A curfew for everyone under 21 was imposed,streets were closed, guns and ammunition were banned from being sold, and police officers were ordered to shoot to kill. Over 125 fires were created, eleven black people died, and 3,000 people were arrested. Some 1,00 people were left homeless due to the 210 buildings affected somehow. The south side of Chicago managed to stay away from the riots because gang leaders of the Blackstone Rangers and East Side Disciples worked together to use their influence and stop it from happening.

SOURCES:

"A Nation in Upheaval, 1954-1975." American History. ABC-CLIO, 2012. Web. 20 Sept. 2012.(1)
This article gives the "when" of the race riots.


"Chicago Race Riot of 1966." Image. AP/Wide World Photos. American History. ABC-CLIO, 2012. Web. 20 Sept. 2012. (2)
This picture(although not nessacary) is of riot police in Chicago.


"Chicago Race Riot of 1966." American History. ABC-CLIO, 2012. Web. 20 Sept. 2012 (3)
This is about the build up and riots that happened before Martin Luther King Jr. died.


"Martin Luther King Jr." World History: The Modern Era. ABC-CLIO, 2012. Web. 20 Sept. 2012. (4)
This is in depth backgroung knowledge on Martin Luther King.


"Remembering Martin Luther King Jr.: Background." American History. ABC-CLIO, 2012. Web. 20 Sept. 2012. (5)
This is about Martin Luther King Jr.'s peaceful protest which he is known most for.


Coates, James. "Riots Follow Killing of Martin Luther King Jr." Chicagotribune.com. Chicago Tribune, n.d. Web. 25 Sept. 2012. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/chi-chicagodays-kingriots-story,0,4609945.story. (6)
This is a summary of what happened during the Martin Luther King Jr. assassination sparked riots and how the mayor responded them it.


Bello, Marisol, and Judy Keen. ""40 Years after the Riots, King's Vision 'unfinished' "" USA Today. Gannett, 20 Jan. 2008. Web. 25 Sept. 2012. http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2008-01-20-riots-cover_N.htm. (7)
This gives a brief summary of the riots after Martin Luther King Jr's assassination with the help of actual numbers and statistics. It also gives insight from people who lived during the time.


Groves, Adam. "MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR, ASSASSINATION RIOTS, CHICAGO:APRIL 5-8, 1968" N.p.: Illinois.edu, 2006. PDF. (8)
This gives specific on the damages and all other effects of the riots.


Brooks, Marcus. "The Immediate Effects of Martin Luther King Jr's Assassination." Helium. Helium, 11 Sept. 2008. Web. 28 Sept. 2012. http://www.helium.com/items/1178355-the-immediate-effects-of-martin-luther-king-jrs-assassination. (9)
This gives an overview of many effects of Martin Luther Kig Jr's assassination such as the riots in different parts of the U.S. and how African American were treated then.


Freeman, Jo. "The Death of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr." The Death of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. King Funeral, n.d. Web. 28 Sept. 2012. <http://www.jofreeman.com/photos/Kingfuneral.html>.(10)
This has information on the riots in Chicago in 1968.


"Where Were You When Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Was Assassinated in 1968? The Aftermath of the Chicago Riots." HubPages. HubPages Inc., 28 Aug. 2012. Web. 29 Sept. 2012. <http://nina64.hubpages.com/hub/The-Chicago-Riots-of-1968-The-Aftermath>.(11)
This gives a personal account and view from a Chicagoen about the Martin luther King Jr's assassination riots.

Paral, Rob. "Rob Paral and Associates - Metro Chicago Poverty." Rob Paral and Associates - Metro Chicago Poverty. Rob Paral, 1998. Web. 14 Oct. 2012. http://www.robparal.com/ChicagoCommunityAreaData.html. (12)
This is a chart that gives information of the population of all the 77 areas of Chicago from the 1930's until the 2009.

City of Chicago. "Austin." Explore Chicago. City of Chicago, 2010. Web. 14 Oct. 2012. http://www.explorechicago.org/city/en/neighborhoods/austin.html. (13) This gives a summary on the origins of Chicago's Austin area.

Yue, Lorene. "Merchants in Chicago's Deadliest Neighborhood Are in the Line of Fire." Crain's Chicago Business. Crain'sChicago Business, 23 July 2012. Web. 14 Oct. 2012. http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20120721/ISSUE01/307219983/merchants-in-chicagos-deadliest-neighborhood-are-in-the-line-of-fire. (14) This gives a personal account of some vendors who operate small businesses yet have trouble prospering.

Moser, Whet. "Austin: Chicago’s Deadliest Neighborhood?" Chicago Magazine. Chicago Magazine Staff Blog, 25 July 2012. Web. 14 Oct. 2012. http://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/The-312/July-2012/Austin-Chicagos-Deadliest-Neighborhood/. (15) This article proves that the Austin area of Chicago is the deadliest neighborhood with numerical facts.

Frank, Berwyn. "North Lawndale." Forgotten Chicago.com. N.p., 10 Apr. 2010. Web. 14 Oct. 2012. http://www.forgottenchicago.com/forum/1/3084. (16) This talks about the ethnic origins of the Lawndale area to its now vacant lot scattered area.

Solomon, Alan. "North Lawndale." Explore Chicago. City of Chicago, 2010. Web. 14 Oct. 2012. http://www.explorechicago.org/city/en/neighborhoods/lawndale.html. (17) This article gives a summary of the origins of the Lawndale area.

Ralph, James. "Martin Luther King, Jr., in Chicago." Martin Luther King, Jr., in Chicago. Chicago Historical Society, 2005. Web. 25 Oct. 2012. http://www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/1438.html. (18) This article tells about Martin Luther King Jr.'s presence in Chicago.

"North Lawndale, Chicago, IL Cost of Living Index." Areavibes. AreaVibes Inc., n.d. Web. 26 Oct. 2012. http://www.areavibes.com/chicago-il/north lawndale/cost-of-living/. (19) This gives the specific numbers and percentages of housing costs and its changes.

Seligman, Amanda. "North Lawndale." North Lawndale. Chicago Historical Society, 2005. Web. 26 Oct. 2012. http://www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/901.html. (20) This talks about the origins of North Lawndale and how it was effected by the riots.

Community Song Post

Kanye West: "Homecoming"
YeahAnd you say Chi CityChi City, Chi City
I'm comin' home againDo you think about me now and then?Do you think about me now and then?'Cause I'm comin' home again, 'min' home again
I met this girl when I was three years oldAnd what I loved most, she had so much soulShe said, "Excuse me, little homie, I know you don't know meBut my name is Wendy and I like to blow trees"
And from that point I never blow her off Guys come from outta town, I like to show her offThey like to act tough, she like to tow 'em offAnd make 'em straighten up their act 'cause she know they soft
And when I grew up, she showed me how to go downtownAnd at nighttime my face lit up, so astoundin'And I told her in my heart is where she always beShe never mess with entertainers 'cause they always leave
She said it felt like they walked and drove on meKnew I was gang affiliated, got on TV and told on meI guess it's why last winter she got so cold on meShe said, "YeKeep makin' that, keep makin' that platinum and gold for me"
(I'm comin' home again)Do you think about me now and then?Do you think about me now and then?'Cause I'm comin' home again, 'min' home again
Do you think about me now and then?Do you think about me now and then?Oh, now I'm comin' home againMaybe we could start again
But if you really cared for herThen you wouldn't've never hit the airportTo follow your dream, sometimes I still talk to herBut when I talk to her, it always seems like she talkin' about me
She said, "You left your kids and they just like youThey wanna rap and make soul beats just like youBut they just not you and I just got throughTalkin' 'bout what guys tryin' to do just not new"
Now everybody got the game figured out all wrongI guess you never know what you got 'til it's goneI guess this is why I'm here and I can't come back homeAnd guess when I heard that when I was back home
Every interview I'm representin' you, makin' you proudReach for the stars so if you fall you land on a cloudJump in the crowd, spark your lighters, wave 'em aroundAnd if you don't know by now, I'm talkin' about Chi Town
(I'm comin' home again)Do you think about me now and then?Do you think about me now and then?'Cause I'm comin' home again, 'min' home again
Baby, do you remember when fireworks at Lake Michigan?Oh, now I'm comin' home again, 'min' home againBaby, do you remember when fireworks at Lake Michigan?Oh, now I'm comin' home again, maybe we could start again
Loyee, oyee, oh, loyee, oyee, ohComin' home againLoyee, oyee, oh, loyee, oyee, ohComin' home againMaybe we could start again



Read more: KANYE WEST - HOMECOMING LYRICS http://www.metrolyrics.com/homecoming-lyrics-kanye-west.html#ixzz26fsbcJjR
Copied from MetroLyrics.com

The artist's approach to describing the community was through an extended metaphor. He is talking about Chicago as if it is a girl named Windy.(One of the multiple nicknames for Chicago is "The Windy City" hence calling it Windy ). Through this creative approach Kanye tells about all the aspects and things of his city. He supports Chicago to the very fullest. He even displays his feelings of missing the city since he had to move to pursue his musical career. The way he describes the city makes it seem like a fiery place. By this I mean that there are some aspects that "burn" but the "glow" of the place can be beautiful at the same time. "She said it felt like they walked and drove on me knew I was gang affiliated, got on TV and told on me" This line here talks about the bad side of the city which are the gangs. "...downtown and at night time my face lit up, so astoundin'...". Here he's talking about how great the lights of downtown are. In this song he adores the uniqueness of his city which makes up his community.

Community Post

     The word community is a term used loosely in a lots of cases. It's miscorrectly used to describe a broader form of a neighborhood and the area you live in. This can be right at times but when used to describe the geographical point of it is incorrect. A community is a group of people that can be categorized together because of their specific similarities. With this being said a community can span across a nation as long as the people are connected through an equal quality. For example I am involved in three different communities. Those are Student Council, poetry, and my church. Each of these have different aspects that make them unique communities.

     The Student Council community I'm apart of is a club. This is located in the Whitney Young high school building. We operate in our own office where all of our supplies is on the first floor of the school. Since that room is small for all of us to fit in comfortably we use a chemistry room on the third floor where we have meetings to plan for events. This room has tables instead of desk which are better for working on. What sets us apart from other school's Student Councils are our original designed tee-shirts and the fact that we stay within our own school.

     Our level of work is high so expectations are even higher. Everyone is expected to be efficient and responsible for there job. Any slacking is unacceptable and not only hurts you but Student Council as a whole. To be a member you must fill out an application and have a year of being a devoted generally assembly member and making your presence and effort know. Once you are in you are given a position that holds a specific job. For example I am newsletter chairman. I write the newsletters that are posted in the bathrooms of the school. This newsletter is important to Student Council and the school because I put important information on there such as dates of school events that some students might not have known.

     This particular community feels comfortable and feels "me" because I enjoy the feeling of helping my school. I'm there for such long hours anyways that I might as well have an input in what goes on. Just knowing that I help build our famous balloon arches in the gym for pep rallies give me more respect for it. Every one is friendly and easy to talk to so becoming friends with each other is easy. Its as if we become a family because of all the hours we spend together working toward our common goals.

Response to Crevecour

     From only reading one piece Crevecour's writing, I have discovered the reason why he is a famous writer. He finds a way to state facts, although general, in a poetic way that helps you visualize the things happening. For example he compares the emigrants to "useless plants, wanting vegetable mold and refreshing showers..." That sentence there shows you how bad life was for them by comparing their situation to a withering plant.
     The way he describes an American is very controversial because he's basically saying a non-American is an American but I personally think its a correct idea. If you were to be born and raised in America then you are expected and even forced in some cases to follow the normal lifestyle of the American way. Its as if you are programmed so that nothing can detour you from your task. Its automatic and not effected. However on the contrary there are emigrants who have been raised to differently with different aspects of life and the way of living. When they come to America they go through the adjustment processes and depending on how well they "turned into" an American shows how well America's systems works. The newly adjusted emigrants are like products of America and therefore they are American.