Reparations for slavery

Ceremony by Leslie Silko follows a Native American war veteran Tayo after he returns home to the reservation from war. Like many of the other Native American veterans, Tayo returns home to turmoil, plagued by an incurable illness. At the time of the Native American being seen as inferior to the white man, the war allowed Native Americans to feel a sense of belonging and respect for the first time. Yet when the war ended, the Native American veterans returned to a land that treated them as second…

Roanoke was a perfect location to use as a base, so secluded that the Spaniards would be unable to locate it, and near the West Indies. This concept influenced the chosen colonist for this settlement. Veterans of the Irish or European wars were chosen for their experience, meaning they could protect the colony from any danger, but the colonists would be poor at building and maintaining relationships with each other and the Indians. Victims of England's labor system such as the servants or the…

Indentured Servitude were men and women who signed a contract that stated the agreement that the servants would work for a fixed amount of years. The amount of years depended on age, sex and race. To pay for the cost of the passage to America servants would sign contracts that stated they needed to work for a fixed amount of years typically four to seven, In exchange for passage to the New world from England, the early settlers promised the servants housing, food, and clothing. At the end of…

Engulfed by the surge of deep ocean waves, the immense mass of the blue whale entangled in the sea fought the swell of humanity’s ignorance. Little did this whale know, it was the elemental block that held up the fight over environmental protection. Little did that blue whale know, it paved the fundaments for disobedience in opposition to injustice. Any positive change brought through by legislation of a governmental action could be traced back to a version of domestic protest. As a result, it…

Jamestown was a colony within the state of Virginia, and was founded in the year 1607 by King James I. He began this discovery first with a joint-stock company that was named the Virginia Company. This company consisted of investors that were hoping to find gold and silver in America and gain profit from it. Before sending these investors on their way, he made sure they also took with them the Christian faith that he very much abided by. He believed the Indians would benefit greatly from this…

The word “imperialism” is derived from the Latin noun “imperium”, which means the power to command. Whether or not one has the “power to command” is strictly subjective, however many European countries in the 1800’s felt they were worthy of a world wide empire. This belief led to imperialism, in which Europe competed for land in Africa and Asia. While there were many factors in this drive for expansion, the three that heavily influenced this age were as follows: nationalism and the feeling of…

Written in 2006, “The Columbian Exchange” by John F. Richards provides the reader with a sense of how after making contact with the native people of the Americas, the Spaniards proceeded to change the landscape of the region and exploit its natural resources. Richards’ thesis is the colonization of the New World by the Spaniards ultimately destroyed the society and environment of the natives who had called that area their home for centuries. The Spaniards brought numerous diseases, to which they…

In the 1880's, countries across Europe started scrambling to claim land in Africa. Europe had long been claiming territories in parts of the Americas, Asia, and Africa, but intense national competition between Spain, Italy, Great Britain, France, Germany, Portugal, and Belgium led them to snatch up ninety percent of Africa by 1902, creating "new imperialism." This movement was inspired by many motives. Nations wanted ports for commerce and navy ships, but also to block other potential claimants.…

exonerated in Ohio after serving 20 years in prison.” Article published by Daily Kos on April the 7th. Dec. 6th, 1865: slavery was outlawed in the United States. To Kill A Mockingbird takes place around 1930, 70 years later. While laws may have changed, people and society still hadn’t; society was still racist. To Kill a Mockingbird was published in 1960, 95 years after the end of slavery, 30 years after the events in the book, and 29 after the Scottsboro Boys trial (1931) that inspired the…

One of the first popular singer, a prostitute, and persecuted, Billie Holiday spend her life batting abuse, addiction and racial discrimination. Billie was an iconic figure living ahead of her time. On a time of segregation, when expressing your opinion could cost your life, she was fearless. Billie Holiday was a fighter, a female that will revolution music and will make an unforgettable contribution to music and society. Eleanora Harris, famously known as Billie Holiday, was born on April 7,…