Work Period on End of Colonial Era and Declaration of Independence - Friday, October 17

On Monday we will go over your work translating Jefferson's Declaration of Independence and your personalities from the American Revolution. Be ready to present.

On Towards the Revolution - Thursday, October 16

Today, I read to you excerpts from a speech called, "The Americans Who Risked Everything".

http://www.baxtercountyrepublicans.com/founding_fathers.html

Here is one set of findings regarding "The Americans who Risked Everything" speech. This is a good exercise in dealing with historical research and bias.

http://home.nycap.rr.com/elbrecht/signers/LIMBAUGH.htm#rdtop

We continued with work on the Declaration and leading personalities of the Revolutionary War. The personalities covered are:

• George Washington
• Ben Franklin
• Thomas Jefferson
• John Adams
• John Hancock
• Ethan Allen
• Thomas Paine
• Nathan Hale

Translation of the Declaration of Independence has been assigned. We will work on that aspect at the beginning of Friday's class.

Will He or Won't He? and The Republic of Canada?? - Wednesday, October 15

Remember, the final debate in the US Presidential goes tonight. The only question remaining seems to be whether or not John McCain will confront Barack Obama on the issue of his association with known domestic terrorist Bill Ayers.

Obama has quite directly called McCain out on the matter, suggesting that McCain does not want to "...say it to my face".

See the brief article below:

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2008/10/08/obama_to_mccain_say_it_to_my_face.html

Some suggest McCain has resisted pressure to confront Obama on this issue heretofore because it could be interpreted as a "desperate" tactic and more negative politics. McCain himself responded that the previous debates simply did not have a question that allowed for Ayers to be discussed. However, after Obama's latest comment, McCain indicated that he would be ready to bring the issue up at the last debate.

See below:

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/2008/10/mccain-obama-pr.html

How Obama might respond...

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2098387/posts?page=102

It remains to be seen how this matter will play out strategically and politically... Stay tuned.


The Republic of Canada, Eh?

After last night's election, I asked you to consider, given the fractured nature of Canadian politics and the regional differences that seem to have grown in the past number of years, whether or not Canada would be any better off moving to either a hybrid of the British parliamentary system and American republicanism or a fully republican model.

Here is some background on republicanism in Canada...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republicanism_in_Canada

Check out this site from the Citizens for a Canadian Republic...

http://www.canadian-republic.ca/home.html

Our discussion asked you to consider the advantages and disadvantages of such a change. Consider this issue a potential blog test question down the line.

Next day, we will continue our look at the Declaration of Independence and the circumstances that led to the Revolutionary War.