Mural Reflection

1. What is inspiring about working collaboratively with other artist on a creative assignment? What is challenging about it?

It was inspiring to work collaboratively with other artists because our strengths were in different areas, therefore it was easier for us to work together. If one of us saw that the other was better in an area, we would assign that person to do that, or in order to help each other improve in a type of skill we would give each other tips and help each other work together. It was also really inspiring how we had such different ideas but we managed to put them all together to tie them all up as one. It was also really inspiring to get to talk through all of our ideas and talk about the different colours and designs we would use throughout the mural. I think that something that was challenging was that since I'm a perfectionist, I wanted everything to be done, I wanted everything to be outlined. But since the others thought that the state it was in right now was done, it was tough for us to make a decision on whether we should continue to make it perfect or not.

2. Find a "Pop" art piece online that you like (Does not have to be Keith Haring's work). Post it on your blog (cite the source) and comment what you like about it.

http://iamdjk.deviantart.com/art/Candy-Pop-Art-259308114

I really like the contrast between the background and the candy bar. I also really enjoyed how the artist decided to use something that's really popular in today's society, and something that everyone knows. I really liked the colour scheme as well.









3. Under the photo of your final work, create an explanation for the process you went through to create the mural. Include details about how you and your group covered the time period you were responsible for and how you incorporated Keith Haring's Style.

At the beginning of the unit, we began sketching. We had three different ideas for our sketches. Once we received our date for the mural, we went to the gallery hall and jotted down a few ideas for our sketches. We sketched out three different sketches and had really different ideas. Annaliese's sketches involved a lot more of the events that happened in SAS. While I had the idea of doing a collage of 90's trends. In the end we decided to paint a mixture of ours. We decided to add people in the drawing in the way of Keith Haring's style. To show more of the 90's vibe, we drew the people with 90's clothes. The colours we used are in pastel and bright, sort of a mixture of Keith Haring's drawings as well as the 90's. Overall, I think that we worked really well as a group, and we're really proud of our mural.

Federal vs. State Government - November 6,2015

Why does America have federal and state government?

America has federal and state government due to many reasons. One reason why America has a federal government is because it helps build America into the country it is today. The three different branches of the federal government: executive, legislative, and judicial all have such a large impact on the development of America. The federal government can administer the country by creating common laws and dealing with international issues. America has a state government in order to take control over the many states all over the United States. With a balance of power between federal and state governments, America would be able to govern the people more efficiently and respectfully.

RLA Podcast

 

Disunia - November 4,2015

1.What were some of the problems Disunia had with enforcing agreements?

Some of the problems that occurred in Disunia that we had trouble with was having everyone agree on one law to pass through all of the states, we also had trouble getting people to agree with paying a certain fee for this law to be accepted by the president.  Another problem was that people didn't write bills that matched the expectations, while others that did fit the expectations were not in favour by all states.

2. How did the President help or hinder agreements?

The President helped by putting things into order. I think that even though John Hanson didn't have much say and didn't create most of the laws, he/she ordered the court and called for the people to raise their hands when in favour or not. I think that the states had more say in the laws rather than the president himself.

3. What could be done to help Disunia function better?

I think that if the president did more things to help the states with creating these laws Disunia would function better. I think that if all of the states worked together to work on one law that everyone agreed on, as well as a law that was built to fit all states. I think that if a few changes happened to Disunia, it would help it function better.

Articles of Confederations - November 4,2015

Articles of Confederation 

Strengths 

• Coin and borrow money 
• Negotiate with foreign nations and American Indians 
• Try to resolve difference between states 
• Ask states for money and soldiers 

Weaknesses 

• Pass or collect Taxes 
• Raise an army (no standing army)
• Enforce its own laws (no Judicial system) 
• No Executive or Legislative branches with power
• Most power held by the states 
• One branch of government 

Layers of American Government - October 2

1. Federal - The federal level is the top level of the US Government.

• It has three branches 
• executive branch - led by the president of the United States. Spokes person for America. They have the executive powers. 
•  legislative branch - the house of representatives and a senate is part of the federal house. 
• Judicial branch - judge or legal, the top court in the United States is the Supreme Court. District of Columbia, Washington D.C. 

2. State - Three levels

• executive branch - governors, they are the chief executive of the state. 
• legislative branch - they make the laws for a state. 
• judicial branch - state courts, who will talk to people who have violated rules.  
• If you break a state law, you to go the state law. 

3. County

• administrators aka executives - governors, not always elected. 
• courts - judicial branch 
• they sometimes have legislative branch, where they make decisions. 
• smaller parts of an area - you could have many cities inside of counties 
• If you break a county law you go to the county court. 

4. City

• City mayor
• legislative branch - usually elected 
• City courts - caught for speeding or parking in the wrong area so if you break city laws you go to city court. 

American Revolution - November 2

1. Battle of Trenton

• November of 1776 
• Washington's Continental Army was almost at its end. 
• Only had 6,000 men who were ready to give up. 
• Washington sailed on the Delaware river and attacked the Hessians who resided in New Jersey. 
• They won the battle with 900 prisoners. 
• First victory for the Americans - first moment America stands up and won + gave them confidence. 
• They learnt that General George Washington can make a very good leader in battle. 
• Attack on the night of Christmas and into boxing day. 
• Had a spy who convinced the British there wasn't an attack that day, when the Americans were actually attacking that night. 
• Americans start to use more strategies instead of just standing there. 

2. Battle of Saratoga

• September 19, 1777 to October 7,1777 
• The British were confident that they had the superior force to cut off New England from the rest of the colonies. 
• The miscalculations of the British were later revealed by secret letters. 
• The spying and letter writing games from both sides resulted in the surrender of the British. 
• It was the battle in which the British troops surrendered to the Continental Army. 
• After the Continental Army's victory over the British, France decided to become America's ally. 
• Marked a major turning point in the revolutionary war. 
• Benedict Arnold, after this battle, thought that he wasn't given enough credit. - Has a massive ego. 
• The French are now the suppliers for the Americans back in the colonial era. 

3.Valley Forge

• Where: Valley Forge was located 30 km northwest of Pennsylvania 
• When: In December 1777, General Washington brought his 12,000 men to Valley Forge. 
• What: The only enemy was the brutal winter. Around 2,000 soldier died of disease and malnutrition. 
• Who : 
• Continental Army 
• General Washington  
• Baron Von Steuben - German who trained the Americans - trained them military strategy and taught them formations and discipline on how to conduct a good battle. 
• Valley Forge is still a very important message for Americans today - fight for liberty, never give up, etc. 

4. The Naval War 

• Event took place during February 1776.
• Where? The Atlantic Ocean, near Carolina 
• The West Indies, Nassau, Bahamas 
• Gulf 
• Who? 
• John Paul Jones 
• Esek Hopkins 
• General Sir William Howe 
• The US damaged the British fleets operating ability 
• American troops seized the British's main supply base 
• Major supply base in Bahamas. 
• Patriots had a much smaller navy 
• The Patriots only had 100 ships, while the British lost around 200 
• small but effective. 
• John Paul Jones was the first American figure and was a good commander at sea. 

5. Guerilla Warfare 

• Improper warfare of which a small group of armed civilians use military strategies like ambushes to sabotage large military groups. 
• The Battle of Black Mingo. 
• September 14, 1780 
• The Patriots ambushed the Loyalists and won. 
• The Patriots drove out the Loyalists and Francis Marion became well-known. 
• You had to have very good geography, while in the swamp knowing your way through the swamp will benefit your team. 
• Ended up losing supply lines. 

6. Battle of Yorktown

• After being harassed by the Continental army in the Carolinas, Cornwallis retreated to Yorktown and George Washington stormed and surrounded him with the help of the French troops. 
• On October 19, 1781 Cornwallis sent out a drummer and a white flag of surrender. 
• Important because it was the last major battle between America and the British. 
• Final Battle of the war. 
• Solidifies George Washington's time as a leader, America thought about making George Washington into King George Washington but then thought that President was better. 
• Arnold goes to London and lived the life as a poor man since he was a traitor.  

7. Treaty of Paris

• Benjamin Franklin had very good relations with the French. He really enjoyed partying and was constantly hungover. 
• September 3,1782. 
• End of American Revolutionary war.