HIST 813, November 13, 2005

This week has really allowed me to focus. I finished my paper for Dr. Walther, I just finished blogging my last book for that class and now I can focus on correcting my presentation for your class. I am going to try to find a more diverse photos for the presentations. Also, I will look for more documents not necessarily just photos.

Chapter 18, Richmond, "Changes, Controversry, and Commemoration"

Kansas is a very diversified state. We have produced politicians, artists, actors, and many more interesting people. The basis of education is good, we are one of the first states to adopt NCLB, and we are willing to take a chance. I think that attitude was set forth by out founders and we have continued on with it.

Chapter 17, Richmond, "Kansas and the Arts"

Kansas has had many great playwrites, artists, and writers. We are a state that is expressive in our ideas and people are willing to showcase their abilities. By doing this we show other peoples that we are not a bunch of backwards hicks . I can associate many of the things mentioned in the chapter. Including the Little Blue Books (I have some), and I have helped with the William Inge Festival at Independence Community College. This chapter would be the easiest to have the kids associate with because they have heard of many of these people all of their lives.

Chapter 16, Richmond, "Changing TImes: THe Second World War and Its Aftermath:

In 1940 the country was split as to whether to get involved in Europe. But many Kansas companies began to see dollar signs when talking of building airplanes, manufacturing ammunition, and the expansion of the military posts. Kansas were listening to the radio when the announcement of Pearl Harbor came across and they became apart of the entire nation. One of the biggest issues after the war was Prohibition. The people of Kansas wanted to ban alcohol just as it had been before the depression. After the GI's came home from the war they were more worldly and Kansas becomes less of an isolationist state.

Chapter 15, Richmond, "The Dirty THirties": Kansas and the Great Depression"

The depression doesn't hit kansas until about 1931. The fact that this also corresponds to the drought that the Great Plains began to experience. The Black BLizzards, the struggle people had with trying to keep the dirt out of their homes. But they still perservered and had social gatherings. They kept their heads up. Also, the fact that Alf Landon lived in Independence for a part of his childhood. His politics helped to shape Kansas. ALso, he wanted the best for the citizens of Kansas.

Chapter 14, Richmond, "The Changing, Troubled Twenties"

Kansas is an athletic state. The fact that Walter Johnson played in my town. The gangsters who passed through Kansas running from the law such as Bonnie and Clyde. The information about Ford selling cars for $250.00 and that there were no specific traffic laws. I guess they didn't have drivers licenses or have to take a driving test. Lots of little things I will also use such as, White Castle being established in Wichita, the Klan in Kansas, and Henry Sinclair. SInclair made such an impact on Independence.

Chapter 13, Richmond, The First World War and a "Return to Normalcy"

Kansas was going to "win the war the wheat". I will use this speech when we do World War I in a couple of weeks. The fact that Kansas served in the war with many men leaving their lives to defend Europe. The organization of backyard gardens to help support the war effort. The canning of fruit and vegetables for later use. The return to normalcy meant that people should return their lives just as it had been before the war. The biggest change in Kansas is the fact that after the war farmers began to see a decline in their profits.

Chapter 12, Richmond, "Progressive Politics and Progress in the New Century"

In 1900 Theodore Roosevelt came to Kansas for 31 stops. Many agreed with his politics and Kansas was the original Roosevelt state. Governor Hoch (1904) established a child labor law, established juvenile court system, and railroad employees worked regulated hours. The fact that Kansas was always willing to take a risk. They were always adventurous.

Chapter 11, Richmond, "Prohibition to Populism, 1870-1900"

The fact that Kansas was the first state in the Union to prohibit alcohol. Even though Kansas is slightly more conservative than a lot of other states it surprised me to know we were the first state. I would probably extract the entire section on Populism and replace it with what I use today. It was explained simply and completely. Also, I would use the information about Lease and Diggs with the women reformers.

Chapter 10, Richmond, "Immigrants on the Prairies"

I think the kids would love to know about silkville. The fact that we associate the manufacturing of silk in the orient but to know that there was a silk manufacturing in Kansas. It was a good condensed knowledge of the different peoples moving into Kansas.

Chapter 9, Richmond, "The Frontier is Settled"

The chapter was very good. The thing I would pull out was the story of the grasshoppers and how they invaded would be great for class. The desperation of the citizens of Kansas in trying to destroy these creatures. These stories would be good examples of what trials the early settlers endured. The story of the settlers burning buffalo chips for fuel. But then the great sense of community that has occurred under the harsh circumstances.

Chapter 8, Richmond, "The Cattle Trade: Trail Herds, Towns, and Ranchers"

I would use the example of Abiline and how it was against the law to estalish the town.. The fact that a town was established so quickly and grew successful quickly. Bill Hickock is a good person to pull into the class discussions because people have heard of him. And the fact that he was a lawman sometimes shocks students.

Chapter 7, Richmond, "The Development of the Railroads"

The railroad industry has always been a big part of Kansas history. There was such excitement and awe over these big powerful machines. There was an excitement about being able to travel and stay in luxurious sleeping cars. The fact that towns relied on the railroads to stop in their area so they could sustain themselves. It is sad to think of how many towns folded up when the railroad bypassed their towns. Also, by 1970 many depot towns were completely non-existence any more.

Chapter 6, Richmond, "The First Years of Statehood"

The things I would point out from this chapter is the amount of Kansans who fought in the Civil War. I would pull all of the stastics from page 94 to show what the extent of our duty was in the war. Also, that Kansas was the youngest state in the union but still felt a need to do their patriotic duty.

Chapter 4, Richmond, ""Bleeding Kansas"-The Territorial Period"

There was great information about the early homesteaders and their trials and tribulations. I could definitely use it when talking about the settlement of the midwest but also I could use the information when talking about Populism and Progressives. There was good stuff on John Brown and that he was not a saint and he could have actually caused a great deal of the bloodshed in Kansas.

Chapter 4, Richmond, "Trails and Early Transportation"

The diary entries in this chapter were the best. I noticed that almost all of the groups of people traveling through the United States during this time had some of the same traits. Such as ambition, determination, and a longing for adventure. You would have had to have all of these traits to have accomplished what the early settlers did.

Chapter 3, Richmond, "Indian Removal and Christian Missionary Efforts"

It was interesting to see that almost all of the religious groups that were there to Christianize the Indians. This would be great to use with immigration also because of the Americization of the immigrants to the United States. I like to pull previous knowledge back into modern history as much as possible. We will often compare immigration today to what it was like 100 years ago.

Chapter 2, Richmond, "Exploration of the Great Plains"

THe things I would pull from this chapter was the early explorers coming through Kansas and some of them staying to settle but more of them moving through to the west coast. Their battles with the Indians and how there was constant tensions with the Spanish settlers and the natives.

Chapter 1, Richmond, "The Land and Its Native People"

This chapter was a little dry for me. I would use some of the information about the origins of the state and what life was like in the early settlement days. The type of housing and what life would been like if we would have lived then.