nikkizumsteg-blog

[nikkizumsteg-blog]

Nicole Zumsteg #1

In the past, I have had a complicated relationship with history. We’ve been on then off then on again throughout my years of schooling. I liked learning the history of our country and of the world but hated the memorizing and testing on all the knowledge. Personally, I really liked learning about the American Revolution, probably because my dad worked in Historical Philadelphia for a time and I grew up around all the history of Independence Hall, the Betsy Ross House, and more. My problem with history is that I transferred schools my junior year of high school. In my original high school, we spent sophomore year learning about the first half of America, which included everything from the Indians to the Civil War, and then learned the second half our junior year. My new school taught all the American history in just the sophomore year and changed to learning about economics and government for my junior year. In turn, I know nothing that happened after Abraham Lincoln was shot. Hence why I am taking this class! Imagine walking into AP Government my senior year and knowing nothing about Roosevelt, Kennedy, only knowing Nixon was involved in some type of scandal, and not understanding what or why the Vietnam War existed. My AP Gov. class kept me involved in the media and current events going on but since then, I have slacked on my commitment to the news. My only source of education on what’s going on in the world is through the HBO series, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver.

 The piece that I brought to class and shared with my partner was “Fahrenheit 9/11” by Michael Moore which is a documentary made up of all videos shot by people on September 11th, 2001 in chronological order. I think it is a movie everyone should see because of the emotional impact it has on all of us as Americans and because it was shot by people, on the ground, in the towers, or in apartments, watching the destruction take place. My partner suggested I watch the Disney cartoon movie, Mulan. Even though it is based in China, it shows the struggle that all women have gone through, or are still going through, to be treated as equals.