American History

The Order of Canada is regarded as Canada's highest civilian honor. Its membership is given to those citizens who truly lives up to the Order's Latin motto Desiderantes Meliorem Patriam. It means "Desiring a better country." The Order, established in 1967, recognizes the great contributions made by Canadians. Members come from different fields like music, politics, arts, television, and others. Accordingly, Queen Elizabeth II, the Queen of Canada, is the Sovereign of the Order. The Chancellor and Principal Companion are the serving Governor General of Canada. As of today, the Order of Canada has been awarded to 5053 since 1967. There are three levels of the Canadian Order, namely the Companion, being the highest, Officer, and Member. Every Canadian citizen is eligible for all three awards with the exemption of provincial and federal politicians and judges occupying an office.

Among the famous celebrities appointed to accept these awards are artists like Bryan Adams, Shania Twain, and Celine Dion. Nelson Mandela, the former President of South Africa, is an honorary Canadian citizen since 1998. He was known as the first President of South Africa to be elected in fully-representative democratic elections. People view him as a cultural icon of freedom and equality like Mohandas Gandhi.

Some people have not had the privelege to see this monumental carvings on Mount Rushmore. They have only glimpsed this wonderful sculptural artwork at postcards and posters, but it would really take a personal journey to the site to be able to grasp the real significance of this mountain figures. For me who have already seen this colossal sculpture, it stirs within me a sense of patriotism.

The four famous faces of Mount Rushmore belong to four of the noteworthy figures in American History: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt. These four presedentials line the side of Mount Rushmore for everyone to see. Their faces carved on stone signify a lot of meaning for people who would gaze upon the massive stone figures.

The idea of sculpture on Mount Rushmore is Doane Robinson's, who wanted a gargantuan memorial that would place South Dakota in the map. While most people found the idea ridiculous, but Robinson is persistent on pursuing his concept that he finally asks Senator Peter Norbeck for help. When everything was settled, Robinson offers the job to America's top artist that time, Gutzon Borglum who made the Mount Rushmore monument, one of the popular tourist spots, as we know it this day.

As you may probably notice, there's a lot of exorcism movies coming out into the big screen, starting with Linda Blair's chilling scenes from "The Exorcist" to the latest "The Exorcism of Emily Rose". You may also probably notice that most exorcism flicks, whether fiction or based on true stories, are situated on a western location. In the US, there are reported claims of demonic or spirit possessions for over a hundred years, but I suppose not a single one has been proven to be a true and factual event of exorcism.

Going back to American exorcism, a book written by Michael Cuneo, titled as "American Exorcism: Expelling Demons in the Land of Plenty", talks about the shallow and dark side of exorcism in an American life conformity. Cuneo highlighted that exorcism, which is a religious ritual that is considered as both fascinating and disturbing, is particularly acknowledged in America today. Exorcism has created a firm grip on Americans' imaginations as well as to their entertainment industry. That is why most exorcism movies are produced by American filmmakers. The said book claims that exorcism is recognized and has been proliferated in various cultural sides of an American Society. It states that exorcism is discussed in the television and published in some of America's known and popular publications.

Though critics say that Cuneo's book lack objective facts as basis for his Exorcism claims in the American culture, exorcism is a widely talked about belief in a religious custom and tradition that also applies in other countries as well.

We all know that the stars on the flag of America stands for the fifty states of the country. But unless we are a history geek, we are unaware of that there were only thirteen original states. History has it that these states are the ones already recognized during the 17th and early 18th century.

The original states are Virginia, New Jersey, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, New York, Maryland, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Delaware, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. The most ancient is Virginia. Most of the states are established or colonized by the British empire and Swedes. Some even housed Dutch settlers. Apparently, the continuous conquering, battles, and liberation of the aforementioned states led to their permanent establishment.

Although their statehood was declared only on 1770, they are the first states where white people established settlements. Surely, there are accounts of the people in these states and perhaps the Map Collectors Society has maps of them. It is very important that we know this part of our history. This could help those people who are anxious in knowing their genealogies. Although there are still unrecorded events during the establishments of the said states, we are rest assured that they have fulfilled their duties in protecting their territories for America's sake.

The first lady, Martha Dandridge Washington, did not enjoy being the first lady at all, according to her existing letter to her niece. While some girls might think that being a first lady rock, Martha Washington thought otherwise. She preferred to be home, probably cooking little meals and attending to her little ones, than taking part on global issues and doing her function as United States' First Lady.

Born on June 2nd, 1731, Martha Dandridge is the eldest of the nine children of John Dandridge to Frances. She married at the age of 18, her first husband, the rich Daniel Custis, of whom she had four children. Unfortunately, two of her babies died when they were still toddlers, while the younger two, John and Martha made it to young adulthood.

When her first husband died, she was only 26 years old. Two years after, she wedded the would-be first United States President-- the then commander of the First Virginia Regiment, Colonel George Washington. They lived a comfortable life at the Mount Vernon estate, raising Martha's two surviving children. When her daughter Patsy died in 1773, Martha had been so distraught that she was not able to attend her son, John's wedding to Eleanor Calvert. John died in 1781, and George and Martha Washington was left to raise their grandchildren. George Washington was inaugurated on 30th of April 1789 and the family lived in Philadelphia until their return to Mount Vernon on March 1797. Two and a half years after George died, Martha too, died on May 22nd in 1802.

I find it hard to believe that the Unites States of America has been independent for 230 years now. Wow! That would mean almost four generations past my genealogy. Anyway, the idea struck me after I watched the movie National Treasure on our LG plasma television. Apparently, the movie talked of a treasure map at the back of the Declaration. The markings or drawings were written using invisible ink, so the lead characters used special lenses or spectacles to see the astonishing revelation.

Well, the movie is just a work of fiction. Besides, if the map is true, then the Declaration, just like what happened in the movie, could have been stolen hundreds of years ago. The real deal is that the gentlemen from the thirteen original American states that signed the Declaration have one thing in mind, and that is freedom. I am not really knowledgeable of the content of the Declaration. I mean, I studied it in school, but I am not that genius to memorize it. All I know is that, there came a time in American history when the welfare of human kind must be addressed. Doing this is a risky move. Being an independent nation means more turmoil. Add to that the many adjustments the people must undertake. But, after everything has been put to a conclusion, the states finally agreed to declare the independence of America. The foundation of this proclamation was so strong that it endured wars and the attacks of colonizers.

I always believed that China has produced great people who shared their thoughts to build the world history. Among them is the author of the controversial Red Book of Mao. Revolutionary chairman Mao Zedong is the leader and founder of the People's Republic of China.

As a Communist and a political theoretician, his remarkable ideas on guerilla warfare became a strong influence to other Communist countries and Third World revolutionaries. He became chairman of the established Soviet Republic of China in 1931. He also created the Red Army, who served like Presidential guards today in that same year.

In 1954, he was elected chairman of the new People's Republic of China. He conjured the idea of the protracted war which refers to long and unending battle of the peasants against capitalist countries. Mao initiated the economic strategy of reviving all sectors of China.

This economic plan which was dubbed as the Great Leap Forward focused on a decentralized, rigorous industrialization of manufacturing steel. He wanted China to be among the biggest steel producers in Asia. That time, all metallic equipment of the Chinese people were donated to the government for the construction of more steel.

Work centered on steel production abandoning the agricultural industry that the country used to have. Because no one was left to plow the Chinese fields, though there was an increase in metal production, China suffered from mass starvation. Great Leap Forward was changed to the Great Famine.

If my memory serves me right, it was noted that because of their hunger and scarcity of food, they resorted to eating fresh but buried human cadavers.

Though Mao was among the greatest revolutionary leaders, he was never a good economist, and because of the Great famine, he was ousted and turned the administration to Liu Shaoqi. Today, Mao is still adored by many militant groups and members of the guerilla.

They still follow his teachings and philosophies.

The United States claims to be the bastion of freedom and equality of men before the law. However, the US has a dark history of inhuman abuses against fellow humans. African people were treated as properties that can be bought and sold.

Slavery was part of why the US is economically powerful today. It took a Civil War that divided and wrecked the nation just to settle the issue of emancipating black slaves. This did not end here, lynching and political assassinations perpetrated by racist organizations like the Ku Klux Klan followed. Even the triumphs of the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960’s did not eradicate the racist attitude of some Americans today.

After three decades from the declaration of independence, the United States of America again was again engaged in a conflict with its former mother country, Great Britain. The United States declared war on Great Britain on June 12, 1812.

It was not anymore a war for independence but a war that was triggered by territorial disputes and aggressiveness of the British military as well as the blockade policies of the British imposed on France during the Napoleonic era. It was during this war that the capital of the nation was overrun and part of the White House was burned.

In the history of political assassination in the United States of America, the most high profile of which are the assassinations and assassination attempts of the highest official of the land, the president. There are four presidents who were assassinated for various reasons. The first president to be assassinated was Abraham Lincoln; he was assassinated on April 14, 1865 over the issue of slavery and civil rights of blacks. The second president to fall under the assassin’s bullet was James Garfield on July 2, 1881 over issue of revenge for denying a consul post to the assassin. Third, was William McKinley who was assassinated by an anarchist on September 6, 1901. Finally, John F. Kennedy was assassinated on November 22, 1963 which was marred by conspiracy theories regarding the motive of the murder.

America or the United States is located in the central North America. It is a land that has a large land area and population of people. Its past and present history are comprised of important events that happened at its regions, territories, states, and even at the local towns. If you would conduct further research, each of the states and towns' history is full of individual historical events that enriches the country's overall history. Because of the many series of events that happened, America's history is divided into different timelines, starting from the pre-Columbian America up to the contemporary period.

The United States of America since its birth from the ashes of revolution in 1776 has participated in numerous wars both overseas and with itself (the Civil War). The wars that the US entered are sometimes justified by invoking and asserting its role as the propagator and defender of democracy in the world. However, there were conflicts and full-scale wars that the US engaged in with questionable motives such as the US-Mexican War, Spanish-American War, Korean War, Vietnam War, Panama Invasion, and Desert Storm. The battle cry might always have been about freedom and democracy but the results are not so democratic.

The United States of America is now the sole superpower in the world in terms of military might, economic strength and political influence. The U.S. perhaps can be considered the Roman Empire of the modern age. The US is often times the arbiter in international affairs, dictating its own brand of justice. However, U.S. origin is very humble. It started as a colony of European settlers who are escaping from tyranny and religious bigotry. The U.S. was born from the ashes of revolution in 1776 when it declared itself separate from the British Empire and began its tumultuous struggle towards true democracy.

South American history is a glorious and tragic story of ancient civilizations and European conquests. The history of South America is the story the civilization of the Native Americans rudely and immorally destroyed by the Europeans.

The Incan Empire is an example. Their civilization is comparable to the Ancient Roman civilization. Thus, the Incas are also called the “Romans” of the American continent. The government road ways and other infrastructures, science, art and economy were independently developed and already advanced when the Europeans arrived. In 1532 Francisco Pizarro and his men arrived. This marked the beginning of the fall of the empire. All that Pizarro had to do was to exploit the civil unrest among the Incas during that time.