Depression 2009

I don't think the country will ever go through another great depression because the depression lasted many years and America has learned from that. After the great depression, many groups were set up to eliminate any problems leading into another depression. After all the work after the depression, I don't think the country would go through it again.

My family and I would have to take for granted everything we had, and try not to waste anything. We would lack new clothes, food, and education. Everything would change if my parents lost their jobs because we would rarely be able to spend money.

A depression in the 21st century would have many busy hospitals, very low education, unemployment, cities like Detroit, lack of food and clothes, and basic technology. Colleges would have low standards and jobs would be very rare. Also, a lot of violence would occur with suicides and crime.

Homer Simpson versus the 18th Amendment

The Simpsons episode did a good job portraying the 1920's Prohibition Act. Many parts of the episode were comical, but also were very accurate. For example, there were cops who secretly sold alcohol as bootleggers, and it shows them counting their money. Also, the episode shows a drunk child and fights breaking out, while alcohol did lead to violence and abuse. Speakeasies were shown in the episode where a bar would change into a pet shop when the cops came in. I enjoyed The Simpsons episode because it was funny, yet emphasized how the world was in the 1920's. The episode provided the facts that there were bootleggers, speakeasies, prostitutes, violence, corruption, and high prices of alcohol during the Prohibition Act.

In the 1920's the women changed roles, and the episode could have added the fact that the women were part of the Prohibiton Act. For example, women were allowed to vote and to have jobs, so they were a lot more outgoing. Women would party, drink, and smoke in public. If the episode showed more of the women's behavior, it would make it more historical, getting into the Act of Prohibiton. The episode could have added "flappers" and jazz to provide a historical background.

Should true Americans have to give up personal freedoms during a time of war?

The war is the most important issue in the world and with more soldiers involved, the quicker a victory can be gained. America has to give up personal freedoms, put everything aside, and get drafted to fight in war. It is worth the fight in the end if more people become involved, so that the country improves as a whole. If the people of America love their country and support nationalism, they should become more involved in the fighting to support America. If the war is not fought, freedom could disappear, resulting in an unstabile country. If soldiers give up freedoms and get involved with war, the country will stay as a free, powerful country.

Yellow Journalism

U.S.S. Maine Explosion

It is clear that the start of the Spanish American War involved the explosion of the U.S.S. Maine. Tension between America and Spain began over Cuban independence, until an explosion occurred, resulting in war. The U.S.S. Maine was one of the country's first warships built by Americans. The ship arrived in Havana on January 24, 1898, and suddenly went up into flames. Two-hundred and fifty-two men were killed from a plan set up by the Spanish to attach a mine underwater to the bottom of the ship. Due to the tension, it is believed that the Spanish were the cause of this catastrophy.