What Role Did Museum Play In Preserving American History

Sunday 7th December was a day like no other for American citizens. It was the beginning of a transition into a new age not just in the United States, but would affect the world as a whole. Just before 8am, the American naval base at Pearl Harbour, Hawaii was swarmed with a surprise attack from Japanese fighter planes. The attack lasted approximately two hours, but was more than enough time to leave an immense devastation in it’s wake. The Japanese managed to obliterate nearly 20 American naval vessels, which included eight massive battleships, and more than 300 airplanes. A death count of American soldiers and sailors exceeding 2,000, as well as another 1,000 wounded. The day after the assault, American President Franklin D. Roosevelt gave

The passage of time continues its long journey as present becomes the past. We, as humans, have always viewed the past as a valuable asset capable of assisting us towards greater heights. We, therefore, strive to preserve our history in order pass it to the next generation, without alterations. To accomplish such a task, our society created monuments—structures that would last for long periods of time and would be able to preserve our memories, understandings and perception of an event and/or a significant personality. Consequently, our country harbors countless monuments and memorials which allow us to understand own history, and comprehend the numerous achievements and sacrifices of those who served the country.

For this assignment, I visited the Veteran’s Museum on Mifflin Street. Admission is free to this museum and the only employees there are a gift shop/front desk employee and one security guard. The museum is self-guided, with the option to use headphones to hear recorded explanations about the exhibits. Most patrons walk around and view the exhibits at their leisure. The museum has exhibits about all of the wars the United States has been actively involved in since the United States became a country and highlights the contributions Wisconsin natives have made in these wars. The special exhibit at the museum when I visited was an expansion of their World War I exhibit. Information at the museum was mainly conveyed through displays of

A very famous line from Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s speech, “Pearl Harbor Address to the Nation,” was the quote, “December 7th 1941, A date that will live in infamy.” This quote will always be remembered by Americans’ because it was said during a time of major grievance and worry. This speech was given a day after the bombing of Pearl Harbor and led America to entering World War Two. FDR’s use of Pathos, Ethos and Logos was extremely successful in pushing America to declare war on the Japanese.

America has made an obsession out of remembering past events by making monuments, like the Lincoln Monument. These type monuments can be used to teach anyone what their country has been through. This is a method that has been in use since long before America was founded, but America is not immune to the influence of Memorials. America uses memorials to commemorate fallen soldiers, influential leaders, founders of peace, and some of the nations most devastating moments, like 9-11. Some of the most important, and well known memorials in the world can be found in America, such as the Washington monument, Lincoln monument and many others.

In this lesson, I have learned more about one of the most important presidency in America's history. To start with, I learned it was one of the most important because of the events that took place. Jackson was president from 1828-1836, during in which time, Whigs referred to the president as King Andrew because he pretended he ruled all like a dictator or king would do. Jackson dealt with many issues during his two terms. One issue he wanted resolved, more like gone, was the National Bank. He despised this bank, mainly because he lost money because of it putting smaller banks out of money. He had a new treasury building be built where he could keep an eye on everyone's money. This is a smart idea because there should be something or someone keeping track of everyone's money at all to ensure no one loses it especially when it is at no fault of their own. Another issue that arose is tariffs that are put on goods. In 1832, the President and Congress raised taxes and people, mainly from the south are outraged. South Carolina attempted to nullify this tariff, it did not work well for them. President Jackson ordered them to be a part of it or he would make them.

American independence has advanced from the time this country began to now. Many men and women of significance in the country, have passed between then and now. All have left their mark in history, whether it be physical and verbal. Three stand out to me: Abraham Lincoln, Franklin D Roosevelt, and Susan B Anthony. Franklin D Roosevelt 's “Four Freedoms” speech and “Request for Declaration of War on Japan”, Abraham Lincoln’s “Gettysburg Address” and “Second Inaugural Address”, and Susan B Anthony’s “Women’s Right to the Suffrage”. These five speeches changed America at the time to what we have and live by today.

“May God have mercy upon my enemies, because I won’t” said General George S. Patton, whenever the attack on Pearl Harbor happened (Allen). That was not an easy time in history. World War I was long gone and now World War II was happening, once again the whole world lost its mutual peace. Luckily, for a while, the U.S.A was not involved. Our economy was not doing very well in the late 1930’s by any means! Then on December 7 of 1941, the day of the attack on our homeland, thousands of service members died and our fleet of navy ships in Hawaii was crippled. A pivotal event in American history, Pearl Harbor was a cause of relocation camps and America’s entrance into World War II.

In America, there are many rich histories that helped create the lands. The history goes as far back as to when there were only thirteen colonies. The history even goes as far back as Christopher Columbus sailing the ocean. America’s history is one that is taught all over and in many many schools. Some of the histories taught are The American Revolution, the Louisiana Purchase, and the African-American Civil rights movement.

Throughout this course we learned a lot about American history. All the themes the growth and transformation of American government and political ideology, the modernization of the American economy, the emergence of the United States as a global power and the struggles for social and civil rights are important to understanding American history since 1877. One of them that stand out to me to help me know American past is the struggle for social and civil rights. The three examples I will use from this course to explain my theme are agriculture and the “new south, The Civil Rights Movement and The Tumultuous 1960s.

How does American history play a role in our future? History is important in so many ways, but one of them is that you can learn from it. A common phrase is that history repeats itself, from this phrase you can learn how not to make the same mistakes over again. American history provides hope for our nation’s future. How we can learn from our nation’s past.

No discussion of the United States of America’s past can go without mention of its long-term struggles with racism and segregation. From the harshness of slavery to the Civil Rights Act of 1965 to the Black Lives Matter movement, race has often played a central role in American culture. We had an entire war over the belief that owning another human being and forcing them to do labor on the basis of skin color was just fine morally. Even though we are still be grappling with issues of race today, our culture is significantly different than that of the Civil War and Post-Civil War era in the United States. One way this culture can be preserved is through monuments, meant to capture a time or a feeling so that it can live on long past when the memory occurred. Or as Frederick Douglass puts it, “Memorialization is an act in the present that expresses our debt to the past and our gift to the future. In acknowledging the nation's ancestral benefactors, we enshrine examples that can be emulated by generations to come. Thus, memorialization accomplishes the task of cultural transmission (qtd. in Schaub, 1).” Monuments almost always transmit an aspect of a culture like Douglass stated, but often times the uglier sides of the culture is passed on, even through seemingly good intentioned monuments like the Robert Gould Shaw Memorial. Although some consider it progressive for the time, The Shaw Memorial perpetuates America’s history of racism through artistic decisions, separation of

“December 7th 1941- A date that will live in infamy.” This opening statement is the first powerful line said by President Roosevelt to the American people after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. This greatness of this opening line will be forever be ingrained in the minds of every American citizen, especially the people who lived during the most significant war of the 20th century. The bombing of Pearl Harbor is an event that can never be forgotten, and President Roosevelt’s speech in response to this appalling attack is just as significant. The objective of this speech was to urge Congress to declare war on Japan. Roosevelt’s speech after Pearl Harbor is one of the more recognizable and important speeches in all of American history. His speech incorporates bountiful instances of rhetorical devices, such as logos, pathos, and ethos. By analyzing these rhetorical devices, one is able to see Roosevelt’s vigorous use of emotion, his strength in addressing his character and reputation rather than focusing too heavily upon appeals to logic and reason, ultimately to get the result he wants from his audience. The profound power of this speech resonates with all who read and hear it.

The Value of history is in being able to use the lessons of the past to make clear decisions about the future. In this case the author of the “ 10 DAYS THAT UNEXPECTEDLY CHANGED AMERICA” Steven M. Gillon, decided to confess the ten peculiar and exceptional days that had formed most of what America is today. A panel of leading historians along with Steven M. Gillon undertook the challenge to come up with some unfamiliar, but historically significant events that triggered change in America‐ excluding any which have occurred after 1965 because of historical perspectives. They deliberately sought out ‘surprising dates‟ that would provoke discussion and debate since all didn’t agree to one. Such ‘obvious’ events as the signing of the Constitution

American history is an imperative part of our nation. It allows the upcoming generations to understand the successes and hardships the country has endured. How can the past become the hope for our future? Before answering the complex question, we need to understand what is history. History is not only a class, or a text book, but experiences, stories, and monuments. It is the foundation for the present civilization. Each monument, or memorials are to teach, but also remind younger generations of the fallen citizens, soldiers or public figures and show their sacrifices, and achievements. They are physical stories, instead of being only an account or written in a book.