Harriet Jacobs

While this week of school I was absent for a majority of class, what I was here for still stuck out to me. We watched a video titled "Slavery and the Making of America", and were told to watch another portion for homework. I was very intrigued by what came next from where we had left off. The film focused on a girl by the name of Harriet Ann Jacobs, a girl who faced trials like no other. Harriet was unique in her own way just as anybody else; very talented, being able to read, write, and sew. However, Harriet was born into slavery due to her mother being a slave. She didn't get to live a normal life; and as we all know, the life of a slave was a depressingly unfair and unsafe one. Harriet had extra burdens and dangers on her shoulder. As time went by she was in the hands of a man namely James Norcom, whom sexually harassed her. This both frightened me and disgusted me as I continued to watch the video. I never realized how there were an astonishing amount of terrifying things happening to slaves beyond what we've already been told in lessons growing up. Still, I can't help but to admire Harriet. Her strengths and ability to withstand all the hardships she crossed are nothing but incredible to me. Harriet's experiences are definitely something for all of us to reflect on and consider from time to time, as a detailed story of one can explain a lot more than what the big picture might entail.

Mill Girls

"Much has been said of the factory girl and her employment. ... Her occupation is as laborious as that of almost any female who earns her own living, while it has also its sunny spots and its cheerful intervals, which make her hard labor seem comparatively pleasant and easy." This is a quote taken from the article, "A Week in the Mill". In the beginning of the week, for our American Studies course, we were assigned to read a little bit about the Lowell Mill Girls; girls whom went to cities to work on establishing their future and earning money. Not only that, but we were to read a couple of the letters that were written. Personally, I was actually pretty interested. Although, I wish I had delved a little deeper than I had. I only read two letters in which both voices had a generally positive attitude throughout their writing. It left me with the impression that the majority of the girls that were at work were quite satisfied if anything, and I ended up resting with that generalization. However, in the back of my mind, I did have a suspicion that I might've jumped to conclusions much too soon. I was right; there were certainly a few that were not completely happy to be in the position they found themselves in. I thought about this more individually; every girl had a different way of viewing themselves and what was around them. While they did have to work, they had their happier times as well. It was however they handled it- whether the girl viewed their life with the glass half empty or half full. Generally speaking, however one handles something is all based on their perspective.

Starting Out

Hi! As this is my first entry, I figured it'd be best to begin with some introductions. I'm Anne, and I'll be keeping this weekly blog for my history class over the course of the following year. Cool? Cool.

Anyways, I think I'd like to begin by reflecting on the very slight parallel between both the American Studies and American Literature classes. I find it pretty interesting how we're able to learn from similar fields of a topic yet understand them and further comprehend them in different ways as the courses take their individual direction. I suppose, for an example that is in more recent to what we are learning, in both classes we have begun to lean towards the topic of slavery, both being brought about in different ways. For American Studies, we read a text- being Thomas Jefferson's "Notes on the State of Virginia" whereas in American Literature we read a text on the endurances of Equiano. I find it not only intriguing how touching base on a similar subject can take it's own route, but how much we're able to learn and the ways we take in such information in the separate classes. In other words, since the classes entail for different types of work, we use the connecting information we gather in different ways. I have to say that's something I enjoy. Push aside from what I've mentioned, it also makes me feel more on track being able to put two and two together. I wonder if this is something that'll remain somewhat consistent throughout the year.