Final Week

1.  What new information did you learn from this class?  Think about the content.  What facts are you now aware of?  (1 paragraph)

2.  What new skills did you learn from this class?  (1 paragraph)

3.  What did you learn about yourself from this class?  Think of politics and identity.  Think about your performance as a student.  (1 paragraph)

4.  What would you change about this class?  What didn't work for you?  (1 paragraph)

5.  What knowledge or skill did you obtain from this class, that you will carry with you into future courses?  (2-3 sentences)

6.  What was your favorite topic to write about and why?  (1 paragraph)

From the opinions of gun control in america to capital punishment, this class made me think of things from a different perspective than I usually would have. Since in most of our blog posts we had to describe the other sides opinion and either state at the end why we agreed or disagreed. Sometimes when we got the new assignment for the week i was unsure if i could write that much about it and not be repeating myself the whole time. I actually really learned a few new things from taking this class and got more knowledge to things that I never really would have looked at otherwise.

The skills I have learned from this class also include being able to write about something I know about already but the sources you gave were usually really well written and gave me all the information I needed to help refresh my memory and write a well worded blog post. Writing about things with many sources can be a blessing and a curse as you have to be sure you are citing your sources and only using true information but you can also sometimes write too much about a certain topic and the true point of the argument can be muddied. Overall I learned some new writing skills as well as reading skills and the ability to seek out valuable sources.

While I didn't really specifically learn anything about myself from this class as i had already known I am a very Liberal Democrat, Sometimes there is a certain gray area that exists. Especially with the Death Penalty, I am not entirely against it like many Liberals are, as I sometimes see that the punishment should fit the crime and sometimes people can commit crimes so heinous that lethal injection can be the only answer to end a life that has caused so much pain. There is also a very high number of Republicans out there just not really in New England so reading all of these things about them is very foreign and many of their opinions are unsettling.

The only thing I would change about this class would be the way that the online classroom is set up it can sometimes be overwhelming and confusing with all the links and it would probably be easier if videos or such could be imbedded in the weeks page. As well as when some videos don't work it can be frustrating. Other than that the classroom was very well put together and had a lot of information. The knowledge I learned from this class I will be able to use in future history classes, especially ones that pertain to current events. I previously had taken a AP Government course my senior year of high school and we learned a lot about each of the events that were discussed.History is by far my favorite subject and learning more about it is very exciting to me

Week 11: Crime and Punishment was by far my favorite week that we had, I had previously done many reports and opinion pieces on the Death penalty and whether or not it still should be used. Writing about things that are relevant and current are very important and that is also another reason why I love this topic. People think the world is always black and white when in fact it is quite the opposite For example if someone is completely against the death penalty had a personal interaction with someone facing the death penalty for a wrong they had done them, would their opinions change? Or what if the crime they committed was so terrible and shows no remorse that there was really no true reason for that person to be alive? It all comes down to personal opinion and the way your mind works. There are many different debates going on about the death penalty and I believe there always will be.

Drones

Paragraph 1: Introduction and your opinion statement (thesis)

Paragraph 2: Opposing viewpoint - who would disagree with you and why?

Paragraph 3: Your analysis and conclusion

Should the US use predator drones to take out targets in foreign countries?  Do the pro's outweigh the cons?  Does this set a dangerous tone for other countries that will pursue this technology?  Is it worth it?

I personally feel that predator drones are valid to use to take out targets in foreign countries, as it can be safer than sending human soldiers, and can be much easier to maintain stealth. While it is true that the use of these drones can also cause civilian casualties and instill fear on those in a country where the U.S has drones, I believe that the government is regulating these drones and has only complete professionals operating them. Yes, I believe this sets a dangerous tone for the other countries who want to pursue this technology, as countries with different or more advanced technology can make changes to the drone and cause it to be too dangerous, I do not condone the use of drones recreationally acting as a watchful eye over the American populous, I believe that they are a very useful tool in taking down high profile targets who would be impossible to get otherwise, even though there may be a cost to this method. I believe that it is worth funding to an extent and should be much more regulated and known to the public.

People do not like to be watched without their consent, and we have privacy laws to ensure that the government does not abuse its power and commit unwarranted searches. Though these drones are so small and quiet, it is possible one can be flying overhead and you have no idea, the government could be watching you play ball in the backyard with your son, or listening in on a phone conversation. It is already common knowledge that the government or “the man” keeps tabs on its citizens in the most seemingly innocent ways, such as tracking your daily movements for data collection and the like. These drones are incredibly dangerous and not worth the funding they receive. Other countries will make a more dangerous version of this and use it against us. Drones should be removed completely and taken off the maps, no longer drifting around controlled by someone at a computer screen.

Overall there are many arguments one could use for or against drones, I am honestly in the middle with this whole thing, I think they can be useful to help kill radical terrorists and people who are incredibly dangerous and also hard to find. I would not condone the government to use drones to watch over our everyday lives, as that would seem very unlikely due to the fact that people are really boring and don't really do much. Drones are also incredibly expensive and warrant a lot of funding to produce, while we may not even be using them very often. I believe that drones remain a very useful tool in taking down high profile targets who would be impossible to get otherwise,although there may be a cost to this method. I believe that it is worth funding to a certain extent and should be much more regulated and known to people.