Reflection Civil Rights Research

Before researching 16th Street Baptists Church and the Civil Rights Movement in Birmingham, I only had a broad idea of racism in the city of Birmingham during this time period. I did not know the specific details of what actually occurred and how the African American population was viewed. I did not understand the views of public officials during this time period and how they only cared for the well-being of the white population. These officials hated the African American population and believed them to be a problem in the communities. During peaceful protests, these officials would order the protesters to be taken straight to prison and even ordered them to be sprayed with very powerful water hoses. They even used dogs to scare and even attack the protesters. I also did not know the action that was taken by the children during this time period that helped to turn the tides and force actual action to be taken to help end racism in the city of Birmingham. These children held peaceful protests and even allowed themselves to be taken to prison. These efforts were fueled with passion and brought thousands of children to gather at the 16th Street Baptist Church to form their protest. Without the efforts of these children, they would still have experienced harsh treatment for the rest of their lives.

Progressive Response

I believe that we have almost complete control over our future as an individual and as a country. What is done in the present, completely affects the future. If we try our best to make the present as good as it can be, then the future will most likely consist of the same good. If we create a bad present for ourselves then the future will more than likely be the same. As an individual and a country, each action that we do in the present plays a significant role in the future. For example, normal individuals of the country and individuals of the government, elect a president, this changes the next 4 to 8 years of the future for everyone in the country. I believe that we as a whole control our own destiny by what we do in the present and what we have done in the past.

Bridges, Subways, Elevators, Skyscrapers, and Electrification in the Early 19th Century

World Changing Innovations of the Early 19th Century

Brad Layton

Before any innovations began in the 19th century, every city needed to develop a strong electrical system to begin these new technologies and modernize what already existed. The electrification of cities changed the daily lives of many and allowed for many cities to expand and house more people. Cities consisted of AC systems and DC systems that allowed the city to run electricity. AC systems supplied larger areas and DC systems supplied smaller areas, but for a smaller cost. These electrical systems allowed for three electric lighting systems to begin to be installed throughout cities. These systems were the base for an expanding social life that wasn’t slowly down,  “Constructing systems was a social process and an important aspect of technological change, since electrical manufactures and customers had to work closely together to identify critical problems, the solution of which was necessary for operating and expanding systems.” These electricity systems allowed for all ideas of innovation to become more possible and quicker to achieve. This allowed for streetcars, elevated and commuter rail, subways, buses, ferries, and elevators to all become a common reality during the early 19th century.

Early Los Angeles Subway

In the early 19th century, more advanced sources of mass transit were beginning to become more common, such as streetcars, elevated and commuter rail, subways, buses, ferries, and elevators. These all started as small connected passages, but soon progressed into a wide network throughout the entire country. These sources of transportation changed the urban scene completely in the early 19th century. The daily routine of everyone was made quicker and more efficient by these sources and allowed for them to commute all throughout the city. Streetcars, subways, and buses allowed for quicker sources of transportation and were found all throughout the city, “The many streetcar lines that radiated from central business districts across the United States increased accessibility to and from downtown. The shapes, spectacles, and symbols of what is still associated today with “downtown”—business skyscrapers and other tall buildings as well as large theaters, department stores, hotels, and other palaces of consumption—emerged with the arrival of horsecars, but they reached a new scale with electric streetcars.” Along with everyday life, Ferry boats and steamships changed the industrial world forever. These boats allowed for the transportation of many goods across large bodies of water and also helped to expand urban settlement. Although these sources of mass transit changed many lives, by the end of 1920, mass transit was starting to hit a decline as automobile ownership became dominant. As personal automobiles became more common, it allowed for mass transit to become cheaper and more people could use it in their daily lives. From mass transit to the first personal automobile, the early 19th century shaped the daily lives of everyone living in these cities.

Early Street car

Before bridges, the only way to travel over land that could not be crossed by automobile was by boat or had to be traveled around, which uses more time and money. One of the earliest bridges was the golden gate bridge, that linked the northern part of the city of San Francisco to Marin County, California. Before this bridge, the only way to get across this body of water was by ferry. This bridge has a  4,200 foot long suspension span, which made it the largest bridge suspension bridge. Since its opening in 1937, it has allowed almost 2 billion automobiles to cross it. During the beginning stages of building, many saw the construction as impossible due to its size and the fact that it was being built at the beginning of the Great Depression, “Some members of the engineering community said it was technically impossible to build the bridge, and it was not easy to raise funding for the project at the beginning of the Great Depression (a $35 million bond issue to finance construction of the bridge was passed in California in 1930).” The Golden Gate Bridge was the largest and one of the most important innovations of the 19th century. This bridge allowed for more larger cities to see the advancement that this it made in transportation and make them want to build one themselves. This bridge became the influence for the building of New York City’s Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, which opened in 1964. The innovation and advances of bridges in the 19th century have influenced how people travel today and are still modern marvels to the eyes of many.

Golden Gate Bridge

The building of the New York City subway was a proposition by wealthy businessmen who weren’t viewed very well by the public. This build was designed and supervised by the Chief Engineer, William Barclay Parsons. Parsons knew that almost everyone in that community would want to help construct one of the world’s most important innovations, "In after years every man connected with the construction of the New York Subway will be proud to say that he was on this work.” Although everyone wanted to have a hand in such a large construction, it was the result of two failed attempts that made it possible. The building of New York City's first subway came after two unsuccessful attempts to get capitalists interested in the project. Although this would become apart of New York City’s vast public mass transit, the city was too afraid to fund the project completely, due to the risk of failure. The subway build could not break ground yet until it a source of money was funded. This source finally came from a man named John B. McDonald at his donation of 35 million dollars. Once the money was funded and a man named August Belmont was at the command, on March 24, 1900, construction began. After 3 years and 7 months of building, on October 27, 1904,  the “Subway age” of New York had finally begun. This 35 mile system, that ended up costing more than 75 million dollars, was finally open for public use. This broadened the lives of many people living in the north and south parts of New York City, giving them a much easier and faster way to travel across the city. Along with a whole new life, this subway kickstarted more projects throughout the city as well. The Independent Newspaper published on October 20, 1904, states, “The new $5,000,000 Trinity Building, in course of construction. The tenants of this building will not come to the surface of the street to go to and from business, but will walk through a large underground arcade lined with stores and kiosks. Here a man can buy his evening newspapers, tickets to theaters, flowers and candy for home or girl, and hundreds of other necessities or luxuries.” The subway created a whole new underground life that transformed the daily routine of every single person living in these communities. This massive project made the people of New York proud and it brought to them and the rest of the nation the idea that a “New World” had begun.

New York City's First Subway

As the destruction of New York’s first skyscraper, the Flatiron Building, that astonished so many, The Sun Newspaper, explains the end of the most iconic building in New York. The new building to take the old skyscrapers places is for the  Pan-American States Association to occupy. This building was set to be 50 feet higher than the Woolworth tower, which at that time was the highest building in the world. Twenty-six years earlier, the city was full of excitement for their first high-rise building constructed of a steel frame. Although the city was thrilled twenty-six years ago, they were not as excited to hear about the new Pan-American building. The people of New York took pride in the old tower that stood there before. The city believes that the old tower is too old and can’t compete with the more modern towers, “It came as an experiment, gained success in spite of general ridicule and finally formed a beginning for all high buildings of recent times. Now it has outlived its usefulness. It cannot compete with the giants of its own family and, like all ancestors, it is to be laid away in its grave.” These massive buildings from Chicago to New York changed the world. These buildings brought a new and astounding view of the city surrounding them, while also bringing more jobs and more space for people to work within the city. Along with these advantages, these massive buildings is the symbolism that it brings to a city and country. These buildings attracted many visitors that are captivated by the  size in these buildings. Skyscrapers symbolized the technological advances of the “New World” as technology progressed, it was shown through how high and massive these buildings started to become. The city believed that their buildings must progress as technology progressed and as the demand for more work space became greater, these buildings had no option, but to become larger. As skyscrapers became larger, they were also equipped with the electric lighting and electric elevators. These electric elevators were able to move large amounts of people and goods from floor to floor more quickly than ever before. These technological advances helped the cities to progress towards more success than ever before.

New York City's First Skyscraper

The Innovations of bridges, subways, elevators, skyscrapers, and the overall electrification of cities in the early 19th century shaped the United States of America forever. These innovations still have a lasting touch on modern day and have laid the ground work for the next century. As these innovations changed many lives in the 19th century, they still are apart of millions of every-day lives today. These ideas have allowed us to grow our population and allow companies to achieve more success than ever imaginable. Without these innovations, we would not be able to expand our country and we would not be nearly as successful. 

Work Cited 

Independentt, The. "New York's New Underground World (1904)." New York's New Underground World (1904). NYC Subway, Web. 02 Feb. 2017. <http://www.nycsubway.org/wiki/New_York's_New_Underground_World_(1904)>.

"The Sun. (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, January 04, 1914, THIRD SECTION, Image 21." News about Chronicling America RSS. Benj. H. Day, Web. 02 Feb. 2017. <http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83030272/1914-01-04/ed-1/seq-21/#date1=1894&index=18&rows=20&searchType=advanced&language=&sequence=0&words=Chicago+SKYSCRAPER+skyscraper+skyscrapers+Steel+steel&proxdistance=5&date2=1922&ortext=&proxtext=&phrasete>.

"Infrastructure: Mass Transit in 19th- and 20th-Century Urban America." Oxford Research Encyclopedia of American History. 27 Mar. 2015. Web. 03 Feb. 2017. <http://americanhistory.oxfordre.com/view/10.1093/acrefore/9780199329175.001.0001/acrefore-9780199329175-e-28>.

"Construction Begins on Golden Gate Bridge." History.com. History Web, Web. 04 Feb. 2017. <http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/construction-begins-on-golden-gate-bridge>.

Corrick, James A. The Industrial Revolution. San Diego, CA: Lucent, 1998. Print.

Todd, Edmund N. “A Tale of Three Cities: Electrification and the Structure of Choice in the Ruhr, 1886-1900.” Social Studies of Science, vol. 17, no. 3, 1987, pp. 387–412. www.jstor.org/stable/285130.

Oakland Ghost Ship Fire

Brad Layton
December 13, 2016

The Oakland Ghost ship fire was inside a warehouse art collective that killed 36 people on December 2, 2016. It is believed that the fire was started by overloaded electrical lines at the back of the building. The warehouse was ran by Derick Ion Almena, that allowed for it to be at times the home for dozens of artists. At the time of the fire, the upstairs of the warehouse was filled with "partygoers" that had no way of escape due to the stairs being hidden. The people upstairs had to climb down a makeshift wooden staircase that was highly unsafe. Alike the Triangle Fire, the people trapped inside had to climb down an old broken fire escape that was not well-kept and very dangerous. The concertgoers had to navigate the narrow, makeshift staircase that was jumbled with furniture and other objects in their way in order to escape the flames. A women that had lived in the building, Ms. Brito, stated how difficult it would have been for anyone who didn't know the place to find the exit in the best circumstances. Some people living in the Warehouse before the fire that had left said that they left due to the feeling that they were unsafe and the warehouse was not secure. For the Triangle Fire Factory, in New York City, with its tenements had witnessed a growing concern for issues of health and safety in the early years of the 20th century. Both of these establishments were unsafe and people noticed this, but didn't take action to prevent anything from happening.




https://trianglefire.ilr.cornell.edu/story/fire.html

http://www.eastbaytimes.com/2016/12/12/oakland-warehouse-fire-overloaded-electrical-system-seen-as-cause/

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/12/12/us/oakland-warehouse-ghost-ship-fire.html?_r=0

Crazy Horse- Brad Layton

Brad Layton
November 21, 2016
Crazy Horse

One of the most well known Indian leaders was Crazy Horse. Born with the name Tashunka Witco around 1840 in present-day South Dakota. He was apart of the Lokota Tribe, a division of the Sioux. The Lokota had little to no contact with whites and had reached their peak of power in the 1840's. As white settlers started to come farther west in search for gold, the Lokota and white settlers competed for resources in the area. The tension met it's peak when the Grattan Massacre occurred. This massacre is considered the starting point for the First Sioux War with the United States. This also started Crazy Horse's strong distrust for the white settlers. The next years consisted of many conflicts with the United States, where Crazy Horse was at the center. Crazy Horse had become the leader of the Lakota Sioux and a great battle-tested warrior as well. He was praised for his leadership and also his efforts in preserving Native American Traditions. He experienced his first meeting with a U.S. soldier on the Oregon Trail, July 25, 1865, at Platte bridge. He was acting as a decoy to bring the soldiers out of defenses to ambush them. He fought in the American-Indian Wars with Sitting Bull, best known in the defeat General Custer's army at the battle of Little Bighorn. After the victory, a U.S. Army led by Colonel Nelson Miles followed Crazy Horse and his men. The Army finally forced them to surrender on May 6, 1877 due to extreme cold and starvation. Crazy Horse was then sent to Fort Robinson, where he was stabbed by a white soldier in a scuffle, and died after bleeding in his cell. Since his death, he has become a mythical figure of the Great Plains Indian Wars.


http://www.history.com/topics/native-american-history/crazy-horse

• Viewed by his tribe
• Famous battle

Crazy Horse was the leader of the Lakota Sioux and a great battle-tested warrior as well. He was praised for his leadership and also his efforts in preserving Native American Traditions. He fought in the American-Indian Wars with Sitting Bull best known in the defeat General Custer's army at the battle of Little Bighorn. Since his death, he has become a mythical figure of the Great Plains Indian Wars. He experienced his first meeting with a U.S. soldier on the Oregon Trail, July 25, 1865, at Platte bridge. He was acting as a decoy to bring the soldiers out of defenses to ambush them.

http://www.biography.com/people/crazy-horse-9261082#early-years

• Crazy Horse as a child
• View white settlers 
• Conflict with United States

Born with the name Tashunka Witco around 1840 in present-day South Dakota apart of the Lokota Tribe, a division of the Sioux. The Lokota had little to no contact with whites and had reached their peak of power in the 1840's. As white settlers started to come farther west in search for gold, the Lokota and white settler competed for resources in the area. The tension met his peak when the Grattan Massacre occurred. This massacre is considered the starting point for the First Sioux War with the United States. This also started Crazy Horses strong distrust for the white settlers. The next years consisted of many conflicts with the United States, where Crazy Horse was at the center.

http://www.tomrea.net/The%20Death%20of%20Crazy%20Horse.html

• Early Life
• Death
• Images

Native American Classwork November 9, 2016

Brad Layton
 1. The activity in class today is to discuss the traits of Native Americans that were viewed upon by Europeans. This outsider view is strictly based upon appearance and rumors rather than complete truth.
Savage- not domesticated or under human control.
Savagery- a cruel or violent quality--violent actions

2. If I was an American student reading this text, I would view Native Americans as savages that were focused mainly on war and striking fear into those not in their tribes. This texts depicts Native Americans as tall, straight, and well-formed with copper-brown skin that enjoyed war and were very revengeful. They would arm themselves with war-clubs, tomahawks, and bows and arrows. The bravest warrior among their tribes was the one that could rip the most scalps from the heads of his enemies. When an enemy was captured, they would burn him at the stake by a slow fire and torture him every day.

Old West Letter

Brad Layton
October 31, 2016

1.  A letter from a man to his wife and baby about a new house with three rooms and the improvement on 160 acres for $600.00 through a man that will homestead the land. He has selected 160 acres 1/2 south east of the Giles cornering on turkey creek, which 80 acres have been Homesteaded. He has selected another piece of land 2 miles west and south from Giles in case he can't obtain the first. He speaks about what their house will be made of and how the country is as pretty as he has ever seen. He states how a man can come there with $500.00 and can start a whole new life in a few years. He ends his letter with the sadness that he is experiencing without his wife and baby.
     In his second letter, the man states that both pieces of land that he wanted had been taken so he must go back and look again. I has also bought a plot of the town where Giles and Sam will try to find one in the same town. He is upset about having to travel so far to look for land that might be taken. He only has $20 left and his long trip will use much of that but he believes he must make the trip for his family.

2. The fact that the man was willing to pay $600.00 in 1872 for a man to homestead the land truly surprised me because of the expense at this time in history.

3. The act of letter writing was a true skill and was cherished by the ones that could write back to their loved ones. Writing letters allowed for someones loved ones to know what they were doing and how they were doing. Migrating was a long process and was a life changing experience especially for someone to leave their loved ones in order to build them a new life in the West.

http://webpages.uidaho.edu/special-collections/papers/ssr.htm