Magdalena Vermonte

Final E-Portfolio Assignment

Hist-2700
Final assignment

In this class we covered American History from the mound builders to
the womens rights movement. American history had some pretty crucial
moments through out its history and it could have taken a wrong step
anywhere and nothing would be, as we know it. I believe that it is really hard
to tell what is the most important part of American history, because its like
stating that some other part of history wasnt as important as the other.
History is like a huge book of mistakes and successful actions that we must
learn from to improve our future.
While picking one moment in U.S history that was the most significant
or a pretty close second I would have to say that the way the white British
man handled its land, its natives, and those who were not of the same color as
they were, was one of the most significant parts in history. While it is not one
set time period or frame, rather an issue that had been going one since they
had first set foot in the new world. I believe that the savage way that the
British thought fit to treat the Native Americans was not only barbaric, but
also narcissistic and hypocritical. When the British first started to come to the
New World and decided to colonize and claim the land as their own; they
were aware that there were already people living there due to the findings of
the Spanish. It was no surprise to them that when they had arrived to the new
world that their new found land was already inhabited. No they simply
preferred to ignore the fact and go on as if these people were not people at all.
I believe this an important part of American History because this marks how
the white man would treat anyone who did not see eye to eye with them.
Through out the years when the Americans had won the revolution and
finally had gained control over their land they went to force the Indians into
smaller areas corralling them like a pack of wolves, but it wasnt only the men
of red but also a newer immigrant to the land of now white people the black
men, Negros as they called them back then. While slavery was not a new
concept in the world and while the Americans had been enslaving the natives
what they did to the men and women from Africa was to a much a larger
extent. After several years the White man began to accept that the Natives
were in fact people, and while they may not seem a civilized as them they
were in fact human beings while the black man became property. The
American people became so narcissistic of them selves that they had the
people who they had once accused as oppressive, and tyrannical calling them
the exact same. While the U.S. immersed them selves with black slaves and
thought nothing of it. The rest of world was outlawing and getting rid of
slavery as a whole.
I am not simply speaking about the slavery and the theft of land and
lives because it sickens me or deeply outrages me, but because I fully believe
that if the people who had first step foot here would have rather befriended
and found a way coexist with the natives making their first instinct to new
people and ways of lives much more open minded. It would probably have
affected the way we think of foreign people today. The laws of immigration
might have been more lenient and the stereotypes and grudges against races
and religions would probably not have been so severe. I believe that while
disliking someone for being different isnt only taught but may also be
inherited some people simply dont like other people, but if when we were
young and in elementary school and learning about the travel to the new
world and the history of our land. Instead of learning of butchery, racism, and
theft we would have learned of cohabitants and tolerance. Maybe today we
wouldnt all be so angry at each other for what happened a hundred years
ago. White men and women wouldnt feel like because they are white their
kids have less of a chance to a scholarship because a black, Latino, and native
American child seen as though they need that scholar ship more than their
white children. Maybe if since the beginning of history we would have rather
invited one another in to each others homes rather than pillage and destroy
homes and put people in chains. Today our kids and our society would
probably be a better place.
I believe that the world is a million colors of gray, and while one person
may dislike someone else for being different it doesnt mean that they judge
there whole race. I believe that if from the beginning we hadnt judged on
another solely on the color of our skin that maybe today we wouldnt be
judging one another based on their sexuality. In the end its all hatred for
another human being who most likely has done nothing to you for you to wish
them ill to the extent of mass genocide or enslavement. Since the beginning of
the American history when the people of this land had thought that maybe
they should be free of the British government they spoke of FREEDOME,
LIBERT, EQUALITY, and HAPPINESS. Yet the main things, which had lined
their precious declaration of Independence, did not extend to those of red or
black skin or even white women for that matter. I would like to understand
how a human being could look at another human being and believe full
heartedly that they were not human enough for their laws. That is why I
believe that if during the American history they had approached this idea
differently things would be whole lot different today.