What Role Did Museum Play In Preserving American History

Most events and places of historical value nowadays holds little value in our lives. We confine ourselves to our interstates and highways, following the long line of motel chains stopping for maybe two minutes to take a picture just to say we were there. We take nothing away from these sites that is of real value. We barely scratch at the surface of information and true meaning of what happened at these historical sites. Rinker Buck explains his own experience with removing himself from this cultural norm

“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.

“World War II and the Depression are now nearly as far back as we can go in living memory, and so the loom large in our active folk story. And many who lived then were too young to understand it in its depth; they remember only that the war was a great victory” (Adams 115).

On December 7, 1941 -- the day that will always be commemorated as “the date which will live in infamy” by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt -- the Japanese unexpectedly attacked the United States’ naval base at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. This crippling attack caused many American casualties, and American citizens quickly became filled with fury and abhorrence; the detestation that swallowed the hearts of the American citizens was shown through President Roosevelt’s expeditious appeal to Congress to declare war against Japan. The attack on Pearl Harbor was an unforgettable day in history and directly affected the United States involvement in World War Two and the patriotism of the United States’ citizens.

In September of 1939 began the most devastating war in history, World War II. It would have the largest death count and destroy the economies of all the nations involved in the war. At the start of the war the United States of America had declared neutrality. That was until the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor in December 1941, that very next day Franklin D. Roosevelt delivered his famous “Day of Infamy” Speech to Congress. Roosevelt’s speech sent out such a huge message to the people of the United States, it was inspirational to them and was very effective to congress, not to mention that the war played a big part in the U.S. becoming a major world power.

When a museum has prestige on a national level, they can be under high scrutiny of exhibits or objects displayed by the public. Controversial topics, for example, the Enola Gay exhibit, has left historians hesitant and confused on how to create exhibits with correct history, but also not upsetting any individual who were involved with said history. Historians have a trying task of addressing both sides of a historical event, even though it might depict individuals in an unflattering way. A historian is not allowed to have a bias for events, this could have an impact on the way an exhibit is created. Another point that was brought to light in Bunch’s article was museums have the ability to educate the public, so difficult topics should not be

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.

“American History Course II will guide students from the late nineteenth century time period through the early 21st century…. An emphasis is placed on the expanding role of the federal government and federal courts as well as the continuing tension between the individual and the state. ” This 5 day unit plan focuses on the people and events leading up to the Internment of over 120,000 people (mostly U.S. citizens) of Japanese ancestry in the United States of America during World War II. This unit plan will follow the unit about America’s pre-war efforts and entry into WWII and it will precede the unit covering the Civil Rights Movement. This unit plan adheres to the North Carolina standards of Curriculum for American History Course II. The United States’ National Archive meticulous digitizing of their primary source documents offers a unique opportunity for students to learn firsthand how to differentiate historical facts from historical interpretations. This hands on approach to history emphasizes the significance of individuals’ relationship in the process of historical discourse. Students will learn where and how to obtain historical data from a variety of sources, one of North Carolina’s essential standards’ objectives In American History II. Bruce Lesh expects students, “to gain confidence in their abilities to interpret historical sources, address the commonalities

THE AMERICAN HERITAGE HISTORY OF THE CIVIL WAR... The American people in 1860 believed that they were the happiest and luckiest people in all the world, and in a way they were right. Most of them lived on farms or in very small towns, they lived better than their fathers had lived, and they knew that their children would do still better. The landscape was predominantly rural, with unending sandy roads winding leisurely across a country which was both drowsy with enjoyment of the present and vibrant with eagerness to get into the future. The average American then was in fact what he has been since only in legend, an independent small farmer, and in 1860 for the last time in American history the products of the Nations farms were worth more than the output of its factories. This may

The past 120 years have brought many changes, as well as surprises, to the United States of America. There have been inventions such as the automobile, the airplane, the television and even travel in space. There have been changes like the World Wars, Prohibition, the Great Depression and the cold war. Through the years, the American people have encountered joy, peace, and tragedy. One of the greatest tragedies experienced by Americans occurred on Sunday, December 7, 1941, the bombing of Pearl Harbor Naval Base. One could consider this incident the first act of terrorism against America. The attack and defeat of the United States at Pearl Harbor forced America into World War II. This single act left a tremendous impact on society and is

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.

Memories of the past has influenced many of the early traditional historians in creating their ideas of early Texas History. Personal narratives passed on to historians became the foundation for many of the early writers in developing an early identity for the state. Unfortunately, many of the early histories supported and primarily Anglo culture and a Top-Down approach to history. Most of the early history was written relative to the Anglo viewpoint and biased opinions. Fortunately, many underrepresented cultures now have a voice and the capabilities to provide personal accounts and history as passed down within said culture. Now, new historians can use personal narratives and memories from within other cultures to validate or

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.

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

American society is known for having the highest standard of living across the globe; this is solely due to the consumerist culture that is brought forth by capitalism. Americans in the U.S. take pride in these standards and in the freedoms that this democratic nation has established. The 20th century will always be remembered in American history as a century of radical changes on the social and political fronts of the nation. Literature, too, evolved quickly from specific, compartmentalized fields which fit into categories, to works which had no set definition—nobody knew what to do with them. These changes also took place in poetry; artistic expression began to change across the arts and so did the mediums. Poets across the nation