This day in History (and other housekeeping)

I know that I have been MIA for awhile, and as I get closer to completing my Masters degree I find myself trying to decide what way to go. I love blogging – so much so that I will be starting a separate blog on my life as a mom of four. For those who know me – you know that my life is hysterical. I need my own reality show. So, why not blog about those hysterical moments.

Anyways, back to this blog. I am hoping to get better at writing again. I have lots of projects that I have been working on. For school, I am working on my capstone which is a paper on the use of African Americans and Women as spies during the Civil War. I also want to write a profile on Harriet Tubman, and finally after a year of networking, research I feel confident enough to write on the Confederate Flag. As a teaser, as I talked to my friends and family, a lot did not know how the Civil War Started. Since I am in Ohio, it was interesting to see what my family and friends said, in opposed to groups I joined that concentrate on Southern Living.

For today, to get back in the swing of things – I would like to give you this day in History – I am going to TRY to get these every day – but Life happens.

On this day in history, in the year 1812 – Louisiana becomes the 18^th state.

Here are some fun facts about this great state

They do not have counties:  The political subdivisions are called parishes. There are only two states that do not have counties (Alaska is the second one – they have boroughs)

Louisiana is named after King Louis XIV, who was the King of France from 1643-1715.

In 1803 the United States purchased land from France – this became known as the Louisiana Purchase, and doubled the size of the existing United States.

There are almost half as many alligators in Louisiana as there are people.

One of my favorite shows (Duck Dynasty) is filmed in West Monroe, LA.

The capital is Baton Rouge, Primary language is English, Louisiana’s state bird is: Brown pelican and the state flower is the Magnolia.

Russian Revolution --- Women's Battalion of Death

I really like to learn about varying people and figures that seem to have been forgotten in History. This term my grad school class was: Russian Revolution. My paper for the term was: Women's Death Battalion. These women were very interesting to read about. Below you will find excerpts from the paper that I turned in so that you can read about them too!

With the overthrow of the Tsar regime, Russia had started to create a climate that involved major social change. This would impact women in the military. As we have learned from previous readings, the time from the March and October Revolutions caused things to happen quickly. The shift from Imperial Russia – that preferred autocratic order, patriarchy, privilege, and a class system to the complex mix of labor reform, women’s rights, land sharing, civil rights, and bread for masses. Women went from hiding their gender to enlist to be able to join the Women’s Death Battalion that was led by a peasant girl.

            The Revolution brought forth a lot of change for Russian women.  They were now afforded other opportunities than just being a mother or the wife of a noble. They were now being offered the chance of higher education. Once the Revolution started the classes started to work together to keep the forward movement. Women were now seeking opportunities that they had previously only dreamed about. The creation of the Women’s Death Battalion would instill hope again in the weary, tired soldiers of World War I. These women were brave and were able to push past the enemies when their male counterparts would not.

         Maria Bochkareva, is a most significant figures of the Russian Revolution that is overlooked for her place in history. She grew up as an illiterate, poor, peasant girl. She overcame these odds, to become commander of the Women’s Death Battalion. She fought hard and brave. She eluded capture by the Bolsheviks by going to the United States. She eventually returned, was captured and was executed. While historians have touched on her in passing, but have not given her the credit she deserves. To tell the story of the Women’s Death Battalion it is important to also know the story of Maria Bochkareva. Knowing her plight and her story helps one to understand the creation of Women’s Death Battalion. 

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Laurie S. Stoff in her work “They fought for the Motherland: Russia’s Women Soldiers in World War I and the Revolution” notes that the all-female military units are often a subject that is scorned then a serious scholarly study.

During the time of the formation of the Women’s Death Battalion, The Russian Army was starting to be demoralized. They were running out of food, water, and gear. While they were hoping everything to change after the collapse of Nicholas II. However, even Kerensky could not rouse up the troops. Kerensky resorted to unconventional methods. “The formation of “revolutionary” units including special “shock” detachments and “battalions of death”, from volunteers drawn from the rear.”[1] The goal was to try and shame the soldiers into returning to their combat duties.

         Once the Bolsheviks took over, there was a lot of erasing and hiding of what actually happened with Women’s Death Battalion. There was a lot of censorship of the press and information that happened after the October Revolution. We see how the history of the Women’s Death Battalion is murky due to political propaganda. There is the need to retrace history – draw from the biography that Bochkareva dictated and rebuild the history of the Women’s Death Battalion. 

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[1] Stoff, Laurie. They Fought for the Motherland: Russia's Women Soldiers in World War I and the Revolution. Lawrence, Kan.: University Press of Kansas, 2006. Pg. 61

  

This Day in History -- January 5

January 5, 1930

Happy Birthday Robert Duvall!

Have you ever seen the movie God’s and Generals? It is a movie that is based on the life of Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson. Robert Duvall plays Robert E Lee – and does a fine job at it. The film opens with Lee resigning from the US Army in order to serve under Confederate President Jefferson Davis. If you like a good war movie – this is a great movie to watch.

This day in 1930 – actor Robert Duvall was born. According to www.imbd.com Robert has 141 credits in acting. The last film released was Wild Horses.

Duvall was born in San Diego California. Ironically, his mother, Mildred Virginia was a relative of General Robert E Lee. 

This Day in History --- January 4

Jan 4 1896

Utah becomes the 45th state 

          On today’s this day in history – we look at Utah – the 45^th state. Because it has been a crazy day – I am going to give you some fun facts about Utah.

When you think of Utah – what do you think of?

Utah:

·        Has the highest literacy rate in the United States

·        Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah all meet at four corners. This is the only place in the country where four states come together

·        The average snowfall in the mountains near Salt Lake City is 500 inches.

·        State Animal: The Rocky Mountain Elk

Fun facts courtesy of: http://www.50states.com/facts/utah.htm#.Vos-pPkrLIU and http://facts.randomhistory.com/utah-facts.html

Is there a historical event or topic that you want to more about? Send me an email at: connieshistoryclassroom@gmail.com

This Day in History --- January 3

January 3

Happy Birthday Lucretia Mott!

Lucretia Mott was born on this date in 1793 in Nantucket, Massachusetts. Lucretia was a women’s rights activist, and abolitionist. She was a major supporter of William Lloyd Garrison. She was born into a Quaker Family. Quakers are known for seeing everyone is equal. She married James Mott in 1811.

Lucretia was a huge opponent of slavery. She was very vocal about this. Her husband, unlike most in this time period, supported her. He supported her so much so that he got out of the cotton trade.

Mott was threatened because of her anti-slavery vocalization. She attended an Anti-Slavery Convention in 1840 where she met Elizabeth Cady Stanton. Stanton and Mott are famously known for their work at the Seneca Falls Convention.

Mott died November 11, 1880 in Pennsylvania.

This day in History --- January 2, 1960

January 2, 1960

JFK announced his candidacy for the Democratic presidential nomination. 

“The Presidency is the most powerful office in the Free World” John F. Kennedy

John Fitzgerald Kennedy a senator from Massachusetts, announces his intention to become the Democratic Nomination for President of the United States. Kennedy, who was born in Brookline, MA on May 29, 1917 was considered a war hero. He joined the Navy and in 1943 his PT boat was rammed and sunk by a Japanese destroyer. While he was injured he was able to help other survivors to safety.

Kennedy’s campaign slogan included “A Time for Greatness” and “We can do better” JFK was sworn in as the 35th President of the United States on January 20, 1961. Even from the beginning he had a big mess to clean up. The Cold War had started and The Civil Rights Movement was in full swing. JFK was able to win a lot of the African American vote (those who were able too, and not bullied into not exercising that right) However once he was in office, he tried to avoid the promises he had made to secure equal rights for African Americans. Kennedy was worried about the backlash from those in the South who were staunch racists.

As always, comments and questions are welcomed! Please feel free to contact me at: Connieshistoryclassroom@gmail.com

This day in History ---- January 1, 1863

Happy New Year!

This year, I really hope to get this blog up and running. More posts, more likes on facebook, more fans, etc.

January 1, 1863

Lincoln Signs the Emancipation Proclamation

On January 1, 1863 President Abraham Lincoln signs the final draft of the Emancipation Proclamation.

The first draft was issued on September 22, 1862. This can be seen as a warning to the rebel states to not secede from the Union.

“By the President of the United States of America:

A Proclamation.

Whereas, on the twentysecond day of September, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty two, a proclamation was issued by the President of the United States, containing, among other things, the following, towit:

``That on the first day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, all persons held as slaves within any State or designated part of a State, the people whereof shall then be in rebellion against the United States, shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free; and the Executive Government of the United States, including the military and naval authority thereof, will recognize and maintain the freedom of such persons, and will do no act or acts to repress such persons, or any of them, in any efforts they may make for their actual freedom.” [1]

The Emancipation Proclamation did not actually free any slaves. As we can see from Lincoln’s words he deemed the slaves free, but this only applied to the Union. The Confederate States of America had their own government under CSA President Jefferson Davis.

The Emancipation Proclamation was originally a thought in July of 1862. The members of Lincoln’s Cabinet did not want to issue it at that time, due to the lack of victories for the Union Army. This all changed with the Battle of Antietam. While the battle was considered a draw – the Union Soldiers were able to drive out the Confederates from Maryland.  The battle concluded on September 17, 1862 and the first draft was issued a few days later.  

The Emancipation Proclamation also helped bring African Americans into the war. Several months after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued the United States Colored Troops was established. Several great fighters and heroes came from the USCT. (ie: 54th  Massachusetts)

As always, comments and questions are welcomed! Please feel free to contact me at: Connieshistoryclassroom@gmail.com

Works Consulted

http://www.civilwar.org/

http://millercenter.org/

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[1] "Miller Center." Emancipation Proclamation (January 1, 1863)-. Accessed December 31, 2015. http://millercenter.org/president/speeches/speech-3509.