First draft of portfolio

Reflecting on ones self is very difficult. I have enjoyed this course so far because it has helped me improve tremendously on my writing while also incorporating history. I have always enjoyed learning types of history. Everyone in my group has played a role in helping me understand the time period, authors and literature because they have explained them differently, each piece being put together. I am proud of every piece I have written, however, I wish it was easier for me to express things and the way I feel through writing. As I said, this class has helped tremendously, but I still do not see myself as being where I would like to be in writing

Since taking this class I have realized that the most important part of this class to me is improving on my writing. I have really enjoyed the essays that we have written because I feel that they have been very reflective all together. I really enjoyed writing the letter to the immigrant, because it really makes me understand more what it was to be an American and reflect on what I feel it takes to be an American. I feel that John De Crevcoeur’s essay “What is an American” really helped me understand more what it really means to be an American.

The writings we did on weeks 6, 7 and 8 I feel were the most challenging for me. I have never really enjoyed watching or reading the news therefore writing about a social practice I feel was very difficult, I was not completely ready to write about something as complex as that. Although, I feel that in a way I was still very excited about writing about the issue that I chose because it really gave me a chance to learn about something new. Also, writing the workable solution for me I felt was very difficult.

I very much enjoyed writing about my virtues during week ten. I have never sat down and really thought about what “rules” to set for myself. Since doing this I have started to see a difference in the way I think and speak about others. I am also trying harder to be more appreciative of people and things that I see in everyday life. I have found that before setting this goal for myself I was very negative and not realizing it.

One issue I have found is that I need to not procrastinate as much as I do. I usually wait until about Wednesday before I start which means that I am always in a rush to do all the readings assigned and finish all the assignments. If I started earlier I feel like I would have more time to focus and think about what to write about more.

All in all I have really enjoyed this class and the writings and authors that have been introduce to us. I am glad that I have been challenged in a different way. I do not do well at math so this challenge it a good different. This class makes me want to do better with the writing assignments and makes me want to grow.

Week 14-Virtue

Becoming more humble is a very difficult process. I have really worked hard to not be as selfish as I am usually, and I feel that I have done pretty well. I have found myself to be less focused on myself around others and to be more focused on what is going on with the person that I am talking to at that time. Around this time of the year is the best time to focus on other people and be thankful for a person just putting the time in to think about you. This time of year I hope will help me in this process so that I can hopefully keep the way I feel going throughout the year and the rest of my life.

Profession of Belief

Belief and faith are two very difficult feelings to have, but everyone needs to have both in order to live a happy and full life. Having faith and believing in God has always been a part of my life each and every day. I have not always gone to church or shown that I am a believer but God and faith has always been present in my life.

When I was younger, I asked my parents if they would start taking me to church and then I really received the chance to learn about having faith and believing in God. Growing up and being surrounded by people that will do anything for you and want the best for you is the best feeling, also knowing that you can always depend on God with everything that you do. I have always been very lucky to be surrounded by people that love me and want me to know that to have faith is one of the most important parts of living.

Since I have grown up, I have gotten away from going to church. Not because I do not believe or have faith, but just because I live too far from the church that I have gone to basically my entire life and because I have been lazy and not gone to look for a church. Now at this point in my life, I enjoy having my Sunday’s to relax and work on things for school. That I do feel is selfish on my part, because God gave his son to save everyone from our sins and I cannot take two hours out of my entire week to go and listen to his word in his house.

I believe, just like Thomas Paine states in his Age of Reason that there is only one God and that after this life there is happiness. I also am like Paine in the fact that I do not judge others for their faith or what they believe in. I feel that it is up to that specific person to decide what to believe or what to have faith in. As long as that person has something to have faith and believe in that, I feel is all that matters.

Since I have been engaged, I have really seen how much faith I have. Before I was engaged I always thought that it did not matter to me who married my fiancé and I. I have now realized how important it is to have God in your relationship. My parents have a Poem at their house and it says that marriage takes three, and I truly do believe that now. I am very pleased with my decision to have God and faith in my ceremony, relationship and my life. I truly hope that my faith does not ever escape me. I truly feel that faith is one of the most important parts of who a person is, and it is so important to have faith in yourself and above all in God, or for other religions at least having faith in something.

Comments for week 11

Alex Chenault- I agree with you when you say that it is necessary to have the different groups. It is very difficult, however when there are too many of one group and not enough of the other. The groups like you said need to balance each other out. Hopefully, since this past election happened this will happen.

Rachel- I did not see a blog

Almira- I did not see a blog

Kelsey- I agree with what you wrote about not being able to have anything to vote for without factions. The thing that has stayed with us through Madison's writing is the fact that there are not any really small groups. The smallest of the groups is Independent, however they do not really have an influence on what is going on with the economy and the country today.

Kim- I did not see a blog

Alex Smith- I did not see a blog

Week 12 reflection

The moment where I felt most engaged in what I was learning last week was again, when I was writing. I feel like each week while I am writing is the most interesting to me. I enjoy thinking about the topic at hand and discussing what I think and feel about the topic.

The time that I felt most distant from the class was during the reading assignment. It took me several time of reading the Federalist # 10 and conversing about it with my Fiance' before I actually understood what was being discussed in the writing.

I really liked the fact that there was a link that we could listen to what we were to be reading and that we could also read it. I feel like that helped me comprehend the writing more.

Week 11- Factions

In Madison’s writing The Federalist Number 10 he explains that there are two ways to limit factions and that is to either remove them or to create a society that has the same opinions and beliefs. Madison then goes on to explain in his writing that ordinary peoples opinions are always persuaded by their emotions and their self interest, not necessarily what is best for the country.

Madison then goes on to explain that the only problem comes from majority factions wanting to enact what their popular beliefs to the people. If this happens this will not allow the country to be a free country. He then continues to explain that there are two ways to check for majority factions, either prevent the “existence of the same passion or interest in a majority at the same time” or leave a majority faction unable to act.

He then continues to explain that he is in favor of a large republic instead of a small republic because he feels that if there is a larger republic, there are a greater number of voters and candidates and with that the probability to elect experienced representatives is a lot higher. With a larger republic the voters will also have wider options. He explains that with smaller republics it would be easier for candidates to fool the voters. Also, he states that in a smaller republic there is a lower variety of interests and parties and more frequently a majority will be established. The number of the contributor will be smaller and the fact that the area is smaller and it would be easier for the republic to agree and work together for the success to their ideas.

How I understand everything that I have read is the fact that Madison wanted to have fewer parties and for them to be larger. It is apparent that today this has held through out time considering that there are only two major parties in the United States, and that every time another party tries to intervene it is unsuccessful. I believe that Madison wanted larger parties so that the people of the United States could be more independent and if there are a lot of different smaller groups I feel that it is easier to listen to people rather than listening to your own self.

Honestly, I do not believe there is a way to get rid of factions all together. The United States is built around two larger factions and one smaller and these are the Republican, Democratic, and Independent parties. If these parties did not exist there would be no reason to have the people of the United States vote. If we do not vote for what we believe in then there would be no order in the United States and people would not have anything to fight for. I feel the same way that Madison did when he wrote the Federalist , it is good that there are not a lot of smaller parties in the United States because if there were too many then it would be more difficult for the people of the United States to choose which party is best for them because they would feel that they could not follow their own interests.

Comments for week 11

Alex: I agree with you that selflessness would be the hardest one to work on, because it is so easy to be selfish.

Rachel: Good luck with getting more organized! It is very difficult, I am not organized at all and I have been working to be more organized me self.

Amira: I love your virtue that you chose to be more flexible. It is very hard to make change, but I will soon be experiencing a lot of change. Which I hope I am ready for!

Kelsey: I always enjoy reading your blogs! Thankfulness is a very good virtue to want to work on. I have realized as I have become older to really be thankful for the things that I have. My mom would do and still to this day helps me out the way your mom does.

Kim: I agree that trust is a very important virtue. Sometimes I wish I was like you in where It would take me longer to trust someone. My problem is that I trust people way too easily and I often get hurt in the process.

Alex: having a relationship and faith is God is the most important part of life. It takes everyone different amounts of time to truly understand that. Good luck with understanding this virtue, it is a great thing to have.

Learning Reflection Week 11

The moment I felt most engaged last week was when I was trying to Choose my virtues and while reading Benjamin Franklin's virtues. I felt most engaged at this moment because I enjoy writing about things that make me a better person and because I love anything to do with history.

I did not really feel distant from what the class was doing because I really enjoy this class as a whole, and again because I love history.