With my current classroom situation (going fully on-line), I may not have a class note to post every day. I will try to get a few in. Here is an important one If we are to ever heal as a nation it is important that we accept and deal with the issues of slavery and … Continue reading Class Notes →

As I have mentioned many times before, for five years we lived in McAllen, TX only a few miles from the Mexican border.  While there we came to greatly appreciate the Mexican people and cultural.  I also enjoyed learning the history of Mexico, it is a rich and colorful story.  Being in Mexico this week … Continue reading Class Notes from Mexico →

With so much justifiable worry about the Corona Virus, I thought I might change the subject a bit and give an interesting story in honor of St. Patrick’s Day. Being this is the favorite day of the year for the Irish and the fact that I am currently in Mexico, I thought I would combine … Continue reading Class Notes →

When dealing with immigration issues today, I think a speech by Fredrick Douglas could give at least one possible solution. Douglas talked about the importance of three boxes, the cartridge box, the jury box, and the ballot box. The cartridge box was that black Americans should join the army and fight for their freedom. The … Continue reading Class Notes →

America will change Christianity forever.  The freedom that Americans had, especially in the western fringes of society, brought a democracy to Christianity that Europe had never experienced.  When the famous French author, Alexis de Tocqueville, came to America during what is known as the Second Great Awakening he wrote, “No country in the world in … Continue reading Class Notes →

What Robert E. Lee did in September 1862 was nothing short of amazing.  When he took over the army, the Union was poised to take Richmond.  Within 100 days of taking command, Lee pushed the Union away from Richmond and sent them back to D.C. but also defeated Pope’s army sending them to D.C. as … Continue reading Class Notes →

One of America’s great feats and more important accomplishments is the Erie Canal.  It was a feat in that it was 363 miles long, 40 feet wide, and four feet deep.  All of the digging was done by hand.  It had an elevation of 565 feet requiring the creation of 35 locks (today in Lockport, … Continue reading Class Notes →

The Missouri Compromise had the potential to save us from civil war.  The real issue was the expansion of slavery and with the compromise line in place, the government would not have to debate whether new states would be free or slave.  In every other issue, representatives voted party lines.  It was only with slavery … Continue reading Class Notes →

Last night watching the Democratic leaders, including candidates who have dropped out, scramble around Biden to try to stop Sanders, brought me back to four years ago when Republican leaders, including candidates who had dropped out, were scrambling to try to stop Trump from winning the nominee.  The Republican leadership failed, we will have to … Continue reading Class Notes →

Just finished reading Band of Brothers by Stephen Ambrose for my WWII reading class.  I know some think of Ambrose as too pop history, but I have always found him a master story teller.  This book, which the acclaimed HBO mini-series was based on, tells the story of one of the finest companies in WWII, … Continue reading Class Notes →