As the radiant red sun of the morning rises over the horizon I awake from my deep sleep. As the light puddles in from the great outdoors I take in this beautiful morning that is now upon me. Today is September 17th, 1862, which means today I go to Antietam Creek in hope of catching tonight’s supper. Although I live in Sharpsburg Maryland the creak is not far away from my house. I follow the usual morning schedule and set out with my reed pole that my father made for me, and worms I gathered last night. Stepping into the cool brisk air I can see a crisp frost for miles on end silently sitting on the blades of grass.
After I finally reach the crystal clear creek I cast my line into the water and wait for a bite from a fishing passing through. Although instead of a bite from a fish I see 60,000 Union Troops under the command of General George McClellan camouflaged into the fields and woods surrounding me. Realizing this I immediately become shocked and terrified, as I instantly freeze in my tracks. My task is now to figure out how to get out of this situation, without getting becoming tangled up between the North and the South. When I realize that I will have to run through the battle field that Robert E. Lee’s 30,000 are located in to get home safely, I decide to say low to the ground and as far away from the battle field as I can. Not a shot has been fired yet, but the electricity in the air is becoming more and more tense every minute that passes by. All of a sudden I see the Union cannons sending cannon balls at the confederate soldiers, which surprised the confederates more than the colonies gaining their independence from Great Britain.
In the midst of all fighting I saw a glimpse of General McClellan looking at General Lee’s battle plans that he had received from one of his scouts. Some of the tactics that these two generals were trying to pull off worked about as good as a three year old trying to blow up a church; they were bound for failure. The mistakes came in bunches and dead bodies were littered all over the battle field as well as in the woods. In gazing over the battle field every one in four soldiers were either dead or limping their way to somewhere they would be safe, screaming in pain. More of the men laying in pain and agony of the ground where Union soldiers, but the confederates has lost a bigger percentage of their men that my eyes could see.
As the deaths stack up and the fight moves closer and closer to the river I realize that I have to figure out a way to get out of here, or die. In my mind I become panicked and my adrenalin starts flowing through my body faster than river rapids on the Mississippi. The field would be impossible; through the woods would be hopeless. How am I going to escape… THE RIVER. Realizing this was like a 100 pound sack being lifted off my back. In the heat of battle I don’t have much time to react though. I don’t want to end up like one of the casualties that are on the battle field helplessly. Into the water I go and the water it is like ice on my bones, even though the light frost on the ground has melted away. To see that I am only half way across the river is very discouraging because my muscles are already starting to numb up and become stiff to the touch. Every inch I get closer shore it become more of a struggle to move my arms and legs, even minor movement sends chills down my spine. As my finger finally reaches hard ground I rip my clothes of, before they freeze around my scrawny 6 foot, 145 pound, and 13 year old body. Instantly I sprint home as if my hair was on fire. Nothing on my body is warm and as I slam the door open I sprint into my bedroom and jump on my bed, nearly killing myself because the straw is years old. All of a sudden my eyes shut and my breathes get slower and slower, as I fall into a deep sleep.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Reseach Paper
Watching the memorable Minnesota Vikings go to the playoff, is like seeing the New York Yankees win the pennant. You are witnessing another historic event, from one of the greatest dynasties in their respective sports. The Vikings have produced some of the most electrifying players and teams in NFL history dating back to 1960.
Starting off with the first teams ever to put on a purple and gold jersey, along with the founding father of the Vikings Max Winters, Max Winters was the first owner of the Minnesota Vikings and the former owner of the Minnesota Lakers, who are now the Los Angeles Lakes and have just won the NBA title. It wasn’t easy to get permission to start a team in the NFL and Max Winters knew all about that. He sent numerous requests to the commissioner of the league asking for the ability to make a team in Minnesota. Time after time Winters was rejected of his request and eventually he got the okay in 1961. After there was a team in Minnesota, the next job was finding a coach for the team, which didn’t come easy either. The man Winters wanted running the team, Bud Grant, declined the offer, which made him choose Norm Van Brocklin. It was a rough start for the Minnesota Vikings team: Having a rough couple of years in him time as the head man for the Vikings. Many of the seasons ended in only a few wins and almost all ended under a 500 record. Finally the early Vikings era was coming to an end when Max Winters brought in his first choice Bud Grant to coach the team and start a way of winning in Minnesota (Nelson).
Although the Vikings team started off rough, there was winning to come when the Purple People Eaters arrived in town during the late 1960 and early 1970s. Opposing offenses dreaded facing the terrorizing defense of the Vikings, with their run-stopping and sensational sacking ability, it was almost and un-fair match. Even if it looked to the opposing offense that they were going to score; The Vikings defense had different plans with their big play ability that seemed to come at the right moments. They had the big play ability to turn a game from a losing effort into a victory, with just a couple plays of the game. It wasn’t unusual to witness Alan Page tip a pass in the end zone and see one of the cornerback run back a interception for a touchdown, completely changing the story line of the game. Onto a couple of the star defensive players for the bone-chilling defense of one of the best teams in the league in the Vikings. One of the two studs up front on the d-line was Jim Marshal, a tremendous talent with a phenomenally quick first step and specialized in blowing plays up in the backfield. Rounding off the d-line was defensive tackle Alan Page and his explosive ability. Page was so fast that sometimes he would hit the running back in the backfield, before the quarterback even handed him the ball. If there was ever a loose ball Alan Page was usually “Johnny on the Spot”, once recovering six loose balls in a season in 1964 (Purple People Eaters).
“In the golden years”, the Vikings weren’t just a terrorizing defense; they also had one of the best quarterbacks of all time in Fran Tarkenton; who racked up points like it snowed in Decemberin Wisconsin. Starting off. Fran Tarkenton shattered records like the defensive line went through food during a team meeting. He was a two time pro-bowler in 1973 and 1975 and won the league’s most valuable player honors in 1975. Also the wasn’t the only highlight of Takenton’s exhilarating career with 47,003 passing yards and 342 touchdowns in his time with the Vikings and Giants. These were all NFL records for quarterbacks until Dan Marino and now Brett Favre came around. Onto Fran Tarkenton’s life; He was born February 3, 1940 in Richmond Virginia and was a very talented quarterback in high school. Out of high school Fran Tarkenton went to Tulane University and was the number one pick overall in the NFL draft to the Minnesota Vikings. While he was with the Vikings he helped lead the them to three super bowls, but unfortunately losing all of them. He also arguable led the most dangerous and dominate Minnesota Vikings team in history with a 15-1 record. Not to mention re-writing the record books by scoring 556 point in a single season, until the New England Patriots broke the record two years ago . Although that year they fell short of the super bowl by losing in the NFC championship game in overtime, it was still one to remember in sports history. Topping off Tarkenton’s historic career, he was inducted into the pro football hall of fame by unanimous vote (Info please).
Those team lead by Frank Tarkenton and his high powered offense where great, but the modern day Vikings are starting to bring back their winning ways. It always help to have the best player at their position in the league, and the Vikings have that in Adrian Peterson. Like Frank Takenton Adrian Peterson has already started to re-write the record books, already holding the record for the most rushing yard in a game by a singles player with 296 yards. After they run all over a team, they also have some great stars at wide receiver in Percy Harvin, a rookie out of Florida who has already become the quarterbacks favorite target. Their defense is also reliving the days of the “Purple People Eaters” , With three potential pro-bowlers up front in Pat and Kevin William and Jared Allan. Not to mention one of the hardest hitting corner backs in the league and maybe the best pound for pound player in the league in Antwan Winfield. They also have done something that no other team in the NFL has done by averaging 71 yards or less yards a game given up rushing for the past three seasons. Also every team in the NFL knows that when the play the Minnesota Vikings that they will have to bring there A game, because it won’t be a walk in the park (History).
While producing some of the most exciting electric teams and players in NFL history the Vikings have also dominated their divison in the procces. They are the team with the most exciting players. They are the team that is going to win the superbowl. They are the Minnestota Vikings.
Starting off with the first teams ever to put on a purple and gold jersey, along with the founding father of the Vikings Max Winters, Max Winters was the first owner of the Minnesota Vikings and the former owner of the Minnesota Lakers, who are now the Los Angeles Lakes and have just won the NBA title. It wasn’t easy to get permission to start a team in the NFL and Max Winters knew all about that. He sent numerous requests to the commissioner of the league asking for the ability to make a team in Minnesota. Time after time Winters was rejected of his request and eventually he got the okay in 1961. After there was a team in Minnesota, the next job was finding a coach for the team, which didn’t come easy either. The man Winters wanted running the team, Bud Grant, declined the offer, which made him choose Norm Van Brocklin. It was a rough start for the Minnesota Vikings team: Having a rough couple of years in him time as the head man for the Vikings. Many of the seasons ended in only a few wins and almost all ended under a 500 record. Finally the early Vikings era was coming to an end when Max Winters brought in his first choice Bud Grant to coach the team and start a way of winning in Minnesota (Nelson).
Although the Vikings team started off rough, there was winning to come when the Purple People Eaters arrived in town during the late 1960 and early 1970s. Opposing offenses dreaded facing the terrorizing defense of the Vikings, with their run-stopping and sensational sacking ability, it was almost and un-fair match. Even if it looked to the opposing offense that they were going to score; The Vikings defense had different plans with their big play ability that seemed to come at the right moments. They had the big play ability to turn a game from a losing effort into a victory, with just a couple plays of the game. It wasn’t unusual to witness Alan Page tip a pass in the end zone and see one of the cornerback run back a interception for a touchdown, completely changing the story line of the game. Onto a couple of the star defensive players for the bone-chilling defense of one of the best teams in the league in the Vikings. One of the two studs up front on the d-line was Jim Marshal, a tremendous talent with a phenomenally quick first step and specialized in blowing plays up in the backfield. Rounding off the d-line was defensive tackle Alan Page and his explosive ability. Page was so fast that sometimes he would hit the running back in the backfield, before the quarterback even handed him the ball. If there was ever a loose ball Alan Page was usually “Johnny on the Spot”, once recovering six loose balls in a season in 1964 (Purple People Eaters).
“In the golden years”, the Vikings weren’t just a terrorizing defense; they also had one of the best quarterbacks of all time in Fran Tarkenton; who racked up points like it snowed in Decemberin Wisconsin. Starting off. Fran Tarkenton shattered records like the defensive line went through food during a team meeting. He was a two time pro-bowler in 1973 and 1975 and won the league’s most valuable player honors in 1975. Also the wasn’t the only highlight of Takenton’s exhilarating career with 47,003 passing yards and 342 touchdowns in his time with the Vikings and Giants. These were all NFL records for quarterbacks until Dan Marino and now Brett Favre came around. Onto Fran Tarkenton’s life; He was born February 3, 1940 in Richmond Virginia and was a very talented quarterback in high school. Out of high school Fran Tarkenton went to Tulane University and was the number one pick overall in the NFL draft to the Minnesota Vikings. While he was with the Vikings he helped lead the them to three super bowls, but unfortunately losing all of them. He also arguable led the most dangerous and dominate Minnesota Vikings team in history with a 15-1 record. Not to mention re-writing the record books by scoring 556 point in a single season, until the New England Patriots broke the record two years ago . Although that year they fell short of the super bowl by losing in the NFC championship game in overtime, it was still one to remember in sports history. Topping off Tarkenton’s historic career, he was inducted into the pro football hall of fame by unanimous vote (Info please).
Those team lead by Frank Tarkenton and his high powered offense where great, but the modern day Vikings are starting to bring back their winning ways. It always help to have the best player at their position in the league, and the Vikings have that in Adrian Peterson. Like Frank Takenton Adrian Peterson has already started to re-write the record books, already holding the record for the most rushing yard in a game by a singles player with 296 yards. After they run all over a team, they also have some great stars at wide receiver in Percy Harvin, a rookie out of Florida who has already become the quarterbacks favorite target. Their defense is also reliving the days of the “Purple People Eaters” , With three potential pro-bowlers up front in Pat and Kevin William and Jared Allan. Not to mention one of the hardest hitting corner backs in the league and maybe the best pound for pound player in the league in Antwan Winfield. They also have done something that no other team in the NFL has done by averaging 71 yards or less yards a game given up rushing for the past three seasons. Also every team in the NFL knows that when the play the Minnesota Vikings that they will have to bring there A game, because it won’t be a walk in the park (History).
While producing some of the most exciting electric teams and players in NFL history the Vikings have also dominated their divison in the procces. They are the team with the most exciting players. They are the team that is going to win the superbowl. They are the Minnestota Vikings.
War comparison
When looking comparing and contrasting the Civil War and the Revolutionary war you find many differences and similarities. One obvious difference between the two wars is that the Civil War was the north vs the south and the Revolutionary War was the colonies vs Great Britain. Another difference is that the Revolutionary War was two countries fighting each other, while the Civil War was two different men in one part of the country fight agents men the other part of the country. Onto that the Revolutionary War was when the colonies came together for one cause, freedom. While the Revolutionary War was a war when the colonies got divided into the north and the south fighting agents each other.
Although there are many differences between these two very important wars in our history, they are also very similar in their own ways. Beginning with that they were both battles for freedom. The Revolutionary War was the colonies trying to free themselves from Great Britain and the Civil war was the north trying to free slaves in the south. Another similarity is that both of the Wars took place on American Soil. Of course the Civil War did because it was a war between the South and the North and during the Revolutionary War was fought to kick the British off American soil. These are a few of the similarities and differences between the Revolutionary War and the Civil War in American history.
Although there are many differences between these two very important wars in our history, they are also very similar in their own ways. Beginning with that they were both battles for freedom. The Revolutionary War was the colonies trying to free themselves from Great Britain and the Civil war was the north trying to free slaves in the south. Another similarity is that both of the Wars took place on American Soil. Of course the Civil War did because it was a war between the South and the North and during the Revolutionary War was fought to kick the British off American soil. These are a few of the similarities and differences between the Revolutionary War and the Civil War in American history.
Monday, May 17, 2010
The Glass Bottle
Everything is just sitting around outside talking to each other, when all of a sudden someone yells, “Run”.
Everyone adrenalin starts rushing throughout their veins as we all start sprinting for the apartment. Looking behind we see three of our friends trailing us and babbling on about what just happened. Apparently someone threw a glass bottle over a ledge of a hill and it almost hit someone. Who randomly throws a glass bottle anyway? We all bolt into the hostess apartment room and gaze out the window at the man who one of my bonehead friends almost hit. The man was stalking the area looking for the person who threw almost shattered a piece of glass over his head. In the midst of all this one of our friends was still outside text as the man walked by and he started asking him questions. Being question our friend just started walking a different direction and didn’t say anything. When the man ventured off to where he came from, we immediately went back outside like nothing ever happened. This minor mishap didn’t turn out with any consequence, but there could have been many.
Everyone adrenalin starts rushing throughout their veins as we all start sprinting for the apartment. Looking behind we see three of our friends trailing us and babbling on about what just happened. Apparently someone threw a glass bottle over a ledge of a hill and it almost hit someone. Who randomly throws a glass bottle anyway? We all bolt into the hostess apartment room and gaze out the window at the man who one of my bonehead friends almost hit. The man was stalking the area looking for the person who threw almost shattered a piece of glass over his head. In the midst of all this one of our friends was still outside text as the man walked by and he started asking him questions. Being question our friend just started walking a different direction and didn’t say anything. When the man ventured off to where he came from, we immediately went back outside like nothing ever happened. This minor mishap didn’t turn out with any consequence, but there could have been many.
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Bullying
Everyday that you step into the school that you are supposed to learn at there are people heckling an following you around, just to make you feel bad. Although this may seem farfetched to some it is very real in our world today. In fact 77% students in the United States are bullied in someone way. Coming to school every day for those who get the treatment daily can become traumatizing and could eventually lead to depression or ever worse; death. When getting bullied the victim is usually defenseless and has no place to go or person to relay on for help. If someone see’s bullying they should step in and stop the situation as soon as possible to the victim doesn’t suffer punishment more than they need to. Reaching to violence could be dangerous for both the bully and the victim because someone could seriously get damaged. It may seem unrealistic, but 100,000 kids in the U.S. bring guns to school every day because of bullying or intimidation. To have to bring a gun to school to feel safe is not how students in America should feel over any circumstance. bullying is a huge problem in our world today; bullying needs to be stopped; bullying is harmful to everyone involved. Bullying can traumatize students life’s and futures forever.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
The Proslavery Defense
Some women are born unhealthy and some men are born to have failure in everything they do. How is the right way to look at things from any perspective. When men and women came over from Europe, they came to this country for freedom and the chance to move up in social class. How can someone be born for failure, when everyone that lives more than three seconds in the United States makes a mistake or has failure. It is not about if or how many times you make mistakes, it is about if you learn from them and improve from your mistakes. This is what gives you the chance to work your way up the social class chain, which allows you to become more wealthy. How would our world be today if everyone knew who was going to succeed at birth? There would be no “Cinderella Stories” or “underdogs” to root for. There would be no point of work or life to itself because everyone would know how they stood and nothing would be able to change. How can we in America call ourselves the land of free and the home of the brave if no one has a chance to better themselves. Starting with our founding fathers this country was born for success and so was everyone who inhabits it. In the end slavery was finally found to be wrong. In the end the United States abolished slavery. In the end only good things make it through the thick and the think.
Friday, April 16, 2010
The Battle of Antietam intro
As the radiant red sun of the morning rises over the horizon I awake from my deep sleep. As the light puddles in from the great outdoors I take in this beautiful morning that is now upon me. Today is September 17th, 1862, which means today I go to Antietam Creek in hope of catching tonight’s supper. Although I live in Sharpsburg Maryland the creak is not far away from my house. I fallow the usual morning schedule and set out with my bamboo pole that my father made for me and worms I gathered last night. Stepping into the cool brisk air I can see a crisp frost for miles on end silently sitting on the blades of the grass.
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