The War of 1812 & Star-Spangled Banner

The War of 1812 was fought because trade issues, British support of Indians, and the impressment of American sailors by British ships. The war was fought from June 18, 1812 to December 24, 1814. The war consisted o many battles and three failed attempts of invading Canada. In January of 1813, British and Indian allies repelled American forces during the Battle of Frenchtown. On August 24 and 25 of 1814, British troops burned Washington D.C. In September of 1814, the Battle of Fort McHenry took place where Francis Scott Key wrote the "Star Spangled Banner." When the war ended, Britain lifted its trade restrictions, and their impressment laws. The Americans were able to live under the Constitution as they wished.

Map of the War of 1812

The "Star Spangled Banner" was originally a poem written by Francis Scott Key in 1814. It was written about the battle at Fort McHenry. The "Star Spangled Banner" was originally called "The Defence of Fort McHenry." 

Rewrite:

Can you see by the sun's early blaze,

Oh so honorably we hailed by the sunset's last glowing,

Whose sweeping stripes and beaming stars through the hazardous fight,

Over the forts we watched were so bravely streaming?

And the rockets' red flare, the bombs breaking in air,

Gave fact that our flag still stood.

Oh say does that banner still wave

Over the land of the free and the home of the bold?

The American Flag

Great Journey Through Lowell

Monday October 6, 2014

The shrill of my alarm clock woke me up at 6:00 this morning. After getting ready for school I walked out my back door with my sister. The autumn air filled my lungs. My mom drove my sister and I to my sisters' friends' house to walk to their school. At 7:15, my mom drove me to school taking the normal route. Left onto Chelmsford Street, passed the Lincoln School and the intersection of Westford street and Chelmsford Street, straight through the Lord Overpass onto Appleton Street. Then left onto Gorham Street and straight onto Central Street, passing Market Street, Middle Street, Prescott Street and  the Dunkin Donuts at the corner of Central Street and Merrimack Street. After Dunkin Donuts, we take a left onto Merrimack Street and a right onto Kirk Street where the Old Building is. I walk up the six flights of stairs to the third floor and go to my locker where I drop my violin and unneeded books. Then I head to my first period class.

Pawtucket Canal

Thursday October 9, 2014

Today I left my house at 5:50 pm to go to String Project rehearsals. Sinfonia started at 6 with Derek as Conductor. Upon arriving in the Rehearsal room of Durgin Hall, I took my violin out of its case, attached the shoulder rest and rosined my bow. I took my usual place in the second violin section, third chair. Then I was asked to fill in the seat as assistant section leader since the normal person was absent. We tuned in the golden colored room that has terrible acoustics. We ran through our Nutcracker selections and discussed places that needed cleaning up and work. When 7:00 came, the Sinfonia members left and the LYO members were the only ones left. From 7 to 8:30 we rehearsed in the same wooden room as the Sinfonia kids. Before class starts, we take our 10 minute break. We talk about how our days were and other things that happened that day. As we tuned we listened for overtones and played our "Gloria" by Vivaldi selections. After rehearsal I talk to my friends as we pack up and walk to our parents.

The LYO preforming background music before the Meryl Streep Event in April. (I'm the 11th person from the left.)

Sunday October 12, 2014

Today my mom took my sister, my brother and I to Brandeis University to visit our other sister. After so many phone conversations and late night text messages, it was so good to finally see her again. She showed us her room which is larger than the other rooms on her floor. She also showed us the castle where we took some pictures. Then she showed us the view of Boston from there. The campus grass was still green and the leaves were turning red, orange and yellow. Behind the castle, we took more pictures. At the end of the visit she took us to Dunkin Donuts. The autumn air and foliage made the visit perfect.

The sign at the main entrance of Brandeis University.

I think it would be very hard to keep a detailed journal for a long time because I would rather experience something and enjoy it in the moment than to worry about having to remember every little detail about my day. I also don't pay attention to my surroundings very well which made this very hard. Also, my days usually consist of doing homework all day so I usually don't get to do much. I would not enjoy keeping a detailed journal because it would feel like an obligation. It would feel like I had to do something everyday.

Lewis and Clark

During Lewis and Clark's expedition of the western part of the country, they wrote journal entries. Their missions on this expedition was to map out the land that Jefferson had just bought from France, and to explore what was in the new region.

Map of Lewis and Clark's expedition.

June 26, 1804-William Clark (My Birthday)

After leaving their camp early, the group passed a river. They also killed a snake that was sunning itself and seven deer. The group camped above the Kansas River that day.

Rattle snake (top and middle) and a
hog nose snake (bottom).

July 30, 1804-Meriwether Lewis

On this day, the Corps of Discovery encountered a new animal which the French called a Braro. Lewis said that Joseph Fields killed the new animal and described its eyes as "small black and piercing."

A Braro aka Badger.

October 17, 1804-William Clark

In this entry, Clark says that he walked the shore with the Ricara Chief and an interpreter who told him many stories. He mentions that he killed three deer that day an elk and that the men killed four deer. They observed goats and antelope.

An elk similar to one that Lewis and Clark might have seen.

Constitutional Issues - Boston Marathon Bombing

Two homemade bombs were placed at the end of the Boston Marathon of 2013, causing over two hundred casualties and taking the lives of three. Brothers Tamerlan Tsarnaev and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev placed the bombs that day. Tamerlan Tsarnaev was shot and killed in a shoot out with police and his brother was caught after a long manhunt. Many debates over Dzhokhar Tsarnaev constitutional issues have arisen.

The first of which are his Miranda Rights.

Dzhokhar Tsarnaev being taken into custody.

As part of the Fifth Amendment, a criminal must be read their Miranda Rights. The Miranda Rights must be read to a criminal before being taken into custody. The Miranda Rights are as follows:

"You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be provided for you."

The Fifth Amendment states that in a criminal case, a grand jury will be present, double jeopardy is prohibited, and the due process of law must be part of anything that denies a citizen their natural rights.

The second issue is the death penalty.

Remnants of a bomb the Tsarnaev brothers placed at the end of the Boston Marathon.

Since Massachusetts doesn't have the death penalty, debates over this arose. He will only be charged with using a weapon of mass destruction but, Tsarnaev will be tried in a federal court so "the death penalty is one option on the table", said the Justice Department.

The third issue is unregistered guns.

Armed officers search for the Tsarnaev brothers after one fled in astolen SUV in Watertown, Ma.

After a thorough investigation, officials found that the Tsarnaev brothers had used unregistered guns in the shoot out with police officers. The brothers possessed two hand guns, a rifle and several bombs. Massachusetts has one of the most strictest gun laws in the country and the brothers were found to have possession of ammunition exceeding the states' limit.

The fourth issue that has arose is immigration.

Dzhokhar Tsarnaev (left) and Tamerlan Tsarnaev (right) before the Boston Marathon.

Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was a United States citizen while his brother Tamerlan Tsarnaevs' citizenship was delayed due to a connection in a triple murder in Waltham found by Homeland Security. Their family applied for asylum since their visitor visas would be expiring in the U.S.

The fifth issue that has risen is privacy.

Tamerlan Tsarnaev (front) and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev (back) right before the Boston Marathon explosions.

Thermal image of Dzhokhar Tsarnaev hiding in a boat in Watertown Ma.

This issue arose in violation of the Fourth Amendment.  The Fourth Amendment states that officials must have a warrant before searching someones' property. Since the police had to look through someones' property  to find Tsarnaev, this issue arises. The police did not have a warrant to search the boat that he was found on.