Bryce R

“Blog Assignment #1 – Fenn”

1) In her review, Elizabeth Fenn attempts to answer questions surrounding the use of smallpox as biological warfare during the eighteenth century. Fenn focuses on the events of Fort Pitt, involving Jeffery Amherst, various events involving disputes between English settlers and Native Americans, and the Revolutionary War. In these events, Fenn examines which party gave and received the disease, as well as, if their was legitimate intention to use this biological warfare.

2) Fenn prefers to use primary sources in her review. In her various examples of each event, Fenn has turned to journals or past documents that were actually written by the individuals who lived and/or experienced the event. I believe that the use of primary sources will only enhance the quality of a review/paper. By using quotes and documentations from individuals during the time of the researched event, we can get a better understanding of what we are researching.

3) Fenn’s main points surround not only the questions of intentionally using biological warfare, but they also surround the questions of morality in this warfare strategy. Fenn first of all ponders in each case whether or not the spread of smallpox was intended in each case. Then, Fenn analyzes the morality concerns in using biological warfare. Her overall conclusion remains consistent with all of the events. Fenn believes that biological warfare was deliberately used in each case. She also hints to the reader that biological warfare was usually unjustified because of its murdering effect towards women and children.

4) I believe that Fenn shows evidence to prove her argument for intentional use of biological warfare. In the French and Native American event, the French sent the Ottawa Indians a package of empty boxes. As each box was opened, there was nothing found inside. Finally when the last box was opened, nothing was found but small mouldy particles. “When they arrived at their village on the shores of Lake Michigan, the Indians opened the box only to find another box and then another inside. In the end, Blackbird says, the Ottawas ‘found nothing but mouldy particles in this last little box’”(Fenn, 28). This example provides strong support in the French intentions of biological warfare. However, I don’t believe that Fenn’s argument towards morality is proved. Rather than to support occurrences of death towards women and children because of biological warfare, Fenn spends more time justifying the English for their use of it during the Revolutionary War. “If the mere fact of rebellion was grounds enough for such an attitude, the difficulties presented by long sieges and the Americans’ unconventional fighting methods provided additional justification” (Fenn, 53).

5) I believe that the answer is important because we must know why certain events unfold. In the case of using biological warfare, this type of warfare was popular because it could easily be stated as unintentional. While it may have been viewed either way by the outside, one thing was for sure, it was an effective way of harming the enemy.

“Blog Assignment #2 – Breen

1)   Breen’s essay consisted of several topics. Each of the topics illustrates some of the great shaping forces of American History. Breen makes arguments for commercial capitalism, consuming Americans, creation of political instruments, the concept of virtue, and the formation of new interpretive communities. Through various sources from newspaper and journal articles of the past; Breen provides the reader knowledgeable and understandable information about the years leading up to the Revolutionary War, and how many of the American Colonists adjusted to changing times during this monumental period in American History.

2)   In Breen’s conclusion, he states that the transition from commercial empire to forms of political resistance was not the only path that led let revolution. It was other political groups and methods that helped the colonists adjust to and understand the changes that were affecting the world around them because of the British Empire. Breen also states the importance of participation in the consumer marketplace, thus, creating strength to the American people. “In this particular exploration, however, we have reconstituted a frame of reference that defined itself around participation in a newly established consumer marketplace” (Breen 501). It is important to note that Breen stressed the importance of communities and unity rather than the efforts of the individual. Thus, Breen was able to analyze the benefits that communities gained from these new political methods.

3)   Since Breen used many sources to support the dense information described in his article, it would be difficult to pinpoint exactly which source was most important. But nevertheless, a few sources stood out to me the most. David Ramsay’s History of the American Revolution analyzed the difficulties in understanding why parliament taxed America in the first place. The source also analyzed the overly-exaggerated accounts of America’s wealth. Jonathan Mayhew’s sermon entitled The Snare Broken dealt with the Stamp Act in 1766. Mayhew shows his belief in repealing the Stamp Act when he explains the role of “commonly-received-opinions” shaping popular political identity. In the Boston Evening Post article in 1767, the Revenue Acts and the effects on America were the main topics. In this source, the colonists were described as being “shocked” about the development of the acts. This in turn caused some fundamental constitutional issues where colonists argued for their “positions on rights and representation” (Breen 485).

4)    Breen’s article closely follows that of Out of Many where it is said that, “The glue that held Americans together during this long struggle was the sense of national community that emerged in places like Valley Forge during the winter of 1777.” (166). Breen states that it was virtue that held the colonists together. The ability to unite with each other despite being of different backgrounds and regions was vital towards American Colonists during these times. “Virtue was the social glue that kept the newly formed liberal communities from fragmenting” (Breen 494). Because of this “social glue” that was created, colonists were able to sign subscriptions supporting boycotts, thus, the ideas of liberty and non-importation were strengthened.

5)    I found Breen’s article to be well written and persuasive. I loved Breen’s analogy for virtue working as a “social glue” for colonists. Because of virtue, the colonists were able to unite and become a stronger unit in their efforts to seek their demands. The use of the term “social glue” not only makes sense, but it helps the reader understand better about the effect that virtue had on American Colonists during that time. Breen’s article was even able to enhance my understanding of the Revolutionary Era. I took interest into the British government of the time period. Breen stated that “Americans never really confronted absolutist authority” (Breen 497). I wasn’t quite sure what he meant until I found out that Britain actually had a weak colonial government. This was surprising to me. Because of Britain’s weak colonial government, America had an easier time revolting against them rather than a dominant country.

Blog Assignment #3 – Blondheim

Bryce Reno

1. In this text, Blondheim examines the importance and the effects of public sentiment in America during the Civil War. The author further focuses on some of the methods used by the Union in communicating information about battles to the public and officials. Blondheim stresses in this text that information published to the public was sometimes false, in an effort to hold and/or sway opinions of people and other nations. Blondheim then turns much of his attention to The Bogus Proclamation of 1864, and how a man named Joseph Howard (a Republican) forged information to the American public about President Lincoln’s request to draft 400,000 more Union soldiers because the Union was “struggling.” However, Howard’s attempt to seek financial gain fails and gets sent to jail.
2. Blondheim uses Lincoln’s quote to stress one of his most important points, “public sentiment is everything.” The fact that there was “editing” performed in the news before the public received it showed a desire for public and international support in the war. This was a common theme in the Civil War. Officials wanted to do whatever they could, even if it was lying to the public, to gain the support that they were reaching for. Blondheim concluded that The Bogus Proclammation was not the largest problem, it was reestablishing control over the news “from end to end” (898 – 899). Decentralization must take place in order to restore the power and truth given to the public.
3. Blondheim uses Secretary Seward’s telegram as an important primary source. He quotes Seward’s denial of the proclamation saying it was “an absolute forgery” (885). The author’s use of the Currier and Ives print about the Lincoln administration should also be noted. In this print, the administration was criticized for their abuse of power and poor financial management. This source gives further support to the Confederacy as to why the public should go against the Lincoln administration. Blondheim also uses Lincoln’s actual proclamation which was developed on May 17, 1864, but was never published to the public. This source shows Lincoln’s possible thoughts and actions regarding the Civil War and shows that there could’ve been far different results from what actually happened after the Bogus Proclamation.
4. This text further supports the information given about the major advancements in communications to the public. Blondheim stresses that communication to the public was vital during the war. By getting messages out further, faster, and more efficiently (no matter if it was true or not), the union could assure themselves that their “information” was the text that the public was getting. These advancements transformed American politics immensely. For the most part, the opposing sides could say what they wanted to say to attract more people and pull further support during the war.

I found this text to be well-argued and filled with support. Blondheim’s belief in the power of public sentiment showed the goals of the opposing sides during the war. The belief that the public could be lured into any statement was crucial in determining the actions of the Union and Confederacy during the war. It wasn’t  so much that the Bogus Proclamation was a big deal in the end. It was restoring honesty and integrity in the public news “from end to end” (898 – 899). This text enhanced my previous understanding of the war. I never realized that such “editing” was being used in conveying reports to the public. By stating that the third millennium may have a new “decentralized communications environment,” Blondheim could be suggesting that the public could have large power in future wars.