American History

Introduction
African American Slavery During the 18th Century
African American during the 20th Century
The State of African American in Recent Years
Conclusion

Introduction
The history of any country is basically the store house of its wisdom, the wisdom that serves as a beacon of hope and a source of learning for its generations to come. The history of any country if followed by its nationals in the correct and accurate way may always serve as a harbinger for the resolution of all issues that are faced by the people.

History of a country is a source of constant guidance and enlightens its entire people, if it used, channelized and disseminated in an efficient and authentic way. At this specific point the history of America is of prime importance to the topic, the interesting history of the country basically unearths the causes and factors that actually helped the country in becoming the strongest military, economic and democratic country of the world. Today everyone is interested in knowing and finding out the reasons and the secrets through which some other nation of the world can develop itself in the same way as done by Americans.

In contemporary times everyone shows intrigue in knowing the character and temperament of the leaders that ruled the country during those crucial times when the country was not a powerful controller of resources and did not had enough wealth to make its standing equivalent to other existent prosperous nations, what were the salient features of the policies of the leaders and rulers that transformed the country completely in every sector and facet of life. Answers to all these questions are obtained from a thorough study of the history or the chronological events that dominate the historical arena of the country or nation.

One of the most interesting and intriguing phases of American History has been the various phases and periods of struggle that the African Americans have gone through during the multitude chronological phases to gain their struggle and acquire their fundamental rights and position that they have in America today.

The history of this entire period of struggle is a manifestation of hope, perseverance coupled with a constant clinch of hope with which the struggle has been carried out. But before moving into greater and in depth details of the various phases of the entire movement for civil rights, it is important to briefly look at the history of the African American people and their primitive position in the history.
African Americans have been an integral part of the American culture and civilization from a long period of time are part of that American history which has a long timeline and started many years ago. Most of the African American people were the descendents of the slaves who were kept in captivity in the 1616s till 1865. Many years ago they were called as the American Negros but later came to be known as African Americans.
     
The long history of the African American slaves and their lives are so eminent that it is celebrated every year in the U.S on the month of February with the name of black history month. The real significant years for the African American slaves started in the 1877, when they were finally freed from captivation. (Virtual services, 2010)

The State of AfricanAmerican Slavery during the 19th Century          
After the civil war that ended in the 1865, all the African American slaves were freed of slavery and torture.  The southern part of America was totally destroyed hence it needed reconstruction, which took place in the year 1877 (American History, 2010). 11 associated states needed to be reclaimed and restored and the choices available for the African American slaves now had to be decided. Rapidly, the federal government was developing the civil rights for them.  Two years later, the migration took place where a multitude of African Americans moved from the south to Kansas. From here the opportunities for them only increased. (Borgna Brunner, 2007)
         
The first ever college that was made for the black women called the Spellman college along with the Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute in Alabama for afro American  students started in 1881. In 1982, the American colonization society helps the freed slaves to return to Africa and providing them with a home to live in.

Although in 1896, the Supreme Court in the Plessy v. Ferguson case legalized the racial separation between the blacks and whites, which disrupted the improvement in the lives of the African American slaves that migrated during the reconstruction.

African Americans in the 20th century          
The 19th century turned out to be more successful and flourishing for African Americans. W.E.B DuBois came up with a plan that stated that the colored people of America should get equal opportunity in social, political and educational areas and should not be told to go back to their own country. Evidently, four years later the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People had established in New York, building a solid foundation for the civil rights of the African Americans. The freed slaves were finally able to have some rights of their own.
             
Marcus Garvey, in the 1914s created a Negro improvement association, to create unity amongst all the African American people.  All was going well, when in 1931, nine young afro American Scottsboro boys were arrested for raping two white women, this had to be the first crime done by the afro American. This may have be a kind of revenge they wanted to take from all the slavery they had experienced in the past years or just lack of education might be the reason.

While in 1947, some African American were trying very hard to make their name and become as educated as the others, Jackie Robinson, who took a step forward, was taken in the Brooklyn dodgers baseball team. 1948 resulted in World War 2, in which President Harry. S. Truman incorporated white and black soldiers together to go and fight for their country. In this way the African Americans were finally able to fight for their country and not for themselves.
           
Soon later another case by the name of Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kans in the Supreme Court resulted in abolishing the racial segregation in schools or institutes. This opened many doors for the African Americans to become well educated. (Lisa, 2010). In 1955, the most well- known incident occurred, a seamstress by the name of Rosa Parks that was arrested for refusing a white person who had asked her to get up from the bus seat. Her protest resulted in the bringing about the most well known and significant figure in the 1960s Martin Luther King, Jr.  African Americans in the 1960s were finally able to stand up for themselves and their rights in America.
         
However many other significant events for the African American students that occurred between 1955 and the 1960s showed that the African Americans were still not socially accepted by the people.
In 1957, nine black students that were constantly terrorized by the Governor Orbal Faubus for studying in the school were able to graduate successfully by the help of federal troops. James Meredith was the first African American to get admission in a university in 1962.
           
The most significant event occurred in 1963, Martin Luther King, who had developed a civil rights group (SCLC), was arrested while he was protesting against the racial separation between whites and blacks in Birmingham. He wrote a letter from jail which helped him popularize rapidly amongst the African Americans. The African Americans now had a lot of support from him.

The Washington march that took place on august 23 of the same year, has about 250,000 people who had ancestors that suffered slavery and now were experiencing discrimination heard the most well known speech by Martin Luther King I have a Dream. This created the kind of thrust the people needed in gaining their civil rights.

Realizing the importance and the status of Martin Luther King and his revolutionary role in the Civil rights movement for the acquisition of fundamental rights for Black people, it is important to describe a major incident that actually revolutionized the entire movement. On the other hand the instinct of Martin Luther King and his qualities that made him such a revolutionary figure in the entire movement.
He was a kind of a person of an overwhelmingly sanguine and optimistic temperament. He once met all his followers and colleagues who were actually assisting him in actually making the entire movement triumphant.

At the meeting he was told about Robert Kennedy and his staunch and stern actions that he was about to take against the black people of the United States, Martin was also given a subtle impression that the movement was bound to fail as people who did not had the power to vote and were not considered as the official citizens of the country could not take any strong or diplomatic action against an influential personality like Kennedy. At that precise moment he dismissed the meeting and told all his colleagues that he would next schedule a meeting when they had found something positive about the nature of Robert Kennedy. When the next meeting took place he was told that Robert Kennedy never refuses or denies the orders of his church bishop. This was sufficient for Martin as he had found the clue he was looking for, the positive instinct in Kennedys personality he wanted to know.

After a couple of days Martin made friends with the same bishop as that of Robert Kennedy and convinced the bishop that the civil rights movement was for the rights of the black people who were struggling to gain it to ensure a better livelihood and future to their present and future generations, the movement was not designed to target any political party or group and did not wanted to acquire their objectives through any violent means. The bishop explained this same thing to Robert Kennedy by adding some religious details. Kennedy was thoroughly convinced and the transformation in his behavior was so immense that the very same person who was at one point of time the strictest opponent of this movement turned its greatest advocate.          
       
One year later, President Johnson orders the civil rights that state that no discrimination or favoritism will take place in the name of color, race or religion.

The African Americans were finally able to vote in the same year as well. This meant that the African Americans could now be considered as the official citizens of the country and would be treated rightly.
But in 1968, America lost a very predominant and significant leader Martin Luther King, who was brutally shot by an assassinator, but his death resulted in the further improvement in the lives of the African Americans.
       
Few months after his death, President Johnson also ordered the civil rights on any prejudice in sale, renting and housing for the African Americans.

Finally in 1992, the first race riot took place, in the central-south Los Angeles, after four white police officials were not charged guilty for the video that showed them brutally beating an African American Rodney King.

The African Americans felt outraged at such people because they felt that after all the years they had served these people they still were not treated well and equally. (Worldarchipelago , 1996-2010).

The African Americans in the recent years

In the year of 2003, the affirmative action became very well known and it stated that diversity in the students of a particular school or institute will lead to much less likeliness of racism and discrimination among the people as they will be in contact with the African Americans as well, who will not be very different from them.  This officially helped the African Americans a lot as they were finally accepted in the country.
             
In the recent years, along with slavery the large amount of discrimination in America has greatly increased. You can now see a diversified environment in working and studying places in America. However, the effect of the African American slavery has not yet really vanished from their minds.
The main reason for high rates of criminal activity by the African Americans in America nowadays could be an after effect of the slavery in the olden days.

Some African Americans still feel inferior to the other people in the country hence they do such acts.
However there are people who now are contributing greatly to our country, despite their difficult time their ancestors had faced, one major example of such people in todays day is that of Barack Obama, the first African American president of America.  (Borgna and Brunner 2007)

Conclusion
The dreams and the endless efforts of people like Martin Luther King, Malcolm X and Rosa Parks reached their fulfillment and faced a fascinating reality with the pledge of Barack H. Obama as the President of United States.

The president of a country which at one point of time was most stringent against providing black people their fundamental rights and freedom of expression, a country where at one point of time boards saying Dogs and Black People are not allowed were displayed outside lavish hotels and other places.
It was during this time of oppression and social injustice when the ultimate struggle for liberty and acquisition of rights commenced and with the passage of time gained impetus so tremendous that it engulfed the entire country.

The revolt was so strong that the sudden assassination leaders like Malcolm X and Marin Luther could not paralyze their spirits and their perseverance that they had in their minds and hearts for their social, moral and political liberty.

It was exactly this undying spirit ignited by these people that ultimately led to the triumph of their struggle which is a comprehensible manifestation of their struggle.    

The songs Have you Forgotten by Darryl Worley, and Where have all the flowers gone by Pete Seeger are two songs that both deliver strong messages regarding two different wars.  Have you Forgotten which is a song composed to convey emotions regarding the war in Iraq delivers messages that are meant to sway people to hate war.  It describes the war and all its horrors by questioning if people have in fact forgotten what it is like to be in a war and so have become indifferent of the one that was currently being fought.  Where have all the flowers gone on the other hand, which is written during the period of the Vietnam war is another song written as a series of progressive questions terminating in the sad reality that the war in Vietnam had caused so many deaths.  While the song does not in any way specify whose death had been more deserved or valued in the Vietnam War, it proceeds to question these deaths in an attempt to question the war itself.

In an article, John Pareles describes that, Songs that touched on the war in 2006 were suffused with the mournful and resentful knowledge (2010) This is quite obvious in the song by Worley, for instance, in the lines from the chorus, Have you forgotten, how it felt that day  To see your homeland under fireAnd you say we shouldnt worry bout Bin Laden (7-8, 12) the song seems to be didactic and even moralizing in its approach and its perception of how people perceived the war.  These lines, in relation to what Pareles describes, are in fact resentful in that they express how people are indifferent about this particular war.  In addition, Pareles (2010) also states that, Immediate responses to 911 and to the invasion of Iraq arrived along familiar lines. There was anger and saber-rattling at first.  This expresses how the emotions had died down when the war had began to drone on.  There was only the desired response initially which eventually died down.  Hence, Morleys song very accurately describes this indifference by questioning America about its stand on the war and how America can seemingly be uncaring of what was going on.  So, in the last few lines of the song, one finds, Have you forgotten  About our Pentagon  All the loved ones that we lost  And those left to carry on (27-30) as the song shifts from being fierily questioning of the objectives for and reactions to the war to being deeply emotional, appealing to the better judgment of the listeners as if pleading that everybody be more reactive because the war was not just any kind of war, but it was something that took away so much from those who were in it.

Songs during the Vietnam War were equally as questioning, perhaps because that particular also had grey areas when it came to the goals and objectives of the battle.  In 1963 musicians began directly questioning the Vietnam War. (Anderson) and so, in the song Where have all the flowers gone by Seeger, this questioning tone is also employed.  However, noticeably in the song, as it progresses, the repeated lines go from questioning where the flowers are to where the graves are (1-40) looking at each of the stanzas, however, the more interesting recurring line is When will they ever learn (7-8, 15-16, 23-24, 31-32, 39-40) which serves the same function as the Have you forgotten theme of the earlier song.  So, in effect, this song by Seeger not only questions but also admonishes the listeners, perhaps because, Their music stated traditional folk themes, ones which were being voiced in the current civil rights crusade justice, peace, and brotherly love.  (Anderson)

Looking at these two songs side by side one can easily conclude that while both were about different wars at different periods the main message delivered is dont people ever get tired of wars albeit the painful and agonizing effects of these exercises  So, if war songs are to be evaluated according to these two songs which are separated by decades in between, the sentiment of people when it comes to war has not changed significantly which is probably due largely to the reality that nobody wants wars regardless of the reasons.  So, while both of the songs question the audience or the listeners, the questions in both songs are meant to indirectly remind the listener of the horrors of war and to admonish and enjoin the listener to remain faithful to the precepts of peace, justice and love while actively protesting whatever justifications the government makes for conducting these bloody exercises.

Question A-2
After the great depression and 1st World War, the federal government initiated housing programs to curb the problem of urban slums which was evident in most cities in America. The aim of the program was to build clean and safe as well as modern housing in order to meet the needs of the less fortunate in the society.  History denotes that there were about seven hundred housing programs which were established and some still operate even today under Federal Housing Programs (Lusignan, 2002).

The federal housing program started in 1933 after the congress passed the National Industrial Recovery Act which was meant to support the public building projects by providing low interest loans to limited building corporations.  The government established Public Works Administration (PWA) which had a housing division which completed building seven limited divided housing projects between the year 1933 and 1935.  The housing projects were constructed using modern materials and designs.  Although the Public Works Administration housing projects were of high quality and therefore less appropriate for the low income earners, there was one project which helped to create new housing for the low income earners. It was the only project that achieved the goal of clearing slums.

After the projects of PWA came to an end in the year 1937, United States Housing Act was established and it operated from the year 1937-1940. Since it was a decentralized program, the local public housing authorities were accorded the responsibility building new housing and the United States Housing Authority bore the responsibility of providing technical and financial assistance as well guidance during the building process. As the period of world war II approached, history records that  the attention shifted to defense housing and a lot of houses which were already  or almost complete were turned  to defensive housing. At the same time, the Federal Works Agency was given the responsibility by the government to provide housing in the already congested defense industrial centers. After the war, the American housing program continued with the urban renewal efforts (Lusignan, 2002).

Each of the programs had great impacts especially in the urban centers and the suburbs.  For instance, studies record that PWA managed to replace some of the worst urban slums with modern and safe housing which initiated other development activities. The United States Housing  Authority also made a similar contribution since by 1940, studies of Lusignan (2002) indicate that it had managed to construct three hundred and seventy projects which managed to provide housing to around 120, 000 families.  Although the Federal Works Agency built temporal houses which were destroyed after the war, its contribution cannot be underestimated since it provided defensive housing to families during the Second World War. From the year 1930-1940, the public housing programs impacted the whole U.S. community since it established modern and affordable housing. On the same note, the same efforts contributed greatly to changing the face of urban centers since a lot of slums which were established during the economic recession were eliminated (Lusignan, 2002).    

Question A-3
Studies indicate that migration of people from rural areas to cities and from cities to suburbs as well as migration across the regions contributed greatly to change of the face of United States (Population Urban, Rural, Suburban). Further studies indicate that at the beginning of the twentieth century, about 60 of the population was living in the rural areas but towards the end of the century, only 25 of the population was leaving in such areas. After the first and Second World War, many of cities in America grew or developed rapidly since a lot of people migrated from the rural areas. This was as a result of the effects of the two wars as well as the harsh economic conditions during, and after the great depression.  However, after 1950, the rate of development in cities decreased especially because a lot of people left the cities and migrated to the suburbs. Further studies illustrate that though there was change of development in cities due to the trends of domestic migration, the growth of the suburbs was continuous through out the century. It bears noting that there were many factors that contributed to the change of migration trends. Apart from the effects of the war, racial segregation still added to the migration of the blacks from the areas where racial segregation was rampant to other areas    (Population Urban, Rural, Suburban). Therefore, the blacks and other racial minorities as well as people who were in the lower social economic class were involved greatly in migration since they had to look for better living conditions.

Apart from domestic migration, United States has always been affected by immigration not only during the twentieth century, but even earlier on. As a result, various acts were established to deal with the issues of immigration in the country. The Immigration and Nationality Act of the year 1965 was very significant since it abolished nation of origin quota system which existed since the Immigration Act of the year 1924.  As a result, immigrants who were not initially allowed in to the country managed to find their way in to the United States.  For instance, after 1965, the Asian American population increased due to the increase of immigrants from China, Philippines, India, Vietnam and Taiwan.  Further studies indicate that the presence of immigrants led to the development of major cities like New York. Similarly, the presence of Asian communities has contributed greatly to the development of ethnic businesses, enclave economies as well as residential communities (Le, 2010). Therefore, since then, the immigrants in United States are of different racial and ethnic origin.

World War II and Adolf Hitler
Introduction
Adolf Hitler was born on April 20, 1889 in the small town of Braunau Am Inn in Austria. His parents were Customs official, Klara and Alois Hitler. He became a German politician and went on to be the head of the National Socialist German Workers Party or better known as the Nazi Party. From 1933 to 1945 he held the position as Chancellor of Germany and ruled the country in a dictatorship manner.
He was a known veteran of the First World War and he joined the pioneer of the Nazi Party (DAP) in 1919 and went on to become leader of the NSDAP by the year 1921. In 1923, Hitler led a failed coup in Munich known as the Beer Hall Putsch. He was imprisoned because of such attempt and it was that time that he wrote his book. He acquired support from his writing as he promoted anti-Semitism, German nationalism, anti-communism, and anti-capitalism with compelling rhetoric and propaganda. In 1933, he became chancellor and transformed Germany into a single-party dictatorship founded on the despotic as well as tyrannical principles of National Socialism. Hitlers actions and policies led to the declaration of France and United Kingdom of war against the country. This led to the outbreak of the Second World War in Europe. Because of the Nazi Regime of Hitler and his genocidal policy, about 11 million people were killed and more than 6 million Jews were annihilated throughout the Holocaust.
For three years Germany together with the Axis powers had conquered most of Northern Africa, East as well as Southeast Asia, and Europe with Hitler being a major key player. Hitler and his mistress got married as the days of war came to an end and they both committed suicide.

World War I era
During the 16th Bavarian Reserve Regiment, Adolf Hitler served Belgium and France. He became a Gefreiter by the end of the war (a private first class in terms of the American armies and a lance corporal in British terms). He was frequently exposed to the adversarys fire as he served as a runner on the Western Front. He was a participant of some of the most important battles of the West including the First Battle of Ypres, Battle of Arras, Battle of the Somme, as well as the Battle of Passchendaele.

In October 1914, the Battle of Ypress took place which was known in Germany as the Massacre of the Innocents having about 40,000 killed in a span of 20 days and even the infantry division that Hitler belonged to lost about 200 men by December that year. This incident made Hitler become withdrawn and detached as the war continued. Adolf Hitler was recognized for the bravery he had shown during the years of war. In 1914, he got the Iron Cross, Second Class, recognition, and 4 years later the Iron Cross, First Class. These are honors not often given to someone of his rank (Gefreiter).

Early years in power
Adolf Hitlers power and glory began in September 1919 when he became a member of DAP or Deutsche Arbeiterpartei which later on became more popularly known as the Nazi party. The party was an anti-Marxist and was formed throughout the aftermath of the World War I period. His rose to power began in the initial years of the Nazi party from 1919-1923 due to his substantial skills in promotion, organization, and public speaking.

Germany was consistently aggressive during the World War I for more than four years (1914-1918). After the First World War, Hitler went back to Munich. For the period of 1918-1919 he was on a steady but comparatively insignificant assignment but he was in due course enlisted by the Armys Political Department. His great skills in public speaking and his open and intense anti-Semitism impressed an army officer and gave him a promotion making him an education officer. This gave him more opportunities to give public speeches which greatly contributed to his acquisition of power.
In one meeting, Hitler again used his tremendous skills in oratory impressing Anton Drexler, the DAP (Deutsche Arbeiterpartei) founder. He gave Hitler a political pamphlet and later on invited him to be a member of their party. Hitler attended the committee meeting that was part of the invitation. His initial thoughts were that the party was too disorganized and mixed-up. Their membership process was messed up and this led Hitler to a consideration that he could be of great influence to the party as it was not totally established. Two days after that particular meeting, he decided to become a member of DAP, making him the 55th member. Adolf Hitler was named to be the leader of propaganda by 1920 because of his talents that were recognized by the heads of the party. On February 20, the party became known as Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei or NSDAP and Hitler began to transform it. By July 28, 1921, Hitler became in full control of the party ousting Drexler.

Hitlers aggression was brought to the party. They disrupted meetings of their opponents, caused chaos  disturbance, causing the imprisonment of Hitler for some months. Hitler also began to form two organizations between 1922 and 1923. These are Jungstum and Jugendubnd, two unions that are bound to have great importance. Because of Hitlers continuous rebellion, Hitler was convicted and imprisoned for five years. In prison, he began to contemplate about a lot of things particularly his political tactics. It was during this time that he was able to write his first book entitled Mein Kampf or My Struggle.
Adolf Hitler was released on December 20, 1924 from prison and assured that he would continue to get hold of political power but this time only by lawful and constitutional ways or means.

The Nazi Party during the May 1928 German elections only gained an overall vote of 2.63 of 810,127 votes. Because of these results, Adolf Hitler was determined to spread the goals of their party to the German people. He felt that the Germans werent fully aware of their partys objectives and aims. Hitler wrote his second book in order to lay out the word of the Nazi party. By the end of that year, the Nazi party has about 130,000 members and the following year, the Nazi party had a representative to the Presidential elections by the name of Erich Ludendorff. Ludendorff got 1.1 of the total votes or 280,000 total votes. He was the lone aspirant to gain fewer than a million votes. The street fights grew extremely brutal and violent. After the Rotfront (Communist party) interrupted Hitlers speech the SA (Storm battalion or division) went into the streets and executed two spectators. The SA on August 25, 1928, crashed a Rotfront gathering, as the tension between the two groups continued to heat up. The battle between the two went on for the following years resulting to more political violence and deaths.
The Nazi party had never been a power player in Germanys election as they were only the 9th smallest party before the Great Depression hit the country in 1930. The new Chancellor then, Heinrich Brning, coming from the Roman Catholic Centre Party, slowly but surely lost the majority in the parliament, thus the Brning administration needed to use the presidents emergency decrees. A premature election in September 1930 paved the way for the Nazi party to garner 18 of the vote equivalent to 108 seats in the parliament, making them second to the largest party in the chamber.

Hitler meant to run as president in the scheduled elections against President Pal Von Hindenburg, only with one problem. Hitler was Austrian born and still had not acquired German citizenship, not until the 25th of February as the interior minister of the Brunswick appointed Hitler as administrator for the states delegation making him a citizen of Brunswick. Their effort was not enough to win, but it showed that Hitler is a possible choice in German politics.

The president, after heavy thinking, reluctantly appointed Hitler Chancellor of the coalition government materialized by both NSDAP and DNVP. Still with the appointment of Papen as Vice-Chancellor and other conservative cabinet, the Nazis are contained to their framework. Hitler stopped any attempts by his adversaries to form a majority body in the parliament. Hitler planned to dissolve Reichstag once again and there was a scheduled election for March, but February 27, 1933 came, and the Reichstag building was set ablaze. A Dutch independent communist was the victim to this incident and the government reacted by suspending basic rights, habeas corpus included, to blame the fire to communists. The Nazis maximized their opportunity as campaigns continued, using anti-communist propaganda  paramilitary violence. The NSDAP garnered 43.9 of the votes during Election Day, March 6, to remain the largest party in the nation. But still without having absolute majority, their victory was blemished, as they need to maintain a coalition with the DNVP.

Hitler eagerly met with the newly-elected Reichstag with an act that would give the cabinet (and of course Hitler himself) legislative powers for a period of four years. The Enabling Act would allow deviation from the constitution but only after winning 23 majority in the Reichstag. Thus, the government needed some help of other parties for the votes. The Centre Party would prove to be the deciding element as they carried the Enabling Act. In return, the government guaranteed the Churchs liberty and the existence of the Party, through oral assurances. With this in motion, the Enabling Act was agreed upon by every party except the Social Democrats on March 23rd, and in combination with the Reichstag Fire Decree legally transformed Hitlers government as dictatorship.

Now having both legislative and executive power, Hitler finished off the opposition. The Social Democratic Party, SDP, was marked off illegal and other parties were forced into dissolving. After only less than 4 months, July the 14th, the Nazi Party was declared the only legal party in Germany. All notable opposition to Hitler was one by one murdered. And with the death of the President Pal von Hindenburg, Hitlers cabinet, capitalizing on the moment, passed a law transferring the role and power of the President to Hitler. Although with major inconsistencies with the constitution, and technicality that barred Hitler for making any actions with regards to the Presidency, no one dared to object. With the Presidency finally on his hands, Hitler was now the most powerful man in Germany.

Being the Head of State, Hitler became the Supreme commander of the Armed Forces, and instead of the soldiers and sailors doing the traditional loyalty oath, it turned to an oath of personal loyalty to Hitler. Hitler then forced his War Minister Werner von Blomberg after evidences that his new wife had a criminal past this was prior to removing several positions in the Armed Forces. But to the surprise by many, Hitler, announced that he will be assuming the command of the Armed Forces, taking over Blombergs old post  being the Commander  in  chief of the Armed Forces, giving Hitler the ultimate power in Germany.

Nazi Germany government
Germany was known as the Third Reich or Nazi Germany under the rule and regime of Adolf Hitler together with his Nazi party. This period was from 1933 until 1945. In order to keep up with the political syncretism that fascism practices, the German economy during the Third Reich was a mix of central-planning measures and free market. As soon as the Nazi Germany government began, the most critical matters were looked into and one of those was the rate of national unemployment which stood at about 30 during that time. Dr. Hjalmar Schacht, an economist  President of the Reichsbank as well as Minister of Economics had plans on the economic policies of the country. Schacht has been instrumental with the reindustrialization and redevelopment of the Nazi Germany, lending a hand to Adolf Hitler.

Germany under Hitlers rule had severe state intervention in the economy and enormous rearmament policy. These actions by Hitler and his party nearly resulted to a full employment in Germany during the 1930s period. The real income of Germans dropped by about 25 in 1933 to 1938 and the right to strike, collective bargaining, as well as trade unions were all abolished. Laborers were stripped of their rights to quit. In 1935, the government introduced labor books and it laborers needed the consent of their past employed before getting another job. The government under Hitler also dominated the business and private investment sector. The large companies and those companies that have extreme profit taxes were then became exempted from paying of dues or taxes on profits

By 1937, Schacht was replaced by Hermann Goring as Minister of Economics. Goring proposed a four-year plan for Germany that was said to establish the countrys autonomy for war. This was introduced and suggested to be done within four years by means of fixing prices and wages, restraining foreign importations, stock dividends were also limited to only 6 on book capital, etc. The Nazi Germany deemed that it was important for the strategic goals to be accomplished no matter at what cost just like the economy of the Soviet. Hence, synthetic rubber factories, programmed textile mills, steel mills, etc. were rapidly constructed. The four-year plan by Goring was discussed during Hitler and his foreign policy and military leaders meeting. They were planning about war and when the Second World War began in 1939, the four-year plan was to expiry by 1940. Because of the burdens that Germany took during the war, a war economy was established in Germany. This was spearheaded by Albert Speer as he took over the ministry command of Germanys economics. This war economy of Nazi Germany needed large-scale or extensive employment, and forced laborers were the solution. In order to acquire the number of slaves needed by the Third Reich economy, the Nazis abducted people in about 20 European nations, taking approximately 12 million people. The Nazi government aimed to create an entirely totalitarian state. The totalitarian disposition of the Nazi party was one of its most significant principles. Hitler and the Nazis asserted that all the immense accomplishments in the past that Germany and the German people had were all connected with the beliefs and ideals of National Socialism. Different propagandas recognized the consolidation of the principles, values, and successes of the Nazi regime to their leader, Adolf Hitler. Hitler is deemed to be Germanys intellect and savior.

In order to fully implement a totalitarian state, the Nazi government used acts of aggression and violence against democrats, communists, leftists, Jews, and other minority groups that are in opposition. The Nazi Germany supported the idea of a Greater Germany and considered that the merging of the Germanic individuals into a single state or country was a fundamental pace that will lead to Germanys success. This was the beginning of Hitler and Germanys desire for expansion by conquering long-lost lands and territories with tremendous number of non-German people like parts of Poland and Austria. Hitler and the Nazi decided that the Eastern Europe would be inhabited by the Slavic population and ethnic Germans, who are under the Nazi racial standard, would be taken into the Reich. Population and territories that dont fit the racial benchmark were to be utilized as cheap labor force or they will be deported.

Racism and as well as racialism, were significant features of Hitlers government in the society. The combined ideologies of anti-Communist and anti-Semitism that Hitler used for governing Germany manifested itself through the displacement, imprisonment, and methodical execution of about 11 to 12 million people in the middle of the Second World War. Approximately half of those people massacred were Jews in that historic incident known as the Holocaust. The other casualties of the Nazi government were consisting of social outcasts, communists, political adversaries, religious nonconformists such as Freemasons and Jehovahs witnesses, homosexuals, and freethinkers.

Social policies
Adolf Hitlers regime had the perhaps the most commanding anti-tobacco movement in the world. Hitlers government provided full support on anti-tobacco research and scientists in Germany were able to establish how tobacco smoke could lead to cancer. After the war, the research concerning the threats of tobacco was stopped and it was only in the 1950s and 1960s that these dangers of cigarette smoking were rediscovered by English and American scientists. It was also under Hitlers rule when Germany became the first country to offer a benefit for those suffering from diseases due to asbestos like lung cancer. As it is a work-related illness, people suffering from it were entitled for reparation.

Hitlers health policies were commendable. Mercury and lead were made sure to be removed from products used by consumers. The German women were encouraged to go through regular checkups for breast cancer. Water supplies were also sanitized as part of the public-health campaign of the Nazi government.

On the education sector, Hitlers government focused on culture, geography, population policies, racial biology, and physical fitness. Jewish professors, teachers, and other officials in schools were expelled from the educational system of Germany because of the Anti-Semitic policy. Environmental policies were also implemented such as the Reich Nature Protection Act which aimed to control or restrain air pollution, and manage as well as protect the forests of the country.

Hitlers social welfare programs centered on providing the people opportunities for employment and assuring that a minimum living standard for the Germans is to be implemented. Hitlers administration also produced programs in order to give the people entertainment such as traveling cinemas, festivals and vacation trips. Hitler also established the Hitler Youth Organization and National Labour Service, with both having obligatory or compulsory memberships. Architectural projects were embarked on as well in order to give the German citizens more assistance. The Autobahn was a major project by Hitlers government as it was the first ever freeway system built in the whole world.

The Nazi government was also in support of the wildlife, zoos, and animal rights. Several measures and policies were implemented to make sure their protection as prioritize. Adolf Hitler himself was a strong supporter of animal rights and protection. The government made tremendous efforts in banning the hunting of animals in the country. Although laws were implemented for animal protection, there were loopholes in the enforcement of such laws. The Nazi government was said to have numerous animal experiments during that time and they disbanded quite a few unofficial groups that were advocates of animal protection and environmentalism.

Hitler was against the feminist movement during his regime as he and his administration believed that it was led by Jewish women. The Nazi government encouraged and promoted a patriarchal social order where German women should though of nothing but her husband, children, and home. In Hitlers viewpoint, these women who took important jobs away from the men as the Great Depression were currently felt, resulted in a bad way for the German economy since women were paid lower than what men during those times earned. Hitler was very firm on his opposition against women working and he encouraged them to simply stay at their homes. Hitlers administration made it clear that the womens role during that time were purely to be submissive to men and bear children. Women were also disapproved of by the Nazi government in taking higher education classes. Abortion was considered illegal during Hitlers government and abortionists were given death penalties for their actions. Hitler was also against the use of contraceptives believing that these are violations of womanhood and motherhood.

Early political success and World War II
Hitler was in a dilemma whether he would continue the long Sino-German alliance or create a new alliance with its adversary that time, Japan. Over the 20 years or so that the China had been an ally of the Germans, there had been several interaction between them from the economic, political and even military standpoint. The military was inclined to continuing the alliance they have built over the years with China. Notably, two men who are heavily favoring the relation of China and Germany, Blomberg and Neurath, were dismissed by Hitler by the early 1938. Hitler was backed up by the advice of his Foreign Minister, Joachim von Ribbentrop, to create a new alliance with the more modern and more powerful Japan. When February 1938 came, Hitler denounced the relation with China and announced the German recognition of Manchukuo, Manchuria. Additionally, Hitler announced in the same address to the Reichstag that the country renounce all of its claims to the former colonies in the South East currently held by Japan. Adding to insult, Hitler ordered promptly the halt of any shipment of arms to China, terminating the support of Germany to China with its war against Japan. China responded with also stopping all the Sino-German economic agreements that helped Germany for raw materials such as tungsten in making their arms. Thus, Germany was forced to use its narrow supply of foreign exchange to gather raw materials from the international market.

The British Ambassador Sir Neville Henderson, on behalf of the British government, presented a proposal to Hitler regarding an international consortium to reign over greatly of Africa. The British would even give the leading role in this domination over Africa but only in exchange that Germany would never resort to war for change in the frontiers. Hitler did not want an international consortium to govern that of Central Africa and that he wanted the former German African colonies to be returned to Reich. But actually, Hitler rejected the British offer for he was more interested in Lebensraum in Easter Europe. Additionally, Hitler claimed that it was shameful that Britain would impose such conditions on German conduct in spare of a territory in Africa. It was outrageous in that the British signified German conduct as the price of a piece of Africa. Hitler ended the conversation by telling the British that he would choose to wait 2 decades for the return of former colonies than to accept their offer.  The proposal and the meeting ultimately pushed both sides to dispute.

As Hitler is known to be influential both inside and outside of Germany, he used his charm and pressured Austria into merging their military to enter Vienna on 14 March, 1938. Then, Hitler built up the crisis over the Sudetenland districts of Czechoslovakia, obviously wanting to control the German-speaking district. A one-day conference was held in Munich on 30 September 1938. This was attended by Hitler, Mussolini, Chamberlain and Daladier that would result to the Munich Agreement  giving Hitler his demands by giving control over the Sudetenland districts to Germany. With the ending of the meeting, Chamberlain and Hitler signed a testament to Anglo-German friendship. Hitlers efforts on the European Domination are starting slowly but surely. Hitler even won the TIME Man of the Year for 1938  an evidence of Hitlers lasting international impression and somewhat charm.

Hitler believed that Poland needed to be neutralized or become a satellite state. Primarily the German forces expected Poland to become a satellite state but by March 1939 the demands of the Germans have been declined and rejected by Poland.  Because the Poles refuse to be in cooperation with Hitler, he decided to target Poland and ordered for its destruction. After confirming from a foreign minister that neither France nor Britain would be on Polands side, Hitler ordered a mobilization in opposition to Poland. In August 1939, Hitler proposed a non-aggression pact to which Joseph Stalin accepted. The two leaders had agreed to partition Poland in the pact. Hitler had difficulties thinking of how and when to battle the Western powers and keep the Britain out of way. But his aim to invade Poland remained nonetheless. Hitler postponed the supposed August 25 attack into September 1 when the Anglo-Polish alliance was signed in response to Germanys pact with the Soviet. It was on September 1, 1939 when Germany attacked and invaded Western Poland, and 2 days after, on September 3, Britain and France declared war against Germany. Soviet invaded the other side of Poland (Eastern) on September 17.

After Poland was invaded, Germany also attacked Norway and Denmark. The German forces also invaded France and eventually conquering Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxembourg. Because of Hitlers victories, Italy joined forces with Hitler and on June 22, 1940, France finally surrendered. The war against Britain continued and then Germany continued invading other territories including Greece and Yugoslavia. On June 22, 1941, Hitler and the German forces broke the non-aggression pact and invaded the Soviet Union. In 1943, Mussolini and the Italian forces surrendered and the Soviet Union powerfully forced Hitler and the German forces to retreat.

Death  Legacy
Hitler had an attempted assassination in July 1944 when a bomb was planted in his headquarters. Hitler was able to escape the attempted killing. Adolf Hitler died in April 1945 when he committed suicide. He took his life together with his mistress by cyanide poisoning and gunshot. He did so in order to avoid the Soviet forces that were out to capture him. Adolf Hitler and his Nazi Party may have been regarded as gravely immoral but nonetheless they made history with Nazism. He was indeed a great man who changed Germany in a major way. His personality and skill gave him immeasurable power that gave historical life to Germany.

The most significant motive why America wanted to become an imperial state in the 19th century was for economic benefits. The objects of analysis during the period of geopolitical expansion, imperialism and global engagement were geopolitical culture and the development of foreign policy. Geopolitics was the need for exposing the geopolitics with domination and imperialism. The political imperialism that was initiated during the 19th and the 20th century set pace on things to come in the United States. During this period, most of the countries, America included were embracing the idea of world powers or great powers. One of the leading supporters of this movement in America was Albert Beveridge. He talked about oversees expansion to increase the prosperity of the country. For a country that considered itself God chosen, individuals and societies saw this period as a God sent opportunity to spread Christianity. This was a part of President William McKinleys resolution to retain the Philippines. This is what saw the establishment of many missionaries in other countries. This period saw Americans enjoy freedom, liberty and prosperity. The United States thinkers and political leaders are currently embracing a clear imperialist or neoimperialist mission for the country. This is seen in the mainstream media and their dealing with the foreign affairs. This is evident mostly in the Bushs administration especially on the war on terrorism. In the pursuit of extending what can be seen as the American empire, the leaders of the country are not only going back to the notion of imperialism, but also to the perspective of the notion as advocated for by its 19th century supporters. The idea of imperialism came as a shock to the people and societies in the United States, since they do not want to consider their country as an empire (Skowronek, 1982).  

The American founding fathers were hesitant about executive authority in the country. There was great potential for constitutional extension of presidency. Utilizing this potential, the early heads of state- Washington, Jefferson, Polk and Lincoln expanded the position of presidency in foreign affairs. The main sources of presidential power became wars and threats of war. During the greater part of the 19th century, the presidency remained considerably weak. For most of this period the office was an insignificant institution. However, from the 1890s to the 1920s, the presidential powers went up rapidly. The president became so powerful as the head of state as well as the head of government. He has the executive power to execute the federal law, as well as the power to appoint federal executive, ambassadorial, judicial and regulatory officials. Most of the initiatives of the president of the United States affect the country as well as other outside countries considering the fact that it is world hegemony, for example, the presidential initiatives to intervene in Vietnam, Iraq and other countries. The presidency of the United States has been described as the imperial presidency by many writers. Since the philosophical arguments of Aristotle, it is clear that information alone is not an assurance of political success. What are important are the principles of the political system and definitely those of its policy-makers. This is the reason why the leadership and initiatives of presidents in the United States has had effects on individuals and societies in the country. Taking the example of Bushs decisions to intervene in Iraq, individuals who were sent to war as well as their families were affected. Societies both within and outside the country were also affected. The problem remains that the power of the presidency in the country continues to enable presidents to come up with decisions that have profound effects on individuals and societies (Skowronek, 2002).

The American forefathers were aware of the future needs to change the laws of the land and this was the reason why they created a constitution that could be amended. During the time period of 1877-1920, there were various legislative actions that were followed by amendments to the constitution. Teddy Roosevelt was for example the most notable supporter of the changes with a lot of reforms being carried out during his reign. Some of the crucial changes done during this period were introduction of income tax after the 16th amendment, direct appointment of senators after the 17th amendment, prohibition following the 19th amendment, and suffrage of women following the 19th amendment. All the changes were aimed at boosting democracy in the country by making it possible for the citizenly to govern and avoid political bosses. The governor of California is an example of a supporter of these changes. He initiated initiative, referendum and recall seeing them as positive influences for public involvement. The changes gave Americans more freedom and a voice in how they were to be governed. There was an effect of these changes especially on the middle class. This is because they this class was caught in between big capital and big labor, as a way of taking political action. Many of the states took an initiative of enacting changes that would see the improvement of living and working conditions. This was beneficial to individuals as well as communities. Laws like the child labor laws were made stronger and new ones developed. This provided benefits like rise in age limits, shorter working hours, restriction of night shifts, and requirements for education (Wiebe, 1966).    
The Democratic and Republican parties in the United States have dominated the politics of this country for a very long time. Despite the fact that they trace their roots in the 1800s, there were other parties that enjoyed flashes of fame before they faded away completely. Some of these are political organizations that successfully put their members into power. The first political party in the country was the Federalist Party. This party supported a strong state administration and leaders such as John Adams and Alexander Hamilton. The party declined in the elections of 1800. The forerunner of the current Democratic-Republican Party was the Jeffersonian Republican Party, which supported President Jefferson into power. The forerunner of todays Republican Party was he National Republican Party. There were other parties like the Anti-Masonic Party, the Whig Party, the Liberty Party, the Free-Soil Party, the Know-Nothing Party and the Greenback Party. Different parties in the country played different roles in the politics of the country. Some were beneficial while others oppressed the people of the country, for example the controversial Know-Nothing Party that opposed immigration into the country. However, the country was more democratic as compared to other countries around the world. They elected leaders to office in a democratic way, which was beneficial to the people and communities in the country (Skowronek, 1982).

During the time period of 1877-1920, when people were not satisfied by the actions of leaders and political systems, they came up with citizens founded organizations and movements to counter the political systems and their actions. For example in the year 1877, there was the railroad strike dubbed Americas first national strike. These organizations and movements that were founded by citizens at the local, state and national levels were aimed at addressing various social problems. Some of the issues they were aimed at addressing were alcohol and prostitution, child abuse, railroad and corporate laws, probation, parole, town planning, referendum, party primaries, and direct elections among others. The movements bore fruits despite the fact that some people lost their lives and properties in the process. These movements motivated a lot of reforms that saw the people enjoying their life and working in the country.  The child rights, labor laws, voting rights and other rights and freedoms were introduced as a result improving the lives of individuals as well as the entire society (Wiebe, 1966).    

The colonial America comprised of thirteen colonies from Europe. The colonies were as varied as their cultural and religious background. There were tension and culture clash as each colony tried to chart its own way and acquire more land in the expansive America. For too long the colonial settlers were against each other. Competition between religious groups was rifle and intolerance of other peoples culture was the order of the day. However, there came a time when colonies had to unite for their own good. There were two historical experiences that led to the unity of the American thirteen colonies. One of these was the Great Awakening movement that happened during 1720s through to the 1740s. Most immigrants that settled in the colonial America came seeking a religious freedom. And since the British never imposed the Church of England as the official church on the 13 colonies, religious practices were diverse as the people themselves. The Great Awakening started by Jonathan Edwards and later led by George Whitefield together with other itinerant pastors moved around the continent and across the colonies preaching for a new birth and repentance regardless of ones cultural or religious background (Ciment, 2005). The preachers and their followers were credited with promoting religious tolerance among the diverse religious groups in the different colonies. The revival movement brought a new understanding of the Christian faith that was very much missing which was to be shared by people from the north and south as well as across all races.

French and Indian which occurred between 1754 and 1763 cemented the gains made by the great awakening. While it is notated that most the past colonial wars experienced in North America began in Europe before spreading to the colonies, the French and Indian war was a different one it was started in North America before it spilled over to Europe. Suspicion and cutthroat competition between the colonies was responsible for the war. For example, the French and the British had a long struggle to take control of the Ohio valley and the Great lakes region something said to have been the primary cause of the war (Ciment, 2005). The French and Indian war brought a sense for unity of purpose among the thirteen American colonists under the British Empire to win the war against the French who were viewed as a threat by all other colonists. Unity among Americans was further boosted by this war as people found an opportunity to leave their colonies and move across the larger continent to fight alongside other people from different cultural background but shared the common American interest.

During the war, Americans got the opportunity to be trained by the British officers in readily for the battle, something that did not only bring the colonies together but would later help in the American Revolution. According to Ciment (2005) the war also brought together the colonial legislatures as well as officials into strong cooperation probably for the first time in efforts to pursue the continents military strength. Once the war was over and the French defeated, the colonists together with the British felt a joint a triumphant victory over their common enemy. This strengthened the colonies loyalty to America as their mother land more than before. The end of the war also marked the end of the need for colonial protection of the colonists because the foreign threat had been eliminated.

It was late Saturday evening, Lisa Donath, a teen drug counselor was on her way home from work. She was not feeling well that time and thought it could be due to the blood she donated the other day. While at the station, Lisa fainted and fell right on the trail racks near a couple. Without any delay, the man named Ismael Feneque, a pattern maker, jumped in to rescue her, 20 seconds before the next train arrived. Within such a short time, Ismael was able to rescue Lisa and climb up to save himself. When asked, Ismael said he did not bear any second thoughts about saving Lisa, even if it could have caused his own life. In our everyday life, we encounter many struggles and negative experiences. We hear about rape, murder, robbery, and many different kinds of crime that make us feel pessimistic about people and the world. However, stories of heroism like what Ismael did inspire us to believe that there is still hope in the future, if we only teach our children the right values and virtues they should bear. In view of this, the family, school, and community should contribute to emphasizing good values and virtues among children. In this paper, we discuss the values and virtues that every American youth should imbibe despite coming from different cultural backgrounds.

The structure of American classes nowadays is usually made up of children from different multicultural origins. Hence, multiculturalism presents the challenge to every teacher who intends to teach about American culture and values. Despite coming from different backgrounds, children should possess values and virtues typical of every American youth in order to ensure individual adoptability and sound social structure.

The challenge involves a number of considerations. Among which is the belief in moral relativism that tend to lead the youth to lose moral conviction. Sommers (in Surname of Editor, year) identifies todays youths inability to judge situations with strong moral conviction. Most of them are morally misled, and cannot decide whether something is good or bad. When asked the same question, one interviewee explained that it depends on the person to decide whether what she does is good or bad. This inability to identify good from evil is alarming for there is a better probability that they will do what is wrong more than what is right. For Sommers, this kind of thinking is no better than the philosophy of a sociopath (390). A morally deranged person does things on impulse and not by purpose. In Aristotles (in Surname of Editor, year) Nichomachean Ethics, he emphasizes that our desires should be directed towards a good goal or else it will be empty and in vain (366). He believes that a person who knows right from wrong can likewise identify between physical and higher pleasures. Like Sommers, he supports the idea that there are standards of goodness. People are endowed with the capability to determine what is right and what is wrong based on the outcome of a certain act. Thus, a good deed results in a good outcome, one that is beneficial to those who are concerned.

To develop the ability to distinguish right from wrong, Sommers suggests a great relearning where students will be taught of general rules that would help reform their thoughts towards doing what is good. A great relearning is necessary in order to unlearn and correct wrong notions and behaviors developed in the past. To do this, students should hear a lot of stories and examples of good deeds such as those of Ismael Feneques heroism. Everyday, one of them will be assigned to report an act of heroism they encountered from the news or read from the Internet. This will help them realize that courage or heroism is one of the values that Americans should have. The heroism of American people, especially those who fought in the wars, should be strongly emphasized to similarly motivate students to learn and value freedom.

Krauthammer (in Surname of Editor, year) renders a commentary on recurrent crimes, among which is rape. According to him, the incidence of rape has multiplied over the years from the 1960s. In response to this, teachers should emphasize the importance of respect for life and rights. Mainly, children should learn how to give respect to others, especially to human beings. By exercising respect, people can live harmoniously, Respect for the law, property, and freedom of speech are just some values they need to relearn. In teaching respect, the teacher should allow students to share about their own culture. At the start of every lesson, one student will share practices, traditions, food, etc. which are exclusive to ones culture. This way, students will be exposed to cultural differences, thus promoting respect and acceptance of other peoples individuality.

Another value that students need to develop is honesty. For Aristotle, the wise speak only the truth. In Sommers (in Surname of Editor, year), the author confronts the crucial reality that many of our youth today do not bear the truth. Sad to know, some are doubtful of important historical facts such as the Holocaust and the WWII, where many lives were fought and lost in vain. This sad reality about the youth challenges us again to submit students to a kind of relearning. Teaching history, memorizing facts, and reading about important events in history are certainly not enough to show our youth the truth about the past. What they need is evidence. Therefore, to teach truth students should be made to watch videos and documentaries. These resources should include documentaries on the past including our ancestors, and the present situation of our people and even those who are experiencing hunger or oppression such as those in Somalia or in Tibet. These documentaries would help them realize the truth. After viewing, students should be asked to write reflections based on what they have seen, and these reactions should be processed through discussion in class.

In addition, lessons for teaching honesty and truth should include practical applications. Sommers (Ibid.) emphasize that teaching honesty includes teaching students the importance of decency. In the academic setting, honesty may be exercised by not plagiarizing. Plagiarizing somebodys work demonstrates the loss of honesty and respect for other peoples right. It also results in the loss of human dignity. The students should understand that these values are interconnected, thus neglecting one results in neglect of another.

Related to honesty and respect is the value of patience. The modern trends that we live with nowadays teach us to do things in an instant. Instant coffee, instant meals, and instant income are just some things we enjoy because we escape the need to wait. This results in our inability to wait for the right time before something comes to fruition, or before something is perfectly ripened. It also results in the loss of patience. Many youngsters nowadays have forgotten the value of patience. Thus, they resort to copying or plagiarizing other peoples work, they resort to liposuction instead of exercising, or they try to secure jobs that can make them earn instant cash. In response to the need to redevelop patience, teachers should design activities that require students to do a comprehensive and hands-on project such as conducting research, interviews, or preparing videos and other activities that they would enjoy doing and at the same time allow them to spend time working together as groups. Cooperative learning would teach them the value of patience and hard work.

Heroism, ability to determine right from wrong, respect, honesty and patience are only some American values and virtues that we need to develop among students in order to reform society. Although these values are universal, we accept the fact that there are critics and skeptics who will oppose to teaching them in the classroom. For instance, some may think that heroism cannot apply to most students. However, it should be stressed that values such as heroism can be demonstrated in simple ways. For instance, a simple help to carry a classmates books is an act of heroism. Checking ones own paper can be an exercise of honesty and judging right from wrong. Also, a simple drawing exercise using natural pigments can promote patience among young students. Every teacher should consider that the little things they do and the values they develop in the classroom can do wonders eventually when students set foot in the big world.