at.oow

I decided to research more about what an at.oow is because I felt as though it would only gain more significance as the book continues. It was really touching that Garvey gave Cole the blanket when it apparently had a great deal of meaning to him and he entrusted it to such a troubled youth. This showed that he has great faith in and hope for Cole.
The idea of an at.oow originated from the Tlingit tribe. An at.oow was a clans most prized possession. It could be any kind of object, story, or song, or even something such as the moon. All of the rights to an object had to be aquired through some sort of ancestor of the tribe.
Cole has a very negative attitude towards everything. It will take quite a bit to turn him around. Fortunately the at.oow that Garvey passed on to him was not destroyed and lost in the fire. I hope that it will continue to gain significance throughout the story.

The Great Collaboration that Turned 13 Colonies into a Nation

The American Revolution was the movement that freed America from British reign. It was the leadership and qualities possessed by a few good men that won the nation and built it from the ground up. The sources used in constructing this essay were Founding Brothers by Joseph Ellis, Merriam Webster’s Online Dictionary, and Th.JeffersonMonticello.com .

The American Revolution began in 1775 and did not truly come to an end until 1783 when John Adams took office as the second president of the United States. These were eight very difficult years for anyone living in the 13 colonies. Britain had more money and a much larger army fighting its battles, but America had something that Britain did not, passion. There were many American leaders that stepped in to defend and help form their country that cared for nothing more than their impending freedom. It was through the ambition, collaboration, and determination of these few men that America became what it still is today.

When considering the American Revolution the first man that must be brought up would be John Adams of Massachusetts. He was really the catalyst for the entire revolution. He and his family resided very close to where the British had been invading. He urged the council repeatedly to declare war and bind the colonies together as one to fight. He cared very strongly for his country. “If revolutionary credentials were the major criteria, Adams was virtually unbeatable. His career, indeed his entire life, was made by the American Revolution; and he, in turn, had made American Independence his lifes project.” (Founding Brothers pg. 164). He eventually became president and turned out to be an admirable leader though he had been rather radical to begin with. “Adams was an inherently erratic character who often lacked control over his own emotional impulses.” (Founding Brothers pg. 214.)

John Adams would have never accomplished anything during his lifetime if it had not been for his wife Abigail and Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania. They helped to keep him grounded and skilled him in the art of dealing with politicians. Franklin himself made both great advances scientifically and for the freedom of his nation. Without Franklin there would have never been a war. He went over to France to try to encourage them to help us with the war. Abigail often provided her husband with advice when it came to political matters. “Adam’s partner in the dance was Abigail, whose political instincts rivaled Madison’s legendary skills and whose knowledge of her husbands emotional makeup surpassed all competitors.” (Founding Brothers)

Perhaps the most memorable man of the time is George Washington and for good reason. He was elected as the first president of the United States and nominated by Adams to be the General of the Army. He was an honest and decent man and kept his soldiers going even while enduring the worst possible living conditions. He marched and fought beside his men and thus led by example. Washington was an extremely modest man that fought only for the good of our country and refused to let the power corrupt him even after being offered the title of “kingship”. He has been considered the father of our country since 1776, which was before we even had a country. The only person that ever came close to taking this title from him was Benjamin Franklin. “The only serious contender for primary was Benjamin Franklin, but just before his death in 1790, Franklin himself acknowledged Washington’s supremacy.” (Founding Brothers)

Washington’s right hand man throughout was Alexander Hamilton. He requested that Hamilton be named second in command of the army and refused to work without him. This caused some trouble for Adams who severely disliked Hamilton. He did not have a distinguished bloodline and so was forever trying to prove himself to the other men and his country. “In part because of his undistinguished origins, Hamilton always seemed compelled to be proving himself.” (Founding Brothers pg. 22). Wherever Hamilton went, drama seemed to follow. When he was not busy making enemies with Adams, he was butting heads with Aaron Burr and this proved to be the death of him. All that can be said for Hamilton was that he was extremely ambitious and did care for his country. “Hamilton tended to regard worldly problems as personal challenges.” (Founding Brothers pg. 22).

Aaron Burr believed Hamilton to be a complete fool. Burr was ambitious and willing to take on and face political challenges. He was gifted with the ability to form and carry out governmental strategies. His bloodline was a lot more pure than Hamilton’s and he was more reserved. “Burr’s overall demeanor seemed subdued, as if the compressed energies of New England were up inside him, waiting for the opportunity to explode.” (Founding Brothers pg. 22). Burr’s political and personal downfall came after killing Hamilton. They had fought for 15 years and finally decided to have a duel to prove superiority at Weehawken. Burr went into the duel determined to show up Hamilton and Hamilton refused to back down because he would look like a fool to all of his superiors and companions. “If Burr went to Weehawken out of frustration, Hamilton went out of a combination of fear and insecurity.” (Founding Brothers pg. 23)

While Hamilton was alive he became fairly close with James Madison. Madison was a very clever man that could talk his way out of virtually anything. It is believed that in the art of speech he ranked similarly to Franklin. He was very difficult to become angry with and could make any man that tried to debate with him on an issue, look like a fool. Madison was a valuable asset to America’s founding.

Madison’s loyalties lied with one man and one man alone; Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson believed that all Americans should have the right to freedom and worked hard to try and achieve that. He was initially, in his earlier years, very close with John and Abigail Adams but turned on them in later years for political interest. Jefferson became the third president of the United States, was the author of the Declaration of Independence, passed the Statute of Religious Freedom in Virginia, and he founded the University of Virginia. He held many leadership positions in his time. He served in the House of Delegates, was the governor of Virginia, chairman of the committee dealing with the government of the western lands, minister to France, Secretary of State, vice-president of the United States (under John Adams), and then the president of the United States. Jefferson did a great deal to serve his country.

All of these men may have had their differences and fought amongst each other, but thankfully their positive attributes outweighed the negative and they became the founders of America. Franklin was a man that possessed great ideas and was always willing to take the risks necessary to see them through. Aaron Burr may have had a real problem with his temper but he had a real passion for his country. Adams may have been a bit radical but it was his radical thoughts that initiated the stand against Britain. Adams listened to Franklin and helped carry out his ideas, kept Hamilton’s ego in check, cooperated with Jefferson, and kept Washington in command, all of which, were key aspects in winning the war against Britain. Madison collaborated well with Jefferson and Hamilton and later became the fourth president of the United States and continued to lead the nation in the right direction. It was Washington’s obvious charisma that kept up the troop’s morale and led them towards the ultimate victory. His modesty worked very well in contrast with Adams personality. Hamilton was ambitious and energetic and worked hard to fight for freedom. Jefferson and Adams may have had their problems but they always cared for one another and Adams is even said to have spoken Jefferson’s name upon his death bed. The men all had their differences in opinion and strategy but in the end it was their collaboration and effort that founded the nation. Without each of their personal ambitions, ideologies, and personality quirks, the British would have conquered what is now a free standing nation.