Period 3 Discussion Area
The discussions for Round 1 are closed, but you should post to the same discussion area for the new round of discussions . . . . . . And now, ROUND 2 . . . .
As with the last round of discussion, please adhere to the following guidelines:
FIRST, look over the various topics.
- Pick a topic from the options below (A, B, C, D, E, or F).
SECOND, when you are ready to post:
- Tell us which topic you are addressing.
- Post your response. Proofread your post before you click submit.
- Come back for discussion with others.
ADDITIONALLY? IF you want extra credit:
- Post a response to a classmates post, and/or
- Post a response to another discussion topic, and/or
- Post in the study hall for anything you need or want to help with
TOPIC A – “Stand for something, or you’ll fall for anything.” – Anonymous. Creighton learns about many virtues, some of which are honor, loyalty, honesty, humility. This topic deals with honor and loyalty. In chapter 16, the narrator tells us:
“But now Creighton understood for the first time the truth of the matter: If loyalty really was the most worthy of virtues, then loyalty that was misplaced or misguided must be the most worthless.”
Ask yourself:
- What did Creighton’s father stand for? How can you take the lesson of what Creighton’s father died for and use it to grow?
- What is meant by Creighton’s realization about loyalty? How can you personally use the knowledge Creighton has gained?
- Do you stand for something that you (probably) shouldn’t? Do you stand for anything? How do poeple see what you stand for in your actions?
There are a lot of questions in this thread. Pick one to answer. No matter which one you pick, try to talk about yourself as much as possible.
TOPIC B – What is courage? Throughout the first three sections of the book, Creighton struggles to come to terms with the circumstances surrounding his father’s death. After the ransacking and burning of the print shop, General Arnold speaks to Creighton about courage:
“It’s a far more difficult thing to make up your own mind about what’s right and to act accordingly – to go against the demands of duty when it’s necessary, to take another path when you feel the one you’ve been led down is wrong. That requires real courage.”
Read one or more of the following articles: then post on the topic they present:
- FBI E-Mail Refers to Presidential Order Authorizing Inhumane Interrogation Techniques from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) website.
- TORTURE AT ABU GHRAIB as presented by The New Yorker Magazine online.
- ‘They said this is America . . . if a soldier orders you to take off your clothes, you must obey.’ as presented by Gaurdian Unlimited online.
- The Guilt-Free Soldier: New Science Raises the Specter of a World Without Regret presented by The Village Voice online.
THEN post your thoughts on the topic as presented by the author. Do you agree with the author? Why or Why not?
TOPIC C – A free press. Enemies of the Patriots’ cause felt the need to destroy the place where The Liberty Tree newspaper was printed. In your response for discussion, please address the following questions:
- What do you think this says about the power of the press?
- Can you think of a recent example in which a newspaper became a powerful tool in waging war or impacting world politics?
TOPIC D – He’s a puzzle, a riddle, an enigma! A major character in this novel is Benedict Arnold – who could possibly be one of the most interesting individuals in American History. In real life he was a hero to the Patriots, and was later hated by those same soliders. Read a little about the life of Benedict Arnold at one of the websites below.Use the following links to find information on this hot topic:
- Who Served Here? offered on the U.S. History.Org page on Historic Valley Forge
- The Enigma of Benedict Arnold an archive file of EarlyAmerica.com
- General Benedict Arnold from the National Park Service archives
Then return here to post some comments in response to the following questions:
- What did Benedict Arnold stand for to the Americans?
- What did Benedict Arnold stand for to the British?
TOPIC E – Right is right. Creighton makes a tough decision when he helps break his uncle out of jail. Try to put yourself in Creighton’s shoes.
- Would you have made the same choice?
- What other options did Creighton have, and what did he risk in making those decisions?
TOPIC F – A Duel! A duel becomes a major event in this portion of the novel. One of the most famous duels in American history tragically takes the life of Alexander Hamilton.Read more about the famous Burr-Hamilton duel that took place in 1804 at one of the links below.In your comment for this post, explain why you think that Burr actually shot and killed Hamilton.
- Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr’s Duel at PBS.org
- Aaron Burr Kills Alexander Hamilton in a Duel offered by the National Park Service
- Duel at Dawn at theEyewitness to History website
NOW, go to the discussion areas, and discuss. Remember to be open-minded, honest, kind, and gentle in how you discuss with each other.
- Study Hall – Help others in their academic and/or creative pursuits.
- Period 2 Discussion Area
- Period 3 Discussion Area
- Period 4 Discussion Area
- Period 5 Discussion Area
- Period 6 Discussion Area
Tell us.For Regular Credit you must:
- Which discussion topic are you dealing with: 1, 2, 3, or 4?
- What do you have to say about that?
For EXTRA CREDIT you can:
- Answer extra topic question(s)
- Get into a discussion with other student(s)
#1The setting for this portion of the novel is the city of New Orleans. Since the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, there has been much discussion on the future of this important American city.How do you feel about rebuilding the city of New Orleans? Do you think that the federal government should spend billions of dollars to rebuild the city of New Orleans and protect it from future hurricanes, or should the citizens of New Orleans be asked to pick up and move somewhere else and the city not be rebuilt, or can you think of some other idea?
#2Sophie and Creighton are given a great deal of responsibility in Ben Franklin’s print shop as teenagers. In colonial America many teenagers around the age of 14 or 15 are doing work and taking responsibility for things that today are often associated with adults.Do you think that in American society today we wait too long to treat teenagers as adults? What would be some pros and cons of allowing teenagers in America to have the full rights and responsibilities of adults at the age of 15?
#3The code used by Ben Franklin was possible because it used a book that almost everyone in the colonies was able to access.If you were to write a similar code today, which book would you choose (remember that it should be a book almost everyone has access to or could access). Would you use a certain book if you were only trying to include a certain group of people? In your comment please list the book you would use and why you chose that book.
#4In this portion of the book you have been introduced to Ben Franklin. Ben Franklin was truly one of the most important men in colonial America. The amount of inventions and ideas directly associated with this man is incredible.Here’s what I want you to do:
Step #1 – Check out more about Ben Franklin using the links below.
Step #2 – Pick one of his ideas/inventions that directly impacted you somehow. Tell us the idea you are focused on – describe it briefly – then explain how your life has been directly impacted by it.
Here are the links:
- Ben Franklin – Inventor from the The Franklin Institute
- Franklin Firsts from ThinkQuest
- The Inventions and Scientific Achievements of Benjamin Franklin from About.com
- Ben Franklin – Inventor from the United States Government Printing Office
Hello!! This is Aleeyah’s response to Alec:
(Yes I shall talk in 3rd person or is it 2nd?…)
Anyway, Alec Aleeyah says good job and if she were in Creightons shoes she would do so too. You are right, family does mean alot to her ummm me…oh yeah 3rd person srry. But when you said “The same rule of family applies to friends”. I (ugggh )-:<) Aleeyah doesnt agree with you. That is because sometimes you just have to put family first and make that risk, you know. For example, Bob, his dad, and his friend Inga go hiking. Bobs dad and Inga fall off the cliff and are haning on for dear life. Who would Bob help up first?…his Dad!! Trust me…Aleeyah Alec, now a days friends arent totally worth is at all. They come and go. So, if Aleeyah were Creighton shed just forget Lueitennant Hale save colonel Gower your blood your family! And that is all Aleeyah has to say in respone to Alec.
Very sincerely, Aleeyah
If i was in Creighton’s shoes yes i think i would have done the same thing . An uncle is a uncle and still family you can’t really just leave him there . The other options that Creighton had was to leave his uncle there in the jail and continueing living at Dr.Franklins house. Or brake his uncle out of jail and try to excape. The risk that Creighton made was to risk his life to save his uncle because if the guards were to find Creighton trying to breake the jail cell he would have been hanged . And then he saved his uncle and then he cluaded him upside the head with the pistole . Either way it was going to be dangerous forhim to risk his life .
Round 2: Topic F
I think Aaron Burr shot and killed Alexander Hamilton because their relationship was charged with political rivalry and personal animosity. Their rivalry started when Hamilton said that Burr was an unprincipaled mischievous person. In 1804 Hamilton thwarted(blocked) Burrs attempt to gain re-nomination for vice president as well as his bid to win the governship of New York. Burr then challenged Hamilton to a duel which he accepted. At the duel Alexander Hamilton was shot and killed by Aaron Burr.
Andrew S.
Period 3
Topic #4
Benjamin Franklin was a very intelligent man and a great inventor. He did an experiment on how electricity travels one night; using a key that he tide to the end of a key. From then on he tested on various experiments with electricity and found ways to allow us to use electricity today. I would be helpless with out his inventions to transfer energy. I use electricity to power computers, lights, and even microwaves everyday. Electricity is a very big part of my everyday life.
Topic A
Amen! I mean, first of all, if your loyalty is in the wrong place, then its not loyalty at all, its just worthless banana guts XD. So Creighton’s dad stood for not his country, England, but for what he thought was right, and the Americans commended him for that. Creighton dad “died” for what he thought was the right thing to do, and we should all stand up for ourselves when we think we are right, even when we are not right. Creighton’s loyalty lied with England for a bit, but when he saw, and knew that the Americans were right, he began taking sides with them. A way I can use this is that don’t take the side your friends are on, take the side that you know is right. I don’t think I stand for something that’s not right, even if I did, I’m sure my friends would back me up.
(note, it said pick 1 subtopic, but I liked all of them, so I did a bit of each :D)
Response to Jhane F—-
I do agree with you on that Creighton should have broken his uncle out of jail, but there were some risks. How would he know if he got out dead or alive, or if his uncle would betray him, which he did. It is sort of a lose- lose situation for Creighon.
topic c
the power of the press shows that the patriots are very dependent of the Liberty Tree. This is shown when Franklin is willing to risk his life so that he can save up the print. It’s also shown when Creighton cracks the code of the patriots by using the north american almanac as a key. The almanac shows alot of power. It can secretly display information with out their enemies ( Britain) knowing. Such in year of the hangman it shows important info so that they can get an advantage. no i cant think of any news today that is a pwerful tool for war or impacting politics.
Topic C:
Well, what this demonstrates about the power of the press is that it is, in fact, very powerful. Why else would they waste their time getting rid of it? They sent some of their soldiers to actually take their time – time that could’ve been spent waging an attack on the Patriots – to destroy a small printing shop. Why would they do that? Unless, of course, it had some sway in what the people thought about the cause.
Although I cannot at the moment recall a recent example of when the newspaper has had an effect, I do know that people will believe a lot of things if it is in newsprint. People base a lot of things on what they read there. Votes in politics, opinions about a capital case or crime committed in the country, what they will purchase as consumers, and many other things.
Topic E:
I doubt that I would have made the same choice in saving Gower. Colonel Gower hurt Creighton emotionally and made him feel worthless. He didn’t hold any compassion towards Creighton- his own NEPHEW- and yet he expected him to assist him in a crime that could result in imprisonment and/or hanging? I wouldn’t have stayed for him. Even though the relation and family tie between them is an issue, consider this: Colonel Gower is Creighton’s family just like Creighton is Gower’s family. Did Gower ever hold any respect or compassion towards him? Did he allow him to come with them to escape, when his own capture was a frightening possibility? Did he thank him for getting him out of there? No. Instead, he hurt him, and Creighton was left in New Orleans where he could’ve been arrested for aiding the escape of a prisoner.
His other options were:
o1. Leave Gower behind. He risked being hunted down by Gower and hurt/killed by him for becoming a Patriot and, in result, becoming a so-called “traitor”.
o2. Save Hale, not Gower. The same risks apply as the first one, only Gower may have also harmed Lieutenant Hale because he may have believed that he, too, was involved.
o3. Get rid of Colonel Gower after he helped them escape. He risked being hanged by the English if he ever returned and/or never being able to stay in New Orleans for fear of being arrested.
Response to Daniella M:
I agree that certain things that people do are difficult to look over, even if they are family. When Creighton helped him escape, Gower hit him just because he wanted to come with them. Also, Gower never cared about him. He simply wanted to remain loyal to his King, which left him callous and hard. And he was very bitter towards him and hurt and insulted him on occasion. I doubt Creighton can just forgive him when he’d done never to deserve it.