“A hero is someone who has given his or her life for something bigger than oneself.” - Joseph Campbell. In Georgia in the United States one of the biggest attractions is Stone Mountain. The largest piece of exposed granite in the United states is also home to a carving on its north face. The carving depicts three confederate war heroes Stonewall Jackson, Robert E Lee and Jefferson Davis riding their horses. To some it may feel obvious that these men deserve to be honored but to others it is less clear. All three of these men deserve to be honored as heroes for their bravery and sacrifice. Stonewall Jackson served in the Civil war because his loyalty for his home state of Virginia was stronger than his distaste for war. When the states began to secede Jackson was furthering his teaching career in a university in Virginia. Jackson had hoped that the outcome of the session would be peaceful but when the war began he was ready. Jackson had graduated from the US military academy at west point right before the beginning of the Mexican war. Jackson was shipped out at a Lieutenant for the 1st US artillery. Before long Jackson created a …show more content…
Apparently being a Mexican war hero is a requirement to being craved into the mountain as Robert E Lee fought in the same war as his carvingmates. At the outbreak of the civil war he was appointed Commander in Chief of the Military by Governor John Lector. Lee was tasked with guarding the west side of Virginia. However this proved a difficult task as that end of Virginia was very pro-union. A task which Lee failed. After the Union took the west Lee was pulled to Richmond to assist President Davis with battle strategy. Lee won multiple battles for the confederacy. Though some thought he had too strong a taste for battle and that he fought even when it should have been obvious that he had lost. Robert E Lee fought furiously for his country earning him a right to
General Lee said, to be a good soldier you must love the army, to be a good general you must be prepared to order the death of the thing you love, and therein lies the great trap of soldiering. When you attack you must hold nothing back." Thomas J. Jackson was both a good soldier and a good general. In the Mexican War he fought with all his heart for his country. When the Civil War came, he was a general. He never hesitated to send his men forward. He held nothing back. George McClellan also fought with all his heart for his country in the Mexican War. When the time came to send his men forward in the Civil War, he couldn’t do it. He loved the army to much to order its death.
In order to be a hero, one must be courageous. Some people that are heroes are Susan B. Anthony and Harriet Tubman.
Robert E. Lee once said, “What a cruel thing war is... to fill our hearts with hatred instead of love for our neighbors.” The Mexican war is about to start and Robert E. Lee will play a big part in it. Before and during the Mexican war, Lee will serve under General Winfield Scott, and Scott will have great influence on him (History.com “American Civil”). America had an idea of “Manifest Destiny which was American who believed it was their destiny to spread their culture across the continent to the Pacific. During the Mexican War, Lee proved to be a combat leader, leading to his involvement in the Civil War for the Confederate States of America (Robert Rudolph).
defeat the British in the war, but he did more than that. That is what
In the year of 1824, tempers were flaring and insults were being exchanged as politicians argued over who would be the sixth president of the United States. John Quincy Adams and Andrew Jackson were the two major candidates in the election. However, this would be an election that would be remembered in history for its unique result. Despite being the more popular candidate, Andrew Jackson would not become the president. The presidential election of 1824 is remembered as one of the most controversial elections to have ever occurred in the history of the United States.
An extraordinarily ordinary man, a “democratic autocrat, an urbane savage, an atrocious saint” Andrew Jackson provided the means for Americans to better understand themselves (Parton PBS). Over time the perception of Jackson and his demeanor has been changed. As one historian stated, “at one time, [when they looked at Jackson] they saw the frontiersmen, the poor boy made good, the classic self-made man” (Feller PBS). In modern times, Jackson has become a more unsavoury figure; namely due to his reputation for displacing Native American tribes and repurposing their land for American settlements and communities. Still, the debate over who Andrew Jackson was, or perhaps is, can be described as a contemporary one. Nonetheless, his actions, and vociferous reactions, make Jackson a very divisive figure in American politics. Cogently stated by historian “He is an inescapable American, but of what kind?” (Feller PBS).
This book also helps answer the question of the difference between the world of Washington and Jefferson and the one of Robert E. Lee & Stonewall Jackson. In 1776 Russians were attempting to establish New Russia on the west coast much to the dismay of the Spaniards who had established settlements in what is now California. Slavery was commonplace. Genocide was common place. There is a common belief among Europeans that they are the superior humans in the world and it's their right to subjugate others to their purpose.
The Civil War is often thought of as white northerners and southerners fighting over the freedom of African American’s. African American soldiers would fight on both sides of the war. The eventual acceptance of African American’s and their contributions to the Union Army would be pivotal in the Unions success. African Americans were banned from joining the Union Army in the early part of the Civil War. President Lincoln feared that African Americans in the Army would persuade certain states, such as Missouri, to join the Confederacy. Once African American soldiers could join the Union Army they would contribute to almost every major battle of the Civil War. 180,000 African Americans served in the Union Army in 163 different units, and 9,000 served as seamen in the Union Navy.1 President Lincoln stated, “Without the military help of the black freedmen, the war against the South could not have been won.”2
A cool autumn breeze swept across the campus green on the morning of September 9, 1890, as John Hope ascended the steps of Manning Hall. Inside the chapel students crowded into pews for the annual Convocation ceremony. Former graduates, professors and faculty filled the side aisles. The morning sun cast golden rays on the smooth mahogany floor as John Hope walked to the back row.
After Jackson was done with war he decided he wanted to teach, but didn’t like it at all and that's when he decided he wanted to be a lawyer. He started when he was 17 in North Carolina. On June 1796, Tennessee was separated from North Carolina and became the 16th state. Soon after Jackson became the state's first congressman. A year after he was elected U.S. Senator but was only there for 1 year then he resigned. After he resigned he returned home and served for six years as a judge on the Tennessee Supreme court (Andrew
Shortly after the American Revolution, the United States entered an era of profound economic and social change that was dominated first by the Market Revolution and subsequently by Andrew Jackson’s skillful use of the power of the presidency to crack down on capitalist exploitation. Jackson’s first biographer, James Parton, however, describes the legacy of the seventh President’s administration as one fraught with controversy, “Andrew Jackson was a patriot, and a traitor. He was the greatest of generals, and wholly ignorant of the art of war. He was the most candid of men, and capable of the profoundest dissimulation. He was a democratic autocrat, an urbane savage, an atrocious saint.” Many people argue that Jackson, having turned the federal
To some people Andrew Jackson is remembered as the, metaphorically speaking, “People’s King” and is accused of dictator-like political moves. However, Andrew Jackson was quite the contrary, he was exalted amongst the people for being the new era of democracy: instilling a political revolution, the protection of the American people, and social equality among the masses. Therefore, Andrew Jackson was a precedent of democratic rule in the United States.
In the Black Hills of South Dakota, there is a monument that is dedicated to four of the most influential figures in American history. George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt are names that still to this day trigger thoughts of greatness and awe-inspiring men. All four of these men were presidents of the United States. They each had a signature style or brought a particular ideal the American forefront. George Washington was known as the "father of our country." Thomas Jefferson co-authored the Declaration of Independence. Abraham Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address and the Emancipation Proclamation. Theodore Roosevelt fought for the little man, was known for his brashness, and formed the Rough Riders, a cavalry unit during the Spanish-American War. These men were not only presidents, but more importantly they helped to shape this country and a mountain. This mountain was known as Mount Rushmore and it was located in South Dakota. Just as these men made America what it is today, so is the story as to how a mountain was carved to tell a story about a nation and its independence. This then is more than just a story about the making of a mountain or the history of the Black Hills, but instead the making of a shrine of democracy.
The word "hero" is so often used to describe people who overcome great difficulties and rise to the challenge that is set before them without even considering the overwhelming odds they are up against. In our culture, heroes are glorified in literature and in the media in various shapes and forms. However, I believe that many of the greatest heroes in our society never receive the credit that they deserve, much less fame or publicity. I believe that a hero is simply someone who stands up for what he/she believes in. A person does not have to rush into a burning building and save someone's life to be a hero. Someone who is a true friend can be a hero. A hero is someone who makes a difference in the lives of others simply by his/her presence. In Tim O'Brien's novel, The Things They Carried, the true heroes stand out in my mind as those who were true friends and fought for what they believed in. These men and women faced the atrocities of war on a daily basis, as explained by critic David R. Jarraway's essay, "'Excremental Assault' in Tim O'Brien: Trauma and Recovery in Vietnam War Literature" and by Vietnam Veteran Jim Carter. Yet these characters became heroes not by going to drastic measures to do something that would draw attention to themselves, but by being true to their own beliefs and by making a difference to the people around them.
You also don’t have to kill anyone, conquer foreign land, or risk your life to be a hero. Anyone who influences anyone else by saving or helping save his or her lives is a hero. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. changed the lives of millions of people by bringing justice to minorities. Mahatma Gandhi, one of the greatest heroes, led a nonviolent revolution to free his country.