This unit explores the roles of individuals in history. Individuals' characteristics and how actions impact history. The questions is how and why? What makes a leader, innovator, influencer, and changer in history? And what are the complexity of their role in regards to each other during significant events in history?
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Historical Characterizations: 7th period
What are your opinions of the other individuals in your group? Who did you respect the most? The least? Why? How would you describe yourself based on your actions during the Revolution? Your character? Did your character or others changed over time? Why and how? Due: March 12th
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I, David Crockett, respect Sam Houston the most because he thought it was unfair that that Texas was under Mexico's rule. I respect Santa Anna the least because he refused our freedom and we had to go to war. I would describe myself as brave and a hero/ legend.
ReplyDelete- Leila Sebbar
I, Stephen F. Austin, believe that Sam Houston was a well respected man who, even though he had many faults, was a great general for our army, but I do not believe his choice to let Santa Anna live was the right one. I also do not enjoy the company of Santa Anna because of his view of his power as he was a dictator. Juan Almonte was only one of Santa Anna's lackeys that he mistreated which I do pity him for but because of his devotedness to Santa Anna's cause I have to resent him. Juan Seguin was a good man who followed orders to the letter is something I admire. Jim Bowie and Davy Crockett were two strong and courageous man who both fought to the death at the battle of the Alamo. I believe Sam Houston deserves the most respect and Santa Anna the least because of how the viewed Texans and the amount of mercy each gave, even though they had similar views. I believe my actions in the Texas Revolution were well defined but they were more on the battlefield of words and documents than the battlefield of guns and blood, and my character was very diplomatic during the war because of the amount of time I spent in doing business in Texas, Mexico, and America. My character did change over time because I learned how evil the Mexican government was, which changed me from being only for equality to wanting to have absolute freedom from Mexico, and equality for all. I also learn that the only way to win in the war was to defeat the opponent in the battlefield of guns and blood rather than the one of words and documents.
ReplyDeleteStone Chen
I, Stephen F. Austin, knew Juan Seguin very well. I was great friends with his father, and I respected Juan a great deal as well. We had much the same political views. As for Sam Houston, I respected him as a leader and a commander of the army (I admit I could never accomplish that) but our personalities did not mix well. I did not know Jim Bowie or Davy Crockett very well, but I respected their achievements as great fighters. As for Juan Almonte, I cannot judge him too well although I know he had some of the same conflicts my friend Juan had: to be loyal to Mexico or join the revolution? I cannot degrade him anyway, just because he chose a different path than Juan. Santa Anna I have to say I respected the least. Having met him in person, he did not come across as humble or honest at all. He seemed very arrogant, always putting his own self before his duty to Mexico. He is obviously not a very careful man either; he could have avoided the revolution altogether if he had been more wise in his decisions, and also his poor tactics and carelessness at San Jacinto was the only reason we were able to win the battle.
ReplyDeleteMy character, I have to say, is not strong like that of Sam Houston. I prefer to stay in the background. For example, during the revolution, I went to the United States to plead for aid, basically avoiding the entire war. I do pride myself in my persuasion skills though; often I have served as a sort of diplomat or negotiator for Texas. Many have complimented me on my politeness and honesty; others see that I only wish to be straightforward and achieve peace. They have called me studious as well. I also am fiercely loyal, especially to Texas. For instance, when I began to suffer from poor health, still I worked tirelessly as Secretary of State for Texas. I am called the "Father of Texas" after all.
My character certainly changed as a result of the war, especially from my imprisonment. I came out of there much more bitter and toughened. I suppose we all became a bit more "hard", if that is an accurate way to say it. It is simply because of the revolution; after you experience so much death, bloodshed, anger, and strong emotions in general, you just unconsciously become stronger mentally.
-Megan Shen
I, Juan Almonte, was Santa Anna’s personal assistant. Though at times I did not entirely agree with his actions, I respected him as my commander and worked with him for the good of Mexico. I particularly despise Urrea, the commander who oversaw the Goliad Massacre. Both he and Santa Anna shattered all codes of Mexican honor!
ReplyDeleteI appreciate those who are willing to talk out their differences, rather than immediately leaping for their muskets. Remember, I was a newspaper editor once and continued to be a politician into my later years; words were my primary means of communication. I see myself as a negotiator, rather than a Mexican general. Yes, I commanded troops, but I also discussed with those I battled. I pride myself with stopping quite a bit of unnecessary bloodshed.
I was shocked at the change in Santa Anna over the years. At first it seemed he was dedicated only to the good of Mexico, but he became increasingly power-hungry. Before long it was obvious that he'd become a dictator. I was glad at the news of his exile!
-Tory Songyang
I, James Bowie, respected General Houston as my commander, but I went against his decision to abandon the Alamo. I didn't respect Santa Anna because he was the enemy. During the time of the revolution, I commanded several forces. After some of my family died in the cholera epidemic, I often went out to get drunk.
ReplyDeleteMy opinion of santa Anna is that he is a horrible leader. Although he has a lot of potential and power of becoming a good leader he it for bad instead. As Santa Anna gradually became more and more of a dictator many Texans began to hate him. Even though I respected him the least I still respected Davy Crockett the most. I respected him because of his want for an independant state and that he actually fought for it.
ReplyDeleteI would like to think of myself as a bold, fearless man that fought for independance and the rights of people, even though I had a couple of perks like drinking and slave trading.
I will admit that I really changed during my life (my drinking problem). Let me tell you how I came to this point. During the years of 1833, a cholera epidemic struck Texas. And of course back then I was a sober man. I feared that the disease would get to my family, to my pregnant wife, and children in San Antonio. So I sent them of to Monclova in Mexico. But instead of stricking San Antonio it struck right to Monclova, and killed all my family members. After this horrific event I became a depressed and sad man so, I just began drinking to numb the pain of my loss.
-Ecem SImay Kilic :)
I, Sam Houston, respect Davy Crockett the most because he was very loyal and a man of his word. I have no sympathy and respect for Jim Bowie and Santa Anna. To start with, Jim Bowie was outrageous! He was a scout for me. He would always plead for a higher position and despite the fact that he knew that I wouldn't give it to him, he still pleaded! Outrageous! In the end, he quit being a scout. Santa Anna was a leader too, but not a very noble one. He treated us Texians like slaves. Like he was any greater than us. When I couldn't take it anymore, I, being a leader myself, captured Santa Anna and told him that what he did was enough. I eventually then let him go.
ReplyDeleteI agree much with James "Jim" Bowie--(Ecem Simay Kilic :))
-Amritaa Sreeram
I respected Sam Houston the most. He was a strategic leader which helped Texans win the revolution. I respected Santa Anna the least because he was the cause of the revolution. If he hadn’t started the war, many people wouldn’t have died. It seemed as if Juan Almonte would’ve been a better leader because he probably wouldn’t have started a war. I would describe myself as brave because I fought at the Alamo even though I knew that we were outnumbered greatly, and no help would be coming.
ReplyDelete-Sydney Stafford
(Davy Crockett)
Hmm... this is, indeed, a tricky subject. I'd have to say that I respected Austin and Houston the most. They brought Santa Anna and his entire army (along with me) to their knees... They could have easily chosen to destroy us, gaining the admiration of their comrades and hatred of Mexicans everywhere. However... for some reason nearly entriely unbeknownst to me, he chose to spare Anna and me. It is for this mercy that I will always hold them in my highest regards, whether they be enemies of Mexico or not. I would have to say that hold the least respectfor is either Crockett or Bowie. They completely ignored the commands of their general, Houston, and stayed to fight at the Alamo. Although bravery and love of one's land is something not to be taken for granted, insubordination is also a grave and unacceptable thing. Such a lack of loyalty is repulsive to the Mexican army. I would say that my role was important. I` analysed Texas and discovered that the Texians were planning to rebel, and then I advised Mexico on measures to be taken to foil the rebels' plans. I led the final stand at San Jacinto. Afterward, I went into captivity alongside Santa Anna, whom I acted as a diplomat and translator for. However, a little blemish of mine involving foreign affairs in my later life has caused me to be viewed as a traitor and therefore stripped of all my fame and glory. The only person I can think of wh o changed over time was Seguin, who betrayed Mexico and became a Texian rebel.
ReplyDeleteWarmest regards,
-Juan Almonte (Chaz Neal)
I, Sam Houston, respect Davy Crockett the most. He was a very brave and loyal fighter. He died for Texas at the Battle of the Alamo. I also like Juan Seguin. He was a great captain and took a good part in the victory of the Texas Revolution. I definitely despise Santa Anna and have absolutely no respect for him. He was an evil, selfish dictator and was my main enemy. That man was way too arrogant for my taste. James Bowie is also admirable for his courage and strength, although he did have quite a drinking problem (not that I don't). I am thankful that Texas had a great fighter like him. I cannot respect Juan Almonte for he was Santa Anna's personal assistant. I respect Stephen F. Austin for his bravery when he was in prison for a year.
ReplyDeleteI think I was, indeed, a grand general for Texas. After all, I DID lead my army to victory at the Battle of San Jacinto! However, I should probably work on my drinking problem because some people probably find it hard to be loyal and trust a man who is drunk all the time...
Kobe Ing
I believe that Santa Anna was a terrible dictator who did not know how to govern Mexico and or Texas. If he would just let us live our own life or at least follow the constitution we would probably not be in this mess. But I really respected Stephan F. Austin, he was my partner. Even my father knew he did good so even my father worked with him, for this reason and more such as Santa Anna's leadership deli-ma I worked with Austin in the Texas Revolution.
ReplyDeleteAs for myself, Juan Seguin, I might have abandoned my own country but I did it for the right reasons not for wrong ones. So I beleive I did the right thing by abandoning my own country.
-Minela S.
I am Stephen F. Austin. I respect Davy Crockett the most because he was a brave man who fought for his people. He was paitent, intelligent, and very loyal. I respect Santa Anna the least because he was a cruel, greedy, and unfair man. He sent me to jail for something that wasn't illegal. I didn't even get the chance to protest and defend myself! I would describe myself as a "behind-the-scenes- type of person" because I was never really the type to go to war. I prefered to help in different ways such as going to Washington to help fund the war. I would also describe myself as persuasive because after I made the speech about how we must fight to win peace, the war truely began. I believe I did change over time. I use to be laid back and paitent, but when the war began, I wanted to actually do something effective to help the war. Also, I use to support the Mexicans, but when I realized that their government was in chaos, I became more bitter and no longered supported the Mexicans. I think others became more stubborn and brave because they too also noticed that we needed independence.
ReplyDeleteI tip my hat to James Bowie, who had mighty fine manners and knew how to use ‘em. Mister Bowie was quite the gentleman even though he had a drinking problem. Do you know what he said to his dear sister-in-law, Juana Alsbury, when he suddenly fell ill at the Alamo? “Sister, do not be afraid. I leave you with Col. Travis, Col. Crockett, and other friends. They… will treat you kindly.” For someone who was known to be a drunkard, that was a very courteous thing to say, don’t ya think?
ReplyDeleteOther than being gracious, he was also very compliant when he was told to command the Alamo soldiers with Travis, after he (a bit rudely) intervened with poor Bowie’s orders. I like Travis, but he had no right to try and order the troops one way when Bowie (who was in the position of power) told them to march the other way!
Naturally, I also respect General Houston, but not as much as Bowie because I didn’t spend a lot of time with the fellow. However, being my commander, I admired his battle tactics and wise decisions. He proved to be a wise man who learned a lot along the way.
I would describe myself as a darn good storyteller who enjoyed having fun. I loved to talk too. However, when the situation would call for it, I could sober up and think straight. My chatty self helped comfort people more than once. I’m known as a legend, but that’s only half true. Truth is, I’m just a brave and talkative soldier who loved a good drink and was willing to die for Texas’ freedom. That’s all there is to it. I never killed a bear when I was three and I’m not twice as strong as one either, although it would be to my liking if I was.
A whole lotta people have said a whole lotta things about me over the years that are both true and false, but I’m too lazy to explain whether what they say is right or wrong. I find the mystery and legend behind my life and death mighty fun to listen to, and as a storyteller, I enjoy thinking of it as one big tale you can tell around the fire. Cold, hard facts just aren’t that intrestin to hear. The legend of Davy Crockett is something that you shouldn’t think too hard about. Understand that what people say can sometimes be slighty embellished, but don’t waste your time trying to figure out what is and isn’t.
In the end, I feel like I haven’t changed a bit since the beginning of the revolution. I have always been a tough nut, and my witty tounge has been my loyal companion ever since I was born. The only new skill I came across was how to command a large body of people, and lemme tell ya, it wasn’t easy.
~Davy Crockett
(Tiara Tannugraha)
I, Sam Houston, definitely respect Davy Crockett a great deal. He was a man of honor who always kept his word. He was also very loyal and was a great fighter. He managed to survive a long time at the Alamo even though he had a great disadvantage in the number of troops. He was a strong man and I respect him with all my heart.
ReplyDeleteSanta Anna, on the other hand, is a man whom I have absolutely no respect for. I absolutely despise that man. I admit, I understand his intentions. Since we are both leaders, I understand that we both want power. So, it was natural for him to want all the power he can get but I think that his way of trying to get it was wrong.
-Anushka Madhuvarshi
I, Sam Houston, agree with Amritaa (Sam Houston) that Santa Anna was a terrible leader and also that Davy Crockett was a very respected man. But, I do not agree that James "Jim" Bowie was not a respected fellow. He was my best friend and he may have asked for a higher position but it was perfectly natural for him to do so, regarding the fact that I was his best friend and his drinking partner.
ReplyDelete-Anushka Madhuvarshi
I, Stephen F. Austin respected Sam Houston and, my dear friend, Juan Seguin. I respected Sam Houston because of his sense of: discipline (how everything was kept organized and in order), how he had respect for others, how he completed his civic duties, and he was willing to SACRIFICE. Houston and Austin agreed on several things, although some people may differ that they were enemies or rivals. Houston and Austin were very close friends-some people did not know the extent. The first misunderstanding was in 1833, during the election. When Austin opposed and Houston supported his other friend. Later, Houston quoted that "Col Austin and myself harmonized on MOST subjects". Soon after Cantrell said that "Houston and Austin had developed the beginnings of a good working relationship. And apart from an honest disagreement about how best to secure seperate statehood for Texas, they were supportive of one another and personally friendly". One main thing that both of these great poineers agreed on was what to do with the war (Santa Anna). Austin and Houston agreed that frontal assault was very inapropiate and it would be a bad idea, and that a convention should be held from a government and create a real and strong army, and that a declaration of independence was not ready yet or happened to be immature. And to continue to show how well their relationship was, when Austin passed away in 1836, Houston quoted during a speech in Philidelphia that Stephen F. Austin was the "real father of Texas".
ReplyDeleteAs for Juan Seguin we were really great friends, and had much of the same political views (government). I did not socialize much with Jim Bowie or Davy Crockett but I did not encounter any problems with either one of them. And for Juan Almonte we did not talk much either but he did have some problems which included wether or not he would be considered a "traitor" for joining the revolution or stay with Mexico. The person I respected the least was Santa Anna.
His personality was sickning: he thought of himself higher than what he was. The way he degraded others and talked of harsh words. The thing that had taken me back was that he was very ARROGANT. As far as my character was involved I was a very quiet and pieceful person, so other peoples characteristics and personality over-shawdowed my own. During the time of the revolution I mainly tried to avoid it, although I was busy filling myself with other work to be done. My character as far as my opinions changed during the time of the war and when I was very ill. My opinions changed about Santa Anna after he imprisoned me. I did not think of him as cruel before he imprisoned me until after. I began to feel a little bit of hatred towards this evil man. After the war I became more rough and a little rude and while I was ill I became more soft because I was tired.
-Ryan Williams <333
I, Santa Anna, disagree with the opinions of the Texans, but I respect their courage and determination in battle. Even when the odds were stacked against them, the Alamo being an example, the Texans still fought bravely. I respect General Sam Houston the most because of his humane and generous conduct. After the Battle of San Jacinto, the general showed deep concern for me and protected me from his vengeful soldiers.” I have always remembered with gratitude and appreciation how much I owed to this remarkable man in the darkest moments of my career.” However, I respect the traitorous Juan Seguín the least because he turned on his country during a time of political unrest instead of defending it.
ReplyDeleteThe belief that I was a power-hungry dictator who ruthlessly ruled over Mexico and Texas is a grave misconception. I was only trying to ensure peace and harmony among the Mexican states, but the Texans misunderstood my actions and rebelled. Many people, even my aide, Juan Almonte, who supported me, believed I was changing from a devoted leader to a dictator as the years passed; this is yet another misconception. I admit that I tightened my grip on the colonies over time, but I was merely acting for the good of my country.
I, Santa Anna, feel the utmost hatred and disrespect towards that traitorous dog John Seguin.How dare a valued, happy man like him try to usurp me, the mighty Santa Anna.Honestly, I think no one deserves my respect. I think people should be content.I had an unfortunate character change. My glorious atributes where dashed low when I was chased like a dog at San Jacinto.Not one of those scum changed, in fact they only grew moredetermined as they realized they coundt beat my brilliant strategy.
ReplyDeletepalmer funk
I, Juan Almonte, dislike Santa Anna a little because he was out of conduct. I like Sam Houston and Jim Bowie the most i felt like they respect me. I think most of the people deserve my respect. I am a well respected indvidual not only during the Texas Revolution but throughout Mexican History.I am a well educated man. I am also extremely wealthy.
ReplyDeleteSanta Anna is a vicious animal that has a morbid love of violence and carnage of hundreds of Texan and Mexican innocents. I hold no respect for this man nor any of his followers like Juan Seguin who was one of Anna's lackys and prison buddys. Althoungh someone whom I greatly respect would be Stephen F. Austin who tried to get more resourcess and troops to aid my forces and those of other commanders. David Crockett, another respectable man gave his life at the alamo in defence of it and his honor. Crockett was a noble man who I would fight by in any battle if he were still alive today. James Bowie is inbetween to me because he is not a very honorable man since he kills men with a passion and is a drunk slave trader. My confidence in him has grown since he valiently died at the alamo along with so many others.
ReplyDeleteI Santa Anna believe that Sam Houston is the most respectful man, even though he attacked us when we werent prepared and killed most of my men, he spared my life.
ReplyDeleteI believe that i have changed over my life because in past years i was more into being a dictator than being a mexican president.
-Adam Garcia -(8^I)
I think that Santa Anna is evil and that he is selfish. All he wants is power and he thinks that he is always right about everything. I respect him the least. On the other hand i respect Stephen F. Austin the most, because we are friends and we agree on the same things most of the time. I think my character is good, because i betrayed my own country for what was right and i did not fight for mexico just because they were my home country.
ReplyDeletepeter zdravic