Post 5 In Class Essay

        This year, we have used movies like 12 Years a Slave, Glory, and Smoke Signals, to gain a deeper insight into events that have occurred in U.S. History. For this project, I elected to watch the movie Argo. Although it is a completely different historical matter than the movies listed above, Argo shares many similarities with them. Like the rest of these movies, Argo is based on primary sources, and utilizes setting and character to focus on one aspect of a much larger ordeal, as Argo focuses on the "Tehran 6" rather than the entire Iran Hostage Crisis. Out of these four "historical movies" it seems that Argo is the most historically accurate, even though it does have its share of inaccuracies as well.

        A review in the New York Times states that, "The Hollywood angle bring lightness and levity into the movie, serving as comic relief that Mr.Affleck uses contrapuntally with the increasingly tense perilous situation in Tehran." In other words this review, which comes from a well established source, is saying that the Hollywood portrayal of this story is not as heavy and serious as the reality. This can partially be blamed on the short story that the screenplay for the movie was adapted from.  The article, "How the CIA Used a fake Sci-Fi Flick to Rescue Americans From Tehran", written by Joshuah Bearman for Wired.com,  takes a fictional approach. Bearman did infact use primary sources such as letters from hostages, journals, CIA files, and interviews with operatives and others involved in the mission to create a well rounded account, but went for a more creative angle to make the story more interesting. His article includes phrases such as, "Suddenly the power was out, and the air was filled with panic, gunshots, and smoke" and, "This seemed worse [than Vietnam]. At least then the US had another guy to talk to". This type of commentary and description was very apparent in the movie itself. 

        In addition the movie having a lighter tone, another noteworthy inaccuracy (which is actually more of an omission), is in regards to the film not having a well rounded view of the events surrounding and leading up to the Iranian Hostage Crisis itself. With research, it became apparent that  there were in fact a lot of tensions and international political chaos that was not necessarily mentioned in the movie. The database, Encyclopedia Britannica discusses how the hostage crisis was the chaotic aftermath of Iran's Islamic revolution and the overthrow of the Pahlavi Monarchy, which affect domestic politics and U.S.- Iran relations greatly. In addition, Mohammed Reza Shah, the deposed Iranian ruler was close to a succession of U.S. administrative, which produced a deep suspicion and hostility amongst Iran's revolutionary leaders. This is what caused the students who were "Following the line of Imam" to orchestrate the capture of the American Embassy. 

       The last inaccuracy that could be found was very minor, and was another omission of detail, that failed to mention that one hostage, Richard I. Queen, 28, NY. Vice Consul, was freed of an illness that was later found to be multiple sclerosis. Also, 13 women and African Americans among the Americans who were seized at the embassy were also released. This information was found amongst the CIA.gov archives which stated the list of casualties and the names of all the hostages. This was most likely not included because it might have taken away from the story line, and the point that was trying to be made was not necessarily to show that the captors had any degree of leniency. 

        Other reviews such as the one from The Guardian, only had good things to say, "An amazing real-life caper straight out of Ripley's Believe It or Not! It tells the true story of some imaginative derring-do on the part of a brilliant and unorthodox CIA agent called Tony Mendez. The film is extraordinary in showing the reality and nail biting moments that surrounded this event." Most historians and reviews of Argo recognized that the script was quite accurate, and the writer of the screenplay actually won the academy award for best adapted screenplay. This can be accredited to all the sources available in the making of this movie, such as Tony Mendez's book which contains his full experience and story of his rescue mission which he lead. Like in the movie, it discusses the capture of the embassy, and the location of the Tehran 6. It also discusses in length the CIA's coverup plan and story, and the details such as the posters made, and the millions spent on creating the fake production company "Studio 6" which was created in 4 days, business cards, and hiring makeup artists as well as esteemed artists such as the man who drew the sketches for Star Wars. 

Argo Movie Project Annotated Works Cited/Bibliography/Links List

A Classic Case of Deception
I used this government data base to read the background information from Tony Mendez regarding the work of the CIA to make the mission possible


How the CIA Used a Fake Sci-Fi-Fi Flick to Rescue Americans from Tehran
I used this article written by Joshuah Bearman for a full account of the story, since it is the article that the screenplay for Argo was adapted from. It helped me remember any details that I overlooked in the movie.

Guardian Movie Review for Argo
I used Peter Bradshaw's critique for notes on the accuracy of the film since he is an esteemed critique of historical films.

New York Times Argo Movie Review
I used this review since it is from the New York times which I thought is a credible source. I took notes from this review on what seemed to be dramatized in the film, and critics perspectives on the movie.

Encyclopedia Britannica Facts and Causes of the Iran Hostage Crisis
I used this data base to gain more information and a better understanding of what actually caused the hostage crisis and the global tensions that were occurring at the time.

Global Affairs Canada: Ken Taylor and the Canadian Caper
This Canadian government data base was used to gain more information about Canada's involvement and their perspective of the events that were occurring, and why they decided to get involved.


Encyclopedia Britannica Canadian Caper, Canadian-Iranian History
I used this database for the article written by Richard Foot and Norman Hillmer  to get a real account about the actual escape, and blackout situation in the airport

Wikipedia Iran Hostage Crisis Negotiations
This was the first site I looked at to start the project, just so I could try to create more questions and ideas to research about the hostage crisis

Jimmy Carter's Presidential Library and Museum Robert C. Ode's diary
Since Jimmy Carter was the president during the crisis, I looked in his presidential database to find primary sources. I found the journal of Robert C. Ode, the oldest American hostage in the embassy who kept a journal once he was allowed by his captors. It is the most accurate insight into what life was like inside the embassy for the hostages.

Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum The Hostage Crisis in Iran
I searched in this data base again for more primary sources and information about the hostage crisis. I got an overview of the situation as well as more information regarding the political struggles, social and economic reforms, as well as information on the global relations and struggles occurring around the crisis.

The above link also supplied me with many other primary source documents linked at the bottom of the page such as "The Hostages and the Casualties", which allowed me to see who died and how they died, people that were released, and names, ages, and diplomatic status of the hostages.

 Another document linked was the "Rescue Mission Report" which was used to gain information on the mission from an analytical point of view, which provided many concrete facts and a realistic view into the mission.

The next primary source was "The Tehran Six"which I read letters regarding the rescue mission that Argo was based on, as well as real time reports and statistics regarding the mission itself.

 The last primary source I got from this data base was named "Select Records at the Jimmy Carter Library Related to the Iran Hostage Crisis"which showed correspondence between Jimmy Carter and Ayatollah Khomeini, and correspondence between U.S. government officials regarding the crisis which gave insight into how the U.S. was actually reacting and what was going on in the government, and their plans and failures.

Excerpts from an Iran Hostage's Diary
I used this site to help sort and clarify what Robert C. Ode was saying in his diary entries to get a better understanding of what life was like for the hostages.


U.S. Department of State Office of the Historian- The Iranian Hostage Crisis
I used the U.S. department of State database to find more information about how the U.S. was handling the Hostage Crisis and other international affairs that were occurring as a result.

Argo Dinner Party Menu

Appetizers:

Kuku Goleh Kalam ( Cauliflower Kuku) : A traditional Iranian appetizer typically served with dinner


Bread and Butter: A meal served to the American hostages, however it was a main course not an appetizer




Main Course:

Kebab : A traditional Iranian dish of skewered lamb or chicken flavored with lemon juice and onion and basted with saffron and butter


Fesenjan: An iconic and traditional Iranian dish that is a pomegranate and walnut stew.


Pigs in a Blanket: One of the few meal choices available to the American Hostages, many were concerned with the meat as pig does not fit into the muslim religion and is not typically available in Iran.




Dessert:

Faloodeh: A rosewater and lime noodle sorbet that is one of the earliest known frozen desserts, dating back to 400 BCE. It is made from vermicelli noodles and a sugary frozen syrup laced with sour flavors like cherries or lime.

Dates: The product of the Date Palm tree, the date fruit are rich in fibers and vitamins and are native to Iran and the middle east in general. Since the captors were students, they lacked the ability to maintain a food supply, so Dates were given to the hostages often as they are inexpensive and abundant. They were eaten very reluctantly and often with disgust and apprehension.


















Drinks: 
Alcohol is prohibited in Iran and the Islamic republic, so all beverages are non-alcoholic. 

Aragh: A very popular flower essence beverage that often contains chia seeds.














Senkanjebin: One of the most famous middle-eastern drinks, also known as a Sherbet or fresh juice with fruit syrup.

Cold tea: Unfortunately, this was the beverage most commonly served to the hostages.

Argo Dinner Party Artifact Exhibit

These are all important artifacts that portray parts of the Iranian Hostage Crisis and Canadian Caper, which the movie Argo was based on. 

These movie posters and business cards were created as protective measures by the CIA team in hopes to provide another level of authenticity towards their mission.

This photo shows Canada and the United States standing side by side, with many individuals in the back talking with each other. The image became popular after the story of the joint effort between the United States and Canada to bring six Americans home, became popular.

       

This image was taken as some of the American hostages were being paraded around the captured embassy compound by their captors.

This article was issued front page in the The New York Times first thing after the return of the hostages became public news. The headline is famously known as it announces the end of one of the longest international hostage situations, but is also playing enormously in the favor of President Reagan and giving his presidency the perfect start.

With the poster of Ayatollah Khomeini amongst the seemingly never ending sea of students, this photo was captured at the perfect time. It shows the start of the Iranian Hostage Crisis as the students literally climb over the fence to seize the compound.

This excerpt from a letter from the Assistant Secretary of State, Harold H. Saunders, to the Secretary State is part of a status update. It gives us insight into the American public’s view on the situation. The letter discusses the the return of the six american hostages, and said that it did provide some hope to the families of the the other 52 hostages still remaining in Iran, however they all remain frustrated.

President Jimmy Carter’s first attempt at negotiating the return of the American Hostages, that would be followed by many other failures.

Argo Movie Project Dinner Invitation

You are cordially invited to a dinner this Friday evening at 6:00

Dinner will begin at 7:00,  following appetizers and drinks 

Cocktail Attire

The guest list has been curated with the evening’s theme of, “Argo 2.0” in mind, in hopes that each of those invited will bring an edit to the movie or authenticity of the story, in regards to their involvement with the affair.

So that you are prepared for the intimacy of the gathering, a guest list is disclosed below. Next to each name is a brief description so that you may become acquainted faster with those that you are not.

Tony Mendez is invited since one else has closer information or more accurate details of the rescue mission. He is the author of The Master of Disguise (novel which Argo was based off), and lead CIA operative on the Argo rescue mission.

Robert C. Ode is invited as he was the oldest American hostage in the Iranian Hostage Crisis. Once allowed by his captors, he kept a journal documenting the ongoings within the embassy walls while he remained a captive for 444 days. Ode can provide a different perspective as he holds the information and first hand experience from inside the embassy, and life as a hostage.

Chris Terrio is invited for his key role in the making of Argo, as the writer of the screenplay. He won the academy award for best adapted screenplay, so his editorial cuts must have been purposeful and tactful, yet interesting to know.

Ben Affleck, the director of Argo, also played the main role of the movie as Tony Mendez. His portrayal of Tony Mendez can only be bettered by Tony Mendez.

Joshuah Bearman is the Author of the Wired Magazine article, "How the CIA Used a Fake Sci-Fi Flick to Rescue Americans from Tehran" which the movie was also based on. He wrote this article with a slightly fictional tone, and when adapted, some of the details may have strayed from authenticity.

Jean Pelletier is the Co-author of the book, "Canadian Caper" as well as the leading journalist on the original story. He was one of the first to find out about the six missing hostages, but refused to make the story public even though it would have been an extreme career changing break. He deserves a lot of gratitude for not exposing the mission, but his novel he later wrote contains more realistic and important details to provide the view of the American public.

Sharon Seymour was the production designer for Argo, was responsible for all the locations and sets the movie was able to be shot on. How she managed to find these locations, and provide such an accurate image would be enlightening to hear, and any inaccuracies in the scenes would be graciously accepted by her.

Former President Jimmy Carter was the United States President throughout the crisis. He struggled greatly to diffuse the situation as it was such a tedious one, but his perspective and voice on his position in the conflict, and his decisions and failures could add another dimension to the script.

Propaganda

I think propaganda can be defined as : An image or a slogan presented to the public by the government to promote a specific idea. 

Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines propaganda as, "ideas, facts, or allegations spread deliberately to further one's cause or to damage an opposing cause; also  :  a public action having such an effect"

Propaganda posters 
The first poster shows a woman with a red cross hat and an arm reaching out holding a young girl, while a glowing red cross floats above a war scene. It say "Our Greatest Mother" and "Join!" in bold font. The glowing around the cross makes me believe this is a type of religious scene, and the message is that if you are a good christian woman and mother, you should join the red cross as a nurse.

The second poster shows a woman dressed in a nurses uniform with a diploma in her hand opening a door with the word "Opportunity" on it, and behind her, there are buildings on fire. The meaning of this is quite literal. The woman is opening the door and stepping into many opportunities and leaving her past behind. She is able to do this because she has a diploma and is a trained nurse, which was accomplished by doing what the text box on the bottom right corner of the poster says, which is enrolling in the advertised school. 

The third poster shows a woman inside a station working a communications center in the middle of the war, and the background is filled with soldiers who are suited up. A YWCA flag is hung up above her work station, and the bottom of the poster has the words " Back our girls over there United Work War Campaign" in bold, and the YWCA logo is drawn again next to it. The YWCA is the Young Women's Christian Association which is the oldest international women's organization that works towards empowerment, leadership, and equal rights for women. The message this poster sends is that women can have a very important job in the center of the war just like the hundreds of  male soldiers on the battle field surrounding her. It is an endorsement poster for the YWCA because it is saying that they are the reason she is able to take part in the war efforts. 

I think that if the government chooses to use tax-dollars for something, that it should not be to convince us of something they believe in. It almost seems like an abuse of power to use other people's money to further your own agenda. The idea of the government using propaganda makes me uncomfortable, because it does not seem very constitutional or American that the people in power are trying to unify everyone's opinion, instead of letting people having their own. 
However, I don't think that during WWI the government had the intent of being un-American, rather they felt it was necessary and used it was a weapon in the war. 

Hawaiian: The Legend of Eddie Aikau

         The film, Hawaiian: The Legend of Eddie Aikau, focuses on the story of a surfer in the mid-20th century, but also provides a more negative perspective on 19th century imperialism. Eddie's family pieces together his story of his powerful connection with the waves, and how he used his success positively. Instead of getting mad at the imperialism that was occurring around him, he just continued to do his thing and helped revive the Hawaiian culture and spirit in the lives of all the people he could reach. 

        His brother speaks about how Eddie and him were not allowed to go to many beaches, since they became private and for the wealthy people, the majority being non-Hawaiin. his brother started crying when he said this and seemed extremely disturbed just thinking about it. This did not stop Eddie or slow him down at all. This experience was not an isolated event at all as many things began to change. Eddie, who was one of the best surfers and ranked very well and often won competitions, soon began having foreign competition such as surfers from Australia that would beat him. According to the Aikau's, the presence of these new surfers became intrusive and unappreciated by many natives. They were described to be rude and boastful as well as talking down on the Hawaiian surfers. This presence strengthened as the competitions and beaches became more commercialized and run by Americans. 

        Even though his family did not, it seemed that Eddie remained unfazed by this. When he was lifeguarding, one of the famous Australian surfers who contributed to the unappreciated presence drowned, and Eddie saved him and started talking to him and others and trying to explain his and his family's point of view, which apparently worked. 

        These were just a few of the encounters that were described, and probably an even smaller fraction of how many the Aikau's experienced daily. Regardless, the point is that this family and definitely most other native Hawaiian's felt like they were being removed and invaded in their own homes, and weren't even able to win some competitions or go to some beaches because of their heritage. This movie represented an accurate idea of what living in the midst of the imperialism must have been like, as it showed how much it affected a family and person. Eddie used the negativity he saw and tried to promote his Hawaiian identity. The story ends on the boat, the Hokolea which Eddie gets on so he can find himself more, but ends up dying which really emphasizes the point of how much his culture mattered to him. 

American imperialism in Hawaii

The Eddie Surf competition

How do you analyze a political cartoon?

What I think:

To analyze a political cartoon, I think you need to closely observe various small details such as facial expressions, words/signs, and body gestures in order to understand the message or point of view the cartoonist was hoping to convey. Most of those details probably relay a bigger idea. 

After reading a guide 

for analyzing political cartoons:

I was right by saying the small details relay a bigger idea. The guide (linked below) says symbolism is one of the first things you should search for.  You should try to focus on one aspect at a time and try to deduce what it is a symbol for. I also learned that exaggeration, labeling, analogy, and irony are the others that you need to observe. The viewer should search for exaggerated features such as overdone and overblown characteristics like facial expressions or enlarged body parts. I was also right by saying that words/signs are important. This guide says cartoonists label things for a reason, and if anything is labeled it has significance. After observing a cartoon for a while you should be ready to decide what the cartoons analogy is, more specifically what event as a whole do you believe it is related to, then you will be able to narrow what the meaning truly is.  To do that, the guide suggest looking for irony in the scene displayed, and then focus on that to decide the author's take on the situation. 

How I will now look at political cartoons:

I will use the method that this guide suggests. To start, I will search for obvious symbolism, and any apparent Irony to try and figure out what situation the cartoon is referring to. Then, to understand the cartoon's analogy fully, I will observe the exaggerated features and any text or labels that are on the cartoon. As the guide suggests, I will ask myself questions such as , "What is the cartoonist’s opinion on this issue?" , "What other opinion can you imagine another person having on this issue?"

Cartoon about the Spanish/American war:

I can see this cartoon is in the unfavorable view of President McKinley in specific. I know this because of the text that says "LET GO OF HIM, MCKINLEY!".  It shows an American trying to hold the President back, which we know since he is hanging under the American Flag. A bald eagle, which is America's national bird is hanging over with his wings spread and talons up, which makes it seem like it is attacking. The bird is hovering above a man lying on the ground, probably dead, and a woman cowering in fear. This message of this is that America is already defeating Spain viciously, but McKinley is trying to really go the extra and unnecessary mile, which seems almost inhumane since they are already dead. We can see this since McKinley has a sword in his hand and looks like he is about to stab a man that is already dead. The bald eagle, McKinley, and the Flag are exaggerated features to emphasize the point that they are greater in the war and should be feared. It makes the fallen soldier and woman look small in comparison, and like the battle is unfair. The American holding the president back is a bold move since it is the president after all, and that they are on the same side, but even he believes that McKinley is going too far. 

Cartoon about the Philippine Conflict:

This cartoon is in favor of America. The large boot stepping on the Philippines (we know due to the label that says "Philippines") is assumed to be American because of the striped pant. This feature is enlarged to show that America is greater and can step all over the Philippines if the please. The small man that is assumed to be Philippine, is trying to unsuccessfully stab the boot which shows that they are defenseless and should give up trying to stop America.  The sign stating the U.S. is taking over is also taller than the man and the trees, which is another way to show that America is bigger and their presence is strong. 

Political Cartoon about American Imperialism

This cartoon is favorable in the view America and president McKinley. I figured that this was president McKinley because he is tall, and his nose and other facial features look like those of McKinley's. This cartoon is trying to say that America is right in trying to obtain Puerto Rico , Cuba, Hawaii, and the Philippines since their current state is disastrous. We get this idea due to the unbehaved and messy babies crawling all over the president. They are acting poorly while pulling hair, and screaming, and as Hawaii is breaking dishes. This is in favor of  McKinley since it shows he its trying to carry the babies despite their actions and appearance, relaying the idea that McKinley is just trying to help these "unruly" countries. 

Civil Rights Act of 1964

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibited: segregation in public places, discrimination of race, color, religion, gender, and nationality in terms of jobs, the use of federal funds for discriminatory programs, as well as the ability to refuse someone service in restaurants, theaters and other public places based on their skin color. Although it is dramatically less, I think some of these behaviors in a way still exist today. Certain groups of people that might wear a head scarf or appear middle eastern are still discriminated against in public areas, such as airports due to the stereotypes that strongly emerged after 9/11. Until this year, it was more of a public perception, but now with the  new presidency it is being acted on with the immigration ban which bans specific ethnic groups from entering the country which I believe can cause people to treat American citizens that belong to those ethnic groups differently. I think that the Immigration ban in a way is a direct violation of the Civil Rights Act since it is enforcing segregation by discriminating against religions and races. Another violation of this act is cases of gender discrimination that are still apparent today, such as women earning less than men in some cases.  I think making men and women's pay equal is a good step to take in order to eradicate any gender discrimination that still exists today. I personally do not believe in an immigration ban, and I think that should be one of the first things to go when looking at Civil Rights violations.


I am excited for the field trip to be able to see the church and the park to see where all of the things we saw in the movie took place. We visited once in 8th grade, but I am hoping this year it sticks with me  since we are knowledgeable of the extent of the situation and hopefully more emotionally aware as well.


Source Link









photo source

QA

       



         From the basic newspapers archive, I found this article from page 13 of the Pittsburgh Press,  December 23,1907. It was given the header "Says New York Has no Slums: Poorest people there prosperous compared with those of :" The article is an interview with a superintend of the Maternity House whose services are in behalf of the women in the Liverpool slums.  I believe Miss Annie Goslings's insight is accurate and very valuable since her whole life was devoted to caring for the woman and children, and connecting with them- similar to an aid worker or a doctor with "Doctors Without Borders" would do today. . Gosling a definite progressive, is a large activist in the act of Prohibition, as she believes alcohol to be a key component in the slums, "While much of the poverty is due to drinking. There also is much of the drinking due to poverty. The men cannot find work and the lot of the woman is so hopeless that drink seems the only relief." (Gosling, Pittsburgh Press).  She believes the Grocer's spirits License act has the most "wicked effects" than any piece of legislation passed as it is, "Increasing force of the drink habit among the lower classes of women in the slums" (Gosling, Pittsburgh Press). The boredom and idleness that the women face  as well as the "deepening poverty plunges" causes these women to fall further and further into drink slavery. However, it is sadly not only adults that are being affected by this, but children as well. One of her patients, a seven year old girl, died of "gin drinker's liver" before she was old enough to even go to school.
        From the beginning of a child's life in the slums, they are immediately in a beyond tragic environment. Part of Gosling's job was helping with child birth and she describes her working conditions and resources as , "One small and indescribable filthy room, a sack in the corner for a bed, an orange box for a table [...] in such a room another child is brought into the world.[...] "The children go barefooted to school in the worst weather we have-that is if they live to school age. Among this class the infant mortality rate is high and growing higher." ( Gosling, Pittsburgh Press).  The infant death rate became so bad that the mayor of Huddersfield, another Progressive, became so disturbed by the high death rate among infants, he offered his own money out. He gave 5$ in American money to each family that had an infant born in the slums that survived 12 months. The death rate did decrease for infants, and the mayor was ruined financially. This further exemplifies the terrible condition because it shows that the 5$ was considered a great amount of money to the women in the slums, and that that small amount helped their babies live for another year. “Many of these women live a lifetime without having 5$ at one time. Without this incentive the baby was given no care; was not worth enough to the poverty stricken father and the gin sodden mother to prompt them to try to keep it alive. In short, it was demonstrated that a child’s life could be saved for a sovereign. Again I say such poverty as this is not known in the United States and I pray never will be known (Gosling, Pittsburgh Press).
This most significant message I got from this article was that people in that time period were unaware of what true poverty is, and what the slums really are. She says the staple people use to determine a slum is the poverty struck area of New York, but she thinks that the poverty struck area in New York is rich and a dream compared to the real slums. Although she believes that alcohol is the main cause of this, and was actively awaiting the Prohibition act, she finishes the interview by saying, "“I sometimes feel as I wind my way out of these terrible slums and see the public house on the corner- the only bright spot in the neighborhood.-that had I only a few pence I, too  probably would spend it for gin to gain a few minutes or hours’  forgetful of my condition.” (Gosling, Pittsburgh Press) because the slums were just that bad.

Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire

The factory was owned by Max Blanck and Isaac Harris, and can be easily termed as a sweat shop. The employees were all immigrant women in their teens and early twenties who were restricted to the little workspace which was mostly taken up by the large sewing machines. There were only two stairways that led to the street and one was kept locked to prevent people from escaping and also  from stealing. If all the workers could have exited down the one fire escape, it would have taken many hours, so a best case scenario was non existent. The danger of the fires were well known but no one cared or worked to fix it due to the very corrupt government and clothing industry. In addition to not placing sprinklers in the building, it seemed that Max and Isaac were guilty of starting the fire in order to collect the insurance money. They paid their workers 15$ a day when they all actually worked for over 12 hours, and when the International  Ladies Garment Workers Union held a strike for shorter hours and better pay they were in the minority of manufactures that did not comply. Instead they paid of government figures to look the other way and even hired corrupted police officer thugs to imprison the women who tried to strike. The fire started in a rag bin, and the attempt to use a hose to put it out was futile when the hose valve could not even open. Some girls threw themselves down empty elevator shafts and others were burned alive when they tried exiting down the stairwell but found out that the door was locked. In total 145 people died from this fire. On April 5 the worker's union set up a march and over 80,000 people attended.even though they were not held accountable for the fire, the massacre did compel the city to start reform measures. 

Progressive Era

1.  I would define progress as the advancement to a goal, or the growth that comes from past failures.

2. 1890-1920 is the time period referred to as the progressive era because it was a time of social activism and political reform across the US.  The achievements of the progressive era  include purifying the government, women's suffrage, prohibition of alcohol, women's suffrage, and families being focused on the idea of a family and education. link

3. All progressive reforms are directed in reforming the government to promote equality.

4.

Essential goals worth striving for/ Necessary changes

• removing corruption
• women's suffrage
• limitations on child labor

Good Goals – not strictly necessary but could really improve life

• family oriented living
• housing conditions
• conserve and protect national resources
• health and safety codes
• prohibition

Strange Goals

Not a good idea

link

The Future

1. Predictions about the future people were making 100 years ago//50 years ago

wired.com

• flying taxis
• routine moon travel 
• transferring knowledge through wires attached to the head
• self-driving cars

upworthy.com

• firefighters will fly around with bat wings
• blimp boats
• domesticate whales and use for transportation
• flying cars
• winged hover cars 
• automated bathrooms
• robot hairdressers
• holographic/video chatting
• mobile society
• automated industry

weurbanist.com

• wild animals are only in zoos
• pre cooked meals and purchases delivered through pneumatic tubes
• zero traffic noise- transit is completely underground 

2.  Most of them should be placed on a "wish-list" since they can make life simpler, but things like robotic hairdressers or knowledge transfer through wires should not. I think that will lead to a wall-e situation where everyone is lazy and immobile. Also wild animals only being in zoos seems more like a prediction of a dystopian future, since that would completely destroy the eco system and natural process of life. 

3. 

Predictions that have come true

• video chatting : facetime, skype
• a mobile society: mobile homes/trailers 
• automated industry: 3d printers, factory farming, technological vegetable farming
• self-driving cars: Tesla and other industries are super close to releasing them
• automated bathrooms : popular in japan, interactive toilets, showers, and towel racks 

Predictions that are still out of reach

• routine moon travel is far too expensive and still risky for the public
• wire knowledge transfer
• flying cars
• underground transit seems highly unlikely and not a desire anymore
• domestic robots in every household

4.  The trend throughout most of these predictions is that they are mostly all technology based. They all seem to anticipate a comfortable world that requires a minuscule amount of human effort since everything is done for them.  

5. I definitely see self-driving electric cars in the future which can mean clean energy, which hopefully will be a trend that we see in all industries. Either way I think the world will continue to advance technologically and socially since so many changes have been made in just the last ten years like legalizing gay-marriage. If the clean energy trend doesn't rapidly spread then I don't think anyone will be able to even breathe. 

robotic hairdresser

transferring information through wires

self driving cars

The 1913 Armory Show and the Creation of a New Age.

           In the New York 69th Regiment Armory on Lexington Avenue, over 1250 works of art from over 300 European and American artists had come together. The 1913 armory show, officially named as The International Exhibition of Modern Art, brought "avant-garde" to America. Without this mind-opening event, the nation would not have experienced the positive impact on urban life that resulted from this spectacle.
         25 American artists united under the Association of American Painters and Sculptors to sponsor the show. Arthur B.Davies, Walt Kuhn, and Elmer MacRae, all esteemed artists of the time, came together as presidents, secretary, and treasurer of this society. It was Arthur's idea to make the space itself out of the ordinary, yet elegant and tasteful, as a wishful reflection of the art. To do so, he converted the large, hollow armory into a labyrinth of rooms by hanging burlap partitions, as well as decorating with flowers, exotic greenery, beautiful lighting, and a band. With the thousands of invited guests, came just as many critics. The art was dragged through the mud as the Cubists were ridiculed, Matisse was trashed, and the ever famous Marcel Duchamp's Nude Descending a Staircase became the immediate laughing stock of the public. The aforementioned artists are highly recognized today, so the show was obviously not a flop. On the contrary, the "cozy art" caused the attendance to grow heavily as it got attention from figures like the Former President Theodore Roosevelt who compared Duchamp's piece to an, "Explosion in a shingle factory, or perhaps my bathroom mat"(NPR). However, as the show approached its peak attendance, the negative reviews and articles were suddenly overpopulated by positivity,"A miracle, a bomb shell, not to be missed",  "The armory show shattered the even complacency of American art"(armoryshow.org).

          With an estimated attendance of over 300,000 people, the impact of the show resounded strongly amongst all types of people. American artists soon adopted the loose forms and vibrant colors of the modern impressionists in the armory such as Cezanne and Matisse. The art of fauvism, a french term derived from the  term"fauves, or wild beasts emerged from exhibition. This was the name given to describe the uncivil nudes and harsh color combinations which could be seen amongst the majority of the art. The acknowledgment and acceptance of this term marked the transition between the old post impressionism, and the new expressionism which was all about breaking the boundaries of impressionism, resulting in the use of flowers, figures, and landscapes with a much more vibrant color palette, and a simpler approach. Jon Quin, a lawyer and art connoisseur was present throughout the exhibition, and was interviewed by the New York times for his esteemed opinion, "One of the most important international exhibitions of contemporary art that has been held in any country in the last quarter of a century [...] but they are alive and vital and we may stay for them that 'they don't know where they're going, but they know they're on the way,' which is not only true of the cubists. But of all art that is living and vital and progressive"(Jon Quinn).  
         To paraphrase Jon Quin, if the show was meant to be anything, it was to be progressive. It was meant to push the nation forward, and grow from the creativity it inspired, "The armory show was intended to shake America out of its lethargy, to revitalize it, make new opportunities for artists, and interest the world" (armory show.org) Overnight, america became a hub and the top market for modern art. The Met paid the highest price for one piece of art, lighting the fuse under galleries all over the nation, reforming the practice of art collection. This one purchase can be accredited to the great art museums we have the privilege of visiting today.  Yes, modern would have eventually made its way to America, however, the Armory show is the reason the public became so intensely involved and aware.
       Along with the public and the artists, the armory show also changed the business of art , "It didn't just influence the artists, it influenced buyers so much over the next 100 years" ( Todd Weyemer, Specialist).  Today at the high society fairs like the Art Basel  and the Venice Biennall, you can still see the product of the Armory Show's provoking headlines in the similar, highly coveted styles of art. The show became "A prototype for contemporary commercial showcases ( Todd Weyemer, Specialist). The centennial anniversary show which took place in 2013 and was much alike to the original with the exception of the center galleries. These showcased a spread of artists that were pre-modernism such as Van Gogh and Courbet- artists who were significantly controversial in their day, but renamed to be masters and classics in 1913 with the arrival of the new controversial work from the Armory show. The purpose of the pre-modernism tribute, surrounded by the modernists of the 1913 show, and currently controversial pieces was to remind the public about the nature of progress, and to illuminate the message of individualism.
        Personally, the idea of individualistic thinking, is the most important gift the Armory Show gave to America. "The importance of the Armory Show lies in the fact that it collected all these strands, arranged them in a grand design, and challenged the public to look"(armoryshow.org). It was a time that all races and genders from around the world could come together, view the art, exchange opinions, generate ideas, and grow as a global community, "between cultural democracy, and an international, free-market economy, allowing the globe to value undifferentiated works in a large market where they could make choices based on individual preferences" (JoAnne Mancinni). While people were coming from all over the world to discuss this work,  the Immigration flow in 1913 was also prominent. New York was becoming a cultural hub with new languages and cultures at every corner, and the gift of individualism to many of these people was a great one. The boldness of the International Exhibition of Modern Art was not only daring, but incredibly different, and proved to be a great success, "Nearly 50,000 have visited the exhibition in the 69th regiment armory the 8 days it has been open. Over 160 works of art have been sold, and the association has entered already into a contract with the Chicago Art Institute [...] Its success in attendance and sales demonstrates something great of the American people,"(Jon Quinn) .
        Today, the amount of art sold from the show is equivalent to over 2 million dollars. To the country, and especially immigrants, the success of the show was a symbol and an encouragement to have confidence in your opinion, try something new, stay creative, and to not be afraid. Creativity and the ability to form new ideas are the source of urbanization, industrialization, and the growth of a nation. Without free thinking and new opinions, ideas can't freely generate, or be built-on, and the world would be in a constant rut. Although the show advanced urbanization, it was also influenced by it. None of it would have been possible without the strong global communication, the transportation for art being imported from around the world, and especially the new media and press which came from the rapidly urbanizing america. The show would not have gotten any attention on its own and been dismissed quickly without the newspapers and press.
       In the end, the 1913 armory show accomplished all of it's goals. It opened minds, and furthered Urban life. It influenced artists to create, inspired people to take the leap and become artists, expanded the global art trade, as well as influencing cultural and societal growth with the sharing of ideas. It transformed the public perceptions of art, and influenced avant-garde thinking in all parts of life. Most importantly, it was a symbol of freedom and individualism to immigrants, and a stepping stone to a greater nation.










Sources

Source 1:

http://www.1913armoryshow.org/index.php/about-us

General overview

Source 2:

http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=950CEFDF1F3AE633A2575AC0A9659C946296D6CF

Primary Source Newspaper article- article about commitee talking about show over dinner

Source 3:

http://www.newsweek.com/2013/09/27/armory-show-100-how-1913-exhibit-changed-art-world-badge-art-238034.html

The impact 100 years later

Source 4:

http://www.npr.org/2013/11/11/243732924/in-1913-a-new-york-armory-filled-with-art-stunned-the-nation

100 years later

Source 5:

http://study.com/academy/lesson/impact-of-the-1913-new-york-armory-show-on-american-artists.html

Fauvism`

Source 6:

http://xroads.virginia.edu/~museum/armory/marketing.html

Immigration

Primary Photo Sources 7-12

                                           

Inside the armory-The setup of the show (source 1)          The 69th regiment armory on Lexington (Source 1)                      Art and Sculpture displays in the show

                                 

https://www.aaa.si.edu/collections/items/detail/armory-show-floor-plan-483                      

https://www.aaa.si.edu/collections/items/detail/association-american-painters-and-sculptors-meeting-minutes-14154

The board of the show