tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-61487375149184247752024-02-20T15:21:26.438-08:00History Archives @ Staten Island MuseumAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11368808651168793630noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6148737514918424775.post-7427250721612306382013-07-30T06:41:00.000-07:002013-07-30T06:41:23.970-07:00Our Work Thus Far <div>
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Greetings all,</div>
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So it's been a few weeks since my last post and I thought it
would be a good idea to update fans on our progress thus far. I now have the
pleasure of saying we because two new members have joined us in the archives;
Danielle Segall is interning here as part of the Student History Intern for the
Manhattan Borough President and Brandon McNeil, who is here volunteering on his
own time. They are both great additions to the Archives with most of their time
being spent aiding me in our research and developing the next phase of our
project, which I will get to shortly. Part of the enjoyment I get out of this
internship is working alongside colleagues my age that I have the benefit of
teaching and learning from in an environment that is academically conducive.
Guiding them through the collections, showing them features of Staten Island I
learned of only a few weeks ago, and answering their questions helps me to
affirm my passion for history. </div>
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But enough about what motivates me for now; let's get into
how we've been spending our time here. The focus of our project has now shifted
from exhibition entries into lesson plans, and not just ordinary lesson plans;
we intend to make comprehensive lessons for students and teachers that are
accessible online for free. </div>
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The lesson plans themselves are designed with content from
our collections. This includes images, photographs, maps, newspaper articles,
poems, and other primary source material than can be used to enhance the
overall narrative of our lessons. Although it will not be absolutely necessary,
we strongly recommend that these lessons are accompanied by trips to local
museums and cultural institutions such as Tottenville’ s Conference House or
Historic Richmond Town. As any student will confess, it can be boring at times
to learn the history of a topic that bears no connection or relevance to your
life; we seek to change this by exposing students to these excellent
institutions. By immersing students in these topics they will gain more than
the information needed for their exams; they can see how these stories can be
represented physically. </div>
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We have chosen to cover popular topics in American History;
however, our lessons will be viewed through the lens of Staten Island.
Therefore, the Civil War will be characterized by the Island's discourse
throughout the war as well as the contributions of Islanders. This time is
especially controversial for Staten Island as many residents were sympathetic
to the Southern cause, best expressed by the Draft Riots and fierce opposition
to abolitionist sentiments. The Abolitionist movement and particularly the
prominence of certain Islanders to this national cause are often ignored by the
pages of history and that is exactly why we chose to include this as part of
our project.</div>
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We want to create a full depiction of the events in
discussion; that includes narratives and stories from not just the most well-known
names, but from ordinary people who lived on Staten Island and have left
evidence for us to share. In addition, documents and primary sources that do
not make the cut for a specific lesson plan but hold a degree of relevance will
be added to the website for anyone to view if they wish to read or see more
about these topics. For the archives, this is just one of the ways we can share
some of our information with the public without them having to come all the way
here to access our files. There is a wealth of knowledge within our vaults and
it's our responsibility to facilitate people's realization of this diamond in
the rough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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I remember coming across a book in our collections called
<i>Italians - Past and Present </i>and after reading through this book, discovering
that one of the heroes of Italian Unification, Giuseppe Garibaldi, had close
ties to New York and spent time on the Island. During his exile from Italy he
lived with the controversial inventor of the telephone, Antonio Meucci, in the
neighborhood of Clifton; there is a museum dedicated to the lives and achievements
of both of these men on Staten Island. I learned about Garibaldi in my sophomore
year of high school and I recall being captivated by ear of European history; if only
my lesson about Italian Unification came with a visit to the Island's
Garibaldi-Meucci Museum!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That is
the point of our work here; we want students and teachers to see the potential
pool of resources this Island has to offer people of all ages. Museums,
archives, historical societies, and the rest of Staten Island's cultural
institutions should be utilized by educators in order to enrich learning, but
more importantly to<a href="" name="_GoBack"></a> see the connections between this
Island and actual history.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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We have already discussed the paradox surrounding Staten
Island and its history for native Islanders. To realize that some of the names
that resonate throughout the ages -- Verrazano, Meucci, Garibaldi, Curtis,
Vanderbilt, Emerson, Seton --<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and
cement their place in the halls of history relate to Staten Island, is a
substantial discovery that might change a native or foreigner's impressions
about this little place some of us call home. It did for me so the chance to
make this potential opportunity available to the next generation, as well as my
own, is impetus enough for me.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11368808651168793630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6148737514918424775.post-91840771327884307992013-07-11T09:06:00.001-07:002013-07-11T09:07:46.034-07:00Staten Island Skirmish<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<![endif]-->This past week was huge for American History as we
celebrated the 150th anniversary of the Battle at Gettysburg and our annual
Independence Day. I hope your 4th was filled with friends, family, and moments
of revelry under a firework lit sky. If you had lived in Staten Island in 1776 then
your day may have been a little different; you may have felt like you were in
Afghanistan instead New York City's 'forgotten borough.'<br />
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<br /></div>
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After reading Professor Phillip Papas' book, That Ever Loyal
Island, which brilliantly documents Staten Island during the Revolutionary War,
I was surprised to learn our Island’s role during the struggle to found this
country. I knew that Staten Island was known to be pro-English but I had no
idea the extent to which this was true. Once I learned of the circumstances
surrounding this phenomenon, and the reasons the Island’s people favored
English sovereignty, I could not necessarily blame them for their loyalty to
the crown.</div>
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By the time of the Revolution Staten Island was predominately
inhabited by small communities of farmers and their slaves, fishing crews, and
others who lived a similarly agrarian lifestyle. Islanders sold their surplus
goods and produce in regional markets across the Arthur Kill in New Jersey, as
well as in Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens. Although the Island was often
considered to be isolated from the rest of the world, local residents
participated in interstate and international trade. The Island's location and
coastal features made it very accessible to ships coming and going from the
American colonies. It was these same features that also made Staten Island a
key strategic point for military forces wishing to launch an invasion of New
York and by extension, New England as well. </div>
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English commercial policy favored the agrarian lifestyles of
many Islanders and this granted them a degree of comfort. In addition, local
residents retained elements of English culture, best demonstrated by the large
Anglican community of church goers who continued the same religious traditions
as their English forefathers. The lack of partisan and craft professionals, who
were deeply angered by imposing English taxes and governing policy found
throughout the rest of the colonies, set Staten Island apart. These combined
factors led to a deep running Loyalist, pro-English, sentiment to be held on
Staten Island, even as relations between England and her colony grew strained
and open conflict seemed inevitable.</div>
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Once the war started the high commander of the English army,
General William Howe, knew that New York had to be captured so that his army
could move to capture Lake Champlain; with the assistance of the mighty English
Navy, New England could be cut in half, isolated, and forced into submission.
After suffering a humiliating tactical defeat at Boston by Continental forces
under the command of General George Washington, Howe withdrew his army and
planned the next phase of the war, which would bring Staten Island directly
into the fray. In June of 1776, after anchoring near Sandy Hook New Jersey,
English forces entered the New York Bay area and briefly landed in Grave's End Brooklyn,
before they decided that Staten Island had a greater strategic and logistic
advantage</div>
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At this point, Islanders were becoming increasingly
ostracized by independence seeking Whigs and colonists, whose economic boycotts
and mistrustful attitudes towards islanders made them all too willing to accept
English liberation. Upon arrival, English forces quickly removed the few troops
set to guard valuable geographic assets, such as the island's many fresh water
spring; islanders greeted the English with joy and immediately began supplying
them with essential resources such as lumber, livestock, produce, and fish.
Many residents experienced English occupation during the French and Indian War
(1754-1763) and expected to profit handsomely from trade with the English once
again. Some residents hid their Whig, pro-independence views or fled in advance
to parts of New Jersey. However, most islanders choose to stay; as many as 500
men swore an oath of allegiance to the crown and formed a local militia to
protect their home as well as aid their English allies.</div>
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From his launching point in Staten Island, Howe was able to
outmaneuver Washington's defenses in brilliant tactical moves that forced
Continental troops to withdraw while he captured vital strategic waterways
including New York Bay, and the Hudson and East Rivers. Had it not been for the
warm welcome the English received and the failure to properly defend Staten
Island, the English may not have been able to effectively invade and wrestle
control of New York City.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Now here is where it gets ugly. Once they established a base
on Staten Island the English employed spies and other agents to gather
intelligence on nearby towns in New Jersey, which would soon become the targets
of frequent raids. Staten Island and the surrounding area become home to
skirmishes between Loyalists, Whigs, and English forces; guerrilla style warfare
became increasingly common. Small bands of paramilitary fighters, some of whom
a year ago were tending their fields and <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>maintaining amicable relations with their
neighbors, crossed the Arthur Kill from New Jersey to set up ambushes, raid
outposts, ransack local farms and steal supplies, and destroy whatever provisions
could be used by English troops. These sorties produced high numbers of
captives on both sides, who were imprisoned or more commonly sold back for
ransom or exchanged for other prisoners.</div>
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Local residents suffered tremendously from this type of
unconventional warfare. Much of the island's population experienced mistrust
from both patriot and English forces concerned that these locals could be
doubling as spy, providing critical intelligence to their enemies. Staten
Islanders underwent instances of humiliation and violent interrogations because
of their Whig, Tory, or Loyalist views. On many occasions islanders' watched
their families tortured by raiders, who desperately sought supplies that were
hidden or already taken. The waterways surrounding the island saw increased
banditry as partisan, as well as privateers interested in benefiting from the
instability captured ships and looted supplies. By the end of the war, much of
the Island's population wore the scars of war and wished that their English
'liberators' would leave them alone.</div>
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<br /></div>
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This type of combat was not as common amongst the large
European armies that clashed in open fields and plans. Rather, it was known by
colonists to be the way of Native Americans, who were deemed savages for their
dishonorable customs, fought. These very tactics implemented by native tribes were
adopted by patriots to better help them undermine the English's ability to
effectively wage war: necessary provisions were destroyed; soldiers suffered
psychologically from the impacts of this style of fighting; it was nearly
impossible to score a decisive victory against an enemy who fired from cover
and fled before they could be targeted. Had it not been for these ruthless and
cunning tactics, patriot forces may not have been able to eventually defeat the
world's superpower, the English Empire.</div>
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<br /></div>
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I find it particularly ironic that nowadays some of our
military's weapons of mass destruction derive their names from Native American
ones: Tomahawk Cruise Missile, Apache and Blackhawk Helicopters, and a new line
of UAVs (unpiloted aerial vehicles, Grey Hawks, to name a few.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We can take a lesson from history by drawing
connections between the past and the present. Granted technology has changed
warfare significantly but in essence the same tactics American forces struggled
to combat in Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan are the same tactics when
implemented against the English Empire, allowed our descendants to overthrow
their oppressors and establish The United States of America. We rebuke
paramilitary bands of insurgents for conducting this style of warfare abroad
and associate these tactics with 'terrorism,' but they came in handy when we
were the underdogs.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Have we now, like the English, become the empire who can
readily deploy immense military might, yet cannot crush small and effective
groups of cunning insurgents? Read up on the ongoing, escalating Syrian Civil
war to find out more about this unconventional type of combat, which has
increasingly become more conventional. The United Sates isn’t the only nation
that suffers from this paradox; it seems to be a phenomenon experienced by
large empires, from the Romans to the English that face smaller, yet fiercely
determined rebels in distant theaters of war.</div>
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<br /></div>
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See you next time!</div>
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<br /></div>
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Joe the intern </div>
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<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11368808651168793630noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6148737514918424775.post-23160527986798612322013-07-01T09:17:00.004-07:002013-07-01T09:17:52.417-07:00150 Years Later
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-size: 15.0pt;">Friends,
Americans, Countrymen,</span><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 15.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-size: 15.0pt;">Today
makes the 150th anniversary of the first day of conflict at Gettysburg, possibly
the most pivotal battle in our nation's history, I'd like to take a lesson from
the story of Ebenezer Scrooge and reflect on our past, present, and
future. Similar to a Christmas Carol, there are ghosts that our nation must
confront; by doing so, we can gain a clear, hindsight perspective on situations
and events that majority of Americans were once unaware of. Before I begin, I
must clarify that I do not intend to make sweeping generalizations about
the topics and groups mentioned. Rather, I am speaking to threads that
represent majority and minority alike. Nor do I intend to discuss this nation's
history through a wonderful lens that hides some of the unfortunate realities
we have created. My intentions are to show my readers how I've grown to view
our nation, past and present, so that we may remove our distractive blinders
and consider our future. </span><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 15.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-size: 15.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-size: 15.0pt;">For any
great civilization that wishes to preserve its prosperity it is essential to
actively study its history; the hard fought lessons that were once bitterly
learned retain a degree of relevance that cannot be ignored. A
civilization is the living embodiment of its people; they, citizens and
senators alike, constitute society and form government, establishing a social
bond that binds men, women, and fellow human beings to a common identity. An
analysis of the past forces members of that society to acknowledge the current
state of affairs and turn upon their nation with introspective scrutiny that
seeks to rectify wrong, both apparent and covert, and heal wounds caused by
apathy, detachment from the past, and willfully accepted malevolence. Once the
past is remembered and the present is thoroughly examined, it is of extreme importance
for the people to direct their gaze upon the future with the courage to sound
their voices, express their opinions, and take hold of the direction in which
they are headed by casting off the shackles of ignorance. It is crucial that
we, the people, do what is decidedly in the best interests of the people, not
in the interests of those who rule through fear and manipulation, readily
supplying misinformation to turn brother upon brother with hopes of distracting
the masses from their deceitful plots and machinations.</span><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 15.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-size: 15.0pt;">Back to
Gettysburg for a moment - from July 1st to 3rd, the fields, ridges and streets
of a small town in Pennsylvania were set alight by the flames of war in a
desperate struggle that would determine the future of our continent. Both Northern
and Southern soldiers, Unionist and Confederate, answered the call of their
leaders and fixed rifles and bayonets on one another, knowing full well this
matter of life and death had more at stake than of their own individual lives.
It would decidedly lay to rest the issue of which lifestyle had the right to
prosper - that of slavery or of freedom. While northerners rioted in cities and
cried out against forceful drafts, southerners suffered through starvation and
the destruction of their homeland. The same people who had prospered together
in peace endured the horrors of conflict.</span><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 15.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-size: 15.0pt;">Why did
they sacrifice themselves? For what purpose did they kill and die? Was it
freedom, or the right to self-sovereignty? The end of institutional slavery?
I'm sure the answer would vary depending on who was asked, but I imagine that
soldiers would disregard the ideological struggle at hand and present more
basic responses: for their families, homes, and battle brothers. Wether of not
it was realized individually, each man who took to the field those pivotal days
would cast their lives in the name of a future they sought to shape. </span><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 15.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-size: 15.0pt;">150 years
later and the North and South are no longer at war with one another. Instead,
it is a war of a different kind between different groups of people: the
Republican and Democratic parties. Conflict is willfully sought between fellow
countryman instead of comprise and congress. Politically, this nation is
divided so bitterly that is is nearly impossible for polar opposite ideologies
to communicate. This is exacerbated by a media that constantly reminds us
of the divisions between our political groups. Instead of working together, we
are shown by example of our elected officials how to oppose one another, how to
beat your opponents and, if you cannot force your way, either manipulate the
system at whatever cost necessary or turn upon the host itself and inflict
wounds to spite everyone. Instead of changing their beliefs to adhere to the
desires of more people, many political leaders try to eliminate people's
fundamental right to express their will. This is just one example of the
injustice that has been brought into existence and strengthened by ignorance
and manipulation; there are many more that must be treated as such, and thereby
removed from our society. </span><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 15.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-size: 15.0pt;">This
aliment runs deeper than political alignment and, like a cancer, it is
spreading; the seeds of infection have taken root in the heart and poisoned the
mind with it. Increasingly, it is becoming a matter of which group
you or I falls under, liberal or conservative, and that dictates everything
about us. This determines who we vote for, who we agree with, who we converse
and share opinions with. It sheds light on how we see the world, what we desire
from our leaders and how they should shape our future. Almost comedically,
citizens have publicly presented the idea of succession with hopes of inspiring
other dissatisfied Americans to join them; don't take my word for it, a few
minutes on the internet will bring this issue to life. This is a very
dangerous phenomenon that echos the antebellum era with striking similarities.</span><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 15.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-size: 15.0pt;">Having
conflicting beliefs is one thing - natural at that - but to vehemently oppose
your fellow countrymen's beliefs to a point that you threaten treason, is an
entirely different story. The same chords that were ringing out in the prewar
years are resonating once again. I do not think it will come to war, but the
existence of this fierce opposition to change is a problem we must all come to
terms with. How can we walk forward with one leg turned back, trying its
hardest to propel us back where we have been? We cannot effectively govern this
way; we have all seen how partisan politics has brought not only progress, but
prosperity, to a screeching halt. This cannot be. We must learn from our past
mistakes and move forward together, as one nation.</span><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 15.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-size: 15.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-size: 15.0pt;">The
purpose of these words is not to spread gloom and despair but to remind us of
our infinite potential, for both great and terrible things. We must reconcile
ourselves with the reality that we are often detached from, in hopes of
preserving the benevolence this nation has offered humanity.</span><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 15.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-size: 15.0pt;">The United
States of America is a empire just like many that have come before it. Like all
empires, it is subject to growth, stagnation, and decay over the span of its
lifetime. Whether out of indifference or hubris, it is foolish to ignore the
natural progression that pervades all facets of life from the tiniest organism
to the most spectacular social achievement of mankind, the empire. We are
unique in our short history and youthful ambition. Our power and military
prowess is unmatched, our economic development allows for a historically high
standard of living, and the great minds who have played their parts on
history's stage have endlessly stoke the embers of innovation and technological
achievement. Providence has guided our leaders to benefit not just citizens of
this nation, but human beings throughout the world, by striving for peace and
communion with one another.</span><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 15.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-size: 15.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-size: 15.0pt;">150 years later it is time
for all citizens, Republican and Democrat, liberal and conservative alike to
remember what brave men had the courage to fight and die for; a future which
their struggle gave them a role in. Although no one can foresee what is to
come, what is definite is that there will be many pressing challenges for us to
face. How we handle our future will be determined by our ability to
collectively deal with obstacles and changing circumstances, an indicative
factor of our nation's well-being. We, the people of the United States of
America, must come together to settle our differences and move beyond petty
political grievances in order to ensure our prosperity and protect our future.
Let us not forget the past, ignore the present, and shy away from the future
but instead strive towards perfection. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11368808651168793630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6148737514918424775.post-19097250262469233362013-06-22T12:15:00.002-07:002013-06-28T06:42:00.074-07:00This Land was Made for You and Me<div>
Hi everybody,</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
This week I would like to share with you my thoughts on Staten Island's founding and native populations. For all those fact-checking scholars whilst cleaning their hypercritical glasses and preparing their red pens, I'm sorry to disappoint but my focus won't be scholarly debate or precise detail. Rather, I'd like to express a human response to the history that has come to define our collective narrative. <br />
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It is known to many that Manhattan Island was purchased for a few shells, some beads, and maybe a handshake or two; as a native New Yorker, it's hard not to feel a sense of entitlement from being a product of this amazing bargain. No one could have possibly presumed what these five boroughs would have become. I mean, really, who could have predicted that a small island would later be the home of Madison Square Garden, the World Trade Center, and the fine accents that alert people from across the world to the presence of a 'New Yourka.'<br />
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The tale is great and all, but it's not exactly the truth. The shells and beads were added to a later myth surrounding the purchase of Manhattan. While we're on topic, I might as well discuss the fact that the native tribes that 'sold' Manhattan to Peter Minuit, a director of the Dutch West India Company (1626), did not understand the European concept of ownership. To them, land was free and belonged to everyone. Yes, they had a battering system but to these Native groups, land could not be bought, sold, or traded. Historians claim that it is likely that both the Dutch settlers and the native tribesmen departed having a different understanding of the terms of their trade agreement. <br />
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Staten Island was acquired by the Dutch a few years later in 1630 when Michael Pauw received a grant from the same Dutch West India Trading Co. that included the island. However, the Dutch were more concerned with trading, particularly of furs, than with colonizing, so no attempts were made to colonize Staten Island except by independent Dutch settlers. For a while the island belonged to the Native American tribes who inhabited the area but since they did not share the Dutch concept of ownership, they did not own the island. Instead, they made use of its natural resources and migrated seasonally in search of fertile land and prosperous hunting grounds. The natives were known by many names, depending on who is describing them and what language they are speaking, but they are most commonly referred to as the Lenape. They were primarily a hunting based society that adopted agriculture as the centuries progressed. Like many 'primitive' cultures, their religious beliefs reflected their lifestyles and this corresponded to the way they saw themselves in relation to nature and life. <br />
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Could you imagine what it must have been like for Native Americans and Dutch traders to try to explain their interests to one another? The Dutch braved passage across the Atlantic Ocean in search of new lands in order to expand their commercial enterprise, exploit the land's resources, and escape the instability of Europe. They brought with them all their culture had to offer: Christianity, Europe's scientific knowledge, institutional slavery, standardized currency, economics, in addition to language, clothing, weaponry, and customs that must have seem quite strange to the indigenous peoples. The Native Americans did not have language to express, let alone understand, these advanced concepts. I wonder what a conversation between a Native American and a Dutch trader about the recently developed joint stock companies would have sounded like. The Europeans must have had a similar response to groups of tribal people who shared their land, lived in villages and temporary settlements instead of cities, and had virtually no technology or form of currency.</div>
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Is it any wonder that they often misunderstood each other? It doesn't seem surprising that violence erupted in the Americas almost immediately, only to be perpetuated by European settlers and their decedents, the colonists who later became American citizens, throughout the following centuries. The English would wrestle control of the New Netherlands and maintain it as a colony until the American Revolution. It is tragic to admit that Native Americans were dehumanized and treated as a disease that necessitated quarantine and extermination, by fellow human beings; men, women, and children alike were destroyed in the name of expansion and conquest. </div>
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This was the case in the North American Continent and although this was an extreme instance, I think to some extent it serves as a model for European imperialism, from New Amsterdam to Manila.</div>
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I always have a hard time understanding and feeling things that I cannot connect to, and though I am not a Native American, or Dutch for that matter, this topic struck me with a certain interest that I could not explain. Reading up on it some more helped me to get a sense of direction, as well as see the immediate connection between global and regional issues in a time period that I do not always concern myself with. Just like learning about yourself is a good way to understand others, a microcosm may be a helpful way to uncover a macrocosm.<br />
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European items and luxuries were traded in the America's for furs and other products, including raw materials, that Europe did not have. Many were sent back to the continent where they could be sold, traded, or manufactured as items. This was one possibility of many for these desired goods, but the ripple did not end here. The profit received for these goods could have been invested in Amsterdam's stock market, used to fund further trade in America, or even used to purchase African slaves who were being brought to the New World. International trade affected the politics, culture, and economics of European Nations as it fueled the search for new lands and markets. </div>
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Triangular trade has shaped relations between Europe, America, and Africa and influenced the way Europeans interacted with indigenous peoples, setting the tone for centuries to come; these phenomenons have come to define our collective history. I felt compelled to discuss this topic because its too easy to learn about a time or occurrence in history and not realize the affects it has had on one's home and community. Staten Island, as a result of its location, has played a role in this narrative and shares a connection with the a global narrative.<br />
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I hope that makes history seem less simple than before. Think on that a little until next time,<br />
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Joe the intern. <br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11368808651168793630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6148737514918424775.post-52668935089181115292013-06-15T11:27:00.000-07:002013-06-21T11:12:52.917-07:00My Experience with History and HomeHello, my name is Joseph Lipari and over the next 9 weeks I am going to be blogging my experience as an intern at the Staten Island Museum's History Archives department. For all intensive purposes you will come to know me by my less formal title, Joe the Intern.<br />
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In conjunction with Arts Intern, a program of Studio in a School, and the S.I Museum I have been hired as a research associate to aid the current staff in the makings of a top secret and highly classified exhibit set to launch in the not too distant future. I am under strict orders not to reveal anything about the upcoming exhibit...just yet. However, there may or may not be announcements regarding the museum's plans for this ambitious project in the future, so stay reading for possible leaks as the weeks progress!<br />
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I am working under the supervision of the department's archivist, Cara Dellatte. She answers all of my questions and knows the archive's collections like the back of her hand. Being exposed to an assortment of professionals including researchers, academics, authors and historians, and people who are interested in the island, has been amazing.<br />
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My experience with the History Archives so far has been nothing but exciting. You may be wondering "Archives...exciting...really? Don't they just collect things?" and that is a completely normal response to what may sound like the most boring setting. Just a week ago I would have expressed the same thoughts but to my surprise, this well-kept secret is far more stimulating than I could have imagined.<br />
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Now that that's over let's get to why this place is way more interesting and important than it's thought, or thought not to be. <br />
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As a native Staten Islander born and raised I can honestly admit, like many of my fellow youths, that there seems to be nothing particularly special about this little island we call home; it's just another place like many others that usually only stands out for being the punch line of a joke or its frustrating association with the popular television shows, which we will not get into now or ever. We're seen as the forgotten borough; half Jersey and half barely New York. That's not the truth but sometimes that is the unfortunate reality some islanders are faced with. Although local history is appreciated, it's not always celebrated or like the hidden archives, known.<br />
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So I ask you, how is one supposed to have pride in themselves and where they're from if they don't know anything about it? For me, this was the relationship I've had with Staten Island for as long as I can remember. This all changed for me a few days ago.<br />
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Upon entering the archives for the first time I was shocked to see their tremendous collection of items that included maps, manuscripts, letters, newspapers, daguerreotypes, lithographs, photographs, along with some cool objects like beer bottles from home brewed island beer! On my second day at work I tried in vain to copy down a letter written by abolitionist Frederick Douglass, who wrote to a fellow abolitionist and islander, George William Curtis; Curtis High School ring a bell? Let's just say that 19th century script is not easy to read and gives new meaning to the term illegible. But more importantly than struggling with nearly impossible handwriting, I felt for the first time connected to home. The facts and dates are fun and all but seeing actual evidence of the material, cultural, and social history of Staten Island truly makes me value our unique corner of New York. This island has such a rich and fascinating history that is preserved but not made readily known. <br />
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I hope that for all those who read this, you may get a sense of the forgotten history we pass by every day. You never know, maybe the way you see our interesting island will change.<br />
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That's it for me this week. Check for updates every Friday and take a look at the archive's Tumblr page for picture and fun facts! http://statenislandmuseumhistory.tumblr.com/<br />
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See you next week,<br />
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Joe the Intern. <br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11368808651168793630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6148737514918424775.post-34451796682712562812013-03-22T10:52:00.001-07:002013-04-09T13:15:28.986-07:00Coming soonGreetings,<br />
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The Staten Island Museum is happy to launch our new History Archives blog on blogger.com. <br />
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Please visit again as the site continues to grow in the coming weeks.
You can expect to find up-to-date information about our various projects, collections and exhibitions, discussions about the
history of Staten Island and current wildlife and
plant sightings from around the island.<br />
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Have a wonderful day from the History Archives Staff at the Staten Island Museum
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11368808651168793630noreply@blogger.com0