The reflections and rantings of one obsessive history student
Catching Elephant is a theme by Andy Taylor
I realize I don’t do Tumblr right. I guess you’re only supposed to post pictures and gifs or something? I also realize that it has been like months since I’ve updated. But I will continue to ramble on here GODDAMN IT! Because I drank a Red Bull that I shouldn’t have! Since I’ve last updated, I believe I have articulated my historical POV and my future historical studies.
For one thing, I have found a mentor (ish) in history. Granted, he can’t officially be my mentor because he is a Chinese history professor (not my focus) but I have really learned a lot from him. I mainly started talking to him to unravel my own family history. Finding out more about what my mother and grandparents experienced in China during the Mao years has become sort of a pet project of mine. I have no idea in what academic sense I could use this information but I’ve already started writing reflections on things I’ve found out. I might put some of it on this blog. Now with my professor, we mainly talk about Chinese politics and he gives me advice on grad school.
Right now I’m mostly focusing on how much I am sucking at this quarter. Mostly because I’m really behind on my reading (like every other quarter). I’m pretty sure I am taking on more than can handle right now and not taking any of it seriously.
For starters, I am in a class on the golden age of Chinese silent film (1920’s-1930’s) wherein we are required to actuallymakeour own film modeled after films made in that time. So therefore it will be shot in black and white, I’ll be wearing a qipao, and the film will follow will touch on the urban/rural divide in China. Plus, my awful and ancient chicken will make a cameo.
In addition to that, I am in a fifteen person discussion course on constitutional history. We meet about once a week for three excruciating (yet oddly exciting) hours of debate on whatever landmark court case we’re studying for the week (this week: M’Cullough vs. Maryland). My professor in this class is probably one of the most well-versed individual on the history of the Supreme Court in the country. This makes this class terrifying. He once asked me to “explain to the class how Marbury vs. Madison made it to the Supreme Court”. Now, I know this answer but it is an extremely complex question that involves talking about the divide between the Adams Administration and the Jefferson Administration and why they didn’t like each other which then gets into me explaining about the Federalists and the Republicans. Then, there’s the whole Judiciary Act of 1789 that you have to go into… Explain Article 13 and what a writ of mandamus is, then go on to talk about how John Marshall forgot to issue Marbury’s confirmation as a justice of the peace (he was NOT a judge), and by that time it’s been 15 minutes and he’s still staring at me like I have more to say. Also, there is only one graded assignment in the class: a 15 page research paper on one of these landmark cases
In addition to all that…. I am considering writing a 15 page research paper on the obsession with Anastasia Romanov following her execution for my class on the history of the USSR. This sounds really interesting to me but where would I find the time?!?!
Anyway, that’s my ramble for the day. Here’s a picture of Joseph Smith since I just watched that Mormon episode of South Park and the song from that episode is stuck in my head….
I made my own Fuck Yeah History Major Heraldic Beast. This happens to be a true story.
The Beginning
Basically, I made this blog as an outlet. I have yet to find someone who is as interested to hear me ramble about history as I am to ramble about it. So I figure, hey the internet is filled with people who like to read about random shit, so I’ll just ramble there and whoever the fuck cares can read this. Also, maybe I can use this blog to put my history classes into perspective (and sort of study). Right now, I am taking a courses on: the formation of the Russian Empire (pre-Soviets), American legal history from the colonial era to the Civil War, and U.S. aggression in Latin America. I’ll mention these classes more often than not.
To start let me just say that I really love talking about history. Sometimes I actually get physically excited about it. Which means that most of my posts will tend to go on and on and on and on… Anyway, let me just give a quick overview of some of my favorite historical things, because I’ll probably mention them a lot. Just to mention, I don’t know too much about African, Asian, Latin American, and European history (yet). But I hope this blog will give me motivation to pursue these fields.
My favorite historical figure: John Brown. I could seriously talk forever about how interesting and complex a character he was. I have also taken it upon myself to learn the words to the song “John Brown’s Body”. I can’t say what I’m more amazed/appalled at, his part in Bleeding Kansas or the siege on Harper’s Ferry (arguably America’s first terrorist attack). I can’t decide if I admire his dedication to his cause or think he’s a homicidal maniac with a God-complex.
Favorite President: this one is sort of tricky, if it were based on their ideologies and actions I would definitely have to say it would be James Madison. Since I have been taking my American Legal history class this quarter, I have grown to admire him more. Especially after reading Federalist Paper #10. I also deeply admire his wife Dolly Madison for everything she did during her husband’s term as president (ex. saving almost every important document in the White House before the British burned Washington). Dolly Madison would definitely be my favorite first lady.
Now on the subject of my favorite president just because he was an all around badass was Theodore Roosevelt. I mean come on, the dude killed half of the Africa exhibit in the Natural History Museum. Theodore Roosevelt has probably done more to preserve America’s natural beauty than any other president. Without him, we wouldn’t have the National Parks Service and Yellowstone (seriously beautiful, go there if you ever have the chance) might just be an oil field by now. However, I do question much of his actions in Latin America and the Philippines. And the whole believing in the White Man’s Burden and everything…. I might have to do a post on old Teddy soon. I just have so much I want to say about him.
Favorite Era: I think some my favorite subjects in U.S. history would regard the anti-government movements of the 70’s (such as the Black Panthers, the Weathermen and the American Indian Movement), the Gilded Age (Tammany Hall, Roscoe Conkling and James Blaine, Stalwarts vs. Half Breeds, and all the awesome post-Civil War drama), and the goings on of Puritanical Massachusetts in the 17th century (Salem Witch trials, Quakers, John Winthop, “for we shall be as a city upon a hill…”).
However, if there is one think that I believe is wholly American and I just LOVE to talk about is MORMONS. They have such a unique and amazing history that is unlike any other mainstream religion. Mormonism is the only religion that can truly call itself American. I will probably dedicate at least one posting to Mormons (It’s topical, I mean, we might have a Mormon president soon - we should know what we’re getting into). I myself, am not an LDS (or FLDS) member, I did go to some Mormon youth things as a kid but most of what I have learned about them has come from either:
- My dad living in Salt Lake City (aka Mormon Mecca). The population is 50% Mormon there and there are LDS churches on every corner.
- The Book of Mormon musical/that South Park episode about Mormons both by the equally Mormon-obsessed duo, Trey Parker and Matt Stone.
- This great Frontline/American Experience episode about the history of Joseph Smith and the Mormon Church. I suggest that anyone who is interested in them and has two hours to kill to watch it. I think it’s free on the PBS website.
Now that I feel like I have rambled about many different topics for a while, I think I should end this post. But I now have about 7 or 8 topics in my mind for my next post. Until then dear Tumblr…
