Assignment#2

          Clarissa Harlowe Barton, later known as Clara Barton, was an active woman who changed the world forever with her new innovations in medicine. She was born on Decemeber 25, 1821 in Oxford, Massachusetts to a middle- class family, as the youngest of five children. She was educated as a child by her siblings and parents. As a child, she showed potential, being a very smart young girl who kept her family busy with the many questions she asked. When she was eleven her older brother fell ill and required assisstance. For two years Clara cared for her brother, provivind her with the only medical knowledge she would recieve before she would become a nurse. As an adult, she became a clerk in the

          Clara Barton was a wonderful, caring person who, literally, devoted the majority of her life to helping people recieve the medical attention they need and deserve. She also founded the American Red Cross, the American branch of the International Red Cross. I chose her because I enjoy learning about medicine and because it would be interesting to learn the story behind the Red Cross.

          Clara Barton lived from 1821-1912. In this time she experienced what changed our country forever; the Civil War. On January 1861, Abraham Lincoln, was elected to office as president. This angered the southern sates who feared that Lincoln, being an abolitionist, might do away with slaves, which were very important for the southern economy. They decided to secede, or break away from the United States, and form their own country, which became known as the Confederate States of America. Jefferson Davis was elected as thier president and helped to lead them with their war against the northern states, the Union, who were opposed to slavery. On April 1861, at Fort Sumter, South Carolina, the first shots were fired and the Civil War began. So many new things were used in the Civil War that it is often referred to as the first modern war. Cameras were being used to document the war, a first in history. Telegraphs allowed for better communucation and organization of attacks. Advancements like these allowed for a less primitive, more precise war. All of these new innovations came with consequnces tough; many more casualties. This produced a mass need for hospitals and doctors to care for the wounded and sick. Before the war, hospitals were mainly used for the poor, but after, hospitals were becoming more commonly used. Doctors also became more properly trained to handle the sick and injured. These advancements paved the way for modern day medicine and warfare.          

          Clara Barton's works have impacted on government, economics, culture, and science and technology. An enthusiastic supporter of black and women's rights movements, Barton was often found in her late age working closely with top leaders of these societies. She also developed the forerunner to the modern day P.O.W M.I.A program, run today by the U.S. government and military. Our modern day culture presents a philanthropist as the ideal person. This is partly because the American Red Cross funds different programs to offer to people that need help, and trains the good-hearted volunteers that run them. They have started a cultural trend that being a volunteer is the thing to do, and they are right. Science and technology of medical care has changed greatly throughout the ages, from the large science-fiction, alien looking instruments, to the precise, accurate tools of today. This is because Barton was responsible for rethinking the health system, which was back in a time when hospitals were thought to be only for the poor people and doctors were not properly trained. She influenced economics because now the people are more self-sustaining, as in, people are better fitted to take care of themselves in accidents and give care to others as well. People have recieved the knowledge they need to do this by the American Red Cross, who offers classes to anyone willing to take them.

Patent Office in Washington, D.C. There she would establish a relief program for wonded soldiers, aftere seeing some with her own eyes, and would dedicate her life to helping them. From there her career and her life took off. Her relief program was successful, but that was not enough for her. She wanted to become a nurse to serve the soldiers of the Union during the Civil War. In 1864, she was given the title of 'lady in charge' of the hospitals. She traveled to Camp Parole, Maryland to set up an early variation of the P.O.W M.I.A programs, which are dedicated to bringing the prisoners of war, P.O.W, and the missing in action, M.I.A, back home. In 1881, she created the American Red Cross, a medical program originally devoted to the care of soldiers, which has now become worldwide in providing relief and aid to people all over the world. She resigned from her establishment in 1904 and died on April 12, 1912, at the age of 91.Assignment#1

Bennett, Crystal. "Bullet Wounds and Amputations: Civil War Medical Advancements." Associated Content. Associated Content. 26 Feb 2009. Web.    

          2 Nov 2009.

"Clara Harlowe Barton (1821-1912)." Civil War Nurses. Civil War Medicine. 24 Nov 2006. Web. 2 Nov 2009.

"Clara Barton: Encyclopedia- Clara Barton" Global Oneness. Global Oneness. Web. 2 Nov 2009

Freeman, Joanne. "Time Line of The Civil War, 1861." Civil War Photographs. Civil War Photographs. Web. 2 Nov 2009.

"Maryland Women's Hall of Fame." Maryland Women's Hall of Fame. Maryland State Archives,2001. Web. 3 Nov. 2009

     1.) Simone de Beavoir (1908-1986) was an important female rights activist during the early and mid-1900's. She began her career as a schoolteacher, but in 1943 she moved on to her true calling: a writing career. Her works mostly revolved around her beliefs and opinions. "The Second Sex", one of her most famous treatises, discussed the topic of equality between men and women. The essay became a classic in feminine composition. It surprised me to learn that she put so much effort in her writings to show people her beliefs. She would have been proud to see the accomplishments women have made to gain equality among men. I don't believe that Simone de Beavoir would make a great Power of One subject, for the simple fact that although she made great progress in the world, she did not affect government or technology.

     2.) Rudolph Giuliani (1944- ) was the mayor of New York City during the infamous September 11 attacks that took the world by surprise. Guiliani won praise from all over the world for his guidance and patience he provided for his mournful city during the time of need. I think it is surprising that he did so much for his coping city, but was not widely recognized. To be honest, I never knew who he was until he ran for the presidency in 2008. I don't believe Rudolph Giuliani would make a great Power of One subject because he did not affect any of the four areas.

     3.) Benjamin O. Davis, Jr (1912-2002), was the leader of the famed and revered Tuskegee airman, the first air corps unit to allow african-americans. He sought to end the segregation and discrimination that had become commonplace then. Graduating near the top of his class at West Point, Davis was denied of his dream to fly for his country because of his race. Luckily, President Franklin D. Roosevelt was a man of his word who promised to hold on to every group that had supported him during his reelection. To gain the favor of his black supporters, Davis was promoted to the rank of brigadier general and his dream of african-american pilots fighting for their country was finally realized. He was given the position as the leader of the Tuskegee Airmen. The rest, as they say, is history. This person really interested me because he overcame so much hate against him to do what he believed in.