Joan of Arc

 

For my important women I chose Saint Joan of Arc. Joan of Arc seemed to be a normal child until the age of thirteen when she began hearing voices in her head telling her to save France, and that is exactly what she did. Her first victory against the English was on May 8, 1429. She gained respect and won more and more battles and began taking pieces of France back from the English. During her last battle she was captured and burned for sorcery and heresy.

 

To tell the truth I was interested in this person because I saw the movie and it was pretty cool to see what she did in a time where women were not thought to be equals. I think it was interesting that she starting hearing voices at the age of thirteen. This is interesting because in today’s society she would have been diagnosed with some sort of mental illness like schizophrenia, but 15^th century she was sent with an army to fight for France. I found it surprising that The Dauphin (the man who let her go with the army in the first place) had not tried to save Joan after she had been captured.

 

Joan of Arc had almost enough criteria for the power of but she did not affect science/technology. Joan affected the government by building Frances government stronger by taking a lot of their land back from the English through battle. She overtime earned France money because they got more land which in turn will raise the government money, and she affected the culture because after she had conquered an area they weren’t under English rule anymore.

 

http://www.angelfire.com/anime2/100import/arc.html

 

 

George Lucas

 

For my living person I chose George Lucas. Lucas was born in Modesto, California and raised on a walnut ranch but then later went to the University of Southern California Film School. George won first prize in the national student film festival, which resulted in his Warner Brother scholarship to observe the filming of Finian’s Rainbow. Lucas directed many popular movies before Star Wars, but that was the movie that made him the most famous.

 

            I was interested in George Lucas because of the Star Wars movies, and all the other movies he made. What is most interesting is that he was born on a walnut farm and became one of the most successful people alive. He has revolutionized the way we see movies today, for the better. It surprised me to learn that he also directed American Graffiti, and The Godfather.

 

            George Lucas changed the economics of movie making and theatre as we know it today. He didn’t really change technology or government so he can’t be a Power of One subject. He did change modern culture though, this is because there are people who love Star Wars, and many movies have been based of Star Wars.

 

http://www.achievement.org/autodoc/page/luc0bio-1

 

 

Anne Frank

 

            Anne Marie Frank was born June 12, 1929. She was born in Frankfurt, Germany. In 1942 Anne and her family went into hiding during the Holocaust, above her dad’s office. They were later found by the Nazis after 25 months of hiding and were put into concentration camps. Her claim to fame was when her diary was found and published in 1947; sadly she did not live to see that day.

 

            What surprised me when learning about Anne is that she hid from the Germans for so long without being captured. Anne Frank interested me because everyone talks about her, and what she went through was a very horrible thing. I wonder if Anne Frank and her family were never captured, if she would have survived in the attic above her father’s office where she stayed for so long.

 

            Anne Frank wouldn’t qualify for the Power of One, because she didn’t affect technology, or government. She did change culture because her diary informed people about the horrors that happened in concentration camps; she also affected economy because a lot of money was made from her diary being published.

 

http://www.angelfire.com/anime2/100import/frank.html 

 

 

 

Benjamin Franklin

 

            For the power of one I chose Benjamin Franklin as my subject. Benjamin Franklin was born on January 17, 1706 in Boston. Benjamin was the tenth of seventeen children. His father, Josiah Franklin, was a soap maker. Abiah Folger was Josiah’s second wife and mother to Benjamin Franklin.

            Franklin was apprenticed as a printer to his brother, James, at age 12. Benjamin wanted to have a better part in the printing business, so he started writing articles under the alias Silence Dogood. Benjamin’s brother was not happy when he found out it was Franklin writing the articles. James later went to jail for his views and Benjamin kept up the printing shop while he was gone, again James was not happy. James started to mess with his brother and even get people to beat him. That’s when Benjamin decided to run away.

            Benjamin Franklin found himself in Philadelphia, were he got work as a printer. He was so good that the governor of Pennsylvania was going to make him a shop, if he went to London to buy different inks and fonts. Franklin went to London only to find that the governor took his promise back. Franklin went back to Philadelphia, and married Deborah Read. Franklin then went on to invent many things such as, the flipper, and Poor Richards Almanac.

 

 

Why I Choose Benjamin Franklin

           

            I chose Benjamin Franklin because he changed to world we live in for the better. I knew that he would be the perfect candidate for the power of one, because he changed almost every part of the world we live in. I was interested in what Benjamin Franklin invented, because he invented a whole lot of stuff.

 

 

 

Initial Argument

 

 

Benjamin Franklin invented many things that we use today. He improved the technology behind the printing press. Educated many people by publishing the Poor Richards Almanac. He invented the first heat-efficient stove. Benjamin Franklin affected economics because he earned a lot of people money and also earns people money today. He affected culture because he helped to abolish slavery and also signed the Constitution.

 

 

 

 

 

Independence Hall Association "Quick Biography of Benjamin Frankilin"

     July 4, 1995

 

Lambert, Tome http://www.localhistories.org/18thcent.html

 

Independence Hall Association "Benjamin Franklin"

      July 4, 1995