Reading Reflection

I wouldn't say that reading is my favorite thing to do or that I'm in love with reading. I would say though that reading is important and a major part of life. For me reading is more of a goal requirement than a hobby like for some people. I did like reading more when I was younger. My mom would read to me before I started school so I was interested then. I think it was all the illustrations and bright colors that attracted me to them. But now books changed and became less interesting. The genres I like changes every now and then. I enjoy reading horror, mystery, and action books. When I was in 3rd - 4th grade I read mostly in school because I didn't really like talking to people or being bothered, even though I had friends and people where nice. At home I usually played with my brothers in our backyard. From 5th grade until 7th grade I kind of talked to more people but not to many and lost interest in reading. I only read in school and for homework if I needed to. Now in 8th grade I had a goal to reach. I read a lot in order to reach that goal and found that not every book was so boring or interesting. I became interested in a series, the Tomorrow Series, which was about a war. It was interesting because you could imagine everything and you could almost be the main character. The scenes doesn't just change to something random they connect into the next and are clear. Another book I picked out because it looked interesting by the cover and blurb. This wasn't exactly a series but a continuation of the first book. They were called: "Flux" and "Fixed". These books for me were confusing, boring and I regretted reading them. I couldn't picture almost every scene clearly and it was moving slow then fast. I understand how the character overall was but at the end I didn't understand to much what was going on. I reached my goal some time ago and don't read so much now. But I do give reading a little more of a chance now. It's still not a hobby of mine. Even though not every text is the same its necessary to be able to read every type of text in life. This is what makes reading important. This is also what changed and will keep changing my likes and dislikes of reading.

Writing Reflection

Writing is kind of a challenge for me. It's not that I don't like writing. It's just that it's difficult for me. I find writing difficult because whenever I write I usually tell and don't show what I'm writing about. I like writing when it's free writing or simple because it's not to be checked and it's actually my writing. But when it comes to editing and revising my writing that's what makes it challenging. Actually editing isn't so hard. Revising is what I needed to work on more. I guess I grew as a writer throughout this year. I was told in almost all my writing to work on the same problem. I was told that the details and grammar were good and my writing is organized, but to show not tell and explain so that my writing can be as clear as it can be for the reader. I've tried to work on that and have gotten better, maybe I haven't mastered it but I'm doing better than I did at the beginning of 8th grade.

Reading Reflection

Reading has been a adventure for me throughout my middle school year. In a way, reading has to be part of my life. In the beginning of 8th grade, I didn't like reading at all because I had a low reading level and I didn't understand much books. But, as I keep choosing books randomly, the books started to get more interesting and I started to get more knowledge of The Holocaust because some of the books I randomly choose where about The Holocaust. The Holocaust to me was extremely depressing and painful. Jewish people gets taken from all over the world, for no apparent reason and they all get shipped to this crowded area where Jewish people tries to survive with what they have. If I was a soldier during The Holocaust, I'll try to fight for the Jews and betray the soldiers! Every soldiers were greedy back then because they needed money to survive, which they took the job to become a soldier so they earn money. Some Jews were greedy and will also betray their own kind by becoming a soldier so they won't die or starve to death.

During my whole Middle School year, I learned quite enough things that will satisfy me throughout my High School year, about reading. Reading doesn't only have to be about books. It can be about magazines, Internet blogs, and many other things online. I also notice that every author that wrote a book, includes a sense of humor in their books, that will make readers connects the book texts to their life. For example, the book "Elsewhere" By Gabrielle Zevin, was a book that is all made up by imagination about afterlife. I compared this book to my life, seeing when I die, will I end up in another world where life will turn from old age to young age and be reborn as a baby again once you turn into a toddler, like in "Elsewhere" or will we dead people be ghosts? Life can be quite confusing sometimes.

After reading all these interesting books during my 8th grade year, my reading level tremendously increase. I choose books by looking at the front cover of a book and reading the blurb after. There are also some books that are part of a series I choose. If I like the book, I'll keep reading the series. For example, "The Lightning Thief," which is part of Percy Jackson and The Olympians series. The facts in the books are all beyond powerful. The action catchers my attention. I wish there were more books like "The Lightning Thief" out in the world. I recommend this series to all young teenagers because I know they'll love it! Like I did when I first read "The Lightning Thief." I will definitely not end my reading experience now and definitely will not end it throughout my whole entire life.

Was The Spanish-American War a Just War?

The USS MAINE was sent to Cuba to help the Cuban and American citizens there from Spain. At some point the USS MAINE exploded. The U.S. blames Spain for the explosion and Spain says it was an accident, they're innocent. So President McKinley makes a call for war to the congress. Then the congress declares war on Spain to figure out about 78 years later that the explosion was an accident on the ship. So I think that the U.S. waisted it's time declaring war on Spain. It was an unjust action that led to many unjust results.

Of course there were different opinions and beliefs about going to war or not going to war. One side about going to war was the imperialist point of view. Imperialists were persuaded and believed that it was America's destiny to spread and have power worldwide. Imperialist thought that going to war would be beneficial and help with many causes. I would have agreed to have helped out and improve the country but with a different more just approach that wasn't so controlling. Another side about not going to war was the anti-imperialists point of view. Anti-imperialists were against going to war. They wanted to just have peace and stay out of war. They believed that each country should have it's own freedom, power, rights , and shouldn't be abused or treated wrong. Also anti-imperialists think that no one country has this "Right of Conquest". I agree with them but I also think that countries should communicate and help each other out. Maybe not like we want them to be but to let them become manageable so that this can be the most just action.

The President at the time, McKinley, was against war at first. But after time his mind changed and he was convinced to make a call for war to the congress. President McKinley's reasons for wanting war were overall to help, protect, and improve our country, Cuba and the people. Also to make peace so that trading resources may continue. To me President McKinley's reasoning and arguments were for his country and the people. The congress accepted the call and declared war on Spain. The explosion of the U.S.S. Maine wasn't the reason to go into war. The beliefs were the reason and some situations. The explosion was just an unfortunate event at that specific time that just gave more reason to the people and imperialists to go on. I would disagree with about half of McKinley's beliefs and that his actions weren't really his. The imperialists probably got to him and persuade him to begin his unjust actions towards other innocent countries/ islands.

The media played a big role in influencing the U.S. public opinion. The media's opinion became the "real facts" which made many people believe what they were saying. The media imediately put the fault on Spain and made Spain become the "bad guy". Since many Americans were affected by this they also were easily confused about the truth. Well when the truth finally came out, that the explosion was an accident on the ship, it was too late. The U.S. Congress already declareed war over Spain and won.

The results of what the short war affected were different for 3 islands. First Cuba, who this all started for, won it's independence from Spain to loose it the U.S. The U.S. was right to help and improve the country but to control it was wrong. So for Cuba it was unjust. The foriegn policy on Puerto Rico was worse. Puerto Rico was a treaty gift to the U.S. from Spain that ended the war. Spain really didn't have to give the U.S. anything . The U.S. took over Puerto Rico and pretty much destroyed the island making it unjust. The foriegn policy on Dominican Republic was the kindest and most helpful in my opinion. The U.S. helped DR become less comfused, disordered, and helped pay off the many debts that DR owed many countries. The U.S. prety much taught and guided DR to be a country and run it's own government. The U.S. fixed DR and this so far was the best foriegn policy used by the U.S. which is just.

So overall I think that the Spanish-American War was an unjust war. The reason the U.S. got involved wasn't completely supported. There was too much confusion and unfair misunderstandings with the countries. Even though some actions were just and a few things improved, I don't think this was worth a war. For many qualities of this war and because of the facts, in my opinion I would say that the Spanish-American War was and is an unjust war.

Was The Spanish American War A "Just" War?

Of all the wars that happened, specifically which one of these wars are a "just" war. Why do we have wars? The Spanish American War was a really powerful war that changed the world forever. The war started by the United States sending the U.S.S Maine to Cuba to protect the U.S interests in Cuba. On February 15, 1898, the U.S.S Maine suddenly exploded, killing over 260 servicemen Because of that, McKinley declared war on Spain on April 21, 1898. Was this war considered a "just war?"

First of all, I think a "just" war is if you want a war, you have to prove why a war is needed. Even if you have a strong feeling that you might win, you can't attack a place or country for no apparent reason. If you do, only attack the country you want to attack. Not the country surroundings. If a war is declared, it has to be fair between two or more countries. Personally, I think The Spanish American War is not a "just" war because McKinley declared war on Spain. Spain didn't want war because they knew it wasn't their fault that the U.S.S Maine exploded. Americans wanted war because they thought it was Spain who bombed the U.S.S Maine. McKinley declared war because Spain caused many Cuban deaths. He also wanted all the problems occurring in Cuba to end and to have peaceful trades between U.S & Cuba and other countries, again. The Imperialists argument against the Spanish American War was Senator Beveridge think God prepared us. God made certain people mastering organizers to create a system in an area of pandemonium . He made us have a stable government, where Americans attain new territories and people treated them bad. Beveridge believed that if it wasn't for god, the world would've collapsed. Alfred believes that many countries needs Americans to think beyond and to think of better skills or techniques, so their power can influence other parts of the world. If Americans don't look outward, than they will collapse. The Anti-Imperialist arguments states that other countries dislike America's way of living. If America believes in Liberty, why don't we maintain it. Why do we have to interfere with other parts of the world business. Like, overthrowing Hawaii's government. What was the point of that? To start more problems? Like, how the Spanish-American War got started? By misunderstood facts! Also U.S should release freedom to blacks!

I think U.S Foreign Policy toward Cuba, Puerto Rico, and Dominican Republic was mostly either Imperialism and Internationalism. I think the U.S foreign policy toward the three nations was justified and not justified. U.S did do the right thing to help Cuba. But, the U.S went to far and they were putting a lot of laws on Cuba. Like the Platt Amendment Cuba have to follow. Cuba won their independence from Spain and now they want their independence from U.S. For Puerto Rico, it's quite similar to Cuba, but a lot more worse. The U.S passed many acts that harmed Puerto Rico. Like the Foraker Act in 1900 and The Jone Act in 1917. Also, U.S owned most of the stuff in Puerto Rico. Like, the P.R public utilities & banking industries, the tobacco plants, the sugar industry, and all overseas shipping The U.S forced the farmers to sell their lands, if they don't, they were paid extremely low for their sugar canes. After 3- years of U.S ruling P.R, living conditions were nasty, lamentable, atrocious, and many issues with diseases. However, for Dominican Republic, it's slightly better. D.R owed many money to many countries. Even to the U.S. When it was clear that D.R couldn't pay it's debts, U.S President, Theodore Roosevelt, offered to help. He paid off some of D.R's debts. After 2 years, D.R's foreign debts were paid. U.S kind of took control over D.R and helped them at the same time.

To briefly summarize, I think The Spanish-American War was not an "just" war because the explosion of the U.S.S Maine was an accident. After The Spanish-American War, the three nations were left in a total mess. If it wasn't for the U.S....Cuba, Puerto Rico, and Dominican Republic won't be where they are, today.