Reflective Letter -portfolio

Trevor White

This fall quarter my writing process has developed from writing word webs to outlines and using They Say/ I Say in my essays. This writing process has changed the way I formulate my ideas and how I stay focused on the topic at hand. For example; learning about Bacon's Rebellion first, before choosing a topic to write about definitely helped improve my thought process. I began with the topic that I thought most, interested me. I believe that using this writing process, helped the way I wrote my essay, the quotes that I used made my ideas and thoughts shine. For example; from essay #1 Bacon’s Rebellion, “Smoking was the most common form of tobacco consumption in the late 1700s, and smokers needed far more than tobacco to light up. They needed pipes, and hundreds of pipe makers supplied them with millions of ceramic pipes.” (P.81 Roark) I used this quote to establish more information about how colonists and Europeans demanded more tobacco and why it was common. Overall using this writing process compared to previous learned writing processes, has made me grow into a better writer and has taught me to use database research and of course They Say/ I Say.

Since I've been writing about history lately it has changed the way I learn about History. Writing about history changes my perspectives of what happened. I think that history is important to how we operate today. One of the huge occurrences that changed history was the Newspaper. Historical events that happened were often written in the newspaper. Mainly to form public opinion, which changed the way people thought. I think that I would’ve believed what was written in newspaper too, because it was new and interesting to read. I take writing about history as an advantage because you get to put your perspectives and views of what happened with what other people have said. Using this in my writing was also difficult though, I often found it hard to find beneficial research and information to back up my views. In essay #2 I gathered information from online databases that I used in essay #1, but I struggled a bit getting the information necessary for each topic. Although, I did pick the pace up and gathered my info as quickly as I could essay #2 was just as hard. The only advantage I had while working on Essay #2 was the fact that I got to write about myself so to speak, rather than giving information as a 3rd party person. It gave me a chance to use my imagination and basically write a story. That's another thing that I noticed, how essay #2 gave us the option to write a letter or story. It also gave me the freedom to do basically what I wanted, but of course by following the rules given. If I were to write this paper all over again I would have used my time more efficiently and having a concrete outline and have all the research done, with explicit citations for the paper. Now at the end of the quarter I feel more confident in my writing skills and can use what I’ve learned in future classes.

Essay #1 - portfolio

Bacon's Rebellion

From past experiences in my life, rebellion has occurred from time to time. As I got older I didn't always like to do what I was told and that's what got me in trouble. I can relate to Bacon's Rebellion because if there's something I don't want to do or I don't like I'm going to rebel against it. Nathanial Bacon rebelled against the Governor William Berkeley and the Native peoples over the Indian Policy. He didn't agree with it, he wanted to conquer land and expand. From my perspective Nathanial Bacon was standing up for what he believed in by rebelling against Berkeley and the Native peoples. Bacon's Rebellion changed the way I think of rebellion today; why, when, and how I rebel.

Tobacco production and trade during Bacon's Rebellion

When the colonists needed tobacco during Bacon's Rebellion they looked to the Virginians to meet their needs.

Virginians had to work long days in temperatures that were at times miserable; to keep up with the tobacco fields. Most of the time the only tool they would use was a "hoe," to help them with the work of cutting tobacco. During this time colonists and Europeans increased the amount of tobacco they smoked, making more work for the Virginians. “A demanding crop, tobacco required close attention and a great deal of hand labor year-round.” (P. 77 Roark). The increase in production was a benefit for Virginians because they had to expand and make more tobacco, which meant larger profits. The consumption of tobacco by colonists and Europeans was growing and growing every day. By the early 1600s the production of tobacco was increasing tremendously causing more labor for the Virginians. A great deal of money was being made for this ever so popular drug. Trading tobacco was an easy task in the 1600s because of the high demand and popularity by the Europeans and colonists. Once they got the ball rolling on producing tobacco it made it much easier to make large amounts and to trade. I believe the Virginians worked hard producing tobacco because they knew that they would get something in return. On the other hand I also feel bad for them; working that many hours in the heat and not getting the right nutrition.

Developing new land

The Virginians needed to make new land to plant more tobacco to meet the demands of the colonists and Europeans. Clearing was important to the procedure of producing tobacco on large fields. It was necessary to clear land before planting because there were other plants, trees, etc. that would prevent tobacco from growing. “Girdling brought sun-light to clearings but left fields studded with tree stumps, making the use of plows impractical.” (p.77 Roark). Clearing the land for new tobacco fields included cutting down trees and leaving the stumps, everything else had to go. “Like the Indians, the colonists “cleared” fields by cutting a ring of bark from each tree (a procedure known as girdling)” (p.77 Roark). Once they had more land they started planting tobacco; that they would later profit off of by selling it to the colonists and Europeans. “To plant, a visitor observed, they “just make holes (with a stick) into which they drop the seeds, “much as the Indians did.” (p.77 Roark). The process of planting tobacco was fairly easy and just required time. The Virginians next step was to start developing new land to meet the tobacco needs of the colonists and Europeans. They achieved this by first, clearing fields of trees that in which the land was not being used and secondly planting tobacco seeds into holes that they made. The development of new land wasn’t hard at this time because many people didn’t have a problem with what they were using it for. It was only until the later days in which people had specific property lines, where they could only use the land inside that property.

"Tobacco and Snuff"

Colonists and Europeans demanded more tobacco because it was popular and it was common for the upper class to smoke more tobacco. “Smoking was the most common form of tobacco consumption in the 1700s, and smokers needed far more than tobacco to light up. They needed pipes, and hundreds of pipe makers supplied them with millions of ceramic pipes.” (P.81 Roark) Tobacco users would often have their pipes and materials right next to or in bed with them while sleeping, so in the middle of the night if they got a craving they could just smoke right there. They smoked as much as they could and as many times a day they could; depending on if they could afford the amount they were smoking. In the 1700s tobacco materials were being made; mainly tobacco pipes. These were the most popular material to smoke with, and then came snuff and snuff boxes.

Snuff changed the way people looked at tobacco because it gave off a different type of “high.” Snuff caused you to sneeze when you sniffed it through your nostrils; it also caused you to cough; which gave a pleasurable “high.” Many people turned to snuff when they found out that it was healthier than smoking tobacco and becoming more and more popular. Snuff was also an addictive drug that majorly affected everyone that smoked it. They also believed that smoking tobacco and using snuff was good for their health, especially in large amounts. “Physicians praised it as a wonder drug. One proclaimed that “to seek to tell the virtues and greatness of this holy herb, the ailments which can be cured by it, and have been the evils from which it has saved thousands would be to go on to infinity…This precious herb is so general a human need (that it is) not only for the sick but for the health.” (P.80 Roark) During the 1700s and 1800s consumption changed the cost of tobacco. The sudden increase of consumption and popularity; resulted in lower costs for everyone to pay. When the Europeans realized that more and more people were consuming tobacco, the cost went down, making it affordable to pretty much anyone. “The low prices made possible by bumper crops harvested by planters in the Chesapeake transformed tobacco consumption in England and elsewhere in Europe.” (P.81 Roark) Tobacco use during Bacon's Rebellion increased because the colonists became addicted to the drug.

Present day tobacco production and trade

The profit of tobacco wouldn’t decrease if they sold more, even at a lower price. Tobacco production today is a much more unified system so to speak, we have machines doing most of the work and trucks delivering it to major dealers of tobacco. For example; grocery stores, gas station, and smoke shops. Production in the early 1600s was much like it is today; many of the way that tobacco was produced, we still follow the same steps to producing tobacco. “The steps include: 1) transplant production; 2) field growing; 3) harvest; 4) curing; and 5) marketing.” (http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/tobacco.html). They used these methods of producing tobacco in the 1600s and still do today; with just fewer hands.

Tobacco use today is different for some people because of the knowledge we know now. Smoking tobacco is not healthy and can give you a long list of diseases and cancers. For the people that smoke tobacco these days are so addicted to tobacco that they smoke almost an entire pack a day. Smoke people will smoke multiple packs depending on how hooked they are to the drug. Snuff is still popular to some people today; not as high in popularity as it was in the 1600s though. Many people tend to lean toward tobacco because it’s cheaper and easier to use. Tobacco today is very high in cost but that doesn’t stop people from buying it. Their addictiveness to the drug is no match for their wallets. Quitting this drug is not easy and can take very long to get unhooked; there are many methods of quitting that work for some people and don’t for other. The bottom line is tobacco is truly not healthy and a highly addictive drug that changed the life’s of Europeans and colonists during the 1600s through the 1800s.

Essay #2 -portfolio

Trevor White

Arriving in Connecticut, 1760-1770

My wife and I had just moved to Connecticut where we were forced to make a decision, to become a loyalist or patriot. The sudden force and demand to choose a side was intimidating. The Americans were very forceful in the attempt to establish patriots, not just in the state of Connecticut but rather where ever they possibly could. By this time I’ve realized that Connecticut was highly populated with patriots, making my decision hard. I could either choose loyalist or patriot, but what was so good about being a patriot? I thought to myself, did they have some kind of opportunities or advantages that loyalist didn’t have? Why was being a patriot so favorable by the Americans in the state of Connecticut? Well, as I began to think of my decision to become a loyalist or patriot; I studied both sides, trying to find pros and cons. Comparing and contrasting loyalists and patriots was no easy task because it could be favorable for both sides. The key theme that I began to see was that it was highly dependent on whether you were on the side of Britain or on the side of America. With this I notice that the loyalists had common ties with British economics and politics, and that the patriots were favored by the Americans because of the mutual feelings for “POWER.” In general, loyalists had strong cultural and economic ties to England.” (Roark P.229) I believe that to be an effective leader during this time, you not only need power, but also the strength and courage that come from the people you’re governing. In other words, don’t run or manage things the way you want too, but rather as how everyone as a “whole” wants to.

During the 1760s and 1770s, the years leading up to the American Revolution, I decided upon becoming a loyalist because I felt that we loyalists should stand up for what we believe in and not be subjected to the patriot acts of violence and cruelty.

The Americans attempt to gaining power in Connecticut

America was all about gaining power at this time but, didn't have everything to effectively do so. They would force and persuade many neutrals to gain their trust and allegiance. The Americans focused highly on patriots and neutrals for gaining power. Neutrals were people who didn't know what side to be on. Nevertheless, being a neutralist was very powerful at this time because they could either choose to be a loyalist or a patriot. The patriots were favored by the Americans because they seemed to have power and were very forceful towards the loyalists. Being a loyalist wasn't always a bad thing, if you were loyalist, you had good connections to England’s culture and economics. The main reason that England and the loyalists had a connection was because they both believed in having a monarchy and aristocracy in government, making it stable. A large number of loyalists continued being loyal to the crown in the 1770s, to keep the power that they had intact. The patriots’ only task was to increase their own power, by doing what they had to, being violent and vulgar to the loyalists to consider themselves hierarchy.

Connecticut during 1700s

During the 1700s Connecticut had many advantages that other states didn’t. They focused mainly on being a well known state for goodness and peace. “Few places in the world,” he believes, “presented a fairer example of peace and good order.” (G.A. Gilbert, the Connecticut loyalists) I believe that living in Connecticut gave my wife and me some advantages in choosing to be loyalists. For example; Connecticut thought that being a stable individual state was important and having peace with other states as well. On the other hand the Americans and the patriots believed in having their own independence to gain freedom and liberty. The British had what was called, “British rule,” which meant that Britain would rule over everyone. I being loyalist, agree with this because I thought their ruling and beliefs were correct and were a good way of taking charge.

Social issues in Connecticut

The social issues that affected my choice to become loyalist were the acts in which the patriots treated the loyalists. I believe that being a loyalist is harder than being a patriot because we were accused of being unjust and wrong in our ways of “British rule.” For we can hardly determine whether the Revolution originated in social and economic unrest, in deep-seated ideological tensions, or in a constitutional dilemma until we take seriously the activities of the loyalists during the Revolution.” (Paul H. Smith, The American loyalists: Notes on their organization and numerical strength.) With this I gather that the patriots thought of loyalist as being imaginary and nonexistent, even though they very much were. Approximately 20-30% was loyalists during the 1760s and 1770s. Yes, the patriots outnumbered the loyalists in Connecticut but that didn’t stop many of us to stand up for British rule. Nevertheless, I encountered advantages to being a loyalist economically. Under British rule, we always tried to control trade to and from North America, which gave us somewhat of an advantage. We also imposed laws and taxes, so that we could trade with colonies and to make sure that they don’t take trade into their own hands. This would in turn benefit Britain’s trade with other colonies.

Works Cited

1) The Connecticut Loyalists

G. A. Gilbert

The American Historical Review, Vol. 4, No. 2 (Jan., 1899), pp. 273-291

2) The American Loyalists: Notes on Their Organization and Numerical Strength

Paul H. Smith

The William and Mary Quarterly, Third Series, Vol. 25, No. 2 (Apr., 1968), pp. 259-277

3) The American Promise

James L. Roark

A history of the United States, fourth edition. Page. 229