Thursday, January 29, 2009

Abraham Lincoln:)

Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was the 16th President of the United States. He successfully led the country through its greatest internal crisis, the American Civil War, preserving the Union and ending slavery. As the war was drawing to a close, Lincoln became the first American president to be assassinated. Before his election in 1860 as the first Republican president, Lincoln had been a lawyer, an Illinois state legislator, a member of the United States house of Representatives, and twice an unsuccessful candidate for election to the Senate.
As an outspoken opponent of the expansion of slavery in the United States
, Lincoln won the Republican Party nomination in 1860 and was elected president later that year. His tenure in office was occupied primarily with the defeat of the secessionist Confederate States Of America in the American Civil War. He introduced measures that resulted in the abolition of slavery, issuing his Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 and promoting the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution, which passed Congress before Lincoln's death and was ratified by the states later in 1865.
Lincoln closely supervised the victorious war effort, especially the selection of top generals
, including Ulysses S. Grant. Historians have concluded that he handled the factions of the Republican Party well, bringing leaders of each faction into his cabinet and forcing them to cooperate. Lincoln successfully defused the Tent Affair, a war scare with Britain in 1861. Under his leadership, the Union took control of the border salve states at the start of the war. Additionally, he managed his own reelection in the 1864 presidential election.
Opponents of the war (also known as "Copperheads
") criticized Lincoln for refusing to compromise on the slavery issue. Conversely, the Radical Republicans, an abolitionist faction of the Republican Party, criticized him for moving too slowly in abolishing slavery. Even with these road blocks, Lincoln successfully rallied public opinion through his rhetoric and speeches; his Gettysburg Adress is but one example of this. At the close of the war, Lincoln held a moderate view of Reconstruction, seeking to speedily reunite the nation through a policy of generous reconciliation, a position his successor in the White House, Andrew Johnson, also took. His assassination in 1865 was the first presidential assassination in U.S. history, and as a result Lincoln has been considered a martyr for the ideal of national unity and human rights. Lincoln has been consistently ranked by scholars as one of the greatest U.S presidents.
From wikipedia, the free enciclopedia.


Questions:
  1. At what hour did Abraham Lincoln died?
  2. What was the most important heroical action did Abraham Lincoln do to be one of the most important presidents of the United States?
  3. What was the name of the theater in which Lincoln was assassinated?
  4. What did Abe carry in his hat?
  5. What is the Emancipation Proclamation?

Sunday, January 18, 2009

Florida Strawberry Festival

About this festival:
•The Florida Strawberry Festival is full of traditions. One of the most obvious traditions is the volunteer spirit. The Florida Strawberry Festival has served to preserve and enhance the agricultural and historical legacy of the strawberry.
•Fairs and Florida Strawberry Festival represent history in a continuing process–they reach far back into the past when they were the source of uniting communities through celebrations of their harvests. They will continue into the future through preservation of this heritage.
•Whatever your interests, we have it all. Exhibits of agriculture, commerce, industry, livestock, fine arts, horticulture, and crafts await you. The fabric of American life is woven into this Florida Strawberry Festival through ethnic traditions, social events, competitive contests, youth developmental programs, top-name entertainment, parades with scores of glorious floats, and high-stepping marching bands moving to the musical beat.
•The Florida Strawberry Festival is also a community fair. Discover the greatness of this land we live in by attending an American tradition–the community fair.

Location: This festival occurs in the U.S.A, in the state of Florida, in the ‘plant city’ .

Description:
•A celebration of strawberries that dates back to 1930 in the Winter Strawberry Capital of the World. Top country music acts, rides, contests and agriculture shows are just some of the highlights. It's considered one of the top festivals in the country. The festival features daily entertainment by some of music's biggest stars. Events and exhibits of the popular festival include agriculture shows, commerce, education, industry, livestock, a baby contest and the Midway featuring more than 60 rides. Competitions include diaper decorating and strawberry shortcake eating contests just to name a few.

This year performers:
Bobby Vinton, Josh Turner, Charley Pride, Miranda Lambert, Mercy Me, Chris Cagle, Alan Jackson, Mickey Gilley, Travis Tritt, Glen Campbell, Blake Shelton, Crystal Gayle, Tom Jones, Smothers Brothers, Charley Daniels, Trace Adkins, Billy Ray Cyrus, Neal McCoy, Sugarland and Jason aldean

Contests:
•Clogging Contest
•Fine Art Show
•Entertainment Show Tent – A Strawberry Wedding
•Swine Show & Sale
•Steer Show and Sales 4-H Open
•Baby Parade
•Photo Contest
•Neighborhood Village Contest
•Plant Sales
•Baby Contest
•P.C. Garden Club
•Youth Parade Jr.
•Royalty Rabbit Show
•Beef Breed Show
•Lamb Breed Show
•Dairy Show
•Poultry Show
•Shoebox Float Contest

Oscar Wilde

Oscar Wilde was born in Dublin on October 16th, 1856. His father was a surgeon and his mom was an eccentric woman with strong ideas. Wilde was lazy in school, but he had an excellent memory. He was admitted to Trinity college, Dublin, 1871. He was gay. When he was 25, he went to live in London. In 1884 he married Constance Lloyd. The picture of Dorian Gray, a novel, was published on 1891. He was punished in the jail and died in Paris, on november 30th, 1900.


Bibliography: The new book of knowlegde.

Questions:
  1. What characteristics of The Picture of Dorian Gray can we see in Oscar Wilde's life?