Meagan Walsh

Creating Classes and Class Status in America

Creating classes and class status is a theme present throughout many different primary source documents from Colonial America. Arthur M. Schlesinger, Sr.’s Colonial Class Status describes the way class status was viewed and it’s effects on the people of Colonial America. The colonists continued the same type of society that they lived in when they lived in Europe.  In William R. Bradford’s, Plymouth Compact, the concept of the majority vs. the minority is extremely prevalent.  It establishes class ruling and understanding once on shore.  Finally, James Madison’s, Controlling Factions in the Republic looks at they many different ways classes can be controlled.  Along with that, the piece explains many reasons as to why control is necessary.  Class Status and control are shown throughout all of these pieces and more.  

Colonial Class Status explains the rhyme and reason for the creation of a class system in colonial America.  Even though many settlers were making an attempt to escape religious and political persecution, they continued to practice the social ranking that they were running away from.  ”The Colonists unhesitatingly took for granted the concept of a graded society.  It was the only kind they had known in Europe, and they had no thought of foregoing it in their new home,” said Schlesinger.  They felt as if there was no reason for them to change the system if it already worked.  They had just entered into a brand new world with no set government or political bearing.  The settlers were carrying heavy emotional and cultural baggage, which especially included the class society.  The class system gave the colonists the chance to advance forward, while still having to listen to a power force.  Upon continuing this class system, settlers were better able to mesh into their new lives without experience a blatant culture shock.  The Plymouth Compact also explained some of the new rules in colonial society.  

Those aboard the Mayflower had a few challenges which needed to be faced.  When they found out that their charter for settlement would not be valid at the new location, the need for a quick governmental system was looming over the future settlers.  The Plymouth Compact established that the responsibility of the majority is to keep the minority in and limit the rights of the minority.  That being said, the majority didn’t want to, in a sense, prohibit the minority from getting anywhere, but instead wanted to make sure that the dreams and hopes of the majority were the ones that truly mattered.  Unlike Colonial Class Society, the Plymouth Compact does not establish or even suggest the possibility for advancement in a social class system.  It stated, ” Ordinances, Acts, Constitutions and Offices, from time to time, shall be thought most meet and convenient for the general good of the Colony, unto which we promise all due submission and obedience.”  Even though it wasn’t explicitly stated, a class system was set up in the Plymouth Compact.  This class system, however, differed from that in Colonial Class Society.  Controlling Factions in the Republic also dives into these topics.  

A faction is defined as a group which is adverse to the rights of the other people in a society.  James Madison explored this topic in his piece, Controlling Factions in the Republic.  If a faction is a minority, then the majority governmental body can easily take care of anything related to the minority faction which is not wished for by the majority.  However, sometimes factions can come in the form of a majority.  This crisis often leads to the need for a method of controlling the majority.  Madison explains that you control a majority faction by stopping their onset and also getting an even balance of both sides in a representative body. When the document goes into explaining the difference between a pure democracy and a republic, Madison writes about how each system is affected by factions.  It is more difficult to control factions in a republic because elected officials are more distant from those they represent.  By recognizing factions, colonial society is basically creating more classes, and a class system.  However, Madison speaks of having representatives there to represent the factions, unlike the other primary source documents.  Overall, Controlling Factions in the Republic is the perfect wrap up for controlling the classes set up in other primary source documents. 

 Creating and controlling classes was extremely important in Colonial society.  This was not only because anything else would be a break from the norm, but also because a class system was necessary for initial success.  Colonists couldn’t have just shown up on the shores of the New World without a plan. Therefore, the colonists went with what they had been living in order to start.  These class systems became the base for where America is now.  Without the class system, some leaders wouldn’t have met their potential and many important parts of American history probably wouldn’t have occurred.  Just like James Madison wanted, however, Americans have been able to control these classes and make them far beyond the original intention.  Class system and control was absolutely necessary for success in the New World.  

“Action is the Antidote to Despair” – Joan Baez

The results of great actions are translated onto human kind through many different facets. As the people of the world progress, actions are taken that affect not only the local surroundings, but also vast scape of the world. Because we live in a globally connected world, great actions have taken on different purposes and ideals in order to adapt to this situation. The only true way for great actions to speak to all human kind is through universal messages. Many great actions affect human kind through visual messages which are understandable on a global scale. Also, the scale which we rate actions on is very different for each person. What constitutes these actions can be found within every individual; and each individual has the ability to translate those actions. Great actions have messages which are taken at more than just face value, and have true meaning besides the obvious. Great Actions can be big or small, and depending upon the situation can have tremendous effects on the world that we live in.

Universally understandable messages are necessary in a globally dependent world. Without the help of the rest of the population, any individual person will surely be unable to succeed. Because of this perceived need, make sure all messages are understandable is of the utmost importance. In the world we live in today, seeking a global market for anything is a goal set in place. This mindset is very readily applied to great actions. Thankfully, great actions are things that no matter who you are or where you live, it’s understandable. Great actions do not need words or explanation. Instead, they are instinctually easy to understand and interpret in a way that is seen fit. It is my opinion that an action cannot be considered “great” until it is seen on a global scale. In turn, these great actions often create a ripple effect and seem to affect the the world along with the individual. These instances in our world can always be rooted to the individual as a starting point.

On a personal level, the effects of great actions on human kind are easily seen. However, this brings up a burning question: What really is a great action? It can mean a variety of things to an entirely diverse group of people, yet in the end, there are always positive effects. The “stock” meaning of a great action seems to have diminished with changing times. When a husband and wife stay together, when adolescents choose to respect themselves, and when small, yet simple accomplishments are made; They all constitute the new definition of a great action on the personal level. Many people seem to find it difficult to consider these minute details anything close to a great action, and find it even more difficult to believe that every person has the ability to preform these actions. I believe this concept is stated best by Helen Keller. “I am only one; but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something. I will not refuse to do the something I can do.” Every person has the ability to take the ideas they create and apply them to the local communities in which they live. Touching the life of another person doesn’t take much more than an everyday occurrence. Instead, all that’s needed is to make a person smile or make them more content with the situation that they’re in. However, there are considerably more interpretations to be made about what exactly a great action is.

“A man of knowledge lives by acting, not by thinking about acting.” -Carlos Casteneda. I believe that a great action is not something that a person thinks about, but rather a spur of the moment gesture that touches the life of another. Now, “touching the life of another” shouldn’t be taken directly, but instead looked at as the base for possibilities. In some cases, like that of our world’s great (Mother Theresa, for example), touching lives was literally taken as not only saving lives, but also doing everything possible to enrich those lives. However, for the majority of the world, great actions are the little things that truly make life worth living. Once we begin to think and ponder about how to help others, it switches the focus from the effects of the actions on others to how best to get the recognition involved. Great actions cannot be related to recognition, and it’s much more important that these actions help the lives of others.

The implications of great actions are deeply rooted in the hearts and minds of the people. During life, people are never going to make all the right decisions, but letting great actions shine through onto other’s lives is one of the best ways to “right some wrongs.” “Right actions for the future are the best apologies for wrong ones in the past.” – Tyron Edwards. The possibilities for success that great actions have cannot fully be expressed in words, especially when in relation to the effects on the people. It’s difficult to show and write just how deeply a great action will impact a person and his or her future. If the people of the world all take the time to do something selfless, even if it’s as simple as helping a child, or giving advice to a troubled couple, it’s quite possible that the world could eventually be a better place. It sounds cliche and overused, but it really is possible for the world to change and be better. Great actions are those which people will remember as they age; And if one action can have that big of an impact, then it’s an action well executed.

First Paragraph: Good Design

If I were to design an invention to benefit society, it would be a calorie-reducing food machine. This machine would take any food you put into it, and reduce the calories and make it more healthy. This would lead to healthier eating for people throughout the entire world. The calorie-reducing machine would also have a “teach” feature which teaches the user how to make healthier meals. Once people learn how to make meals healthy, there will be a vast improvement on their lives. Further, my machine will contain another feature which focuses on portion control. A healthier amount of calories and portion control option can only do good things to an “expanding” society. An invention that focuses on a healthier population is necessary for a happier population.

The Printing Press

One of the most important technological inventions to benefit society was the printing press.  It allowed for the expansion of literacy throughout the entire world.  Within only years after the official invention of the printing press, Johannes Gutenberg published the Gutenberg Bible.  Additionally, the printing press created a more in depth understanding of scientific ideas.  The scientists and philosophers were able to get their view points out in an easier manner.  Lastly, the printing press sparked a rise in culture.  The new ideas being circulated through books and pamphlets were representative of the viewpoints of the authors.  The future of the world as a whole depended on a faster and quicker way of life that was created by the printing press.  

 For the first time in history, information could be spread at a much more quick pace.  The printing press changed the way that people obtained, viewed, understood and criticized new information.  In the mid 16th century at the start of the Scientific Revolution, Nicolas Copernicus published his theories on astronomy, making him today’s “father of astronomy.”  He was a man who wasn’t quick to let everyone know about his discoveries, but once he used the printing press to make multiple copies of his work, the pieces flew through Europe.  While Copernicus hadn’t lived long enough to see his work’s impact on the world, the printing press continued to work in his favor, representing the true beginning of the scientific revolution.  What the printing press did was simple, it allowed more scientists to view the work of others.  In the past, there were multiple scientists developing similar theories with no knowledge of others.  The printing press also started exact citing of the works of other authors.  The printing press had a profound effect on the scientific revolution which would eventually translate to modern society.  

The importance of culture in society as a whole can be traced back through thousands of years.  However, there was an even greater outburst of culture and cultural influence after the creation of the printing press.  Initially, what made Gutenberg want to create a more efficient printing press was the rapid cultural changes happening in Europe that called for a more efficient means of producing books.  Gutenberg saw this as an opportunity to make money, unaware of the fact that his invention would change the world forever.  The classic oral culture where information was passed on through the spoken word became a piece of the past within a short time after the printing press went mainstream.  Eventually, the world moved onto a print culture, or a culture where information is expressed through the written and printed word.  The effects of the elimination of oral culture marked the end of one era, and the beginning of another for the world.  Now, almost everything was printed allowing for the eventual creation of more books in education.   The printing press was revolutionary for the educational system, being that the creation of  textbooks was of the utmost importance for the future.  The cultural impact of the printing press was astounding, and continues to go on today.  

Gutenberg was truly unaware of the effects that his simple improvement of the printing press would have on the future.  While the printing press may have come long before today’s information revolution, the implications that it set upon society were surely sparks that started the revolution.  It’s impossible to have our cell phones, computers, PDAs and other technological devices without the printing press.    Imagine if we were to take the press completely out of the equation.  We would not have any of the items just mentioned.  Along with the printing press came books.  Those books led to more people thinking about the future of our society.  We live in a world that is intimately connected.  As soon as one thing is invented, there’s a person out there trying to out-do that brand new invention.  Gutenberg’s ingenuity is a priceless facet of the world we live in today.  The world has forever changed for the better because of the printing press and will continue to change far into the future.  

A Declaration of Common Knowledge

As we explore prehistory, the prospect of a “pre- United Nations” seems to loom upon the horizon; The question being, what would a Declaration of Human Rights look like? The first of the three guarantees is a right to a location. Second, it would call for the fundamental right to a culture. Third, it would contain the right to reproduce. Location should not be taken literally, but rather abstractly in the concept of resources within such a location. Culture is of the utmost importance in conjunction with the organization of a society. Every human should in no way be deprived of the right to continue the species. As Jared Diamond, author of Guns, Germs, and Steel, explores these topics, he always centers in on the concept of location.

As stated by many people in the past, “Location, location, location!” Diamond’s main argument within the book is the thought of whether or not a location gives a distinct advantage to one group or another. He builds a case for the fact that continents moved at different paces which eventually caused a momentus shift in human and world evolution. By comparing different groups of people and where they are located on the globe, we are able to distinguish many patterns and underlying themes. It seems as if the continent of Africa was given a clear head start; with the formation of homo erectus which led to homo sapians approximately 7 million years ago. However, while there was an obvious head-start, compared to Europe and Asia, the continent of Africa has seemed to slow down and fall behind the rapid growth of every other country and continent throughout the world. Every human should be guaranteed a right to a location, being that no matter what advantages or disadvantages are located there, it still remains a place to live. Wether or not the location is ideal, every human should have a write to at least some of it. Environmentally related diversification leads to responsible differences in communities. Therefore, the diversification of a location is more important than even the people living there. In order to maintain the delicate balance of species we have on Earth, different evolutionary patterns created by location are not only accepted, but required. Next, the Declaration would call for a fundamental right to a culture.

There are many different types of culture: Organized, Unorganized, Spiritual, Natural and many others. The “human” race of Prehistory should have had the right to display their own culture, for individuality is the key to becoming a well rounded person. Culture is of great importance when looking at evolutionary patterns. In prehistory, the concept of a culture was fueled by the rate of growth in a society. In order for one society to triumph over another, the establishment of culture determined the fate of said triumph. Along with the right to a culture comes a right to organization within that culture. Organized groups of people have, in history, proven to fair much better in the long run. By establishing this bundle of rights during prehistory, it sets a precedent for success. The concept of culture is a simple one, and the fact that every human should at least be guaranteed that right cannot be left out of this Declaration.  Beyond this, every human should have the right to reproduce.

In order for a society to progress during Prehistory, there needed to be a steady flow of new members in that group. Under no circumstances should a person within a society ever be deprived of the right to reproduce. When all humans are guaranteed this right, we are able to further extend the reach of a civilization. When a society grows, they then have the ability to conquer or dominate another society. With an increase in population comes an increase in the possibility of cultivation. As implied by Diamond, cultivation leads to higher amounts of calories consumed, and more calories leads to a higher success rate of conquest. Therefore, in order for that chain of events to occur, the reproduction of the human race needs to occur. If a human is deprived of that right, it’s impossible for the growth of a society to ever occur. Throughout the first three chapters of Guns, Germs and Steel, Diamond expressed his strong feelings towards the extension of a society.

When I look into the future of this declaration, the ties to today’s society seem overwhelming and flood my mind. What has crossed my mind is this: Prehistory is very much like modern society. Humans are, were, and will remain to be humans for basically as long as any one person can imagine. Therefore, since every modern human has some unalienable rights, then any human in prehistory should have those unalienable rights. Humans may have been kicked out of different areas of the globe, but every human, now and then, has the right to be somewhere. Denying a person the right to a culture is not only immoral, but blatantly unethical. Also, depriving humanity of the right to grow and expand through reproduction will ultimately lead to humanity’s demise. The basis of the Pre-historic Declaration of Human Rights was simple. Prehistory and modern history are intimately linked, making the Declaration a wholesome combination of the two.

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