Conclusion: Gratitude

This is perhaps my final post on this blog for my Historical Methods class, and I am happy to be signing off on such a high note! I have finished all my papers for the semester, and all that remains is to study for a few exams, and for this, I am thankful.

I have learned so much in this class, and among the greatest lessons is how a historian must recognize the complexity of history. In a sense, he must engage history in a dynamic way to understand its dynamic nature. For this, I am thankful.

Gratitude is the greatest lesson to take away from this class, though. I alluded to this in the previous post, and I did not learn this until I did my research on the Stonewall Riots. Reading of the struggles of those who came before me, humbled and touched me. Because of their courage and sacrifice, I can live as I do today, and that is something I cannot take for granted. After all, not too long ago, such a life was not granted. I can do little else but honor their courage and sacrifice but continue to learn more about history and apply its lessons to my life. I will cultivate the virtues of history-- gratitude.

Though my Historical Methods class has ended, I will continue to use historical methods in every aspect of my life. After all, everything is illuminated by the light of the past.

The Road to Stonewall

As I continue along the path of research paper season, I am now writing three different research papers. I have made significant strides in each paper, and everything is now falling into place. I will say that my paper on the Stonewall Riots will demand much more attention in the coming weeks, but I am content with where I am in my research. 

In terms of my secondary sources, I have access to a sizable amount of information and articles from other historians and sociologist. The articles I am using ask the same question I plan to answer which is "What made Stonewall different, and why did it happen at the Stonewall Inn rather than another place?" My secondary sources evaluate how there was a complex set of variables that came together to produce the explosion that was the Stonewall Riots. So far, I have concluded that the riots happened because the following variables came together: the beginning of the sexual revolution, Greenwich Village's history as a place for the rebellious, the advent of the World's Fair in New York in 1964 and the city's response to "clean up" New York's populace, widespread police corruption in working with the mafia and the police's prosecution of the law via "entrapment," the homophile movement's actions in the years preceding the riots, the volatile nature of gay homeless youth, the media's willingness to give the riots attention, and the rioters determination to memorialize the event. What made the riots different and historically heavy, was primarily because the rioters were so determined to remember the riots with pride-- something the LGBT community had rarely experienced prior to this event.

As far as my primary sources go, I am using newspaper articles that were published during the riots, legal documents targeting homosexuals during the time of the riots, letters written by the rioters and police, and interviews with the survivors of the riots. These definitely lead me to conclude the aforementioned rough thesis. 

What remains to be as thoroughly researched however, are the instances of LGBT resistance happening in other parts of the country at this time, but I will find my way to that information in the coming weeks. 

So far, I have my questions, and I have a solid yet incomplete answer. I have a direction, and I will continue on the road to a greater understanding of the Stonewall Riots.

The Road to Stonewall, for me, is the road to gratitude. I am sincerely in debt to the rioters.

Approaching a Thesis: Research Methods

In my experience of writing research-heavy papers, the general key is just that-- research. However, that can be misleading, for the real trouble I find is not doing research as much as it is organizing the researched material. 

In the beginning of my undergraduate career, I would formulate a thesis in my mind and seek out only information that would validate my thesis. I was very uncompromising, and then I would just read my sources and write as read....a truly horrible way to write a paper. It led to a lot of stress, and it severely limited my research scope to only those things that would support a thesis that I developed largely independent of my research. The method is quite backwards, really.

My bad paper writing life

I have learned from those mistakes, and now I believe I have a more sound method for research. Simply stated, I now approach my subject with as unbiased a mind as I can muster, and I organize nearly all of my research before I write. This helps me formulate a smooth, well-written thesis.

One thing I do to be sure I approach research with a good mindset, is to clear my mind of any attachment to any conclusion. I find that in order to truly engage the information I am researching, I must read the documents with an open mind. This allows me to accept the complexity of the issue which not only applies to history but also to other fields as well.

Once I have my sources, I begin reading them, and as I read them I write down quotes from them and record where each quote comes from. By the end of my research, I'll have a multitude of pages of quotes. Then I begin to re-read the quotes, and I sort them into topics in my head. This abstraction process is lengthy, but it pays off in the end. 

After I let all this information stew in my mind for a while, I am ready to begin building a detailed outline, and I let my research in tandem with my mind lead me to a rough thesis. The quote pages allow me to reflect on my research efficiently, and they aid me in coming to a solid thesis. 

I move past the previously mentioned rough thesis to chart the remainder of my paper. I organize each quote under its appropriate heading, and soon enough, I have an outline that is approximately half the size of however long the research paper is.

Though the aforementioned rough thesis will need revision as I proceed to write my paper, it serves me well in forming the remainder of my paper.

The important thing for me to remember in the process, is that I must take the information as it comes, and I must afford plenty of time to create a well-written research paper. Like cooking any good stew, a good research paper requires a lot of simmering time. In these moments, I must be content to let information simmer in my mind. For me, research comes very naturally if I afford it time. 

Let the research stew! That way, you can create a hearty paper full of all kinds of intellectual greatness!

Term Paper Season: Plagiarism

In the midst of term paper season, one of the important issues to contemplate is plagiarism. According to Miriam-Webster's Online Dictionary, plagiarism is "the act of using another person's words or ideas without giving credit to that person." At this point in my academic career, I do not conduct much of my own independent research on topics. For example, I do not solely examine historical documents and draw conclusions. Instead, I read both primary sources and many secondary sources-- writings of other historians. Most historians do this, and there is no shame in it.

Avoiding plagiarism is quite simple..........just cite the source you use. Citing someone else's work pays off in multiple ways. First, it is just nice to give someone credit for their work. After all, they probably put in a lot time and effort in their work; citing is a respectful way to acknowledge their hard work and dedication. Second, citing many sources and many perspectives indicates that you have contemplated the richness of your topic. If you have no citations or hardly any, it is easy to perceive your paper as one-sided. In a sense, it is oftentimes better to have cited many different writers and sources. Finally, citing is the right thing to do. To pass someone else's work off as your own is intellectual theft, and I personally believe that generally speaking, theft is wrong.

It may be tedious, but it is ultimately rewarding.

Plagiarism may be alluring to many, but in the end, you are just limiting your own intellectual development if you participate in plagiarism. Just cite your sources folks.

Term Paper Season in Stonewall

As more than half the semester is behind me, that can only mean one thing ahead-- term papers. You might be surprised to find that I am not in mourning over this, but in fact am very excited to learn more. For my historical methods class, I will be writing my term paper about the Stonewall Riots that took place in New York City in 1969.

The infamous Stonewall Inn

I do not know much about the Stonewall Riots other than the popular details: it was the beginning of the gay rights movement in the US, it took place at the Stonewall Inn, and it was started by a group of drag queens, male prostitutes, homeless youth, and other such groups. I do not know the scale of the riots nor the circumstances surrounding the riots. However, I am excited to learn more, and I am ready to start research.

So far, I have found a critically acclaimed primary source written by author David Carter called Stonewall: The Riots that Sparked the Gay Revolution. It contains first hand accounts of the riots from rioters and bystanders, but it also explores the circumstances surrounding the riots including: the everyday treatment of LGBT people, the legislation in place targeting LGBT people, and what exactly sparked the riots. In that sense, this book functions as both a primary and secondary source.

Besides this primary source, I am looking up any information I can find in my college's library, and it seems like I will have no problem finding resources. For the first time in my life, I may even cite a documentary! All in all, I am excited to dive in.

The Stonewall Riots in action

Preparing for Historical Debate: Did U.S. policies promulgate and extend the Cold War?

For my Historical Methods class, our instructor has decided to assign students into groups embodying two viewpoints on whether or not U.S. policies promulgated and extended the Cold War or not. I was assigned to the group that asserts that U.S. policies did not promulgate and extend the Cold War. I will admit to at first despairing that I was assigned to the group I was because I believed that U.S. policies absolutely led to and extended the Cold War, my attitude had radically (and delightfully, I might add) changed. Indeed, I have a a great group of other students to work with, and I believe we are off to a great start. Though we have not had a chance to meet up and discuss our debate plan, we have been working diligently, and so far, research seems promising.

My skeptical self before I started research. "I don't know how I feel about this prompt..."

 
The research has not only been promising, but also quite surprising. Without giving away too many details, my research has help illustrate the complexities of the Cold War from not only American but also Russian and British perspectives. One of the most surprising things I have learned is that Americans and Russians were not of one mind, and the changes in American, Russian, and British policies throughout the Cold War reflect this from both a "great man" and a "bottom-up" historical interpretation.

The gears in my head turn as I researched. "Hmmm, that's jolly good stuff. Maybe there's something here..."

Suffice to say, I am very much looking forward to meeting with the other students in my group, and I am even more excited to begin the debate. I believe it will be a fun competition, but I am more excited to arrive at truth. After all, I believe a debate is less about winning an more about arriving at truth. No matter what happens, I think I will leave the debate a few steps closer to truth, and that is enough for me.

BAM! I am changed forever by this research.

Mickey Mouse and American Neurosis

In historian Mike Wallace's Mickey Mouse History, Wallace explores how Disney theme parks have affected American understanding of history. Specifically, Wallace considers how Disney's the Hall of Presidents, The American Adventure, and other attractions affect American understanding of history. However, for the sake of brevity, the post will only specifically explore Disney's The American Adventure seeing as it the youngest of the attractions related to history.

The American Adventure offers and idealistic run through of American history from Pilgrims arriving on North America's shores to "American Future." Though the presentation notes conflict in American past, figures like Martin Luther King Jr. are presented as more icons that actually spokespeople for their particular movements (150-152). Indeed, conflict in American past is hardly explored at all; instead, America is presented as a nation that has dealt with its past conflicts and moved on (152). The presentation is also curiously silent on important events in American history such as labor movements and the Vietnam War. In the end, America is displayed as a country with "imperfect but still inevitable progress" who has risen above the problems of the past despite current difficulties with poverty, sexism, racism etc (150).

A scene from Disney's The American Adventure

Wallace examines The American Adventure and other Disney "historical" attractions, and he concludes that they are less historical and more historicidal. They distort history unabashedly in a public setting where millions of people visit each year. Noting the popularity of such attractions, Wallace believes that this is a symptom of problems with American's understanding of history. "I think the country at large needs to reflect upon the consequences of the corporate commodification of history" (154). He asserts that if a country feels the need to alter or repress memories of itself, it could be a symptom of historical neurosis. He hauntingly concludes, "The past is too important to be left to the private sector. If we wish to restore our social health, we had better get beyond Mickey Mouse History" (155).

I believe that the best way to address a problem is to being as transparent about it as possible with one's self. In the same way, if a community has a problem it is often best to address the problem with as much honesty and transparency as possible no matter how difficult one's past may be. To do otherwise, to do as Disney does, is to allow the problem to fester as the community carries on with a kind of mania that will demand a reckoning eventually. America the free only if it retains its history.