Unfarmiliar Terms:
Tlingit Indians
Southeast Alaska
Ketchikan
Circle Justice
Youth Crime Statistics
First Nation
Devil's Club
At.oow
Plants, berries, and mushrooms of Alaska (edible)
Dangers in Alaskan Wilderness
Spirit Bears
Devil's Club::
This plant, found in South Eastern Alaska is a staple in the medicine cabinets of the Tlingit tribe for many different reasons. It is said to cure such serious ailments as tuberculosis and hypoglycemia, yet is also capable of curing cough, stomach ulcers, and common colds. This plant can be eaten in a variety of different ways - steeped, chewed, and brewed. Ginseng is a close relative to Devil's Club, which explains the diverse ways in which it can be used.
Although Devil's Club is found mostly in Alaska, it can be found as far south as Oregon. It is easy to spot, for it has wide frond like leaves, with a stalk armed with thousands of dagger like thorns. It also bears read berries, which are hightly attractive to bears and other forms of herbivorous wildlife. Devil's Club also possesses a spiritual aspect - members of the Tlingit tribe believe that this plant has the power to ward off evil.
Sources:
http://www.naturalstandard.com/index-abstract.asp?create-abstract=/monographs/herbssupplements/devilsclub.asp
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=3607496
The idea of a revolution is capable of being produced by one man alone, yet the commencement and completion of a revolution simply cannot be done in singularity, no matter how spectacular his intelligence, or how incredible his reason. A revolution must be in the minds of the entire Nation or group of peoples in which the revolution is brought about. Just as in a war, one man may wish to declare it, yet he will need an entire army behind him to be able to succeed. Just as a war is fought, so is a revolution - only without manpower and weapons, but with propaganda, will power and reason. In the case of the American Revolution, there were only a few masterminds behind this plot, yet behind them stood more people, and even though their intelligence was no where near their leader's genius, they found their strength in numbers. To look at these few elite leaders from a different more obscure perspective, imagine them to all be one person, or one machine. They were the driving force of the Revolution, all their skills and qualities added up to create a very affective machine. While not always working together, the different pieces and parts of the machine (the leaders as individuals) always did their job in one way or another - for although this machine was not perfect, the strange ways it fit together and entwined talent, eventually ended up with the success and end of the American Revolution. In effect, it takes many different personalities, view points, and thoughts to successfully aid the drive an entire revolution forward.
To begin, leadership comprised of mostly these attributes; a strong combination of personality, stature, energy, determination, strong opinion, optimism, grace, style of manner, a strong will, intellect, modesty, wisdom, experience, an bravery. After reading the novel Founding Brothers, by John Ellis, it is clear that the founding brothers must have possessed these qualities. Even though sometimes personality quirks and disagreements took place, these were all attributes that added up to the machine that aided, and by some views was the revolution.
and admired by his fellows is one of the earliest
as well as the keenest dispositions discovered in the heart of man."
- John Adams
It is true, that while commanding a party such as a small team, one will need a lot of personality. Now imagine that person in the later 1700's, trying to control an unruly mob of citizens tired of oppression, a tired, hungry and sore army of soldiers about to give up on your cause, and most of all the other men of high rank an intelligence that you must collaborate with. To be a leader in this time period, and of this stature, you were required to have a great amount of personality. If you were a bleak, uninteresting man, most likely you were either to be completely ignored or degraded for lack of intelligence and then ignored. All of these men; George Washington, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Aaron Burr, and Alexander Hamilton possessed some form of personality, whether it be conflicting with his brother or not. It was simply an attribute that a man must have in order to be a leader. Secondly, a strong opinion and determination play a large role in being a leader,especially in this turbulent and troubled time. John Adams is a specific example of this. Having a Harvard education, Adams was a political leader, in fact, one of the most outspoken and biased men in the whole Continental Congress. While others cringed at the thought of stepping forward, Adams stepped forward bravely, (and sometimes in rage) to express his opinion. Once put into office as Vice President to General George Washington in 1789, Adams was still not satisfied. He felt insignificant, and expressed this so to his wife Abigail. He stated "My country has in its wisdom contrived for me the most insignificant office that ever the invention of man contrived or his imagination conceived." However, this did not thwart his attempts at creating the America he dreamed of. Finally in the year 1792, he beat General George Washington by fifty five votes and was elected the second president of the United States. John Adams's presidency was the end of the Revolution, something he had dreamed of for most of his life. In truth, a revolution if never completely over until the power of the General who had usurped the power to begin with was successfully transferred to a new president without dissension.
"Associate yourself with men of good quality if you esteem
your own reputation, for 'tis better to be alone than in bad company."
- General George Washington
Also needed for the intense role of leadership is bravery and stature. Although General George Washington may not have been the most intelligent man in the room, he certainly was a stately man. He towered above all the other men of intellect, at about six foot three and a half. His appearance was enough to make any man stop and listen to anything he had to say. He was not just a lengthy man, he was also broad. This image has continued to be the image of leadership and strength ever since this man came into the picture. He was a very virtuous man, and often quoted things as to diverge the true meaning behind his heart. "Labor to keep alive in your breast that little spark of celestial fire, called conscience." George Washington. It could have been bravery that made General Washington stand at the top of hill in the fog while bullets where whizzing past his head, or vigor and commitment. Yet, it could have been stupidity and irrational behavior. Yet, in the winter of 1777, he was also the commander of the troops in the miserable condition residing at Valley Forge. They were starving, weary, angry, tired, and hurt. Washington wrote in his journal that some of the men even had traces of blood on this feet from worn down shoes and walking in the bitter condition. Since an army marches on its stomach, and General Washington's army had so little, it is a spectacular feat indeed that they continued to fight.
may never happen. Keep in the sunlight."
-Benjamin Franklin
To conclude, these were only a few of the men who contributed their daily lives to the cause of an American Revolution. They each possessed an array of the social and mental qualities that was and is needed to be a great leader. Working as one well oiled, machine (yet sometimes in conflict), these men have come together to create a spectrum of personalities and attributes. These men possessed personality, stature, energy, determination, strong opinion, optimism, grace, style of manner, a strong will, intellect, modesty, wisdom, experience, an bravery. Add these together with a catalyst of emotion, disagreement and war, you have the beginnings of the American Revolution . Subtract any of of these variables (men) and the outcome consequently would not have been the same. In effect, all parts of a well working machine must work together. If onepiece fails, the rest of the contraption cannot complete its duty. This is how the founding Brothers achieved such works of greatness. Leadership is not one quality, it is the combination of many fair ones; just as a revolution cannot be commenced without the support or acknowledgement of an entire Nation.
"The fact that the peoples of the Colonies even must question as to the pertinence that we should declare war against these mongrels is absolutely atrocious! Have we not been oppressed in every single aspect of our daily lives, even to the point where we are not served with the right to elect what they may drink for breakfast. In my very own opinion, this should not be conceded! I, as a Citizen of the North, will not concede it! And as a Citizen, I must profess the desire that each and every one of you may join me in this Cause. Let me remind you, Gentle Folk, that our daily lives have been impacted by these unpleasant peoples. The lives of all around you; your neighbors, shop keepers, bankers, ship men, butchers have been affected. If you let these actions become commonplace, your children must pay the price for your torpid behavior. Must I go on?
In the year 1763, all Colonies were prohibited to cross the crest in the Appellation Mountains. We have come to this Country to maintain freedom! I ask you, tell me how this conveys our Colonial freedom? If we may not be allowed to live where we wish, what shall be next, I beg you? Will we be conserved to our homes and our very towns? If we allow Britain to dictate where we shall live, then what is stopping them from dictating other aspects of our lives?
Also, may I remind you, that in the year 1764 the Grenville Acts were presented, raising the direct tax of our very important commodities. We are now living in a world where we are not even permitted to send a letter without being taxed nearly half to death by the Crown. We cannot have wine to sweeten our tongues at dinner, nor molasses to disperse the bitterness of cooking. British troops are living in our very homes, the dwellings that we have worked so hard to maintain! Why must we feed and quarter these mongrels, when they are a threat to our safety and family! I, being a very devoted father of three young girls, am very concerned about their safety. Have you never experienced a drunken fool to wander into your home around the latest hour imaginable, making chaos and floundering about in a stupor? Let me tell you, it is a monstrous sight indeed! Many a night I have awoken in fear, and sought after the safety of my dear wife and children. I must work twice as hard to pay for their well-being, when I am barely able to pay for my family!
If this is not atrocious enough, consider this my brothers; the Townsend Acts! Can we not even enjoy the simple pleasure of morning tea? This expense is so loathsome that I have not even the though in my mind that I am able to pay for it!
And yet, I am not finished! Most horrid of all are these Intolerable Acts, which are consequently governed our lives in the most despicable of ways! The red coats have shut down our port of Boston, shut down our town governments, and appointed bloody Brit leaders instead of our own. Thomas Gage is not my leader, nor is the Crown! We Colonists cannot receive merchandise, not export it. Our source of income is dwindling by the very moment, and yet why do we not rebel? We have incredibly little, may I remind you. All of our belongings have been taken away from us, our food, our money, our homes, and even the lives of our fellow colonists!
Do you not remember the Boston Massacre? Does this not enrage you so that you would be willing to give your lives for the Cause of one Nation, and your liberty you have fought so hard to maintain? That gruesome day, March Fifth, yes -- I do recall it. I was there, in the crowd. Defenseless, for the most part (omitting only a few snowballs - and I do say, I would hope an army not be too frightened of a little water), we were fired upon, so unexpectedly that our Countrymen were shot and wounded by the impudence of the British troops to hold off a riot!
Now, I ask you, my friends, my brothers. Is this not intolerable in the most extreme? Is this not against what we have fought for so hard? We have made it this far, why should we even imagine giving up now? Will you not allow the Crown to violate your daily lives and rights so, because I tell you now - if you do not put up your first and rebel, then there will be no new land; there will be no United Country, nor even a Colony left under our own rule. It is plain to me, and should be plain to you -- this war will not be fought on a distant battlefield, it will be fought amongst us, containing every one of us. But if we do not fight, our way of life will simply cease to exist."