Cowboy Test!

       These images glorify the American cowboy as a strong, handsome, brave, and well off individual which could not be further from the truth. The real experiences in the West consisted of struggle and poverty. When the average person thinks of a cowboy, they immediately think of some gun slinging man on a horse with a short temper and a big hat but in actuality they were just like everyone else and just trying to find a way to support their families by farming, mining, and many miscellaneous tasks such as railroad building. Probably one of the only realistic part of the perception many people had was that cowboys really did have to fight for justice in their communities because of lack of law but his was greatly distorted by Hollywood and the image of John Wayne.

       Cowboys, as strange as it might seem, in fact weren't the only migrants to move to the glorious West. We were actually pretty late in the game because by the time that we got there, there were Chinese and Mexican settlers everywhere also just trying to find a steady job and hoping for the American Dream. Chinese workers were actually taking jobs that Americans had claimed for themselves. Another difference is that an actual cowboy was the lowest of the low and worked all day in the saddle for almost nothing in the desert heat. Hollywood didn't show you that part of the movie did they?

       I think people just kind of decided to make cowboys such a strong figure because they wanted to believe that there was something great going on out there and a buff man on a horse did just the trick. Also the lawless West made for a great scene full of dramatics and dust that can blow around with the kick of the boot. I think most importantly though that the reason Hollywood led us all on with the visual of the rough and tough American was to romanticize the struggles of people working their tails off to get to where they see themselves.

Chapter 15 Reflection

       I think it is important for people to learn the history of the community they live in because there are so many different perspectives and monuments from the past that you do not even notice until you start looking. I thought learning about the Daughters of the Revolution was cool to think about because even though the statue of the war heroes are not here anymore, we can still imagine how people were feeling in Huntsville at the time. There must have been so many people that lost loved ones that wanted to commemorate them and they are still represented in towns around Huntsville with their statues.

       Another interesting thing that is specific to Huntsville, is that we heard a speaker last year that experienced first hand all of the segregation and separation that occurred here. He told us all about how his son was the first African-American to be admitted into the Huntsville City School system and all of the hardships he experienced there. I personally think it is crucial for student to learn about the adversities that occurred in their community because it gives you an insiders view on the past and lets you in on some of the history of your town that is not well acknowledged.