The first blog that I will be critiquing is very well done and all of his links work perfectly. It is direct and to the point and very easy to read. The second blog was also very well done. He gives tons of information on his subjects and you can even learn a whole subject by just reading his blogs. It was incredibly well done. The third blog was done with little effort and it was mediocre. It is missing many links and gives little to no information. The fourth blog I am critiquing was not spectacular but it definitely wasn't horrible either. He gave enough information so that you can tell that he knew alot about each topic. It was a very decent blog. The final blog is one of the better blogs. He gives great information and his links send directly to the page with the exact information that you need.

The main event that occured on the year 1517 was Martin Luther nailing his 95 Theses to the church door. He completely disagreed with the Roman Catholic Church's selling of indulgences and this was his way of expressing his anger. Luther's Reformation has impacted the church since, and it might have even saved the whole church.

-enjoy the music on link #5!!!!

Martin Luther was born on November 10, 1483. The center of his work was based upon the Bible. He was a German Theologian. At 18 years of age he entered the University of Erfurt and after graduating he began to study law. Later in his life, he lad one of the biggest church reformations ever, the Protestant Reformation. This was the main achievement in Luther's life, and it still has an impact on the church of today.

The Medici Family were the richest family in all of Italy. In the 13th Century they began to get very wealthy. In the 14th Century their wealth once again steadily increased. In 1383 though, their wealth decreased dramatically.
Out of the Medici family came three popes. Leo X, Clement VII, and Leo XI.
The first Duke of Florence als came out of the Medici family. Alessandro de' Medici was the first duke of Florence, and was assassinated in 1537.


"The appeal to the Florentine's to overcome the enemy(very likely Milan) subtly associated the Medici family with the liberty of the citazenry while disparaging the dukes of Milan as tyrants."-pg 309
Rosenwein, Barbara. A short History of the Middle Ages. Broadview Press: NY, 2002.

"The tendency developed even in the Florence, where after 1434 the Medici family held an even more overt control of the Republic."
Thompson, Stephen P. The Renaissance. Greenhaven Press, Inc: San Deigo, 2000.

Leonardo Da Vinci really first became an artist in the year 1469. Leonardo worked in the workshop of Verocchio, but was quickly a better artist then him. In his eraly twenties, Leonardo was already incredibly famous.
The Mona Lisa was Da Vinci's most famous paintings and might even be the most famout painting in the world. It was painted on poplar wood in the 16th Century. On August 21st 1911 the Mona Lisa was stolen. It was stolen on a Monda, but nobody noticed it was gone until noon the next day.
Some people who have studied the Mona Lisa for a very long time, actually saw a resemblance between Mona Lisa and Leonardo Da Vinci. Some say it is actually a self portrait of himself. It will never be known for sure.
To this day, The Mona Lisa has a room of its own in the Louvre and will most likely never be stolen again.

William Shakespeare was one of the world's greatest playwrite and one of the best English poets. His plays are still acted out today and they are still actually influencing society today. His plays and poems made impacts on many peoples lives.
A Midsummer Night's Dream was an early romantic comedy written by William Shakespeare. It was written in the late 1500s. It involves four Athenian lovers and their interactions with fairies who live there. Even today this play is still performed worldwide and is still very popular.
Henry IV Part 1 is another one of Shakespeare's famous plays. The play covers the time period of 1402-1403. They believe that the play was first performed in 1597. Ever since it was written it has been a very popular play with the public and the critics.
The Tragedy of Macbeth is one of Shakespeare's most famous plays. It is also his shortest tragedy. To this day it's performed at professional and community theatres around the world. It was written somewhere between 1603 and 1606. In the play the role of Lady Macbeth is considered one of the hardest roles to fill because of her intensity.
The Tempest was a comedy that at the time it was written, did not attract alot of attention. It actually did not get praise until the twentieth century. Even though it took so long to be praised, it is now considered one of Shakespeare's greatest works. It was written in either 1610 or 1611 but others argue that there is proof that it is written in either 1603 or 1604. Neither date is for sure.

Michelangelo was one of the best artists of his time, and still is to this day one of the best artists ever. He has many famous pieces and many that are known throughout the world. The Conversion of Saul, which is the most well known of the Pauline themes, shows Paul being thrown to the ground and shows him being blinded from a light from Heaven. In this painting, Michelangelo was showing God reaching down and finding Paul and converting him to Christianity. Paul was traveling to Damascus when God shined his light upon him. This painting was obviously the conversion of St. Paul, but it can touch all that look at it.

The Pursuit of Happyness was a movie that really stuck in my head. It taught me the meaning of happiness, and what it takes to be happy. Will Smith portayed a man desperate for money to provide a better life for his son. Jaden Smith played the role of Will Smith's son in the movie. This might have come easy to him because he is Will Smith's actual son. He filled the part perfectly and gave an absolutely stunning performance. Will Smith is trying to strike it rich through the stock brokerage business. The movie shows all of the ups and downs of his life throughout this journey, but in the end the movie ends in happiness!

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much. And tonight, I have a high privilege and distinct honor of my own -- as the first President to begin the State of the Union message with these words: Madam Speaker. (Applause.)
In his day, the late Congressman Thomas D'Alesandro, Jr. from Baltimore, Maryland, saw Presidents Roosevelt and Truman at this rostrum. But nothing could compare with the sight of his only daughter, Nancy, presiding tonight as Speaker of the House of Representatives. (Applause.) Congratulations, Madam Speaker. (Applause.)
Two members of the House and Senate are not with us tonight, and we pray for the recovery and speedy return of Senator Tim Johnson and Congressman Charlie Norwood. (Applause.)
Madam Speaker, Vice President Cheney, members of Congress, distinguished guests, and fellow citizens:
The rite of custom brings us together at a defining hour -- when decisions are hard and courage is needed. We enter the year 2007 with large endeavors underway, and others that are ours to begin. In all of this, much is asked of us. We must have the will to face difficult challenges and determined enemies -- and the wisdom to face them together.
Some in this chamber are new to the House and the Senate -- and I congratulate the Democrat majority. (Applause.) Congress has changed, but not our responsibilities. Each of us is guided by our own convictions -- and to these we must stay faithful. Yet we're all held to the same standards, and called to serve the same good purposes: To extend this nation's prosperity; to spend the people's money wisely; to solve problems, not leave them to future generations; to guard America against all evil; and to keep faith with those we have sent forth to defend us. (Applause.)
Up to this point in his speech the President has stated the main purpose of the government, congratulated the Democrats on their majority, and he has told everyone to keep their faith in the troops up.
We're not the first to come here with a government divided and uncertainty in the air. Like many before us, we can work through our differences, and achieve big things for the American people. Our citizens don't much care which side of the aisle we sit on -- as long as we're willing to cross that aisle when there is work to be done. (Applause.) Our job is to make life better for our fellow Americans, and to help them to build a future of hope and opportunity -- and this is the business before us tonight.
The President explains that the government may be divided and uncertain but they can easily overcome this if they are just willing to do what is right for our country.
A future of hope and opportunity begins with a growing economy -- and that is what we have. We're now in the 41st month of uninterrupted job growth, in a recovery that has created 7.2 million new jobs -- so far. Unemployment is low, inflation is low, and wages are rising. This economy is on the move, and our job is to keep it that way, not with more government, but with more enterprise. (Applause.)
The President that we have a continuing job growth and we have hope and oppurtunity due to our growing economy.
Next week, I'll deliver a full report on the state of our economy. Tonight, I want to discuss three economic reforms that deserve to be priorities for this Congress.
First, we must balance the federal budget. (Applause.) We can do so without raising taxes. (Applause.) What we need to do is impose spending discipline in Washington, D.C. We set a goal of cutting the deficit in half by 2009, and met that goal three years ahead of schedule. (Applause.) Now let us take the next step. In the coming weeks, I will submit a budget that eliminates the federal deficit within the next five years. (Applause.) I ask you to make the same commitment. Together, we can restrain the spending appetite of the federal government, and we can balance the federal budget. (Applause.)
The President is talking about how well we did by reaching our goal three years ahead, but he also says that we must keep taking progressive steps.
Next, there is the matter of earmarks. These special interest items are often slipped into bills at the last hour -- when not even C-SPAN is watching. (Laughter.) In 2005 alone, the number of earmarks grew to over 13,000 and totaled nearly $18 billion. Even worse, over 90 percent of earmarks never make it to the floor of the House and Senate -- they are dropped into committee reports that are not even part of the bill that arrives on my desk. You didn't vote them into law. I didn't sign them into law. Yet, they're treated as if they have the force of law. The time has come to end this practice. So let us work together to reform the budget process, expose every earmark to the light of day and to a vote in Congress, and cut the number and cost of earmarks at least in half by the end of this session. (Applause.)
The President clearly states that the practice of earmarks needs to come to a complete hault immediately.
And, finally, to keep this economy strong we must take on the challenge of entitlements. Social Security and Medicare and Medicaid are commitments of conscience, and so it is our duty to keep them permanently sound. Yet, we're failing in that duty. And this failure will one day leave our children with three bad options: huge tax increases, huge deficits, or huge and immediate cuts in benefits. Everyone in this chamber knows this to be true -- yet somehow we have not found it in ourselves to act. So let us work together and do it now. With enough good sense and goodwill, you and I can fix Medicare and Medicaid -- and save Social Security. (Applause.)
Spreading opportunity and hope in America also requires public schools that give children the knowledge and character they need in life. Five years ago, we rose above partisan differences to pass the No Child Left Behind Act, preserving local control, raising standards, and holding those schools accountable for results. And because we acted, students are performing better in reading and math, and minority students are closing the achievement gap.
He states that the last effort in changing schools was a complete success and due to that success so many more students are succeeding in school.
Now the task is to build on the success, without watering down standards, without taking control from local communities, and without backsliding and calling it reform. We can lift student achievement even higher by giving local leaders flexibility to turn around failing schools, and by giving families with children stuck in failing schools the right to choose someplace better. (Applause.) We must increase funds for students who struggle -- and make sure these children get the special help they need. (Applause.) And we can make sure our children are prepared for the jobs of the future and our country is more competitive by strengthening math and science skills. The No Child Left Behind Act has worked for America's children -- and I ask Congress to reauthorize this good law. (Applause.)
The President says that they can not stop here. They must keep helping schools and helping children succeed. He also wants schools to really help children prepare for their future jobs.
A future of hope and opportunity requires that all our citizens have affordable and available health care. (Applause.) When it comes to health care, government has an obligation to care for the elderly, the disabled, and poor children. And we will meet those responsibilities. For all other Americans, private health insurance is the best way to meet their needs. (Applause.) But many Americans cannot afford a health insurance policy.
And so tonight, I propose two new initiatives to help more Americans afford their own insurance. First, I propose a standard tax deduction for health insurance that will be like the standard tax deduction for dependents. Families with health insurance will pay no income on payroll tax -- or payroll taxes on $15,000 of their income. Single Americans with health insurance will pay no income or payroll taxes on $7,500 of their income. With this reform, more than 100 million men, women, and children who are now covered by employer-provided insurance will benefit from lower tax bills. At the same time, this reform will level the playing field for those who do not get health insurance through their job. For Americans who now purchase health insurance on their own, this proposal would mean a substantial tax savings -- $4,500 for a family of four making $60,000 a year. And for the millions of other Americans who have no health insurance at all, this deduction would help put a basic private health insurance plan within their reach. Changing the tax code is a vital and necessary step to making health care affordable for more Americans. (Applause.) The President states his first idea to help families afford health insurance.
My second proposal is to help the states that are coming up with innovative ways to cover the uninsured. States that make basic private health insurance available to all their citizens should receive federal funds to help them provide this coverage to the poor and the sick. I have asked the Secretary of Health and Human Services to work with Congress to take existing federal funds and use them to create "Affordable Choices" grants. These grants would give our nation's governors more money and more flexibility to get private health insurance to those most in need.
There are many other ways that Congress can help. We need to expand Health Savings Accounts. (Applause.) We need to help small businesses through Association Health Plans. (Applause.) We need to reduce costs and medical errors with better information technology. (Applause.) We will encourage price transparency. And to protect good doctors from junk lawsuits, we passing medical liability reform. (Applause.) In all we do, we must remember that the best health care decisions are made not by government and insurance companies, but by patients and their doctors. (Applause.)
Extending hope and opportunity in our country requires an immigration system worthy of America -- with laws that are fair and borders that are secure. When laws and borders are routinely violated, this harms the interests of our country. To secure our border, we're doubling the size of the Border Patrol, and funding new infrastructure and technology.
He states that they will be doubling Border Patrol and they are very strictly securing the borders.
Yet even with all these steps, we cannot fully secure the border unless we take pressure off the border -- and that requires a temporary worker program. We should establish a legal and orderly path for foreign workers to enter our country to work on a temporary basis. As a result, they won't have to try to sneak in, and that will leave Border Agents free to chase down drug smugglers and criminals and terrorists. (Applause.) We'll enforce our immigration laws at the work site and give employers the tools to verify the legal status of their workers, so there's no excuse left for violating the law. (Applause.)
We need to uphold the great tradition of the melting pot that welcomes and assimilates new arrivals. (Applause.) We need to resolve the status of the illegal immigrants who are already in our country without animosity and without amnesty. (Applause.) Convictions run deep in this Capitol when it comes to immigration. Let us have a serious, civil, and conclusive debate, so that you can pass, and I can sign, comprehensive immigration reform into law. (Applause.)
Extending hope and opportunity depends on a stable supply of energy that keeps America's economy running and America's environment clean. For too long our nation has been dependent on foreign oil. And this dependence leaves us more vulnerable to hostile regimes, and to terrorists -- who could cause huge disruptions of oil shipments, and raise the price of oil, and do great harm to our economy.
The President says that us getting our oil from other foreign countries must stop. He says that it leaves us very vulnerable and they could raise the price of oil at any time.
It's in our vital interest to diversify America's energy supply -- the way forward is through technology. We must continue changing the way America generates electric power, by even greater use of clean coal technology, solar and wind energy, and clean, safe nuclear power. (Applause.) We need to press on with battery research for plug-in and hybrid vehicles, and expand the use of clean diesel vehicles and biodiesel fuel. (Applause.) We must continue investing in new methods of producing ethanol -- (applause) -- using everything from wood chips to grasses, to agricultural wastes.
We made a lot of progress, thanks to good policies here in Washington and the strong response of the market. And now even more dramatic advances are within reach. Tonight, I ask Congress to join me in pursuing a great goal. Let us build on the work we've done and reduce gasoline usage in the United States by 20 percent in the next 10 years. (Applause.) When we do that we will have cut our total imports by the equivalent of three-quarters of all the oil we now import from the Middle East.
The President says he wants to decrease the use of gasoline very dramatically and decrease the amount of oil we import from the Middle East.
To reach this goal, we must increase the supply of alternative fuels, by setting a mandatory fuels standard to require 35 billion gallons of renewable and alternative fuels in 2017 -- and that is nearly five times the current target. (Applause.) At the same time, we need to reform and modernize fuel economy standards for cars the way we did for light trucks -- and conserve up to 8.5 billion more gallons of gasoline by 2017.
Achieving these ambitious goals will dramatically reduce our dependence on foreign oil, but it's not going to eliminate it. And so as we continue to diversify our fuel supply, we must step up domestic oil production in environmentally sensitive ways. (Applause.) And to further protect America against severe disruptions to our oil supply, I ask Congress to double the current capacity of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. (Applause.)
America is on the verge of technological breakthroughs that will enable us to live our lives less dependent on oil. And these technologies will help us be better stewards of the environment, and they will help us to confront the serious challenge of global climate change. (Applause.)
A future of hope and opportunity requires a fair, impartial system of justice. The lives of our citizens across our nation are affected by the outcome of cases pending in our federal courts. We have a shared obligation to ensure that the federal courts have enough judges to hear those cases and deliver timely rulings. As President, I have a duty to nominate qualified men and women to vacancies on the federal bench. And the United States Senate has a duty, as well, to give those nominees a fair hearing, and a prompt up-or-down vote on the Senate floor. (Applause.)
He says that we need more judges to hear all the cases and to deliver timely rulings.
For all of us in this room, there is no higher responsibility than to protect the people of this country from danger. Five years have come and gone since we saw the scenes and felt the sorrow that the terrorists can cause. We've had time to take stock of our situation. We've added many critical protections to guard the homeland. We know with certainty that the horrors of that September morning were just a glimpse of what the terrorists intend for us -- unless we stop them.
With the distance of time, we find ourselves debating the causes of conflict and the course we have followed. Such debates are essential when a great democracy faces great questions. Yet one question has surely been settled: that to win the war on terror we must take the fight to the enemy. (Applause.)
He says we have added many critical protections from terrorists and he says that to stop them we must take the fight to the enemy.
From the start, America and our allies have protected our people by staying on the offense. The enemy knows that the days of comfortable sanctuary, easy movement, steady financing, and free flowing communications are long over. For the terrorists, life since 9/11 has never been the same.
Our success in this war is often measured by the things that did not happen. We cannot know the full extent of the attacks that we and our allies have prevented, but here is some of what we do know: We stopped an al Qaeda plot to fly a hijacked airplane into the tallest building on the West Coast. We broke up a Southeast Asian terror cell grooming operatives for attacks inside the United States. We uncovered an al Qaeda cell developing anthrax to be used in attacks against America. And just last August, British authorities uncovered a plot to blow up passenger planes bound for America over the Atlantic Ocean. For each life saved, we owe a debt of gratitude to the brave public servants who devote their lives to finding the terrorists and stopping them. (Applause.)
The President states all of the plans that terrorists had against America and talks about all the lives that were saved due to these findings.
Every success against the terrorists is a reminder of the shoreless ambitions of this enemy. The evil that inspired and rejoiced in 9/11 is still at work in the world. And so long as that's the case, America is still a nation at war.
In the mind of the terrorist, this war began well before September the 11th, and will not end until their radical vision is fulfilled. And these past five years have given us a much clearer view of the nature of this enemy. Al Qaeda and its followers are Sunni extremists, possessed by hatred and commanded by a harsh and narrow ideology. Take almost any principle of civilization, and their goal is the opposite. They preach with threats, instruct with bullets and bombs, and promise paradise for the murder of the innocent.
The President doesn't want us to forget that we are still a nation at war as long as other nations are still planning terrorist attacks against us.
Our enemies are quite explicit about their intentions. They want to overthrow moderate governments, and establish safe havens from which to plan and carry out new attacks on our country. By killing and terrorizing Americans, they want to force our country to retreat from the world and abandon the cause of liberty. They would then be free to impose their will and spread their totalitarian ideology. Listen to this warning from the late terrorist Zarqawi: "We will sacrifice our blood and bodies to put an end to your dreams, and what is coming is even worse." Osama bin Laden declared: "Death is better than living on this Earth with the unbelievers among us."
These men are not given to idle words, and they are just one camp in the Islamist radical movement. In recent times, it has also become clear that we face an escalating danger from Shia extremists who are just as hostile to America, and are also determined to dominate the Middle East. Many are known to take direction from the regime in Iran, which is funding and arming terrorists like Hezbollah -- a group second only to al Qaeda in the American lives it has taken.
The Shia and Sunni extremists are different faces of the same totalitarian threat. Whatever slogans they chant, when they slaughter the innocent they have the same wicked purposes. They want to kill Americans, kill democracy in the Middle East, and gain the weapons to kill on an even more horrific scale.
In the sixth year since our nation was attacked, I wish I could report to you that the dangers had ended. They have not. And so it remains the policy of this government to use every lawful and proper tool of intelligence, diplomacy, law enforcement, and military action to do our duty, to find these enemies, and to protect the American people. (Applause.)
The President says that we have many people to fear and all of these hateful nations want the same thing from America, death.
This war is more than a clash of arms -- it is a decisive ideological struggle, and the security of our nation is in the balance. To prevail, we must remove the conditions that inspire blind hatred, and drove 19 men to get onto airplanes and to come and kill us. What every terrorist fears most is human freedom
-- societies where men and women make their own choices, answer to their own conscience, and live by their hopes instead of their resentments. Free people are not drawn to violent and malignant ideologies -- and most will choose a better way when they're given a chance. So we advance our own security interests by helping moderates and reformers and brave voices for democracy. The great question of our day is whether America will help men and women in the Middle East to build free societies and share in the rights of all humanity. And I say, for the sake of our own security, we must. (Applause.)
The President states that our main goal is to get the Middle East to create free societies. We are giving them that chance. That is one of our main goals in the Middle East.
In the last two years, we've seen the desire for liberty in the broader Middle East -- and we have been sobered by the enemy's fierce reaction. In 2005, the world watched as the citizens of Lebanon raised the banner of the Cedar Revolution, they drove out the Syrian occupiers and chose new leaders in free elections. In 2005, the people of Afghanistan defied the terrorists and elected a democratic legislature. And in 2005, the Iraqi people held three national elections, choosing a transitional government, adopting the most progressive, democratic constitution in the Arab world, and then electing a government under that constitution. Despite endless threats from the killers in their midst, nearly 12 million Iraqi citizens came out to vote in a show of hope and solidarity that we should never forget. (Applause.)
The President talks about the many successes we have had in the Middle East. He talks about how Afghanistan elected a Democratic legislature.
A thinking enemy watched all of these scenes, adjusted their tactics, and in 2006 they struck back. In Lebanon, assassins took the life of Pierre Gemayel, a prominent participant in the Cedar Revolution. Hezbollah terrorists, with support from Syria and Iran, sowed conflict in the region and are seeking to undermine Lebanon's legitimately elected government. In Afghanistan, Taliban and al Qaeda fighters tried to regain power by regrouping and engaging Afghan and NATO forces. In Iraq, al Qaeda and other Sunni extremists blew up one of the most sacred places in Shia Islam -- the Golden Mosque of Samarra. This atrocity, directed at a Muslim house of prayer, was designed to provoke retaliation from Iraqi Shia -- and it succeeded. Radical Shia elements, some of whom receive support from Iran, formed death squads. The result was a tragic escalation of sectarian rage and reprisal that continues to this day.
This is not the fight we entered in Iraq, but it is the fight we're in. Every one of us wishes this war were over and won. Yet it would not be like us to leave our promises unkept, our friends abandoned, and our own security at risk. (Applause.) Ladies and gentlemen: On this day, at this hour, it is still within our power to shape the outcome of this battle. Let us find our resolve, and turn events toward victory. (Applause.)
He says that other Middle East countries disagree with this thinking and these ways, but this will not make us Americans just leave and give up. We will stay there and teach all the Middle East countries that are willing to learn these ways.
We're carrying out a new strategy in Iraq -- a plan that demands more from Iraq's elected government, and gives our forces in Iraq the reinforcements they need to complete their mission. Our goal is a democratic Iraq that upholds the rule of law, respects the rights of its people, provides them security, and is an ally in the war on terror.
In order to make progress toward this goal, the Iraqi government must stop the sectarian violence in its capital. But the Iraqis are not yet ready to do this on their own. So we're deploying reinforcements of more than 20,000 additional soldiers and Marines to Iraq. The vast majority will go to Baghdad, where they will help Iraqi forces to clear and secure neighborhoods, and serve as advisers embedded in Iraqi Army units. With Iraqis in the lead, our forces will help secure the city by chasing down the terrorists, insurgents, and the roaming death squads. And in Anbar Province, where al Qaeda terrorists have gathered and local forces have begun showing a willingness to fight them, we're sending an additional 4,000 United States Marines, with orders to find the terrorists and clear them out. (Applause.) We didn't drive al Qaeda out of their safe haven in Afghanistan only to let them set up a new safe haven in a free Iraq.
The people of Iraq want to live in peace, and now it's time for their government to act. Iraq's leaders know that our commitment is not open-ended. They have promised to deploy more of their own troops to secure Baghdad -- and they must do so. They pledged that they will confront violent radicals of any faction or political party -- and they need to follow through, and lift needless restrictions on Iraqi and coalition forces, so these troops can achieve their mission of bringing security to all of the people of Baghdad. Iraq's leaders have committed themselves to a series of benchmarks -- to achieve reconciliation, to share oil revenues among all of Iraq's citizens, to put the wealth of Iraq into the rebuilding of Iraq, to allow more Iraqis to re-enter their nation's civic life, to hold local elections, and to take responsibility for security in every Iraqi province. But for all of this to happen, Baghdad must be secure. And our plan will help the Iraqi government take back its capital and make good on its commitments.
The President talks about the orders we have given to Iraq, and says that they must follow through. He said that the Iraqi people want freedom and their governments are holding them back, and that's why we are there.
My fellow citizens, our military commanders and I have carefully weighed the options. We discussed every possible approach. In the end, I chose this course of action because it provides the best chance for success. Many in this chamber understand that America must not fail in Iraq, because you understand that the consequences of failure would be grievous and far-reaching.
If American forces step back before Baghdad is secure, the Iraqi government would be overrun by extremists on all sides. We could expect an epic battle between Shia extremists backed by Iran, and Sunni extremists aided by al Qaeda and supporters of the old regime. A contagion of violence could spill out across the country -- and in time, the entire region could be drawn into the conflict.
He says that we must remain in Baghdad because if we left now the government would be taken over by extremists. He says it is our duty to stay and help.
For America, this is a nightmare scenario. For the enemy, this is the objective. Chaos is the greatest ally -- their greatest ally in this struggle. And out of chaos in Iraq would emerge an emboldened enemy with new safe havens, new recruits, new resources, and an even greater determination to harm America. To allow this to happen would be to ignore the lessons of September the 11th and invite tragedy. Ladies and gentlemen, nothing is more important at this moment in our history than for America to succeed in the Middle East, to succeed in Iraq and to spare the American people from this danger. (Applause.)
This is where matters stand tonight, in the here and now. I have spoken with many of you in person. I respect you and the arguments you've made. We went into this largely united, in our assumptions and in our convictions. And whatever you voted for, you did not vote for failure. Our country is pursuing a new strategy in Iraq, and I ask you to give it a chance to work. And I ask you to support our troops in the field, and those on their way. (Applause.)
The war on terror we fight today is a generational struggle that will continue long after you and I have turned our duties over to others. And that's why it's important to work together so our nation can see this great effort through. Both parties and both branches should work in close consultation. It's why I propose to establish a special advisory council on the war on terror, made up of leaders in Congress from both political parties. We will share ideas for how to position America to meet every challenge that confronts us. We'll show our enemies abroad that we are united in the goal of victory.
He says that we all need to work together even after we have passed our duties down to others.
And one of the first steps we can take together is to add to the ranks of our military so that the American Armed Forces are ready for all the challenges ahead. (Applause.) Tonight I ask the Congress to authorize an increase in the size of our active Army and Marine Corps by 92,000 in the next five years. (Applause.) A second task we can take on together is to design and establish a volunteer Civilian Reserve Corps. Such a corps would function much like our military reserve. It would ease the burden on the Armed Forces by allowing us to hire civilians with critical skills to serve on missions abroad when America needs them. It would give people across America who do not wear the uniform a chance to serve in the defining struggle of our time.
Americans can have confidence in the outcome of this struggle because we're not in this struggle alone. We have a diplomatic strategy that is rallying the world to join in the fight against extremism. In Iraq, multinational forces are operating under a mandate from the United Nations. We're working with Jordan and Saudi Arabia and Egypt and the Gulf States to increase support for Iraq's government.
The President says we will not lose this battle because we are not fighting it alone. He names all the places that are helping us fight the war on terror.
The United Nations has imposed sanctions on Iran, and made it clear that the world will not allow the regime in Tehran to acquire nuclear weapons. (Applause.) With the other members of the Quartet -- the U.N., the European Union, and Russia -- we're pursuing diplomacy to help bring peace to the Holy Land, and pursuing the establishment of a democratic Palestinian state living side-by-side with Israel in peace and security. (Applause.) In Afghanistan, NATO has taken the lead in turning back the Taliban and al Qaeda offensive -- the first time the Alliance has deployed forces outside the North Atlantic area. Together with our partners in China, Japan, Russia, and South Korea, we're pursuing intensive diplomacy to achieve a Korean Peninsula free of nuclear weapons. (Applause.)
We will continue to speak out for the cause of freedom in places like Cuba, Belarus, and Burma -- and continue to awaken the conscience of the world to save the people of Darfur. (Applause.)
American foreign policy is more than a matter of war and diplomacy. Our work in the world is also based on a timeless truth: To whom much is given, much is required. We hear the call to take on the challenges of hunger and poverty and disease -- and that is precisely what America is doing. We must continue to fight HIV/AIDS, especially on the continent of Africa. (Applause.) Because you funded our Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, the number of people receiving life-saving drugs has grown from 50,000 to more than 800,000 in three short years. I ask you to continue funding our efforts to fight HIV/AIDS. I ask you to provide $1.2 billion over five years so we can combat malaria in 15 African countries. (Applause.)
He says that we must keep contributing to those who have HIV/AIDS in Africa and He says that those are battles just as important as the ones in the Middle East.
I ask that you fund the Millennium Challenge Account, so that American aid reaches the people who need it, in nations where democracy is on the rise and corruption is in retreat. And let us continue to support the expanded trade and debt relief that are the best hope for lifting lives and eliminating poverty. (Applause.)
When America serves others in this way, we show the strength and generosity of our country. These deeds reflect the character of our people. The greatest strength we have is the heroic kindness, courage, and self-sacrifice of the American people. You see this spirit often if you know where to look -- and tonight we need only look above to the gallery.
Dikembe Mutombo grew up in Africa, amid great poverty and disease. He came to Georgetown University on a scholarship to study medicine -- but Coach John Thompson got a look at Dikembe and had a different idea. (Laughter.) Dikembe became a star in the NBA, and a citizen of the United States. But he never forgot the land of his birth, or the duty to share his blessings with others. He built a brand new hospital in his old hometown. A friend has said of this good-hearted man: "Mutombo believes that God has given him this opportunity to do great things." And we are proud to call this son of the Congo a citizen of the United States of America. (Applause.)
After her daughter was born, Julie Aigner-Clark searched for ways to share her love of music and art with her child. So she borrowed some equipment, and began filming children's videos in her basement. The Baby Einstein Company was born, and in just five years her business grew to more than $20 million in sales. In November 2001, Julie sold Baby Einstein to the Walt Disney Company, and with her help Baby Einstein has grown into a $200 million business. Julie represents the great enterprising spirit of America. And she is using her success to help others -- producing child safety videos with John Walsh of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Julie says of her new project: "I believe it's the most important thing that I have ever done. I believe that children have the right to live in a world that is safe." And so tonight, we are pleased to welcome this talented business entrepreneur and generous social entrepreneur -- Julie Aigner-Clark. (Applause.)
Three weeks ago, Wesley Autrey was waiting at a Harlem subway station with his two little girls, when he saw a man fall into the path of a train. With seconds to act, Wesley jumped onto the tracks, pulled the man into the space between the rails, and held him as the train passed right above their heads. He insists he's not a hero. He says: "We got guys and girls overseas dying for us to have our freedoms. We have got to show each other some love." There is something wonderful about a country that produces a brave and humble man like Wesley Autrey. (Applause.)
The President talks about the wonderful things we do. He talks about how one man risked his life to help a helpless other.
Tommy Rieman was a teenager pumping gas in Independence, Kentucky, when he enlisted in the United States Army. In December 2003, he was on a reconnaissance mission in Iraq when his team came under heavy enemy fire. From his Humvee, Sergeant Rieman returned fire; he used his body as a shield to protect his gunner. He was shot in the chest and arm, and received shrapnel wounds to his legs -- yet he refused medical attention, and stayed in the fight. He helped to repel a second attack, firing grenades at the enemy's position. For his exceptional courage, Sergeant Rieman was awarded the Silver Star. And like so many other Americans who have volunteered to defend us, he has earned the respect and the gratitude of our entire country. (Applause.)
In such courage and compassion, ladies and gentlemen, we see the spirit and character of America -- and these qualities are not in short supply. This is a decent and honorable country -- and resilient, too. We've been through a lot together. We've met challenges and faced dangers, and we know that more lie ahead. Yet we can go forward with confidence -- because the State of our Union is strong, our cause in the world is right, and tonight that cause goes on. God bless. (Applause.)
See you next year. Thank you for your prayers.

The Children's Crusade was inspired by a boy's visions. Historians don't know exactly where he is from but think it might be either France or Germany. He had visions that showed the Muslims being converted to Christianity in the Holy Land. "One boy had the dream to lead thousands of people into a crusade because of his deep faith in the Lord."Hollister. Page 199. The boy began preaching that he had been visited by Jesus, and he was directed to lead a crusade in which the Christians of that land converted the Muslims of the Holy Land to Christianity. "His dream saw more Christians forming in the World." Hollister. Page 198.

The boy gathered a reasonable group of people to follow him which included 20,000 children. The boy led the people to the Mediterranean Sea. He told them that the water would part for them so they could get across, but this never happened. All the children were either sold and became slaves or died before they could make it across the Mediterranean.

The second movement was led by a "shepherd boy" named Stephen de Cloyes. He claimed to have a letter for the King of France from Jesus. Cloyes gathered over 30,000 people to follow him. They marched to Saint-Denis where Stephen was seen to have worked miracles. The University of Paris told the people to go home. Most listened and left.

Another form of the story contains both boys in one story. It was said that they both had similar visions from Jesus to convert Muslims to Christianity. People gathered and followed them from all around. They were united in one big religious protest movement which changed this wandering group of people into a religious journey. The people associated themselves with Jesus's biblical journey, but nothing came from this religious journey. The people once again disbanded and went back home. The movement fizzled.

Though nothing seemed to have come out of these journeys, I think there was a very deep message to be learned from these episodes. They showed the Christians how strong their love for Jesus really was, and how much they trusted His word. 30,000 people gathering for one boy who claims to have seen visions of the Christian faith spreading. This also showed other religious groups the depth of faith and trust Christians had in the power of religious messages and the strong love Christians had and still have for the Lord.


Gies, Frances and Joseph. Daily Life in Medieval Times. Black Dog and Leventhal Publishers, Inc. New York, 1990.

Hollister, C. Warren. Medieval Europe. The Mcgraw-Hill Companies, Inc. U.S.A.,1998

Saladin lived between 1138 and 1193. He was a Kurdish Muslim general and came from what is now Northern Iraq. His name symbolizes his moral and honorable character and was given to him by the people he led. In fact, he was so highly regarded that there are alot of stories that were passed down about him through the ages. He was a great military leader and was respected by both Muslims and Christians.

Saladin learned his military prowess from his uncle who was also a great military leader. His name was Shirkuh and he commanded under the ruler Nur ad-Din. At first Saladin fought in battles between different Muslim factions, the same type of problems that seem to exist today. Saladin defended Egypt against Jerusalem. His reputation and power grew. Eventually, he became the ruler of Egypt when Nur ad-Din died in 1174.

Saladin improved Egypt's economy and declared Egypt independent from other Muslim states when he became sultan. Because of a rivalry with Syria, Saladin was hesitant to invade the Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem. Saladin sought Muslim dominance in the Arab world, but he realized the benefit of Jerusalem separating the two rivals (Egypt and Syria). Whenever Saladin did engage in Crusader battles he usually won. However, he did lose an important battle (Montgisard) in 1177.

After Saladin lost face he spent 1178 rebuilding his army. From 1179 to 1185 he fought and won many battles with the crusaders. In 1187 Saladin overtook the holy land of Jerusalem. "Saladin surrounded the crusader army and virtually annihilated it, and he afterward conquered large portions of the Crusader states without serious opposition." Gies, page 199. The fall of Jerusalem was the alarm bell for England to now enter into the Crusades. When Richard I of England entered and became victorious in the Crusades he came to know Saladin. Richard respected Saladin both militarily and personally. Even in defeat Saladin treated Richard kindly. As a result the two agreed to a truce in Jerusalem in 1192. "Chivalrous as well as able, Saladin negotiated a truce with the Crusader States, but the rise of his new principality was nevertheless an ominous threat to Latin Syria." Gies, page 199.

Saladin was important to the Crusades for these reasons. First, his victories alerted the rest of the world to the threat of Muslim dominance. Second, the world realized Saladin was a kind and chivalrous leader and that Muslims were not the barbarians they had first thought they were. Third, when Saladin and Richard agreed to a treaty over Jerusalem in 1192 Saladin allowed the practice of Christianity and pilgrimages in the mostly Muslim area. Fourth, the Christian world realized that with understanding and negotiation Christians and Muslims could coexist peacefully.

Bibliography

Gies, Frances and Joseph. Daily Life in Medieval Times. Black Dog and Leventhal Publishers, Inc. New York, 1990.

Hollister, C. Warren. Medieval Europe. The Mcgraw-Hill Companies, Inc. U.S.A.,1998

In my opinion, the first crusade was the most successful crusade. It was launched by Pope Urban II in the year 1095. The stated goal of the first crusade was to capture the sacred city of Jerusalem and the Holy Land from the Muslims. The first crusade very quickly turned into a migration and conquest of territory outside of Europe.

Urban planned the departure of the crusade for August 15, 1096, the Feast of the Assumption, but months before this a number of armies made up of peasants left for Jerusalem on their own. They were led by a monk named Peter the Hermit of Amiens. Urban expected a few thousand knights, but ended up with a migration numbering up to 100,000 people, most of which were unskilled fighters, including women and children.

Leaving Europe around the appointed time in August, the armies took different paths to Constantinople and gathered outside its city walls in December 1096. The crusaders arrived in Constantinople with little food, and expected help from Alexius I. Alexius agreed to send a Byzantine army under the command of Taticius to accompany the crusaders through Asia Minor. Many crusaders died on the march through Asia due to lack of food and water, as did many horses. Sometimes the crusaders would get lucky and christians would give them gifts of food and money, but when they didn't the crusaders were forced to loot and pillage whenever the oppurtunity presented itself.

Meanwhile a plague broke out, killing even more people, including the legate Adhemar. There were now even fewer horses than before, and Muslim peasants refused to give them food. In December, the capture of Ma'arrat al-Numan took place and the first act of cannibalism by the crusaders took place. In 1099, the march to Jerusalem was renewed, leaving Bohemund behind as the first Prince of Antioch.

On May 7 the Crusaders finally reached their targeted city, Jerusalem. Many soldiers even wept upon seeing the city they had traveled so long to reach. Again, many crusaders died due to the lack of food and water in Jerusalem. The crusaders put Jerusalem through a lengthy seige. Though only 1,500 soldiers remained of the crusaders, they got hope from a priest named Peter Desiderius, who claimed to have had a divine vision instructing them to fast and then march around the city walls barefoot. Over the course of that afternoon, the crusaders almost every inhabitant of Jerusalem, leading to them taking it over completely.

The first crusade was very successful and involved the siege of Jerusalem and Antioch. Though they used some very odd methods, such as cannibalism, Christians proved to the Muslims that they were willing to make incredible sacrifices to insure the defeat of their enemies. It worked and led to a very successful siege of Jerusalem, which was the overall main goal of the first crusade. The success of a mission is goal achievement, and this is what the Christians accomplished. Christian success also served to fire up support for successive ventures. It must have been a debilitating psychological defeat for the Muslims because there are still, to this day, strong anti-Christian sentiment on the part of the Muslims that has its roots in the Crusades. The first crusade was considered very successful because even though they lost many lives in the battles, they really expressed their faith in the Christian cause and their love for God.

Our school's blogs are pretty good thanks to Mr. Lockwood so it made it pretty tough to pick out the ones that I like because they are all pretty good. But I chose some that I favored over the rest.

The first blog is a good blog because it is more than just the bare minimum. Some blogs, including mine, are five links and no actual research. This blog is different because he found as much information on the topic as he could and shared it in a way that made it very easy to understand and also very entertaining to read.

My second blog of choice was decent, but was nothing spectacular. The blog has no links, which limits the amount of information on the blog, and also has very random and jumpy thoughts. It does not blend very well and was a little tougher than the first one to read.

The third blog that I am critiquing is also a little below average. It is pretty much the bare minimum, five links and he's done. This made the blog a little difficult to read. There are also grammatical errors throughout the blog.

The fourth blog is, in my opinion, the best blog that I have read so far. His blogs are incredibly detailed and well above average. His facts are plentiful and his links are perfectly on subject.

The final blog that I have critiqued is also a very good and indepth blog. It's by a senior which means he has had a whole lot of practice on blogging thanks to Mr. Lockwood. It is incredibly detailed and from the looks of it he spent a lot of time doing the research on them. This blog and the fourth blog that I critiqued are both very good and my two favorites out of the whole school.

Baseball is America's favorite past time and if you are a teen who doesn't enjoy baseball then you have some problems. The earliest reference to baseball came in 1744, but the first real thing happened in 1838 when Dr. Adam Ford had a contemporary description of the game. The first semiprofessional baseball club was the Cincinnati Red Stockings who assembled in 1869. Baseball has come a very long way since then and there are now 30 teams in the major leagues. Some kids, including me, would be lost without baseball, and I couldn't imagine how much spare time I would have if baseball was never invented.

Well I was just surfing the web and I stumbled upon something that, to tell you the truth, freaked me out. The Jetsons, a tv show from the early 60s, used flying cars for transportation. It will never actually happen right? Wrong! The first flying car has already been made. Now are people gonna get killed by drunk flyers? Or is a teen gonna take their dad's flying car and go for a joy fly? To me it sounds unreal. But only rich actors or athletes will be able to buy them right? Wrong again! The starting cost is $1 million but once they are mass produced the price might come all the way down to $60, 000! They fly up to 50 feet high and travel at 200- 400 MPH. There are actually people who think the see flying cars in the world now! People claim to have seen flying cars in New York, San Francisco, Florida, and Los Angeles. If you ask me I'd say that these people are complete whackos. But hey everyone is entitled to their own opinion no matter how crazy it might sound. If they do make a flying car and it looks anything like this, I am making a promise to myself to never buy one. I think I'll stick to the ground before being caught dead in one of these.

Kobe Bryant based his game off of Michael Jordan's, the all time great. But the real question is, who is the better player? Well let's compare. Both players are 6'6" and their weight is very similar. Both Kobe and Michael could nail the jump shots that most viewed as impossible. But there is one large barrier that in my mind, just might separate the two. January 22, 2006 was a night that Lakers' fans, like me, will probably never forget. He started the night average for him, 26 points, and finished with a total of more than I even hope to score this whole year in basketball, 81. This is the second highest points scored ever in one game , behind Wilt Chamberlain and his 100 point phenomenon. Wilt Chamberlain is said to be the greatest player to ever play the game and on March 2, 1962 he showed why many people thought this. So in my opinion Kobe Bryant might be a hair better than Michael Jordan, but neither even compare to Wilt, the all time great.

The First Crusade was the only crusade that reached it's objective of recover the Holy Sepulcher. The movie we have been watching stated that "The First Crusade was better known as the cannibilism crusade". Pope Urban II made one crucial mistake, offering his men Papal Indulgences and telling them that no matter what they did that they would go directly to Heaven. The Crusaders had their own battle cry, "Deus lo volt", which means God wills it. This is what they would scream in battle. The First Crusade led to the capturing of Jerusalem. Though this power only lasted for less than a couple hundred years, the First Crusade was still a major turning point in the growth of Western power. The largest positive outcome of the First Crusade was it's success in establishing the Crusader states of Edessa, Antioch, Jerusalem, and Tripoli.

The Third Crusade, which was also known as the Kings' Crusade, was mainly trying to capture the Holy Land from Saladin. Gregory VIII, the new pope, did not try to have the church lead the crusade. Instead he had Archbishop Joscius of Tyre go directly to France to appeal to the kings. Saladin knew that Richard's objective was to capture Jerusalem so Saladin followed Richard very closely. The final treaty was signed on September 2, 1192 and Jerusalem was to stay in Muslim hands.

A Privilege Granted by Pope Eugenius III
"Moreover, by the authority vested by God in us, we who with paternal care provide for your safety and the needs of the church, have promised and granted to those who from a spirit of devotion have decided to enter upon and accomplish such a holy and necessary undertaking and task, that remission of sins which our predecessor Pope Urban instituted. We have also commanded that their wives and children, their property and possessions, shall be under the protection of the holy church, of ourselves, of the archbishops, bishops and other prelates of the church of God. Moreover, we ordain by our apostolic authority that until their return or death is fully proven, no law suit shall be instituted hereafter in regard to any property of which they were in peaceful possession when they took the cross.
Those who with pure hearts enter upon such a sacred journey and who are in debt shall pay no interest. And if they or others for them are bound by oath or promise to pay interest, we free them by our apostolic authority. And after they have sought aid of their relatives or lords of whom they hold their fiefs, and the latter are unable or unwilling to advance them money, we allow them freely to mortgage their lands and other possessions to churches, ecclesiastics or other Christians, and their lords shall have no redress.
Following the institution of our predecessor, and through the authority of omnipotent God and of St. Peter, prince of the Apostles - which is vested in us by God - we grant absolution and remission of sins, so that those who devoutly undertake and accomplish such a holy journey, or who die by the way, shall obtain absolution for all their sins which they confess with humble and contrite heart, and shall receive from the Remunerator of all the reward of eternal life."

Source:Dana C. Munro, "Urban and the Crusaders", Translations and Reprints from the Original Sources of European History, Vol 1:2, (Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania, 1895), 12

The Second Crusade began when the Muslims recaptured Edessa. The Second Crusade was announced by Pope Eugenius III in 1145. Four key participants in the Second Crusade were King Louis VII, Conrad III, and Bernard of Clairvaux. Conrad's poorly disciplined troops created tension in Constantinople, where they arrived in September . The downfall of the Second Crusade had many reasons. One being poor strategic planning. The Second Crusade ended in July of 1148 .

Due to St. Bernard's popularity they had him write a letter promoting it. In it he says "God hath commanded me. Slay them not, lest my people forget."
He also says that when he gets enough troops "all Israel shall be saved".

http://www.crusades-encyclopedia.com/psbernardcallforcrusade.html