19th Amendment Video

The following talks about the 19th amendment and the importance of women's right to vote. This is song is a Schoolhouse Rock Classic, where Esra Mohawk's blues vocals are playing during the cartoon, as characters act out the lyrics of her song. Some of the animations are colorful and vivid while others are black and white archival photographs; it mixes well, and makes the video even more presentable. I like finding fun videos like these because they are upbeat and keep you entertained; the song was even catchy.

19th Amendment Artwork

"The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.

Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation."

- 19th Amendment of the United States Constitution

The 19th amendment gave women the right to vote. In response to the19th amendment definition, which was basically a summary of all of the work of activists in favor of women’s suffrage, the National Woman’s Party urged citizens to vote against anti-suffrage senators up for election in the fall of 1918. After the 1918 election, most members of Congress were pro-suffrage. On May 21, 1919, the House of Representatives passed the amendment by a vote of 304 to 89. 304 to 89, shows that most members wanted women to have the right to vote. I think it is important for everyone to have a chance to have their voice heard.

The first piece of media, that I am presenting is a photograph from around the time the 19th amendment was ratified. It is a picture of six women behind a banner that reads "No self respecting woman should wish or work for the success of a party who ignores her sex." Even though the statement is short, I think it is very strong and profound. It gets the point across clearly, and shows that women were fed up with being on the back burner. As citizens they should have the rights that men do, it is only fair.

Associated Press

Chairwoman Alice Paul, second from left, and officers of the National Woman's Party, June 1920.

18th Amendment Artwork

I decided to do another piece of artwork for my second media piece because I stumbled upon something hilarious that is relevant to me and many other people who know their television comedies. The artwork is an image from The Simpsons, a cartoon comedy that parodies historical events, government, current events, pop culture, and everything else you can think of. Specifically this image come from the episode Homer VS. The Eighteenth Amendment. After an old paper is discovered that proves Springfield is a dry city, Homer loses it and enlists the aid of Bart to start smuggling alcohol from his basement to Moe’s. Hopefully this is as funny as I thought it would be. It made me think about an alternate future where the 18th amendment was not repealed. I feel as though it would cause chaos and disorder; maybe even a revolution, good thing the 18th amendment was repealed.

Homer VS. The 18th Amendment

From listverse.com

Top 10 Simpson Episodes

18th Amendment Artwork

"Section 1. After one year from the ratification of this article the manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors within, the importation thereof into, or the exportation thereof from the United States and all territory subject to the jurisdiction thereof for beverage purposes is hereby prohibited.

Section 2. The Congress and the several States shall have concurrent power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

Section 3. This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by the legislatures of the several States, as provided in the Constitution, within seven years from the date of the submission hereof to the States by the Congress."

- 18th Amendment of the United States Constitution

Today the 18th Amendment is meaningless because it was repealed. However, once upon a time it did serve a great purpose. The 18th Amendment was the Prohibition of Alcohol. There isn't much to say about this amendment except that it took away everyone's right to consume alcohol, no matter how old you were or you status. What I find important are the increases in violent behavior during this time:

According to Albany.edu

• Police funding: INCREASED $11.4 Million
• Arrests for Prohibition Las Violations: INCREASED 102%
• Arrests for Drunkenness and Disorderly Conduct: INCREASED 41%
• Arrests of Drunken Drivers: INCREASED 81%
• Thefts and Burglaries: INCREASED 9%
• Homicides, Assault, and Battery: INCREASED 13%
• Number of Federal Convicts: INCREASED 561%
• Federal Prison Population: INCREASED 366%
• Total Federal Expenditures on Penal Institutions: INCREASED 1,000%

None of the increases were positive except for police funding, but that 11.4 million dollars could have went to something more meaningful such as education. The artwork I chose was a picture of a tombstone for John Barleycorn who represented alcohol. Make sure to look at the Date of Death, and then the question  mark which showed the  possible resurrection of alcohol. A humorous thing they threw in, if you haven't caught it already, is the last name which is 'Barleycorn.' I thought it was a unique and symbolic image.

Tombstone for John Barleycorn

Albany.edu

17th Amendment Artwork

The artwork I decided to use for the 17th amendment represents the opposite of what the 17th amendment stands for, the image reads "Repeal the 17th Amendment Restore States' Rights." Many people rather have the States' as a whole hold the right to appoint Senators instead of the Federal Government. The 17th amendment took away the powers that were given to the states and gave them to the federal government. This took away the buffer between the people and the federal government. The image is from zazzle.com a website that makes custom shirts, mugs, hats, etc.

17th Amendment Video

"The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, elected by the people thereof, for six years; and each Senator shall have one vote. The electors in each State shall have the qualifications requisite for electors of the most numerous branch of the State legislatures.

When vacancies happen in the representation of any State in the Senate, the executive authority of such State shall issue writs of election to fill such vacancies: Provided, That the legislature of any State may empower the executive thereof to make temporary appointments until the people fill the vacancies by election as the legislature may direct.

This amendment shall not be so construed as to affect the election or term of any Senator chosen before it becomes valid as part of the Constitution."

- 17th Amendment of The United States Constitution

The Seventeenth Amendment, which was ratified in 1913, provided for the direct election of U.S. senators by citizens. Until 1913 state legislatures had elected U.S. senators. Ratification of the amendment followed decades of insistence that the power to elect senators should be placed in the hands of ordinary voters. By the late nineteenth century, political opinion was changing in favor of a more fully participatory democracy, which gave way to the amendment. I feel as though this is an important amendment because it gives citizens with no governmental affiliation a chance to have their voice be heard when senators were selected.  

The video I chose talks about the importance of one's voice in government, specifically in choosing America's leaders if that is the President or if that is Senators. It also talks about alternative methods of communicating and getting the word out, which I also find important.

16th Amendment Video

Hahaha, this video was hilarious. 

It speaks a little bit on the 16th Amendment in reference to taxes. The creator of the video Glozell, talks about how she is unemployed and sits at home with her "seven childrens." She talks about how taxes help pay for her health care as an unemployed citizen. I want to believe that those who are unemployed were laid off or are citizens who cannot find work; people with legitimate issues. Hopefully this video was a joke, if not, I have to ask myself what has America come to or as she puts it "Amurica!"

Your Higher Taxes pay for My healthcare thanks President Obama Healthcare Reform

By Glozell

Link to media: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRgB2eeHZEw

Please Note:
The video was unable to be embedded into the blog, so I just left the link address.