Bibliography

 Bibliography:

"Attack at Pearl Harbor, 1941," EyeWitness to History, www.eyewitnesstohistory.com 1997

Jones, Middleboro. http://usnavyjeep.blogspot.com/2011/03/last-of-middleboros-pearl-harbor.html. N.p., 14 Mar. 2011. Web. 14 Dec. 2011.

"Pear Harbor." http://www.history.com/topics/pearl-harbor. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 14 Dec. 2011. 

"Pearl Harbor Tours with Pearl Harbor Oahu." http://www.pearlharboroahu.com/. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Dec. 2011.

“Mother, Father I’m home!” I excitedly exclaimed as I walked through the front door of my house.

“Herve, Herve! I can’t believe your home! I’ve missed you terribly” mother slurred through her tears.

“Mother, you don’t know how bad I have missed you. Long days and I couldn’t even see you!”

Oh Herve, have you lost weight? You look like you haven’t eaten a full meal in months!” She said giving me a funny look.

“Oh dear mother, do you really think they’d feed me as well as you did, of course not” I remarked trying to lighten up the mood.

“Well lucky for you I have a ham in the oven, I’m almost done with my mashed potatoes the green beans are on the stove and I have biscuits also in the oven.” My mother has stated walking over to the kitchen.

“Come along dear, put your stuff in the wash room and follow me in the kitchen” she firmly stated.

“Yes mother” I said laughing at her humor.                                                           

“Sit, sit now I have your meal all ready” My mother happily said.

I sat down in my chair and began eating.

“Mother these mashed potatoes are better then I remembered them” I said with a full mouth.

“Well maybe if they fed you you’d think they were the same” Mother blankly said.

“Yeah I guess” I said emotionless.

“Honey, what exactly happened that day? How did you guys get so lucky?” she coldly stated.

I was in complete shock when she asked me this.

“Well it really was just a regular day, then it happened out of nowhere.” I choked out.

“Oh Herve, I prayed every night after we heard about it. I prayed that you were ok because I don’t know what I would do if I would have lost you. This family wouldn’t have been complete” My mother managed to slip out between the sniffles and tears.

“I kept trying to tell myself it was a dream but I couldn’t convince myself. I kept telling myself to grow up and accept that it’s reality.” I sobbed to her.

“Shhhh… Herve it’s ok.” She tried saying in her most comforting voice.

“No it’s not ok. It’ll never be ok” I spat at her.

“Herve, there is absolutely NOTHING you could have done. It’s not your fault not at all.” My mom spoke quietly.

“I know, I know.” I quietly exclaimed.

“If you don’t want to talk about it I completely understand.” She sighed.

“Can we talk about it tomorrow? I really need some rest.” I restlessly spat at her.

“Of course, go to bed and I’ll see you in the morning” She laughed.

She gave me a kiss on the cheek and I starting walking to my bedroom.

“Goodnight mother, I love you” I turned around and said.

“I love you to Herve.” Was the last thing I heard before I shut my door and crawled into bed. 

Herve Fortin jouranl entry numero dos!(: (english project)

March 7^th 1942

                It’s been exactly 4 months since that terrible incident. I came home yesterday for the first time since the attack on the harbor. Mother was more than thrilled to see me. She was weeping when she saw me walk through the front door. Hugs attacked me as my shirt got drenched of tears. All I did was smile. I couldn’t stop and that was ok! This is where I wanted to be, home. With my family and with my friends, I was relieved to be off the ship, no I was thrilled. Mother made a homemade hot meal for me. I devoured it within minutes. The taste of the buttery mashed potatoes with the thick warm delicious gravy. Salty green beans filled my mouth as it danced on my tongue. The warm biscuits just made everything better as I placed one piece in my mouth savoring the flavor.  I was used to those horribly tasting box meals that tasted like cardboard. I couldn’t thank mother enough for the meal. She would just simply smile and tell me I was worth it. She made a cake from scratch. It was delicious and my mouth watered just looking at it. It was a white cake with homemade frosting. The moist cake melted in my mouth with each bite I took.  The vanilla smell roamed the air so the kitchen smelled sweet as could be.

                Then the flashbacks began. Mother and Father asked me about the attack on Pearl Harbor. Tears filled my eyes and I felt like someone had punched me in the gut. I started talking but more and more tears came. They told me if I wasn’t ready I didn’t have to talk about it, but I simply would nod my head and say I was fine even though deep down inside I knew I really wasn’t. I told them that it was just a regular day when it happened. You could see the horror in their eyes. I knew they could see it in mine. I would slur worlds through my tears. Every now and then I would hear a sniffle from mother or father. I told them about Jonny grabbing me because my body was to numb to think. “Thank God for that boy Jonny or my beautiful son might not be alive today” mother could barley say through her tears. I could tell they were upset and relieved at the same time. I told them how I just couldn’t get the flashbacks out of my mind. Father asked if I wanted to speak to someone professional about this but I shook my head no and would carry on with my story. I told them how for a long time I was in disbelief and they said they were too after they heard the news. We all cried together and they kept telling me now happy they were I was alive. All I could say was “I am too mother, I am too.” As the day ended I crawled up in my bed that I haven’t been in for a good couple of months. As I laid under my blanket I closed my droopy eyes and drifted asleep.

~Herve Fortin

Fortin Hearve Jounral Entry #1 (English Project)

December 7^th 1941,

        The WORST thing happened yesterday! We had been bombed by the Japanese! It was a normal day on the USS Detroit located in the harbor, we were practicing incase we were attacked. I went to relieve my crewmate Jonny from the motorboat and start my shift. I was helping him out when we heard the bashful buzzing sound of fighter planes hovering above us. BOOM! I would hear a bomb. Terror filled my soul and tears filled my eyes. I didn’t know what was going on. I was clueless; I was in disbelief and worst of all I couldn’t speak or move my numb body. We were getting orders to shout at us and I was confused and my body was doing what I was telling it to. I just stood there until Jonny grabbed me and took me to the boat. We were told to evacuate immediately and go to the west coast of the Hawaiian island of Oahu. I sat in the ship looking out the window, all I saw was thick black smoke and big ships being blown up.
          I could smell that awful smell of the dusty smoke and the burning ash. My eyes were burning from looking at the disgusting, horrid, and hypnotizing scene. My friends that were on the USS Arizona were gone. All my other mates from other ships, GONE! I simply felt like I was dreaming and hoping that someone would wake me up, but nobody was there to wake me up because I wasn’t asleep. “Why” I thought… why them not me? This isn’t fair, not at all! I couldn’t sleep last night. I cried and cried replaying every scene in my head. I couldn’t shake it out I didn’t want to either. I just wanted everyone who died to come back. Captain has been angry but I think he’s in just as much shock as we all are! Were in Oahu and I don’t want to! As much as I want to help these people and defend the Japanese, I want to go home to my family. I want to be safe. I want this to all be over, but it cant and it wont. I guess ill just have to face the truth and realize this isn’t a dream, its reality.

~Fortin Hearve.   

Mali Dynasty

Religion: C+ (emily slentz)

I gave Mali dynasty a C+ in religion. Most people in Mali could not read or write, they received information orally. Everyone in Mali was allowed to choose their own religion and never forced to convert one way or another. They were also allowed to choose their own job. Most villagers followed the traditional African religions. The people believed in more than one Gods, witch doctors, and in magic charms. Choosing your own religion was encouraged by the leaders. This made people there very happy. Mansa Musa was a very famous king in Mali. Even though he let his people have the freedom of religion he was devoted  to Islam. He had a Muslim university built for the Muslim scholars and he brought them over to study there. Muslim started to become a big religion in Mali. They changed a few Muslim rules around like the women didn't have to wear the long black clothes the women wore unveiled and colorful clothes. 
       The traditional religion consisted of different Gods, spirits and magical powers. Africans had believed spirits were EVERYWHERE. These spirits help you act the way you do and guide you into good or evil. Spirits will present your role in life, if you are going to be or bad. The rituals are presented in their music and dance.  They believed that medicine was magic. Also they believe that man made objects had natural powers in them. Not all who die can become ancestors, you must reach all the conditions required.  I gave Mali's religion a C+ because there was not one major religion in the empire. It was also good in a way because it made the people in Mali happy and kept order throughout the empire. 




Society B (emily slentz)
Mali  had a great society that's why I have decided to give them a B. They had slaves and when there is slaves involved it means that the empire doesn't have the best of what they could have because they are not giving the slaves a chance to show what they have. Even though they were slaves they were very important and prized for their loyalty and hard work. They had jobs as royal administrators and were soldiers in the  military. Mali also had a code of behavior which was like their set of rules. 
       Mali allowed social movement among all the different social groups.  They also had prohibitions on the maltreatment of prisoners and slaves, installing documents between clans which clearly stated who could say what about who. They also divided the land among the people assuring everyone had a place among the empire and fixed exchange rates among the common products. I gave Mali's society a B, i gave them that grade because they had slaves which if they didn't could have an even better society then they already have. 



Government: B (zach)

I decided to give the Mali Empire a B in government because thay had strong leaders in the beginning and middle of the empire, but nearing the end, they had weak leaders and that is why they fell apart. They had a strong organized government, as well as a strong military to enforce their lands. They had the second biggest empire in africa, 1.1 million kilometers, second only to the songhai after them.
The founding leader of the mali empire was Sundiata. He overthrew a weak king of a kingdom, and created the Mali empire. He was known as the Lion King. He conquered many small kingdoms and vassel states, exstending his power from the atlantic ocean to the middle of Africa. 
The second great leader of the Mali empire was Abu Bakr. He ordered the voyage from his empire of 200 ships to cross the ocean until they ran out of food. Only one ship returned. He then lead a voyage of 2000 ships across the ocean in year 1311, over 150 years before Christopher Columbus made his voyage. Not one ship returned.
The third great leader of the Mali people was Mansa Musa. He is considered by many to be the strongest leader of the mali people. He was a muslim leader, and promoted it strogly in his country. On the haj he made to mecca, over 60,000 people accompanied him, along with 80 camels carrying 300 pounds of gold each. He generously gave his gold away on his travels to and from mecca. He created the position of mayor in every town to deal with domestic problems leaving him and his top officials free to deal with bigger problems. Under him, the trade between the northern muslim powers and the mali empire flourished. The cities of Gao and Timbuktu became large powerful centers of trade and learning for muslim scholars. 
After Mansa Musa, the empires leaders steadily grew worse, leading to the ultimate takover of their empire by the Songhai. The weak leaders prompted vassel states to grow bold and break away from the empire one by one ntil they slowly crumbled. They couldn't hold on to these lands any longer with there weakened army from the weak leaders.
Overall, I would give the mali empire a B in government because of their strong leaders, ability and positioning to trade well with the muslim powerhouses of the north, and their great learning in the height of their power.

  Economy: A- (Nick)
The Mali Empire was the ideal trading empire of its time. Their land was full of gold, but they had a problem with trading across the Sahara. The positioning of the Mali empire was perfect for trade, with the Red sea, and Sahara desert. They are best known for the gold-salt trade with the north. The Mali people where in need of salt for their animals to keep them living, as they traded gold to the northern countries. Their trade improved a lot with the introduction of camels. They replaced horses from what was used to trade before they were introduced. They provided humps to carry the goods they were trading (most likely god) and there hoofs were better for travel across sand than horses. They enabled more regular contact across the entire width of the Sahara. The camels where introduced during the gold-salt trade with the north around 1050 A.D. 
I personally gave the Mali economy an A- for their ideal trading position and abundance of gold. They innovated in camels which was a breakthrough for all of Saharan trade which is still used today. They had the Red Sea and Sahara as two major trading routes. They were not the perfect economy because of their lack of multiple resources and they had problems with communication with who they were trading with.

  Arts and Architecture- Grade B+ (Jade)

The people of the Mali Empire did many things with art and architecture. To begin, they made textiles by beating designs cut on calabash stamps, which were then put onto cloth. The textiles were typically colorful and patterned. To get the colors, the textile creaters would use the soil. As an end result, the textiles would either be tie-dye cloth, indigo cloth, or wedding blankets. The making of textiles was normally done by women. The process of making textiles was very smart in using resources.
People living in the Mali Empire also did many wood carvings. Most of the carvings were stylized rather than naturalized. On the carvings, gender is important along with exaggerating the sizes of body parts. Wood carvers also created masks to use for disguises. Many of the masks were antelopes for the Dogon people. They believed that the spirits of the dead were in these masks.
Jewelry was another major art in the Mali Empire. Jewelry was important to both male and females. Gold was preffered among most people in the Empire. Dogon women wear eight small rings to respresent their eight ancestors. Other jewelry in the Mali Empire also had a meaning. For example, many people wore charms to ward off evil spirits.
Music and storytelling were two more popular arts in the Mali Empire. Mali musicians played many melodies with instruments including strings, the flute, drums, and koras' (a harp-lute instrument). Storytellers were considered griots in the Mali Empire. They were the entertainers in the villages. The griots told stories of great leaders including "The Lion King," which was about the founder of the empire.
The Mali Empire also had great architecture. It was very distinctive with different shapes and sizes. Mosques were the most distinct of all buildings. They were built with sun dried mud with beams and tree branches sticking out of them. The mosques needed minor repairs each year after summer rains. Mali architecture also introduced the flat roof. This was a new design that intersested many people of the empire.
I gave the Mali Empire an "B+" on its Art and Architecture because it showed a lot of effort of making improvemenets in that category. Also, each art was very creative. The art also had meanings, and told stories of the empires past which is very important. Advancements in architecture were also very noticable in the empire as well. Even though there were in advancements in architecture, they could have found a way so that they don't have to repair the buldings each year.

Technology-Grade B+ (Jade)
The Mali Emipire used horse mounted calvary as a major technology during wars. This was a major help during the war, since the people fighting could become a lot more mobile. Even though the troops had to be trained to fight on a horse, it way more efficent than fighting on foot. The horse mounted calvary technique usually ended up with a bigger impact and higher ending position. This helped the Mali Empire successful in the wars that they were involved in. 
The Mali Empire also used Arabic inscribed brass vessels. This showed big advancement for the Mali Empire. Brass was a much better material for vessels, because they were healthy to drink out of. This advancement made the people of Mali healthier, which made the empire a better place to live.
Another technology the Mali used was mud to build homes, mosques, and other buildings. This made it possible for architects to make more unique designs since mud was easily sculpted, unlike other materials like bricks and tree branches. The better bulit mosques attracted many Muslims to the Mali Empire, resulting in a growing empire. 
One more technology that the Mali Empire invested in was using material made out of iron. Iron was especially used in the war to make weapons. This helped because iron is very strong, and hard. This makes it a very reliable weapon that you can count on when in battle. Iron can also be found in a lot of places in the Earth's crust so they could continue to make strong tools, and become more effienct at making them.
Lastly, the people of the Mali Empire used the horizontal loom for weaving cloths. The horizontal loom was more effienct than the upright loom since the threads could be wound out as the weaving process proceeded. This made it faster to make clothes for soilders when in battle. It also made the clothing business go up.
I gave the technology of the Mali Empire a B+ for a few reasons. First, it had technology that was upraded from what they had previously which benefited them. The technology helped them do better in wars, make the Mali Empire a better place to live by making the people heathier, and attrack many Muslims to the empire. This made the empire grow and become more successful. On the other hand, a few other empires were also inventing in the same technologies. This made the technologies not a unique and needed just to keep up with the other empires.