After learning about Just War and all of the six principles that go along with it, I believe that the Spanish-American War was a Just war. We did indeed gain Cuba and the Philippines from Spain in the war and the way we achieved that was just, but how we chose to rule the countries after the gain was unjust and wrong. We had chosen to take these countries over for selfish reasons and those actions were unjust. Despite the wants and fact that Cuba wanted to be its own country, we forced our government to take over theirs and went against some of the Just War principles. All six principles were justified during the Spanish-American War and we became a imperialist country once the war was occurring, causing unjust. Our country wanted to go to war with Spain because we wanted to gain power and take over Cuban control, so we intentionally started fury. The way the battle occurred and was fought agreed with all of the just-war points but the imperialist actions after completely overruled those positive just war actions. Therefore, the war itself was a Just-War but America's actions after the war were unjust.

After reading the Editorial in the Washington Post, and the article in Time Magazine, I realized how relevant the Shirtwaist Fire is today. It has been 100 years since the fire and the event is still being spoken about and "celebrated". Once the fire had occurred and years went by, laws had changed and the government established better working conditions for laborers. The minimum wage was created, unemployment insurance was also created as well as other laws benefiting workers. The fire at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory was a real eye opener for the government. I think that in a way it is good that the fire is still spoken about because it really changed the series of events that occurred in history. As Hilda Solis said in her editorial, the fire and conditions could've been prevented if only the workers had a voice. Its important for every individual to have a voice in society, and I think that after the Shirtwaist Fire, people were more open and vocal about certain issues. If anything, the event has made working conditions better for everyone and in a way it really helped change things. I think the story is still very important to us today because it caused so many changes (for the good) and its almost like a good memory to have...

Lorry I. Lokey has been giving millions of dollars to Universities, elementary and secondary schools all over the country. After reading her biography on her giving and sharing process, I wondered where she got all of this money? As I reread her story once again I realized that it isn't where or how someone get's their money, it's what they do with it. When Lorry was a young girl living through the depression, she told us in her story that she learned various lessons from her mother, which lead her to donating millions of dollars to different institutions. She used a great example of a loaf of bread, which cost 9 cents, but one twice as large cost 11 cents, only a few cents or dollars more can make a huge difference. Lorry flies in coach, drives a hybrid car and only spends money on the necessities. She had flown first class, but only when her credit points allowed her to do so. Many people today don't realize how easy it is to save their money, there are many different ways to not over pay for an item, its all about the strategy. You need to know how much an item is worth, and then not overpay for it. In her story she said that she realized one day that "success is not making a million a month or a year. It’s earning enough to live comfortably and being able to finance children’s education." Mrs.Lokey did a good job with saving her money and spending it on things that were worth her while, like charities or schools. After noticing that a persons education is the determinant of their future, she knew that she needed to do something to give other students the access and the opportunities she had while in college. In the story, she shared several different examples of where she has given her money and how much she has given, which is absolutely amazing. One example of her changing a campus entirely was donating $134 Million to the University of Oregon. I think she is an incredible woman and her early knowledge of sharing has really paid off. Today, others should take her example of not being selfish and giving more than recieving. People really need to realize that they should only pay for there necessities and then give to those who are less fortunate, or to donate to institutions that need the money to help shape the future generations.

Throughout the last few weeks in US History class, we have been talking about the issue of populism. We have researched the historical definitions and views on populism, and then connected them back to todays events. Last week in President Obama's State of the Union Address, he had made several different points about "change", which related back to typical populism views. He had stressed that every citizen should have equal opportunities, no matter where they come from or where they stand economically and socially. I completely agree with what he had to say, but I really hope that he executes these "promises" because Americans are tired of hearing that they will be taken care of, and then seeing no change at all. The government is here to help people through their struggles, and populists fought..and are still fighting for the government to do a better job of it.