Prof. Boerner's Explorations

As we approach the celebration of the 4th of July American Independence Day festivities, we believe that this is a good time to reflect on how and why we became a new nation over two hundred years ago. To a great extent, it had to do with the abuses of the British colonial system AND the presence at that point in time of great men of vision — the Founding Fathers.

Last year we posted an extensive series on the American Revolution. We will draw upon some of those posts again this year, but with more emphasis on the specific roles selected Founding Fathers played in the quest for independence. Today we will examine the contributions of that crusader for the adoption of the Constitution and writer of the Federalist Papers, Alexander Hamilton.

We hope that you will follow us through this exploration and come out with a renewed respect for our great struggle in those years in the 18th century. GLB

[ This is Part 6 of 10. ]

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One of the jewels of the National Parks Service is Yosemite National Park. While most people think about the Yosemite Valley with its glorious peaks and remarkable water falls, the park actually takes in a far larger area. It includes many zones and features, including glaciers.

The park features several rivers and types of wildlife. It has been a site for the photographers since the time of Carlton Watkins started to record by mammoth-plate camera in the late 19th century through the remarkable photographic prints of Ansel Adams. It is a wonder to behold on a photograph, but even more striking when experienced in person.

Fortunately, President Lincoln took time in the middle of our nation’s Civil War to sign legislation setting aside some of the valley for posterity. Later, a more extensive area was made into a National Park which preserves this unique nature preserve for generations to come. And we have John Muir, that Scottish immigrant to thank for much of that.

So take some time to read over this over and then visit a gallery or museum with exhibits of Yosemite images.  GLB

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As we approach the celebration of the 4th of July American Independence Day festivities, we believe that this is a good time to reflect on how and why we became a new nation over two hundred years ago. To a great extent, it had to do with the abuses of the British colonial system AND the presence at that point in time of great men of vision — the Founding Fathers.

Last year we posted an extensive series on the American Revolution. We will draw upon some of those posts again this year, but with more emphasis on the specific roles selected Founding Fathers played in the quest for independence. Today we will examine the contributions of that great diplomat and future President, John Adams.

We hope that you will follow us through this exploration and come out with a renewed respect for our great struggle in those years in the 18th century. GLB

[ This is Part 5 of 10. ]

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Too often we think of fighting a war in times past much like we fought World War II or Vietnam or in the Middle East. Soldiers were drawn from the population (of males, at least until recently) by either the draft or through volunteers. But in the Revolutionary War, men were the fighters and were often accompanied by their wives who performed domestic and nursing chores about the camp.

Molly Pitcher was more than that. In the first place, she was given her name because during one particularly hot and long battle, men were passing out due to the heat. Molly took a bucket, filled it with stream water, and provided it to the men on the artillery line. And when her husband was injured, she took the gun’s ram and proceeded to complete the day by performing his duties.

Such persons often go unrecognized because they are women and/or their tasks seem menial. But, as they say, an army travels on its stomach, and during the Revolutionary War those meals were often provided by the women who accompanied their husbands to the encampments.  GLB

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As we approach the celebration of the 4th of July American Independence Day festivities, we believe that this is a good time to reflect on how and why we became a new nation over two hundred years ago. To a great extent, it had to do with the abuses of the British colonial system AND the presence at that point in time of great men of vision — the Founding Fathers.

Last year we posted an extensive series on the American Revolution. We will draw upon some of those posts again this year, but with more emphasis on the specific roles selected Founding Fathers played in the quest for independence. Today we will examine the contributions of that great propagandist and pamphleteer who made critical contributions in communicating the goals of the revolution to the general populace — Thomas Paine.

We hope that you will follow us through this exploration and come out with a renewed respect for our great struggle in those years in the 18th century. GLB

[ This is Part 4 of 10. ]

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When our nation first gained their independence from British rule, the original thirteen colonies became states under the Articles of Confederation. This organization created a very weak central authority with no taxing powers or capability to maintain a standing military.

This organization marginally worked during the Revolutionary War, but became ineffective thereafter. Each state operated as a relatively autonomous unit, being under the banner of “United” States only for international recognition. On a practical level, it was not working. Therefore, a convention was called to revise these Articles.

The Philadelphia Convention (Constitutional Convention) met in Philadelphia to work on these revisions. In the view of most delegates, it was felt that no amount of revision would be able to make the Articles work; therefore, this group proceeded to work on a new constitution. Progress on the bulk of the items went relatively smoothly, but the issue of representation in the congress threatened to “scuttle” the whole convention.

It remained for the patriarchal Founding Father, Benjamin Franklin, to help mold a compromise. Read on to examine how a compromise was worked.  GLB

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As we approach the celebration of the 4th of July American Independence Day festivities, we believe that this is a good time to reflect on how and why we became a new nation over two hundred years ago. To a great extent, it had to do with the abuses of the British colonial system AND the presence at that point in time of great men of vision — the Founding Fathers.

Last year we posted an extensive series on the American Revolution. We will draw upon some of those posts again this year, but with more emphasis on the specific roles selected Founding Fathers played in the quest for independence. Today we will examine the contributions of that great orator and one of the primary advocates for a “Bill of Rights” to be included in the U.S. Constitution.

We hope that you will follow us through this exploration and come out with a renewed respect for our great struggle in those years in the 18th century. GLB

[ This is Part 3 of 10. ]

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Wars often serve as the stage on which young men and women can exhibit great bravery, great valor, and great sacrifice. For those who exhibit exceptional feats of bravery and clear-thinking in the face of great adversity and at great threat to their own safety, there is a special medal — the Medal of Honor. At our local Riverside National Cemetery, there is a memorial to those brave men and women.

Today, we focus upon one of those men, a Navy SEAL, Lt. Michael P. Murphy. He put himself in harm’s way during one battle in Afghanistan. He put himself in a clearing to call in for evacuation of his SEAL team that had come under fire by the Taliban by locating in an open area to complete the call for help.

In Lt. Murphy’s life we should remember all those brave men and women who have taken the same steps to help save and protect the men under their command. Thank you.  GLB

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As we approach the celebration of the 4th of July American Independence Day festivities, we believe that this is a good time to reflect on how and why we became a new nation over two hundred years ago. To a great extent, it had to do with the abuses of the British colonial system AND the presence at that point in time of great men of vision — the Founding Fathers.

Last year we posted an extensive series on the American Revolution. We will draw upon some of those posts again this year, but with more emphasis on the specific roles selected Founding Fathers played in the quest for independence. But to get our exploration started, we need to look at the philosophical underpinnings and writings that fueled the American Revolution occurred.

We hope that you will follow us through this exploration and come out with a renewed respect for our great struggle in those years in the 18th century. GLB

[ This is Part 2 of 10. ]

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During the height of the Cold War, an event that we remember well occurred in the Western sector of Berlin, Germany. After World War II, Germany was divided into four zones, one for each of the Allied nations — United States, Britain, France and the Soviet Union. However, while the former three cooperated with each other and allowed free passage within zones, the Soviet zone was isolated. Complicating all of this was the fact that Berlin, the traditional capital of Germany, was in the Soviet zone!

When this isolation through normal borders proved not effective enough to stop the hemorrhaging of those East Germans into the Western zone, a wall was built to isolate West Berlin. This Berlin Wall, with its mined fields and guard towers, was meant to keep the East Germans inside rather than to prevent the West Germans from entering East Berlin.

When President Kennedy visited Berlin during June, 1963, he uttered those famous words, “Ich bin ein Berliner”.  GLB

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