Social Studies Assessment

We have two social studies assessments to be completed, one about an overseas treaty, I did the Treaty of Union which was uploaded earlier, and the other about the Treaty of Waitangi, which we wrote an essay about. There was an essay plan that it was based on posted earlier as well. The next part is the finished essay I have constructed. It includes an introduction, four paragraphs and a conclusion.

Essay

Before the Treaty of Waitangi, there was absolute chaos. The four major contributors to the desire to create the Treaty of Waitangi were the great number of sailors and whalers creating havoc in New Zealand, the Musket Wars between 1807 and 1837 that killed over twenty-thousand people, the missionaries who taught and endorsed the Māori people, and the Declaration of Independence that came only five years before the Treaty of Waitangi. Each and every reason provides new merit as to why New Zealand needed the Treaty of Waitangi to resolve many of the issues that surrounded the country.

Lawless behaviour was a larger reason as to why we needed the Treaty of Waitangi. Lawless behaviour contributed to violence, the spread of disease and prostitution. Proof of this was how when the British settlers - in particular, the whalers and sailors - they would cause a majority of the violence and death when they would return from trips out to sea. They would drink in bars and fight, as well as taking prostitutes as they wished. A second point again has to do with prostitutes, and how they would spread STI's. Dead bodies contributed too, with how a body left not taken care of properly would spread disease. This shows how the lawlessness took a toll on the health of the people. The final point greatly differs, however it serves as evidence of the effect the lawlessness had on the people. The main port of New Zealand, Kororāreka or Russel, after time earned the nickname 'The Hellhole of New Zealand,' because of the lawlessness. Each reason holds merit as evidence and facts to prove how the lawlessness of whalers and sailors contributed to the creation of the treaty over time. 

Twenty thousand people died in the conflict. They chose their own fate by turning on each other. Population and tribal boundaries greatly shifted between the Māori tribes. These are the three greatest pieces of evidence that prove to us how the Musket Wars were a great contributional factor to the development of the Treaty of Waitangi. These wars took a great toll on everyone. This largely matters because, with the Treaty of Waitangi, the Musket Wars could have been prevented, or at least prevented the wars from harming as many people as it did. Out of the twenty thousand people, who could've been saved with a simple formal agreement, so that everyone could get what they wanted? Out of the twenty thousand people, every single life was a price of the choices of those who wanted to go to war, for more than they already had. A treaty would have stopped this, a treaty would have saved lives. The Musket Wars served as evidence as to what would've continued to happen between the arguing people without the treaty.

The missionaries desire for the rights for the Māori people helped endorse the human welfare for the Māori people. The missionaries caring for the Māori matters as they were people of authority that could support them. Without their support, the Māori people wouldn't have had some of the knowledge and rights they do today. The missionaries taught the Māori about written language and their religion. The missionaries taught the Māori about new agricultural ways some they could improve their harvest. The missionaries gave them land and houses as gifts to support them through the British taking lands and the tribal boundary shifts caused by the Musket Wars. The missionaries endorsed the formal agreement of a treaty that supported the Māori peoples right to their land and trading.

How did the Declaration of Independence contribute to the Treaty of Waitangi? Fascinatingly, the Declaration of Independence only contributed in the right that it established a relationship with the British as a newly independent country. This was purely for trade as well, the British helped New Zealand create a flag so they could legally trade as a registered country. This shows us the main reason for the declaration was for trade. Evidence as to why the New Zealand people desired the declaration for the ability to trade comes from how they were continuously stopped by Australian ships for not flying a registered flag. The declaration was merely a starting point for the treaty, as it didn't encompass everything the treaty managed to, however, it began the trading process that greatly assisted the New Zealanders trade with other countries. The impact of all of this was important because the declaration while beginning it, did not provide the people with everything the treaty did. It was a basis for the development of the treaty. The treaty began with the declaration.

This essay has served as proof as to why the Treaty of Waitangi was required as a form of law enforcement and support for everyone involved as people of New Zealand. The treaty was needed because we needed to lower the rates of violence and prostitution that sailors and whalers caused. The treaty was needed because the Musket Wars could’ve continued or started again without it. The treaty was needed because the missionaries wanted to protect the rights of the Māori people. The treaty was needed because the declaration didn’t encompass everything that was needed to solidify a good country. The Treaty of Waitangi may not be as relevant or apparent without current society, however, it furthered the development of our society then, and that is what should matter.

Essay Draft for Social Studies

As always with social studies, we have moved on. For our assessment, we are writing an essay about the purpose of the treaty of Waitangi and why it was desired. For now, the essay does not contain an introduction or a conclusion and only contains the main body paragraphs.

Lawless behaviour - 

State your point - 

Lawless behaviour was a larger reason as to why we needed the treaty of Waitangi.

Why it matters - 

Lawless behaviour contributed to violence, the spread of disease and prostitution. 

Evidence/facts - 

Proof of this was how when some of the British settlers - in particular, the whalers and sailors - they would cause a majority of the violence and death when they would return from trips out to sea. They would drink in bars and fight as they wished, as well as taking prostitutes as they wished. A second point again has to do with prostitutes, and how they would spread STI's, as well as dead bodies too and how they would spread disease. This shows how the lawlessness took a toll on the health of the people. The final point greatly differs, however it serves as evidence of the effect the lawlessness had on the people. The main port of New Zealand, Kororareka or Russel, after time earned the nickname 'The Hellhole of New Zealand,' because of the lawlessness.

Sum up your point - 

Each reason holds merit as evidence and facts to prove how the lawlessness of whalers and sailors contributed to the creation of the treaty over time.

Musket Wars - 

Evidence/facts - 

Twenty thousand people died in the conflict. They chose their own fate by turning on each other. Population and tribal boundaries greatly shifted between the Maori tribes.

State your point - 

These are the three greatest pieces of evidence that prove to us how the Musket Wars were a great contributional factor to the development of the treaty of Waitangi. These wars took a great toll on everyone.

Why it matters - 

This largely matters because with the treaty of Waitangi, the Musket Wars could have been prevented, or at least prevented the wars from harming as many people as it did. Out of the twenty thousand people, who could've been saved with a simple formal agreement, so that everyone could get what they wanted?

Sum up your point - 

Out of the twenty thousand people, every single life was a price of the choices of those who wanted to go to war, for more than they already had. A treaty would have stopped this, a treaty would have saved lives. The Musket Wars served as evidence as to what would've continued to happen between the arguing people without the treaty.

Maori Rights & the Missionaries

State your point - 

The missionaries desire for the rights for the Maori people helped endorse the human welfare for the Maori people.

Why it matters - 

The missionaries caring for the Maori matters as they were people of authority that could support them. Without their support, the Maori people wouldn't have had some of the knowledge and rights they do today.

Evidence/facts - 

The missionaries taught the Maori about written language and their religion. The missionaries taught the Maori about new agricultural ways some they could improve their harvest. The missionaries gave them land and houses as gifts to support them through the British taking lands and the tribal boundary shifts caused by the Musket Wars. 

Sum up your point - 

The missionaries endorsed the formal agreement of a treaty that supported the Maori peoples right to their land and trading.

Declaration of Independence - 

Question - 

How did the Declaration of Independence contribute to the treaty of Waitangi?

Answer - 

Fascinatingly, the Declaration of Independence only contributed in the right that it established a relationship with the British as an independent country from the British. This was purely for trade as well, the British helped New Zealand create a flag so they could legally trade as a registered country. 

Evidence/facts - 

This shows us the main reason for the declaration was for trade. Evidence as to why the New Zealand people desired the declaration for the ability to trade comes from how they were continously stopped by Australian ships for not flying a registered flag. The declaration was merely a starting point for the treaty as it didn't encompass everything the treaty managed to, however, it began the trading process that greatly assisted the New Zealanders trade with other countries.

Why it matters - 

The impact of all of this was important because the declaration while beginning it, did not provide the people with everything the treaty did. It was a basis for the development of the treaty.

Sum up your point - 

The treaty began with the declaration.

Treaty Project

As always in Social Studies, our new topic has come apparent as we move on from the last. This term our focus is the Treaty of Waitangi and what it means. Within this topic, we were tasked to pick to other treaties from somewhere else in the world and do a short study on what they are and some other information. Out of the two, I picked the Treaty of Union that Scotland and England established in 1707.

Māori God Tangaroa Poster

In Social Studies, we have moved onto the Treaty of Waitangi unit. We have begun this unit by looked into Māori gods, I chose to look into the god of the sea, Tangaroa. Tangaroa is the Māori god of the sea, and one of the many children who attempted in breaking his parents --Papatuanuku, the Earth Mother and Ranginui, the Sky Father -- apart.  

Part of the objective of this small project is to help understand how different cultures and religions can relate to each other. This is shown with one of the most common examples, Ancient Greek and Ancient Roman gods. These gods were greatly similar as most of the Ancient Roman gods were based on the Greek ones. An example of this would be the god, Poseidon (who happens to correspond with Tangaroa) and Neptune, the Roman counterpart. Both were gods of the Sea. 

SEEL Paragraph

As our technology topic continues we are working towards a test to do with how technology has developed in the world over time. We have studied Cavemen, the Egyptians, and the Ancient Romans. Each of these has contributed to the world today, including Ancient Rome, one of the greatest influences in the world today. In the test, I believe we will be going over mapping, graphing, a timeline and a SEEL paragraph, which is what I 'm writing now.

Throughout time, technology has greatly improved, this has led to a great improvement in medical treatment, and other advancements that have allowed us as people to live much easier. But, as people live easier, they live longer. A greater life expectancy means more people as the birth rate rises as well. An example of this is the expectancy of a global population of 9 billion by the end of 2020, compared to the current 7.7 billion we are at now. This creates a certain concern at to both how technology will grow at such a rate and not give people time to process the development. However, the rate at which technology is improving, I do believe that the rate at which people have children may decrease. This can be due to the developments in contraception, as well as the medical developments in things such as abortions. 

Pyramids of Egypt | SEEL Paragraphs

Long ago, the pyramids were built with the newest technology of Ancient Egypt. Since those times, the technologies to build the pyramids have been lost to time. The pyramids, used as burials for pharaohs, were complicated structures with tombs and pathways. Each tomb contained a sarcophagus, riches, a mummified pharaoh, and any close family they had. Animals they owned and any wives would be killed and mummified and laid to rest to pass into the afterlife with the pharaoh. I am unable to identify whether husbands were buried were female pharaohs or not. An example of one of these Pyramids would be the Great Pyramid of Giza. This particular pyramid was made for the pharaoh Khufu and was so complicated and detailed it took thirty years to create, maybe even longer. However, we still know nothing about how they were created, as they have long lost the knowledge to time.

The advancements that occurred during the time of Ancient Egypt were major. The advancements that were seen in Egypt at this time were things we know very well today, such as mathematics, writing, construction, time-telling and agriculture. For example, we knew how the Ancient Egyptians were known for the mummification of their dead, however, what most don't know is how this attributed to the Ancient Egyptians knowledge of medicine. Through mummification, they were able to learn about anatomy and cures for illnesses. Though some of their methods were questionable. Throughout this, however, the advancements they made were necessary for the development into the world we have now.

Cave Drawings

In Social Studies we have moved on from Careers into Technology and Change. Through this, we are looking at the past and how technology has developed since then. We have recently been looking into what the Paleolithic Age and the Neolithic Age are. During which, cave paintings were used to do things such as teach and warn people. It taught them things such as what animals are food, their history and family, and other necessary information. It warned people of dangers as well, such as animals, natural disasters, what foods to avoid and other things as well.

This led to us creating our own cave paintings in the traditional style. I don't have photos right now, however, my concept was drawing my two cats in the traditional style, as we've been told to do something that is either meaningful, representative of technology and change or something to do with what they may have drawn. This also led to my idea of drawing lightning striking a tree, however, as people wouldn't have even known what it was or how lightning would have happened, I decided against it. This was the same for my concept of drawing cats. So I drew a singular cat. Of course, I wanted to do more, but you can't fight a swarm of students attempting to write their Instagram names on the walls of the classroom.

Social Studies Paragraph Question

In Social Studies we have been continuing with the Technology and Change topic. Because of this, one of the topics we have been exploring is phones and teenagers. Of course, this meant we discussed teenagers and phone addictions.

Are students addicted to their cellphones? If so, is that a problem?

I believe it varies from person to person. It all depends on the available statistics such as how long people spend on their screens, what purpose is it for, and other particulars. Do they use it for studying? Texting? Social media? Addiction depends on the purpose of the in question object or substance. A person who uses drugs for health purposes cannot be instantly pinned as a drug addict, can they? So, why should someone who uses their phones for study apps or socialisation be considered a phone addict?

Technology and Change

Technology: Technology is the creative process that utilises tools, resources and systems to solve problems. It also enhances control over natural and man-made environments to improve our lives.

Recently we have started our Technology and Change topic in Social Studies. This is our first task, where we paired up and created a list of twenty changes in technology over time. For example how we've gone from pencils to pens as technology has developed our way of completing tasks.

Aboriginal Art and Boomerang Studies

Explain the purpose of the activity

For some time now we have been looking into Aboriginal Australian art and leading on from that we looked into boomerangs. Eventually, we designed our own using aboriginal symbols to tell a story. I chose to tell a story about myself and how I see myself in some aspects.

Explain the story on your boomerangs, including the meaning of the colour

Given pre-cut boomerangs we painted a side per period. The first side I painted was planned, yet not very clean. On the corner of the boomerang, I have six yellow circles. Three large circles and three smaller circles, these are meant to look like the sun somewhat and represent the members of my closest family, including myself, my parents, my two brothers and my sister. Further along the wood, I have a black curving line each side, these are meant to look like snakes. I painted these because recently I have been thinking how cool it would be to have a pet snake, especially one of black colouring. In between these two, there are two white half circles on opposite sides. These show white clouds, mainly because of how I daydream a lot. At the very ends, there are blue crosses going over each other. These are meant to show water or streams. I have two reasons for these crosses. The first is to do with the rain, I love listening to it, its something extremely calming to me. The second reason is because of a stream. I've always found watching or listening to a river as it flows by to be interesting and therapeutic. The blue colouring seemed like a natural choice for the symbol it represented. The brown and white dots across the rest of the boomerang are merely a design choice to make it appeal to a more aboriginal feel.

The second side of my boomerang was unplanned, as I did not think I had to paint it. Yet, it seems to be the cleaner and more pleasing side. Taking up most of the boomerang, there is a dark blue background dotted with white stars, and more noticeably a moon in the centre. This is meant to parallel the opposite of the boomerang and represent that behind a strong and close family there are many challenges and people that brought us all closer together. As this took so much time and detail, the black and brown sectors are as well a design choice.

What went well when painting your boomerang

Painting the second side I was able to get cleaner lines when I used tape to prevent paint from going over and ruining other paint. This made it appear nicely done and carefully painted, even though it went heavily unplanned.

Draft Creative Writing in Social Studies

In Social Studies, we have had to write up a piece of creative writing, based on someone who departed England for New Zealand, this is set in the 1880s when work was tougher and paid less. We are instructed to write about someone who sets off for the paradise of New Zealand. We were also asked to both write the first draft and then a final one, later on, this post contains the original draft.

We were asked to make a plan before writing the actual piece so here's what I wrote.

Nora Minnie Hill is a seamstress of the age of twenty-four. She lives with her husband Jonathan William Hill, an abusive man who both verbally and physically abuses her and their three children, Audrey Beryl Hill, Mary-Anne Elsie Hill, and Jonathan James Hill.
After years of abuse, she is convinced to leave her husband in England and take her children to the so-called paradise of New Zealand.

Names -
Nora - Short for Honora, which is Latin for honour, also short for Eleanora, a Greek name for 'light'.
Minnie - A Hebrew name meaning 'of the mind', 'intellect', 'rebellion'.
Audrey - Old English name meaning 'noble strength'.
Beryl - Greek name meaning 'sea-green jewel'.
Mary - Name of Hebrew origin meaning 'bitter'.
Anne - Hebrew name meaning 'gracious', 'full of grace'.
Elsie - Scottish origin meaning 'pledged to God'.
Jonathan - Hebrew name meaning 'gift of Jehovah'.
James - Of Hebrew, English origin meaning 'supplanter'.
Martha - Aramaic origin meaning 'the lady', 'the mistress'.
Harriet - Name of French, English origin, meaning 'estate ruler'.

Last Names -
Milton - Comes from the words Mill-Town referencing to a family that had a mill. Believed to be of Irish origin.
Hill  - A last name meaning ‘A person who lived on a hill,’ it is of English origin.

Actual Writing
-----------------------------------------------

It was all planned. John would leave, and she would too. Off to work as the Noble's Seamstress. As she threw on her cleanest dress, her eyes flitted towards the cot tightly pushed against the wall. Her breath, that she hadn't even realised she was holding released. Her beautiful baby boy. Gazing at the sleeping twins in their bed calmed her as well.
The crashing that came next told her one thing, the Smith family was awake.
Mr Smith yelled hurriedly to his wife, who was busy scooping up and preening her four boys. Off to work every one of them went. It was the only way to afford food and rent.
Mrs Hill soon would too, she would take her baby, wake her twin daughters and walk them to the Noble's house. The three children would then have to stay quiet as their mother tailored a dress for the Noble's daughter. The girl got a new dress each week, and although it was little work, it paid twice what her husband made as a telegraph operator.
Her thoughts snapped her back to reality as she heard the thunder of footsteps.
"Up, up!" she cried to her daughters.
"Daddy's coming," she continued, "Get up!"
The girls drearily rose and stood from the bed, their mother rushing to hold her baby. In case of John being in a bad mood this morning.
The door slammed open, a ragged lanky man standing in its frame.
"I hope you're off to work, Nora," The woman shook her head, spittle rained from his mouth as he spat her name.
"I'm just gathering the children love."
"Damn the children!" John yelled, raising his voice enough for the neighbours to hear. They wouldn't do anything though. Yelling was usual for Mr Hill.
"Get to work already woman!"
She nodded and held her baby tighter as she stared at her daughters, who had pressed themselves against the edge of the bed, getting as far away from their father as they could.
Smart girls, the mother’s mind chided. Only five and they understood how horrible a man he was.
Now to get them away.
John had walked away to prepare himself for work. Mrs Hill strode across the small room to her daughters and, setting down her baby, helped dress them ready for the day.
As the family approached the Noble’s house Nora’s shoulders seemed to relax.
Away from my husband, she thought.
Work was a better time for her, doing what she loved, with her children close to her, and the young girl talking of horses and her readings to keep her distracted.
She couldn’t have a better job.
Like every Monday, the doorbell rang and the butler escorted them to the small corner of the house where the youngest of the noble family had her dresses tailor-made for her. The white patterns of the walls didn’t wear a single stain, nor did the glossy wood that surrounded each and every edge of the room. A platform stood in the centre of the room and to each wall stood new materials and fabrics each week. Needles and pin placed gently into cushions that laid upon the wood of the dresser, and stringed pearls and jewels left to accessorize the girl’s dress placed in the dresser draws.
Nora sat her self on the chair to the corner of the room, placing her fragile baby into the bedded cot that rocked and lulled him gently to sleep. Slowly, she turned to her girls who had taken the box of games and books and had begun to play chess against one another.
The door tenderly slid open as a young girl peered into the room, curiously watching the mother stare lovingly at her children.
Realising her mistake, she quickly knocked on the door. As her tailor looked over to her, she smiled, Martha loved to be around Mrs Hill. She listened to her ramble on about anything she wanted, not interrupting her to present opinion after opinion.
After ten minutes of Mrs Hill checking that her measurements were correct, Martha began to ramble on.
“Mother says if my hips grow any wider, people will begin to suspect her to be a grandmother,”
Nora’s head shook, the girl on the podium was barely smaller than every girl her age.
“How rude,” she agreed, “You’re a growing girl, Miss Milton.”
“You don’t have to call me that,”
“Nor do you have to call me Mrs Hill, yet you do,”
“Fine,” the girl reluctantly gave in, “Shall I call you Nora then?”
The woman shook her head as she wrapped the measuring tape around the girl's hips. They’d gotten wider.
“Call me Minnie, it’s my middle name, only my husband calls me Nora,”
“What’s your husband like?’ Her curiosity got to her.
Mrs Hill never talked about her husband.
Nora’s breath caught in her throat, the girl was thirteen! How was she meant to understand her bruises' true origin?
“He’s… lovely,” The rehearsal coming to mind. My husband is a wonderful man who treats me and my children right, John had drilled the words into her head. But before Nora could say her rehearsed words her baby began to cry.
“Jonathan James Hill, what do you think you’re doing?”
As Nora cradled the crying baby, her mind thanked him for being able to change the subject for her.
When Nora returned the next day, Martha no longer stood atop the platform. Instead, on the days after measuring, and talking through her dress design with Minnie, she would sit with the Hill twins and their younger brother, reading and playing games with them. All the while Nora pinned and cut the fabrics. Only occasionally asking for design preferences from the young girl.
“Martha, would you prefer cuffed sleeves or no?”
“Could I have lace on the cuffs? Mother loved the last dress with those.”
“How about a dress jacket for the cold?”
“That would be perfect, Father just adored how practical it was.”
Mrs Hill turned to the girl who rocked in her chair with a thick clean book cradled in her hands.
“It isn’t your parents dress, don’t let them pick your design.”
“Oh but it is,” she sighed, “I have the Milton name, all my decisions and words and clothes reflect them.” She sighed once again and placed the book on the dresser’s only empty space.
“Then when I marry, all of that will just apply to my husband’s name, it will not end till my death,”
Nora stared at her, her dull stared into the even duller brown ones.
“Can’t you leave this awful cycle?”
“No, I don’t think I can, Minnie,” the young girls face flushed red and soon an ugly sob choked her words.
“I don’t think I’ll ever escape,”
The tears made her eyes glisten, as Nora wrapped her arms around her, she whispered words of comfort.
“You’ll beat it all Martha, one day you’ll run and never look back and I’ll run with you,” her words were foolish. She couldn’t leave much less with her three children and the thirteen-year-old Noble’s daughter.
“Me, you, Jonathan, Audrey, and Mary-Anne, we’ll all run away,” What was she thinking? John would find her. Martha’s parents would find her.
“You want to run away?”
“I have wanted to leave this awful place for so long, Martha. You don’t know how long.”
“But your hus-” Nora’s sharp words cut her off.
“Is a lowly bastard who beats his wife and children.”
Martha’s eyes looked to the twins and cradle, all of them were asleep soon after she had read them a story.
How vile was a man who beat such beautiful creations? Martha’s mind wondered upon the questions Nora’s single sentence had brung.
“I’ll go with you,”
She wouldn’t let such a man treat these people, who, for once, treated her as one of their own, not a prize or trophy.
Nora didn’t know what she was saying anymore, but looking at her children, she couldn’t be more confident. The lingering thought of leaving for a new place had always dwelled on her mind. The money stored away in the dresser drawer proved it.
Now it had a use.
It would pay for her to leave England forever.
Staring at her children as they peacefully slept, she began crying as Martha did.
An escape was right there.
And the newly formed family would take it.
The next day, when she arrived at the house, she slid the money from the drawer.
It was enough to take them anywhere.
But they knew where they were going.
After Nora and Martha had cried, Martha placed the book she was reading in Nora’s hands.
“The Paradise of New Zealand?” Nora questioned.
“It’s meant to be the most beautiful place on Earth,” she claimed, “Lakes and forests,” she sighed whimsically.
“You want to run here?”
“Why not? The settlers say the views are beyond compare!”
Nora focussed on everything for a moment, there were a thousand things to push them away.
Nora’s abusive husband.
Martha’s expectant and judgemental parents.
The horrible future the children would have.
How cramped the city was.
How little money Nora got for herself.
The paradise had nothing to give them, but neither did their “home”.
After Martha convinced her parents to let her take the seamstress’s family on a carriage ride to the wharf, the hardest part was over.
They approached the booth, Jonathan swaddled in the thickest blanket to be found and the twins with only the clothes on their backs to carry. Nora carried a large brown case packed with a small amount of clothes for the four. Martha carried her own handbag and was wrapped tightly in wool and thick materials.
When they took their steps onto the swaying ship and continued into steerage, the stuffy and sweaty air didn’t stop Nora from breathing in the air, as if she stood atop a mountain on a warm summer’s day. Audrey and Mary-Anne, in all their excitement, jumped atop the stiff bunks and the thin blankets that laid on them. The men, women, and children that sat near stared in astonishment.
These children leaving their home were happy?
After a month of sickness, boredom, and horrible storms, Nora began to learn everyone else's stories. Mary leaving to meet her husband and brother, after she had missed the first boat. Arthur, who, after his whole family died of scarlet fever, sought out a paradise.
Martha memorized each one and even told her own.
Each and every night was cold, most ended up in another’s bed, desperate for the warmth, Martha often found herself crawling over to huddle with the twins or Minnie.
No one knew Nora as Nora, everyone called her Minnie, no one knew a Mrs Hill either.
Both seemed to have faded from existence.
As they got closer and closer to the “Paradise’s” coast they never knew of what lives they would live, they only wanted a new beginning, one without pressures, one without expectations to meet.
Yet life in Paradise would never meet their expectations. The forests would fade, lakes become unswimmable, and the air turn unbreathable.
Paradise would turn to Hell and they didn’t even know it yet.

Human Trafficking Research

For the last part of Social Studies for the term, we had to choose out of human trafficking, child soldiers and child labour to research. I chose human trafficking and we then had to pick a country to do it in. I chose America.
Contrary to popular belief, America is more than eagles and the people who live there, are not eagles. They have problems of their own besides not all being eagles. The main problem within human trafficking is forced prostitution and that is what most of my slide is on, there are small mentions of child labour though.

Human Trafficking

Human Trafficking is the illegal selling and buying of people, whether to buy their services or them illegally or buy them for child labour. There are many different ways these people come into human trafficking, some are sold by their families due to a debt needed to be paid or a loan taken out, some are kidnapped, there are so many different ways these people are stripped of their rights and freedom. There is a story of a woman named Hope, who was kidnapped by sex traffickers after she posted on social media that she hated her mother. A woman messaged her back saying Hope could stay with her and within 45 minutes Hope was gone. She was forced into a hotel room where she was beaten, drugged and forced into prostitution. This is merely an example but in so many ways Hope's freedom and rights were torn away from her. Human trafficking is a violation, of rights, of freedom and of the peace that is being so desperately fought for in our world.

Child Soldiers

Child Soldiers Map and Information

This map lists ten different countries that all engage in child soldiers and ranks them from 1 - 9 and will often list a number twice as they are considered on par with each other on how horrible the rate is. 1 is ranked as the worst and 9 is ranked as the least bad. These countries will also list different things stating information about the child soldiers in that country in particular. 
To explain, a child soldier is simply a soldier recruited into an army who is under eighteen or under the usual age that is required for you to sign up for the military. These children come into the armies in many different ways. Some think the army will help support their family through the money, some think they are just going to be cooks and porters, some are kidnapped off of the streets and sold to the armies as suicide bombers and soldiers. They all come into the armies in different ways.

 

Just in case the map bugs out here's the information.

Somalia 

Due to the ongoing war between the Somali government and the rebellion named Al Shabaab, many child soldiers have been used to fight. UN now believe that over half of the soldiers in the war. Al Shabaab are not the only ones to recruit soldiers though, the Somali National Army had as many as 920 reported cases of recruitment of people under 18. It is not only boys that are used though, while girls are not used as soldiers, but they are also forced into marriage with the other Al Shabaab soldiers or even forced into being sex slaves in brothels. This is labelled as extreme and ranked as a number 1.

Syria

Because of the civil war between the three ends, children have been recruited, killed, injured and displaced from their homes. The children recruited have been recruited to ISIS. ISIS recruit these children as soldiers in their armies and suicide bombers. The ISIS people recruit their children through many means, even telling some that they were the victims themselves. This is labelled as extreme and ranked as a number 1.

The Democratic Republic of The Congo

It is quite unclear to me who the DRC are warring with now, but currently and in the past both this country and the ones that had warred with it were accused of the use of children in their military ranks. I believe that the DRC are now at war with their own rebels only, but it is unclear whether they currently, or ever in fact, used child soldiers.  This is labelled as extreme and ranked as a number 3.

Sudan

It is Southern Sudan that recruits child soldiers into their armies to fight in the Southern Sudanese Civil War. Most of these child soldiers are slowly being released, but there are still reportedly 19,000 soldiers in the armies. Due to minimal information, from what I have gathered, I believe these children fight on both sides of the war, for the Sudanese Government and the opposing force. This is labelled as extreme and ranked as a number 3.

Afghanistan

Since the wars in Afghanistan, children have both willingly joined and forced into the armed forces of the war. The soldiers are mainly male, as they are in most countries, and the females are forced into marriages with the army commanders. I do not know if this is still current, as laws have been issued against such acts. This is labelled as extreme and ranked as a number 5.

Colombia

While there are no current legitimate wars going on in Colombia, groups of rebels have reportedly recruited child soldiers in the past. Both boys and girls were recruited and trained to fight in the days of the Colombian Conflict. The war has since been ended after over fifty years of conflict between the government and the rebellion. This is labelled as extreme and ranked as a number 6.

Central African Republic

Because of the countries current wars, child soldiers have been recruited by the same forces fighting the government, mainly the anti-balaka and the Seleka forces. Over 14,000 of these children have been recruited to fight in the Central African Republic Civil War against the government. This is labelled as extreme and ranked as a number 7.

Myanmar (Burma)

This country has been suffering from internal conflicts since 1948. The country signed an agreement back in 2012 to do with the abolishment of child soldiers, even so there are still children engaged in the conflicts and security forces. But since 2012 they have discharged 849 of these child soldiers. This is labelled as extreme and ranked as a number 8.

Iraq

The forces loyal to the Assad government have been recruiting children as of 2018. They have been recruiting from countries such as Afghanistan and Iran. This is all just so they can become child soldiers to fight in the Syrian Civil War. This is labelled as extreme and ranked as a number 9.

Yemen

Yemen's current cause of disarray in the Yemeni Civil War, the two main forces are led by the current Yemeni President Hadi and the pro-government forces, and the Former President Saleh and the anti-government forces, known as the Houthis. The young children of this country are recruited to defend the borders against the Houthis. This is labelled as extreme and ranked as a number 9.

Child Soldiers SEEL Paragraph

Why are children used in war and how does this take away their Human Rights and Freedom?

These children, who've been recruited and kidnapped and convinced of a better life, have become slaves to the armies of war. These armies force them into suicidal acts and they get nothing out of it. The armies use children because they are naive and weak, they can convince them that their human rights don't exist. They can convince these children into becoming killers of their own families, just to prove that they are to be children of war and bloodshed. These children never get any education, a broken human right, some of these children never a choice whether they want to engage in the 'job' or not, a broken human right, some of these children never get to participate in the cultural parts of their lives, a broken human right. Children are used in war because they are expansible to the military leaders, the poverty in these countries leaves children poor and constantly in need of jobs and money. There are always children who will be in need of a job and money, and when there is no one else turn to they turn the military. Most of these children were convinced they'd never have to hold a gun, most of these children were kidnapped or sold. Most of these children have become slaves to the wars of the world and have lost everything, human rights, freedom and life.

SEEL Paragraph - Child Labour

Why are children used in labour and how does this take away their human rights and freedom?

Slavery has been around for hundreds of years and is still practised around the world. One of its many forms is child labour. Children are used in labour because of the fact that they are naive, gullible and easily manipulated. Labour using children is cheap for human traffickers due to the fact the children are easily manipulated, as stated and can be convinced that a lot below minimum wage is the most they are going to get. Because of this children work long hours to get the money to live and pay for food and shelter, often meaning they do not get to go to school. This is an objection to their human rights. This work is often considered slave-like because of the terrible conditions they live in. But this is considered voluntary child labour, there is also bonded child labour. Bonded child labour is when, because of a debt or a loan needed to live, the parents of a child bond them to a workforce. There are many different forced they can be bonded to such as making bricks, weaving carpets, doing work in fields and many other forms. The ones I have listed there are the kinder forms of labour as there are worse ones, there are still children forced into being child soldiers, sexual exploitation and drug trafficking. An example of a bonded slave is the famous Iqbal, who worked in carpet weaving in Pakistan. Iqbal was a rebellious slave who had been traded from master to master. After breaking out and joining the Liberation Front he helped free many others like him and arrest the masters and slave traders involved. He received an award for his efforts from Reebok and soon after travelling and giving speeches and receiving the award he was shot and killed. I provide Iqbal as an example because he is the bonded slave used in child labour and he changed the world. In conclusion, we can state that slavery is still active in this world, even if we do not realize it and we barely even acknowledge that it is still happening. Children suffer, with little food and terrible living conditions. The masters they serve to strip their human rights from them and steal their freedom away. This is true child labour.

Worst Countries for Child Labour

This map shows the ten worst places where child labour exists. Each of them is categorized as extreme. They will also each have a number from one to ten, one will mean it's the worst, and ten will mean it is the least bad out of the ten.

Just in case the map bugs out -

Eritrea

Unfortunately, no information talking about the rate or how many children engage in child labour can be found. I can, however, tell you that this is one of the two worst countries in the world for child labour. I can, in fact, tell you that the children are forced into military services and those in grades 9 - 12 that are under 18 to participate in a program called Maetot. Maetot where they are forced into compulsory labour in agricultural, environmental, and hygiene-related public works projects. This is categorised as extreme and ranked as a number 1. 

Somalia

An exact percentage of the entirety of Somalia seems to be something I cannot find. I can tell you, however, in Somaliland, a region of Somalia, the percentage of children of ages 5 - 14 participating in child labour is 13.2%. In Puntland, another region of Somalia, the percentage is a little bit lower at 9.5%. The children in labour are forced into armed conflict and other jobs such as street jobs like shining shoes or washing cars. This is categorised as extreme and ranked as a number 1. 

The Democratic Republic of the Congo

As far as I have learned about these countries, I personally think this country is one of the worst. Children are forced into armed conflict and work in the terrible conditions of the mines. 35.8% of the children in this country are workers. 37.1% of them combine working and school, this 37.1% is only the children from ages 7 - 14, while the other is for ages 5 - 14. In the mines, these children are forced to mine for gold, diamonds, tin ore, tungsten ore and many other materials. They spend hours mining with the toxic gases and barely get 
anything out of it. This is categorised as extreme and ranked as a 
number 3. 
Myanmar

Myanmar's working children amount to about 312,000 and each of them work in so many different areas of forced labour. They have agriculture, where they harvest plants such as bamboo and sugar cane. They have child soldiers and children used for sexual exploitation. They have children forced to mine for ruby and jade. They have children who work in brick kilns, And, finally, they have children forced into industry work, where they are forced to make the garments we wear. This is categorised as extreme and ranked as a 
number 3. 

Sudan

This information is not entirely accurate as the information provided only referenced to Southern Sudan and no the entire country. 45.6% of the children from ages 10 - 14 are forced into labour, this amount to around 463,600 children. 60.2% of said children are forced into labour to do with agriculture, which in Southern Sudan includes typical farming and harvesting, as well as cattle herding. The children are also forced into services such as collection, cooking and cleaning, this is 1.6% per cent of the children. The other 38.2% of children work in industry work, this includes working in brick kilns, 
construction and mining of gold and mining to create excavation 
tunnels. This is categorised as extreme and ranked as a number 3. 

Afghanistan

Afghanistan children forced into child labour work with things such as making bricks, making carpets, mining coal and salt, and harvesting poppies. They have just recently outlawed bacha bazi, a practice involving exploiting boys, often through violence or threats. There is also what is called the Taliban, a military training service for children,  the government rescued nearly 40 children from a madrassa where they were the victims of the practices. This is categorised as extreme and ranked as a number 6. 

Pakistan

This information may be incorrect as the only information provided references only to two provinces of Pakistan, the Punjab Province and the Sindh Province, this is because with the information I have all of Pakistan's information is 'unavailable'. Pakistan is mainly known for the forced (bonded) labour in the industry, this includes carpet-making factories, brick kilns and mining of coal, salt and other materials. When it comes to agriculture the children are forced into harvesting produce such as cotton, wheat, sugar cane and potatoes and other produce. It also includes managing of livestock and fishing. 
This is categorised as extreme and ranked as a number 6. 

Zimbabwe

Once again not much information can be provided from my source, so I hope I give enough information. Because of the lack of effort in the program to stop forced child labour in Zimbabwe, there are still thousands of children forced into harvesting and growing crops, mining while surrounded by dangerous chemicals, domestic and street work, and the worst, sexual exploitation and drug trafficking and gambling. This is not even the end of it, there are still other forms of forced labour in Zimbabwe that have not been prevented, all because of the gaps that remain in the countries legalities. This is 
categorised as extreme and ranked as a number 8.

Yemen

Yemen does not have as many forms of child labour, but it definitely has some of the worst forms of labour. These include commercial sexual exploitation and armed conflict. Another common form of labour is fishing. But there are still forms of labour Yemen has that fall under agriculture, industry and services. Besides fishing agriculture is mainly just farming and hunting. The industry is comprised of various labours such as mining and quarrying, construction and carpentry and welding workshops. Services mainly include domestic work, street work and selling goods. The children forced into labour, from ages 5 -14, make up to be around 834,000 in numbers. This is categorised as extreme and ranked as a number 9.

Burundi

In Burundi, there are around 2,000,000 children who work, and the population of working children, from the ages of 5 - 14, is 31.2%. Children forced into work in Burundi work in some of the worst conditions and are even sexually exploited. This is categorised as extreme and ranked as a number 10.

Nigeria

I personally believe Nigeria is the worst. 31.1% of the children ages 5 - 14 do child labour, this makes up to be around 13,900,000 of them. Agricultural labour includes the production of tobacco, rice and cocoa, fishing and the herding of livestock. Industrial labour includes mining and quarrying granite and gravel, gold mining and processing, harvesting sand, and construction-related labour. Service labour often is domestic work, collecting money on public buses, and automotive repair, as well as street work, which is mainly scavenging and begging. Finally, there are the worst forms, commercial sexual exploitation, often included the production of pornography, use in illicit activities, such as forced recruitment into armed groups that force them into drug trafficking, armed robbery and other illicit ventures. This is categorised as extreme and ranked as a number 10.

Harriet Tubman Paragraph

We were recently tasked to recreate a paragraph we had written about Harriet Tubman using the same SEEL structure from before.

Statement

Explanation

Example

Link

The statement means the beginning where you state what the paragraph is going to be about, whether it be to do with a question or an actual statement that you plan to discuss.

The explanation is where you write the 'why' part and use the word 'because' to show that you are explaining.

The example is where you apply parts of the real world into your explanation. The example and explanation can be either way round.

The link is where you link the paragraph back to the beginning statement or to the beginning of the next paragraph.

- Actual Paragraph - 

Harriet Tubman saved lives, it is an undisputable fact of the past of America. Because of the courage she had, she was able to save over sixty slaves lives. As an example, Charles Nalle was an escaped slave who was led by Harriet Tubman on one of her nineteen trips through the Underground Railroad as a Conductor. Being a conductor meant she travelled through the Railroad back and forth, from the North to the South, saving slaves and guiding them to safety in the North of America. Though I provide only Charles Nalle as an example, he is a proven one. Harriet Tubman saved and changed the lives of many, many people. Both slave and not.

Who was Harriet Tubman?

What I found interesting...

I found it quite interesting how much impact Harriet made and how much is known about her. Considering how long ago it was I didn't think I would have been able to find as much as I have. As well as how dedicated she was, I didn't mention this in my poster but Harriet served in the Civil War as a nurse and cook.

What I already knew... 

Before doing this topic I didn't know who Harriet Tubman even was. 

What I want to learn... 

I want to learn about her second husband Nelson Davis and their relationship, as well as their adopted daughter Gertie. It would interesting to learn about how Gertie and Nelson would have felt when they saw her and knew about the great things she had done.

Why Harriet Tubman was an important figure... 

Harriet Tubman was an important figure because of who she was and what she did. She freed only sixty or seventy people herself. But her influence and story is important and has saved so many people, I have said this maybe too many time by now but it is true. Harriet Tubman is an inspiration.

"There was one of two things I had a right to: liberty or death. If I could not have one, I would take the other, for no man should take me alive. I should fight for liberty as long as

The Slave Trade Triangle

The slave trade triangle is the cycle of trade made with trading slaves, weaponry, and materials like cotton, tobacco and sugar.
The first passage was the link between Europe and Africa, where the Europeans went down to the slave ports in Africa to trade the weaponry. The weaponry would be traded for slaves the African Kings had captured from their enemy tribes. The weaponry that the African kings would gain from trading their enemies would go towards fighting their enemy tribes.
The middle passage went from Africa to the America's where the Europeans took the bought slaves to trade for materials and money in America. The slaves the Europeans bought would be auctioned off for money, which they then used to buy materials such as tobacco, cotton, and sugar.
The Europeans would then take the bought materials back and sell them off to companies and buyers.
I found the topic interesting because we got to briefly look at Christopher Columbus, who is seen as both a murderer and a hero. I always find the flip side or darker side to a story more interesting than the original story told. That may be why I like Greek Mythology and reading the original stories behind Disney movies.

Human Rights

Here I have a poster I made myself with the abbreviations of all thirty of the human rights from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Some of the rights have been combined with others to make way for some of the others. Before starting on this project I did not know much about human rights, I knew of their existence and what they meant, but I did not know how many there were or what they exactly were. I found it quite interesting to know that these are not law and not every place.