Alabama

= ﻿Exploring our Alabama Heritage  =

**Past, Present, and Future**
Ancient Alabamians  By: Amaya, Anthony, George, Jordan, and Brooke  Published: September 2010 Moundville is a prehistoric Mississippian culture on the Black Warrior River, in Central Alabama. Over a thousand years ago, the three hundred acre village was a big town and a religious center. Moundville has twenty-six smaller mounds and two big mounds, which supported their homes and other buildings. The Mound builders became rich for growing Indian corn. They were also very skilled artists with copper, pottery, and stonework. Moundville, with its cultural traditions, Ancient Indians tribes can be visited daily. There are many different tribes of Indians in Moundville with many different religious beliefs. Before all the different tribes came, the Mississippian Moundbuilders lived in Moundville. After the Mississippian Moundbuilders suddenly disappeared many different tribes invaded Moundville and started living there. Then much later, people from other countries started to invade the Americas. They tried to push the Native Americans out of their homeland. At school, you read in your social studies book that the Native Americans were violent and stubborn. But after we visited Moundville, we viewed the other side of the dispute. This amazing field trip to Moundville really helped us get a feel of what the Native Americans were going through when the United States were trying to take away their land.

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The Creeks By: Aja, Alondra, Conner, Terrence Published: September 2010 ALABAMA-Did you know the name “Alabama” is Muskegon Indian word? It means campsite or clearing. Later, it became the name for our state. The Creeks were one of the largest groups of Native Americans in Alabama. The recorded history of the Creeks began in 1540 in the present-day county of Desoto. They lived in Eastern and Northeastern part of Alabama. The Creeks often made their homes out of mud and grass close to bodies of water. They lived the same as other tribes, depending on their location and resources to survive. They found seeds, planted, and grew them for their village. The clothes that they wore were made from abbots, fox, coyotes, bears, and other animals that they killed for skins. Their diet was made up of deer, fish, and turkey. Although, we don’t see Creeks in modern day Alabama, there are several things we can learn from them today. One lesson we learn is to never waste anything. By reusing, reducing, or recycling, we can protect our environment that the Creeks took such great care with. Another thing we can learn from them is to look out for the people in our community. The Creeks hunted, planted, and made many items not just for their own families, but also for all the people in their community. By following their example we can make our community a better, kinder place to live.

If You're Not from Alabama Mrs. Roberts' class read a book called __If you're not from the prarie.....__ By David Bouchard. This is their version with the state of Alabama. Click on the link below.



Civil Rights in Alabama  By: Lawanda   Published: September 2010 ALABAMA- Would you like to learn more about your life? Life is just like a roller coaster especially if you lived in the 1960’s. In life, you can learn about many things from the past, like what to do and what not to do. In the 1960’s buses were boycotted because a lady known as Rosa Parks was riding the bus, and she refused to give up her seat to a white man. The bus driver had her arrested. Because so many people were outraged, many people stopped riding the bus, until the boycott was over. Now it’s different, blacks, and whites can ride the bus anytime they want, they also can sit anywhere they want.

In addition to the buses, many other places had segregation. In schools, whites had to go to white schools, and the blacks had to go to black schools. Also they separated drinking fountains for Caucasians and African Americans. They had “colored balconies” in movie theaters also. In addition to the unfairness of segregations, four girls were killed at 16th Streets Baptist Church when members of the Ku Klux Klan planted a box of dynamite under the steps of the church, near the basement.

Now that you know about what happened in Alabama’s past, today we still know our rights and our wrongs. It really taught us a lesson because we learned from the negative things, and we want to do what’s right for our country. We want to treat everybody the way they want to be treated, and for doing that we can make a difference. We’ve learned that by working together our differences can actually make us stronger.

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 * Our Literary Heritage**
 * There are many books written in or about Alabama. We wanted to share some of our very favorites.We hope you enjoy watching these Vokis on __To Kill a Mockingbird__, __The Watsons Go to Birmingham__, and __13 Alabama Ghost and Jeffery__.**

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Tuskegee Airmen By Chey, Neil, and Stephanie TUSKEGEE- Who are the Tuskegee Airmen? The Tuskegee Airmen were the first African American military airmen. They were trained in Tuskegee, Alabama. Approximately a thousand men were trained between1940-1946 to fight in World War 2. Because they were African American pilots, the U.S. military would not include them with other pilots. In spite of this, these brave men were successful in our fight against Germany. One of the Tuskegee Airmen, Lt. Lee, was brave enough to take, the first lady, Mrs. Roosevelt, on an airplane ride. Between May 1943 and June 1945 450 Tuskegee Airmen were awarded more than 850 medals because of their bravery in fighting during World War 2. The 332nd fighter group never lost a single bomber to enemy action. The Tuskegee Airmen fought for our freedom even though they faced prejudice. They were dedicated and determine young men who instead of giving up became America’s first African American military airmen. At this time when there were many people who thought African American military airmen lacked intelligence, skill, courage, and patriotism; they were brave and successful making this world a better place for all of us. They teach us that it is worthwhile to fight to overcome obstacles, follow our hearts, and continue to make this world a better place for our generation and the next.

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Birmingham, the Magic City By Elias, Kayla, and Mariah Published: September 2010 BIRMINGHAM- If you’ve ever been to Birmingham, you would have seen a statue of Vulcan standing on top of Red Mountain. Vulcan is the Roman gods of blacksmithing and fire, Even though Vulcan is a symbol of our modern day city, he also represents Birmingham’s past. In 18710, coal, iron ore, and limestone were found underground where Birmingham is today. When these resources were discovered, Birmingham sprung up over night because suddenly there were jobs in the mines, the mills, and the furnaces that were built close to the mines. As the number of mines and mills grew, railroads were built to transport product to and from the mines to mills, and then on to consumers. Since the number of people coming to Birmingham looking for a job opportunities grew, this magic city seemed to appear overnight. That’s how Birmingham got the name “Magic City.’’

Although Birmingham is still known as the Magic City today, people no longer make their living just from the iron industry. Vulcan now over looks Birmingham, a leader, technology and medical research. He stands as a constant reminder of not only our past, but our present and future.

= = = = =Alabama Cook Book= ==== We created a cookbook that contains poplular "Alabama Style" recipes that you will enjoy. You may use these recipes in your own kitchen. We used an amazing digital tool called StoryJumper to share these scrumptious recipes with you. With one simple click you can view our " Alabama Style Cook Book." Click below!!! ====

[|Down Home Cooking]
3,2,1,0 Blast Off to Marshall’s Space Flight Center  Written By: Jada and Tre’   Published: September 2010  HUNTSVILLE- As the War World 2 was ending in Europe, the United States Government recruited German scientists who had worked on rocketry and weapons in their defeated homeland. Over 100 scientists had been working and creating the German V-2 rocket during when the war arrived. They began work in Fort Bliss, Texas where they researched and started work that turned into the American space program. One of the scientists, named Wernher von Braun, led the move to Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama where President Eisenhower transformed it from military to civilian space exploration. The group of German scientists and other contractors worked on projects like project Gemini, Saturn series, Apollo, and Skylab. Marshall’s Space Flight Center is so important to us Alabamians because if we didn’t have a NASA or a Marshall’s Space Flight Center then we would know less about the moon and important information about our solar system. One more thing most of our Alabamians care about MSFS (Marshall’s Space Flight Center) and NASA because it’s important to us Alabamians and our People who want to what is going on about our Earth. It’s important to the astronauts, the workers that work their and us Alabamians. Today in Alabama, we are leaders in technology research and development which came from the leadership and examples of Wernher von Braun and those other groundbreaking scientists.