July 4th
Alice/ Zhiheng Pan
This is a fantastic week!
Friday we have a trip to Massachusetts State House Which start to use after the American Revolution. In that house, we saw the State House Model, the Doric Hall which collect some statues of the famous people in MA, Nurses Hall which use to souvenir the nurse in the war.
Also we went to the House of Representatives, this is the palce where the oldest writtern constitution came out.
The wall is full of name!
This is the Senate Chamber which use to make speech and vote.
And I went to see the fireworks during the Independence Day. People there are crazy!!!
They went there early and just stay there for hole day!
We've met some rude Americans; when one of my friends stand up from were we sit for a long time just want to stand for some second, an old lady just came and just just sit at where my friend sit without permission. And this happened several times!
But anyway, the fireworks are awsome!Most of them are similiar with the one in China, but we have few bule, green, and coloeful one. So it still
attract me a lot~
Happy Birthday,
America!
A Visit to the Massachusetts State House
ReplyDeleteToday I have visited the Massachusetts State House with my schoolmates. It is located at Boston in the Beacon Hill neighborhood.
There is right statuary in front of the Massachusetts state House which is an equestrian statue of General Joseph Hooker. Other statues in front of the building include Daniel Webster, educator Horace Mann, and former US President John F. Kennedy. The statues of Anne Hutchinson and Mary Dyer are located on the lawns below the east and west wings.
We took the stairs to the second floor. There is a model Massachusetts State House. A lecturer introduced the Massachusetts State House for us. She told us the state House cornerstone was laid on the Fourth of July, 1795, by Governor Sam Adams and Paul Revere, Grand Master of the Masons. The stone was carved fifteen white horses on the stone, one for each of the states of the Union at that time.
Then we went to the third floor to visit the House of Representatives. It is in this room that the larger of the two legislative bodies conducts legislative procedures. The Speaker of the house is elected by the representatives and presides from the elevated chair behind the podium. Representatives can vote electronically by pushing a green “yea” or a red “nay” button on their desks. The results of the vote appear next to each representative’s name on the board in the front of the room. Here I find interesting pheromones; there is an ashtray on each desk they can smoke when they make decision.
After today’s trip to the state house, I had a chance to understand the American legislative precedence and learned a lesson about American democratic system.
A Visit to the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston
ReplyDeleteOn Friday, June 25, 2010, we went to visit the federal reserve bank of Boston as part of the Exploring America class activities. This trip enables me to know about the Federal Reserve Bank and its system.
We went through very strict security check when we arrived at the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. Then a speaker made an introductory presentation for us and explained the history and present function of the Federal Reserve Bank and the Federal Reserve System.
From the introduction, I have known the Federal Reserve Banks were established by Congress under the Federal Reserve Act in 1913.The Federal Reserve System was designed by Congress to have a broad perspective on the economy and on economic activity in all parts of the nation. The Federal Reserve System, also known as the "Fed," is an independent U.S. government agency. Its duties today, according to official Fed’s documentation, fall into four general categories:
1. Conducting the nation's monetary policy by influencing monetary and credit conditions in the economy in pursuit of maximum employment, stable prices, and moderate long-term interest rates.
2. Supervising and regulating banking institutions to ensure the safety and soundness of the nation's banking and financial system, and protect the credit rights of consumers.
3. Maintaining stability of the financial system and containing systemic risk that may arise in financial markets.
4. Providing financial services to depository institutions, the U.S. government, and foreign official institutions, including playing a major role in operating the nation's payments system.
The Federal Reserve System includes 12 regional Federal Reserve Banks and 25 Federal Reserve Bank branches. The Federal Reserve Bank of Boston which is located at 600 Atlantic Avenue in Boston is responsible for the First District of the Federal Reserve, which covers Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont. As part of the nation's central bank, the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston promotes sound growth and financial stability in New England and the nation.
Through the visit, I have learned a lot about US Federal Reserve System, its structure, its duties and its importance in present American economic and financial system. The new knowledge about Fed will help me better understand American central bank system and its financial structure, which is fundamental for an economic major like me.
Initial Impressions on Park Street Church
ReplyDeleteOn Friday, June 18, 2010, we went to visit Boston Park Street Church as part of the American culture class activities. Through visiting the church, I understand that in early American human rights movements, religion played an important role in promoting human rights and social justice, especially Park Street was well-know for its abolitionist mission in early American anti-slavery movements.
Park Street Church was founded in 1809 by 26 conservative Christians. The Church steeple rises to 217 feet (66 m), and remains a landmark visible from several Boston neighborhoods. Not long after its service, Park Street Church became known as "Brimstone Corner", in part because of the missionary character of its preaching, and in part because of the storage of gunpowder in its basement during the War of 1812, which was fought against Great Britain from June 1812 to the spring of 1815.Park Street Church also marked other important events in its mission of human rights and social justice: prison reform began in this church, women suffrage was strongly supported here, and some of the first and most impassionated protests against slavery were delivered inside these hallowed walls.
Park Street Church became known for supporting Abolitionist causes, hosting an anti-slavery lecture series as early as 1823. As part of the lecture series, William Lloyd Garrison delivered his first major public Abolitionist speech, on July 4, 1829. The church also hosted the debut of song “My country, ’Tis of Thee” also known as America, by Samuel Francis Smith on July 4, 1831.
Still active in Boston as a Congregationalist church, Park Street Church continues to hold weekly religious services, located on the freedom trail. The park street church is the most historically significant Landmark in the story of the Abolition’s history of the nation.
The visit has given me an initial impression of the Park Street Church and its role in America human rights and social justice movements. I think the trip also gives me an interesting experience and I have understood church is not only a holy place for worship but also can play an important role in promoting human rights and social justice.
I like your pictures and the title
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