A Defining Moment Essay

A Defining Moment Essay
Many people influenced and events my reading and writing development throughout my childhood from my mother, my elementary librarian, and
Sesame Street, to getting my first pair of glasses. We all have defining moments in our lives where we can look back and say, "That moment changed
my life." This is the story of the defining moment that changed the way I read and write, and I learned it from a whale! It was the beginning of my
seventh grade year. I was about twelve years old and, I guess you could say a nerd. I did well in school so I was placed in the Gifted and Talented
program with other nerds in my class. As part of this program we were required to read at a certain level or read a certain number of books each
semester. You...show more content...
I thought to myself, hey, I like whales. I've read stories about ships and pirates and stuff before. This looks like something I might like. I can still
smell the old paper and threaded binding resonating in my mind as I opened the book and scrolled through the pages, soaking in the vibrant
illustrations of what would soon become my obsession for the next six months. Happy with my selection and feeling fairly proud of myself, I take the
book to the check–out desk. The desk is occupied by the stereotypical librarian. She is an older lady probably in her sixties with gray wiry hair and half
square bi–focal glasses that sit on the end of her nose. As I place the book on the counter, she looks down her nose and through her glasses at me
with a look of skepticism. Frowning as she speaks, she tells me that maybe I should choose something else. Undaunted, I refuse and ask to check
out the book. She gives a few other suggestions but again, I refuse. She wishes me luck as she slides it back to me and I stuff the hefty book into
my backpack. I start reading the book and right away it is intimidating from the very first paragraph. I am faced with language and sentence structure
I do not understand, what is a bedfellow and why does he carry a purse? Is he gay? Immediately I am second guessing my decision but I am
determined to get through this book. It takes me the better part of a week to get through the first chapter. I
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Essay On Historical Moment
Four historical moments in the area of sexuality during the past 70 years began as. First, the sexual revolution began as the baby bummers grew up at
the time of the Vietnam War era did not want the conservatisms era of their parents that included religious beliefs and strict moral upbringing. The
wanted to make a better world (Sex in '69: Sexual Revolution in America [Video file] (2009). The Baby boomers shifting from standards of their
parents and their fore parents by becoming rebellious in attempting to be free towards sexual thoughts and action without feeling guilty, and expressing
thru multiple sexual partners, and drugs without facing consequences (Sex in '69: Sexual Revolution in America [Video file] (2009). Another historical
sexual moment consists of the development of Contraceptives such as the pills and IUD in the 1960's that initiated the sexual revolution. The
opportunity and individual control that the pill gave some women were life–changing for some; extending the sexuality revolution in leading women to
consider Intercourse outside of marriage,...show more content...
Feminism has called an end to gender inequality, which of lately contributed to women fighting at the forefront of battle and perhaps called to
amend registration for drafts among women. Change the roles of women saying no to her husband or significant other regarding sex when she is not
in the mood and working together as a team within the home (Van Der Gaag, 2014). As well as, encouraging women to educate about their bodies
and sexuality regarding clitoris, oral, and anal sex, which was once considered forbidden. (Levay & Baldwin, 2011; Sex in '69: Sexual Revolution in
America [Video file]

The Cuban Missile Crisis was a crucial moment in American history. As tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union rose, so did the risk
of nuclear war. The Soviets, under the leadership of Nikita Khrushchev, were in a position to strike the United States with nuclear missiles based in
Cuba. This uncertain time caused much concern for the citizens of the United States and its President, John F. Kennedy (Brubaker, 2001). During most
of the twentieth century, the Soviets and the United States were involved in what was known as the Cold War. This squabble without fighting took
place after World War II when the allied forces could not come to an agreement about what to do with Nattzi Germany. Each were armed with Nuclear
missiles....show more content...
Instead of destroying places in Cuba, the United States decided to make a blockade in the ocean (Byrne, 2006). Cuba was surrounded by
American Navy ships that were placed in a line forming a blockade. This was decided after gatherings that were frustrating yielding Kennedy's
decision. Areas built in Cuba for the launching of missiles at America were what Kennedy wanted taken apart and that any nuclear device in Cuba
be removed. Soviets supplies going towards Cuba were supposed to be stopped from getting to Cuba because of the blockade Kennedy ordered to
be formed (National Archives, 2016). If ships intercepted by the blockade got angry and attacked the blockade it could have also led to a nuclear war
(Byrne 2006). Therefor the demands from the Government of the United States along with the quarantine line made by the United States Navy made
the American citizens not know what the Soviet leader would do or if he would retaliate. Because of this a television show for President Kennedy was
made on October 22 to talk to the nation about the crisis (National Archives, 2016).
Towards the end of the Cuban Missile Crisis, Cubans felt left behind. Three hundred Cuban soldiers were ready for war because their leader Castro
was sure America would attack (Byrne, 2006). The revolt of the Cubans was thought to be left behind by the Russians when they removed their
missiles. Cubans thought the Soviets were weak after taking their missiles out of Cuba (History Channel Staff,

The Importance of History Essay
What is history? Should we study history? Who creates history? Is history relevant?
The definition of history, is a question which has sparked international debate for centuries between the writers, readers, and the makers of history. It is
a vital topic which should be relevant in our lives because it?s important to acknowledge past events that have occurred in our world that deeply
influences the present. This essay will discuss what history is, and why we study it.
History is the study of past events leading up to the present day. It is a research, a narrative, or an account of past events and developments that are
commonly related to a person, an institution, or a place. It is a branch of knowledge that records and analyzes...show more content...
Focusing on the people involved in a time, place, and series of events makes history. Biographies and historical fiction may popularize these entities
/figures with descriptions of people who lived in the past or events that happened in the past. Such Historical figures and events include King Leopold II
of Belgium and The Scramble of Africa in the late 19th century. Among other things, King Leopold II of Belgium (1835–1909), is known for the
exploitation of Congo and the mass murder of its citizens as told in King Leopold?s Ghost by Adam Hochschild. King Leopold II of Belgium, created
and ironically erased history by ultimately slashing the area's population by ten million during his reign in the Congo, and still managed to shrewdly
foster a reputation as a great humanitarian. In telling this story, Hochschild gave detailed descriptions, especially of the individuals involved, both
good and bad. Set in the palaces and boardrooms of Europe and in the villages of central Africa, it tells the story of the tragedy that took place during
Leopold's so called rule. This ?horror? story gives and reveals the utter most secrets of the respected King Leopold. Prior to his colonization, In the
mid–1870s, the King hired then world renowned explorer Henry Morton Stanley, who was familiar with many parts of Africa, to help him go about
conquering. During the following years Stanley stayed throughout in central Africa, talking various tribes into signing over their

Most Influential Moment
For many people, the most influential moment in their educational career is probably when their teacher taught them how to count or help pick them
up when they feel down. Perhaps it's a lesson you learn or a consequence of your action. However, my story is kinda different. The most influential
moment in my educational career does not come from learning a lesson, rather it's about being exposed to a new form of education. I moved to US in
the middle of my 6th grade year, before that I was living in Thailand. I quickly like my new school. The teachers were nice and they ready the counsel
you on the issue you may have. Oh yeah, I quickly discover these things call raising your hand and answer questions or expressing your opinion to the
class.

The Civil War marked a defining moment in United States history, the Civil War started in April 1861. Some of the groups that were in the Civil War
were the Unions, Confederates, and the Cherokee Indians. They all had different ideas on how to live their lives, some thought that what one side was
doing was

Examples Of An Example Of A Moment In History
I would say that an example of a moment in history that triggered a shift in culture would be Barack Obama becoming the first African American
president of the United States. I feel it symbolized a lot of things. Obama's victory symbolizes power, because of the country's racist history. It
actually gives you a clear picture of the dream Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., which was the greatest civil rights leader was speaking of. He displayed
you can do anything you want, no matter what color, or gender you are.

The Moment Of My Life Essay
Insignificant Moment Have you ever had an utterly insignificant moment change your life? A moment that if it had not had an unforeseen
consequences you would have completely forgotten it? These moments are the things that most of our lives are made up of. Some are small like,
what would have happened if you decided eat at a pizza restaurant instead of a Mexican restaurant. Some are big like, taking a right turn when you
needed to go left, making you late for work, and your boss upset with you. It's these little moments where we made decisions or accidents that make
our lives the way they are. There in one moment in my life that had it not caused quite a difference in my present and future I would have forgotten
about it. I would have probably never thought about it again.
It was late at night during the summer of 2012, I was sixteen at the time and in a hurry to see my best friend Sophia. I excitedly ran around to
rather all the things I needed so I could leave and pick her up at her house. I rushed out of my house and down the sidewalk towards my mom's car.
Right as I was about to step off the sidewalk is when it happened. I slipped and smashed my full body weight onto my right knee into the concrete
sidewalk. The pain was immense. I rolled my pants to see that damage that I had caused. Luckily I only had a little scratch and what I could tell was
going to be a nasty bruise. As the stubborn teenager that I was I got up, stretched my knee out and hobbled to the car. I

Moment In History Poem Analysis
Moment In History With war comes devastation, depression, deprivation and death. During the time of World War в…
Ў, Americans were consumed by
the gloominess and foreboding effects of every passing day of their lives from the war. Listening for constant updates and news raised people's hopes
up reminded them of the distance between their loved ones overseas. Knowles employs pessimistic diction, informative detail, and profound imagery
to illustrate the melancholy mood in America during this era. When expressing his thoughts of the war, Gene applies the word "distant." This is
because when soldiers went off to fight against Germany and Japan or simply training in U.S military camps, most Americans felt depressed and
isolated from the rest of...show more content...
Vast changes in everyday lives made life more hopeless for everyone. It was as if enjoying happy aspects in life was wrong and unpatriotic because
America was too busy with wartime reports and affected by the cold separation with friends and family sent across seas. Women forced to carry the
entire household, Japanese Americans stripped from their rights, and teenagers preparing for war without a choice. In this moment in history, Gene
tells us the great struggle Americans had faced from the war and the despairing embedded memories that were left on each person. How sacrifice,
isolation, scarcity, and oppression not only impacted soldiers, but of everyone in America. It's as if the war came with it's own shocking

In the Moment Essay
"Time is an absurdity, an abstraction. The only thing that matters is the moment." (Nolan 12). If this is true, then in the story "Memento Mori" and the
movie Memento, it is ironic how the main character, Leonard, who is suffering from severe memory loss, is constantly trying to figure out the past,
even though he knows he will not remember it once he learns what has happened. His wife is dead, and he is searching through a system of notes and
Polaroid pictures for her killer. Though the story is unclear at first, through narration, structure, and repetition, the plot of the story becomes clearer.
The story is told in reverse order. Since the events in Memento are presented backwards, this allows the viewer to get into the mind frame of...show
more content...
Narration in a movie or story is what people rely on to know what is going on in the plot and what is true or false information. Without narration in
a movie or story, it would make it difficult to find out who is right and who is wrong. In addition, narration is what sets the tone for a movie or story
so the viewer never really questions what the narrator is saying because under normal circumstances we'd believe it to be true. Narration is supposed
to make things easier for the viewer to understand, in a way it simplifies and breaks down the plot into a person's thoughts which is much easier to
catch on to than figuring out the story on one's own.
In order to truly enjoy the film Memento and the story "Memento Mori," it is necessary to understand the structure and order of the plot. To see how
Leonard tracked down his wife's killer, the movie ends with what is, chronologically, the story's beginning. The structure of the film and story is quite
unique since the facts are not presented in chronological order, or following the casual relationship. It is hard to provide a logical version of the story,
since at the end of the film we realize the unreliability of the main character's recollections. From the beginning of the movie and story, we have to
grasp the unusual structure of daily events and the structure of

What Is Historical Testimony
Introduction Perhaps, in one or the other, we all have experiences that we have gone through and they completely altered our lives. Evidently, we all
have some unforgettable experiences, with some having the best and others have the worst kind of experiences. History is documented through the
narration of testimonies by the victims of the experiences. Over the years, there is a lot that has happened in the world and all the occasions, there
were people who were left to tell the stories. The holocaust is one of the worst events in the world that people had to endure; millions of people were
killed in cold blood but there were survivors who lived to tell the story. Through their testimonies, we all get to know and connect with their
experiences....show more content...
Other testimonies have touch of joy and hope. Depending on the nature of the event the testimony is being narrated, emotion vary as the testimony
continue to be narrated. In the book Night by Elie Wiesel, he raised some significant moral and ethical questions when he witnessed traumatic scenes
such as burning alive babies, young boy being hung, people fighting against one another for food, which led to his loss of faith in god and humanity. In
the video testimony of Renee, from around the 22th minute, until the one hour mark, the testimony is characterized by sad emotions but the emotions
changes to joyful in the 1.37 minutes mark, when she talks about the individual who used to help the Jews. "Never shall I forget that night, the first
night in camp, which has turned my life into one long night, seven times cursed and seven times sealed. Never shall I forget that smoke. Never shall I
forget the little faces of the children, whose bodies I saw turned into wreaths of smoke beneath a silent blue sky", (Wiesel, 1982.pg. 32) that's an
example of sad emotion during a testimony. The testimony intended audience also depends on the nature of the event. In most cases, the target
audience of testimonies are historians who document the events that have shaped the world in different dimensions. Any other individuals

Historical Events and Influence on Current Life
Historical events and influence on current life In one way or another all of us have experienced some events which have had an impact on our
lives either positively or otherwise. Iessence this has resulted from the way we view things in different perspectives. These events are influenced
by certain underlying factors which include among them, social historical and geographical location of an individual, geopolitacal events for
example war, can shape people's perception and change their mode of development. Another fundamental factor which comes into play is the
timing of lives whereby we have three types which are core to the effect of influencing the life of an individual, this include; individual time
(ontogeny time), generational time and historical time. The period in life of a person that is an individual's 'childhood, adolescent period or old
age impacts a persons' position in society, the role they play.( Barbara A. Mitchell, 2012). Generational time on the other hand refers to the age
groups in which people are grouped, based upon their age. People born between 1946 and 1964, for example, are often referred to as the baby boom
generation. Finally, historical time where our main focus is based refers to societal or large–scale changes or events and how these affect individuals
and families, such as political and economic changes, war and technological innovations. (Price, S. J et al, 2002) In the period of 1960s, in the history
of America a lot of events took

The First Crusade
The Crusades was a very important moment in human history, it showed the clashes between religions for land that most people considered to be
sacred or holy. There isn't one Crusade but rather a series of them, but we'll be looking primarily at the First Crusade, Second Crusade, Third Crusade,
and a little bit of the Fourth. It all starts in Rome (Nov 27th 1095) where Pope Urban the Second receives an important message from Byzantine
Emperor Alexios the First where he pleads for help in supressing the Turkish troops. After receiving the message the Pope (standing in a field outside
the city of Clermont) calls for the public to join the military excursion to the Middle East, and swiftly declares a Crusade with the primary objective of
securing holy sites [Jaspert, Nikolas. The Crusades]. What followed was a large migration of troops from France and Italy on August and September of
1096. The...show more content...
The beginning of this Crusade was marked by the capture of Jerusalem by Saladin. He was a proponent leader that led with his hatred of people
that were considered unbelievers, but he also had kindness and some would even say compassion towards some people. He was born in 1138 and
died in 1193 at the age of 55. After Saladin had captured The Holy Land in 1187 the Christians once again made it their mission to recapture it. The
Christians of the West did once again fail to retake the city of Jerusalem; their main goal in this whole endeavour. They were however able to capture
the city of Jaffa and the city of Acre. What happened next was very interesting, after realizing that they wouldn't be able to capture Jerusalem Richard
"The Lion Heart" and Saladin signed a peace treaty of sorts, it was called the Treaty of Ramla. The peace treaty stated that Jerusalem would remain
under the control of the Muslims but Christian visitors, pilgrims, merchants, etc were allowed to visit so long as they were

Reflection On World History
World History seems to be a quite trivial and familiar term to me as it is used as the name of History syllabus in the local curriculum that covers
development of Asia and Europe in the 20th century. However, having read Dr. Martin's article on world history, I found that what was called "World
History" in secondary curriculum may not be world history. World history is not only studying what happened around the world in the past, but also the
training of a mindset to consider and analyse events and information in a big picture without national borders. This mindset is undoubtedly crucial and
essential in the 21st century, when the global integration is happening everywhere and every day. Our activities are no longer limited within the national
...show more content...
The readings provide me a variety of noteworthy and unique points of view that could help me consider if impact of nation states is as important as we
usually think or not. Also, without considering nation states as the major players, world history showed how other factors or individuals affect the
nation states. This can help me to understand the decision–making process of governments, which do not decide what to do, but other factors force the
government to do. Before having read any world history books, it is common for me to consider history that governments are very important in history
as it is how history was taught in the secondary curriculum. As a student who studied in Hong Kong curriculum, I am lucky that history was not taught
in a strongly–biased national approach that the achievements in Chinese modern history are the success of CCP leadership. However, nations are still the
most important players in the history. For instance, it was taught that Sino–Japanese War in 1894–95 was due to the expansion policies of Japanese
governments. However, by reading world history books from the political economy aspect, the reasons for the war are much more complicated if we
study the economic situation and other factors at that

The American Revolution is one of the biggest turning points that America has ever had in history. The revolution was based on the conflict between
Great Britain and the 13 colonies. The conflict that started the war was the fight over how much independence the colonies deserved. The revolution
went on from 1775 until 1783, in 1783 it ended with the Treaty of Paris. The treaty ultimately made the creation and independence of the United States
of America. After eight years of revolution, the 13 colonies came together to a home that they were proud of and felt free. Some of the major events
during the war was the Passage of the Stamp Act in 1765, Thomas Paine's Common Sense, and the Adoption of the Declaration of Independence.
Everything that happened during the Revolution brought the colonies closer and closer to uniting and becoming completely independent from Great
Britain.
The biggest importance of the American Revolution is from it's result. This revolution is how we became the United States of America and became this
new modern nation. The story of the American Revolution is definitely a dramatic one; it is about 13 insignificant British colonies that were three
thousand miles from the centers of the Western civilization. The revolution went on to creating a "sprawling republic of nearly 4 million
expansive–minded , evangelical, and money–hungry citizens" (Wood xxv). Although this is incredible and was done in fewer than three decades, this
is still history that was

Essay on Defining Moments
It was Friedrich Nietzschehas who said, "What doesn't kill you makes, you stronger". I like to call these moments in a person's life, "defining
moments". Additionally, I like most people, have had a few of these "defining moments"; probably more than one person should. Growing up, I had a
hard time accepting one of my "won't kill you–make you stronger" moments. It was a moment of betrayal and deceit, inflicted upon by a person I
trusted fully and completely, with my life. My mother. My mother had it rough growing up. Forced to be out of the house nearly by dawn and only to
return by nightfall, she was ignored and turned away by her mother. All throughout her childhood, and most of her young adult life until she ran away,
my mother was...show more content...
Here in Oregon is where the three of us became a family; mom, Jelly a.k.a. Angelica (my sister) and me. Years went by as we assimilated to life
here in Oregon. My mother worked hard to give us kids everything we desired and needed, all the while trying desperately not to be her mother. At
the time we were all unaware of how alike my mother and grandmother could be. When my sister hit her teenage years, she hit a slippery slope of
partying and drugs. Our family went through some hardships with Jelly's drug and alcohol addiction. Jail time, drug rehab, in and out patient;
however, my mother and I stood by Jelly's side through it all. We were working on mending our family wounds when it happened. An old love and
drug buddy of my mothers, Jeff, had kept in contact with her over the years. Still a frequent drug user, Jeff somehow convinced my mother to let
him move in with us. Jeff was not just a drug addict; he was a thief, a liar, and a woman beater, as we would soon find out.However, it wasn't my
mother he became violent with first; it was I. I had just come home from spending the day at the river with my friends when Jeff insisted that I stole
a pair of his sunglasses. I of course denied this and it sent him into a violent rage. I was on my way to my bedroom, at the top of the stairs, when he
began screaming and yelling at me. I, wanting nothing to do with his tizzy fit, ignored him and turned around to go back down the

A Memorable Moment In My Life
I remember this tragedy like it was this morning. My aunt was out of town, so I was staying with my first cousin Andrew. I woke up fairly early for a
weekend and had a cup of the best dark roast from Starbucks in my pink and white polka dot coffee cup, along with 2 tablespoons of rich french vanilla
creamer. With my coffee, I went to go sit outside to listen to the bird's chirp, get a bit of fresh air and clear my head for the long day ahead of me. In my
cousin's backyard, they have a tall fogged glass patio set, sitting upon the rustic wood patio. Sitting in the backyard made me feel as though it was
just me and nature herself, so put together, beautiful and calm. It was black Friday and my cousin and I were going to head to my house for our
families traditional pierogi making after breakfast. My mother As well as other family members were already waiting there for our arrival. We got into
the car and rolled down the windows and started to play our favorite music. Once we got into the car we were sitting there for a moment just on
our phones and having a casual conversation. My cousin had mentioned his friend getting into a car accident the month before, and we were
positive that we were going to be okay because he was a safe driver, and wanted to get both of us there safely. Andrew soon started to drive on the
way to my house, and the gas light turned on. My cousin pulled to the nearest gas station. As we pulled in I got chills all the way from the bottom of
my feet

Most Important Moments In History Essay
Throughout history, there have been a few defining moments that have created America as we know it today. Some of the most influential moments
have come from speeches delivered by some of America's most profound individuals. It's important that we continue to study these individuals because
they have defined the world we live in today. The book, Essential American Documents and speeches, contains numerous documents that represent
change and reform that have helped us develop as a country and define us as a Nation.
Key moments are constantly changing the world we live in; an important document that represents this would be, "Ain't I a Woman" by Sojourner Truth.
This document was important to the foundation of who our country would...show more content...
The Speech, "The faults of the Constitution", by Benjamin Franklin is important because not only did he sign the Constitution, he also admits that
there are problems with it. In his speech he says, "It is therefore that the older I grow, the more apt I am to doubt my own judgment, and to pay more
respect of the judgment of others." Benjamin Franklin was probably one of the first to speak publicly about his doubts of the constitution, but he also
says he isn't positive he's right. This was a defining moment in American history because it set off a domino affect of people questioning the

No Moment In History
No moment in history is as significant as the signing of the Declaration of Independence. This document was revolutionary; we can thank it for the
existence of the United States of America, the most influential country in the world. If I could witness any moment in history, I would choose to
examine the creation and signing of the Declaration of Independence. This document was essentially the first of its kind; never before had a colony
had the audacity to seek independence from its colonizers. During the dawn of the American Revolution, people were fighting for political reform and
representation; not independence. I want to witness the creation of the Declaration of Independence to discern why the Founding Fathers of the United
States decided

A Defining Moment Essay

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A Defining Moment Essay