101 Objects that Made America...

     
      Who carries political magazines with them in school? Well apparently Kamala does.  She pulled out a huge stack of 'intellectually stimulating' magazines and dropped them on the table. I just sat there staring. Of all things, magazines? Well I flipped though a few of them and one seemed actually really interesting. It was from the Smithsonian and was titled "101 Objects That Made America". There were actually some pretty unique things in the magazine and, from what I read, it is a really good read.The United States of America is often hailed as one of the most powerful and influential countries in the world. The U.S. has definately made a myriad amount of long lasting contributions to the world. What are a few of these objects that really made history and defined the U.S. to be what it is today?

       1). Lewis and Clark's Compass: Meriwether Lewis paid only $5 for a typical 3 and a half inch, silver compass that would eventually lead his crew to documenting the rest of the country that we live in today. It's hard to imagine that this small little piece of simple equipment could be such a huge key in pretty much everything that we know now about our country. From the flora and the fauna to the rivers that stretch across a half dozen states, this little compass really did make a huge difference in how we see the country.

 

       2). Polio Vaccine: Jonas Salk did the world a huge favor by developing a mixure that was able to dramatically slow down, if not almost halt, the devastating spread of the polio disease. This sickness has damaged and taken so many innocent lives. It is a huge blessing to mankind that we had someone who was capable enough and bold enough to take on the challenge to conquer this disease. He had grown the virus in monkey kidneys and killed it with formaldehyde. He had injected already infected children, his wife, 3 sons, and himself with his vaccine. Fortuneatly, his vaccine, did not lead to unwanted side effects but was able to provide beneficial results that decimated this disease.
   


  3). As a bloody war that turned sons against fathers and brothers against brothers, the Civil War wrecked double havoc on the United States for it was a country fighting against itself. Hundreds of thousands of lives were lost in this war and it tore the country apart. Both the Union and Confederate sides had something to fight for and both believed that they were making the right decision by fighting this war. However, when all was said and done, the last 'official' battle of the Civil War resulted with Ulysses S. Grant demolishing Rober E. Lee's army. When the battle was over, both generals decided to call an end to Civil War by meeting at Wilmer McLean's living room (in Appomattox Court House, Virginia). Grant sat down in an everyday leatherback chair and made history that day. He and Lee were able to reach the compromse that stated Lee and his army would drop their arms and go peacefully back to the south.