Sample Student Reports

Jefferson Finis Davis

By: Melissa Vidal

Jefferson Finis Davis was born on June 3, 1808, in a log cabin in Kentucky.  He was the youngest of 10 children.  Around 1812 Jefferson moved twice and finally stayed in Mississippi.  Jefferson was rich during his whole life.  He’s father was in the war and so was he’s grandpa.  A year after Jefferson Davis got sent to a military academy. Then in 1828 he graduated from he U.S military academy at the west point at the age of 20. As the years went by he found himself president of the C.S.A initials for Confederacy States of America.  He was elected president in November 6, 1861 for 6 years. He was the one and only president during the 4 years of the civil war between the years of 1861 thru 1865.

                Jefferson Davis’s first wife was Sarah Knox Taylor the daughter of Zachary Taylor but after the marriage she died in 3 months. In 1835 Jefferson got remarried to Varina Ann Howell Davis a young teenage girl. Jefferson was 19 years older than Varina.  Varina and Jefferson had 6 children all together. One was born during trouble times and another during a tragedy.  Jefferson’s family supported him through everything. After the war Varina and Jefferson Davis was captured and got sent to a dungeon and their children had to live with their grandmother.

            Jefferson had never really liked his middle name. In all his papers except his birth certificate it only shows, Jefferson Davis, he had removed the F. Jefferson was the leader of the Confederate States so he had to make all the decisions. Jefferson was the one that decided to start the Civil War in 1861. Jefferson was used to being a leader, when he was in the military he was chosen to be the leader of his team.

            Jefferson Davis was a great leader to the south side but most people think that he had made some wrong decisions. Jefferson Davis had 2 slaves and thought African- American should still be slaves. Most people say that Jefferson Davis didn’t know how slaves were being treated. But I think that he just doesn’t want to admit that he knew what’s going on.

            Jefferson Davis viewed himself as a loyal American. He’s heroes were, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Andrew Jackson, James Madison, Zackary Taylor. Those presidents were slave owners as well. Because of those heroes he ran for congress, served in the Mexican War, ran for governor of Mississippi and lost, but then appointed a United State Senator of Mississippi.

            When Jefferson got captured, the fourth Michigan Cavalry captured him in Irwinville, Georgia. In May 13, 1867 he was released from Fortress Monroe prison. He had to pay a 100,000-dollar bail signed by 20 prominent men. When Jefferson got out he had gotten his children back.

           

December 6, 1889 at 12:45 Jefferson Davis was dieing at a friends house of pneumonia. He was at Brierfield, Alabama and was rushed to New Orleans, Louisiana. When the doctor tried to give him medicine he refused. Then his last words were, “Pray excuse me I cannot take it”Then right there he had died. In December 11, 1889 Jefferson Davis had the longest and largest funeral in the Southern. He remained buried at New Orleans till this day.

Christopher Columbus
           By: Treyton Wilson

Christopher Columbus was a great man.  I will tell about some of his early life, second voyages, and third voyages across the sea. He was a truly great man.

                Christopher Columbus was born in 1451 in the north Italian port of Genoa. He was the first child of Domenico, a wool weaver, and Susanna. Christopher was followed by two brothers named Bartolomeo and Diego, and a sister Bianchietta.  Another brother, Giovanni, died at a young age. A couple years later Columbus found America!

                After the success of finding this new land, He set sail west again on September 23, 1493 with 17 ships and 1,200 men. The purpose of this journey was to establish colonies in the name of Spain. On November 3, the crew members sighted land and found 3 more new islands! Because their was still no riches there, they went on to Hispaniola, only to discover that the fort of Navidad had been destroyed and the crew killed.
    
    Columbus's 3rd voyage began May 30, 1498 and took a more southern route. Instead of finding China, he found Trinidad and Tobago, Grenada, and Margarita, on July 31. He also reached the mainland of South America. He returned to Hispaniola and found the colony of Santo Domingo. A representative went to look at the land in the 1500; Columbus was arrested and sent back to Spain.

               

                Columbus’s final voyage began on May 9, 1502 and arrived in Hispaniola in June. Once there he was banned from the colony and so he explored more. On July 4, he set sail again and soon found Central America. In January, 1503 he reached Panama and found a small amount of gold but he was forced out of the area by the people that lived there.  After numerous problems and years waiting on Jamaica after his ships had problems, Columbus set sail for Spain. When he arrived there he settled with his son in Seville.

Columbus died on May 20, 1506. As you can see Columbus is a very great man. I told about his early life, second voyages, and third voyages. Columbus has sailed the sea and found what we call today The United States of America!

Pocahontas's life

By:Chelsie McLaws

Pocahontas was really named Matoaka Powhatan but they called her Pocahontas. We don't know a lot about Pocahontas childhood. All we know about Pocahontas childhood is that she was the daughter of chief Powhatan. Her mom was one of the women that married Powhatan. Her mother died giving birth to Pocahontas she had other siblings following her half brothers Nantaquas, Parahont, Pochins, Tatacoope, and Taux and half sisters Cleopatra and Matachanna. She has 15 other siblings of estimatewitch names are unknown. It has been said that pocahontas saved Smith's life more than once witch struck up some friend ship with him. One year later she saved John's life again. John and some other peopke were invited to a Werowocomoco by chief Powhatan. As a firendly gesture. Pocahontas warn John and the people that powhatan was planning a war. But it never occurred. In 1609 a injury that forced John to go back to England. But the remaining people told her John was dead. There are soome reports that say Pocahontas did marry a powhatan warrior named kocoum before 6121. But not much is known about the marriage. Pocahontas's baptize name is lady Rebecca. She married John Rolfe. They spent their early years together on Rolfe's plantation across james river. They had a son named thomas Rolfe in 1615. the onion said to have created peace between Jametown and powhatans tribe. The Rolfe's made a trip to london in 1616. while she was there found out that John was alive in london but they did not meet. But during her stay she was at the society gathering and met king James some English regarded her as a princess in Europe sense. In 1617 John met Rolfe's at a socity gathering but he did not think she was happy to see him. The Rolfe'e retured to Virginia in 1617 but she was ill on board the shipbut Pocahontas's illness was undetermind she died short after . She funeral was on March 21,1617 in parish of saint George's Gravesand.