William Shakespeare's Richard III

Though Richard III was one of William Shakespeare's historical plays, he managed to inflict some of his own opinion in it, which was that Richard was as evil as his enemies of the House of Lancaster made him out to be. As was the case between the English and the Scottish in the early 1300s, different groups of people had different, biased opinions about different groups of people. The Lancastrians, later the Tudors, thought of Richard III as a wicked man who would -- and did -- kills his friends and relatives to help ensure that he would obtain the crown. Shakespeare was greatly influenced by these views and the writings of Sir Thomas More, who learned much of his information from people who did not like Richard III. One of the biggest evidences of this bias style in which Shakespeare wrote was the fact that, in his play, he portrayed Richard III as being deformed, with a hunchback, like the Tudors, whereas the people of the House of York saw him as being without any flaws. Though many things in Shakespeare's play and the writings of this time period were based on fact, they were also largely based on opinion, and it is for that reason that it is unlikely that the historians of today will ever know the full truth on some matters concerning Richard III.

English Kings During The War of Roses

Henry V

(1387 - 1422) A member of the House of Lancaster, Henry V's biggest accomplishment was the Battle of Agincourt, in which the greatly outnumbered English were able to defeat the French.

Henry VI

(1421 - 1417) Henry VI, crowned king when he was an infant, ruled until 1453 when he was struck with a mental illness and had to be replaced by his successor.

Edward IV

(1442 - 1483) Edward IV was a Yorkish king who, upon discovering that he didn't have enough forces to defeat the Lancastrians, fled to Holland in 1470.

Henry VI

(See above) Henry VI regained the crown for a short time in 1470, but upon Edward's return, he was captured by Edward and executed.

Edward IV

(See above) After returning from Holland, Edward IV had Henry VI executed, and, dying in 1483, he left his sons Edward V and Richard as his heirs.

Edward V

(1470 - 1483) Edward V was set to become king until his uncle Richard III allegedly locked him and his brother Richard in the Tower of London, and they were both mysteriously killed later.

Richard III

(1452 - 1485) Made the Duke of Gloucester at age nine, Richard III was later crowned king after the death of Edward V and Richard, but was defeated by Henry VII at the Battle of Bosworth Field.

Henry VII

(1457 - 1509) After defeating Richard III, Henry VII became the first king of the Tudor line, and was able to retain this position by fighting off many other Yorkish attempts at the crown until his death at age 52.

Effects of the Black Plague: DBQ

As the Black Plague ravaged Great Britain, the majorities turned the mass confusion to their advantage when laborers tried to obtain more rights and violently rebelled against their authorities, and when they needed someone to blame the pestilence of the disease on, they looked toward the Jews.

With the death toll staggering from the sever contagion of the plague, the supply and demand went up not only for commodities, but also for hard labor. The people of the working class attempted to take advantage of this by asking for more money for their services. Even if their potential employers did not want to pay anything extra, their were plenty of others who would, so they did not really have a choice. The wealthier people who were higher up in the hierarchy tried to prevent the working class from rising up, but when it all came down to it, they needed these people were indispensable, and the rich needed them. Whether the wealthier liked it or not, the hierarchy was changing, and the peasants were getting wise.

The peasants were rising up in more than just the economy; the plague had wreaked havoc on both the lives of the poor and the lives of the rich, causing their entire way of life to be turned upside down. As a result of the sheer panic that came from this, many of the peasants went crazy. They banded together and even more ruined the lives of the knights and other wealthy people of the nation, harming them, torturing them, and even killing many of them. This peasant rebellion was caused much destruction during the two years of the plague, in addition to the sickness.

When the people realized how devastating the Black Plague was to them and the world in which they lived, they strove to find a scapegoat on which to place the blame. Some people of the Jewish religion had already been previously charged with poisoning well water, and because of this, everyone turned against them and held them accountable for the plague. Jews were a minority, so it was very easy for the rest of Great Britain to overpower them when it came down to it. Many Jews were burned for this apparent crime, and only in cities such as Avignon were they protected by people of authority like the pope.

In this time of bedlam that resulted from the Black Plague, all of these groups -- the employers, the knightly people, and the Jews -- were shoved to the wall as the peasants and the working class were able to collaborate against the peoples they thought were opposing them; though in the end the main thing that resulted from the ruinous plague was not the power of teamwork, but an extreme decrease in Europe's population.

Opinions on the Scots: DBQ

During the early 1300s, the English and the Scottish had very different views on the Scottish people; the English treated them as brutes, cowards, and greedy murders, and the Scottish glorified themselves to the point of calling themselves holy.

In the minds of the English, William Wallace -- a hero for the Scots -- was viewed as a corrupt, insane man who, when in danger, saved himself and let others do his dirty work. They took much joy in the gruesome and painful death of Wallace, believing that he fully deserved it for his crimes.

Robert the Bruce was a hero for the Scottish, but the English considered him a selfish, volatile man who murdered for his own benefit. He demanded to be the King of Scotland, and when John Comyn disagreed, the English report that Robert the Bruce was not at all hesitant to run him through with a sword.

The Scottish, however, consider the English villains, because of their desire to conquer more and more of Scotland's land, and thought that Scotland was favored by the Lord Himself. They even appealed to the Holy Father and requested for Scotland and its freedom to be sacred, so that the English may not disturb them.

The English and Scottish both exaggerated the truth of what Scotland was really like, and though there may be truth to their words, both nations were too biased against one another and to self-absorbed with their own territories to see what that truth really was.

English Monarchy in the Later Middle Ages

• What does the reign of Henry II suggest about the future of English foreign relationships?

At the beginning of Henry II, he was eager to conquer lands and people and control as much territory as he could. Though he owned a part of France by marriage, he sought to obtain more from King Louis VII of France; this did not work out well for Henry II, with Louis having overpowered him. From that point on, he was more careful about what countries and territories he attempted to rule over. He set an example that one should wait and lie low, and only strike when one had the upper hand in a position of power. This strategy worked for both Ireland and Wales (after his first attempt). By remaining disinterested in these other countries, Henry II was able to take them by surprise and seize territories when he had the advantage. For the future rulers of England, King Henry II sets the example that it was important to capture and control as many territories as possible when it was most convenient. He strongly enforced a feudalistic reign over all of the places under his rule and took the first steps to the time where the sun never set on the British empire.

• Does the common conception of Richard as "good" and John as "bad" hold up to reality?

Ever since their birth, both Richard and John were on uneven footing, with Richard, being older, having an advantage with their father, Henry II. It was many factors of their character and events in their child-and young adulthood that led them to be the people they were remembered as, their specific qualities shaping the kind of people they turned out to be.

Richard had always been an ambitious ruler, ever since he refused to give up his control of Aquitaine to John after their older brother, Henry the Younger, had perished. He skillfully made alliances against his enemies, and was eventually able to obtain the position of king after Henry II had passed. Richard was confident and full of bravado, which was demonstrated when he went off to fight for the Holy Land in the crusades. His people did not let his bravery and compassion for their cause go unnoticed.

John, on the other hand, may as well have been condemned from the moment he was born. He was the youngest, therefore the least favorite of his father, the most disadvantaged, and the one with the least experience. On top of this, he was also the opposite of his brother Richard: a coward. He was afraid of both confrontation and trusting people, which made it very hard for him to succeed in politics when he became king, not to mention the problem of his particular fondness for fine jewelry.

Richard and John, both brothers and adversaries at the same time, were rulers that were greatly shaped by their past, and, in turn, this ruling style would shape England and its surrounding territories forever. The terms "good" and "bad" are subjective, but this much is true: John made more serious mistakes due to his difference in character than Richard, and Richard had more of a knack for ruling than John, most likely due to the discrepancy between the brothers' levels of bravery and trust. Because of this, Richard will always still be remembered as the good king, and likewise John as the bad.

• How did the Magna Carta change the relationship of the Monarch and his subjects?

At first, the Magna Carta tried to lessen the king's power over the people, and diminish the influence of the feudal system for the good of the people. King John, though, overcome by the allure of power, disregarded the attempt at fairness and continued to rule and conquer as he was doing before the Magna Carta was ever thought up. After the death of King John, Henry III took his place and issued another Magna Carta, ensuring again the laws of the land of be enforced on the subjects and the barons, while still giving them their own rights, making the relationship between the Monarch and his subjects slightly more equal and fair.

My Histories

Wilbur E. Brown: WWII Survivor

In the style of Thucydides

Brianna Glase, an American teenager, wrote the history of her great uncle Wilbur E. Brown and his time in the United States Air Force, beginning at the time when he was drafted at 18 years old, believing that his story would be very worthy of relation to future generations. This belief has been proven true. Indeed this event was one of the greatest in United States history, not only of the Glase family, but a large part of the world over fifty years ago.

For instance, despite the fact that World War II is now over, it had a very prominent effect on many people while it was still occurring, changing many families and their histories, including the aforementioned Glase family, because of the fact that it involved more than just a few countries, but the majority of the world at that time.

For in those earlier times, Wilbur E. Brown and many people like him had enlisted or been drafted in the United States military, as was common at that time. He would become part of the Ace Air Force, and then later a top gunner in the 702nd bomb squadron, flying in a B-24 bomber aircraft, whose serial number was 100308 and whose nickname was “Our Gal.” This would be the main source of his and his family’s livelihood, no disgrace being attached to such an achievement, but even some glory. An illustration of this honor was displayed when Wilbur Brown became one of few survivors of the Kassel Mission in Germany.

The United States had good pilots, but the Germans, too, had great flyers, as was proved by the following fact. During this 169th mission of the 445th bomb group, a fleet of German planes overtook 35 American planes. Indeed, 31 of these American planes were shot down, and thus the majority of the flyers were killed, having only a few survivors, one of them being Wilbur Brown the gunner.

Now Wilbur Brown was a lucky man; and he could not have survived this ordeal, but through the possession of this luck.

From this flight expedition we may infer a number of things. Now the plane that Wilbur Brown had been flying in had caught on fire, starting at the number 3 engine, and all members were advised to get out of the plane; but this is easier said than done. Indeed, the smoke was so thick and black that Wilbur Brown could not see and was struck unconscious. And yet, somehow, whether he had fallen or had been pushed, Wilbur Brown had gotten out of the combusting aircraft. I suppose if Wilbur Brown had not gotten out of the aircraft, he would have been killed in the fire or in the later crash, as was the case for nearly all of his companions in “Our Gal,” aside from him and two other survivors of that crew. Difficulty of employing the parachute led to Wilbur Brown being in danger yet again. Even after he had managed to utilize the parachute, Wilbur Brown fell into an unconscious state once more. In short, Wilbur Brown eventually landed safely in a German field, his parachute only hanging on by one single strap, and was greeted by a group of unwelcoming local Germans carrying a variety of guns and pitchforks.

Even after the success of his safe landing, Wilbur Brown was still a soldier in a war fighting against the country he had landed in, so consequently he was taken by a German soldier on a motorcycle to a local hospital for treatment of the burns on his face. This led to Wilbur Brown’s discovery of the fact that he had been struck mostly blind and the realization of the terrible burns on his face as a result of engine number 3.

Even after the trip to the hospital, Wilbur Brown was taken to a camp for Prisoners of War, and thus could not return to his family back in America. It was there that he was treated by a British doctor who changed his facial bandages and did anything else necessary to Wilbur Brown’s health. Four weeks later, the bandages could be removed from his face. One month later, his vision was restored; this led to Wilbur Brown’s discovery of the terrible conditions in which he was living.

But as Wilbur Brown’s vision came back and his burns kept healing, he contracted an infection because of them and had to be quarantined in isolation for one week before being transferred to another German camp where it is said that he was held there without any medical attention.

But at last came a time where Wilbur Brown was

sent to yet another German camp; this one specifically for Prisoners of War who had developed eye related injuries and burns, and Wilbur Brown was treated by yet another British doctor. During his time at this camp, Wilbur Brown received much attention to his wounds, including various skin grafts to replace the eyelids and eyebrows that had been burned off by the fire in engine number 3.

A year after the unsuccessful Kassel Mission had gone wrong, Wilbur Brown was released from his German captors and allowed to return to the United States, where much medical attention was given to the injuries that had still not cleared up. I grant that there had been much celebration for his return, likewise all of the other Prisoners of War who had been joyfully reunited with their loved ones at the end of World War II.

Information From:

Brown, Wilbur Ernest. “Personal War Notes of Wilbur Brown.” Maryland. June 2, 1992.

“Burial of a Frenchman in a German Prisoner of War Camp.” Germany. Personal photograph. 1944.

"Kassel Mission". Kassel Mission Memorial Bench . 9/6/10 .

"Kassel Mission Crew Load List". 9/4/10 .
The document at the left is the handwritten personal journal of Wilbur Ernest Brown of his war accounts, with annotations by his granddaughter Stephanie Brown.

In the style of Herodotus

Now, in the year of 1944, the Second World War was in full swing, and the affects of this war and is numerous battles, I say, changed the outcome of many a family at that time. Now, Wilbur Ernest Brown, being the son of Ernest Sylvester Brown and Eleanora Mary Hall, was of eighteen years at the time of WWII, and I shall say that it was customary of his time to have been drafted in the United States military, which is precisely what Wilbur Brown did. This thing Wilbur Brown did later resulted in his institution into the United States Air Force.

Now, in this time of crisis for, not only America but the whole world, Wilbur Brown happened to be one of the young men who was drafted into the military when he was but an 11th grader, though he was 18 at the time, according to Jane Brown, so, consequently he was not able to graduate.

It came to pass that I heard from Stephanie Brown and Diane Glase that Wilbur Brown became the top gunner for his aircraft; but Donna Jeppi relates that he was the flight engineer. With regard to this discrepancy, it is accepted by all parties that in the year of 1944, Wilbur Brown’s plane was shot down in the Kassel Mission in Germany – the 9th mission of his flight crew, and the 169th mission of his 445th bomb group -- with him being one of very few survivors.

Now Wilbur Brown had many difficulties in his descent from 31000 feet, as Stephanie Brown relays; he was struck unconscious before jumping out of his plane, and discovered he was mostly blind from the excess smoke from engine number three which had caught on fire, but not before there were difficulties in opening his parachute, which, in turn, was only hanging on by a single strap. It was said that after being captured by the German enemies in whose country Wilbur Brown had landed, he spent over a year in Prisoner of War camps, most of his time being in the hospital and under intense medical care for his various facial burns and blindness, both of which were cured for the most part under the supervision of very competent doctors. In one of these hospitals was where he was reunited by one of his crewmates, Raymond Wayne Ray, as Ray recorded in his own personal journals, which were consequently told to me by Dorothy Wickman. Raymond Ray had also been a gunner in their plane, and, suffering from a shattered shoulder blade, was also taken as a Prisoner of War by the German people.

Now, it is agreed upon by all relatives of Wilbur Brown that he returned from Germany at the end of the Second World War and was treated for any remainder of his physical ailments, but no attention was given to the mental and emotional trauma that Wilbur Brown had been exposed to. It is said by Stephanie Brown that Wilbur Brown had nightmares about his time in the camps, and it was very difficult for him to sit still for long periods of time, and nervous tension was still sometimes apparent in his demeanor. Dorothy Wickman also communicated that Wilbur Brown’s face was much scarred from his burns, and signs of his struggles would remain written on his face for years after his ordeal had ended.

If it was not for the time in which he was a Prisoner of War, Wilbur Brown never would have reconnected with his future wife, Jane Wickman at the time, had it not been for the block party in celebration of his return, according to Jane herself; from this chance reuniting stemmed many relatives of the Glase family.

Then secondly as a positive consequence of Wilbur Brown’s time spent overseas in Germany, he received the coveted high school diploma that he had not had the chance to obtain before he was drafted into the service. A fellow war veteran contacted Wilbur Brown and 13 other veterans, I was told by Jane Brown, who all consequently took classes until they were all able to receive their General Equivalency Diplomas from Century High School in Westminster.

Now, Wilbur Brown was a lucky man, and though he suffered many hardships, it was very good fortune that got him out of said situations, I say, and there was much good that resulted from them, including his diploma and later his family, which, I say, indeed outweighed the bad.