http://www.friendsoftuskegeeairmennhs.org/category/did-you-know/

How did blacks overcome racism during the 1940s?

The Tuskegee Airmen were pioneers of World War II, having been the first black aviators to serve as fighter pilots in the military.  The Tuskegee Airmen originated from the United States Army Air Corps program called the “Tuskegee Experiment” that began in the summer of 1941 at the historic Tuskegee University in Alabama.  The “Tuskegee Experiment” was a military experiment to see if blacks could be trained to fly combat aircrafts.  However, not only was the experiment a milestone in training blacks as military pilots, but the Tuskegee Airmen proceeded to succeed with flying colors.  These pilots earned some of the most envied military records in history.  More importantly, they advanced the American Civil Rights Movement by setting the standard that would make the American military begin to integrate fully before the end of the decade.  The black service members who graduated from the Tuskegee Army Air Field at the time when the military officially accepted racist attitudes, was a testament to the men’s extraordinary determination to succeed as pilots.  During this time period, aviation was considered to be the one of the most academically and psychologically challenging areas of military service.

A 1925 Army War College study of black troops in WWI concluded that Negroes, as blacks were called back then, were subservient, mentally inferior, and “barely fit for combat” (Swick).  The “Tuskegee Experiment” was developed mostly in order to satisfy the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and other black activists.  However, it was also the best opportunity for the military and the service members at Tuskegee to communicate and interact to clear away the old misunderstanding, distrust, and prejudice.  The black service members at the Tuskegee Army Air Field realized that old bigoted attitudes still remained in the military at this time, so they looked at this period as an opportunity to demonstrate their military worthiness.  The Tuskegee Air Field proved that “you can’t judge a man by the color of his eyes or the shape of his nose; on the flight strip you judge a man by the way he flies” (History.com).

The Tuskegee Airmen all flying under the 332^nd Fighter Group, were assigned different responsibilities during the WWII campaign.   They were nicknamed Red Tails because they all painted their tail wings red for easier recognition.  The 99^th Pursuit Squadron, the most well known squadron of the 332^nd Fighter Group, was assigned to escort bombers to target strikes throughout Southern Europe and Berlin.  Their commander instructed them to stay close to the bombers which were flown by white pilots and to not peel off in pursuit of enemy pilots.  They performed so well that white bomber pilots began to request them as bomber escorts.  They gained a great reputation throughout the war and were believed to never have lost a bomber that they escorted in over 200 missions.  Other Tuskegee Airmen Squadrons flying with the 332^nd Fighter Group were assigned routine morning patrols that flew over Italy, Burma, Holland, Germany and even China searching for the enemy.  They often faced three to one odds when facing the Nazi’s, but instead they were able to destroyed three Nazi planes for every one of theirs destroyed (Grahl).  Contrary to long held beliefs, the Tuskegee Airmen 332^nd Fighter Group did, in fact, lose 27 bombers they escorted.  They were shot down by the enemy aircraft.  The stories of the Red Tails never losing a bomber were a widespread belief until the 21^st century when researchers made comparisons of flight logs, mission reports, and bomber losses.  However, the average number of bombers lost by other escort groups of the 15^th Air Force was 46, nearly double the loss rate of bombers protected by the Red Tails.  The group’s kill total was 103 for enemy aircraft.  Although credited with sinking a German destroyer using only their machine guns, researchers proved the ship was instead put out of commission for the rest of the war because of the heavy damaged it sustained at the hands of the Tuskegee Airmen (Swick).  The Red Tails accomplishments are still impressive even knowing the extent of the corrections.

The military advertised the “Tuskegee Experiment” as training for blacks that would be equal to the training that white servicemen received in preparation to become fighter pilots.  Three years after first graduating class of Tuskegee Airmen, only a small number were alive.  Also, three years after the founding of the Tuskegee Air Field, 750 pilots had been trained for combat and just 50 percent had flown combat missions.  The military promotion of equal training and equal opportunity for blacks in aviation could not be completely supported by these results.

The “Tuskegee Experiment” was an extremely significant event that helped blacks in their struggle for opportunities to serve in non-subservient roles in the U.S. Military.  The actions of the Tuskegee Airmen as pioneers opened up opportunities for thousands and tens of thousands of other military men (Grahl).  The newly trained black aviators used their unique opportunity to provide escort cover for white bomber crews to show the military that they were ready, disciplined, and capable of flying combat missions against America’s enemies.  Their exemplary performance opened the door for the racial integration of the military services, beginning with the Air Force, and contributed ultimately to the end of racial segregation in the United States (Swick).

Citations

Grahl, Chris. "Tuskegee Airmen." Tuskegee Airman. Chris Grahl, 2009. Web. 10 May 2015.  <http://www.havefunwithhistory.com/movies/tuskegeeAirmen.html>.

Swick, Gerald D. "Tuskegee Airmen." History Net Where History Comes Alive World US History Online RSS. World History Group, 2015. Web. 10 May 2015. <http://www.historynet.com/tuskegee-airmen>.

"Tuskegee Airman Luther Smith Video." History.com. A&E Television Networks, 2015. Web. 10 May 2015.  <http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/world-war-ii-history/videos/tuskegee-airman-luther-smith>.

What Hair Symbolizes to Different Societies?

In May, 2014, I attended a Caribbean Festival in downtown Atlanta with my parents.  While at the festival, I encountered a Rastafarian man whose hair was so long that it touched the ground.  I became immediately curious to find out about his hair  It seemed that hair this long would prevent him from doing many activities like playing sports.  Also, his hair was so thick that it seemed to be very heavy to carry, and I wondered if he was experiencing neck and back pain from the weight of his hair.  I wondered what would make someone want to grow their hair this long, so I decided to research.  I wanted to know what does his hair symbolize.  Once I had the answer, I decided to do additional research to find out about the symbolism of hair in other societies.  This research has led me to writing this blog about hair.  This may be seen as an odd topic,; however, I hope you enjoy reading my blog as much as I did writing about the symbolism of hair.


Hair and Religion

Hair has had an importance in religion for centuries.  Jesus, Moses, Buddha and Shiva are spiritual prophets who wore long hair.  One of the most popular biblical stories is about the strong and mighty Samson, who became powerless when his hair was treacherously cut by Delilah.  The story of Samson in the book of Judges 13-16 tells of the sacred oath he takes of never shaving or cutting his hair and in return he will acquire an extraordinary strength from God.  Samson’s great heroic deeds of killing a lion and thousand of Philistines with only the jawbone of an ass is all because of uncut hair.  Sikhs, Hassidic Jews, Buddhist Monks and Rastafarians are all influenced by religion in the treatment of their hair.

Above is a picture of Delilah cutting off the hair of Samson.
Credit: http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm27/iam733_photos/5DSAMSONGETSHAIRCUT.jpg

Sikhs are followers of the Sikhism religion which is the fifth largest religion in the world.  There are approximately 25 million Sikhs living in the world and nearly half a million living in the United States.  This religion has only been in existence for almost 500 years and originated in the northern part of ancient Punjab that is currently known as Pakistan.   Sikhs believe hair is a gift from god; therefore, no one should give it away by cutting it.  Hair is one of their five articles of faith and is a symbol of love for God and respect for everything.  Sikhs do not use a razor or any devices on their body from the time of birth.  To keep their hair clean and neat, they roll their hair on top of their heads and cover it with a turban.

Above is a picture of Sikh boy with his hair wrapped in a turban.
Credit: http://www.sikhcoalition.org/stay-informed/blog/legal/court-invalidates-school-district-restrictions-on-hair-length

Hassidic Jewish men have ringlets, side curls or “Payos” and beards.  In the Torah, the commandment in Leviticus 19:27 states, “Do not cut the hair on the corners of your head, Do not cut the corners of your beard.”  As a result, Hassidic Jews do not cut their sideburn hairs and leave them long enough to either curl, wrap behind their ears or tie behind their heads.

Above is a picture of Hassidic Jewish boy with his side ringlets.
Credit:
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvIMUNPNBlZb9WtI1s311nYUilqDVP6cuqUxRclMMwFQ4nfpYL4yfWE4QXGbbDc_q7vUZHJXZYd3wzlBR_ZmdStb2Ll0ZCv1R8J3N3XbG1hVu6Vn6a8jxpVd0Xx0-6r6DwRYFkeXstQzQ/s320/WilliamsburgHasidicboy2.jpg

Rastafarianism is a very new religion which began in 1930 in Jamaica. Rastafarians are easily recognized by the way they style their hair into dreadlocks.  Rastafarians consider their bodies to be temples of God.  They believe they should let their hair grow long and not comb, not cut nor taint it with anything unnatural.  Rastafarians believe wearing deadlocks is spiritual, and it is justified in the Bible in the book of Leviticus 21:5 which states, ”They shall not make baldness upon their head.”

Above is a picture of an old Rastafarian with dreadlocks.
Credit:  http:brutal-dreadlocks.com/abput-dreadlocks

Both men and women traditionally have the hair cut or removed when entering a monastery or covenant.  The haircuts symbolize religious devotion, group identity, humility, and personal vanity.  The practice may relate to ancient rites in which people of various cultures offered their hair as a religious sacrifice.  Monks and nuns take a vow of celibacy, abstaining from marriage, and hair has been related to eroticism and sexuality and attracting a partner of the opposite gender.  Historians say the monastic hair styles refer to the ancient custom of shaving male’s heads.  Monks cut their hair and refer to themselves as “Slaves of Christ”.

Above is a picture of a group of nuns.
Credit:  http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/danielhannan/100236246/so-would-nuns-be-allowed-to-wear-hijabs/

Buddhist Monks:
Buddhist Monks believe in Buddha, a sage on whose teachings founded Buddhism.  Buddhist monks completely shave their head showing their commitment to the Holy Life and Buddha.  A bhikkhu, a male Buddhist monk, should not allow his hair to grow past a certain length, so he shaves his hair at least once a month or more frequently.  Bhikkhus are not permitted dye or pluck any of their grey hair, so it can be a reminder of old age and a mark of existence in Buddhism.

Above is a picture of Buddhist monks in Thailand praying to Buddha.
Credit:  http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/photo/2013-01/10/content_16102272.htm

Hair and Ancient Cultures

Ancient Egyptians: (3150 BC – 332 BC)

In the early years of Egyptian civilization, men sported full beards and grew from the hair on their head.  Kings would braid their beards and dust it with gold powder. During the start of the Dynastic period, when Upper and Lower Egypt became unified, men began to shave their beards and hair.  Men began to remove the hair from their heads, faces and bodies.  Hair became a sign of a man’s animalistic tendencies, so they became civilized and started to remove their hair.  To appear unshaven was a mark of low social status.  Wealthy Egyptian men often hired full-time barbers to follow them, to maintain the look of clean shaven and smooth face every day.  Poorer Egyptians daily visited their local barber.  Egyptian priests daily shaved their bodies as a ritual cleansing, and they also shaved their eyebrows and eyelashes. Kings were shaved with jewel-encrusted razors.  When the king died, he was often buried with a barber and his razor, so he can continue to get his daily shaves on the afterlife. Even though the Egyptians avoided beards, they still saw the beard as a sign of divinity and power.  Kings were depicted sporting beards, but instead of embracing the full on, natural beard, kings wore a small fake goatee called the “orsid” or “the divine beard”.  The orsid or the divine beard was made out of precious metals, such as gold or silver, and was worn during religious rites or celebrations.  While living, the king’s orsid was straight. When he died, an upward pointed curl was added in the end, symbolizing the pharaoh had become a god.

Above is a picture of King Tut's sarcophagus.  Notice the orsid is curved, not straight.  The curved orsid symbolizes he pharaoh  has become a god.
Credit: http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2014/10/digital-autopsy-shows-king-tut-was-really-ugly.html

Ancient Greeks: (1000 BC- 126 BC)

A beard was a sign of virility, manhood, and wisdom.  When a Greek boy started to grow his whiskers, it was custom to dedicate the young man’s first beard to Apollo, the Greek sun god, in a religious ritual.  Greek boys were not allowed to shave the head on their head until their beards grew.  A Greek man would cut his hair in times of grief and mourning.  If the blade were not available he would rip his beard out with his bare hands, or burn it with fire.  When a man dies, his relatives would often hang his trimmings of his beard on the door. Cutting another man’s beard off was a serious offense and was punishable by a fine or even jail time. Being de-bearded was considered disgraceful, and thus the Greeks used it as a form of punishment.  The Spartans would cut off half a man’s beard, when he showed cowardice in battle.

Above is a picture of the head of a statue that depicts the famous Greek philosopher, Socrates.
Credit:  https://frivolousendeavour.wordpress.com/tag/alexander-the-great/

Ancient Romans: (27 BC - 393 AD)
To distinguish themselves from their Greek cousins, the Romans were clean shaven people.  A young man’s shave was an important event in his life and was ritualized in an elaborate ceremony.  Young men would keep growing their peach full until the age of maturity.  On their birthday, they would shave their beard while their friends and family watched.  Their whiskers would then be placed in a special box and be presented to the Roman deity (god or goddess). Young men would rub their faces with olive oil throughout their teenage years hoping it would grow a nice thick beard for their ceremonial first shave.

Above is a picture a sculpture depicting a clean-shaven Julius Caesar.
Credit: http://meappropriatestyle.com/tag/ancient-romans/

Ancient Mesopotamians:  (10,000 BC - 651 AD)
Mesopotamia was an ancient region in the Eastern Mediterranean, which is now modern Iraq and parts of  Iran, Syria, and Turkey. Mesopotamia was a collection of various cultures and societies, which only shared their scripts, gods, and views toward women. The Mesopotamians inhabited Mesopotamians.  The Mesopotamians lived between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.  They devoted a lot of time and attention towards their beards.  The Mesopotamians grew long, thick, luxurious beards, and upper-class men dyed their beards with henna, a flowering plant used to dye and color hair and powered them with gold dust.    Ribbons and thread were also woven through out their hair.  A prominent feature in Mesopotamians beards were how artfully curled they were.  Men would spend hours curling the end of their beards into tiny locks and arranged in three hanging tiers.  The higher up you were in society and hierarchy, the longer and more elaborate the beard was.  The Mesopotamian men had an elaborate hairstyle system that signified the work or occupation of the man.  Doctors, lawyers, priests, and even slaves had their  distinctive haircuts.

Above is a map of Mesopotamia located in the Middle East.
Credit:  http://www.bownet.org/draynard/map_of_ancient_mesopotamia.htm

Hair and Modern Cultures

Known for their expert tracking and scouting ability Native Americans believe that they possess a Sixth Sense.  During the Vietnam War, Native Americans were chosen because of their ability to track.  After they were recruited their ability to track disappeared.  The test was conducted to find out why, and the recruits said that after undergoing a military haircut they lost their ability to sense the enemy.  More Native Americans were hired and allowed to keep their hair long, and these recruits performed skillfully.

Above is a picture of a Native American tracker for the US military.
Credit:  http://www.wisdompills.com/2014/02/20/the-truth-about-hair-why-the-first-nations-kept-their-hair-long/

Navajo Indians is a Native American tribe which can be found in Utah, Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona. Thousands of years ago they came to America across through Canada by crossing the Bering Strait.  They have kept their ancient beliefs, rites and traditions.  They believe that hair has a profound signification and  that thoughts begin in the head travel along with the hair.  They also believe that new thoughts are close to the scalp, and the old theory are at the end of the longest strands of hair. They believe the more thoughts one has, the longer will be the hair.

Above is picture of a painting of a Navajo Indian.
Credit:  http://thehistoryofthehairsworld.com/hair_mythology.html

The Masai tribe from Kenya, Africa only allows their warriors to wear long hair.  The women and must shave their heads, and the young men are only allowed to grow their hair between periodic initiatory shavings.  The warriors spend hours styling and grooming each other’s hair by forming tiny braided strands and mixing in ashes, clay, animal fat and coloring it with ochre.  For these warriors their hair is a symbol of the African lion’s strength, masculine beauty and a representation of confidence and pride.

Above is a picture of of Masai warriors and their braided colored hair.
Credit:  http://www.thefashionhistorian.com/2011/04/maasai.html

The Mwila is a group of semi-nomadic people living in southern Angola.  In the Mwila culture, hair has a crucial meaning to women.  Their hairstyles are a meaningful part of their culture.  Women coat their hair with a red paste which is made of crushed stone.  They also add crushed tree bark, dried cow dung, herbs and oils to their hair.  They also decorate hair hairstyle with beads and dried food.  They shave their forehead because it is considered a sign of beauty.  They have plaits that look like dreadlocks that are called nontombi.  Women and girls have four or six nontombi, but if someone has died in the family, they will have 3.

Above is a picture taken from behind of a Mwila woman's hair.
Credit:  http://roxiemorgan.blogspot.com/2012/10/tribal-hairstyles.html

In the 1960s, the Civil Rights Movements brought in a new era of racial consciousness among black Americans.  African Americans began to believe that allowing heir hair to grow naturally without chemical alteration signified their acceptance of their ethnic identities and the acceptance of themselves.  The Afro became a symbol of political defiance and a symbol that they were ready to change the way they were treated in society.

Above is a picture taken in the 60's of a man and woman with afros.
Credit:  http://naturallychique.wordpress.com/2011/10/26/natural-hair-passing-fad-or-here-to-stay/

In summary, what I have learned from my research is that hair symbolizes, physical strength, instinct, physical attraction, freedom, magical power, and religion.  I have enjoyed writing this blog and I hope that you have learned a lot about the symbolism of hair in various societies. 



Credits:

http://sikhism.about.com/od/sikhism101/tp/Sikhism_for_Beginners.htm

http://thehistoryofthehairsworld.com/hair_mythology.html#sif

http://skeptoid.com/episodes/4393

http://www.realsikhism.com/index.php?subaction=showfull&id=1248364871&ucat=7

http://jamaicanloveblog.wordpress.com/principles-of-rastafari/are-rastafarians-just-dirty/

http://www.sikhcoalition.org/stay-informed/blog/legal/court-invalidates-school-district-restrictions-on-hair-length/

http://laconics.forumotion.com/t1547-mel-gibson-courting-an-israeli-actress-oy-vey

http://www.jewishtreats.org/2008/07/of-ringlets-sidecurls-payos-and-beards.html

http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/rastafari/customs/customs_1.shtml

http://www.uri.org/kids/other_rasta.htm

http://listverse.com/2014/01/06/10-things-to-know-about-rastafari-beliefs/

http://www.artofmanliness.com/2012/06/07/shaving-rituals/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/mytripsmypics/5287806839/

http://beautiful-afrique.tumblr.com/post/8184044058/mumuhuila-women

http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Afro.aspx

http://www.civilrightsdefence.org.nz/resources/fashion.html

http://www.umich.edu/~umfandsf/symbolismproject/symbolism.html/H/hair.html

http://www.artofmanliness.com/

The Journey of Hernando Cortes

 HERNANDO CORTES

My name is Hernando Cortes and this is my story.

1518

I heard many stories about the mysterious new world and I wanted to be part of it.  I am eager for more power and fortune so I have persuaded the Cuban governor into letting me lead an expedition to Mexico.

1519

We arrived in Mexico and the crew is excited about the gold and jewels we will find.  I brought about 600 men and a few horses.  On the journey to the Aztec empire I encountered a native tribe called the Tlaxcalans who are enemies of the Aztecs. We quickly became friends and I have convinced them to help us against the Aztecs.

November 1519

After a difficult three-month journey, my men and I have made it to the capital city of the Aztec empire called Tenochtitlan.  I met with their leader Montezuma. We believe that they are not very smart as us Europeans and will be easily governed by Spain.  They think that I am a god and they gave us lavish gifts.  I was afraid and I believe that the Aztecs would want to get rid of us soon so we took Montezuma hostage and I asked for a large ransom of gold and jewels.  The Aztecs tried to revolt against us and I ordered my men to stone their leader to death.  We were driven out of the Aztec empire but not for long.  We shall be back to claim what is ours.

Aztecs treating me like a god.

We have captured Montezuma.

Summer 1521

My men and I regrouped and we took over Tenochtitlan, by surprise.  We have killed these Aztecs savages who resisted us and enslaved the rest.  We will bring Christianity in the name of Spain. Mexico City is being built over the Aztec empire and many Spanish colonists have been arriving to the new territory called New Spain.  



Fighting the Aztecs.

Mexico City being built.

1523

Because of my many conquests, I became very wealthy and popular back in Spain.  The king of Spain had made me governor and captain general of New Spain.

1528

Rumors have turned the Spanish government against me, they think I am getting out of control with the power I have.  I must go back to Spain to persuade the king that I am innocent.

1536

I have convinced the king to let me come back to Mexico.  The king has reinstated me as Captain General but will not let me keep the job as governor.  I am constantly being watched.  I have brought great wealth to Spain and this is how they treat me.

1547

I am angry by the way I have been treated.  I have come back to Spain.  I fear that I am close to death and I want people to know my legacy and be inspired by what I have accomplished.

Sources:

http://library.thinkquest.org/4034/cortes.html

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/cortes_hernan.shtml

http://www.biography.com/people/hern%C3%A1n-cort%C3%A9s-9258320

http://www.aztec-history.com/hernan-cortez-biography.html

http://www.softschools.com/timelines/hernan_cortes_timeline/106/

http://hernancortesconquest.tripod.com/timeline.html

Pictures:

http://www.biography.com/people/hern%C3%A1n-cort%C3%A9s-9258320

http://www.venturausd.org/balboa/anter/ssn/Explorers/Hernan_Cortes/Hernan_Cortes_Pics.html

http://jacksonbbrown.com/ss/2013/03/05/6-6-spanish-conquest-of-the-aztecs/

http://www.all-art.org/art_20th_century/rivera5.html


Pollination and Plant Growth

Roses are red and violets are blue, I am talking about flowers, to you........ Yes, today we are talking about flowers and it is not even Valentine's Day or Mother's Day. We like how flowers look, we like how flowers smell and we even like giving or getting flowers. But, there is more to flowers than what we see or smell. We are going to learn about the parts of flowers and its function.  Also, I am going to talk about my favorite flower and three methods of seed dispersal in plants.


Life Cycle of Angiosperms and Gymnosperms

Angiosperms are flowering seed plants like the apple, plum, cherry, grape or peach.  They have seeds which are protected in its fruit.  Gymnosperms are the non-flowering seed plants like the cedar, pine and firs trees. Gymnosperms have what you would call "naked seeds." This means that their seeds grow where it can be seen on the upper surfaces of its cone scales.  


Angiosperms
All angiosperms are flowering plants which mean that they produce flowers.  Flowering plants are not only flowers, but many trees like the apple tree below.  Angiosperms seeds are protected inside a fruit. 

When the apple tree, or any other flowering plant, opens its flowers, pollen from the male part of the plant is moved by insects, birds or the wind to a female part of the flower.   The eggs inside the flower are fertilized by the sperm inside the pollen and produces fruit which has seeds inside.  When the fruit ripes and drops to the ground, the seeds can sprout right there.  Also, the seeds can be moved to another place by animals that eat the fruit.  A new flowering plant will begin to grow where those seeds are dropped.  Check out the life cycle of the Apple tree below.

This life cycle begins over and over again!  I just never ends! 

The life Cycle of an angiosperm - Apple Tree

Gymnosperms
The Pine tree below is called a gymnosperm. Unlike an angiosperm its seeds are not inside a fruit.  Its seeds are out and attached to a pinecone. When the pollen from a male pine cone floats on the wind it reaches a female pinecone and fertilizes the cone so seeds can grow.  When the seeds are ready to grow the pine tree drops the cone to the ground.

An animal, like a squirrel, will take the pinecone apart to eat its seeds and many seeds will fall to the ground.  Some may sprout and grow right there.  If only one of those seeds grow into a pine tree, the parent tree has been successful.


This life cycle begins over and over again!  I just never ends!

The life Cycle of a gymnosperm - Pine Tree



Parts of a Flower

The Flower is the reproductive organ of angiosperms. Parts of the flower include petals, sepals, the female reproductive organs, and the male reproductive organs. Petals come in all shapes, sizes and colors and are used to attract insects into the flower. The sepal protect the flower when the flower is growing from a bud and the receptacle attaches the flower to the stalk of the tree.



The Female Reproductive Organs is the Pistil. The pistil is a collective word used for the stigma, style and ovary. Ovules are the female reproductive cells, also known as the eggs. When fertilization takes place, it will become a seed. The style is a tube on top of the ovary that raises the stigma away from the ovary to decrease the chances of pollen contamination. Also, the stigma get the pollen during fertilization. Did you know that the stigma is covered with a sticky substance for pollen to stick to? Finally, the ovary protects the ovule when fertilization has happened.

The Male Reproductive Organs is the Stamen. The Stamen is a collective word for the Anther and the Filament. The anther produces pollen and the filament is the stalk of the Anther. The pollen has male reproductive cells that fertilize the ovules.

My Favorite Flower

Now on to my favorite flower.  Most of you have never seen this flower because it only grows in tropical areas.  It is the national flower of Saint Lucia and also my Mom's favorite flower.  It is called the Red Hibiscus. 

This flowering plant is what you would call a big show-off.  You can see a hibiscus flowering bush from a distance because of it bright, red, large, beautiful flowers. The flowers are large and shaped like a trumpet with five red petals.  This flower is loved by butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds because of its sweet nectar.

Saint Lucians not only enjoys the beauty of the Hibiscus flowers but they also enjoy the tea made from its flowers.  Also many Saint Lucians use the crush leaves of the Hibiscus bush as a shampoo to wash their hair.  I remember having one of these hibiscus shampoos when I was younger.  It was not that I did not have any other shampoo to wash my hair, but my mom likes me to experience everything Saint Lucian.  I had remains of leaves stuck in my hair which my mom had to pick out.

This is the beautiful Red Hibiscus.

This a Humming Bird sucking up the sweet nectar from the Red Hibiscus flower.

Seed Dispersal in Plants

What is seed dispersal?  Well, seed dispersal is the transportion of seeds away from the parent plant.  Why do plants need to disperse their seed?  Well, plants need to disperse their seed away from themselves, to stop overcrowding of plants in one area and to create new plant colonies elsewhere.  You see, plants have a limited ability to move that means that they must rely on ways to move their seeds.  Plants do not have legs as we do to move from one area to another.  That means they have to use methods to disperse their seeds.  The three methods of seed dispersion I will talk about are: by wind, by water and by animals.


Animals: Some seeds are animal food. Many seed are dispersed by animals.  Take for example the birds who eat berries, travel and pass out the tougher seed which is unharmed in its droppings.   Some fruits even have barbs that hooks on to the animal fir or feathers and are carried away. These animals move the seeds from one place to another.  Some animals like squirrels bury seeds, like acorns to save for later, but may not return to get the seeds.  These seeds can grow into new plants.


A bird eating berries from a tree.



The Black Noddy with Grand Devil's-claws  seeds stuck to feathers.


 

A squirrel hiding a pine cone.


Wind: Some seeds catch the wind. Both small and large seeds can easily be carried by the wind when it blows.  Have you ever seen a “helicopter” from the Sycamore tree or a dandelion?  What did you notice?  The sycamore has “helicopter wings" to carry the seed when a strong wind comes by.  I had no idea what these “helicopters” were until I started learning about plants.  I would always pick them up and drop it and watch it spin just like the blades of a helicopter.  Mother Nature is such a genius.  Another example of Mother Nature's Genius is the dandelion seed which have feathery plumes.  Have you ever picked a dandelion flower and put it close to your mouth and blew.  Did you see how easily the plumes flew apart and away. Well these plumes have seeds which are also flying away and landing in another area. 

A "helicopter" from the Sycamore tree.



Plumes from the Dandelion blowing in the wind.

Water: Some seed use water to catch a ride to their next destination. Many trees that live in or near water have seeds that can float, and are carried by the water. Plants living along streams and rivers produce fruit like the coconut which is water proof and able to float on top of water until it gets to a new place.

A coconut being carried by the ocean.



I thought that this was an interesting fun fact. Did you know that the smallest seeds were produced by the Orchid? A single orchid flower produce about 2,000,000 microscopic seeds that drift invisibly in the air.  We can't even see these seeds with our naked eyes.  That is cool.  I wonder how many I have accidentally inhaled.

Thanks for stopping by to check out my latest post. I hope you learned something new. Come back to visit soon. Don' forget to catch one of my flowers before you leave my post.

SEED PLANTS

Welcome back to my post.  Today, I am going to talk more about plants.  To be more specific, "Seed Plants" !  Before I started my post, I headed outside and looked around at the plants in my neighborhood.  While I was walking around and looking, I tried to come up with answers to the characteristics of seed plants.  I looked, touched and smelled and I noticed things that I never saw before.  I wish I could have done some tasting, especially my neighbor's peaches but I did not want to get into trouble.

I saw different stems, roots, leaves and vascular tissue.  I saw for the first time "What makes a plant a seed plant?".  I saw tall pine trees, apple and pear trees, cedar trees, tulips, lilies, ivy and palm trees and many more.  Did you know that there are over 250,000 species of seed plants in the world?  Most of the plants around us are seed plants. 

Characteristics of Seed Plants
These are the must haves for a plant to be called a seed plant.  Pay close attention!, because there  are no exceptions to these rules.  Here goes my list:
1.  Leaves - All seed plants must have leaves.  This is the organ of the plant that traps sunlight to make food through photosynthesis.

Different types of leaves.

2.  Stems - All seed plants must have stems.  Stems are the above the ground parts of a plant that support the leaves and flowers.  Stems also move nutrients between the roots and the leaves. Stems can be either:
      A.  Herbaceous - Soft and green like the stems of flowers.
      B.  Woody - Solid like the trunk of a tree.  


A Woody and Herbaceous stems side by side. 


3.  Vascular Tissue -   All seed plants must have vascular tissue.   This tissue transports food throughout the plant.  The vascular tissue of seed plants are:
     A.  Xylem - Transports nutrients and water up from the roots.
     B.  Phloem - Moves food from the leaves to other parts of the plant. 
     C.  Cambium - Produces additional xylem and phloem. 

 

4.  Roots - All seed plants must have roots.  The water and minerals used by the plant enter the plant through the roots.  Roots also anchor the plant in the soil and prevent the plant from being blown or washed away.  Roots can be:
      A.  Tap Root - It has a primary root with secondary roots attached and grows deep down into the soil.
      B. Fibrous Root - Do not have a primary root and lie close to the surface of the soil.
      C.  Adventitious Root - Needed to help the plant climb.  This is the roots we see in ivies.




5.  Seed - All seed plants must have seeds.  I know that this one was obvious.  These plants produce seeds which are the reproductive part of this plant.  Seed producing plants are divided into two groups called Gymnosperms and Angiosperms.

These are Coconut seeds

What Are Gymnosperms and Angiosperms?
The major differences between a Gymnosperm and an Angiosperm is that the Gymnosperm do not produce flowers but an Angiosperm do.  Also, Angiosperm's seeds are enclosed inside fruit.

The oldest trees in the world today are Gymnosperms.  Gymnosperms are vascular plants that produce seeds without an outer fruit.  Its seeds are inside cones.  Gymnosperms have leaves which are needlelike or scalelike.  Examples of Gymnosperms are pine, cedar, juniper and fir trees. 


This a cone on a pine tree.



Angiosperms plants come in may shapes and colors.  They are flowering plants that reproduce from seeds that are in fruits.  I found out that all the delicious fruit I love to eat like grapes, strawberries and pears are all Angiosperms.  Over half of all plant species in the world are Angiosperms.  Examples of Angiosperms are pear, tomato, apple, orange and peach trees.


A tomato fruit with the seeds on the inside.


Did you know that Gymnosperms and Angiosperms provide many benefits to us?   Gymnosperms plants produce wood used in construction and many paper products we use.  It also produces chemicals for soap, paints and medicines.  Angiosperms trees take in huge amounts of the carbon dioxide gas during photosynthesis and releases oxygen for us to breathe.  They also produce many fibres such as cotton which is used in clothing. Also materials found in Angiosperm plants are used in rubber, oils, perfumes and pesticides.




Monocotyledon and Dicotyledon
We use these two hard to pronounced words when talking about Angiosperm plants.  You must be wondering what on earth do these words mean.  I almost bit my tongue trying to pronounce these words and still don't know how to say them.  But one of the great things about the English language is that we always find a short version for words that are impossible to pronounce.  Now, how about  Monocots and Dicots?  That is much better to pronounce.

I have a clue for you.  Remember in Language Arts class we learned about Greek prefixes.  The prefix "mono" means  one and "di"  means two, so we now know that we are talking about numbers here.   Also, a cotyledon is something that is inside of a plant seed.  It is the first baby leaves that a newborn plant will have.  When the seed is planted and it bursts out, the cotyledon will be able to absorb the sunlight and help the plant make its own food to grow the plant.  By just looking at a plant you can easily tell whether it is a Monocot or Dicot.


What Makes a Plant a Monocot or a Dicot?


Monocots Characteristics
1.  Monocots have seeds that have only one cotyledon.
2.  They also have petals in 3s or a multiples of 3. 
3.  The veins in the leaves are parallel or side by side.
4.  There are vascular bundles scattered throughout the plant's stem.

 

There are about 65,000 types of Monocot species in the world.  Examples of Monocots are lilies, palms, onions, asparagus, sweet potatoes and all grasses such as rice, corn and wheat.
 

Onion Plants



Rice Plants

Dicots Characteristics
1.  Dicots have seeds that have two cotyledons.
2.  They have petals in 4s, 5s or a multiples of 4 and 5. 
3.  The veins in the leaves branch out and then join back together to form net like patterns.
4.  There are vascular bundles arranged in the plant's stem like spokes on a wheel .


 

There are about 170,000 species of Dicot species in the world.  Examples of Dicots are poison ivy, cacti, oaks, roses, apples, tomato, grapes, cabbage and pistachios.



Poison Ivy Plants

 

Cacti Plants

Thanks for stopping by to read my latest post.  I had tons of fun learning and preparing for this post.  I am beginning to see plants in a whole different way.  I hope that you enjoyed my post and learned something new about plants.  Check out my trees jokes.


Q: What kind of tree can fit into your hand?
A: A palm tree!

Q: How do trees get on the internet?
A: They log in.

Come back to visit soon ...........