Gerontology Research Study Paper PT 1 2

GERONTOLOGY RESEARCH STUDY
Crawford 1
Courtney Crawford
Northwest Nazarene University
Nurs2015: foundations of nursing/care for older adult
Dr. Crabill
September 27, 2021

Crawford 2
Throughout the course of a lifetime, an individual experiences decades of life events.
These events shape and develop perspectives about the world and people, which makes everyone
unique. Wisdom about the world comes from being immersed in different life events.
Furthermore, different situations may bring feelings of happiness through achievements and
success, sadness with loss and despair, confusion with wars or excitement with new music,
movies or songs produced. As each individual has their own perspective on the world, it is
critical that we have some sort of understanding so we can have a glimpse into their worldview
and be familiar with the life events they experienced that the younger generations did not.
Therefore, a person’s lifetime is individualized because even though two people go through the
same event in life, they may see it two completely different ways.
1940’s
Political/Geographical events from 1940-1949
Known for his evil acts and killing hundreds of thousands of Jews, Adolf Hitler was a
well known leader of Nazi, Germany. Hitler constructed the concentration camps and
orchestrated World War II, two significant events the world will never forget. In 1945, Hitler
wanted to eliminate all German Jewish people as well as millions of others of intellectually
disabled and homosexuals in what we now know as the Holocaust. This consisted of mass killing
centers in Poland where these individuals were put into concentration camps. These individuals
suffered long work hours, were served minuscule rations of food and were treated terribly.
Additionally, the workers in the camp were starved, worked to death and killed in medical
Crawford 3
experiments as well as in gas chambers. Overall, five million Jewish people died with one
million of those being children who were killed in the camps. (Lukacs, J. n.d)
The decade ranging from 1940 to 1949 was one that is full of wars, battles, famous
leaders and social events that affected history for several decades to come. One of the most major
political and geographical events to take place was World War II. From 1939-1945, World War II
created more conflict, altered more lives and destroyed more land than any previous war had
ever before. This war started when Adolf Hitler created treaties with Italy and Japan as he
wanted to further his world domination. Hitler then invaded Poland in which Great Britain and
France declared war on Germany. The United States became involved in the war when the
Japanese military launched a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor at the naval base in Hawaii.
Overall, 75 million people died in this war as it was a monumental 6 years in history.
(History.com Editors, 2009)
Lastly, Operation Overlord (commonly known as D-Day), was considered to be one of
the largest military operations in history and required extensive amounts of planning. With the
Americans first entering the war because of the attack on Pearl Harbor, American’s began D Day
with the mindset of attacking Germany first in order to gain control. On June 6, 1944, 156,000
Troops on the sea traveling by boat, parachuting down from airplanes and on land entered the
five beaches on the coastline of Germany. The British, Canadian and American forces were
attempting to overthrow Nazi, Germany and Adolf Hitler who was the leader at the time. After
being at war with Germany for five years previously, there was built-up tension from World War
II and the bombing of Pearl Harbor in which the allied forces were beginning their invasion into
France. Though many casualties and losses, D Day is known to be a key military victory as the
Allied forces were able to overcome Hitler’s forces. (History.com Editors, 2009)
Crawford 4
Sociocultural events from 1940-1949
Jackie Robinson was a famous athlete in the 1940s because he was the first African
American man to play major league baseball for the Brooklyn Dodgers. In 1947, Jackie was
awarded rookie of the year as an outfielder and infielder. Additionally, Robinson broke the
decade old “colour-line” which separated the black and white people in athletics after the
abolition of slavery. Robinson playing for this team was significant in history as his coaches and
teammates were afraid of how well Robinson would be able to perform on the field with the
harsh ridicule of the white baseball players playing against a black man. With baseball being
America’s pastime in the 1940s, Robinson made a big impact as this event combined black and
white people on the same team. (The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d)
Next, the American Air Force broke the sound barrier in 1947. Yeager flew the Bell X-1
over Rogers Dry Lake in Southern California. The X-1 was lifted to an altitude of 25,000 feet,
traveling 40,000 feet at a speed 662 miles per hour, which is the sound barrier at that altitude.
This was significant because it proved that the human body could travel at the speed of sound
without serious injury or illness. Furthermore, this set us closer to the possibility of space flight.
This set an aviation record for the rest of history as we were then able to advance our knowledge
about the speed of sound, aircrafts and space exploration. (Bell X-1 Glamorous Glennis, n.d)
(The History.com Editors, 2009)
Lastly, the fashion from the 1940s until now has changed drastically. Women’s fashion
consisted primarily of long dresses with a military style due to World War II’s influence on the
world. Women primarily wore dresses with shoulder pads with narrow waists and tailored skirts
just above the knee. Additionally, all dresses were short-sleeved and there was not any
embroidery due to the war times. These dresses were called shirtwaist dresses as they buttoned
Crawford 5
all the way down with a full skirt and were plain, usually without the fancy embroidery that we
have today due to the war times. In the 1940s, the outfits had a utilitarian feel as World War II
had heavily impacted everything, including the fashion industry. Furthermore, men’s style was
not much different than how it is today. In the 40’s, men mainly wore casual plain suits that were
neutral colors. Though suits are not typically worn casually anymore, mainly every man wore a
suit each day. (Reddy, K., 2019)
1950s
The invention of super glue started long ago when soldiers were at war and researchers
were experimenting with the chemical cyanoacrylates which is the extremely adhesive
component of super glue. Originally, this chemical was used as a clear plastic that helped
soldiers be more precise on their gun sights while in war but Harry Coover and John Joyner
found this chemical to be an amazing adhesive. When this glue was invented, it was then used
for adhering patches onto soldiers in world war II to help with their wounds and to keep their
internal organs inside of their bodies long enough until they could be transported to hospitals to
have surgery. The invention of superglue continued to advance and become more important to
the world today because it helped invent medical grade glue today as we know it to help heal
cuts and wounds. 70 years later, we are still using super glue as an adhesive on machinery, rubber
or plastic. (Lemelson, n.d)
Secondly, Wilson Greatbatch invented the first implantable, internal, cardiac pacemaker
in 1958. This was a huge discovery for people in America as people with irregular heart rhythms
or failing hearts usually had no cure up until the invention of the internal pacemaker. This event
was one step forward in the world of healthcare after this life-threatening condition was now
Crawford 6
given hope for a longer life expectancy. In 1958, Wilson Greatbatch was an electrician who
aspired to make a recorder and instead discovered this small device can send electrical impulses
to your heart to make it beat at a regular rhythm. Additionally, he knew that with these
pacemakers, people’s hearts were beating more effectively in which more blood was being
pumped through the body, helping those with heart conditions survive in the unfortunate event of
heart failure. The first cardiac pacemaker was placed into a man in which he lived for 10 years
after the implantation. It was then placed into a few others who lived for 20 years after the
surgery and now, there are over 3 million people worldwide who have an internal pacemaker.
(The invention of the cardiac pacemaker, n.d) (Jefferey, K., 2019)
The Montgomery Bus Boycott from December 5, 1955, to December 20, 1956 was one
of America’s most prominent acts against segregation in the 1950s. Four days before the boycott
began, Rosa Parks, an African American woman was fined and arrested for refusing to give up
her seat on the bus. Approximately 40,000 bus riders who were African American boycotted
riding the bus the next day. Even though 75% of the bus riders were African American, they
were expected to give up their seat to any white man or woman who wanted to have a seat on the
bus. The next day, the Montgomery Improvement Association (a group of black leaders) met and
elected pastor Martin Luther King Jr. as it’s president in which he led the boycott until the city
had honored the African-American people’s requests. As this boycott continued, all black people
refused to ride on the bus and instead would walk to their location or take the taxi which cost
them ten cents (the same price as riding the bus). Finally, on June 5, 1956, the federal court ruled
that segregation on the bus violated the 14th Amendment in which anyone of all races was
allowed to sit on the bus without the restrictions of the “colored” and “white” sections. The
Montgomery Boycott in Alabama was then put to an end. (History.com Editors, 2010)
Crawford 7
Television and drive-in movies were very popular social and cultural sources of
entertainment in the 1950s. Movies such as I Love Lucy and Mickey Mouse Club began to air on
the television. Football and baseball were also popular sports that were watched on television
and were enjoyed by many people. Drive-in theaters were popular as families were able to join
together. This was convenient to people during this decade as TV shows and movies were taking
off and people did not even have to get out of their vehicles to watch a movie which offered
more flexibility than indoor movie theatres. This provided families with quality family time and
brought people closer together as many people of this decade enjoyed the movies with color that
had just been invented. This is interesting to me personally as the structure of a drive-in movie is
almost exactly the same in 2021 as it was in 1951. Though drive-in movies are less popular than
they were back then, it is fascinating that not much has changed since that time with this source
of entertainment. (History.com Editors, 2009)
Next, the introduction of the Polio vaccine was huge for everybody of all ages. In the
1950s, Poliovirus was a life-threatening condition that caused paralysis in the human body. In
1952, there was an epidemic of Polio and it was considered to be the most feared disease. There
were 58,000 cases of polio in the United States alongside 3,000 deaths. Fortunately, Jonas Salk
announced he had successfully created a vaccine for this crippling virus and the Polio vaccine
was introduced to the United States. This was significant to families and their culture because
when individuals were able to receive the vaccine, they were not nearly as terrified as it showed
to be largely effective. This is culturally significant because not all cultures believe in vaccines
while others believe in them very strongly. However, when the Polio vaccine came out, 99 out of
Crawford 8
100 children were recommended to receive this vaccine. Over just the last 20 years, the Polio
vaccine has saved more than five million people from being permanently paralyzed. (The Editors
of Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d)
Known to be one of the most influential musicians of all time, Elvis Presley changed the
world of music in the 1950s. Elvis first began his career with Sun records where his songs were
enjoyed by both white and black students in schools which is something that had never been
done before. Normally, white people were expected to go to a different school, live in different
communities and even listen to different music as the black teenagers. Despite this, Presley was
able to cross over those boundaries and reach every teenager who loved his style in music. With
the invention of the jukebox and electric guitars, Elvis was loved by the younger generation as he
had a taste in music that nobody had ever seen previously. In 1956, Elvis Presley then signed
with RCA Records and had nine singles on the Hot 100 charts at once. This had effects on the
music industry for years to come as gospel, jazz and R&B became extremely possible and the
main music that was listened to. (CAST’s UDL Book Builder, n.d)
1960
Political/Geographical Events from 1960-1969
The Apollo 13 space mission was the third space mission where all astronauts
were hopeful of landing on the moon. However, this mission did not go according to plan when
nearly 56 hours into the flight, an oxygen tank exploded, causing other oxygen tanks to lead
oxygen rapidly resulting in the loss of oxygen, heat and all power on the Apollo 13 spacecraft.
Though the spacecraft was damaged, all astronauts were able to huddle in a crammed shelter for
the journey back to Earth. This near death disaster shows how the people working for NASA
must know how to save their astronauts' lives on the fly in case of a severe emergency. 87 hours
Crawford 9
after the explosion, the astronauts landed safely in the Pacific Ocean. This traumatic event
showcased the dangers of space travel and the safety of NASAs systems for decades to come.
(National Air and Space Museum, n.d)
The Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba in 1961 was one of the most significant government
funded mission when the United States had cut ties with the Cuban government. When Fidel
Castro was elected into office, the Cuban government confiscated large amounts of private
property that was originally owned by North Americans. Castro then accused the United States
of undermining his government and the United States cut off all sugar purchasing from Cuba and
placed an embargo where nothing could be exported except for medicine and food. This upset
the Cuban government. The plan to invade Cuba on the Bay of Pigs mission was planned by the
CIA. The United States air force bombed Cuban air bases. Castro then needed $28,000,000 for
reparations and the captured members of the invasion were imprisoned. Though this mission was
not as successful as the American Government had hoped, it was significant and memorable for
the Cuban and American citizens to be part of. (The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica, 2021)
Kennedy warning the American public of a possible nuclear attack heavily affected the
American government and their citizens. As tensions continued to rise with the Soviet Union
after the Cold War during Kennedy’s presidency, there was fear that the Soviet Union was going
to drop a nuclear bomb on the American civilians. Due to this brutal and vicious claim, Kennedy
advised every American to build bomb shelters in the case of this disaster. Inevitably, this sent
everyone into a panic as they were fearful for their lives and the protection of their families.
Furthermore, the government funded $169 million to the American people to locate, mark and
build fallout shelters as he claimed it was his goal to keep the American people safe. Americans
Crawford 10
continued to hoard canned goods and built last-minute bomb shelters in their backyards. (Glass,
2017)
In 1968, the movie Romeo and Juliet first came out. This movie was written by
William Shakespear which quickly became one of the most popular plays ever written. The
themes in this movie were influential in today’s society due to the themes and dramatic romance
as two star-crossed lovers. This movie from the 1960s is popular even in today’s culture as there
have been movies based on the original Romeo and Juliet as well as film and ballets. Movies and
TV were very popular during this era in time and when this movie was written and produced,
American’s went wild as the concepts and ideas about love are far from foreign to many.
(Bevington, n.d)
The creation and production of the Barbie was one of the most popular toys for young
boys and girls as they produced in the late 1950’s and enjoyed throughout the 1960s. Through
playing with Barbies, young girls were able to mimic real social life as situations they would
make up in their minds while playing. This is interesting as Barbies still flood nearly every
grocery store as well as children’s play store as they are a source of entertainment for nearly
every young child. Brushing the Barbies hair, making them fall in love with other Barbies and
having your Barbie own it’s own play house are just a few of the things children have been doing
with these dolls since the 1960’s. Though simple, these toys have influenced today’s world as
children are playing with Barbies who are boys, some who are biracial and others who are both
young and old. Children’s imaginations are able to run wild when they are able to create their
own perfect world with these toys. (Lord, n.d)

Crawford 11
Martin Luther King Jr.’s I Have a Dream speech was one that nearly every American
heard and was influenced by. This speech was given on August 28, 1963 in front of over 200,000
people crowded together to listen to the wise words of this man. Declared to be one of the most
iconic speeches in history, the I Have a Dream Speech was a call for equality and freedom during
the civil rights movement when the Black people were struggling as segregation was just coming
to an end. In this speech, Martin Luther King Jr. declared that he wanted a world where boys and
girls, men and women of all races were able to go to school together and live in harmony without
the Black being fearful of their lives. This was powerful as MLK was an amazing speaker and
leader influencing millions around the world. Unfortunately, only 5 short years after this speech,
MLK was assassinated by James Earl Ray at the Lorraine motel in Memphis, Tennessee in 1968.
This was crushing for many people as MLK junior helped lead this group through a time of
trouble and chaos. Martin Luther King Jr. was a man who created peace and freedom from a time
of isolation and segregation. (Henton, 2020)
1970s
The Roe vs. Wade court case was very controversial as many people were for it
while there were also many who were against it. In 1970, a woman who was given the name Jane
Roe to protect the plaintiffs identity, filed a lawsuit against Henry Wade. Roe filed this lawsuit as
she believed it should be legal for a woman to recieve an abortion without unnecessarily laws
from the government telling a woman she cannot. Roe stated that the Texas state laws were
extremely broad and it impeded her first, fourth, ninth and nineteenth amendment of privacy.
Additionally, Roe believed that the woman should have liberty to make a decision on their own
Crawford 12
without too many restrictive government policies. This was a monumental moment in history as
the controversy of abortion is still very relevant in today’s culture. (Roe v. Wade, n.d)
In addition to the controversial topic of abortion, in 1976, the Supreme Court began
thinking about the death penalty and whether or not it was considered to be cruel and unusual
punishment. The boundary between the death penalty being constitutional vs considered cruel
and unusual punishment was blurred as some judges believed it was always unconstitutuaional
while others believed it was okay only in some cases. After a series of the Gregg cases, the
United States Supreme Court ruled that capital punishment was okay but only in a some select
cases. This decision was made after a man was fleeing from a scene and tripped. This caused the
criminal's gun to accidentally fire, killing a man nearby. Additionally, the Supreme Court
excluded some categories of people as exempt from capital punishment such as the mentally
handicapped and juveniles. (Bomboy, 2021)
While much controversy was surrounding the world during this time, there was light in
1975 when Bill Gates along with his friend, Paul Allen founded the Microsoft Corporation.
These childhood friends wanted to create this software for the Altair 8800 which was a small
personal computer in which little did they know, this would change everyone's lives forever.
Microsoft advanced the world for generations to come as it allowed businesses to communicate
effectively, save data on hardware and increased productivity significantly. In a world where
typewriters were still used as a main method of communication, Gates and Allen became very
important people during this time as they found a method of communication that was much more
effective than the normal typewriter. By the end of 1978, Microsoft sales reached over $1
million. Gates and Allen then moved their headquarters to a small city near Seattle, Washington
where the two men grew up. (A&E Television Networks, 2015)
Crawford 13
In 1978, the world witnessed the first test tube baby that has ever been introduced
to the world. Louise Joy Brown was the first baby to be born via in vitro fertilization which was
a proud moment in science and to many doctors in Manchester, England. After Lesley and Peter
Brown had suffered from infertility, doctors began working in the labs nearly a decade
beforehand. A mature egg was removed from Lesley’s ovaries and combined with her husband’s
sperm in a laboratory dish. The embryo was then implanted into Lesley’s uterus. Though this
was an exciting moment for this couple, the world raised many legal and ethical questions
regarding this birth which went worldwide. Now, IVF is considered a mainstream form of
fertilization for couples who are unable to get pregnant naturally. (History.com Editors, 2010)
In 1977, Star Wars was produced into the world after four long years of filming,
gathering sound and making the production. While movies were a huge source of entertainment
for this decade, when Star Wars was released, this added to the excitement of watching movies
which brought families together. The scenes were shot in Death Valley, California while the
sounds were produced in England. This movie has been loved by many for several generations as
there have been eight other Star Wars movies to be produced since 1977. The sociocultural
impact of Star Wars was large as it changed the way movies were produced. Companies saw this
type of movie was very successful and moved from dramatic, meaningful stories to exciting,
animated adventurous films. Since then, Star Wars has been influential for the production of
figurines, poster art and cartoons. (Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica, 2021)
Lastly, the invention of the mobile phone was significant in 1973. Created by Martin
Cooper, Donald Cox and Eric Tigerstedt, these men made a device that elimited distance
between two people. The mobile phone also saved many people time as they no longer had to
Crawford 14
meet up in person to gather information nor be home to receive information needed. The mobile
phone allowed for everyone to stay in touch regardless of where they were, providing freedom.
Instead of agreeing on a time and place for a meeting in person, these individuals were now able
to communicate immediately about meeting times as well as other information needed daily.
Now, billions of people are owners of cell phones as it is still used as a vital form of
communication. Cell phones have only continued to advance in style, function and how
luxurious they are. The cell phones started out only being able to call while we now have the
entire virtual world at our fingertips. (History of mobile phones, 2021)
1980s
Chernobyl was the name of a nuclear power plant that left long lasting effects
after its explosion causing fatalities and many to be struck with cancer. On April 26, 1986, a
routine test went very wrong and blew a 1,000 ton roof off one of the plant’s reactors. This
explosion was huge as it released over 400 times the radiation than any bomb had ever released
before. In this moment, the Soviet Union had lost their central source of energy. Immediately
after the explosion, 2 men were killed and over the course of just a couple months, over 28 more
people would be dead from the acute radiation exposure. The explosion of this bomb continued
to be extremely deadly as over the next couple of months, hundreds of people began to develop
major health concerns, such as cancer, as the fallout had reached many miles. This disaster was
not only fatal, it cost the Soviet Union billions in clean up costs. This disaster led to major health
concerns, death, the loss of the Soviet Union's most valuable energy source and billions of
dollars. (Chernobyl, 2021)

Crawford 15
On January 28, 1986, the disaster of the Challenger Explosion happened. That morning,
the aircraft was being launched into space on its 10th mission with astronaut Christa McAuliffe
who was about to be the first civilian in space. Two o-rings, which were designed to seal sections
of the rocket, did not properly work and the space shuttle exploded, killing all seven astronauts
on board. It was later found that the explosion was due to the two rubber O-rings malfunctioning
due to cold temperatures the morning of the launch. This tragedy was all over the news and
NASA was forced to discontinue shuttle missions into space temporarily. (Mars, 2021)
The Exxon Valdez oil spill on March 24, 1989 was a man-made disaster in the Alaskan
Prince William’s Sound. The evening of March 23, the ship had left Valdez, Alaska and was
headed toward California with 53 million gallons of oil. In the middle of the night, the ship
struck Bligh Reef and dumped 11 million gallons of this oil into the water. At the time, this was
the largest oil spill in history as it covered 1,300 miles of shoreline killing hundreds of thousands
of birds, whales, otters and seals. Exxon paid $2 billion in clean up and $1.8 billion to personal
property that was ruined to those who lived in Alaska. Furthermore, teams of hundreds of people
sprayed chemicals into the water to break up the oil, they sprayed the beaches with hot water to
remove the excess oil there and rescued all the animals they could that were trapped in oil.
(History.com Editors, 2018)
In 1981 there was a group of young gay men who were diagnosed with an
agressive cancer called Karposi sarcoma. By the end of the year, a group of 270 gay men had
cases of a severe immunodeficientcy virus where 121 of them died. This disease was first called
gay-related immuno deficiency (GRID) and eventually the CDC came out with the official name,
Crawford 16
Aquired immune deficiency virus (AIDS). The outbreak of AIDS in America from 1980 to 1989
affected how one another interacted and blew the minds of scientists who were finding and
detecting this virus in thousands of people across America. In 1985, the Centers for Disease
Control found that there were more people diagnosed with AIDS in 1985 than any of the
previous years combined. By 1989, 145 countries had reported 142,000 AIDS cases and the
World Health Organization (WHO) predicted there were about 400,000 cases worldwide. (Avert,
2019)
The 1980s is still known to be one of the most mold decades in fashion history. With
mile-high teased perms, flashy spandex leggings, neon colors, and puffed shoulders, this era had
many fashion trends that we do not see much of today. The 1980s had extravagant outfits as the
sports style was carried on from the 1970s and very popular. Thus, women began to wear
stretchy suits with body-conforming clothing. In addition to this, “power-dressing” came into
play as women thought the more money you had, the more power you carried. Furthermore,
women showed their wealth in the clothes they wore, which is why the fancy outfits were seen
more often. (Reddy, 2020)
With flashy outfits and a new sense of style, new musicians/songwriters/singers began to
emerge and create music that became very popular. Bon Jovi, Michael Jackson, Van Halen,
AC/DC and Prince were popular names in the music industry with loud, energetic songs as
people were listening to more rock music as well as pop. These songs were played on the radio,
in vinyl records and on cassette tapes that went in vehicles or in the boom box. Alongside the
new generation of music, dancing was also very popular as this decade was all about being loud
and very outgoing. This type of upbeat music brought many people together in dances, concerts
and social gatherings where this music was played. (Lists, 2021)
Crawford 17
1990s
One of the biggest projects in history known to scientists and their discoveries is
the Human Genome Project. This was designed to map out and understand all the genes in the
human body. The scientists wanted to accurately sequence all 3 billion nucleotide base pairs in
the human genome. This discovery would help scientists to understand DNA in the human body
which will help scientists to better understand diagnosis of disease as well as earlier detection
and predispositions to disease in the body. This was a major scientific discovery as it advanced
science and allowed others to understand how genes have been passed down from generation to
generation and how that can affect our future generations as well. (Genome, 2018)
From the beginning of mankind to nearly 400 years ago, humans have been observing the
world from the lens of the naked eye. When Galileo turned the microscope to the sky in 1610, we
were able to see much more than we were able to before. Now, we were able to experience stars,
learn the rings on our planets and learn about a part of the world we have never been able to
experience before. Then when Edwin Hubble created a microscope that would be able to be
launched into space, viewing space became much more amazing than anyone had ever
anticipated. Far above the clouds and past the planets, on April 24, 1990, the Hubble Space
Telescope was launched far into space which was known to be the biggest advancement in
astrology since Galileo’s telescope. The Hubble Space telescope was able to see the moon and
Pluto which had never been seen before which helped astrologists better understand the world as
we know it. (Belleville, 2019)

Crawford 18
On the morning of April 19, 1995, an ex-Army soldier and security guard by the
name of Timothy McVeigh was about to commit a mass murder known as the Oklahoma city
bombing. McVeigh was an anti-military man who packed a truck with explosives and lit it on fire
outside of Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma. McVeigh chose to bomb the outside
of this building as it housed the Drug Enforcement Administration, Secret Service and Bureau of
Tobacco, Alcohol, Firearms and Explosives. McVeigh killed 168 people and left hundreds more
injured in the area. About an hour later McVeigh was escaping from this crime, was pulled over
and was put in jail under a traffic violation for unlawfully carrying a handgun. Two days later
McVeigh and his copartner were sentenced to prison with murder and unlawful use of
explosives. Mcveigh was then put to death by lethal injection in the US penitentiary of Indiana
along with his co-partner in the crime. (FBI, 2016)
The search engine, Google, was first founded in 1977 by Larry Page and Sergey
Brin. The development of this expanded the ability to research as people were able to post and
research information that they never were able to before. Google opened up opportunities for
communication as it was able to connect two people with ease and allowed people to gather
information from complete strangers. This became a powerful search engine that has made many
people’s lives much easier and much more convenient. Google has only continued to expand as it
is most people’s go-to for search engines bringing us to all social media sites where we are able
to connect with billions of people around the world. Without Google being invented, we would
not have nearly as much access to the online world nor all the information needed at the tips of
our fingers. (Google, n.d)

Crawford 19
Harry Potter written by J.K Rowling was produced in 1997 and brought to life the world
of wizardry, mystery and adventure for many men, women and children around the world. Some
of the reasons it is seen as so popular is because this generation was introduced to a certain genre
that children were not familiar with. Harry Potter plays close attention to detail, clothing choices
and descriptions of characters making the world of Harry Potter so intricate and life-like.
Additionally, one of the main themes in Harry Potter is love which is interesting to the younger
generation. Today, there are seven Harry Potter books that have been written and produced which
are still popular and read. (The Editors of Encyclopedia, n.d)
Alongside the popular Harry Potter books that were produced, the TV show Friends also
began in 1994. This television sitcom took off as a source of entertainment as it represented
real-life events. Generations continued to relate and was able to put themselves in these
situations which made the show very popular. In addition to this, everyone is able to enjoy this
show. Whether you are a young teenager or older adult, the situations the characters put
themselves into is funny and relatable to many. (History.com Editors, 2009)
2000s
The terrorist event “9/11” is one that Americans still talk about and take
time to remember each year. The tragic event that occured on this day is one that nobody
has ever forgotten as we honor those whose lives were lost. At 8:46 am, five terrorists
hijacked Flight 11 and made it fly into the northern part of the Trade Center’s North
tower. Five minutes later, another five hijackers crashed United Airlines flight 175 into
the Trade Center’s South tower. 2,996 people were announced dead after the unfortunate
Crawford 20
event of 9/11. Many people lost their parents, siblings, best friends and mentors all within
this tragic and very short time frame on the morning of September 11. (Bergen, 2021)
2000-2009 was a decade where the world experienced temperatures that were
warmer than ever. As this decade surpassed the historically hot temperatures in 1990,
everyone became weary as the fear of climate change’s effects on the world began to set
in. With warmer temperatures, there is an increased possibility of more wildfires and less
agricultural growth. This makes people fearful as our population is growing exponentially
and with deceased amounts of produce being farmed, there is less food for everyone.
Furthermore as generations grow up and continue to have children, people are fearful for
how the world will look and the effects climate change will bring. (Earth Institute, 2010)
In March of 2003, President Bush announced that United States military troops
were being sent into Iraq in a military operation. From 2003 to 2011, the United States
military had a goal of getting rid of all of Iraq’s weapons that had potential to cause mass
destruction. Therefore, the only way the US was going to accomplish this was to send
troops to destroy these weapons. During this war, the leader, Saddam Hussein, was
captured, tried and hung. Additionally 4,700 American troops lost their lives and the war lost
public support. (The History. Editors, 2021)
On June 3, 2004, NASA continued to make history as their rover landed on Mars.
This small, car-sized rover landing on Mars was significant as it was able to carry many
instruments and provide us with technology and a view of Mars that we had never seen before.
Crawford 21
This machine was able to reach Mars and collect samples of terrain such as rock and soil which
gave us a clearer idea of what life would be like on this planet and if there is a possibility of such
life. This was essential in space exploration as we had never been able to collect samples from
Mars so that scientists could compare Mars’s atmosphere to that of Earth’s. In addition to rock
samples, the Rover was able to get a clear description of Mars’s temperature and atmosphere.
When that information was brought back to Earth, scientists were able to better understand our
solar system and the unique characteristics of this previously mysterious planet. (Mars, 2020)
The Mad Cow disease outbreak was one that scared farmers as well as the people who
were consuming beef prior to 1996. This disease is from a prion in the meat of the animal that
goes into the person’s bloodstream and disrupts the regular proteins. People begin to develop
psychotic behaviors, dementia and even comas. Additionally, at the time, there was no cure for
this strange disease and people were given 13 months to live. It was later found that humans
were getting this virus from eating nerve tissue and the brain of cows. Farmers had stopped
selling cow meat from butchered cows prior to 1996 which significantly dropped the sales on
meat. (Center for Food Safety, n.d)
In October 2001, Apple launched its first portable music player, the Ipod touch.
Though Ipods have turned into Iphones and Apple computers today, these Ipod’s were a
new and exciting toy many years ago. The first Ipod touch was every kid’s new want as it
was able to play up to 1,000 downloaded songs all within a 6.5 ounce device that can fit
in your pocket. With this device, everyone was able to bring the Ipod anywhere with
them as it was wireless and would play music through headphones or out loud. With this
new toy coming out, the Apple company grew even bigger and started making Iphones,
tablets, computers and other electronic devices for everyone to enjoy. (Lanxon, 2011)
Crawford 22
2010s
The 2016 Presidential election created a major division as Donald Trump from the
Republican party and Hillary Clinton from the Democratic party. These two went head to head,
competing for America’s vote. This was controversial as many people in America for either
completely for or completely against either Trump or Clinton. Trump, with his “Make America
Great Again” slogan and successful businessman background, became America’s 45th President
of the United States. This was a close race as Trump won 306 electors while Hilary came up
short with 232 electors on election night. (Beckwith, n.d)
On August 14, 2021 a 7.2 magnitude earthquake in Haiti caused the largest damage and
destruction during this decade. 53,000 homes were destroyed, 77,000 were damaged, 127
schools were in ruins as well as 60 churches. In addition to this, 200,000 - 250,000 lost their lives
during this deadly earthquake. With Haiti being the poorest country in the western hemisphere,
not only was this a disaster for the lives that were lost but it was also destructive financially.
Thankfully, this earthquake caused a large humanitarian response as an emergency response team
of nearly 2 million people came to the rescue within 90 days of the destruction. The recovery of
this country included helping to heal those who were wounded, helping to salvage what was left
of homes, churches and other buildings as well as trying to rebuild the city. (Stewart, 2021)
The Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting was one that left parents, teachers and
classmates mortified. On December 14, 2012, in Newtown Connecticut, 20 students and 6 adults
were killed when Adam Lanza opened fire in this mass shooting. It was reported that in the
morning prior to this deadly shooting, Lanza shot and killed his own mother in his hometown
and then ended his own life after killing those in Sandy Hook. This event created major chaos for
Crawford 23
several years afterward as gun control became a major issue. Many people advocated that guns
should be under much stricter laws and the ability to buy a gun should be a much longer journey
than what it is today. This created large amounts of controversy as others argued that the actions
of one person should not take away the rights of others. (Ray, 2021)
Beginning in 2013, the Black Lives Matter movement became popular. This movement
started when George Zimmerman, a white policeman shot and killed Trayvon Martin, a black
man. When Martin was killed, the whole world knew about it and believed it was due to racial
discrimination, stating that Martin was killed only for his race and that he was not doing
anything wrong. The Black Lives Matter movement started on Instagram as a simple hashtag and
spread all across social media, on the news and out into the world. Additionally, the movement
gained information from the Civil Rights and Black Power movements. Lastly, rioting began as
supporters of this movement began flooding the streets, causing riots and protesting for equality.
(HUSL library, n.d)
As of June 26, 2015, the U.S Supreme Court ruled that same-sex marriage is legal in all
50 states and they also required that all states must honor out of state same-sex marriage. After
years of fighting for what people felt was basic human rights to marry and love who they wanted,
this was a much bigger issue than just being married to someone of the same sex. Prior to this
legalization, same-sex couples felt as though they were discriminated against and not heard for
their beliefs. This decade was full of same-sex movements to make these relationships
understood and legal. This caused many different mixed emotions as many people who were
homosexual, or knew those who were homosexual were in support of this movement while
Crawford 24
others were completely against the idea which is still relevant to this day. (The Editors of
Encyclopedia Britannica, 2021)
On May 2, 2011 leader of the islamist terrorist group, Osama Bin Laden, was killed in
Pakistan by a United States Navy Seal. Osama bin Laden was the mastermind behind many
terrorist attacks on the United States as he was the one to orchestrate 9/11. After a 10 year
search, Osama was found and killed in his compound by Rob O'Neill, the former Navy SEAL.
Osama Bin Laden’s tactics in planning terrorist events was completely mysterious and even after
his death, Americans still have some unanswered questions about how he gained power so
quickly and how he planned these attacks. Though we will never know these answers, the killing
of Osama Bin Laden was huge for America as there were many people who were still struggling
with the tragic events on 9/11. Furthermore, the Islamic group lost their most powerful leader
which calmed American’s minds as he could no longer plan malicious attacks on the United
States any longer. (McCance, 2021)
2020-2021
On January 21, 2020, the Center for Disease Control announced the first COVID-19 case
that was found in America, which caused the world’s largest pandemic since 1918. A few days
after this virus was reported in America, airports began screening for COVID-19 before people
were able to fly. Then, people all over America began to panic, clearing the stores of all
preservable food, toilet paper and paper towels in fear that there would not be any left. America
went into complete lockdown closing all gyms, dine-in restaurants and any other non-essential
buildings. Everyone was mandated to wear masks in all grocery stores and kids no longer had to
Crawford 25
attend school, everything went online instead. During this global pandemic, there were 219
million cases and 4.55 million deaths worldwide. (AJMC, 2021)
Overall, within the last 80 years of research, it is clear to see that cultures, social groups,
geographical locations and humans as a whole have progressed exponentially. These major
progressions have been made in technology, fashion, laws, perspectives which occupies each of
our days. Without the influential people, movie producers, song writers, athletes and all other
public figures, societies and cultures would not nearly be as developed as they are today. Though
we may not always realize it, even the small things such as the songs we listen to and the movies
we watch, shapes the way we live. When one is going through everyday life, we may not realize
how much is going on around us in this ever-changing world but when we take a look back, it is
evident to see that even the slightest changes have big impacts in history.
References
2000-2009: The warmest decade. Earth Institute. (2010, January 22). Retrieved September 27,
2021, from https://www.earth.columbia.edu/articles/view/2620.
A&E Television Networks. (2015, October 9). Microsoft founded. History.com. Retrieved
September 23, 2021, from
https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/microsoft-founded.
Apollo 13 (AS-508). Apollo 13 (AS-508) | National Air and Space Museum. (n.d.). Retrieved
https://airandspace.si.edu/explore-and-learn/topics/apollo/apollo-program/landing-missio
ns/apollo13.cfm.
Crawford 26
Beckwith, D. C. (n.d.). United States presidential election of 2016. Encyclopædia Britannica.
Retrieved September 27, 2021, from
https://www.britannica.com/topic/United-States-presidential-election-of-2016.
Bell X-1 Glamorous Glennis. Bell X-1 Glamorous Glennis | National Air and Space Museum.
(n.d.). Retrieved September 20, 2021, from
https://airandspace.si.edu/collection-objects/bell-x-1/nasm_A19510007000.
Belleville, M. (2019, September 24). Hubble Space Telescope. NASA. Retrieved September 20,
2021, from https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/hubble/main/index.html.
Bergen, P. (2021, September 24). September 11 attacks. Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved
September 27, 2021, from https://www.britannica.com/event/September-11-attacks.
Bevington, D. (n.d.). Romeo and Juliet. Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved September 27,
2021, from https://www.britannica.com/topic/Romeo-and-Juliet.
Bomboy, S. (2021, June 29). On this day, Supreme Court temporarily finds death penalty
unconstitutional. The National Constitution Center. Retrieved September 24, 2021, from
https://constitutioncenter.org/interactive-constitution/blog/on-this-day-supreme-court-tem
porarily-finds-death-penalty-unconstitutional.
A brief history of civil rights in the United States: The black lives matter movement. HUSL
Library. (n.d.). Retrieved September 27, 2021, from
https://library.law.howard.edu/civilrightshistory/BLM.
Crawford 27
CAST's UDL Book Builder. (n.d.). Elvis Presley and America in the 1950s. Retrieved September
23, 2021, from http://bookbuilder.cast.org/view_print.php?book=89070.
Darcy·Lists·Last updated:August 26, 2021·15 min read, Music, & Movies. (2021, August 26).
25 of the best 80s music artists you need to know. Rocks Off Mag. Retrieved September
25, 2021, from https://www.rocksoffmag.com/musicians-of-the-80s/.
The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica . (n.d.). Polio vaccine. Encyclopædia Britannica.
Retrieved September 23, 2021, from https://www.britannica.com/science/polio-vaccine.
Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica. (2021, August 30). Star wars. Encyclopædia Britannica.
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Star-Wars-film-series.
The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica. (2021, July 31). Bay of Pigs Invasion. Encyclopædia
Britannica. Retrieved September 24, 2021, from
https://www.britannica.com/event/Bay-of-Pigs-invasion.
The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica. (n.d.). J.K. Rowling. Encyclopædia Britannica.
https://www.britannica.com/biography/J-K-Rowling.
The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica. (n.d.). Jackie Robinson. Encyclopædia Britannica.
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Jackie-Robinson.
Crawford 28
The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica. (n.d.). Same-sex marriage. Encyclopædia Britannica.
https://www.britannica.com/topic/same-sex-marriage.
FBI. (2016, May 18). Oklahoma City bombing. FBI. Retrieved September 24, 2021, from
https://www.fbi.gov/history/famous-cases/oklahoma-city-bombing.
Glass, A. (2017, October 6). JFK urges Americans to build nuclear bomb shelters, Oct. 6, 1961.
POLITICO. Retrieved September 27, 2021, from
https://www.politico.com/story/2017/10/06/jfk-urges-americans-to-build-nuclear-bomb-s
helters-oct-6-1961-243469.
Harry Coover. Lemelson. (n.d.). Retrieved September 25, 2021, from
https://lemelson.mit.edu/resources/harry-coover.
Henton, L. (2020, October 14). Why 'I have a dream' remains one of history's greatest speeches.
Texas A&M Today. Retrieved September 25, 2021, from
https://today.tamu.edu/2020/01/15/why-i-have-a-dream-remains-one-of-historys-greatest-
speeches/.
History of HIV and AIDS overview. Avert. (2019, October 10). Retrieved September 24, 2021,
from https://www.avert.org/professionals/history-hiv-aids/overview.
History of mobile phones: What was the first mobile phone? Uswitch Mobile Phone Deals.
(2021, May 19). Retrieved September 27, 2021, from
https://www.uswitch.com/mobiles/guides/history-of-mobile-phones/.
Crawford 29
History.com Editors. (2009, November 13). First Drive-in movie theater opens. History.com.
https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/first-drive-in-movie-theater-opens.
History.com Editors. (2009, November 13). "friends" debuts. History.com. Retrieved September
27, 2021, from https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/friends-debuts.
History.com Editors. (2009, November 24). Chuck Yeager breaks the sound barrier.
History.com. Retrieved September 20, 2021, from
https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/yeager-breaks-sound-barrier.
History.com Editors. (2009, November 24). D-Day. History.com. Retrieved September 27, 2021,
from https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/d-day.
History.com Editors. (2009, October 29). World War II. History.com. Retrieved September 27,
2021, from https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/world-war-ii-history.
History.com Editors. (2010, February 3). Montgomery Bus Boycott. History.com. Retrieved
https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/montgomery-bus-boycott.
History.com Editors. (2010, March 12). World's first "test tube" baby born. History.com.
https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/worlds-first-test-tube-baby-born.
Crawford 30
History.com Editors. (2012, May 30). George W. Bush sends troops to Iraq. History.com.
https://www.history.com/topics/us-presidents/george-w-bush-sends-troops-to-iraq-video.
History.com Editors. (2018, March 9). Exxon Valdez Oil Spill. History.com. Retrieved September
26, 2021, from https://www.history.com/topics/1980s/exxon-valdez-oil-spill.
HIV gov. (2021, September 7). A timeline of HIV and AIDS. HIV.gov. Retrieved September 27,
2021, from https://www.hiv.gov/hiv-basics/overview/history/hiv-and-aids-timeline.
How we started and where we are Today. Google. (n.d.). Retrieved September 24, 2021, from
https://about.google/our-story/.
Howell, E., & Hickok, K. (2020, March 31). Apollo 13: The Moon-mission that dodged disaster.
Space.com. Retrieved September 27, 2021, from
https://www.space.com/17250-apollo-13-facts.html.
The Human Genome Project. Genome.gov. (n.d.). Retrieved September 20, 2021, from
https://www.genome.gov/human-genome-project.
Issues: | mad cow disease. Center for Food Safety. (n.d.). Retrieved September 27, 2021, from
https://www.centerforfoodsafety.org/issues/1040/mad-cow-disease/timeline-mad-cow-dis
ease-outbreaks.
Javascript required! Chernobyl | Chernobyl Accident | Chernobyl Disaster - World Nuclear
Association. (2021, May). Retrieved September 27, 2021, from

Crawford 31
https://www.world-nuclear.org/information-library/safety-and-security/safety-of-plants/ch
ernobyl-accident.aspx.
Lanxon, N. (2011, October 24). The Complete History of Apple's iPod. CNET. Retrieved
https://www.cnet.com/pictures/the-complete-history-of-apples-ipod/.
Lord, M. G. (n.d.). Barbie. Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved September 27, 2021, from
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Barbie.
Lukacs, J. (n.d.). Adolf Hitler. Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved September 27, 2021, from
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Adolf-Hitler.
Mars, K. (2021, January 28). 35 years ago: Remembering challenger and her crew. NASA.
https://www.nasa.gov/feature/35-years-ago-remembering-challenger-and-her-crew/.
McCance, M. G. (2021, August 6). Osama bin Laden was killed a decade ago. here's why it still
matters. UVA Today. Retrieved September 22, 2021, from
https://news.virginia.edu/content/osama-bin-laden-was-killed-decade-ago-heres-why-it-st
ill-matters.
NASA. (n.d.). Mars 2020 perseverance rover. NASA. Retrieved September 24, 2021, from
https://mars.nasa.gov/mars2020/.
Crawford 32
Ray, M. (2021, September 21). Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. Encyclopædia
Britannica. Retrieved September 23, 2021, from
https://www.britannica.com/event/Sandy-Hook-Elementary-School-shooting.
Reddy, K. (2019, May 8). 1940-1949. Fashion History Timeline. Retrieved September 22, 2021,
from https://fashionhistory.fitnyc.edu/1940-1949/.
Reddy, K. (2020, May 29). 1980-1989. Fashion History Timeline. Retrieved September 27,
2021, from https://fashionhistory.fitnyc.edu/1980-1989/.
Roe v. Wade. {{meta.siteName}}. (n.d.). Retrieved September 27, 2021, from
https://www.oyez.org/cases/1971/70-18.
Stewart, C. (2021, August 30). Massive earthquake strikes Haiti, estimated death toll in the
thousands. UMKC Roo News. Retrieved September 27, 2021, from
https://info.umkc.edu/unews/massive-earthquake-strikes-haiti-estimated-death-toll-in-the-
thousands/.
A timeline of covid-19 developments in 2020. AJMC. (2021, January 1). Retrieved September 27,
2021, from https://www.ajmc.com/view/a-timeline-of-covid19-developments-in-2020.
We're here anytime, Day or night - 24/7. The invention of the cardiac pacemaker. (n.d.).
https://www.research.va.gov/research_in_action/The-invention-of-the-cardiac-pacemaker.
cfm.
Crawford 33
Jeffrey, K., & Search for more articles by this author. (2003, September 1). Wilson Greatbatch.
the making of the pacemaker: Celebrating a lifesaving invention. foreword by, Seymour
Furman. 260 pp., frontis., illus., figs., tables, apps., index. Amherst, N.Y.: Prometheus
Books, 2000. $33 (cloth).: ISIS: Vol 94, no 3. Isis. Retrieved September 27, 2021, from
https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/abs/10.1086/380722?journalCode=isis.
Crawford 34
Born and raised in Nyssa, Oregon, in 1942, Connie Bullard shared her experiences living
on a 40-acre farm with her mother, father and five siblings. On the farm, Connie's family spent
their days milking the cows, collecting eggs from their chickens and tending to the ducks and
stray cats they had periodically come around the farm. Connie shared her life experiences,
including the schools she attended, activities she participated in, favorite holidays, pets she loved
dearly, the home she built a family in, and the chores she did around the house. Connie also told
me about the church she has always attended, the lack of higher education, jobs she worked, and
the family that she loves dearly.
While in elementary school, Connie attended Nyssa Elementary School alongside one of
her sisters and her brother. Growing up in the small farming town of Nyssa, Oregon, Connie
remembers walking to school every day with her siblings as both of her parents both worked for
an electrical farming company early in the day. If they were lucky, they could catch the train on
days when it was freezing. Once Connie and her two siblings arrived at school, Connie
remembers falling in love with music and playing all sorts of instruments. She played the cello,
flute and violin for many years, extending outside of school for years to come in various bands.
Connie began high school after finishing middle school, where she attended Nyssa High
School, and her love for music continued to flourish. After school, Connie, her dad, and brothers
would play baseball for hours as Connie's father was a semi-pro baseball player when Connie
was younger. Connie always enjoyed school and learning. Her teachers loved her as she was an
academic learner and took the importance of school seriously. While in school, Connie was
involved in what we know today as Future Farmers of America since she had experience out on
the farm, track and field where she loved to run. Connie was also a part of the marching band at
her school where she played the violin. One of Connie’s favorite memories while in school was
Crawford 35
being able to travel to different schools where bands from different schools would perform their
music.
After high school ended, Connie did not decide to go to college but instead, met a farm
boy about 15 miles up the road from Connie's farm named Donald Bullard, whom she married.
Connie picked up a job at her local Albertsons, where she worked as a baker and came home to
Donald smelling like donuts every day, which he loved. Connie's favorite thing to help bake was
the pies because she could bring one home to her husband every once in a while. Donald went to
college at a trade school known as Oregon Technical Institute. He studied farming techniques
and electricity as he grew up on the farm and knew he wanted to own his father's farm one day.
Donald then served in the Army for two years, where he then left the military to stay home with
his wife Connie, who was pregnant with their first son, Steven Bullard.
Connie enjoyed participating in music groups in which Steven Bullard also loved being
included. Connie had a very musical family where everyone enjoyed pursuing musical arts where
Steven played the cello. As a family, everyone enjoyed bowling and helping out on the farm
where it was needed. To take care of the farm, Steven would help milk cows and collect the eggs.
Connie stated, "if you don't work, you can't eat and therefore, won't survive." This was
interesting as Connie noted that they did not have government-assisted programs to help with
food or living assistance. Instead, everyone worked for what they ate and what they had.
Additionally, the Bullards did not have any neighbors for miles surrounding them, so everyone
kept to themselves and worked as diligently as possible every day.
Outside of music and running, Connie enjoyed being part of the school board, where she
helped for 41 years where she made a school booster that raised money for the local sports team.
Connie and Donald bought a bus and named it the "Dog Dish" due to their school mascot being a
Crawford 36
bulldog where they sold concessions at every school game and during the 4th of July out of this
bus. This sports booster raised money for the schools athletic team’s uniforms and any
equipment that was needed for the team. Connie and Donald were very proud of this bus and
their involvement in the high school as they were well loved by the athletes on the team. Connie
felt as though it was important to help support and give back to the school because she
remembers performing when she was in school, so she knows the importance of having the
financial support the athletes need. Though Connie started the school booster, Donald soon
joined her in which they ran the bus together.
On the days when Connie was not running the school booster, she could be found at the
church, Nyssa Christain Fellowship, where she raised her family. Connie has always been
faithful to the Bible and attending church every Sunday night as well as going to the women’s
Bible studies every Wednesday night. Though Connie enjoyed staying busy, her activities slowed
down when she found out she was pregnant with her daughter, Kristen. Once Kristen was born,
Connie ended her time on the school booster where she became a stay-at-home mom in 1977.
Though Connie did not have any favorite holiday, she most enjoys spending time with
her family. She values Christmas and Thanksgiving since they are two times of the year that she
can bring the entire family together, but there is no specific holiday that is Connie’s favorite.
Donald and Connie both love to celebrate with the people they love, so one year, Connie's side of
the family will host Thanksgiving for everyone, and Donald's side will host Christmas, which
they would alternate every year. These gatherings are essential to one another because both
Connie and Donald have large families, so when they are combined, there is never a dull
moment. To Connie, family is the most important thing in her life as she believes they are your
foundation and will be your biggest supporters no matter what you are going through. Being on
Crawford 37
the farm has taught Connie a ton about family, as she knows the farm would not have been able
to function without the hands and work of herself, Donald, Steven, and Kristen.
Connie loved family from the time she was young, and even now, as an older adult, one
of her favorite things to do is go to her grandchildren's music recitals. Her grandchildren include
my sister Kaylee, my brother Ethan and I. My grandmother came to every sporting event when I
was younger, as well as my sister's as we both ran track and cross country. Kaylee was also in the
marching band and Connie made it a point every other Thursday to attend Kaylee’s recitals to
show her support, Connie was always so proud of Kaylee for joining the band as she could relate
so well to all the instruments she played. After the recitals and sports events were over, Connie
would take my sister and I out for Wendy’s ice cream. Additionally, Ethan was in the Future
Farmers of America (FFA), similar to my grandmother in high school. This made their
relationship stronger as Ethan has always had a natural desire to help on the farm and own one of
his own one days. Connie used to take her grandchildren on tractor rides which she claimed were
some of her fondest memories with her grandchildren.
While Connie and Donald both grew up on the farm, there were always animals around
them, but they never really considered them to be pets. Connie never wanted to get attached to
any of the animals they had because she knew that one day, their sole purpose was to be used for
either money or, eventually, food. Connie's family had three milk cows and two beef cows, two
sheep, two horses, and three pigs. Connie woke up early and went to bed late to feed them. She
cared about the animals but never considered their pets because it would be too sad when they
had to go. Therefore, when a stray cat came onto their property, Connie loved to pet it, yet she
never had her own cats. Additionally, the ducks would occasionally wander by the stream to get
a drink of water or float down the running water, and Connie loved to run outside to feed them.
Crawford 38
Outside of farm work, Connie's main chores were dishwasher duty for her large family of
8. Connie always despised doing the dishes every night after dinner since one full day would
take quite a long time to finish all the dishes due to 8 people eating three meals per day. As
Connie got older, her main chores were taking care of the children and making sure they were
happy and healthy. Donald worked in farming techniques at Froerer Farms Inc. in order to make
money for the family and expand his knowledge about his own farm. Once she had her family,
her chores increased to much more than just the dishes. She was now in charge of feeding and
diapering the kids, vacuuming, laundry, more words, cleaning the house and being the main cook
of all the meals in the household when Donald came home from a long day of work. After her
time as a stay-at-home mom, Connie worked for Orita in the field department for 30 years due to
her valued experience on the farm. There, she would weigh trucks while the other men on the
team would load them up and prepare to ship them out to their delivery destination.
Growing up, Connie's family lived in the countryside on a farm a few miles outside of
where she went to school in Nyssa, Oregon. When she met Donald, who also lived on a farm,
they got married and moved near Donald's family so he would take over the farm whenever
Donald's dad had passed away. Once that time had come, Connie, Donald, Steven, and Kristen
remodeled Donald's childhood home and established their own family there. Furthermore, they
never felt the need to move out of this home because the local church was nearby, they had the
farm, and the kids could continue in school, so they felt no need to move.
While asking Connie about the events I had researched, I started by asking her about her
experience with Adolf Hitler and the concentration/internment camps in the 1940s. Connie told
me this was a scary time as Germany was threatening to overthrow the American government,
and at Connie's young age, she had no idea what that meant. All she knew was that the threats
Crawford 39
were all over the news, and she experienced the whole world saying how awful of a person Hitler
was. Additionally, Connie and her husband Donald went to school with some children in the
internment camps and worked in the fields next to their farm. Connie did not understand why
there were people in these camps, but she knew that she was not allowed to go near them, which
was terrifying for her since she was so young.
During World War II, Connie distinctly remembers rationing for flour and sugar as the
military was trying to feed their troops. Additionally, there were metal drives on the corners
where the government was trying to gather as much metal as possible in case it was needed for
weapons or other items to build for the soldiers fighting in World War II. Due to the high need
for more soldiers during this time, Connie's uncle John was drafted into the war at 30. She
remembers the family questioning if John would make it home, and every day was another
unknown. John ended up dying in the war, and it was heartbreaking for every family member.
Though the concentration camps and World War II made a significant impact on Connie's
life, The Cold War did not have much of an effect on her. Since everyone lived out on the farm,
this war was not one that she knew much about. Though she remembers hearing about it on the
radio stations and reading about it in the paper, this war did not affect her much.
Operation D-Day did not have a significant impact on Connie's life as she did not may
much attention to this battle. Unlike World War II which left a significant impact, Connie did not
have much of a reason to pay attention to this war.
Due to Connie's father being a semi-pro baseball player, Connie's family was mainly into
sports, especially baseball. Growing up, Connie would play baseball in the fields next to her
house with her father. When Jackie Robinson was the star player of this era, Connie remembers
cheering Jackie on as they all saw him as a huge inspiration. When television was finally
Crawford 40
invented, Connie said her dad would watch Jackie on the black and white static television as one
of his favorite pastimes.
The breaking of the sound barrier in 1947 was one of the most incredible things to hear
about as Connie felt as though the world was making significant advances in technology. Though
it did not affect her life directly, Connie loved hearing about Yeager, who broke the sound barrier
as the world had never seen anything like this before. Additionally, Connie stated the other
significant scientific discoveries were the landing on the moon, which her family was thrilled
about.
As far as fashion in the 1940s, Connie stated that it had changed a lot from then to now.
She said that what the girls wear in 2021 is nearly the opposite of what Connie wore in the
1940s. During this time, everyone dressed conservatively and especially while living out on the
farm. Connie was never able to worry too much about fashion due to constantly being dirty.
However, she saw other girls at school whose fashion highly resembled the wartime style with
shoulder pads and shirtwaist dresses that buttoned clear to the bottom of the dress.
The invention of super glue did not drastically impact Connie and her life. She thought it
was neat that we could save people's lives in war to glue their skin back together, but it did not
make a massive difference to her. Connie told me that she loved arts and crafts, so she used super
glue to fix her sewing machine but other than that, super glue was not something she ever
thought about.
When the first implantable cardiac pacemaker was invented, the world went crazy. Due to
many deaths after World War II, loss and grieving were a big part of everyone's life, especially
for Connie to lose her uncle. Therefore, when another mechanism to keep people alive was
invented, everyone became very excited at the endless possibilities we had if we could figure out
Crawford 41
how to keep people's hearts from stopping. This was a great invention because Connie's family
had a history of heart disease as her grandfather died from a heart attack. Therefore, the first
made pacemaker was exciting for Connie's family as there was the hope of keeping her loved
ones alive.
The Montgomery Bus Boycott in Alabama was significant in Connie's life as she
experienced segregation firsthand and was also in Alabama at the time of this boycott. Connie
told me about experiencing segregation and saw the signs on the buildings saying "colored only."
Though she was young during this time, Connie understood that segregation was wrong. Since
her family were Christians who believed in the gospel and the Bible, segregation angered Connie
and her family, so they fully supported this boycott to protest against these acts. Additionally,
Connie told me stories of walking through the streets of Alabama and feeling extremely
privileged as she had no reason to fear for her life since she was a caucasian woman. However,
her heart hurt the black people who were protesting and felt as though they were not human from
being isolated for so long. This impacted Connie's life as she had a bigger heart for those who
felt oppressed due to their race.
Though I Love Lucy and Mickey Mouse Club movies specifically did not impact
Connie's life much, the invention of television and another film, in general, had a significant
impact on Connie's family and their pastime. Connie told me that her father loved to watch
baseball while her mother would watch cooking shows as she loved to bake. Connie loved
watching anything on TV as moving pictures was something that her entire family was
mesmerized over. This was interesting to hear about because movies and TV seem so familiar
nowadays. Still, when it was first invented, families would gather around, and it was a significant
source of bonding and entertainment.

Crawford 42
Furthermore, Connie stated, "My father believed buying a TV was the worst decision he's
ever made." When asking her to clarify why that was, she noted that it was a hassle to get her
and her siblings outside to play on the farm like they always have because all they wanted to do
was watch TV. Therefore, Connie and her siblings were limited to only 15 minutes per day as
Connie's dad believed that TV would ruin their brains and imaginary side.
Next, the Polio vaccine was one of the most influential areas of Connie's life. During this
time, Polio killed many people, including one of Connie's best friends in school. Connie and her
family were terrified of this deadly illness. As soon as the Polio vaccine was introduced,
everyone lined up in their school's gymnasium, waiting to get the vaccine in both hips, which
was extremely painful. Connie described this vaccine as one of the saddest things she has been
through, but they all trusted that the government was keeping them safe. Furthermore, Connie
compared this vaccine to the COVID-19 vaccine and stated that there was a lot more trust in the
government back then, but now in 2021, nobody trusts the government, which makes getting the
vaccine much more questionable.
Elvis Presley becoming famous did not impact Connie's life as they were not very into
music or upcoming artists. Though Connie's family enjoyed music, they mainly listened to
hymns from church, so they did not enjoy rock and roll.
The landing of the Apollo 13 Space Mission did not necessarily impact Connie's life, but
it was fascinating to watch on TV. Connie described that she distinctly remembers her family
gathering around the couch, ready for the moon landing. They were already mesmerized by the
fact there were moving pictures on the screen; they could not believe they were seeing the moon
for the first time. This was interesting as it seemed to have broadened Connie's perspective on
what is possible in life. Our space industry continued to advance in a fascinating technology.
Crawford 43
The Bay of Pigs invasion impacted Connie's life as she had family who served in the
military during this time. This was significant because although her family was not involved in
this invasion, they all followed along with the status of the war as her family was very patriotic
and cared about this battle in America. While explaining how this event impacted her life,
Connie did not state clearly how drastic this impact was though I know it is hard for her to
discuss some of the wars that she remembers due to having family in the military whom she
worried about during this time.
President Kennedy was quickly one of Connie's favorite leaders in office. When he
announced, there was a possible nuclear attack in 1961. This was a terrifying time in Connie's
life as she knew the world was changing. This was scary as there was a lot of hate and anger in
the world, and with Connie still being a teen, this was scary and unpredictable. Connie explained
how she remembers family-friends coming over to their house where Connie’s mother would tell
her to go outside so she did not have to hear their conversation when talking about the war. Since
Connie was curious, she would sneak inside the house in order to overhear their conversation and
when she did, she was scared that every airplane she saw in the sky was coming to destroy
America. Connie further explained how she would sit on her back porch fearing that the planes
overhead were going to drop bombs on American soil as she did not fully understand what was
going on at the time.
When Romeo and Juliet came out, Connie remembers watching this play written by
William Shakespear many years later. Connie stated that this was the first play she has ever seen
that included drama and secrets which she found fascinating. When Romeo and Juliet came out,
Connie was amazed because she was used to reading books and envisioning these scenarios in
Crawford 44
her head so when she was able to see the play, she was thrilled. Additionally, this play deepened
Connie's love for performance and it led her to watch more plays.
The creation of the Barbie did not significantly impact Connie's life because she grew up
as a tomboy playing baseball in the fields behind their house. Another source of entertainment
was playing "stick horses." They created this game by cutting the sticks from the mop in which
they found themselves in lots of trouble. Connie's mother was outraged as all the siblings made a
stick horse to play with, and although it was a great sense of imagination, Connie's mother had to
buy new mops. She described this funny story stating that her mother made all of her siblings'
milk cows to earn extra money so Connie's mom could buy new mops since her siblings ruined
all the other ones. Therefore, when Barbies came out, they were not interested in using their
imaginations to develop new games.
Martin Luther King Jr's I Have A Dream Speech was interesting to Connie's family. They
ended up touring the church Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama, where the
speech was given. This is as significant as Martin Luther King Jr. was a trusted and loved man
who changed many people's lives, including Connie's family. Since he was a pastor in a church,
Connie's family loved MLK and supported his movement, especially since they disagreed with
segregation.
The Roe vs. Wade court case impacted Connie's life as this was when she decided that
she was ultimately against abortion. This opened her eyes to how terrible killing fetuses is. Since
Connie was in her late teens and early 20's, she was beginning to figure out what she agreed and
disagreed with. She had decided that she did not support abortion and was highly against it due
to this court case. Before, she had never thought about abortion much because she never had to
Crawford 45
deal with this issue, but once she learned more about it, she despised the thought of it and has
remained the same ever since.
The death penalty was not a topic that affected Connie's life as her family worked on the
farm and kept to themselves. They did not get involved with the idea of the death penalty as she
was very indifferent about this situation. She believed the murder was entirely wrong, but she
also trusted the government and their judgment which she stated is very different than the world
today. Connie acknowledged that there would be much more turmoil and controversy if such a
law were passed now. However, Connie's family was more focused on following the law since
they knew they would not have to worry about finding themselves in that situation if they just
followed the law.
Founding the Microsoft Corporation did not immediately influence Connie's life, but later
on, it became more critical in her adult life. Connie's family never used Microsoft and did not
have any computers after her dad approved screen time after buying a TV. However, as Connie
has entered her adult life, she now has grandchildren who post pictures regarding school,
accomplishments, sports and significant others, which she enjoys seeing. As Microsoft has
expanded, Connie is thankful that she can keep up with the daily life of her loved ones, which is
the only reason she uses any form of social media now. Additionally, Connie expressed to me
how excited she was that her daughter-in-law bought her a device for Christmas last year in
which she can talk to it, and it will connect to the internet. I explained to her that it was most
likely an Alexa machine known as an Echo Dot. Additionally, Connie shared a funny story when
she first began using this device as she wanted it to spell a word slower, so she yelled, "spell
something slower!" and it began spelling "s...o...m...e...t...h...i...n...gs...l...o...w...e...r" which
made her laugh but also made her very frustrated.

Crawford 46
The birthing of the first test-tube baby did not impact Connie's life at all. She believed it
was neat to hear about, but at this point, there were six healthy children in Connie's family.
Although they felt terrible for those who could not have children, her family never considered
having a test tube baby themselves, especially since they were poor farmers.
In 1977 when Star Wars was produced, this quickly became Steven's (her son's) favorite
movie, which was the only reason it impacted her life. This was interesting to hear about because
I now see where my father's obsession with Star Wars and Lord of the Rings movies stemmed
from. Connie shared that Steven wanted all of his birthdays to be Star Wars themed and when he
was able to watch TV, he would immediately turn it on.
The invention of the mobile phone made it much easier for Connie to communicate with
her family when they could finally get one years later. Since Connie's priority is family and
making sure they are safe, she felt much more secure that she could check in with her family and
ensure they were safe, especially when working with heavy equipment on the farm. Connie never
used a mobile phone for anything other than calling her children to check-in when they were
with their friends and working.
The Chernobyl nuclear power plant and its ability to cause cancer did not impact or
influence Connie's life. Connie stated, "when you live on a farm, you do not get too involved
with what is going on in the world outside. You live to work and work to live".
Connie did not pay much attention to the Chernobyl power plant, but she was interested
in the Challenger Space Explosion. Connie stated that she felt the space industry had been
improving dramatically and making new findings so often that when the Challenger Space
Shuttle exploded, it was devastated as it killed all astronauts aboard. Connie had stated that she
Crawford 47
remembers watching this event on the television and when the shuttle exploded, it was all over
the news and many people talked about it for days.
The Exxon Valdez oil spill angered Connie during this interview. In Connie's older
adulthood, she has enjoyed watching National Geographic and taking care of the Earth by
recycling and paying attention to her use of plastic. Therefore, when this oil spill happened,
Connie's family was devastated as it killed many sea animals. Though Connie knows this was a
mistake, she also believes those driving the ship should have paid better attention to the hundreds
of gallons of oil they were carrying and its damage to Earth.
The outbreak of AIDS was surprising to Connie. She was surprised as she knew many
people infected with AIDS in the 1980s that she had no idea were engaging in risky practices.
Connie stated that 2 of her friends had contracted this disease she did not know were
homosexual. So, when the outbreak of AIDS began, many people were engaging in these
practices that nobody knew about but were almost judged at the time. Connie loved the people
who had AIDS, yet she disagreed with it as she is a very religious person. Connie expressed that
it is in the Bible that one does not partake in homosexual practices. Therefore, Connie and her
family were never at risk of contracting this disease, yet it was embarrassing and shocking.
When asking Connie about her fashion sense in the 1980s, she laughed and stated she
would never want to go back to the days of "big" hair, flashy leggings and wiglets. Connie
seemed almost embarrassed to admit that her favorite hairstyle was to put her hair in a ponytail
and attach a wiglet to make her hair bigger and more voluminous. Connie stated that she enjoyed
taking her husband out to roller skate as it was one of their favorite activities to do together in the
1980s. Connie explained that during this era, everyone expressed themselves very loudly and
Crawford 48
flamboyantly. Furthermore, Connie stated that she would never want to go back to those days,
yet they were fun to be a part of.
Though Connie and her husband spent her life on the farm and primarily listened to
hymns, when the 1980s came around, and artists like Bon Jovi and ACDC began producing
music, Connie admitted a small part of her that secretly liked listening to this type of music.
Connie stated that when she and her husband would go roller skating, this music was played
through the boom boxes. Though this music was slightly frowned upon growing up, Connie
enjoyed some of it in her later adult years. On the other hand, Steven and Kristen loved this type
of music, so inevitably, she could not get away from it. Additionally, whenever Kristen was
around 20, Connie took her to her first-ever Bon Jovi concert, in which they made unforgettable
memories and it was an excellent time for bonding.
The Human Genome Project was not an event that impacted Connie's life in any way. She
understood that this was a fantastic discovery as they did not know much about the human body,
but scientists could now understand it better. This was cool for Connie to hear about, but she
soon forgot about it.
While in school, Connie remembers microscopes being all over the place and loved the
idea of seeing things that could not be seen with the naked human eye. When Galileo discovered
we could see something so significant and far away through the telescope, this was
mind-blowing. Connie stated that this was an exciting time as TV had been invented and the
telescope. Connie noted that the scientists were very excited in this era as they had already been
making many significant discoveries and now they could see planets they had never been able to
before. Furthermore, Connie was able to visit a space museum about ten years ago for the first
time in which she was very thankful for the invention of the telescope.n
Crawford 49
In 1995 when the ex-Army security guard committed mass murder in Oklahoma, Connie
became both worried and upset. This event upset her as Donald served in the Army for two years
and had previously been concerned about the possibility of her husband suffering from Post
Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Nobody knew how to treat this disorder and believed that
Timothy McVeigh endeavored in this malicious act. Connie felt that if Donald had PTSD, she
would be helpless. Since this was an Army man and her husband was also an ex-Army man, this
event hit close to home as it shook the world. Though this mass killing was surprising at the
time, this, unfortunately, was not the first mass homicide that Connie experienced.
The search engine Google did not significantly impact Connie's life immediately, though
she was mind-blown that there was so much knowledge about the world right at your fingertips.
Connie stated the only reason she found a reason to use this search engine was to know how to
take care of her pets while sick, or Donald used Google to help make upgrades on remodeling the
house and the farm. Connie had explained that this enabled them while on the farm; however,
she was worried that her children would become more reliant on the internet rather than their
knowledge. Luckily, Connie was relieved that her children did not end up this way, and she saw
the significant benefits of the search engine, Google.
The production of the Harry Potter book was significant in Connie's life as she loved to
read. Connie explained that she had read these books before her children did, and she loved them
so much that she recommended them to her children in which they read them. These books
opened up a new perspective on the world as there were wizards and magic. Though Connie was
hesitant to read the books at first because it contradicted what the Bible had taught her about
magic not existing as everything comes from God, she appreciated the imagination these books
brought to the world.

Crawford 50
In addition to the Harry Potter books, the show "Friends" was also produced in the 1990s.
At this point, TV had already been around for years, so Connie never involved herself with this
new TV show that everyone was raving about. Connie stated that she did not want to watch this
TV show as she believed it would ruin a child's brain. Connie became scared that children in the
1990s were no longer using their creative minds like she would have to while on the farm, and
instead, they were filling their brains with "junk," according to Connie.
On September 11, 2001, Connie received a phone call from her sister asking her where
she was and if she had heard what was going on in the world. Connie stated that she had her day
off and she was in her home in Oregon. Connie's sister asked her to turn on the television as
news of the twin towers were being destroyed by the Islamic terrorist group, killing thousands.
Connie reported that she was terrified that the Islamic group could complete this evil act, and she
sat in front of the TV for hours and hours with her family, watching for every update possible.
Luckily, Connie did not have any family or friends in New York at the time, which she was very
thankful for. However, Connie's best friend, Bethany, had a cousin in New York at this terrible
event which witnessed the towers in flames. Connie distinctly remembers the terrifying world
and the hatred towards these Islamic groups that wanted Osama Bin Laden killed.
From 2000-2009, the temperature changes causing global warming did not impact Connie
as she did not pay much attention to global warming in other world areas. Inevitably, Connie was
concerned for the world and how it would affect others, but she knew it did not affect her life on
the farm nor her child's life, so she did not pay much attention to this issue.
When President Bush announced the military troops were being sent to Iran, Connie and
her family did not significantly impact this event. Her husband, Donald, did serve in the military
but did not pay much attention to the government after Donald was released from the military.
Crawford 51
The rover landing on Mars did not significantly influence Connie's life. She was mainly
impressed that NASA could accomplish such a thing, yet it did not make much of a difference in
her own life.
The Mad Cow disease was not necessarily something that Connie had to worry about
personally because she milked her cows and learned how to pasteurize them for her and her
family. Therefore, since Connie was not buying milk from another dairy, she did not worry about
drinking milk from infected dairy cows. Connie had an advantage as everyone wanted Connie's
cow's milk. They knew she owned milk cows and trusted that she was taking good care of her
animals, making her more money while the other dairy businesses were financially struggling.
Additionally, Connie would sell her milk and make more money which she was thankful for as
she did not have to worry about the source of her milk and meat.
Due to the mind-blowing invention of the TV and various movies during this time, the
iPod touch was no exception. Connie described that she was thankful that she did not have young
kids who would ask her for an iPod touch since both of her children were grown up and had
families of their own. Just as Connie thought she would not be part of this problem, she
remembers the first time one of her grandchildren asked for an iPod touch for Christmas. Since
Connie loved her grandchildren so much, she purchased an iPod touch for her grandchild,
Kaylee. Connie reported that she had never seen Kaylee so happy, which made her happy.
The 2016 presidential election was one that Connie paid much attention to. She did not
usually pay attention to government and politics. Still, once this election rolled around, she
understood why everyone was talking about it and why it was so important to so many people.
Since Connie's family was part of the Republican party, she was hoping for Trump to win. Since
there was so much talk around gun control and the government taking land from farmers, Connie
Crawford 52
was scared that the farm she had worked so hard for would be taken away from her. Therefore,
Connie did plentiful research and believed that President Trump led our country well.
The earthquake in Haiti did not impact Connie's life as she was living in a small town in
Oregon, far away from Haiti. It was shocking how many people from Haiti were fleeing as they
feared for their lives, but she did not have any reason to worry. Though this did not impact her
life directly, Connie included that she gave a generous check to her church one year in which that
money was used to help the people in Haiti who had damaged homes or lost property and
clothes. Though this wasn't a significant impact, Connie always tried to do what she felt was
right and held her family and children to a higher standard.
The Sandy Hook Elementary shooting was a devastating time for Connie. Though she did
not have any children impacted by this terrible event, she remembers the time she heard about
the first school shooting in Oregon. Connie stated that all she could think about was how
someone could commit such an act to another human. Connie has never understood this idea of
homicide and it scared her as she had grandchildren who were in elementary school at the time.
People's unpredictable behaviors are what scared Connie the most.
During 2010-2021, the Black Lives Matters movement had primarily confused Connie as
she believed and will continue to believe that all lives matter. Since Connie grew up in a
conservative and religious household, she did not understand why people emphasized black lives
when Connie cared about everyone's lives. During this movement, she visited Portland, Oregon
where there were riots and large amounts of hatred. Though Connie had no reason to be afraid,
she was. She felt unsafe walking through the streets of Portland, so much to the point where she
never went back. Connie also stated, "if you believe in the Bible, you believe in everyone's life
Crawford 53
and love them unconditionally." This was powerful as Connie did not feel like Portland was full
of love but rather the opposite: she had experienced fear due to hatred.
In addition to the movement, another controversial topic was the legalization of same-sex
marriage. This was a similar reaction for Connie as the Black Lives Matters Movement. Connie
believes that the Bible tells us not to engage in same-sex acts. Connie was only scared that her
children would end up engaging in these practices, yet she had hoped she raised her children
knowing they were not supposed to engage in these activities. Connie did not have to worry
about this for herself or her family, so it never applied to her.
Relating to the terrorist attack on the twin towers in New York, when the Navy Seals
finally killed Osama Bin Laden, Connie, along with the rest of the world, seemed relieved. When
Osama Bin Laden was dead, America did not have to worry about this group committing any
other terrorist events, killing more Americans. Though taking someone's life is wrong, Connie
saw this killing as justified because it potentially saved thousands of Americans' lives by
eliminating Osama Bin Laden from Earth.
The COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacted Connie's life for many years as it put a
pause on her life and the ability to see everyone she loves. During this pandemic, Connie found
herself very sad because she could not see her family for any holiday, which are the days she
looks forward to most of the year. Additionally, Connie was not able to participate in her routine
activities, which brought her joy. Connie was sad when she had received the news that everyone
was quarantined as she felt isolated and alone. Additionally, she stated that Christmas and
Thanksgiving do not feel the same anymore as they can only meet outside since her husband is
immunocompromised. With COVID affecting the world, Connie believes it is essential to stay
Crawford 54
safe yet has found herself separated from her family which she hopes that the vaccination will
soon help get the world back to normal.
This assignment, the gerontology simulation and all other assignments and activities have
made me much more compassionate and understanding of the elderly. Before these assignments,
I did not fully understand why she never wanted to go outside or even do groceries. Still, now I
know how hard it is for older adults to perform simple, daily tasks that I have no problem doing.
For example, when doing the gerontology simulation, I found it incredibly hard to breathe when
walking up the stairs, especially when my feet were hurting from the dried beans, which
represented the bunions. Since I had never experienced difficulty walking upstairs nor had any
trouble seeing, I did not feel like myself when these were limited. After these activities, I
realized that at one point, these older adults were much younger and fully functioning like I am
right now. However, they must be so frustrated that the simple tasks they once had no problem
doing now seem like a hassle due to the aging process. Now, when I am assisting an older adult
with a simple task such as putting on a sweater, I will be mindful of how stiff they might feel.
Since their strength and flexibility have decreased, I will remind myself of how I felt when I had
these temporary impairments to better care for them.
After this assignment, I now understand why my grandmother always wants to be around
family and why Thanksgiving and Christmas are important. During this assignment, I had the
privilege of getting much closer to my grandma as I could get to know her better and hear stories
that I had never heard before. Since she grew up on a farm before iPhones and Macbooks, I
understand why she does not like when I am texting at the dinner table. Before, I was always
annoyed that she did not understand that my friends were important to me but I know how much
face-to-face contact with family is.

Crawford 55
Now that I have more knowledge about the elderly and what pain they are experiencing, I
will use the knowledge I have gained to better care for my older adult patients. My care will
include empathy for my patients as I will try to understand what they are feeling, be
understanding of their needs, and accommodate the older adults' needs, which will make them
comfortable. I will do this by accommodating to their needs rather than expecting them to
accommodate to my expectations. Next, I will speak and move slowly to avoid making them feel
bad that I cannot understand what they are saying. Lastly, I will support them as the older adults
are experiencing changes in their bodies that are embarrassing. In order to support them
emotionally, I will educate them about the importance of being around family and continuing
hobbies that make them happy even if they cannot do them as well due to age-related changes. I
can understand how an older adult may become depressed if they are no longer able to
participate in hobbies they once looked forward to and part of healthy aging is making sure that
they are also mentally healthy, not just physically. By helping the older adults feel more
confident, comfortable and supported, I hope to lead to a more successful aging process.

Gerontology Research Study Paper PT 1 2

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Gerontology Research Study Paper PT 1 2

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

GERONTOLOGY RESEARCH STUDY

Northwest Nazarene University

Nurs2015: foundations of nursing/care for older adult

September 27, 2021

Throughout the course of a lifetime, an individual experiences decades of life events.

Political/Geographical events from 1940-1949

(History.com Editors, 2009)

Lastly, Operation Overlord (commonly known as D-Day), was considered to be one of

(The History.com Editors, 2009)

suit each day. (Reddy, K., 2019)

Political/Geographical events from 1950-1959

or plastic. (Lemelson, n.d)

(The invention of the cardiac pacemaker, n.d) (Jefferey, K., 2019)

Sociocultural events from 1950-1959

of entertainment. (History.com Editors, 2009)

of Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d)

Political/Geographical Events from 1960-1969

(National Air and Space Museum, n.d)

Sociocultural events from 1960-1969

own perfect world with these toys. (Lord, n.d)

of isolation and segregation. (Henton, 2020)

Political/Geographical events from 1970-1979

handicapped and juveniles. (Bomboy, 2021)

figurines, poster art and cartoons. (Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica, 2021)

entire virtual world at our fingertips. (History of mobile phones, 2021)

Political/Geographical events from 1980-1989

dollars. (Chernobyl, 2021)

(History.com Editors, 2018)

Sociocultural events from 1980-1989

more often. (Reddy, 2020)

Political/Geographical events from 1990-1999

we know it. (Belleville, 2019)

along with his co-partner in the crime. (FBI, 2016)

Sociocultural events from 1990-1999

our fingers. (Google, n.d)

are still popular and read. (The Editors of Encyclopedia, n.d)

themselves into is funny and relatable to many. (History.com Editors, 2009)

Political/Geographical events from 2000-2009

public support. (The History. Editors, 2021)

Sociocultural events from 2000-2009

meat. (Center for Food Safety, n.d)

Political/Geographical events from 2010-2019

short with 232 electors on election night. (Beckwith, n.d)

Sociocultural events from 2010-2019

(HUSL library, n.d)

Encyclopedia Britannica, 2021)

States any longer. (McCance, 2021)

Political/Geographical events from 2020-2021

million cases and 4.55 million deaths worldwide. (AJMC, 2021)

2021, from https://www.earth.columbia.edu/articles/view/2620.

September 23, 2021, from

September 23, 2021, from

Retrieved September 27, 2021, from

(n.d.). Retrieved September 20, 2021, from

2021, from https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/hubble/main/index.html.

Bergen, P. (2021, September 24). September 11 attacks. Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved

September 27, 2021, from https://www.britannica.com/event/September-11-attacks.

2021, from https://www.britannica.com/topic/Romeo-and-Juliet.

Library. (n.d.). Retrieved September 27, 2021, from

23, 2021, from http://bookbuilder.cast.org/view_print.php?book=89070.

25, 2021, from https://www.rocksoffmag.com/musicians-of-the-80s/.

The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica . (n.d.). Polio vaccine. Encyclopædia Britannica.