Welcome to Gaia! ::

That would fit so well. Then Rudolph could distract the monsters temporarily with Christmas Sweetness.

Whata horrible image in my head now emotion_0A0 .

SOMETHING EXCITING NEEDS TO HAPPEN. Whether Spain goes Dark! Again or something else emotion_kirakira .

NO.... Rudolph would shoot a laser out of his nose! Like a Christmas Beam Cannon. emotion_dowant

If you're bored I can always go on a fun-fun history rant~ I just read a really exciting book today although it left me slightly disillusioned and sad. (meaning it was awesome. emotion_c8 )

lolz xD poor Ukraine

Kiki!!! *GLOMPS* I'm glad you're better.

You haven't missed much. NC just recently left and headed to the bar...

So Italy came back and I'm the new Lithuania. ^.^

How could anyone not have their eyes on Ukraine's fertile lands? wink

Just remember you asked for this, blue cheese~ Feel free to skim past the purple derp. *deep breath*

~~ Le History Rant Begins~~

I'm reading about the Southwest Territory! I'm studying the Jacksonian period so studying up on all the events surrounding Andrew Jackson are really important. I always knew the general "story" of the Southwest Territory, but never like how this book presents it!

I knew TN had been fighting Cherokee since 1776 (and Creek, too) but I never realized how horribly violent and bloody it really was. Even though the Revolutionary War ended for everyone else in 1783, TN wouldn't know peace until 1795. North Carolina didn't have the money/ability to protect him so he was ceded (actually a way more dramatic story but that's for another time) as the Southwest Territory to America. He thought the nation would protect him, but it turned out that America blamed him for the hostilities, refused to send protection and wouldn't allow TN to fight back even though Cherokee and Creek had declared war on him.

TN did have a minority of people who were breaking the treaty by settling in Cherokee land, but instead of just punishing the wrong doers, Cherokee and Creek were primarily attacking innocent civilians who were legally within their rights. This book does a disturbingly good job of giving you a breakdown on just how frequent Cherokee and Creek's raids were. During one month, TN reported at least 67 murdered (that we know of) Entire families were butchered and tortured to death on a regular basis. Regardless of these atrocities, America did nothing to stop the violence and continued to forbid TN to do more than struggle to defend himself during the entire time he was a territory. In theory America's hope for peace was nice, but in reality... it wasn't going to work. Cherokee and Creek were too resolved in their cause. Their chiefs tried to call for peace but their nations would have none of it.

TN's only real ally, Chickasaw, was pissed about the whole thing and kept trying to get TN to fight back. Here's some actual Chickasaw Chief Piomingo quotes to one of TN's leaders "...my brother, I hardly know what you mean by treating with tribes that are always at war with you, and will be until you whip them..." and "Surely, my friend, if you knew how lightly and despisingly they speak of you and your friends, you could not bear it as you do. If we did not know you to be warriors, we should not know what to think of your calling them friends." But TN wouldn't strike back because America told him not to even though he complained about it to the nation regularly.

TN was able to hold back his temper for about 3 years before he finally snapped and lashed out in a series of angry, unauthorized attacks. In his anger he didn't really care if he was killing the perpetrators or not during his outburst. Naturally, he got badly chastised for it, but from then on there was a serious break in his obedience to America. TN took matters into his own hands since it was obvious America wouldn't help him and his enemies wouldn't listen to anything but violence. TN went after Cherokee's lower towns (where the war parties were concentrated) and burned many of them to the ground until Cherokee was finally forced to start seriously talking about peace.

The other thing that happened was Chickasaw, excited that TN was finally retaliating and not being a lame-o, started to attack Creek's raiders. Since Chickasaw had helped America defend the Northwest Territory against the northern tribes, it only seemed natural to him and TN that America would honor the favor/debt. America was like "I never said I'd enter a military alliance with you... but if TN's annoying you I'll set him straight." TN and Chickasaw were both like " emotion_facepalm " America then forbid TN from helping Chickasaw, but TN still gave his friend munitions, supplies and secretly went to aid him with roughly 150 troops to fight off the attacking Creeks.

TN and Chickasaw's demonstration of strength (and the loss of Spain's encouragement/supplies) finally convinced both Cherokee and Creek to stop fighting. So... America never really helped TN in his time of crisis... A few troops did come out, but they were kind of derpy and ineffective because the lack of proper retaliation just made TN seem like a weak, easy target no one cared about. There were even merchants supporting the Creek's raids/horse stealing who would say things like "America has thrown away that territory. You can do whatever to him without consequence! emotion_awesome " And it was kind of true... until TN started fighting back anyway.

I kept thinking when I read this book that any minute America was going to send in the troops and swoop in to save the day... but there was absolutely no sympathy for TN outside of Kentucky and a little from Georgia because they had their own frontier scuffles (although not quite to the same degree) Pretty much every quote from anyone outside the frontier and especially those of any political standing only had mean things to say about TN. It kind of shocked me what a terrible childhood TN had... I mean, I knew frontier life was hard, but TN was a constant blood bath for a while and no one gave any shits.

~~End Le History Rant~~

*shakes TN* Why are you so shatted upon!? Why no one love you as child and all want dead!? gonk

... I thought you were studyin' 'bout the General... I don't wanna talk 'bout this stuff. stare

Ohohoho! Because seeing you getting tomahawk raped on a daily basis must have had some affect on Jackson's later support for the Indian Removal. I was hoping the book would touch on that, but it actually said very little about Jackson or any of his later policies... Kind of disappointed, but now I understand better why you're so scary violent in early American history.

you cheese, people are waiting for Poland and Ukraine's responses :3