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Cornell Notes for Sources
SOURCE 1
TITLE: A CULTURE OF CONSPIRACY
AUTHOR: JAMES PIERESON
YEAR PUBLISHED: 2007

Main Idea #1: Conspiracy has always been a part of American culture and it will always be for years to come.

Summary: The author of this article was presenting his case about how conspiracy, like that shown in the book Montana 1948 has been exhibited many times in American history. Some of these events include the infamous events of 9/11 and the Kennedy Assassination, which were both to be considered as cover-ups by the US government. Whether or not this claims of conspiracy are true remains to be seen, however these events continue to have a profound affect on many people’s lives even today. Some claims that have been stated suggest that the US government either knew about these attacks before hand, or played some role in these attacks. Much like the Hayden family covered up both the rape scandal and the suicide of Uncle Frank.


Quote: “Opinion polls routinely show that more than two-thirds of Americans believe Kennedy was cut down by a conspiracy engineered by organized crime, the CIA or FBI, or right-wing groups upset by Kennedy's liberal policies. Most believe the Warren Commission covered up the truth by concluding Lee Harvey Oswald was the lone assassin. Such suspicions encouraged the conviction that the national government is corrupt and untrustworthy -- and also that the nation itself was in some way responsible for Kennedy's death.”


Question: Why do people feel the need to cover up stories?


Main Idea #2: Certain times when a certain person takes too much power or does something wrong, they are often “taken out” so they cannot do anything else to harm anyone.

Summary: Often times the reason that things are covered-up is to prevent someone from doing something that that is controversial. One specific example is the Kennedy Assassination. At that time many people in the government (as well as Lee Harvey Oswalt, Kennedy’s alleged murderer) thought that Kennedy’s reign as president may have lead the United States in the wrong direction. This led many people to resent him, including many in the US government. Then when he was assassinated his autopsy revealed that he had multiple bullet wounds that a single assassin couldn’t have made, leading to conspiracy theories.

Quote: “Such suspicions encouraged the conviction that the national government is corrupt and untrustworthy -- and also that the nation itself was in some way responsible for Kennedy's death.”

Question: Are the common citizens unable to hear the truth about what really happens in these situations? Do we really need to hear a downplayed version of a story?

Main Idea #3: Sometimes when someone finds has an opinion about an incident that threatens their cover they will go to even greater lengths to get the story further covered.

Summary: In many cases such as the Kennedy assassination there have been many loose ends to the stories told to the people by those in power. Often times these “loose ends” provide what gives the conspirators their fuel for their conspiracy case. Sometimes great lengths are taken to insure that their secret remains safe. People can get framed, the stories could change, or become ignored, all of these things often prevent the truth from getting out and for it to continue to be hidden like those who want it to be think it should be.


Quote: “Opinion polls routinely show that more than two-thirds of Americans believe Kennedy was cut down by a conspiracy engineered by organized crime, the CIA or FBI, or right-wing groups upset by Kennedy's liberal policies. Most believe the Warren Commission covered up the truth by concluding Lee Harvey Oswald was the lone assassin.”


Question: How far are people willing to go to cover up a situation?



How will this source help you write your paper?
This source gives a good idea how conspiracy and covered up crimes can play a role in all American life, in comparison to the story in Montana 1948.


SOURCE 2
TITLE: MORE THAN MONEY
AUTHOR: USA TODAY
YEAR PUBLISHED: 2007

Main Idea #1: People can often lose sight of what they are supposed to be doing with their jobs, and take advantage of those that they are supposed to be helping.

Summary: In California, Roman Catholic Priests have been getting involved with sex scandals in which they rape unsuspecting children. These cases are then covered up by the higher ups in the church and as a result of that many priests got away with having their way with young children. Like Uncle Frank they used their occupation to prey on unsuspecting people, and like it was in Uncle Frank’s case, it was highly disgraceful. Like in the instance of Uncle Frank these priests are supposed to be helping people, in this case spiritually, not taking advantage of them because they know that they can’t do anything about it. Then with all the cover-ups that occur, it winds up taking a long time to get these people removed from their roles in the religious community.


Quote: “In Chicago this month, a priest pleaded guilty to molesting five boys. The case revealed that Chicago Cardinal Francis George failed to remove the priest for months after an allegation of abuse came to George's attention.”


Question: What compels people to do acts like this? Is it mental illness, desperation, or something else entirely?


Main Idea #2: People who are taken advantage of usually cannot help it because based on their age, race, or gender they don’t have a say in how things such as this get settled.

Summary: Most of the people who were preyed on were between the ages of being a toddler and an adolescent, at this age these children cannot stand up for themselves and they cannot fight back. People who they were taught were supposed to be good and spiritually aiding are just taking them advantage of. These children now have to deal with these acts of wrongdoing for the rest of their lives and the families of these children will remain scarred as well. Sometimes even years latter just want justice.


Quote: “Some of what victims seek might be impossible to achieve. Alexa MacPherson, 32, who was abused at ages 3 to 9 by a priest and shared in an $85 million Boston settlement, told USA TODAY's Cathy Grossman, "I would give back every cent if the person who raped and molested me were put in jail."


Question: How painful must it be for both the families of the victims, as well as the victims themselves, to deal with an incident as profound as this one and regain a normal life?

Main Idea #3: These Priest do not realize that they must stop doing what they’re doing. They definitely contain the ability, but they for some reason refuse to change their ways in any way at all.

Summary: Scandals like this have been going on for a long time, and as far as anyone can tell they will continue to occur because in all honesty it doesn’t seem likely that any of these men are willing to change their ways, at least not any time soon.


Quote: “But the church, if it desires, can go a long way toward giving the truth to victims and ensuring that there are far fewer of them in the future. Sadly, that still seems a very big ‘if.’”


Question: Why do people not realize the repercussions of their actions before they do them?

How will this source help you write your paper?
This source helps relate to the story because a similar type of scandal was happening to the one in the book Montana 1948. This type of thing shows direct similarity to the scandal that Uncle Frank has gotten himself involved in.


SOURCE 3
TITLE: CHANGING LIVES THROUGH LITERATURE
AUTHOR: TRUDY SCHRANDT
YEAR PUBLISHED: 2003

Main Idea #1: When someone’s secrets are revealed, they will go to great lengths to make sure that that secret doesn’t spread and lead to their downfall; however, usually the lengths that they go to cause their downfall anyway.

Summary: When Marie Little Soldier first reveals that Uncle Frank molests Indians Uncle Frank begins to take certain precautions to make sure that his secret never gets out to the public, because being a doctor he needs people to trust that he is doing the right thing while he is performing test and examinations on them. As a doctor he needs the people’s trust, and if Marie’s secret gets out his practice will be ruined because nobody will be able to trust him.


Quote: “His use of his power has allowed him to sexually molest many of the young women on the reservation. In her weakened state and in fear of her life, Marie Little Soldier tells the Hayden family about Uncle Frank's crimes.”


Question: Was Uncle Frank mentally unstable?


Main Idea #2: Sometimes ones actions can come back to haunt them. When they cause trouble or do something they shouldn’t it always hurts them in the end.

Summary: Uncle Frank attempts to end the spreading of this rape issue by murdering Marie. Unfortunately for him, his nephew David sees the murder and reveals this to his father who is the town sheriff. Then in an effort to hide this fact Wesley (David's father, the town sheriff) locks Frank in a basement in order to keep the incident from going public. In the end Frank winds up killing himself to avoid any further embarrassment.


Quote: “This could have been the end, but Frank murders Marie Little Soldier. It could have been a perfect murder, but David has seen Frank leave their home at the time of the murder and knows that his uncle is guilty. His conscience forces him to tell his father, who then must deal with the reality of his own brother's actions.”


Question: Why didn’t Frank just avoid starting any trouble in the first place?

Main Idea #3: Sometimes based on ones reputation, even when they do something morally wrong people will still stand up for them, and even violently defend them.

Summary: When Wesley locks up Frank in his basement their father goes to Wes’s house and violently tries to liberate Frank. He attempts to force Wes to let him go, but it ends up in failure and later that night Frank kills himself.


Quote: “Turning his home into a jail brings on the wrath of the grandfather, first in person and then by proxy, sending hired hands to free him. With the knowledge that his best intentions are not going to work, Wesley makes arrangements to take Frank away from Bentrock and surrender him to another jurisdiction. With his future clear, Frank commits suicide.”


Question: Should Wesley have gone public with this crime, or should he have covered it up like he did?



How will this source help you write your paper?
This source goes into greater detail about the story Montana 1948 and better explains the situation that is occurring throughout the entire story.