Opportunity

1. Opportunity Opportunity is the chance or the choice to do something great. It is the instance in which one may have the preference of doing something to be of greater advantage for themselves and/or others. “Don't wait for extraordinary opportunities. Seize common occasions and make them great. Weak men wait for opportunities; strong men make them.” ~Orison Swett Marden

2. Historical Opportunity Example Thomas Jefferson was a very strong man. In history, he has made many wise decisions with the opportunities that present themselves to his eyes. Maybe the most famous, and most important to the U.S.’s history was the Louisiana Purchase.

3. In 1803, President Thomas Jefferson made an arrangement with Napoleon Bonaparte. In one single stroke of a pen, Jefferson’s signature, the United States acquired more than 800,000 square miles of land. 828,000 square miles, to be exact! And, would you believe that all of that land only cost 15 million dollars. That is not much at all considering that it doubled the United States.

4. Jefferson acquired the land for so cheap that it cost less than 3 cents an acre. In Beverly Hills, one square foot runs you about 300 dollars! Which means that to buy that amount of land now would cost approximately 6,924,994,560,000,000 dollars. I think anyone would say Jefferson got quite a bargain!

5. Once the background information on the Louisiana Purchase is understood, a person can usually figure out how it is related to opportunities. With all of that new land, settlers came from everywhere to take advantage of the opportunity Jefferson had created.

6. They bought the land from the government at most likely at an inexpensive price. On this land, many built farms; since, the new land had such great soil. In addition, many people opened businesses and moved their families out west to take benefit in the new land.

7. When Jefferson took this opportunity, he made the greatest land acquisition of all time. The gain of all of that land assisted the United States in becoming the strong country it is today. Without America’s ideal of opportunity, the question can easily be asked: where would we be today? And the answer to that is simple: nowhere.

8. To learn more about the Louisiana Purchase, please visit: • http://www.gatewayno.com/history/LaPurchase.html • http://www.americanhistory.abc-clio.com/Eras/Display.aspx?categoryid=41&entryid=1183913&searchtext=louisiana+purchase&type=simple&option=all&searchsites=4,5,6,8,&filterid • http://www.americanhistory.abc-clio.com/Search/Display.aspx?categoryid=21&entryid=266024&searchtext=louisiana+purchase&type=simple&option=all&searchsites=4,5,6,8

9. Modern Day Opportunity Example Barack Obama was a Senate of the state of Illinois from the years of 2005 to 2008. He gave up he position as a senate to become the President of the United States. As most know, Obama became the nation’s first African American President.

10. In the months leading up to the 2008 election, many people were standing up, speaking out, and campaigning for the people whom they wanted to become president of the United States. Former First Lady, Hilary Clinton, senator of New York, was also running for president, until she dropped out in June of 2008. Also, Senator John McCain, of Arizona, was running.

11. This election was making many headlines. No matter who would have won, the President would hold a title: first women president, oldest president, and first African American president.

12. The voting turnout was extraordinary. In 2004, about 125 million people voted. On the contrary, almost 132 million people voted in 2008. Of the 7 million more people who voted in this election, 2 million more people were the age of 18 to 29. 66% of African American people who are eligible to vote voted; unlike the lower 59% in 2004. 7% many not seem like much; however, it is a difference of millions.

13. Unlike the Louisiana Purchase, the connection of this event to the American Ideal, opportunity, may not be as obvious to some. This election gave the American people a much larger declaration of who will be the president of the United States. 7 million more people took the opportunity to mark their ballot. 7 million more! In most ethnicities, the percentage of voters increased. This created a great cultural diversity among more hope for all of the ethnicities.

14. The presidential race is not only for Caucasians, now people of all races have a more equal opportunity to hold a high political career. More women now have the courage to run for president, and soon enough one woman will make it even further than Clinton did.

15. Besides, African Americans, Latinos, Hispanics, and all people off color may now have the courage to take an opportunity not only to become the president of the United States, let’s stay reasonable, but to excel in school or take on a tougher job.

16. To learn more about the election polls, please visit: • http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/25/AR2005052501965.html • http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/12/AR2010051204687.html • http://chronicle.com/article/Youth-Vote-in-2008-Election/42822/