Ashley Waggoner
Hi! My name is Ashley Breanne Waggoner. I'm an English teacher and writer from Olney, IL. I teach communications at Olney Central College. I earned an A.A. degree in mass communications from there in 2000. I received my B.A. in English from Eastern Illinois University in 2006. (I took a little detour from 2002-04 to find myself.) My writing is an extension of my being, and my supposed talent earned me various honors in college, including my name on the National Dean's List all four semesters as an undergrad at EIU. My work has appeared in several publications; for example, I write a monthly column for my local newspaper-- The Olney Daily Mail -- in which I enthusiastically support my senator, Barack Obama, for president. At some point, I plan to start grad school and eventually hope to become a full-fledged professor.
Update: As of Jan. 20, 2009, some of the information in the preceding paragraph is obsolete, as Barack Obama has become the 44th President of the United States. I plan to continue writing about past commanders-in-chief and their wives on suite101 and hope to parlay my alleged skills as a possible member of the new president's web outreach team. Ultimately, I aspire to a career in public service.
Update, Pt. 2: Beginning June 15, 2009, I will be a grad student at EIU. I will be pursuing an M.A. in English, with a concentration in composition and rhetoric. Throughout the course of my studies and thesis research, I am going to focus on 19th-century American literature.
Latest Articles
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Vicksburg and Gettysburg
During the first half of the Civil War, things went badly for the Union Army. In July, 1863, however, two important battles would turn the tide in the North's favor.
Jul 5, 2009
- Ashley Waggoner
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Margaret Mackall Smith Taylor
Margaret "Peggy" Taylor, the wife of twelfth U.S. president Zachary, was one of several reclusive first ladies. Mrs. Taylor did not enjoy her role as America's first lady
Jun 26, 2009
- Ashley Waggoner
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The History of the Secret Service
The U.S. Secret Service, which protects the President, began in 1865. The original purpose of this agency was very different from what it is today.
Jun 12, 2009
- Ashley Waggoner
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The History of the Custis-Lee Mansion
In 1802, George Washington Parke Custis built a home in Virginia. Throughout the nineteenth century, this home would have more famous inhabitants.
Jun 5, 2009
- Ashley Waggoner
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The Sioux Uprising of 1862
Abraham Lincoln's presidency is defined largely by the Civil War. However, another event occurred during these years that influenced President Lincoln's policies.
May 29, 2009
- Ashley Waggoner
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Sarah Polk, Ambitious First Lady
James K. Polk won the presidency in 1844. From 1845 to 1849, Mrs. Polk influenced her husband and the nation. She continued to do so unitl her death in 1891.
May 22, 2009
- Ashley Waggoner
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President Lincoln's Generals
During the Civil War, the Union Army suffered crushing defeats under the command of seven different generals. The eighth and final general led the Union to victory.
May 1, 2009
- Ashley Waggoner
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Lincoln's A House Divided Speech
Abraham Lincoln had already established himself as a powerful public speaker by 1854. In 1858, he delivered a speech that sealed this reputation and moved the nation.
Apr 29, 2009
- Ashley Waggoner
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A Powerful Nineteenth-Century Voting Bloc
In 1860, New England academics and radicals supported a largely unknown Westerner for president. That year, this voting bloc helped Abraham Lincoln win the White House.
Apr 23, 2009
- Ashley Waggoner
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Mary Todd Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln's wife, Mary, is often maligned by historians and the general public. The truth of the matter is that she was a complicated, misunderstood woman.
Apr 16, 2009
- Ashley Waggoner
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