Articles written by Vincent Traina

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About me - Vincent Traina

Vincent Traina is a historian, teacher, and freelance writer with a museum and education background. Vincent has a BA in History and a BA in Communication Arts from Caldwell College. Trainas experience in museum education and historic preservation includes

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Education > Educational Philosophy Ways to define creativity in education: 2 of 7

In my experience as a student of history, I've consequentially gained a more thorough understanding of the fragility and precariousness of human societies. I have come to various conclusions which have been rooted in creative critical thinking. As a matter of scientific fact, the very rich experience of learning is in no sma...
Creative Writing > Reflections Reflections: Death: 37 of 109

A little over forty hours ago, I witnessed a tragedy while driving on Route 287 South, right before the exit for Route 10 East. "This can't be happening," I vainly tried convincing myself during the five seconds I watched a man run across the highway and have his life come to an abrupt end. This is the kind of thing you hope...
Creative Writing > Essays Essays: World War II: 7 of 18

There's hardly any topic among twentieth century history that is more misunderstood among the masses than the most devastating, destructive, and genocidal conflict in human history, the Second World War. Many military and diplomatic documents have still not been declassified by the victors who won the war. But more than that...
Celebrations & Holidays > Celebrations & Holidays (Other) What is Labor Day?: 2 of 4

The industrialization of America came with an assault on the dignity of the family by indiscriminately cramming men, women, and children of all ages into factories like sardines in a can. It was among this intense social change that the Philadelphia Trade Union, in the 1830s, prophesied, "That cormorant capital will have eve...
Entertainment > Directors & Film Makers The Good, The Bad and Sergio Leone: Assessing the Dollars Trilogy: 2 of 4

Before he gave us "C'era Una Volta Nel West" ("Once Upon A Time in the West"), he made the world of cinema tremble with his archetypical "Il Brutto, Il Buono, Il Cattivo." Known to us as "The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly," the film Quentin Tarantino described as "the best directed movie of all time" is the last part in what is ...
Creative Writing > Memoirs Memoirs: Born-again Sicilian: 1 of 1

When it comes to positive experiences for the Italian American, it's difficult to imagine anything more beneficial than a total immersion in the culture left behind nearly a century ago. An outstanding example of this is a story that began two years ago in the state of New Jersey. Driven by a passionate desire to live in the...
Arts & Humanities > US History (Other) The history of Montclair, New Jersey: 1 of 1

Three hundred million years ago, the area we now call Montclair was flat and swampy. In fact, archaeologists doing excavations have discovered fossils that show it was once under water and had tropical temperatures. Then the Ice Age came, which ended about eleven thousand years ago. During this very long period, the formatio...
Arts & Humanities > European History Focus on Sicily: Garibaldi's legacy of freedom: 1 of 1

Just last spring, Anita Garibaldi, the great-granddaughter of the "Hero of Two Worlds," visited Caldwell College to talk about her family's legacy. Anita's great-grandfather Giuseppe Garibaldi was instrumental in militarily unifying Italy in the 1860s. He embodied the liberal nationalist ideals of the nineteenth century, and...
Entertainment > Directors & Film Makers The influence of Sergio Leone on the film industry: 1 of 1

A year ago, legendary director Martin Scorsese had declared his intention to help preserve classic Italian films from half a century ago, beginning with Sergio Leone's masterpiece Spaghetti Western Once Upon A Time in the West (C'era Una Volta il West). This came at a time when Clint Eastwood, one of Leone's most recognized ...
Arts & Humanities > European History The truth about Christopher Columbus: 11 of 18

On Monday, October 13th, historically conscious Americans will have celebrated the national holiday we know as "Columbus Day." This day is named in honor of the courageous Genoan navigator Christopher Columbus (1451-1506) who, in spite of the naysayers, continued his perilously ambitious 4,000-mile journey acros...