Answer:
Even though people of color fought alongside the troops they were still given equipment last, judging from the photograph. It also seems living quarters were too fancy as they seem to have built leaf roofs over the tent as the tents could not stand up to rain. I also see a few of the men possess a sword, which suggests a frequent need for close-quarter combat. Tl;DR living conditions were poor, and even poorer for people of color. Close combat was a normalcy or else they would not have carried around swords.
Explanation:
It appears to be tinted glass. You can see the carefully crafted soft ridges with an unique design. The wavy design gives off a calm and curious mood. The artist's intention was most likely to use the piece as a form of expressing emotion as the calm yet harsh color scheme suggests. If not, the artist might have intended to make a simple decoration. Let me know how I can improve on mg answers. Have a great night!
For 16, the answer is either A or B. Writing to the college isn't going to really do anything.
As for 17, I believe the answer is A.