Last Of The Mohicans :: essays research papers

Last of The Mohicans Summary: Cora and her younger sister, Alice, both recent arrivals to the colonies, are being escorted to their father, Colonel Munro, by a troop of British soldiers. Along the way they are ambushed by a Huron war party led by Magua, a sinister warrior with a blood vendetta against Munro. Munro's soldiers are wiped out and Cora herself is nearly killed by Magua but is saved at the last moment by Hawkeye, a white trapper raised by the Mohican tribe. Hawkeye promises to take Cora and her sister safely to their father, and along the way Cora and the intense Hawkeye fall in love. Together they must survive wilderness, war, and the relentless pursuit of Magua. Analysis: The introductory moments are somewhat confusing, and it takes about fifteen or twenty minutes to get the characters and situations straight. Madeleine Stowe's British accent is of the "now-you-hear-it, now-you-don't" variety, although her performance pretty much makes up for this inconsistency. Finally, the photography surrounding the waterfall is unconvincing. Other than those few things the film was great. From beginning to end, there isn't a weak performance. Finally, there's the story, which, while not all that complex, is of epic nature. At first I wasn’t expecting this movie to be good but by the end of the last battle I knew that The Last of the Mohicans is a memorable motion picture adventure, and one of the best films I’ve ever seen. Comparison: In the movie, the siege at Fort William Henry is a concentration of a massive French force on an isolated fort of what seems to be no more than 300 people. Also the siege of the fort by Gen. Montcalm was reduced to one night of action and romance in the film. The great portrayal of traditional siege warfare in the movie serves only as a background for the development of the love between Cora and Nathaniel. In actuality, the seven day siege had two major fronts: the fort which held about 500 men and a camp east to the fort which held roughly 2000 men.

Thomas Mores Utopia Essay -- European History

Throughout Thomas More's Utopia, he is able to successfully criticize many of the political, social, and economic ways of the time. His critique of feudalism and capitalism would eventually come back to haunt him, but would remain etched in stone forever. On July 6, 1535, by demand of King Henry VIII, More was beheaded for treason. His last words stood as his ultimate feeling about royalty in the 15th and 16th centuries, "The King's good servant, but God's first." Throughout his life, More spoke his beliefs about feudalism, capitalism, and his ideals of Utopia; More was a thinker, good friend of Erasmus, and although many critics take Utopia as a blueprint for society, in many instances he encourages thought, a critical part of the renaissance that does not necessarily conform to society's own beliefs. Before any conclusions can be made about More's writings, one must know of his disagreements with both King Henry VII and Henry VIII, even following his faithfulness. More was a statesman, a scholar, a writer, and at one time, a Monk. Many of his ideals, including his socialistic ones followed behind Pythagoras, Plato, but a true influence in his life was Desiderius Erasmus. Beginning in 1499, Erasmus visited England, beginning a friendship and intellectual correspondence, translating Latin works, among other things. Erasmus' Praise of Folly, written in 1509 is dedicated to More. One of his first proposals in Parliament was to minimize appropriation for Henry VII; as one could understand, he did not take kindly to More's suggestion. More's father was imprisoned and later released after a fine was paid. Later, after Henry VIII had taken the crown and Thomas had become Speaker of the House of Commons, More, stood bes... ...s for the readers to make their own assumptions of his writings. Uncountable interpretations and assumptions of his works have been made, but he himself will never explain to us what his intent was. People theorize that Utopia represents More's "blueprint for society," or More's ideas for a socialistic world, or even as a satire of European society, but there is reasonable evidence to say that he only wanted to encourage thought, thought for improvement, whether it be socialism, movement in classes, change in professions, or anything else of the hundreds of differences between Utopia, and 15th century Europe. www.newadvent.org/cathen/14689c.htm">http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/14689c.htm More, Thomas, Utopia, p.41. The Penguin Book, Author's Translation by Paul Turner More, Thomas, Utopia, p.42. The Penguin Book, Author's Translation by Paul Turner

Leadership Theories

Abstract Throughout the history of education, leaders have used many different styles to lead faculty and staff. Leadership within the educational system has evolved over the years to become a more participative rather than a domineering style. The purpose of the paper is to explore in detail educational leadership theories. Educational Leadership Theories Leaders are not born; however, they do have natural traits that affect their abilities. In recent years, Educational accountability has been the focus of state and local governments.Federal and state achievement standards are being created for students as well as educational leaders. Now more than ever school districts are under pressure to increase student achievement. Leaders are being asked to provide specific documentation that student performance is part of the goal and mission of the schools. Educational leaders are being held accountable for the processes they establish as well as the success of their faculty and students. T hey are being required to implement strategies for measuring and reporting student outcomes and connecting those outcomes to the performance of teachers and schools.How a leader successfully runs a school directly impacts how successful students can be, this is second only to classroom instruction. Leadership entwines leaders’ faculty and staff and their influence, organizational objectives, change and people. Everyone is leading someone somewhere, but the question is where and how. In order to be a good leader one must be a good employee. Many scholars define leadership as one who plans, directs, or guides people toward a mutual goal. Leadership has been described as an influence relationship among leaders and staff who intend real changes and outcomes that reflect their shared purposes.The basis for good leadership is a respectable personality and unselfish service to employees and the organization. The best leaders are those who are deeply interested in others and can brin g out the best in them. Great leadership begins by modeling the way, inspiring a shared vision, challenging the process, enabling others to act and encouraging hearts. In order for one to favor a leadership style, one must understand where the leadership styles originated. However, one may wonder if certain characteristics or traits are inherent in leaders.According to research, the 1940’s found that leaders maintain certain traits. These traits were based on physical and personality characteristics as well as intelligence and interpersonal skills (Sahin, 2004). The limitations of trait theory are that leaders cannot be developed through their skills and education (Sahin, 2004). Directive Leadership This style of leadership is considered job-centered. The job-centered (task-initiating structure) behavior focuses on the leader taking control in order to get the job done quickly.It relies heavily on faculty and staff taking orders from the leader instead of the leader offering much clarification or dialogue faculty and staff are inspired through threat of correction and reprimand. The directive leadership style offers several advantages: swiftness of task completion keeps group members from producing alternatives that influence the minority negatively, guarantees the leader is heard and informs staff when their conduct is undesirable. The disadvantages of the directive leadership style are: dissociates staff, non-development of employees and convenience.One might use this style of leadership when the faculty or staff is in danger of not accomplishing a task in a timely manner or in a crisis situation. Laissez-Faire Leadership The Laissezz-Faire leadership style places an emphasis on the staff centered attribute. Leaders who use this style fail their staff because they offer no positive or negative direction nor do they interfere at any time. Laissezz-Faire leaders renounce their leadership, giving staff a wide spectrum of decision-making which could lead to amplifying their power and influence.Leaders assume the staff will make decisions in a timely manner and handle whatever problems that arise. There are some advantages and disadvantages of using this style of leadership. It allows the staff members to develop a working relationship in an informal setting and generates an opportunity to be successful by making their own decisions. On the other hand, a staff member can dominate and take control which could lead the staff to make incorrect decisions and possibly have the staff reprimanded which would lead to negativity within the group; affecting the process and their motivation.Participative (Democratic) Leadership Participative leadership requires and encourages participation from everyone and shares decision-making for the betterment of the organization. Staff motivation is derived through obtaining self-image awards. Leaders reward staff through positive evaluations which in turn increases motivation and morale. There are some a dvantages and disadvantages to using this style of leadership. Leaders who allow employees to participate in decision-making showed improvement in relations and encouraged employee commitment. Coaching LeadershipCoaching theories of leadership assert that people will follow leaders who are inspirational. The leader will develop a working relationship such as teacher/mentor. The overall success of the organization depends on whether the mentor has the knowledge to strengthen the work relationship and create an environment where the mentee feels as though they are respected and valued. Coaching leaders are known to establish performance specifications and make sure they are accomplished by a given deadline, limit the contentment of employees and create a low amount of employee commitment.Collaborative Leadership The affilitative leader has the ability to motivate staff to surpass their own individual aspirations for the greater good of the district. The affilitative leader is a morall y responsible person who focuses on developing the moral maturity, values, and standards of his or her staff and strengthening their devotion to serve the well-being of others, their school, the district and the community. This leader is one who conveys a vision to inspire others sets long-term goals and emphasizes social and interpersonal skills.These leaders must possess high self-esteem, self-regard and self-awareness to effectively transform organizations and employees. Leaders with these attributes are highly admired, respected, trusted, and have a high level of self-confidence, self-esteem, and self- determination. They are usually regarded as role models and demonstrate high standards of ethical and moral conduct. There are pros and cons in using the affilitative leadership style. These leaders place an emphasis on team building, and empowering and developing potential in order to reach long-term goals.An Affilitative leader create and encourage a collaborative learning envir onment, improve morale, embraces accountability and conflict resolution, proactive towards change management, ignites communication and supports empowerment. These leaders also facilitate staff toward motivation and being involved in the vision they produce. Collaborative leadership is leadership shown by acting together to solve issues. It uses supportive and inclusive methods to ensure that all people affected by a decision are part of the change process. It requires a new notion of power†¦ he more power we share, the more power we have to use. The district that I am proud to be a part of has a variety of leadership styles. The leaders in the district are a compilation of Participative (Democratic), Coaching and Collaborative Leadership styles. However, this has proven to be effective at all 11 buildings within the district. My elementary building has seen drastic changed to the administration within the last 6 years. Finally, with a new superintendent as well as a new princi pal, the morale of the faculty and students far exceeds our expectations.References Council of Chief State School Officers. (2008). Educational leadership policy standards: ISLLC Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium. Washington, DC. Retrieved October 30, 2010, from www. npbea. org/pdf/ISLLC/PRessRelease. pdf Mitchell, Douglas E. , and Sharon Tucker. â€Å"Leadership as a Way of Thinking. † EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP 49, 5 (February 1992): 30-35. EJ 439 281. Retrieved November 1, 2010. From www. vtaide. com/png/ERIC/Transformational-Leadership. htm O’Leary R. , Bingham L. , Choi Y. Teaching Collaborative Leadership: Ideas and Lessons for the Field. Journal of Public Affairs Education. 16(4), 565-592. Retrieved November 1, 2010 from www. naspaa. org/jpaemessenger/Article/vol16-/05_16n04_OLearyBinghamChoi. pdf Sahin, S. (2004). The Relationship between Transformational and Transactional Leadership Styles of School Principals and School Culture (The case of Izmir, Tu rkey). Educational Sciences: Theory & Practice, 4(2), 387-395. Retrieved October 30, 2010. from www. fedu. uaeu. ac. ae/Journal/PDF23/issue23-artical9. pdf Leadership Theories Abstract Throughout the history of education, leaders have used many different styles to lead faculty and staff. Leadership within the educational system has evolved over the years to become a more participative rather than a domineering style. The purpose of the paper is to explore in detail educational leadership theories. Educational Leadership Theories Leaders are not born; however, they do have natural traits that affect their abilities. In recent years, Educational accountability has been the focus of state and local governments.Federal and state achievement standards are being created for students as well as educational leaders. Now more than ever school districts are under pressure to increase student achievement. Leaders are being asked to provide specific documentation that student performance is part of the goal and mission of the schools. Educational leaders are being held accountable for the processes they establish as well as the success of their faculty and students. T hey are being required to implement strategies for measuring and reporting student outcomes and connecting those outcomes to the performance of teachers and schools.How a leader successfully runs a school directly impacts how successful students can be, this is second only to classroom instruction. Leadership entwines leaders’ faculty and staff and their influence, organizational objectives, change and people. Everyone is leading someone somewhere, but the question is where and how. In order to be a good leader one must be a good employee. Many scholars define leadership as one who plans, directs, or guides people toward a mutual goal. Leadership has been described as an influence relationship among leaders and staff who intend real changes and outcomes that reflect their shared purposes.The basis for good leadership is a respectable personality and unselfish service to employees and the organization. The best leaders are those who are deeply interested in others and can brin g out the best in them. Great leadership begins by modeling the way, inspiring a shared vision, challenging the process, enabling others to act and encouraging hearts. In order for one to favor a leadership style, one must understand where the leadership styles originated. However, one may wonder if certain characteristics or traits are inherent in leaders.According to research, the 1940’s found that leaders maintain certain traits. These traits were based on physical and personality characteristics as well as intelligence and interpersonal skills (Sahin, 2004). The limitations of trait theory are that leaders cannot be developed through their skills and education (Sahin, 2004). Directive Leadership This style of leadership is considered job-centered. The job-centered (task-initiating structure) behavior focuses on the leader taking control in order to get the job done quickly.It relies heavily on faculty and staff taking orders from the leader instead of the leader offering much clarification or dialogue faculty and staff are inspired through threat of correction and reprimand. The directive leadership style offers several advantages: swiftness of task completion keeps group members from producing alternatives that influence the minority negatively, guarantees the leader is heard and informs staff when their conduct is undesirable. The disadvantages of the directive leadership style are: dissociates staff, non-development of employees and convenience.One might use this style of leadership when the faculty or staff is in danger of not accomplishing a task in a timely manner or in a crisis situation. Laissez-Faire Leadership The Laissezz-Faire leadership style places an emphasis on the staff centered attribute. Leaders who use this style fail their staff because they offer no positive or negative direction nor do they interfere at any time. Laissezz-Faire leaders renounce their leadership, giving staff a wide spectrum of decision-making which could lead to amplifying their power and influence.Leaders assume the staff will make decisions in a timely manner and handle whatever problems that arise. There are some advantages and disadvantages of using this style of leadership. It allows the staff members to develop a working relationship in an informal setting and generates an opportunity to be successful by making their own decisions. On the other hand, a staff member can dominate and take control which could lead the staff to make incorrect decisions and possibly have the staff reprimanded which would lead to negativity within the group; affecting the process and their motivation.Participative (Democratic) Leadership Participative leadership requires and encourages participation from everyone and shares decision-making for the betterment of the organization. Staff motivation is derived through obtaining self-image awards. Leaders reward staff through positive evaluations which in turn increases motivation and morale. There are some a dvantages and disadvantages to using this style of leadership. Leaders who allow employees to participate in decision-making showed improvement in relations and encouraged employee commitment. Coaching LeadershipCoaching theories of leadership assert that people will follow leaders who are inspirational. The leader will develop a working relationship such as teacher/mentor. The overall success of the organization depends on whether the mentor has the knowledge to strengthen the work relationship and create an environment where the mentee feels as though they are respected and valued. Coaching leaders are known to establish performance specifications and make sure they are accomplished by a given deadline, limit the contentment of employees and create a low amount of employee commitment.Collaborative Leadership The affilitative leader has the ability to motivate staff to surpass their own individual aspirations for the greater good of the district. The affilitative leader is a morall y responsible person who focuses on developing the moral maturity, values, and standards of his or her staff and strengthening their devotion to serve the well-being of others, their school, the district and the community. This leader is one who conveys a vision to inspire others sets long-term goals and emphasizes social and interpersonal skills.These leaders must possess high self-esteem, self-regard and self-awareness to effectively transform organizations and employees. Leaders with these attributes are highly admired, respected, trusted, and have a high level of self-confidence, self-esteem, and self- determination. They are usually regarded as role models and demonstrate high standards of ethical and moral conduct. There are pros and cons in using the affilitative leadership style. These leaders place an emphasis on team building, and empowering and developing potential in order to reach long-term goals.An Affilitative leader create and encourage a collaborative learning envir onment, improve morale, embraces accountability and conflict resolution, proactive towards change management, ignites communication and supports empowerment. These leaders also facilitate staff toward motivation and being involved in the vision they produce. Collaborative leadership is leadership shown by acting together to solve issues. It uses supportive and inclusive methods to ensure that all people affected by a decision are part of the change process. It requires a new notion of power†¦ he more power we share, the more power we have to use. The district that I am proud to be a part of has a variety of leadership styles. The leaders in the district are a compilation of Participative (Democratic), Coaching and Collaborative Leadership styles. However, this has proven to be effective at all 11 buildings within the district. My elementary building has seen drastic changed to the administration within the last 6 years. Finally, with a new superintendent as well as a new princi pal, the morale of the faculty and students far exceeds our expectations.References Council of Chief State School Officers. (2008). Educational leadership policy standards: ISLLC Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium. Washington, DC. Retrieved October 30, 2010, from www. npbea. org/pdf/ISLLC/PRessRelease. pdf Mitchell, Douglas E. , and Sharon Tucker. â€Å"Leadership as a Way of Thinking. † EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP 49, 5 (February 1992): 30-35. EJ 439 281. Retrieved November 1, 2010. From www. vtaide. com/png/ERIC/Transformational-Leadership. htm O’Leary R. , Bingham L. , Choi Y. Teaching Collaborative Leadership: Ideas and Lessons for the Field. Journal of Public Affairs Education. 16(4), 565-592. Retrieved November 1, 2010 from www. naspaa. org/jpaemessenger/Article/vol16-/05_16n04_OLearyBinghamChoi. pdf Sahin, S. (2004). The Relationship between Transformational and Transactional Leadership Styles of School Principals and School Culture (The case of Izmir, Tu rkey). Educational Sciences: Theory & Practice, 4(2), 387-395. Retrieved October 30, 2010. from www. fedu. uaeu. ac. ae/Journal/PDF23/issue23-artical9. pdf Leadership Theories Abstract Throughout the history of education, leaders have used many different styles to lead faculty and staff. Leadership within the educational system has evolved over the years to become a more participative rather than a domineering style. The purpose of the paper is to explore in detail educational leadership theories. Educational Leadership Theories Leaders are not born; however, they do have natural traits that affect their abilities. In recent years, Educational accountability has been the focus of state and local governments.Federal and state achievement standards are being created for students as well as educational leaders. Now more than ever school districts are under pressure to increase student achievement. Leaders are being asked to provide specific documentation that student performance is part of the goal and mission of the schools. Educational leaders are being held accountable for the processes they establish as well as the success of their faculty and students. T hey are being required to implement strategies for measuring and reporting student outcomes and connecting those outcomes to the performance of teachers and schools.How a leader successfully runs a school directly impacts how successful students can be, this is second only to classroom instruction. Leadership entwines leaders’ faculty and staff and their influence, organizational objectives, change and people. Everyone is leading someone somewhere, but the question is where and how. In order to be a good leader one must be a good employee. Many scholars define leadership as one who plans, directs, or guides people toward a mutual goal. Leadership has been described as an influence relationship among leaders and staff who intend real changes and outcomes that reflect their shared purposes.The basis for good leadership is a respectable personality and unselfish service to employees and the organization. The best leaders are those who are deeply interested in others and can brin g out the best in them. Great leadership begins by modeling the way, inspiring a shared vision, challenging the process, enabling others to act and encouraging hearts. In order for one to favor a leadership style, one must understand where the leadership styles originated. However, one may wonder if certain characteristics or traits are inherent in leaders.According to research, the 1940’s found that leaders maintain certain traits. These traits were based on physical and personality characteristics as well as intelligence and interpersonal skills (Sahin, 2004). The limitations of trait theory are that leaders cannot be developed through their skills and education (Sahin, 2004). Directive Leadership This style of leadership is considered job-centered. The job-centered (task-initiating structure) behavior focuses on the leader taking control in order to get the job done quickly.It relies heavily on faculty and staff taking orders from the leader instead of the leader offering much clarification or dialogue faculty and staff are inspired through threat of correction and reprimand. The directive leadership style offers several advantages: swiftness of task completion keeps group members from producing alternatives that influence the minority negatively, guarantees the leader is heard and informs staff when their conduct is undesirable. The disadvantages of the directive leadership style are: dissociates staff, non-development of employees and convenience.One might use this style of leadership when the faculty or staff is in danger of not accomplishing a task in a timely manner or in a crisis situation. Laissez-Faire Leadership The Laissezz-Faire leadership style places an emphasis on the staff centered attribute. Leaders who use this style fail their staff because they offer no positive or negative direction nor do they interfere at any time. Laissezz-Faire leaders renounce their leadership, giving staff a wide spectrum of decision-making which could lead to amplifying their power and influence.Leaders assume the staff will make decisions in a timely manner and handle whatever problems that arise. There are some advantages and disadvantages of using this style of leadership. It allows the staff members to develop a working relationship in an informal setting and generates an opportunity to be successful by making their own decisions. On the other hand, a staff member can dominate and take control which could lead the staff to make incorrect decisions and possibly have the staff reprimanded which would lead to negativity within the group; affecting the process and their motivation.Participative (Democratic) Leadership Participative leadership requires and encourages participation from everyone and shares decision-making for the betterment of the organization. Staff motivation is derived through obtaining self-image awards. Leaders reward staff through positive evaluations which in turn increases motivation and morale. There are some a dvantages and disadvantages to using this style of leadership. Leaders who allow employees to participate in decision-making showed improvement in relations and encouraged employee commitment. Coaching LeadershipCoaching theories of leadership assert that people will follow leaders who are inspirational. The leader will develop a working relationship such as teacher/mentor. The overall success of the organization depends on whether the mentor has the knowledge to strengthen the work relationship and create an environment where the mentee feels as though they are respected and valued. Coaching leaders are known to establish performance specifications and make sure they are accomplished by a given deadline, limit the contentment of employees and create a low amount of employee commitment.Collaborative Leadership The affilitative leader has the ability to motivate staff to surpass their own individual aspirations for the greater good of the district. The affilitative leader is a morall y responsible person who focuses on developing the moral maturity, values, and standards of his or her staff and strengthening their devotion to serve the well-being of others, their school, the district and the community. This leader is one who conveys a vision to inspire others sets long-term goals and emphasizes social and interpersonal skills.These leaders must possess high self-esteem, self-regard and self-awareness to effectively transform organizations and employees. Leaders with these attributes are highly admired, respected, trusted, and have a high level of self-confidence, self-esteem, and self- determination. They are usually regarded as role models and demonstrate high standards of ethical and moral conduct. There are pros and cons in using the affilitative leadership style. These leaders place an emphasis on team building, and empowering and developing potential in order to reach long-term goals.An Affilitative leader create and encourage a collaborative learning envir onment, improve morale, embraces accountability and conflict resolution, proactive towards change management, ignites communication and supports empowerment. These leaders also facilitate staff toward motivation and being involved in the vision they produce. Collaborative leadership is leadership shown by acting together to solve issues. It uses supportive and inclusive methods to ensure that all people affected by a decision are part of the change process. It requires a new notion of power†¦ he more power we share, the more power we have to use. The district that I am proud to be a part of has a variety of leadership styles. The leaders in the district are a compilation of Participative (Democratic), Coaching and Collaborative Leadership styles. However, this has proven to be effective at all 11 buildings within the district. My elementary building has seen drastic changed to the administration within the last 6 years. Finally, with a new superintendent as well as a new princi pal, the morale of the faculty and students far exceeds our expectations.References Council of Chief State School Officers. (2008). Educational leadership policy standards: ISLLC Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium. Washington, DC. Retrieved October 30, 2010, from www. npbea. org/pdf/ISLLC/PRessRelease. pdf Mitchell, Douglas E. , and Sharon Tucker. â€Å"Leadership as a Way of Thinking. † EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP 49, 5 (February 1992): 30-35. EJ 439 281. Retrieved November 1, 2010. From www. vtaide. com/png/ERIC/Transformational-Leadership. htm O’Leary R. , Bingham L. , Choi Y. Teaching Collaborative Leadership: Ideas and Lessons for the Field. Journal of Public Affairs Education. 16(4), 565-592. Retrieved November 1, 2010 from www. naspaa. org/jpaemessenger/Article/vol16-/05_16n04_OLearyBinghamChoi. pdf Sahin, S. (2004). The Relationship between Transformational and Transactional Leadership Styles of School Principals and School Culture (The case of Izmir, Tu rkey). Educational Sciences: Theory & Practice, 4(2), 387-395. Retrieved October 30, 2010. from www. fedu. uaeu. ac. ae/Journal/PDF23/issue23-artical9. pdf

African Americans and Slavery Essay

The American Revolution was a time of great turmoil for all men and women in the United States. Great debates came and went during this time; slavery and the freedom of black men being the main problems in these debates. Slaves were used for a great number of things during the American revolutionary period. The arrival of slavery to the American colonies began in the 1600s and started out in Virginia. As the years passed more and more African-Americans were brought into the colonies to be used as labor workers. The beginning amount of slaves continued to grow and by the beginning of the revolution there were about 273,000 slaves spread throughout the American states. With the coming of the revolution all African-Americans, slave or free, knew something was coming and each had a different response to these comings. There were differences in the responses of slaves and free men during the American Revolution. There were also consequences to their choices. â€Å"Gaining freedom in a land of captivity and wresting equality from a society whose founding documents guarantee it has been the consuming desire and everlasting hope that has kept harrowed bodies and weary souls going. † In the southern states African-American slaves were treated harsher than those in the north. The plantations down south required back –breaking hours of work in the sun that White Americans believed could only be done by those they had bought. There was a reason for them to be there and until they could no longer work they were to do all things imaginable for their owners, no questions asked. Some of these slaves thought it was easier to run away from their owners and that in doing so they would have a chance to fight for their country. Slaves could either flee to the north or they could flee to Spanish owned Florida. In cases where a master was called upon to fight, they would send a slave in their place and if they lived long enough to return home they earned freedom. Many of the slaves decided that if they had a chance to gain their freedom by joining the war effort then they would gladly take their masters place. They also believed that with the beginning to the revolutionary period would bring a new deed to the land and when it was over there would no longer be a need for slaves. The consequences for slaves in the south were innumerable. Like many slaves, they took this time to run from slave masters and plantations. If these southern slaves were caught, depending on the owner, the slave could suffer mild to severe consequences. Depending on the demeanor of the owner a slave could be punished in several different ways. Whipping, branding, slapping, being dunked underwater, and kicking were just some forms of punishment. The most severe punishments were to cut off a body part like an ear in the hopes that the slave would learn and never run again. There were also â€Å"nice† slave owners that chose not to punish their slaves. There justification for not punishing their slaves was so that they would continue to work and so that the owner could buy more slaves with the money that they continued to pool in from the work. Because of some owners that continuously harassed Washington, he stopped allowing slaves into his army. But General Washington, fearing rebellion, created an order that stated that all blacks were not allowed to fight. Later he partially reversed the order and allowed only free black men to fight with him. Some slaves believed that taking a chance to flee towards the north was a far-fetched idea. They were seeking freedom in the quickest possible way. Lord Dunmore sent out a proclamation that stated in exchange for freedom any black that came to him would fight against the patriots and become a loyalist. Dunmore’s promise of freedom fueled black slaves to escape and even some patriots fled to fight as a loyalist. After the war, true to his word, slaves gained their freedom. Some of these newly freed slaves went to Britain but many of them stayed in the Americas. On the other hand free men in the north believed the revolution would bring about change for the better. Their idea of the revolution was that they were being given the chance to gain independence from Great Britain and also for themselves. It was a defining moment in history that they were to be a part of. Fighting with white men gave these free black men a sense of honor and it also gave them a job where they could earn a little money to put towards getting homes and things of that nature. Men from the north gradually began to realize that they could fight with their brethren and bring independence to the land. General Washington passed an order stating that no black man was allowed into his army. This order came about because of general angst from some slave owners. These owners believed that there should not be any blacks fighting for the independence because they were only good for being slaves and they would never have say over anything. After some time Washington, fearing not having enough men to fight against the British, partially reversed this order to allow only free black men. Other than this there were not many consequences that are recorded for free black men. These free men not only fought for the independence of the nation but also for their independence and the independence of other black men and women. African-Americans from the north and south chose to join the continental army because they believed that they should help make the place the lived independent from a tyranny that had no say in the matters of a new country. They felt that this tyranny could take their rights and place them under unfair rule once again. Some of the freemen and slaves that had started out in the continental army decided to run to the British army but were not successful in their plights. Nash called the revolution the ‘greatest slave rebellion in American history’ because it was just that. The revolution opened up new grounds for slaves to rebel against owners because it was the most opportune time for them to do so. â€Å"If any group within America’s diversified people came close to answering John Adams’s plea that ‘we must all be soldiers,’ it was black Americans. No part of revolutionary society responded to the call for arms with anywhere near the enthusiasm of those who were black. Proportionate to their number, African American males— and some females— were more likely to join the fray than white Americans. † According to this excerpt from another one of Nash’s books, African-Americans were much more adept to answering the plea of John Adams. If there were more African-American fighters than white that meant that more black males were subject to put themselves in danger in order to gain freedom. They would rather have one day of freedom, not knowing if they would die in the next second, hour, or day, than be a slave for the rest of their lives. This is one of the reasons why Nash called the revolution the ‘greatest slave rebellion in American history’. â€Å"Desperate to fill the thinned ranks of its regiments, states offered freedom†¦ to serve during the continuance of the present war with Great Britain. Every black enlistee would be ‘immediately discharged from the service of his master or mistress, and be absolutely free, as if he had never been encumbered with any kind of servitude or slavery. † If states were desperate to have more men come into their ranks then there was nothing really stopping slaves from escaping their masters and coming to fight. They all wanted freedom from someone. Slaves wanted freedom from their bonds that were tied to the soil they worked and the Americans wanted freedom from Great Britain. Both groups had their reasons to fight and the only way slaves knew how to become free was to rebel and run to an army. This was a time for large rebellions on all fronts not just from the slaves. It was a rebellion against the British from the former colonists and a rebellion against the men and women that were taken from their homes to somehow create new ones. â€Å"It may have been, as Nash says ‘the greatest slave rebellion in American history,’ but for most of the rebels it ended like the others, in death. Slaves who supported the American side fared better, but not much better. Only with great reluctance did Washington allow some to join his army. Other Virginians had another wartime use for them. In 1780 the state legislature offered salves as a bounty for enlistment in the war against British tyranny. The revolution did see enactment of measures for gradual emancipation in the northern states, but the number who benefited was small. † My view on the American Revolution has changed somewhat because of how the African-Americans were treated during and after the period of war. The Americans act as though they had not been fighting alongside each other and because of this withhold distaste for the blacks. The completely disregard the idea that every man is created equal and has certain unalienable rights. They do not extend these ideas that were written down on the Declaration of Independence to the free black Americans. Men that had fought with and under Washington were not looked as the same because the color of their skin and were not given the same rights. Because of how they were treated I see the Revolution more as a war against Britain to save other whites from tyranny rather than to gain independence for all mankind. ——————————————–. [ 1 ]. Gary B. Nash, The Forgotten Fifth: African Americans in the Age of Revolution (Harvard University: 2006), 1. [ 2 ]. Taymor, . â€Å"US History Documents. † Last modified 2005. Accessed January 27, 2013. http://inside. sfuhs. org/dept/history/US_History_reader/Chapter2/Nashfighting. pdf. [ 3 ]. Taymor, . â€Å"US History Documents. † Last modified 2005. Accessed January 27, 2013. http://inside. sfuhs. org/dept/history/US_History_reader/Chapter2/Nashfighting. pdf. [ 4 ]. Edmund S. Morgan, review of The Unknown American Revolution:

Tinker vs. Des Moines.

One quiet day in the 1960’s 3 Des Moines students were wrongly punished for protesting the Vietnam War by wearing black arm bands to school. The school officials believed that the armbands would cause a huge disturbance and be a very big distraction to the student body. The students were then suspended. The student’s first amendment right had been violated. This right gives us the freedom of expression, to sum it all up, as long as others are not in danger. The staff was quick to punish these students, who were only exercising their rights. I believe that the students that were involved in this case did not deserve to be punished because; in wearing armbands, the petitioners were quiet and passive. They were not disruptive and did not interfere with the rights of others. Therefore, their conduct was within the protection of the Free Speech Clause of the First Amendment and the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth. Also, â€Å"First Amendment rights are available to teachers and students, subject to application in light of the special characteristics of the school environment. † (http://caselaw. p. findlaw. com/scripts/getcase. pl? court=us&vol=393&invol=503) Also, I believe that they did not deserve to be punished because; under our Constitution, free speech is not a right that is given only to be so restricted that it exists in principle but not in reality. Freedom of expression would not truly exist if the right could be exercised only in an area that a charitable government has provided as a safe haven for cra ckpots! The Constitution says that Congress (or anyone else, for that matter) may not deprive anyone the right to free speech. You see, the thing is we properly read it to permit reasonable regulation of speech-connected activities in carefully restricted circumstances. But we do not confine the permissible exercise of First Amendment rights to a telephone booth or the four corners of a pamphlet. Lastly, I believe that students were wrongly treated because; â€Å"The constitutionality of the school authorities' action was on the ground that it was reasonable in order to prevent disturbance of school discipline. † (258 F. Supp. 971 1966). The court referred to but declined to follow the Fifth Circuit's holding in a similar case that, the wearing of symbols like the armbands cannot be prohibited unless it â€Å"materially and substantially interferes with the requirements of appropriate discipline in the operation of the school. † (Burnside v. Byars, 1966). In conclusion, The Students in this case were wrongly punished due to the fact that their first amendment right protected their freedom of expression. The pupils should not have been suspended just because of their difference in political views, and their courage to express them.

Box Reliquary of the True Cross and Other Byzantium Devotional Art

This exquisite box, currently exhibited in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, was made in Constantinople (Byzantium, now Istanbul) in the late 8th or early 9th century. Such relics are said to have housed the pieces of the True Cross, which was allegedly discovered in the 4th century by Saint Helena, mother of the first Christian Roman emperor Constantine (New York Met Museum, 2005). During the time of the rise of Christianity in the Roman Empire, Constantinople was to become the largest Christian city in the Christian world.It managed to fend off attacks from the Arabs with its superior navy and Greek methods of warfare (Ellie Crystal, â€Å"Byzantine Empire,† 1995 – 2005). This box survived the Iconoclast Crisis in the 8th century, when Emperor Leo III banned all activity involving â€Å"idol worship†. All sculptures and icons containing images saints and other religious luminaries were ordered to be destroyed, and the only symbols allowed to be used f or religious reverence, were that of plants and birds or the Cross.Prior to the crisis, however, such reliquaries were very common for the safekeeping of pieces of the True Cross or the bones of saints, and were very common at the time. The iconoclasm was a very violent and turbulent time in Byzantium due to the zealotry of Leo III and his differences with the Patriarch of the time and according to various account, Leo III took a volcanic eruption on the island of Thera as a sign of God’s wrath over idolatry in the Church (Wikipedia). It was during the ban of religious icons that the Patriarch of Constantinople, Germanus I, was removed or resigned his post.Meanwhile, in the West of Byzantium, Pope Gregory III condemned Leo III’s decisions and actions and held two synods at Rome, publicly denouncing the iconoclasm. In retaliation, Leo III seized papal lands as well as raided churches and seized altar cloths, reliquaries and plates (History of the Byzantine State and Soc iety, Treadgold, Helen, Stanford University Press, 1997). Following Leo III’s death, his son Constantine V continued the ban and here is where some interesting occurrences come to light: the monasteries began to protest publicly. One monk, John of Damascus, protested iconoclasm through his theological writings.Another monk, Theodore the Studite brought things to a head by writing a letter to Pope Paschal containing strong words against the emperor. This brought dire consequences and was considered a major political step in the wrong direction by Constantine V, who invaded the monasteries, seizing their relics and throwing them into the sea. The next move from Constantine was to ban the monks from invoking the saints. This terrible period came to an end upon the death of Constantine V’s son Leo IV, whose Athenian wife Irene took position as regent for their young son, who would be the future emperor.She brought an end to iconoclasm and restored the ability of the artisa ns of the time to create icons depicting saints, Jesus, and the other figures of Christianity. It is difficult to imagine such violence over images used for the purposes of drawing upon the power of God being so violently opposed when icons and images of political figures were considered to be acceptable works of respect. Already it is easy to see that the survival of this box reliquary is almost a miracle in itself, considering the wanton destruction of such items, even as common as they were.Since this particular box is made of certain substances that are considered rare today, let us now turn our attention to the box itself. It is small, measuring 4 inches long and 2-7/8 inches across. The estimated date of creation of this box is the late 8th to early 9th century, which would be the period of iconoclasm discussed above (NY Met Museum). This box reliquary is constructed of cloisonne enamel, silver, silver-gilt, gold and niello. The fascinating things about the box’s compos ition are the components of cloisonne enamel and niello, neither of which were native to Byzantium.Niello was commonly used in Europe until the Renaissance, but rarely used after that (Hillwood Museum & Gardens, n. d. ). Cloisonne enamel was very popular in China during the Ming dynasty, but appears to have its origins in Cyprus (Dr. Panicos Michaelides, 1989). It was during the Byzantine Empire that cloisonne enamel was perfected and put to wide use from the 6th to 12th centuries, with the methods being transmitted to China in the 15th century where the art of cloisonne was further perfected to such a degree that China set the standard for quality of this substance (ChineseMoods. com, 2005).The substance of cloisonne enamel is glass powder mixed with water until a paste is formed. The paste is then applied to the die-cast of metal such as gold, silver or copper. Each color used in the process is fired separately, making for a very labor-intensive construction of only one part of th e box decoration. There appear to be three colors used in terms of cloisonne enamel; blue, white and green. The metal in this case is gold, to which the cloisonne enamel was adhered. The lid of the box reliquary features Christ still alive on the cross in the crucifixion scene, accompanied by the Virgin and St. John at his feet.Bordering the crucifixion scene are the images of fourteen saints. The underside of the lid features descriptive yet somewhat primitive art depicting four scenes from the life of Jesus: the Annunciation, Nativity, Crucifixion, and Anastasis (or Descent into Limbo). Inside the box are five compartments arranged in the shape of a cross, where relics would be kept. The four sides of the box feature the fourteen saints found on the lid, and are also made of cloisonne enamel and the bottom of the box features a beautiful cross in gold. The other substance of interest is niello, which is a black metal mixture used for decorative purposes.It is truly a lost art, as niello is rarely used today due to technological advancements in goldsmithing replacing the ancient arts of engraving with tools and chisels (Prof. Dr. Erhard Brepohl, 2001). According to Dr. Brepohl, the making of niello involves melting and mixing silver, copper and lead, the use of borax and sulphur (which explains why niello is no longer popular, since its ingredients are highly toxic), After a rather tedious and noxious fume-producing procedure, the metal alloy is then quickly cooled so that it breaks into granules. The granules are then ground with a mortar and pestle and mixed with flux to create a paste.When struck with a hammer. The finished niello should be uniformly black and shatter like glass. The niello paste is applied into the recesses of the object to be decorated (in the case of this box reliquary it would be the etched lid), then fired and cleaned. One can only stand in awe of the meticulous care with which this little box and other reliquaries were made, with suc h precision and detail to last for centuries. In terms of how the Byzantine Empire gained these skills to become virtually unparalleled as extraordinary artisans, friendly exchanges with the West are the source.Through flourishing trade routes and the power of the Roman Empire, Byzantine religious art took on enormous proportions. According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, â€Å"From classical and ancient Christian art Byzantine genius derived a correct combination of the ideal with truth to nature, harmonious unity along with precision in details, as well as the fondness for mosaics, frescoes, and pictures on panels, in opposition to the dislike of non-Christian and sectarian Orientals to pictorial representation. † The rich symbolism depicts reverence and devotion completely absent in modern art.The reliquaries were made in anticipation of what would be kept within them and crafted with utmost skill and care. Although many were destroyed during the iconoclastic crisis, enough of them remain today to view in museums such as the Met, hopefully to inspire people that view them and understand the enormous skill and even danger that went into making and keeping them. Other reliquaries are simpler in nature and construction, such as the box reliquary of the Sancta Sanctorum Treasure, which measures 27. 7 X 18. 0 cm (approx. 10. 9 X 7. 1 inches).This box is bigger than the box reliquary described above, but is less ornate. It is constructed of wood and tempura and is red in color. Gold leaf adorns the five scenes depicted on the lid, which are of the Nativity, Baptism, Crucifixion, Women at the Tomb and the Ascension, read from the bottom left to upper right (Gary Vikan, 1982). Housed in the Vatican museum, this particular box contains stones collected in the sixth and seventh centuries in the Holy Land, along with bits of wood and cloth. This particular box is considered to be the rarest among the Sanctus Sanctorum Treasures (Cleveland Museum Of Art, 1998).Whe n contemplating how these relics survived the destruction during the above noted Iconoclasm we must also look to Europe during the 8th and 9th Centuries, where Christianity was taking hold. One interesting fact is that beginning in the year 787, all new Christian churches had to have a relic in order to be consecrated. Since Christianity was spreading at such a rapid rate in Europe, the Church provided relics and reliquaries from her collection (Richard Jones-Nerzic, 2002). Relics were considered to be pilgrims’ souvenirs and reliquaries were specifically crafted for the safekeeping of those relics.As reliquaries and relics began to spread to Europe, owning them became a symbol of status (Jones-Nerzic) because of their origins in Byzantium and the dangerous journey they made to get into the hands of the Europeans. Another form of Byzantine art was the carving of ivory reliefs, such as the Triptych Icon of Hodegetria, (Greek for â€Å"She who shows the way†) made in Con stantinople in the late 10th Century. This exquisite three-paneled piece shows wear due to veneration over time, and features the Virgin with the Christ Child as well as two unknown saints on the folding wings of the triptych.This triptych is 4-3/4 inches high and 9 inches in length (The Walters Art Museum, 2001). An outstanding and elaborate ivory triptych is housed at the Louvre; it is called the Harbaville Triptych after the last known owners and features the elegance and detail of the revival of icon use after the iconoclasm. This triptych is sunning, with the central panel depicting the Deesis (entreaty) of Christ enthroned on behalf of humanity (Louvre Museum, n. d. ). Flanking the Son Of Man is the Virgin Mary and St. John the Baptist.Beneath the center panel and on the wings are the apostles, martyrs and soldiers. This piece is considered to be one of the finest from the imperial workshop known as â€Å"Romanus† and combines several different techniques from the Orien t as well as classical antiquity and the Christian tradition. The reverse side of the central panel is embellished with a Latin cross featuring rosettes along with scenes from the Garden of Eden. Two cypress trees, one on either side of the cross represent Good and Evil, all under a starry background.The side panels depict saints with books or crosses. Traces of gold leaf can still be found on this triptych, and the Louve literature states that there are two other similar ivory triptychs, one being housed in the Vatican and the other at the Palace in Venice. All three are thought to have been carved around the same time, between the 9th and 11th centuries in Constantinople. One more example of these reliquaries is a cross reliquary featuring St. John Chrysostom, made in Constantinople around 920 – 930 (Dr. Rozmeri Basic, 2000-2005).Made of gilded wood and painted, the scenes of this lovely box depict St. John Chrysostom on the underside of the lid, with the Crucifixion on the top. The scene inside the box is decorated around a cavity for the box’s contents and features saints and angels in detail. Given the turbulent times and the rich history surrounding Byzantium and Europe during the medieval times, it is a wonder that pilgrims dared to cross into the Holy Land. But they did, driven by the desire to see and touch the very places and items associated with Jesus and the saints.Reliquaries were designed for this purpose, enabling pilgrims to bring back earth, bits of bone or cloth, anything that could be deemed something from a sacred place. Pilgrims often traveled in groups and were subject to robberies and even murder from roadside bandits and wild animals, including lions. Still, the faithful made their journeys and the reliquaries that made it back to their homelands were preserved and valued not only as pieces of art but also as items in contact with the Messiah’s surrounding. Some even were professed to have healing properties.Recrea ting these reliquaries in modern times would be considered labor-intensive and toxic; some of the ingredients used in the reliquaries certainly shortened more than one life span of an artist in the ancient days; still, reliquaries are being reproduced and copies are on the open market, still drawing an intrigue after more than a millennium. References Basic, Dr. Rozmeri. 2000 – 2005, â€Å"Early Christian and Byzantine Art. † University Of Oklahoma. |Online|, available at: http://www. ou. edu/class/ahi4263/byzhtml/p05-04. htmlBrepohl, Erhard Prof. Dr. 2001, â€Å"Nillo Work†, Brynmorgen Press. |Online|, available at: http://www. ganoksin. com/borisat/nenam/nillo-work-10-1. htm â€Å"Byzantine Art†, 2003, Online Catholic Encyclopedia, K. Knight. |Online|, available at: http://www. newadvent. org/cathen/03095a. htm â€Å"Cloisonne†, 2005, Chinese Moods. |Online|, available at: http://www. chinesemoods. com/cloisonne. html Crystal, Ellie. 1995  œ 2005, â€Å"The Byzantine Empire: The Roman Byzantine Period†, Crystal Links Encyclopedia. |Online|, available at: http://www. crystalinks.com/byzantine. html â€Å"Decorative Arts: Middle Ages: The Harbaville Triptych. † N. d. , The Louvre Museum. Online|, available at: http://www. louvre. fr/llv/oeuvres/detail_notice. jsp? CONTENT%3C%3Ecnt_id=10134198673226172&CURRENT_LLV_NOTICE%3C%3Ecnt_id=10134198673226172&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=9852723696500778&bmUID=1133157145797&bmLocale=en Jones-Nerzic, Richard. June 2002, â€Å"European Medieval Pilgrimage Project – Relics. † Virtual School History Department. |Online|, available at: http://194. 3. 120. 243/humanities/vs/pilgrims/relics. htmâ€Å"Reliquary of the True Cross (Staurotheke), late 8th–early 9th century Byzantine; Made in Constantinople†, 2005, Metropolitan Art Museum of New York. |Online|, available at: http://www. metmuseum. org/toah/ho/06/eusb/hod_17. 190. 715ab. htm â€Å"The first iconoclastic period: 730-787†, 2005, Wikipedia. |Online|, available at: http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Iconoclasm#The_first_iconoclastic_period:_730-787 â€Å"The Medieval World: Triptych Icon of Hodegetria with Saints. † 2001, The Walters Art Museum. |Online|, available at: http://www. thewalters.org/html/collec_object_detail. asp? ID=2&object_ID=71. 158 â€Å"Vatican Treasures. † 1998, Cleveland Museum Of Art, Past Exhibits. |Online|, available at: http://www. clevelandart. org/exhibit/vatican/ Vican, Gary. 1982, â€Å"Byzantine Pilgrimage Art. † Dumbarton Oaks, Trustees for Harvard University, Washington, D. C. |Online|, available at: http://www. doaks. org/PilgrimageArt. pdf Secondary Reference Treadgold, Helen. 1997, â€Å"History of the Byzantine State and Society†, Stanford University Press. Secondary resource contained within Wikipedia, cited above.

Financial Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Financial - Case Study Example It is noteworthy that family is though enjoying the current ease of payments but is piling up debt that will move beyond the capacity of the family in future. Major pressures will be piled up from regular home installment, investment unit’s huge payment that is also not offering redraw facility, credit card that is piling up with regularity. The dividends from the stocks that Ann inherited are already recognized as franked and so cannot be relied for payment of certain of such debt. One aspect that identifies the issues is the capital appreciation from stocks in three years is 2.2% only. This percentage appears worthless as it is multiple to the percentage payable on the investment unit. Also investments made by the family are not generating the notable income such as tenant income from investment unit is running in deficit of USD 134 after meeting expense of interest. Two children are still to gain the higher education, the price of which is constantly on rise due to economic pressures. This problem will be complimented with the fact that both bread earners of family are in their late forties; therefore, the woman will retire in middle term in future while man though has his own business but will reduce the capacity to visit same number of clients as he does today and so will earn less or no. Also fast paced technological changes will ultimately require men to hire workforce which will add cost to the business. Hence, the overall revenue and expense plan is not worth. Considering these factors the future of the family is gloomy and troublesome. It can be safely stated that the future of the family is at financial risk. Steps To Improve the Situation with Respective Rationales The reflection of future developed from the assessment of the case clearly requires that it is high of time for family to assess the contribution from each cost incurred and respective benefit derived from it in current point in time as well as for future. This long term planning r equires family to set the future goals. Goals to be set as suggested must meet following requirements: Each goal set must ensure that it results in meeting the financial benefit in the long terms. Goals must also enable family to align their current financial resources in a manner that are able to generate the productive results. With above two financial directions for setting goals and well as the case information, following goals must be set by the family: Readiness to re-allocation of the financial resources. Meeting and paying-off the debt burden without generating any additional debt. Enable the family to meet the educational expense of the children Enable the family to meet the meet medical requirement for father and Jack and Ann in future Enable the family to meet the fixed expenditure of the family safely once the family bread earners retire. The last goal of the family is to ensure the contribution in the family budget from every earning head. Once the family has determined what financial resource they require in the different points in time, then it shall focus itself in directing the financial resources accordingly. This will require the family to rebuild its budget. Following steps are suggested to the family for the reallocation of the budget: The family must retire the debts it has piled from two cars and a