Psychology on Everyday Life

Marco Polo And His Travels Through Asia Essays - Marco Polo

Marco Polo And His Travels Through Asia Essays - Marco Polo Marco Polo And His Travels Through Asia Marco Polo and His Travels through Asia The Question I am asking in my essay is, Why did Marco Polo go? I think his reason for exploring new lands is not because he had dreams of conquest, but because he was in fact trying to find a new trading market. Marco Polo was born in Venice, Italy in 1254. His father Niccolo was a prosperous merchant who imported luxury goods from Asia. When Marco was just six years old, his father sailed off to Istanbul(then called Constantinople) and didnt come back for nine years. Marcos mother died shortly after his 16th birthday, just before his father got back from his voyage. Two years later he set out again, this time taking his son. Marco Polo was just 17 years old when he left Venice for the first time in his life . He would nearly be 42 years of age when he saw it again. So the journey to Asia had begun. The first place the Polos reached was lesser Armenia where Marco had begun to observe new and different kinds of people. He was not always impressed. In former times its gentry were esteemed expert and brave soldiers but at the present day great drinkers. From Lesser Armenia, the Polos traveled to Anatolia in Eastern Turkey (then called Turkomania). Here Marco marveled at the horses, mules, handsome carpets and fine skills. Next came greater Armenia where Mount Arat towered nearly eighteen thousand feet into the heavens. At the top of this mountain, Marco knew, Noahs ark finally came to rest, but there was too much snow that covered the upper slopes so that no one could climb it and search for the ark. No one did climb it until 1829. Those explorers did not find the ark, but later explorers found evidence of fossilized wood. The next place the Polos voyage took them to was Zorzania (today part of Georgia). Marco became interested at a geyser grushing oil. He noticed that people used the oil to cure rashes and skin related problems, and also burned it for light. The European people had forgotten this method which their ancestors would be familiar with . In the city of Mosul, the Polos saw the finely woven cloth still called muslin today. The Nestorian Christians that lived there especially interested Marco. Although Marco wrote about the city of Baghdad, it is not yet certain that the Polos actually visited it. Still, Marco did hear many miraculous stories about the area and was eager to write about it . Next, the Polos arrived in Tabriz, the greatest pearl market in the world. They moved on quickly to Saba in Persia. Marco saw the tombs of the three wise men Casper, Melchior and Balthasar, who of course visited the baby Jesus. Marco had high Praise for Persia, including horses, donkeys, grain fruits, wild game, military equipment, beautiful embroidery done by women and young people, and turquoises(Turkish stone) . The next place the Polos visited was probably the biggest obstacle thus far. They entered a place in Persia overwhelmed with bandits known as Karaunas. Karaunas scoured the country and plunder everything in their reach . For safetys sake, the Polos joined up with a larger caravan to travel with through the region. However, the bandits still went after the large caravan and attacked it murdering many people and others were sold into slavery. Luckily, the Polos escaped without any harm and continued their long journey. The next part of their journey, the Polos decided to go to the Plateau of Iran and into the city of Hormuz on the Persian Gulf. None of the Polos particularly liked Hormuz. The summer air was poisonous. Marco says, sixty-five hundred soldiers were caught outside the city during a windstorm. Everyone of them suffocated. When the people of Hormuz tried to bury them, the corpses crumbled apart . Their journey then took them across a huge salt desert whose green water was too bitter and salty to drink. They then made it to a place called Tunocain. In my opinion, this place has the most beautiful women in the world said Marco. From Tunocain, the Polos went on to Sapurgan,

Euthyphro by Socrates Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Euthyphro by Socrates - Assignment Example According to â€Å"Eutyphro By Plato† (2011), Plato and Euthyphro start talking about piety when Euthyphro brings up the fact that he is prosecuting his father for the murder of a domestic servant who had, in a state of drunkenness, murdered a field worker (par. 33). Plato was mainly concerned about this because he was about to be indicted with impiety. According to â€Å"Eutyphro By Plato† (2011), Plato contended that he was being prosecuted by the state for having corrupted the youth (par. 10). The concept of holiness takes such precedence in this conversation because, at length, Socrates is trying to understand why Euthyphro is bringing a charge of murder against his own father—especially when nowadays, probably what Euthyphro’s father did would be considered manslaughter, but that’s beside the point. The real point is that Socrates draws out this singular question into a lengthy argument about the many and diverse opinions of the Gods—and how they would agree or disagree about certain matters depending upon their respective viewpoints. Why this is important is because we see that Socrates starts the conversation by trying to imply that it was wrong for Euthyphro to bring a charge against his father—when really he was trying to demonstrate an entirely different point to Euthyphro, which was that his logic was based more in opinion that in objectively made arguments and rational, logically-explained truths. III. Euthyphro’s Three Definitions and Socrates’s Three Refutations Euthyphro, at one point, says piety is doing what is right by prosecuting he who commits a wrong, whatever wrong it may be. Socrates then talks about levels of crime in terms of seriousness. One of the first times Socrates asks Euthyphro about what piety actually is, again, Euthyphro has a ready answer. According to â€Å"Euthyphro By Plato† (2011), â€Å"Piety†¦is that which is dear to the gods, and impiety is tha t which is not dear to them† (par. 57). Then they get into a whole discussion about whether the inverse arguments are true. By the third time Socrates asks Euthyphro’s definition about piety, Euthyphro basically gives up, to be brief. He states that he doesn’t really know how to describe what he means and that whatever understanding he had has left him. Mainly, it seems that what has happened here is that Socrates has ultimately stumped Euthyphro. Socrates’s logic was just too much for him to handle. That is why we see Euthyphro saying â€Å"Yes,† and â€Å"Certainly† so many times in the text. It’s almost certain that he is just agreeing so that Socrates will move on with his argument, almost childlike in the way that he tries to bait Euthyphro into trying to even dispute him. However, Socrates’s logic is unmatched, and these three times that Socrates refutes him just prove even moreso his brilliance and unabated sparkling wit. IV. Socrates’s Goal: How One Knows It, and The Way One Can Tell Socrates asks whether â€Å"the holy is beloved by the Gods because it is holy, or holy because it is the beloved of the Gods† (par. 110). When the question is put in reverse, Socrates basically argues both sides, that

Library Information studies- Research evaluation-Evaluation of sample Assignment

Library Information studies- Research evaluation-Evaluation of sample library questionnaire - Assignment Example re can not only effectively be used to gauge how to improve services and keep customers happy but it may also be used to provide powerful insights for the Library on how to keep their client base growing. Although there is no theoretical base for developing a good questionnaire, the success of any user survey can not be achieved without a properly well designed questionnaire. In this regard, the effectiveness of the survey questionnaires largely depends on how well they are designed, whether they have met the goals of the research, their appropriateness as well as their effectiveness in meeting the demands of the particular organization. This paper evaluates a user survey questionnaire that was designed used by Example Library during their user survey. The primary research goal of the user satisfaction survey used by the Example library is to collect data which will enable the library to evaluate how they would improve the quality of their Library services. With regard to the methods used, the researchers primarily used a set of customer satisfaction survey questionnaire that sought to determine the demographics, needs, interests as well as the expectations of their Library users. On the other hand, the expected outcome was that the user survey will be able to effectively measure the perceived customer satisfaction as well as their experience with the services and offerings of Example library. The appropriateness of questionnaire wording is critically important because it helps minimize bias in the results obtained from the respondents during the user survey. According to Grunlund (1993), poorly structured questions may lead respondents to answer the questions in a specific way. The questionnaire used by Example Library is appropriately worded and the authors have avoided the use of technical terms and jargons that may confuse the respondents. Similarly the researchers have effectively begun with a brief statement that was intended to explain the purpose of the

Exam 1 Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Exam 1 - Term Paper Example In order to establish the most applicable definition of justice, it is necessary to classify justice under ancient Greece philosophy by Plato, medieval Christianity philosophy by Augustine and Aquinas. In addition, early modern philosophies by Hume and Hobbes and recent modern philosophies by Mill and Kant are crucial. Justice ensures that all parties in various situations achieve what is rightfully theirs and present what they should give. Social issues include war, punishment, civil disobedience, equal opportunity, slavery, international relations and property rights. Plato defines justice as a virtue that establishes rational order1. The parties involved perform their appropriate roles while at the same time, not interfering with the functions of other parties. Aristotle contributes to this view by stating that justice is consistent and matches actions that are fair and lawful. He describes fairness as the equitable distribution of opportunities and correction of inequitable incidences. In Christian opinion, Augustine defines justice as a cardinal virtue that requires people to accord parties their due recognition. Aquinas’ definition of justice presents a rational result arising from proportional distribution of opportunities and rights that balances with reciprocal transactions2. The modern perception of justice seems to vary from the mentioned definitions. According to Hobbes, justice is only an artificial asset required by the civil society that stems from an agreement between differing social implications3. Hume seconds this by stating that justice protects the society by ultimately protecting properties. Kant, whose opinion is among the most recent definitions of justice, states that justice is achieved by respecting other people’s autonomy, freedom and dignity4. In this view, a just individual does not interfere with other people’s actions for as long as

Comparison of Poems by William Blake and Christina Rossetti

Comparison of Poems by William Blake and Christina Rossetti Compare and contrast William blakesâ€Å"the marriage between heaven and hell†, â€Å"The Garden of Love†, and Christina Rosettisâ€Å"promises like crust†. The Marriage of Heaven and Hell is among the prophetic books of William Blake. These have been written by imitating biblical books of prophecy however they express the personal romantic and revolutionary beliefs of the poet. This book describes the visit of the poet to hell, a device that had been adopted from Paradise Lost of Milton and Dantes Divine Comedy by Blake. However as compared to Milton or Dante, the conception of Hell of Blake does not start as a place of punishment. Instead it is a source of unrepressed energy, as compared to the regulated and authoritarian perception of heaven. The purpose of Blake is to create, what he mentions as a memorable fancy so that the repressive nature of conventional morality as well as the institutional religion can be revealed. In this regard, Blake writes that, the ancient Poets animated all sensible objects with Gods or Geniuses, calling them by the names and adorning them with the properties of woods, rivers, mountains, lakes, cities, na tions and whatever their enlarged and numerous senses could perceive. And particularly they studied the genius of the city and country, placing it under its mental deity† (Kaplan,2000). In this way, the theory of contraries propounded by Blake was not his belief in opposites but instead it was the belief according to which the contrary nature of God is reflected by each person. It was also believed that moderation in life cannot be achieved without contraries. In the same way, Blake also explored the contrary nature of energy and reason. In this regard, he believed that there are two types of persons, the rational organizers and the energetic creators of what he calls as the angels and devils in The Marriage of Heaven and Hell. In this way, Blake believes that both these types of people are necessary for life. This text of Blake has been interpreted in several different ways. â€Å"The Garden of Love† is a romantic poem written by William Blake. The poem has been written with a view to express the belief of Blake regarding the neutrality of sexuality and also the way in which they organized religion, especially Orthodox Christian Church during the times of Blake, have resulted in repressing the natural desires of human beings with their rules and preaching. At this point, it needs to be noted that for those times, it was really a great statement to be made (Griffin, 1994). The reason was that by advocating the natural desires of human beings, Blake had made a direct attack on the orthodox Anglican Church. He had even mentioned priests and Chapel. The indignation of Blake can also be seen in the second line when he talks about seeing â€Å"what I had never seen†. Therefore it is interesting to note that Blake claims to have never seen it when he had literally spent all his life knowing the attitude of the church towards sexuality. Perhaps it means that Blake was speaking from the point of view of innocence that has only entered the world of experience and as a result, suffers a shock to see that the freedoms enjoyed by it in the past have been curtailed by the Church (Cronin, 2000). In the same way, a clear dislike can also be seen in the point regarding the changes that have taken place in the Garden of Love. At this point, Blake is referring to the church and also expressing its dislike. In these lines, there is a clear critique of the church and also the practices of the Church related with religious beliefs. Moreover, the poet has also made an accusation that the Church is not allowing them to be happy and instead it is putting pressure on the lyrical. Seen in the context of realities present in the 18th century England, in view of the practices and doctrines that have been adopted by the Church of England, these lines also express the feelings of the persons who did not follow the Church of England at the time and also did not agree with the interpretation of the Bible by the Church. In this way, although the poem is provocative but at the same time, it also reflects comedies some of the realities present in the 18th century (Bentley, Jr., 2004). In this way, it has been expressed in the point that while walking in the ‘Garden of Love’ a lot of changes have been made in the garden. While earlier, there were flowers in the garden but all that has changed and instead there is a Chapel in the garden. Moreover, it is also seen that now the Garden of Love has tombstones, graves and priests. As a result, these changes have resulted in fading the beauty of the ‘Garden of Love’. As a result, the feelings of anger and dismay have been expressed in the point regarding the changes that have been made in the Garden of Love. The author is dismayed because as a result of these changes, the desires and wishes will not be fulfilled. As a result, the priests and the Chapel are considered as being responsible for the unfulfilled desires (Griffin, 1994). On the other hand, in case of â€Å"Promises like Piecrust† the focus is mainly on the fact that in reality, it is easy to break promises, perhaps they are so flaky that they have been compared to a pie crust. However, an attempt has not been made by Rossetti to emphasize that it is a negative thing but on the other hand, according to her, she accepts it as a fact of life which cannot be escaped however, it does change the quality of relationships that a person has with others. In this poem, the focus is on to friends or lovers who do not make any promises to each other so that they may be â€Å"free to come as free to go†. It would have been very illegal for a woman to suggest this notion during the Victorian era. However it appears that Rossetti believes that one of the main reasons behind the tension in most of the relationships is that there are too many unrealistic ideas and constraints present in a relationship. These relationships have been called by Rossetti as Promises like Piecrust and these are the relationships in which no promises regarding future commitments are made and in the same way, the past lovers are not discussed (Kaplan, 2000). As a result, in this type of relationships, the possibility that any partner may be hurt as a result of broken comments is completely eliminated in such a case. Similarly, the partners are not worried that a promise may be broken by the other partner. In this way, the poem suggests that promises are like unrealistic constraints. Essentially, restrictive barriers are imposed by these promises regarding dedication and commitment due to the reason that such promises can be broken easily and at the same time, not only these promises resulting obligation and pressure of the partners, they also have to make significant efforts for keeping such promises (Packer, 1963). This view regarding love has been explored by Christina Rossetti in this poem which is related with the negative perspective that the poet has towards the promises made by lovers. She believes that promises can be broken easily, and at the same time they do not provide liberty to the partners in a relationship and similarly, promises also blind towards the future (Hassett,2005). In this regard, the speaker had denied promises as a result of the distrust she has in promises. Rossetti had also shown are general belief in the beginning of the poem according to which, the meta phor of a pie crust has been used to describe the promises made by lovers. As is the case with pie crusts, which can be broken easily, the poet illustrate the promises made by lovers in a relationship can also be broken easily (Fairchild, 1939). As a result, the poet states that promises are like pie crust and it had been used by hard to describe her belief that promises can be broken easily. Generally, in almost all cases, pie crust is the part of the pie that can be broken off easily and it is made in such a way so that it may be broken for protecting the more important ingredients of the pie (Harrison, 2004). In this way, Rossetti had used the metaphor of pie crust for referring to the promises made by lovers in a relationship because according to him, promises cannot stand forever. She believes that at one point or the other, a promise made by lovers will lose its validity. In this way, in the opinion of the poet, a never-ending validity of a promise cannot be guaranteed by the type of promise as is the case with a pie crust that breaks regardless of th e kind of pie. Therefore, the short durability of the promises made by lovers has been illustrated by Rossette with the use of pie crust as both tend to break easily and also to show the fact that the promises made by lovers cannot be considered as trustworthy. Therefore in the end, a comparison of The Marriage of Heaven and Hell, The Garden of Love and the poem Promises like Pie Crust reveals that different issues related with love have been raised by the authors in these works. While Blake has discussed that moderation in life cannot be achieved without contraries. Therefore the devils and angels mentioned by him are in fact two types of people, one are the energetic creators and the others are the rationale organizers. On the other hand, in The Garden of Love, William Blake has discussed the restrictions that have been imposed by the Orthodox Church on Love. He believes that too many restrictions have been imposed by the Church and at the same time, the conditions in the Garden of Love have been changed by it. In her poem, Promises like Pie Crust, Rossette had discussed the fragile nature of promises that are made by the lovers in a relationship. As promises can be broken easily and they do not have a long validity, Rossetti believes tha t persons who are in a relationship should not be bound by promises. However a perusal of all these the works reveal that when it comes to love, all these three works have presented very radical ideas for their time. References Antony H. Harrison (2004) The Letters of Christina Rossetti Volume 4, 1887–1894 University of Virginia Press Bentley, Jr, G. E.2004, Blake Records. Second edition. New Haven and London: YaleUniversity Press Cronin, Richard. 2000, The Politics of Romantic Poetry: In Search of the Pure Commonwealth.London: Macmillan, Fairchild, Hoxie Neale (1939) Religious trends in English poetry, Volume 4 Columbia university press Griffin, Dustin H.1994, Satire: A Critical Introduction. Lexington: University of Kentucky Press Hassett, Constance W. (2005) Christina Rossetti: the patience of style University of Virginia Press p15 Kaplan, Carter. 2000, Critical Synoptics: Menippean Satire and the Analysis of IntellectualMythology. Madison, NJ: Fairleigh Dickinson Press Packer, LonaMosk (1963) Christina Rossetti University of California Press pp13-17

Essay --

The Compson family has three sons; Benjamin (Benjy), Quentin, and Jason, along with a daughter, Candace (Caddy). Benjy is the youngest son of the family and is mentally disabled, Quentin is the oldest son of the family and is the only child of the family who is trying to find some meaning of life, and Jason is the son who can care less about love and family. Caddy on the other hand, is the most important character in the novel, whose views are shown less, and others views on her are shown alot more, being a big part of the novel. Their parents Mr. and Mrs. Compson do not show much love for their children. The only child Mrs. Compson shows some love for is Jason, who perhaps doesn’t care about her love and is actually the worst of the children. William Faulkner dedicates the first three sections of the novel to the three sons of the Compson family, and saves the last one for himself. Even though Caddy is the most important character in the novel, Faulkner does not have a whol e section on her, instead every section reflects on her life. Benjy is a speechless â€Å"idiot†, who can’t really do anything to get things straight, yet he can sense when something good or bad is happening. When anything bad happens, all Benjy does is moan and cry. Benjy remembers all the bad things that happened to him. Benjy wanted his mother to love him and always be there for him, yet she didn’t care much about him and never really loved him, which is why at a young age, Caddy took care of Benjy. Benjy loved Caddy very much and saw her as the only pure, loveable person. When Caddy loss her virginity, it really bothered Benjy and all he could do was mourn and cry. Earlier in the novel, when Caddy was a young girl and had a muddy underwear, it foreshadowed ... ...use he was planning on committing suicide. Quentin just wanted Caddy to be protected and for her to stay away from other men. Like Benjy, Quentin never had his mother’s love. This is why they both see Caddy as a mother figure. Quentin wanted his mother to always be with him, yet she was never there for him. Quentin said in the novel, on page 172; â€Å"If I’d just had a mother so I could say mother, mother†. Quentin really wished he had his mother’s love. Mrs. Compson didn’t care much about her other children as much as she did for her son Jason. Mrs. Compson only showed her love for Jason, even though Jason is perhaps the worst of the children. Mrs. Compson only trusted Jason out of all four of her children. Jason took advantage of his mother and stole large amounts of money from his mother. Jason doesn’t really care about anyone, but himself. Jason hates all women

Differences in Religion During the Era of Slavery

In Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, Douglass writes about his experiences being a slave. Intermixed in these experiences are two distinct factions: the religion of the master, and the religion of the slave. The slave masters and their families were often seen at church on Sunday, and then seen beating and mistreating their slaves on Monday. The slaves often professed to be Christians, but that did not stop them from stealing, lying, and scheming against their owners. Religion played a mighty part in the struggles between the slave and his owner, and this paper hopes to show the extent of those struggles through Douglass’ eyes.Most of the slaves brought from Africa had pagan beliefs that they kept alive despite the fact they were no longer in their own country. While some slaves were taught of Christianity by their owners and owners wives, many still held to the beliefs that they had learned as children. Douglass was one of the group that was taught Christianity, bu t that did not always stop him from leaning on some of the old pagan practices that the other slaves followed. For example, a fellow slave, Sandy Jenkins, had a root that he swore would keep a slave from being whipped by their master (Douglass, 53).The root had to be carried only on the right side of the body, and it would give protection to the person who carried it for as long as it was carried (Douglass, 53). Douglass had a need for a trinket like this when he ran away from his master, Mr. Covey. Covey had severely beaten Douglass, and Douglass had managed to get to an old master’s house in hopes of help (Douglass, 52). When he did not receive any, he hid in the woods for a while (Douglass, 53). He was facing either a beating from Covey or starvation in the woods when Jenkins came upon him (Douglass, 53).Jenkins’ free wife had a home of her own, so he took Douglass there and gave him the root (Douglass, 53) . Sure enough, when Douglass went home, Mr. Covey did not o ffer to beat him (Douglass, 53). In fact, the next day Douglass had an altercation with Covey and Hughes, his helper (Douglass, 54). Douglass beat both of them so badly that they â€Å"never wanted to lay hold of him again† (Douglass, 54). They never did, either. Douglass relates that he spent four more years as a slave, and he was never beaten again (Douglass, 54).Now, the question might be, did the root really have any effect on Douglass’s safety? If it did, how could Douglass profess to be a Christian, and still believe that a root of some kind was going to keep him safe? There are two answers to those questions, both provided by Douglass. Douglass expressed his doubts to Jenkins about the root from the very mention of it (Douglass, 53). The only reason that he took it was because Jenkins convinced him that while it might not help matters, it certainly could not hurt them (Douglass, 53).It appears as though Jenkins was right, but one has to think about the day that Douglass came home, Sunday (Douglass, 53). Mr. Covey also professed to be a Christian, and while beating a slave for everyone to see might be acceptable on other days, it was simply not done on Sunday (Douglass, 53). Proof of this fact can be derived by Covey’s actions on Monday. He came to Douglass and attempted to tie him up for a beating, but Douglass bested him (Douglass, 53). Although the root seemed to help on Sunday, it was not going to help on Monday, except for one thing.The root evidently gave Douglass the courage that he needed to be able to fight Covey and Hughes. One could argue that the root did have some saving power, but it seems much more likely that having that talisman made Douglass believe that he could fight. There really was no reason why he could not. He was more than capable of fighting a middle aged man. If nothing else, the root made him brave. What Douglass truly thought about the root came out a few years later when Douglass found himself working f or the same slave owner as Sandy Jenkins (Douglass, 59).While not in the dialogue itself, Douglass made a footnote that expressed his real feelings. He noted that while Jenkins was totally convinced that Douglass overcame Covey with the help of the root, Douglass held that idea up as a simple superstition common to â€Å"ignorant† slaves (Douglass, 59). So, perhaps there never really was an issue between Douglass choosing to be a Christian while carrying a pagan object. We know, though, the root must have helped at least a little bit. Did Douglass believe in it the moment he stood up to Covey? We will never know.However, this whole episode is representative of what a lot of slaves encountered. They became Christian by choice or by force, but there were always the old pagan beliefs in the back of their mind, the beliefs that they had carried from their home. No wonder, then, that black Christianity was so markedly different than white Christianity. In Douglass’s life st ory, he made it clearly known that he advocated slaves doing what they had to do to survive on the plantations and farms of their owners (Douglass, 81). However, some of these things went against the most basic teachings of Christianity.Slaves were often forced to steal, lie, and carry out all types of schemes to stay alive, fed, and unbeaten. Certainly, no one would claim that all slaves were Christians. The story of the root, as explained above, should be clear proof of that. Not all slave owners were Christians, so there would be no need to expect that they would teach, or force, their slaves to believe what they did not. However, this question is more about Douglass himself than any other slave. How could he condone the unscrupulous actions of any slave, and still be a Christian himself?The answer is fairly simple. Douglass made a distinction in types of Christianity. He saw the Christianity practiced in the â€Å"slaveholding† portion of the United States as a corruption of the â€Å"Christianity of Christ† (Douglass, 81). He went so far as to say that â€Å"to be a friend of the one, is of necessity to be the enemy of the other† (Douglass, 81). From this comment, we can see that Douglass did not have problems with what slaves had to do to stay alive or escape because he could not in good faith recognize the Christianity of his captors as true Christianity.In truth, why would he have any reason to do so? Douglass related many experiences in his life that had been touched by the slave holders brand of Christianity. He endeavored to start a Sunday School for his fellow slaves, and it was broken up by the â€Å"Christian† slave owners because the slaves were learning to read and write (Douglass, 59). His grandmother was sent off to live and die by herself when she was old and of no use to her owner, and all because her former owner, a â€Å"Christian,† had not bothered to release her upon his death (Douglass, 39-41).He saw women beaten unmercifully, and felt the scars and sores left by the repeated abuse (Douglass, 33). He was separated from his own mother as a small child, and allowed to see her only four or five times in his life, and then only at night because her owner would not give her a pass to be late to the fields (Douglass, 13-14). After everything he went through, how could he not consider the Christianity of most of the white men he encountered to be a false, ugly thing?Simply put, Douglass could advocate the non-Christian behavior of the slaves because they were working against a great evil, in his opinion. The battle was not between two groups that believed the same way. It was between two groups that were at desperate odds with each other. Neither one had any respect or kind thoughts for each other, so it might as well have been two completely different religions instead of one. Douglass could see that difference, so he could not be bothered to chide his fellow man for disobeying their masters.In his mind, it was the right thing to do. Douglass mentions in his narrative that he considered being a slave to a religious owner one of the worst things that could ever happen to him (Douglass, 57). It has been fully discussed why Douglass did not see slave owners as having the same type of Christianity he did, but in some instances, such as when he left Mr. Covey and went to work for Mr. Freeland, he claimed that slave owners who were not religious were far and above the best kind to work for (Douglass, 57).We may ask the question, why were religious slave owners so much worse than non-religious ones? To help us understand this situation, Douglass gives several examples of the atrocities committed by â€Å"religious† owners, and the reasons given for their abhorrent behavior. A Reverend Daniel Weeden and Reverend Rigby Hopkins, both Methodist preachers, lived near Douglass while he worked for Mr. Freeland (Douglass, 57). Rev. Weeden beat his slaves unmercifully. D ouglass recalled seeing a woman who was beaten so badly and so often that her back was raw for weeks on end (Douglass, 57).Weeden’s motto was â€Å"behave well or behave ill, it is the duty of a master to occasionally whip a slave, to remind him of his master’s authority† (Douglass, 57). Douglass deemed people of this type to be â€Å"cruel and cowardly† (Douglass, 57). Perhaps they were cruel by nature, and cowardly because they hid behind their religion and used it to excuse what they did to innocent people. The Rev. Hopkins would â€Å"whip slaves in advance of deserving it† (Douglass, 58). The smallest things, such as â€Å"a look of dissatisfaction,† would mean that a slave â€Å"had the Devil in him, and it must be whipped out† (Douglass, 58).Beatings were given for equipment malfunctions, such as a plow breaking, not taking off a hat in the presence of a white person, and even suggesting an easier way of doing a task (Douglass, 58). All this was supposed to mean that the slave was getting â€Å"high minded† and deserved punishment (Douglass, 58). Despite the cruel actions of this man, Douglass noted that there was no one â€Å"who made higher professions of religion, or was more active in revivals†¦ or prayed earlier, faster, and longer than this reverend slave driver, Rigby Hopkins† (Douglass, 58). On the other hand, Mr.Freeland did not consider himself to be religious (Douglass, 57). He gave his slaves and hired men plenty to eat, plenty of time in which to eat it, good tools to work with, and made sure that there were enough people to work his land (Douglass, 58). It is not mentioned one time that he beat his slaves. What could all this mean? One would naturally think that Christian people would be kinder to their slaves than non-Christians, but this was evidently not the case. One reason this could be is that the Christian slave owners were trying, as said before, to â€Å"beat the Devil† out of their slaves (Douglass, 58).As per the discussion of the â€Å"root† earlier, it is no surprise that most slaves were members of some pagan, tribal religion. Some denominations felt that it was better to expose their slaves to God instead of removing their suffering in this world (Thevarajah,1). Some owners thought that Christian slaves might be better than pagan slaves, presumably because they would be more obedient and better behaved (Thevarajah, 1). As we know from Douglass, this was not often the case. We can know for certain that the cruelty exuded by Christians on their slaves was not unique to Douglass’s situation.In fact, it was quite common. Looking at another recollection of servitude, this time from a female perspective, Our Nig; Or Sketches From the Life of a Free Black, by Harriet Wilson, expresses the same ideas of suffering under the hand of a Christian family. In Chapter Eight of this touching book, the main character, known mostly as â€Å"Nig,† gets a chance to go out to church meetings and embraces Christianity. However, all the woman she works for can worry about is that â€Å"Nig† will wish to go to church and to meetings on Sunday, making her unavailable for work (Wilson, Chapter 8).When the woman is questioned about her attitude, since she is a Christian herself and goes to church, she states, â€Å"Who ever thought of having a nigger go, except to drive others there? † (Wilson, Chapter 8). Here, perhaps, we find the truth of the matter. Some Christians believed that it was acceptable to make their slaves into Christians, but these Christians would always be inferior, and perhaps more prone to punishment because of the high standards their owners held them up to. Perhaps it is not so much a question of cruelty, but one of ignorance.In a sickeningly perverted way, perhaps some of the brutal slave owners felt that they were doing the right thing by beating their slaves â€Å"straight . † Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass is a book that really opens ones eyes to the warping of religious ideas in the light of the era of slavery. There were pagan rituals going on side by side with church services, and Christians who thought it best to be cruel in order to transfer their belief system to the people that they owned.As Douglass noted, there were two kinds of Christianity in the world at that time, they Christianity of slavery and the â€Å"Christianity of Christ. † Hopefully some of those who suffered under cruel masters in the name of salvation were later able to find the true way for themselves. Unfortunately, there are many who never survived to make their own decisions. This is the shame of the slavery era, especially for those who died in the process of their â€Å"salvation. †

Free Essays on Aztec History

Since the Aztec city of Tenochtitlan had not many building materials like wood or stone, the Aztecs conquered other people and obtained prisoners to sacrifice as part of their religion. An Aztec soldier was not more popular if he killed many enemies in battle but if he captured prisoners. The Aztecs believed strongly in their religion and that was their goal in life. They prayed to more than 1’600 different gods, each having different roles for the world. The Aztecs believed that the gods were always watching over the earth and controlled the environment and life; like disease, crop growth the rain and the sun, they strongly believed in keeping the gods in their favour so they made sacrificial rituals. Idols of these many gods were worshipped at home in shrines as well as huge ceremonies being performed on huge stone pyramids. These ancient rituals included singing, dancing, drama and feasts as well as the offerings to the gods. The Aztecs thought that the gods had given the ir own blood to make life on earth, so the people believed that for help and protection they offered human blood and hearts. (Picture above right: Symbols of Mexico) www.pbs.org†¦venture1/pop-eaglesign.htm and picture above left www.fix.net/~cruz/mexico.html) The captives would be taken to the top of the highest pyramids and priest wearing bright coloured feather capes would stretch the prisoner’s body on a stone platform and cut his heart out with a flint knife; offering the still beating heart to the gods and the corpses would be thrown off the pyramid. The arms and legs of the victim would be given to the captor as a reward and their skulls would be posted on stakes. Above is the symbol of Mexico. While the ancient Aztecs were still nomads and living in swampy areas the priests received a vision from the gods. In this vision, the Aztec god, Huitzilopochtli, told them to look for a place to settle where they saw an eagle perched on a cactus, eatin... Free Essays on Aztec History Free Essays on Aztec History Since the Aztec city of Tenochtitlan had not many building materials like wood or stone, the Aztecs conquered other people and obtained prisoners to sacrifice as part of their religion. An Aztec soldier was not more popular if he killed many enemies in battle but if he captured prisoners. The Aztecs believed strongly in their religion and that was their goal in life. They prayed to more than 1’600 different gods, each having different roles for the world. The Aztecs believed that the gods were always watching over the earth and controlled the environment and life; like disease, crop growth the rain and the sun, they strongly believed in keeping the gods in their favour so they made sacrificial rituals. Idols of these many gods were worshipped at home in shrines as well as huge ceremonies being performed on huge stone pyramids. These ancient rituals included singing, dancing, drama and feasts as well as the offerings to the gods. The Aztecs thought that the gods had given the ir own blood to make life on earth, so the people believed that for help and protection they offered human blood and hearts. (Picture above right: Symbols of Mexico) www.pbs.org†¦venture1/pop-eaglesign.htm and picture above left www.fix.net/~cruz/mexico.html) The captives would be taken to the top of the highest pyramids and priest wearing bright coloured feather capes would stretch the prisoner’s body on a stone platform and cut his heart out with a flint knife; offering the still beating heart to the gods and the corpses would be thrown off the pyramid. The arms and legs of the victim would be given to the captor as a reward and their skulls would be posted on stakes. Above is the symbol of Mexico. While the ancient Aztecs were still nomads and living in swampy areas the priests received a vision from the gods. In this vision, the Aztec god, Huitzilopochtli, told them to look for a place to settle where they saw an eagle perched on a cactus, eatin...

The High School Math Courses You Should Take

The High School Math Courses You Should Take SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Choosing which math classes to study can be one of the most challenging parts of planning your high school schedule. High schools offer numerous math classes, often at varying degrees of difficulty, and it can be difficult to know which math classes will be the best for you and your future. Read this guide to learn about standard high school math curriculum, AP and IB math courses, which math classes colleges expect you to have taken, and ways to exceed those expectations. Standard High School Math Curriculum Most high schools require students to take three years of math in order to graduate and recommend taking four years. These requirements often also include completing an algebra class and a geometry class. Forty-five stateshave agreed to follow Common Core standards for math, which aim to create a more standardized math curriculum across the country. The Common Core standards state that six content categories should be covered in high school math classes: Algebra Functions Modeling Geometry Statistics Probability However, these standards are very broad and don't specify which math concepts should be taught at which grade, so there is still a lot of differentiation amongschools and amongstates. For high school math,there is not a specific course you should be taking as a freshman, sophomore etc. Instead, there is a series of courses, and each student begins with the math class best suited for him/her, based on testing and prior math knowledge. The typical order of math classes in high school is: Algebra 1 Geometry Algebra 2/Trigonometry Pre-Calculus Calculus However, this order is definitely not set in stone.Some schools teach algebra 1 and 2 back-to-back then move on to geometry, some schools include trigonometry with geometry or pre-calculus instead of algebra 2, and some students take pre-algebra or a similar course if they need to strengthen their math skills before taking algebra 1. However, most high schools follow a course order similar to the one above for their math classes. The math class you take freshman year will be chosen based on your previous math classes and any placement tests you may have taken before starting high school. So, if you already took algebra 1 in 8th grade, you may be able to start with geometry as a freshman and continue down the list from there. Also, not every high school student takes pre-calculus or calculus. What Will You Learn in Your High School Math Classes? While curriculum can vary depending on your teacher, the textbook you use, and the level of your math class, most math classes cover the same main topics. The topics listed below serve as a guideline for the key subjects taught in each math class. Algebra 1:Real numbers; solving, writing, and graphing linear equations; quadratic equations and functions; polynomials Geometry:Plane and solid geometry including constructions, formulas for measurement, and formal proofs Algebra 2:Continuation of the concepts taught in algebra 1, including a more in-depth study of graphing and solving equations, inequalities, and functions Trigonometry:Applies algebra and geometry skills to circular and periodic functions. NOTE: Trigonometry is usually not its own class, but isoften taught during algebra 2, geometry, or pre-calculus Pre-Calculus:Series and sequences, probability, statistics, limits, and derivatives Calculus:Continuation of the concepts taught in pre-calculus, with an emphasis on integration and differentiation You'll be seeing a lot of these images if you study calculus Which Math Classes Will Colleges Expect You to Have Taken? Like high schools, most colleges require applicants to have completed three years of math and recommend four years. Selective colleges often require four years of math, and some schools may also require the completion of particular math classes like algebra 2, geometry, or pre-calculus. For students planning on majoring in humanities, the social sciences, or a similar field, the math classes you took in high school will not be as important to colleges because they'll be looking more at the classes that relate to your intended major. This means you don't have to take the most challenging math classes your high school offers, although colleges want fundamentally talented and well-rounded people, so you should still aim to do well in the math classes you do take in order to maintain a solid GPA. If you plan on majoring in a STEM field (science, technology, engineering, or math), expectations will be higher because math skills will be more critical to your college courses and future career. Most collegeswill require you to have taken four years of math in high school, sometimes including pre-calculus and calculus.You'll be competing for college offers with many other smart STEM people, so you'll want to help yourself stand out by taking rigorous math classes that are offered at a high level. Regardless of what you plan to study in college, it is highly recommended that all high school students complete four years of math because many colleges expect it, even if they don't require it, and it will help you stay prepared for any math classes you may have to take in college. Read on to learn ways to go above and beyond these expectations from colleges. Want to build the best possible college application? We can help. PrepScholar Admissions is the world's best admissions consulting service. We combine world-class admissions counselors with our data-driven, proprietary admissions strategies. We've overseen thousands of students get into their top choice schools, from state colleges to the Ivy League. We know what kinds of students colleges want to admit. We want to get you admitted to your dream schools. Learn more about PrepScholar Admissions to maximize your chance of getting in. Everyone should take four years of math in high school How Can You Exceed Expectations? Becausehigh schools offer many math classes at varying levels of depth, speed, and difficulty, the math classes you take and the grades you receive in them will be looked at closely by colleges to help determine your academic ability and how good a fit you would be at the school. If you are not majoring in a STEM field, you do not need to worry as much about exceeding expectations in your math classes; you can focus the majority of your time and energy on classes more closely related to the subject you plan to major in. It's usually enough to take four years of math and get good grades in those classes. If you have the time and ability to take honors or AP math classes, that's great, but it shouldn't come at the expense of your grades for classes more closely related to your major. For students planning to major in a STEM field, you will also want to take four years of math, but you will want to push yourself by taking advanced math classes, studying those classes at honors or AP level if offered by your school, and getting high grades in your math classes. Below are several examples of advanced math classes that will help show a college that you have strong math skills. AP Math Classes There are three AP math classes available: two calculus classes and a statistics class. AP Calculus AB and AP Calculus BC Many students who plan on majoring in a STEM field or who are confident with their math skills take an AP Calculus course. The material that these two classes cover is very similar, but Calculus BC is seen as more difficult because it moves at a faster pace and covers some additional topics such aspolynomial approximations and series, series of constants, and Taylor series. However, both are challenging AP classes, and taking either class is one of the best ways to prove your strong math skills. A solid knowledge of calculus is also required for many STEM careers. AP Statistics This AP course coversexploring data, sampling and experimentation, anticipating patterns, and statistical inference. Statisticsis one of the most widely used math subjects, and many career fields require a background in it. AP Statistics is often seen as not quite as rigorous as an AP Calculus course, but it is still a strong course to have on your transcript. This course is a good option for students who want to take an AP math class but either don't feel ready for calculus or would rather take it in college, or for those who feel statistics will be more useful than calculus for their future career. You can check degree requirements at different colleges for majors you are considering to see which math courses different majors require and to determine whether AP Statistics or AP Calculus would be more useful for you. While it can vary between students, in general, students not planning to major in a STEM field can take either AP Statistics or an AP Calculus course if they choose to take an AP math class. Students who are planning to study a STEM subject should take an AP Calculus course because they will almost certainly need to know calculus for their future classes. They may also consider taking both AP Calculus and AP Statistics if they have room in their schedule. Feeling Lucky? AP Statistics may be the course for you. IB Math Classes In order to obtain the International Baccalaureatediploma, studentsmust take at least one course from each of the six IB subject categories. Math is one of those categories and has four IB options. IB courses are offered at standard level (SL) and high level (HL). The four math classes, from least challenging to most challenging are: Mathematical studies SL Mathematics SL Mathematics HL Further mathematics HL These fourcourses basically cover the same topics, but at different speeds and with different degrees of difficulty. Accordingto the IB website, in these courses students will develop their mathematical knowledge, along with logic and critical thinking skills. The main topics they cover includealgebra, functions and equations, trigonometry, vectors, statistics and probability, and calculus. Similar to AP classes, students majoring in STEM fields should pursue a high level IB math class. More Options for Math Classes If you want to take a specific math class or simply love math and want to take more math classes, there are several options for you. These include both advanced and non-advanced math classes, so they are a possibility for high school students planning to major in any field. Electives Statistics is one of the most common math electives, and it is useful for many career fields. You can take statistics at the AP level (see the above section) or regular level. Other math electives includecomputer math, math literacy, and math applications. These electives often focus on computer skills or practical applications of math. Community College Classes Ifyour school doesn’t offer a specific AP math class or elective, you may be able to take a similar course at a local community college. This is an especially good option for higher-level math classes thatmost high schools don't offer, such as multivariable calculus, abstract algebra, and proof-based math. Because most high school students don't take these classes, completing one can really strengthen your transcript and show colleges you are prepared for future STEM classes. If you're interested in this option, talkto your guidance counselor about how to enroll in one of these courses. It’s becoming more and more common for high school studentsto take community college classes, so the process may not be as difficult as you might think. Do you love math like Isaac Newton did? Consider taking math classes at a community college. Summary Even though most high schools and colleges only require taking three years of math, it is best to complete four years, regardless of what you plan to study in the future, because many colleges expect it, and it will help prepare you for future college classes. The math class you take your freshman year of high school depends on your previous math experience and grades from middle school. You will most likely be required to take a year of geometry and at least one year of algebra while in high school. For students planning on majoring in the humanities or social sciences, meeting the above requirements and getting strong grades in your math classes is sufficient because you should spend the majority of your time on classes more closely related to your future major. If you are planning to major in a STEM field, you need to devote more time and energy to your math classes, so you should take more challenging classes, such as pre-calculus and calculus, and take those classes at an advanced level, if possible. What's Next? Wondering whether you should take AB or BC Calculus? Our guide lays out the differences between the two classesand explains who should take each course. Interested in math competitions like the International Math Olympiad? See our guide for passing the qualifying tests. Not sure which science classes you should take either?Check out our complete guide to the science classes you should take in high school. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

An analysis on the US-UK relationship through the 20th century Essay

An analysis on the US-UK relationship through the 20th century - Essay Example The award also significantly reiterated the special relationship between the UK and the United States that has been commenced earlier in the century when both fought together as allies in World War II. While the US-UK relationship seemed to gather different views from political scientists and analysts regarding its extent as to whether it is based on friendship or simply for being allies, it is herein argued that the US- UK relationship is based on the two country's special alliance, which continues to exist because of mutual benefits and advantages, and which can be dismantled should these benefits and advantages cease to exist. This view is supported by contentions based on an analysis of the US- UK relationship through the 20th century with consideration on the history of the Anglo- American relationship, the factors that joined and continues to bind the The link between Great Britain and the United States as two separate and distinct nations originally started as a hostile relationship, such as has been commenced in the American Revolutionary War where the United States originally struggled against the political and economic policies of Great Britain as the thirteen British colonies. The years that followed after America gained its independence in the American Revolutionary War were marked by several wars and disputes between the two countries among which included the War of 1812 which took place, in part, because of impressments of American sailors by the Royal Navy, and because of trade embargoes by the British during the Napoleonic Wars. The disputes were appeased following the 1814 conclusion of the Treaty of Ghent which have settled nothing on the issues and causes of the British- American war but has been greatly considered to have accomplished much in that the presentation of divergent views at Ghent in 1814 greatly facilita ted future negotiations between the two countries (Hill 128). The years following the Ghent treaty were still marked with disputes but the two nations were able to settle their differences through negotiations. The twist in the hostile relationship, however, commenced during World War I when the United States helped the Allied Powers, led by Russia, France and the United Kingdom fight against the Central Powers by providing money, food and other needs to the Allied armies. The relationship later developed as a strong alliance during the Second World War during which the United States abandoned its neutrality and already took more roles in the war. In what can be YourSurname 3 considered as Britain's worst fight, America's decision to enter the war and fight on the side of Britain was an assurance that victory is on the side of Britain. There therefore resulted an awareness that victory depended on the United States and which became the foundation of every major decision the British

Chapter 7 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 4

Chapter 7 - Essay Example 960s, advertising has gone through several changes and due to these changes, the current advertising techniques have gained much more persuasive strength. Creative revolution from 1960s has made advertising to become much more effective than it was traditionally. Due to creativity revolution, advertisement today is able to confer a strong beneficial effect on prices of brands. Creativity revolution is believed to be the soul of branding and advertising. It is what gave life to today’s advertising messages about services and products (Samuel, 2012). Without creative revolution in advertising, today’s advertising would be insignificant or boring in the minds or hearts of the target consumers. For instance, most advertisers often seek advice from advertising agencies for development and designing of ads that will enable them attract a large population of customers. Creative revolution in advertising has resulted to what is mainly referred to as digital advertising. The creative revolution has replace many conventions in the advertising sector bringing more creativity and inspiration to advertising messages. Due to creative revolution advertisement is very important in today’s world based on the benefits it brings to business organizations due to their effectiveness. For instance, magazines and newspapers are used in today’s advertising to address a certain group of customers. The type of products and services advertised in this platforms are very attractive to grasp the reader’s attention. Apart from magazine and newspapers, advertisement is currently done via radios and television to persuade a large group of consumers (Sanje & Senol, 2012). The current advertisement methods have deeper impact on the minds of the consumers compared to the traditional ones. Creativity has also resulted to business men using celebrities to be pictured in their advertisements so that many consumers will consider them as fashion trends. Revolution in advertising has