Effects Of Cell Phones On Society Essay

The cell phone as we know was invented in the 1990s, and this invent has been one of the best inventions in the history. The use of the cell phones became popular and people began to utilize them in their daily lives. Nowadays to have a cell phone is not a luxury, is a necessity. According to the statistics, nine of ten persons in the United States have a cell phone. The cell phones have made positive and negative changes in our culture depending on the way people use them. Some of the positive effects of cell phones are easy communication and multitasking. The main usage of the cell phone was to be able to communicate easily. Originally, the cell phone was made only to talk when people were away from home or their office. After the years, they have been creating new technology that allow people to talk, text, email, browse the internet and make a videoconference sometimes at the same time, so we can say that the cell phone created better communication in the advantage world. In addi tion to easy communication, the cell phones are multitask. They have added many more options to make our lives easier. Now people don’t have to carry a map, gps, laptop, video camera, radio or a notebook. Also, people can play video games or watch a movie with only one small device. The cell phones have many positive effects; however, they also have negative effects like the high cost, negative social effects and dependency or addiction. The first negative effect is the cost. The newest Smartphones are expensive and their lifetime is short. They are always coming up with new upgrade technology that make people feel they need to buy the newest model. Also, the cost of the service is expensive; users need to pay depending in how many minutes they need or the Internet velocity. In addition users will pay for extra programs, applications and accessories not including in the monthly pay. Another negative effect is cell phones can create addiction or dependency. The cell phone can make people an addict because they feel that they need to have it with they all the time and also cause  anxiety for example, when you think you lost your phone you could feel stressed out about losing information saved on it. Moreover, it distracts your driving and it can cause an accident. Finally, there are the negative social effects. Since the Smartphone was created, people don’t communicate face to face as much as before. People is olate themselves because they prefer to talk by phone rather than verbally. Also, they have become very disrespectful because they use the phone in meetings, at church, in class, eating with friends etc. In conclusion, the cell phones make our life easy by facilitating communication. We also know that they have positive and negative effects, but the positive effects like easy communication, multitasking are stronger than the negative ones like cost, dependency and negative social effects. You can avoid the negative effects by using the phone with responsibility.

Ethical review form

1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   What are the objectives of the research project?The object of the research project is to study the implications on the implementation of the various requirements of Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) by the developing countries who are members of the World TradeOrganisation (WTO)2.   Does the research involve NHS patients, resources or staff? If so, it is likely that full ethical review must be obtained from the NHS process before the research can start. NO 3. Do you intend to collect primary data from human subjects or data that are identifiable with individuals? (This includes, for example, questionnaires and interviews.)NOIf you do not intend to collect such primary data then please go to question 14.  If you do intend to collect such primary data then please respond to ALL the questions 4 through 13. If you feel a question does not apply then please respond with n/a (for not applicable).4. What is the purpose of the primary da ta in the dissertation / research project? n/a 5. What is/are the survey population(s)? n/a 6. How big is the sample for each of the survey populations and how was this sample arrived at? n/a7. How will respondents be selected and recruited? n/a8. What steps are proposed to ensure that the requirements of informed consent will be met for those taking part in the research? If an Information Sheet for participants is to be used, please attach it to this form. If not, please explain how you will be able to demonstrate that informed consent has been gained from participants.n/a 9. How will data be collected from each of the sample groups? n/a 10. How will data be stored and what will happen to the data at the end of the research? n/a11. How will confidentiality be assured for respondents? n/a 12. What steps are proposed to safeguard the anonymity of the respondents? n/a 13. Are there any risks (physical or other, including reputational) to respondents that may result from taking part in this research? If so, please specify and state what measures are proposed to deal with these risks. n/a 14. Will any data be obtained from a company or other organisation. YES / NO (please circle) For example, information provided by an employer or its employees. What steps are proposed to ensure that the requirements of informed consent will be met for that organisation? How will confidentiality be assured for the organisation?No data will be obtained from a company or other organization. 15. Are there any risks (physical or other, including reputational) to the researcher or to the University that may result from conducting this research? If so, please specify and state what measures are proposed to manage these risks. No risks (physical or other, including reputational) to the researcher or to the University will result from conducting this research. 16. Will the proposed research involve any of the following (please put a √ next to ‘yes’ or ‘no’; consult your supervisor if you are unsure): †¢ Vulnerable groups (e.g. children)?   NO †¢ Particularly sensitive topics?   NO †¢ Access to respondents via ‘gatekeepers’? NO †¢ Use of deception?   NO †¢ Access to confidential personal data?   NO †¢ Psychological stress, anxiety etc?   NO †¢ Intrusive interventions?   NO17. Are there any other ethical issues that may arise from the proposed research? NO

5 forces model on Qatar airways Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

5 forces model on Qatar airways - Assignment Example Qatar airways flies to 119 terminuses and travellers can connect from Doha to terminuses such as Bangkok, Maldives, Nairobi, Dubai, Cape Town, Colombo, Seychelles and Dar es Salaam. The airline controls 110 aircrafts including cargo aircrafts. It has various subsidiary companies including: United Media International, Doha International Airport, Qatar Aviation Catering Company and Qatar Aviation Services. Qatar Airways has employed more than 20,000 individuals (Tower, 2007). The airline has a high capital expenditure. This is because the costs of leasing and buying aircrafts are very high. Also, manpower, customer service, security and safety measures costs are very high. Moreover, there are other airlines that exist and have high consumer dependability and brand value (Tower, 2007). There is a lot of competition as every airline wants to tap into new terminuses, provide different services like better menues and increasing in-flight channels (Tower, 2007). Also, many airlines are utilizing the use of extensive marketing. The airline industry can be affected by the suppliers through their capabilities of reducing the quality of purchased goods and services or raising prices. Globally, the airline industry has limited suppliers, namely Airbus and Boeing. Thus the suppliers’ power is very high due to the limited suppliers having a control on the market. This is because the products manufactured by these suppliers have a huge demand (Tower, 2007). Qatar airways has high performance standards, including customer service, security and safety. The airline has broad marketing strategies in building a strong brand. It also provides unique services, provides different customer oriented services concerning luxury and convenience (Tower, 2007). Qatar airways has a hub that is developing properly and has brand new aircrafts in improving the confidence of their customers. Marketing and brand building can make Qatar airways to increase its brand (Tower, 2007). The

Intellectual Property and Patents Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 6000 words

Intellectual Property and Patents - Essay Example The look up table is made by manufacturer by using the Sp O2 values in different sites of healthy subjects. The ratio of 0.5 is equal to 100 percent of SpO2 a ratio of 1 is equal to 82 percent of SpO2 and a ratio of 2 is equal to 0 percent of SpO2. 1 According to [2] the intellectual property of Oximeter lies in its design of low cost, miniature, light weight, ultra low power, intelligent sensors capable of customization. The system design of monitoring health applications finds seamless integration of body activities. While configuring the intelligent sensor the challenge of system designers are considered. This needs the platform featuring a low power micro controller. It consists of low power programmable logic device, a communication interface, and signal conditioning circuit. The combination and integration of the above systems will find application in medical and health needs. The easy customization, runtime reconfiguration and energy efficient computation and communication is needed for medical technology. The intellectual property is result of common platform for multiple physical sensors and a repository of both software procedures with hardware acceleration. The control of alleviation of costs also will come under inte llectual property by following the transition of a new generation of sensors. 2 The intellectual proper... 2. IP Protection According to reference [3], the Patent is needed for IP protection. This can be granted for a device, substance, method, process that is new, inventive and useful to people. After granting the patent the intellectual protection is done by legally enforcing the exclusive right to the owner and grants commercial exploitation. This commercial exploitation resulted in advances in medical technology. In Australia the patents are of two types. Generally the standard patent can give long term protection and control over invention. If the applicant is not that much rich or able to bear the cost, he/she can take the patent for a maximum of 8 years. The protection for new technology will lead to different products in medical technology like different types of Oximeters. The commercial gain in using Oximeters resulted in its advances in technology used in it. When the further research is done and the time of patent is over the information becomes public. The mathematical models and artistic cre ations cannot be patented. The medical technology is not in the list that cannot be patented and this enabled the commercialisation of medical technology. This commercialisation gave more funds for further research. 3 2.1 Prior Art: Cancelled matter in the application file of US patent can come under Prior Act. This can be used as prior act as of the patent and contributes to prior public knowledge. When an abandoned application was previously published, that is disseminated by US Patent and Trademark Office by using electronic media. This can be made available to public and are open to inspection of public by obtaining from the office of patents. This information is available under 37 CFR 1.11 9a) and can be used as prior act under 35 U.S.C 102(a) or 102 (b) as of the

Human Factors and the Insider Threat Research Paper

Human Factors and the Insider Threat - Research Paper Example The cyber security is a framework which enables the users to protect their cyber assets through preventing, detecting, countering and recovering the cyber incidents (Mehan, 2008). Although many practitioners assess the cyber security as a technical approach, there are many human aspects of acquiring cyber security. It is important to understand the significance of human contribution in the cyber security processes. Incorporating human behavior into the process can lead to a more efficient use of cyber space and reduction in cybercrime. Cyber security is dealt with not only access to technology but also to the understanding of the human user. There are many aspects of human behavior that make the cyber security processes effective in which education and training play an important role. It has been a long debate that technology advanced and gives the humans a better way of living but due to the human behavior, most of the times the technologies are exploited, wasted and misused. It is important to use the cyberspace without interfering and annoying other users. This will reduce the amount of cybercrimes which includes hacking, transferring the data and others. With effective human factors, a cyber environment can be created which provides the users with all the functions along with personal and national security (Shinder &Â  Cross, 2008). There are many challenges in managing the human aspects of cyber security. Cybercrimes take place at a high rate including personal information being leaked, invasion in the data of national concern, hacking accounts etc. The reasons for the cybercrimes may be many from personal to professional. Any person who has the expertise in computers and cyberspace can hack or access any user’s information. Many times it is unknown to the user that who committed the action. However, managing the cybercrimes can be very challenging as recently seen it has become a challenge

Discussion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 149

Discussion - Essay Example It also noted failure by the colonial authority to respect the fundamental rights, a factor that led to the Spirit of ’76 and declared liberty of the states. The writing therefore uses the Spirit of ’76 as a basis for its independence declaration objective (The National Archives, N.d.). The Common Sense that Thomas Pain authored in the year 1776 called upon Americans to abandon dialogue and fight for independence. Even though Americans already laid some of its arguments down, the arguments reinforced the urge for a revolution as did the new arguments. Pain’s description of proponents of reconciliation such as men with self-interest who cannot be trusted, weak men, and men with prejudice are examples of argument that motivated revolution (Pain, 1776). Authored earlier in the year of the Spirit of ’76 and supporting existing ideas and proposing new ideas for revolution, the document is understood as a factor to the

Challenge Of Cultural Relativism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Challenge Of Cultural Relativism - Essay Example Consequently, the principles or moral relativism are inconsistent in providing the individual and society requirements in regards to respecting other communities’ ways of life. Rachels states that â€Å"There is no objective standard that can be used to judge one society’s code as better than another’s (618). There are no moral truths that hold for all people at all times†. In this statement consistency cannot be maintained in all situations. The principle depicts that the individual perception is greater that the perception of the society. For this reason, there is no standard moral codes that can satisfy the perception requirements of every person (Gad 77). However, the society of a person is the creator of the requirements a person should abide by regardless of their internal perception. The concept of cultural relativisms only applies at the scope of an entire society but not for individuals. For this reason, Rachel’s statement does not depict a consistent way from which a moral truth can be identified. Firstly, the statement may create a probability that the society may create what may be perceived as right or wrong. On the other hand, a person’s point of view may also depict what is right or wrong. In the statement that â€Å"It is arrogant for us to try to judge other cultures. We should always be tolerant of them† (Rachels 618), there is great inconsistency. This is based on that one society’s perception of the truth may differ from another, thus creating a rift from the two points of view. Justification of a society’s moral code must be accompanied by criticism on perceptions that may contradict the moral codes. Consequently, if a society is in disapproval of a particular behaviour, they have a duty to pass judgment on anyone practicing the behaviour. Wong is of the assumption that the differences in beliefs embraced by different societies make it necessary to judge activities based

Analyze a Religious Song Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Analyze a Religious Song - Essay Example Rogers was right when he observed that the song contained so much of the personal experiences of the composer himself; for him, John Newton himself was â€Å"the self-proclaimed wretch who once was lost but then was found, saved by amazing grace† (Rogers). Many who love the song do so for its melodious tone even though the origin of the melody is unknown. However, it is commonly agreed that the song resembles ancient American folk melodies sung by the slaves. ‘Amazing Grace’ can be regarded as one of the finest hymns of the time. Hymns are religious songs that praise, adore and offer prayers to any deity or deities. As such, one can notice that the whole song is a Hymn praying God to shower His grace and blessings on the blind humans and to lead man safely. The song can be best understood as an invocation by a devotee who confesses his sins and believes in God’s unending mercy. It was God’s grace that led the devotee through â€Å"many dangers, toil s and snares† and it is the same grace of God that offers him hope now. Similarly, he believes that God’s grace can relieve him from all sorts of fears and he trusts in God’s promise. ... The song is usually sung in chorus with instrumental accompaniment and the melody of the song touches the heart of the listener. In fact, the song can be categorized as a Canata. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines Canata as â€Å"a composition for one or more voices usually comprising solos, duets, recitatives, and choruses and sung to an instrumental accompaniment† (Cantata-Definition and More from the Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary). ‘Amazing Grace’ also is sung in different voices and in various parts of the world the song is rendered with solos and choruses and as recitatives. Similarly, the rhyming words (end rhymes) such as me-see, sound-found, fear-appear, relieved-believed etc add to the beauty of the song and makes it heartfelt to the hearer as well as the singer. Similarly, a close analysis of the song convinces one that it has strophic song form. A strophic song is conceived as â€Å"a type of song that has the same melody (tune) but different lyr ics (words) for each stanza (strophe)† (Estrella). One can very well see that each of the stanzas in the poem maintain the same tone even though the lyrics vary from one strophe to another. Certain strophic songs do have a refrain that is repeated at the end of each verse. Similarly, there are many today who use the first strophe of the song after each of the other stanzas. Very often, strophic forms are widely being employed for carols, hymns and folk songs and the ‘Amazing Grace’ has the qualities of all the three. These strophic characteristics of ‘Amazing Grace’ have also led to the popular appeal for the song. It is also worthwhile to compare ‘Amazing Grace’ with other similar religious songs. There have been a number of popular religious songs such as â€Å"From First Mass for

A paper on To Forgive Design by Petroski Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

A paper on To Forgive Design by Petroski - Essay Example The blames of these occurrences are directed to poor design. However, Henry Petroski in his writing, â€Å"To Forgive Design,† says for determining causes and correction of engineering failure, we must look beyond design. Petroski in his writing examines many of famous failures of our time from Minneapolis bridge collapse in 2007 to Gulf oil spill in 2010 (Petroski, pg. 5). These inevitable disasters show the interdependency of machines and people whose complex behavior the designers did not foresee. Petroski says even simple technology is embedded in socioeconomic and cultural constraint constraints, contradictions and complications. This work will explore the necessity to imagine failure, the causes of error in engineering and ultimately explore how failure is the best teacher. The most profound mistake engineers and designers can commit failing to imagine the possibility of failure. Having in mind that some people have failed before and as an individual failure is a real issue, makes engineers develop better designs. For instances, Petroski cites software developers who analyzed their historical developmental failures and helped them come out with better designs of their products. Petroski shows that by explaining the interconnectedness culture, technology and dangers seen to emerge from the complex then it leads to a successful path (Petroski, pg. 23). This forms a platform to encourage the engineers and designers before taking any of the construction; they need to imagine of the possible failures. This will act as an analysis opportunity for them as they determine what can be the cause of those failures. Sometimes people fail to heed to the warnings and this ends up being catastrophic. Even the strongest structure of the world with the best design can c ollapse. Therefore, when one imagines that way he explores on the possible designs that are better than the one in place. This opens up the mind of the engineers as they develop towards

Doctor Patient Communication Essay Example for Free

Doctor Patient Communication Essay This is the adopted mode of communication with the patient aiming at firstly, getting enough history or information towards diagnosing the patient presenting complaint and equally ensuring that the patient’s right to privacy, good health, and permission as the need arises, is not compromised during the process. â€Å"When communication and rapport is poor, patients are at risk of distressed and doubt doctor’s competence† (Allen, 2000). Research reports that patients often wrongly base clinical skills on communication effectiveness. Patient with this bias mind eventually shows poor cooperation with treatments. This is more reason why it is an ethical issue. The present state of the patient’s psychological state is important. A depressed patient would prefer less talk than a patient who is worried to get fast cure and some times talk out of points if unguided by an experience doctor. Due to diverse understanding from multicultural views, it is necessary to understand the biological ethnicity of each patient through a ‘biodata’ aspect of the history. From the biodata, the religious denomination is noted. The occupation, family and social histories also reveal the mental state. Doctor’s adoption of line of thought would be of help. For example, a friendly way of approach gives the patients sense of worth and avoids any feelings of inferiority complex that may hinder patient’s opening up in detail. The doctor also needs not unnecessarily friendly, this could denote carefree attitude at times. 80% of the treatment receives is dependent of how elaborate is the history taken by the doctor. An understanding of introversion and extroversion communication type equally helps. It is necessary to carry the patient along, after the knowledge about the patient’s present state, preempt the patients’ worry and briefly explain why the next question is necessary.

The Tiananmen Square Massacre History Essay

The Tiananmen Square Massacre History Essay With thousands left wounded, a seemingly countless number of citizens reported dead, and a country left with a damaged reputation. All of these were the results of a truly unforgettable and shocking event which happened on the 4th of June 1989, the Tiananmen Square massacre. In order to grasp a better understanding of this historical event, I have put together some sub headings and questions to break it down into a more understandable manner. What is Tiananmen Square? Tiananmen Square, situated in Chinas capital, Beijing, is the largest public space in the world. Being one of the largest tourist attractions in the world, it is surrounded by monumental public buildings that line its edges and vast spaces in between that echoes this scary event. It is named after the Tiananmen Gate (Gate of Heavenly Peace) located to its North. This gate separates it from the Forbidden City. Tiananmen Square is the Third largest city square in the world at 440,000m ². Today it has great cultural significance as it was the hosted site of several important events in Chinese history, including this famous 1989 protest, which ultimately lead to military suppression and the deaths of multiple protestors. What was the cause of the protest? After the war between the communists and the Kuomingtang (KMT) party in China, the leader of the KMT, Chiang Kai-shek, fled to Taiwan with his party. As this happened Mao Zedong, leader of the communist party, was given the advantage and then took control and launched multiple communist reforms such as the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution. The transition was slow, but the people of the Peoples Republic of China began to accept the change to communism. This was followed by the next chairman, Deng Xiaoping, attempting to calm the system that Mao Zedong had set up. Xiaoping would then try to convert China in his own way. He would begin by slowly easing China into a market economy, but by the year 1989, these economic and political changes had already given birth to two groups, groups in which were completely unsatisfied. The first group was essentially a group of students and intellectuals who, in their minds, felt that the reforms had not gone far enough. The second group was a group of industrial workers who believed, quite simply, the opposite. The workers believed that the reforms had gone too far and thought that they were also beginning to put their way of living in jeopardy. These two groups on April 15 1989 came together to begin their protests. This protest at Tiananmen Square was different than protests prior to this one. For example, the 1987 protest consisted of just students and intellectuals, and the 1989 protest included students, intellectuals and workers. Over a million supporters took part in the pro-democracy protest of 1989. The demonstrators at Tiananmen Square performed daily marches, and chanted The Internationale in their native language. This would be accommodated shortly after by a hunger strike, another tactic that the protestors engaged in. This tactic was very popular among the Chinese. At the beginning of these protests, some but not all attempts were successful, and actually made a negotiation with the government. These negotiations were soon overlooked by the government because of the visiting of Mikhail Gorbachev (chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet). This lead to a lot of press being present. The press found the protests fascinating and began to cover the scenes with extreme curiosity. Around the time of May 30 1989, the protesters erected the Goddess of Democracy, a symbol in which the people watching this on the television from home could associate the protests with. This statue was also known as the Goddess of Liberty. It was 10 meters tall and was constructed in only four days out of foam and papier-mà ¢chà © over a metal armature. It was built so big so it would be hard to dismantle by the government. This meant that they would either have to destroy the statue (an action which would fuel further criticism of its policies) or leave it standin g. After what seemed like endless negotiation and the Chinese government asking the students to return to their institutions, there was no co-operation between the two sides. This meant that the party elders of the government had to stop this protest by force. Martial Law On May 20th, 1989 Deng Xiaoping declared martial law. This is when military forces (in this case the Peoples Liberation Army) are called upon to bring a particular region or an event to a halt by any means necessary. On this day four convoys of military vehicles proceeded towards Tiananmen Square but were no longer able to advance any further upon reaching the thousands of demonstrators. These protesters were lecturing soldiers and appealed to them to join their cause and they also provided the soldiers with food, water and a roof over their heads. All government forces were forced to retaliate and withdraw their army on the 24th of May as they were highly outnumbered by the mounds of protesters. The authorities, at this point, saw no way forward. While this retreat by the government initially being seen as the turning of the tide in favour of the protestors went on, in reality every military region was sending units by rail and even by air. Regular airline flights were even cancelled due to the mass amount of military personnel travelling. Fall of the protest By the time late May had arrived, the protestors were getting very much disorganised and had no real leadership amongst them anymore. It dragged on so long that the face of Tiananmen Square was filled with serious hygienic problems and had overcrowding issues that werent taken care of. By June the leadership agreed that it was necessary to end the turmoil, and that the students occupying the Square should return to their campuses. However, this had many problems and they ended up struggling with the idea of using force. Through this, the members of Politburo had to agree that using martial law to restore order was the only option and on June the 1st Li Peng issued a report titled On the True Nature of the Turmoil, which was passed on to every member of the Politburo. This report basically persuaded the members of Politburo that these protestors were in fact terrorists and counterrevolutionaries. The report stated that the students were growing in numbers and their support was gaining strength. As the frustration grew higher and higher the Politburo Standing Committee (PSC) decided that it would be best to clear Tiananmen Square as quickly and as peacefully as possible, but if the protestors would not comply, then the troops were authorized to use force to complete the job. On the evening of the 2nd of June, it was heard that a police jeep ran into four civilians, killing three, and injuring the other. This was the moment that sparked fear in the protestors that the police were trying to advance into Tiananmen Square. Roadblocks were made by the students at major intersections to prevent any further advancing from the troops, but this didnt stop them. In the early hours of June the 3rd, the first reports of violence on both sides were reported. Military advances to Tiananmen Square Soldiers and tanks from the 27th and 38th Armies of the Peoples Liberation Army were sent to take control of Beijing and clear Tiananmen Square. The 27th army was controlled and commanded by Yang Shangkun. Reports from the incident show that this army was responsible for most of the civilian deaths. Major General Xu Qinxian was the commander of the 38th army. He shocked the leadership when he refused orders from General Li Laizhu telling him to clear the square, he instead insisted on a written order. Xu was instantly removed from command and was later jailed for five years and following this, was expelled from the Party. As the word spread and more and more people found out that hundreds of thousands of troops were advancing from all four directions, panic broke out. The protestors began to flood the streets in attempt to block the oncoming troops. It was on this night that the army began to fire live bullets at the protestors, killing many of them. This took place near the Muxidi apartment buildings, home to high-level Party officials and their families. This sparked off riots in Tiananmen Square. The protestors would now throw rocks and Molotov cocktails at vehicles and on the streets and this, in turn, infuriated the officials. There were also reports of people burning soldiers alive in their armoured personnel carriers while others were beaten to death. Therefore, soldiers responded by firing at will on protestors. Many of the protestors were seriously injured or killed by the soldiers automatic weaponry, but fortunately rickshaw drivers who ventured out into no-mans-land rescued all they could and brought them to safety. Getting desperate and unable to move forward, the army therefore had to open fire on the civilians blocking their way. This shocked the crowd at first as they did not think that the army would use live ammunition. But this did not drive the people from the streets. The army tried everything in their power to evacuate the square but the protestors continued to fight back. Gas, smoke and randomly fired bullets were used against the demonstrators. Some of soldiers were even pulled from their tanks and beaten to death by the civilians. Some of the protestors left, in fear of risking their lives, but there were still hundreds of students left in Tiananmen Square by the time the army had reached it. Those who sought refuge in buses were ripped out from them by the soldiers and beaten to death with heavy sticks. In the early hours of June the 4th the tanks had smashed their way into the square, crushing vehicles and people with their way and by 5:40am the square had been cleared. Aftermath of the Massacre On the morning of June the 5th, people who were related to those who were injured or killed tried to enter the blockaded square but were shot at by the soldiers. Even when they tried to run away, the soldiers persisted in shooting them in the back. These actions were repeated several times. Finally order had been restored in Tiananmen Square but protests were still going on in other parts of mainland China. There were large protests in Hong Kong, where people wore black in conjunction with the demonstrators in Beijing. Other large protests were held in Guangzhou and in Shanghai. Many other countries had protests as well, all representing the people of Beijing with black bands worn around their arms. There is little to no evidence of how many people were killed during the massacre. Sources range from 1200 to 10,000 (including soldiers). To this day nobody has an official death count number. The Tank Man While a convoy of about a dozen tanks headed eastward into Tiananmen Square a day after the military crackdown, a skinny man dressed in a white shirt and black pants holding two grocery bags, stepped in front of the leading tank. This step was a step into history for him. As soon as the tanks reached the man they came to a standstill. They were face to face with this man. He swung his shopping bags beckoning them to turn around and leave, but the tanks didnt move from where they were. When the leading tank tried to turn to the right to go around him, the Tank Man would jump to the left in front of it and when it would try to go the other way; he would jump in front of it again, stopping the tanks in their path. After a brief standoff, the Tank Man climbed onto the machine and appeared to be trying to talk to the men inside. Shortly after, two men came up and dragged him away. The famous picture of the Unknown Rebel smuggled out of China under the noses of officials and soon appeared on the front pages of newspapers all around the world. This man became a hero, and a legend to some. The fate of Tank Man who carried out his famous act of civil disobedience on June the 5th is unknown, some say he went into hiding and others say he was executed. I felt inspired after I had watched the footage of the man standing in front of the tanks. It took a lot of courage to do such a thing, putting his life at risk for the sake of his people. Its sad to think that he is not very well known in China and is more recognised in other parts of the world. This is due to Chinas censorship that ensures that most Chinese dont know what happened in June 1989. Why did the government kill their own people? This is probably one of the most outstanding queries of the entire protest and in the end its down to personal opinion as to why they opened fire on their own people. This is mainly because the Chinese government has been really secretive about the whole incident and never really let out any information. In my opinion, I think the government had no other choice even though they knew they were doing wrong. The protestors were even putting themselves in danger already before the army even came, people were getting crushed and people were passing out with hunger. Im not saying that the government was right to decide to do what they did, because a lot of innocent citizens were killed and this is never right in any case. Reactions from around the world The type of footage shown on Western television was definitely the first of its type and truly shocked the public. The Chinese governments response was denounced, particularly by Western governments and media. Criticism came all over the world from places such as Eastern Europe, North America, Australia and some Asian and Latin American countries also. Asian countries were found to keep silent throughout the protests; the government of India responded to the massacre by ordering the state television to pare down the coverage to the barest minimum, so as not to put their relation with China in danger. North Korea, Cuba, Czechoslovakia and East Germany among others supported the Chinese government and denounced the protests. Underlying Causes. I have done some online research on this topic and it seems as though a few people think that the protests were not as the seemed to be. People ask what would get a group of people to create a historic even like this in the first place? were they trying to appear in the media? Or were they just standing up for what they truly believe? Some people even go far enough as to say that it was the Illuminati U.S government that contacted a few hundred students in Beijing and were contracted to cause chaos and confusion in Chinas capital and that its all part of New World Order. It may seem impossible or crazy, but their opinion is as good as anybodys and theyre entitled to it. Impact on China and the rest of the world. In Hong Kong, the Tiananmen Square protests led to fears that the PRC would follow up on its commitments under one country, two systems following the impending handover in 1997. In response the Governor of PRC, Chris Patten, attempted to expand the franchise for the Legislative Council of Hong Kong, which led to friction with Beijing. There have been large candlelight vigils attended by tens of thousands in Hong Kong every year since 1989 and these vigils have continued following the transfer of power to the PRC in 1997. There was also a giant impact on the Chinese economy after the massacre. Foreign loans to China were suspended for obvious reasons and tourism revenue decreased from US$2.2 billion to just US$1.8 billion. On top of this the foreign direct investment commitments were cancelled and there was a rise in defence spending from 8.6% to 15.5% in the following four years. This was just after a 10 year decline. Chinas international image was, needless to say, damaged greatly. Western media displayed real footage of the happenings while protestors in Beijing took this opportunity to create banners to display to the cameras in their best English. All international television networks were soon ordered to stop broadcasting their footage during military action, with the government shutting down satellite transmissions. Apparently, the only network that was able to record the scenes of the massacre without hassle during the 4th of June was Televisià ³n Espaà ±ola of Spain. Some foreign journalists were also faced with harassment during the military action. It is said that a cameraman was taken into custody while filing a report from Tiananmen Square via mobile phone. The Police at this time were very strict with cameras and would tell anybody they saw recording to stop immediately. The images that managed to break out of China had strongly shaped the views of Westerners and policy toward China in the next two decades. As for overseas Chinese students, the Tiananmen Square protests triggered the formation of Internet news services such as the China News Digest and the NGO China Support Network. Before this, there was little on the web. Organisations such as the China Alliance for Democracy and the Independent Federation of Chinese Students and Scholars were formed, although these organisations would have limited political impact in later years. The Tiananmen Massacre today The Massacre still lives with us today in different forms. Tourists are able to visit Tiananmen Square itself where the actual incident happened. Also there are various documentaries made and references to this famous event throughout the world. Theres even a 90 minute movie about the famous Tank Man. Songs have been written about the massacre and even paintings and drawings have been inspired by it. No matter how much the Chinese government try to hide this incident it will never be forgotten. April 15th 1989 to June 4th, 1989 marks an event forever in history that the Chinese and people worldwide will never forget.

Woman in Combat Essay -- essays research papers

The idea of women in combat is not unusual anymore. They should be able to hold combat positions beacause although physical strength matters, the military still needs the intelligence that women can bring. Also, banning women from the combat hurts their military careers. Although women account for only ten percent of the enlisted personnel (Time, 8/21/95/ Pg. 31), they are still a major part in the armed forces. Their performance recently has generated support from Congress and the public for enhancing the role of females in the military. During the Persian Gulf War, women were sent to the Middle East to fly helicopters, service combat jets, refuel tankers, and load laser-guided bombs. Their performance has led the world to realize that women are extremely useful in combat. Defense secretary Dick Chaney said "Women have made a major contribution to this [war] effort. We could not have won without them." Leaders in the field agreed. The Gulf War had the largest deployment of women in the armed forces in history. These women encountered the same risks as the men they served with. Twenty one females lost their lives (Holm, Women in Combat: The New Reality, pg. 67-68). In the Persian Gulf, there were no exact positions and all areas were equally vulnerable, so the idea of safe havens for women was not really applicable. By many armed forces policies, females are banned from combat jobs and units, but in the Persian Gulf War females were assigned to battleships, air...

Writing Styles in the Puritan Time Period :: essays research papers

In American Literature, the period of the Puritans sticks out as a time with many great authors. Two, William Bradford and Reverend Jonathan Edwards are still studied today. Bradford was an author who wrote about the historical section of Puritan life, while Edwards was a great speaker who wrote sermons to give in front of his congregation. Although living in the same time period Reverend Jonathan Edwards and William Bradford used very different styles of writing. In writing, praise and everyday living the Puritans favored the ordinary and simple. William Bradford wrote in what is considered the 'plain style.' This form of writing was used by many Puritan authors and was thought to be direct and to the point. The plain style consisted of simple sentences and everyday used language. It never had figures of speech and especially not any imagery. A good example of this style is found in the passage from Bradford's Of Plymouth Plantation, "They began now to gather in the small harvest they had, and to fit up their houses against winter, being all well recovered in health and strength and had all things in good plenty." William took this otherwise exciting story of the Puritans first winter and wrapped it all into one monotonous sentence. Bradford's word choice epitomized the 'plain style' and that was all the Puritan society would read or hear until Jonathan Edwards. The Reverend Jonathan Edwards chose a style expressing his concerns much more creatively than his fellow Puritan authors. Jonathan's style was almost the complete opposite than the 'plain style.' He used many figures of speech and metaphors. An example of one of these fiery metaphors is from his speech, Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God , "The God that holds you over the pit of hell, much as one holds a spider, or some loathsome insect over the fire, abhors you, and is dreadfully provoked." Reverend Edwards was comparing God and man to someone holding a spider over a fire. Another excellent illustration of this vivid description is from the same speech, "O sinner! Consider the fearful danger you are in: It is a great furnace of wrath, a wide and bottomless pit, full of the fire of wrath, that you are held over in the hand of that God." This shows that Reverend Edwards also used these figures of speech to strike fear in his audience. He used this fear factor to make the "natural men" of his audience, truly understand the horror of their sins. This style of writing differed so

Maliciousness Exposed in Joseph Conrads Heart of Darkness Essay

Foolishness and Maliciousness in Exposed in  Heart of Darkness  Ã‚        Ã‚   Joseph Conrad paralleled the Eldorado Expedition in his novel Heart of Darkness with the Katanga Expedition of 1890-1892. By doing so, he illustrated the folly and malevolence of the leaders of the Katanga Expedition and of Imperialist profiteers in general. The foundations for the Katanga Expedition were laid in 1883 when King Leopold proposed that he would leave the Congo state to Belgium in his will if he could borrow 25 million francs without interest to finance development of the area. In 1890, Prime Minister Beernaert ensured that Leopold got the loan (Pakenham 399). Through German adventurers and British missionaries, Leopold soon learned of both the riches Katanga had to offer in terms of natural resources and of its unusual native warlord, Msiri. With hopes of gaining raw materials, Leopold launched the Katanga Expedition in 1890 (Pakenham 400). Conrad’s "Kurtz" in Heart of Darkness is based on Georges-Antoine Klein (Sherry 9), although there are many similarities between him and Msiri, the native chief of Katanga, as well. Like Kurtz, Msiri was fond of keeping tight control of everything in his area, and he was partial to showing off his collection of human heads (Pakenham 400). As Kurtz had no qualms about shooting his supporters (such as the Russian) over trivial matters (Conrad 56), Msiri frequently cut off appendages of any of his subjects who displeased him (Pakenham 403). As Msiri was huge, "six-foot and fourteen stone," (Pakenham 403), Kurtz "looked at least 7 feet long" (Conrad 59). When Msiri’s enemies became bolder, huts filled with Msiri’s supplies were burned down (Pakenham 406). This is analogous to the incident in Heart of... ... at the back of it than there is in burglars breaking into a safe," (Conrad 33). Through Marlow, Conrad was pointing out the evil ambitions of the Katanga Expedition. In the Katanga Expedition, there was no true goal of "enlightening" the "savage" natives. The members of the expedition cared only about money and riches. They did not care about what happened to the native people of Africa. Conrad was disgusted with the way Belgium treated people of the Congo, and he blatantly illustrated this repugnance with his portrayal of the Katanga Expedition thinly veiled as the Eldorado Expedition. Works Cited Conrad, Joseph. Heart of Darkness. New York: W. W. Norton and Company, Inc, 1988. Pakenham, Thomas. The Scramble for Africa. New York: Random House, 1991. Sherry, Norman. Conrad’s Western World. Great Britain: Cambridge University Press, 1971.      

Tom’s Shoes

Tom’s Shoes Richard Morrow EMK 3601 Principles of Marketing October 28, 2012 The baby boomer generation may be a difficult group to reach for this company. First I don’t think canvas shoes are primary footwear for this group. The advertising campaign they have possibly will not reach them also as most of it is done thru the internet and unconventional media outlets. I also don’t think they will react well to the buy one set of shoes and they will donate a pair on your behalf. I believe they will be skeptical about who the shoes will be donated to.They are a bit more financially conservative when it comes to buying things that are not essential. The generation X group would be a better target for Tom’s Shoes than the baby boomer generation. They are a group that in general engages in outside activities than previous generations. These shoes are good for outside activities. This group grew up wearing vans and airwalks so they may like the nostalgia of their youth with these shoes. They may be receptive to the buy a pair of shoes if another pair gets donated to people in the third world countries.They will respond to the advertisements better than the baby boomer generation as they have in general more experience with internet advertising avenues. They also in general like to be a part of helping out people which are not that well off. The millennials generation would be the best generation to target for Tom’s shoes. They are a generation that has worn canvas shoes most of their lives. This generation is the first to have digital technology all of their life. This will make them very comfortable looking at the advertisements sent thru social media, the website, and other electronic means.The group also is likely to post it online without any request from Tom’s shoes. They also are likely to spread the information that is posted online hoping to get more people participating in the cause. They will also be responsive to don ating as they have not had the opportunity previously to help society as a generation. I think Tom’s shoes does well in walking the fine line between increased sales and facing charges of exploitation of third world people. He does well in that he posts exactly how many shoes have currently been given away. In 2010 he stated that they have given away more than 600,000 pairs of shoes.He is also very clear on the ratio of shoes bought and shoes donated. Their does not appear to be any hidden things with the proceeds. It is not like the things that say a portion of proceeds goes to charity. I think some people buy his shoes because they feel like they are personally making a difference in the world. They also identify with the company’s views in helping humanity halt of disease by providing shoes to halt the diseases.Work Cited Kotler, Philip, and Gary Armstrong. Principles of Marketing. Boston: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2012. Print.

The Lost Symbol Chapter 19-21

CHAPTER 19 Director Inoue Sato stood with her arms folded, her eyes locked skeptically on Langdon as she processed what he had just told her. â€Å"He said he wants you to unlock an ancient portal? What am I supposed to do with that, Professor?† Langdon shrugged weakly. He was feeling ill again and tried not to look down at his friend's severed hand. â€Å"That's exactly what he told me. An ancient portal . . . hidden somewhere in this building. I told him I knew of no portal.† â€Å"Then why does he think you can find it?† â€Å"Obviously, he's insane.† He said Peter would point the way. Langdon looked down at Peter's upstretched finger, again feeling repulsed by his captor's sadistic play on words. Peter will point the way. Langdon had already permitted his eyes to follow the pointing finger up to the dome overhead. A portal? Up there? Insane. â€Å"This man who called me,† Langdon told Sato, â€Å"was the only one who knew I was coming to the Capitol tonight, so whoever informed you I was here tonight, that's your man. I recommend–â€Å" â€Å"Where I got my information is not your concern,† Sato interrupted, voice sharpening. â€Å"My top priority at the moment is to cooperate with this man, and I have information suggesting you are the only one who can give him what he wants.† â€Å"And my top priority is to find my friend,† Langdon replied, frustrated. Sato inhaled deeply, her patience clearly being tested. â€Å"If we want to find Mr. Solomon, we have one course of action, Professor–to start cooperating with the one person who seems to know where he is.† Sato checked her watch. â€Å"Our time is limited. I can assure you it is imperative we comply with this man's demands quickly.† â€Å"How?† Langdon asked, incredulous. â€Å"By locating and unlocking an ancient portal? There is no portal, Director Sato. This guy's a lunatic.† Sato stepped close, less than a foot from Langdon. â€Å"If I may point this out . . . your lunatic deftly manipulated two fairly smart individuals already this morning.† She stared directly at Langdon and then glanced at Anderson. â€Å"In my business, one learns there is a fine line between insanity and genius. We would be wise to give this man a little respect.† â€Å"He cut off a man's hand!† â€Å"My point exactly. That is hardly the act of an uncommitted or uncertain individual. More important, Professor, this man obviously believes you can help him. He brought you all the way to Washington–and he must have done it for a reason.† â€Å"He said the only reason he thinks I can unlock this `portal' is that Peter told him I can unlock it,† Langdon countered. â€Å"And why would Peter Solomon say that if it weren't true?† â€Å"I'm sure Peter said no such thing. And if he did, then he did so under duress. He was confused . . . or frightened.† â€Å"Yes. It's called interrogational torture, and it's quite effective. All the more reason Mr. Solomon would tell the truth.† Sato spoke as if she'd had personal experience with this technique. â€Å"Did he explain why Peter thinks you alone can unlock the portal?† Langdon shook his head. â€Å"Professor, if your reputations are correct, then you and Peter Solomon both share an interest in this sort of thing–secrets, historical esoterica, mysticism, and so on. In all of your discussions with Peter, he never once mentioned to you anything about a secret portal in Washington, D.C.?† Langdon could scarcely believe he was being asked this question by a high-ranking officer of the CIA. â€Å"I'm certain of it. Peter and I talk about some pretty arcane things, but believe me, I'd tell him to get his head examined if he ever told me there was an ancient portal hidden anywhere at all. Particularly one that leads to the Ancient Mysteries.† She glanced up. â€Å"I'm sorry? The man told you specifically what this portal leads to?† â€Å"Yes, but he didn't have to.† Langdon motioned to the hand. â€Å"The Hand of the Mysteries is a formal invitation to pass through a mystical gateway and acquire ancient secret knowledge– powerful wisdom known as the Ancient Mysteries . . . or the lost wisdom of all the ages.† â€Å"So you've heard of the secret he believes is hidden here.† â€Å"A lot of historians have heard of it.† â€Å"Then how can you say the portal does not exist?† â€Å"With respect, ma'am, we've all heard of the Fountain of Youth and Shangri-la, but that does not mean they exist.† The loud squawk of Anderson's radio interrupted them. â€Å"Chief?† the voice on the radio said. Anderson snatched his radio from his belt. â€Å"Anderson here.† â€Å"Sir, we've completed a search of the grounds. There's no one here that fits the description. Any further orders, sir?† Anderson shot a quick glance at Sato, clearly expecting a reprimand, but Director Sato seemed uninterested. Anderson moved away from Langdon and Sato, speaking quietly into his radio. Sato's unwavering focus remained on Langdon. â€Å"You're saying the secret he believes is hidden in Washington . . . is a fantasy?† Langdon nodded. â€Å"A very old myth. The secret of the Ancient Mysteries is pre-Christian, actually. Thousands of years old.† â€Å"And yet it's still around?† â€Å"As are many equally improbable beliefs.† Langdon often reminded his students that most modern religions included stories that did not hold up to scientific scrutiny: everything from Moses parting the Red Sea . . . to Joseph Smith using magic eyeglasses to translate the Book of Mormon from a series of gold plates he found buried in upstate New York. Wide acceptance of an idea is not proof of its validity. â€Å"I see. So what exactly are these . . . Ancient Mysteries?† Langdon exhaled. Have you got a few weeks? â€Å"In short, the Ancient Mysteries refer to a body of secret knowledge that was amassed long ago. One intriguing aspect of this knowledge is that it allegedly enables its practitioners to access powerful abilities that lie dormant in the human mind. The enlightened Adepts who possessed this knowledge vowed to keep it veiled from the masses because it was considered far too potent and dangerous for the uninitiated.† â€Å"Dangerous in what way?† â€Å"The information was kept hidden for the same reason we keep matches from children. In the correct hands, fire can provide illumination . . . but in the wrong hands, fire can be highly destructive.† Sato took off her glasses and studied him. â€Å"Tell me, Professor, do you believe such powerful information could truly exist?† Langdon was not sure how to respond. The Ancient Mysteries had always been the greatest paradox of his academic career. Virtually every mystical tradition on earth revolved around the idea that there existed arcane knowledge capable of imbuing humans with mystical, almost godlike, powers: tarot and I Ching gave men the ability to see the future; alchemy gave men immortality through the fabled Philosopher's Stone; Wicca permitted advanced practitioners to cast powerful spells. The list went on and on. As an academic, Langdon could not deny the historical record of these traditions–troves of documents, artifacts, and artwork that, indeed, clearly suggested the ancients had a powerful wisdom that they shared only through allegory, myths, and symbols, ensuring that only those properly initiated could access its power. Nonetheless, as a realist and a skeptic, Langdon remained unconvinced. â€Å"Let's just say I'm a skeptic,† he told Sato. â€Å"I have never seen anything in the real world to suggest the Ancient Mysteries are anything other than legend–a recurring mythological archetype. It seems to me that if it were possible for humans to acquire miraculous powers, there would be evidence. And yet, so far, history has given us no men with superhuman powers.† Sato arched her eyebrows. â€Å"That's not entirely true.† Langdon hesitated, realizing that for many religious people, there was indeed a precedent for human gods, Jesus being the most obvious. â€Å"Admittedly,† he said, â€Å"there are plenty of educated people who believe this empowering wisdom truly exists, but I'm not yet convinced.† â€Å"Is Peter Solomon one of those people?† Sato asked, glancing toward the hand on the floor. Langdon could not bring himself to look at the hand. â€Å"Peter comes from a family lineage that has always had a passion for all things ancient and mystical.† â€Å"Was that a yes?† Sato asked. â€Å"I can assure you that even if Peter believes the Ancient Mysteries are real, he does not believe they are accessible through some kind of portal hidden in Washington, D.C. He understands metaphorical symbolism, which is something his captor apparently does not.† Sato nodded. â€Å"So you believe this portal is a metaphor.† â€Å"Of course,† Langdon said. â€Å"In theory, anyway. It's a very common metaphor–a mystical portal through which one must travel to become enlightened. Portals and doorways are common symbolic constructs that represent transformative rites of passage. To look for a literal portal would be like trying to locate the actual Gates of Heaven.† Sato seemed to consider this momentarily. â€Å"But it sounds like Mr. Solomon's captor believes you can unlock an actual portal.† Langdon exhaled. â€Å"He's made the same error many zealots make–confusing metaphor with a literal reality.† Similarly, early alchemists had toiled in vain to transform lead into gold, never realizing that lead-to-gold was nothing but a metaphor for tapping into true human potential– that of taking a dull, ignorant mind and transforming it into a bright, enlightened one. Sato motioned to the hand. â€Å"If this man wants you to locate some kind of portal for him, why wouldn't he simply tell you how to find it? Why all the dramatics? Why give you a tattooed hand?† Langdon had asked himself the same question and the answer was unsettling. â€Å"Well, it seems the man we are dealing with, in addition to being mentally unstable, is also highly educated. This hand is proof that he is well versed in the Mysteries as well as their codes of secrecy. Not to mention with the history of this room.† â€Å"I don't understand.† â€Å"Everything he has done tonight was done in perfect accordance with ancient protocols. Traditionally, the Hand of the Mysteries is a sacred invitation, and therefore it must be presented in a sacred place.† Sato's eyes narrowed. â€Å"This is the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol Building, Professor, not some sacred shrine to ancient mystical secrets.† â€Å"Actually, ma'am,† Langdon said, â€Å"I know a great number of historians who would disagree with you.† At that moment, across town, Trish Dunne was seated in the glow of the plasma wall inside the Cube. She finished preparing her search spider and typed in the five key phrases Katherine had given her. Here goes nothing. Feeling little optimism, she launched the spider, effectively commencing a worldwide game of Go Fish. At blinding speed, the phrases were now being compared to texts all over the world . . . looking for a perfect match. Trish couldn't help but wonder what this was all about, but she had come to accept that working with the Solomons meant never quite knowing the entire story. CHAPTER 20 Robert Langdon stole an anxious glance at his wristwatch: 7:58 P.M. The smiling face of Mickey Mouse did little to cheer him up. I've got to find Peter. We're wasting time. Sato had stepped aside for a moment to take a phone call, but now she returned to Langdon. â€Å"Professor, am I keeping you from something?† â€Å"No, ma'am,† Langdon said, pulling his sleeve down over his watch. â€Å"I'm just extremely concerned about Peter.† â€Å"I can understand, but I assure you the best thing you can do to help Peter is to help me understand the mind-set of his captor.† Langdon was not so sure, but he sensed he was not going anywhere until the OS director got the information she desired. â€Å"A moment ago,† Sato said, â€Å"you suggested this Rotunda is somehow sacred to the idea of these Ancient Mysteries?† â€Å"Yes, ma'am.† â€Å"Explain that to me.† Langdon knew he would have to choose his words sparingly. He had taught for entire semesters on the mystical symbolism of Washington, D.C., and there was an almost inexhaustible list of mystical references in this building alone. America has a hidden past. Every time Langdon lectured on the symbology of America, his students were confounded to learn that the true intentions of our nation's forefathers had absolutely nothing to do with what so many politicians now claimed. America's intended destiny has been lost to history. The forefathers who founded this capital city first named her â€Å"Rome.† They had named her river the Tiber and erected a classical capital of pantheons and temples, all adorned with images of history's great gods and goddesses–Apollo, Minerva, Venus, Helios, Vulcan, Jupiter. In her center, as in many of the great classical cities, the founders had erected an enduring tribute to the ancients–the Egyptian obelisk. This obelisk, larger even than Cairo's or Alexandria's, rose 555 feet into the sky, more than thirty stories, proclaiming thanks and honor to the demigod forefather for whom this capital city took its newer name. Washington. Now, centuries later, despite America's separation of church and state, this state-sponsored Rotunda glistened with ancient religious symbolism. There were over a dozen different gods in the Rotunda–more than the original Pantheon in Rome. Of course, the Roman Pantheon had been converted to Christianity in 609 . . . but this pantheon was never converted; vestiges of its true history still remained in plain view. â€Å"As you may know,† Langdon said, â€Å"this Rotunda was designed as a tribute to one of Rome's most venerated mystical shrines. The Temple of Vesta.† â€Å"As in the vestal virgins?† Sato looked doubtful that Rome's virginal guardians of the flame had anything to do with the U.S. Capitol Building. â€Å"The Temple of Vesta in Rome,† Langdon said, â€Å"was circular, with a gaping hole in the floor, through which the sacred fire of enlightenment could be tended by a sisterhood of virgins whose job it was to ensure the flame never went out.† Sato shrugged. â€Å"This Rotunda is a circle, but I see no gaping hole in this floor.† â€Å"No, not anymore, but for years the center of this room had a large opening precisely where Peter's hand is now.† Langdon motioned to the floor. â€Å"In fact, you can still see the marks in the floor from the railing that kept people from falling in.† â€Å"What?† Sato demanded, scrutinizing the floor. â€Å"I've never heard that.† â€Å"Looks like he's right.† Anderson pointed out the circle of iron nubs where the posts had once been. â€Å"I've seen these before, but I never had any idea why they were there.† You're not alone, Langdon thought, imagining the thousands of people every day, including famous lawmakers, who strode across the center of the Rotunda having no idea there was once a day when they would have plunged down into the Capitol Crypt–the level beneath the Rotunda floor. â€Å"The hole in the floor,† Langdon told them, â€Å"was eventually covered, but for a good while, those who visited the Rotunda could see straight down to the fire that burned below.† Sato turned. â€Å"Fire? In the U.S. Capitol?† â€Å"More of a large torch, actually–an eternal flame that burned in the crypt directly beneath us. It was supposed to be visible through the hole in the floor, making this room a modern Temple of Vesta. This building even had its own vestal virgin–a federal employee called the Keeper of the Crypt–who successfully kept the flame burning for fifty years, until politics, religion, and smoke damage snuffed out the idea.† Both Anderson and Sato looked surprised. Nowadays, the only reminder that a flame once burned here was the four-pointed star compass embedded in the crypt floor one story below them–a symbol of America's eternal flame, which once shed illumination toward the four corners of the New World. â€Å"So, Professor,† Sato said, â€Å"your contention is that the man who left Peter's hand here knew all this?† â€Å"Clearly. And much, much more. There are symbols all over this room that reflect a belief in the Ancient Mysteries.† â€Å"Secret wisdom,† Sato said with more than a hint of sarcasm in her voice. â€Å"Knowledge that lets men acquire godlike powers?† â€Å"Yes, ma'am.† â€Å"That hardly fits with the Christian underpinnings of this country.† â€Å"So it would seem, but it's true. This transformation of man into God is called apotheosis. Whether or not you're aware of it, this theme–transforming man into god–is the core element in this Rotunda's symbolism.† â€Å"Apotheosis?† Anderson spun with a startled look of recognition. â€Å"Yes.† Anderson works here. He knows. â€Å"The word apotheosis literally means `divine transformation'–that of man becoming God. It's from the ancient Greek: apo–`to become,' theos–`god.' â€Å" Anderson looked amazed. â€Å"Apotheosis means `to become God'? I had no idea.† â€Å"What am I missing?† Sato demanded. â€Å"Ma'am,† Langdon said, â€Å"the largest painting in this building is called The Apotheosis of Washington. And it clearly depicts George Washington being transformed into a god.† Sato looked doubtful. â€Å"I've never seen anything of the sort.† â€Å"Actually, I'm sure you have.† Langdon raised his index finger, pointing straight up. â€Å"It's directly over your head.† CHAPTER 21 The Apotheosis of Washington–a 4,664-square-foot fresco that covers the canopy of the Capitol Rotunda–was completed in 1865 by Constantino Brumidi. Known as â€Å"The Michelangelo of the Capitol,† Brumidi had laid claim to the Capitol Rotunda in the same way Michelangelo had laid claim to the Sistine Chapel, by painting a fresco on the room's most lofty canvas–the ceiling. Like Michelangelo, Brumidi had done some of his finest work inside the Vatican. Brumidi, however, immigrated to America in 1852, abandoning God's largest shrine in favor of a new shrine, the U.S. Capitol, which now glistened with examples of his mastery–from the trompe l'oeil of the Brumidi Corridors to the frieze ceiling of the Vice President's Room. And yet it was the enormous image hovering above the Capitol Rotunda that most historians considered to be Brumidi's masterwork. Robert Langdon gazed up at the massive fresco that covered the ceiling. He usually enjoyed his students' startled reactions to this fresco's bizarre imagery, but at the moment he simply felt trapped in a nightmare he had yet to understand. Director Sato was standing next to him with her hands on her hips, frowning up at the distant ceiling. Langdon sensed she was having the same reaction many had when they first stopped to examine the painting at the core of their nation. Utter confusion. You're not alone, Langdon thought. For most people, The Apotheosis of Washington got stranger and stranger the longer they looked at it. â€Å"That's George Washington on the central panel,† Langdon said, pointing 180 feet upward into the middle of the dome. â€Å"As you can see, he's dressed in white robes, attended by thirteen maidens, and ascending on a cloud above mortal man. This is the moment of his apotheosis . . . his transformation into a god.† Sato and Anderson said nothing. â€Å"Nearby,† Langdon continued, â€Å"you can see a strange, anachronistic series of figures: ancient gods presenting our forefathers with advanced knowledge. There's Minerva giving technological inspiration to our nation's great inventors–Ben Franklin, Robert Fulton, Samuel Morse.† Langdon pointed them out one by one. â€Å"And over there is Vulcan helping us build a steam engine. Beside them is Neptune demonstrating how to lay the transatlantic cable. Beside that is Ceres, goddess of grain and root of our word cereal; she's sitting on the McCormick reaper, the farming breakthrough that enabled this country to become a world leader in food production. The painting quite overtly portrays our forefathers receiving great wisdom from the gods.† He lowered his head, looking at Sato now. â€Å"Knowledge is power, and the right knowledge lets man perform miraculous, almost godlike tasks.† Sato dropped her gaze back down to Langdon and rubbed her neck. â€Å"Laying a phone cable is a far cry from being a god.† â€Å"Perhaps to a modern man,† Langdon replied. â€Å"But if George Washington knew that we had become a race that possessed the power to speak to one another across oceans, fly at the speed of sound, and set foot on our moon, he would assume that we had become gods, capable of miraculous tasks.† He paused. â€Å"In the words of futurist Arthur C. Clarke, `Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.' â€Å" Sato pursed her lips, apparently deep in thought. She glanced down at the hand, and then followed the direction of the outstretched index finger up into the dome. â€Å"Professor, you were told, `Peter will point the way.' Is that correct?† â€Å"Yes, ma'am, but–â€Å" â€Å"Chief,† Sato said, turning away from Langdon, â€Å"can you get us a closer look at the painting?† Anderson nodded. â€Å"There's a catwalk around the interior of the dome.† Langdon looked way, way up to the tiny railing visible just beneath the painting and felt his body go rigid. â€Å"There's no need to go up there.† He had experienced that seldom-visited catwalk once before, as the guest of a U.S. senator and his wife, and he had almost fainted from the dizzying height and perilous walkway. â€Å"No need?† Sato demanded. â€Å"Professor, we have a man who believes this room contains a portal that has the potential to make him a god; we have a ceiling fresco that symbolizes the transformation of a man into a god; and we have a hand pointing straight at that painting. It seems everything is urging us upward.† â€Å"Actually,† Anderson interjected, glancing up, â€Å"not many people know this, but there is one hexagonal coffer in the dome that actually swings open like a portal, and you can peer down through it and–â€Å" â€Å"Wait a second,† Langdon said, â€Å"you're missing the point. The portal this man is looking for is a figurative portal–a gateway that doesn't exist. When he said, `Peter will point the way,' he was talking in metaphorical terms. This pointing-hand gesture–with its index finger and thumb extended upward–is a well-known symbol of the Ancient Mysteries, and it appears all over the world in ancient art. This same gesture appears in three of Leonardo da Vinci's most famous encoded masterpieces–The Last Supper, Adoration of the Magi, and Saint John the Baptist. It's a symbol of man's mystical connection to God.† As above, so below. The madman's bizarre choice of words was starting to feel more relevant now. â€Å"I've never seen it before,† Sato said. Then watch ESPN, Langdon thought, always amused to see professional athletes point skyward in gratitude to God after a touchdown or home run. He wondered how many knew they were continuing a pre-Christian mystical tradition of acknowledging the mystical power above, which, for one brief moment, had transformed them into a god capable of miraculous feats. â€Å"If it's of any help,† Langdon said, â€Å"Peter's hand is not the first such hand to make an appearance in this Rotunda.† Sato eyed him like he was insane. â€Å"I beg your pardon?† Langdon motioned to her BlackBerry. â€Å"Google `George Washington Zeus.' â€Å" Sato looked uncertain but started typing. Anderson inched toward her, looking over her shoulder intently. Langdon said, â€Å"This Rotunda was once dominated by a massive sculpture of a bare-chested George Washington . . . depicted as a god. He sat in the same exact pose as Zeus in the Pantheon, bare chest exposed, left hand holding a sword, right hand raised with thumb and finger extended.† Sato had apparently found an online image, because Anderson was staring at her BlackBerry in shock. â€Å"Hold on, that's George Washington?† â€Å"Yes,† Langdon said. â€Å"Depicted as Zeus.† â€Å"Look at his hand,† Anderson said, still peering over Sato's shoulder. â€Å"His right hand is in the same exact position as Mr. Solomon's.† As I said, Langdon thought, Peter's hand is not the first to make an appearance in this room. When Horatio Greenough's statue of a naked George Washington was first unveiled in the Rotunda, many joked that Washington must be reaching skyward in a desperate attempt to find some clothes. As American religious ideals changed, however, the joking criticism turned to controversy, and the statue was removed, banished to a shed in the east garden. Currently, it made its home at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History, where those who saw it had no reason to suspect that it was one of the last vestigial links to a time when the father of the country had watched over the U.S. Capitol as a god . . . like Zeus watching over the Pantheon. Sato began dialing a number on her BlackBerry, apparently seeing this as an opportune moment to check in with her staff. â€Å"What have you got?† She listened patiently. â€Å"I see . . .† She glanced directly at Langdon, then at Peter's hand. â€Å"You're certain?† She listened a moment longer. â€Å"Okay, thanks.† She hung up and turned back toward Langdon. â€Å"My support staff did some research and confirms the existence of your so-called Hand of the Mysteries, corroborating everything you said: five fingertip markings–the star, the sun, the key, the crown, and the lantern–as well as the fact that this hand served as an ancient invitation to learn secret wisdom.† â€Å"I'm glad,† Langdon said. â€Å"Don't be,† she replied curtly. â€Å"It appears we're now at a dead end until you share whatever it is you're still not telling me.† â€Å"Ma'am?† Sato stepped toward him. â€Å"We've come full circle, Professor. You've told me nothing I could not have learned from my own staff. And so I will ask you once more. Why were you brought here tonight? What makes you so special? What is it that you alone know?† â€Å"We've been through this,† Langdon fired back. â€Å"I don't know why this guy thinks I know anything at all!† Langdon was half tempted to demand how the hell Sato knew that he was in the Capitol tonight, but they'd been through that, too. Sato isn't talking. â€Å"If I knew the next step,† he told her, â€Å"I'd tell you. But I don't. Traditionally, the Hand of the Mysteries is extended by a teacher to a student. And then, shortly afterward, the hand is followed up with a set of instructions . . . directions to a temple, the name of the master who will teach you–something! But all this guy left for us is five tattoos! Hardly–† Langdon stopped short. Sato eyed him. â€Å"What is it?† Langdon's eyes shot back to the hand. Five tattoos. He now realized that what he was saying might not be entirely true. â€Å"Professor?† Sato pressed. Langdon inched toward the gruesome object. Peter will point the way. â€Å"Earlier, it crossed my mind that maybe this guy had left an object clenched in Peter's palm–a map, or a letter, or a set of directions.† â€Å"He didn't,† Anderson said. â€Å"As you can see, those three fingers are not clenched tightly.† â€Å"You're right,† Langdon said. â€Å"But it occurs to me . . .† He crouched down now, trying to see up under the fingers to the hidden part of Peter's palm. â€Å"Maybe it's not written on paper.† â€Å"Tattooed?† Anderson said. Langdon nodded. â€Å"Do you see anything on the palm?† Sato asked. Langdon crouched lower, trying to peer up under the loosely clenched fingers. â€Å"The angle is impossible. I can't–â€Å" â€Å"Oh, for heaven's sake,† Sato said, moving toward him. â€Å"Just open the damned thing!† Anderson stepped in front of her. â€Å"Ma'am! We should really wait for forensics before we touch–† â€Å"I want some answers,† Sato said, pushing past him. She crouched down, edging Langdon away from the hand. Langdon stood up and watched in disbelief as Sato pulled a pen from her pocket, sliding it carefully under the three clenched fingers. Then, one by one, she pried each finger upward until the hand stood fully open, with its palm visible. She glanced up at Langdon, and a thin smile spread across her face. â€Å"Right again, Professor.†

Perception and Portrayal of the Abolitionist

Societal values have changed so much since a hundred years ago. The development of science and the introduction of many intellectual movements have contributed much to these changes. Ideals which were deemed erroneous or immoral can be accepted and welcomed, and those widely accepted as scientific truths and fact can be debunked and proved wrong as well. But it is wrong to assume that every pillar in society can be changed. Several values and ideals have stood the test of time and were deemed universally and chronologically constant, because this is how society wants them to remain.These values, standards and norms therefore could be likened to a lens, since society uses these things to assess situations and the environmental factors they are exposed to. Everything that happens can be processed differently by different individuals, depending on the lens that he or she uses. There are some who manage to deviate from the norm and use unconventional â€Å"lenses† to view their en vironments and act upon situations differently than the usual. Similarly, how these people are viewed by the rest of society depend on the current value system.Usually, many of these revolutionaries become ostracized or even killed for their beliefs, as the changes they want to bring about may not agree or even violate some of the accepted norms and ideologies. John Brown is one such revolutionary, proposing change in the midst of pro-slavery America. His unconventional ideas and methods went against many standards of pro-slavery society that many saw threatening. However, as times changed and some values and ideologies were revolutionized, society’s views on John Brown’s life also changed.Some viewed him as a brilliant man who saw through American society’s fault, or a hero who died for the freedom of men who were stripped of liberty. Some also viewed him as a madman, a crazy zealot and one of America’s first terrorists. John Brown is also portrayed in v arious ways in popular culture, as his life and words are used in songs, plays and TV shows. Statement of the Problem As a prominent American historical figure, society’s opinion on John Brown is highly influenced by culture and value systems. However, it is a given that some of these values continuously fluctuate and some remain throughout time.With the changes in time and values from the time of John Brown’s active action and his death, how did public perception of him change? If so, what are the factors that affect these changes? Objectives This paper seeks to shed some light on how John Brown was viewed throughout history and time and what factors affected these perceptions of his character. An analysis of information regarding his portrayal in popular culture and a discussion on how these portrayals came about shall be included in this paper. Significance of the StudyThis study is geared towards looking at and analyzing John Brown’s life and seeing how soci ety viewed him while he was alive and after his death. Since it has been established that there has been a conflicting public opinion regarding John Brown, this study will help shed some light on the reasons for this differing public opinion and analyze the factors that contribute to these differences. Using John Brown as a base, sociological dynamics can be more fully understood. Scope and Limitations This study shall only be using online articles, journals and some books as its reference.Data shall be gathered from these materials and a suitable data analysis by the author shall be the basis of the conclusions made in this paper. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE A. Abolitionism and Slavery in the United States The Roots of Slavery Slavery in the United States involved the selling, purchase, ownership of African or even Native American slaves. It first began when the English built their community in Virginia in 1607 and ended up being widely-accepted tradition until 1865. Many of the s laves were gathered from pagan countries and this was written into law by 1705.In Columbia, a slave is defined in law as a human being who is â€Å"deprived of his or her liberty for life and is the property of another. † It was legal to own and keep slaves for as long as they were still alive from 1654 to 1865. By 1860, ownership of slaves has become so widespread that a fourth of the population during that time are comprised of slaves. Disease, famine and damages caused by the war against Native Americans have kept available labor down, and this made importation of slaves more palatable for many business men. The slaves were treated as capital for labor intensive commerce such as the cash crop industry of tobacco.They were considered as the life line of the south’s agricultural industry. A large proportion of the slaves were owned by farmers from the south, as a single farmer there owned an average of 20 slaves. Labor intensive commerce was mostly found in the south as these regions grew tobacco, cotton and sugar as primary exports. Many of the slaves were found in these farms, and here they contributed much to the economic welfare of the country. Racial basis of slavery were not only applied to Africans and Native Americans, but also to some members of the Caucasian race.Some Europeans were also utilized as slaves under a contract to pay debts. These white slaves were only held for a limited amount of time and not fully owned like African slaves. Westward Expansion The westward expansionist tradition of the country not only brought about territory, but it also spread both the tradition of slavery. Many of the cotton farmers moved west and brought their slaves with them. Historians call this period the Second Middle Passage. Many of the slaves were forcefully removed from their families and communities to work for new farms in the west.This slave exodus marked one of the most significant periods in African slavery. African slaves were subjected to psychological stress due to their forceful exclusion from their families and familiar environments. The westward movement was extremely difficult. Aside from the psychological hardship that being away from their families presented, they were also subjected to physical difficulties. Most of them were forced to travel on foot, only stopping in temporary holding pens for slaves where further slave trade was performed. The slaves were mobilized in shackles and chains as traders feared violence ensuing from the slaves.In their destination, extremely difficult work was waiting for them. Many of the areas in the west were still undeveloped, and so the burden of clearing forests, building barns and pioneer-planting crops in the fields were placed on the slaves’ shoulders. Alongside the exhaustion from the intense labor, unfavourable working conditions and amenities contributed to the high mortality rate of newly arrived slaves. This condition was so economically unfavourable for the slave owners that many of them resorted to temporarily renting slaves than using their own to complete the work.Many of the slaves resisted after being exposed to such dreadful conditions which ultimately gave the farmers and their overseers more reason to resort to cruelty and aggression to control slaves. Brutalities towards the slaves were institutionalized by the court. Overseers can physically harm slaves and in some cases, even kill the dissenting slave. The owners were authorized by court to use the slaves and their families at his disposal. Members of the family can be used by the owner to pay-off debts or increase income by selling them as slaves.It is common to find slave families broken and hurt from the separation of husbands, wives and children from one another. The slaves were given amenities and benefits like food, health care and clothing but only to a bare minimum. Disabling slaves by maiming them and executions for fugitive slaves were allowed by law. Sexual ab use and rape of the slaves was also rampant. In court, slaves were considered sub-human. If one does commit a crime, however, he is considered as an entity capable of thought and act, and thus is regarded as a rational being.With all these brutalities toward slaves, it is important to note that the treatment of slaves is dependent on skin color. Light-skinned slaves were dressed, fed and treated better than the dark-skinned ones who worked mostly in the fields. Anti-slavery supporters coming from the north knew of the brutalities and abuses inflicted on the slaves of the south. They sought to stop the institution of slavery, and this produced much tension between the two parties. The north’s movement to abolish slavery went against the economic favourability of slavery during that time.The economy dictated the increasing value of labor intensive industries in the south, and so labourers are needed more than ever. Abolitionist movement With the enlightenment and awareness of p eople regarding human rights came the abolitionist movement. Slavery was something that violated the basic tenet of human rights and dignity, and so it had to be abolished. Northern states have begun to pass acts which declared that all men were born free and equal. Several movements that involved religion and political movements highly influenced the strength and expanse of abolitionist ideals throughout the country.The movements that supported abolitionism varied in method and degree. Some were pacifist, as they tried to use the legal system and passed legislation seeking to make slavery illegal. Others utilized literature and the press like Harriet Beecher Stowe, the author of the famous novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin. Religious movements declared slavery to be sinful and un-Christian, to discourage believers from keeping and owning slaves. Only a minority of abolitionists used to armed revolt and instigation of unrest and anger among the slaves as the main machinery to further t heir cause.The movement continued its stride to abolish slavery, but its strongest anchor point came with the election of a known contester of slavery, Abraham Lincoln, as president. With the head of state holding this position of opposition of slavery, the south felt that their way of life was endangered and threatened. Economic repercussions will be felt by their planters in the cotton, tobacco and sugar farms if the hands that worked in the plantations were to be set free. The zenith of the tensions between the south and the north was the American Civil war.It broke out when the south organized and removed themselves from the control of the American government. Rise of Abolitionism Historian James McPherson defined an abolitionist as a person who has fought for the abolition of slavery in the United States before the Civil war. American abolition started early on, as there were several groups already fighting for the liberation of slaves, such as the Society of Relief of Free Neg roes Unlawfully Held in Bondage, and there were several institutions which prohibited slavery already.Several states had passed laws that completely prohibited slavery in their territories. Those who joined the American Anti-Slavery Society or other groups were abolitionists. These movements were not unified, and so could not boast a unified strength. Vermont was the first territory to make slavery illegal, and Pennsylvania was the first state to abolish slavery in 1780. Then several states followed Pennsylvania’s example while some states chose to limit slave trading. Many of the states in the south retained the institution of slavery as it was the region’s life line in their plantations.Their strong adherence to the institution drove them to take a defensive stance against the rising popularity of the abolitionist movement. Many abolitionist writers distributed many anti-slavery writings and literature to the south to help spread the ideologies. Novels, pamphlets and other forms of writing began to circulate not just in the north, but also in the southern region. Southern officials were enraged at the act, and thus moved to ban all types of literature that might instigate rebellion and changes in the south. Violence was even employed to stop the circulation of antislavery media in the south.Elijah Parish Lovejoy, the editor of an abolitionist newspaper was murdered by a mob of pro-slavery southerners. His printing press was also destroyed. Abolitionists recognized the fact that slavery needed to be abolished everywhere in the country, but the north cannot interfere with the affairs of the south because of federal ruling. Because of this, many abolitionists focused on liberating the north and skipping the southern states. Some abolitionists were frustrated and did not like this idea, as they believed that every state should be free of slavery.The movement was further fortified by the support of free African-Americans and their church. With the i ssue of the constitution, the American Abolitionist movement split up into two groups, the Garrisonians, led by William Garrison and Wendell Phillips and another camp led by Spooner and Gerrit Smith. The Garrisonians believed that the constitution promoted slavery while Spooner’s group believed the constitution to be antislavery. Since slavery was unconstitutional, it could be abolished with the blessing of the law.More divisions in the abolitionist movement arose, but because of the social classes of the abolitionists themselves. The artisans and elites divided themselves on the issue of slavery as well. The Underground Railroad was used as a venue by many abolitionists to become more active in the cause for abolition of slavery. Many of the fugitive slaves were illegally transported away from their masters to be free men via this rail. But the railroad was made illegal by the passing of the Fugitive Slave Law of 1850. But this did not stop the abolitionists from providing s helter and transporting slaves to freedom.

A Research On Native Americans: Origin, Culture, Way Of Life And Contribution To The United States

The origin and presence of Native Americans in the Western Hemisphere has been one of the most debatable issues in both American and world historical studies. European invaders entering the new land were quite challenged to find about 100 million inhabitants in the Americas; a land they had always presumed was vast and vacant.These European settlers as well as scientists believed that the American natives belonged to the biblical Lost Tribes of the nation of Israel, while others fancifully argued that these natives could have been the remnant of lost civilizations such as Mu or Atlantis.Early European settlers insisted that Native Americans must have had their origin in ancient Israel, Rome, the Irish, Welsh or Viking lands. Scientists have however changed their perspective over recent times and joined Native American voices to support the notion that these people are indigenous to the Americas.Tied into the issue of native origin are legal standings regarding Native sovereignty, pos session of sacred artifacts and Native remains, Native American spokesman-ship or representation, as well as the rules that should be used to analyze the evidence deduced from history and science about their indigenous status in this land (Carliste & Golson 2006, p.1).Native Americans in the United StatesHistorically, the earliest Native tribes to inhabit the Americas are the Athapascans and Inuits who are believed to have entered the land through the Bering Strait that connects Alaska and Siberia. Others are said to have traveled by boat or canoe around the North American Pacific coast and Arctic Circle to predominate North America and parts of South America.But the Native American people have together with others. Always questioned the Bering Strait theory and gone ahead to insist that they have inhabited the Americas as far back as their origin can be traced.Researchers into the origins of Native Americans have suggested that these people could have entered the Americas through m ultiple migrations not only by the land bridge or boat at the Bering Strait; but also through sea from Polynesia and parts of Europe.Genetic evidence has also come up with suggestions that Native Americans had already arrived in the Americas about 15,000 to 30,000 years long before the Bering Strait had been exposed by lowering sea levels. Recent discoveries have found genetic evidence of Polynesian origin among five Native tribes like the Mapuche, Cayapa of Ecuador, Huilleche, Nuu-Chal-Nulth in Canada, and the Atacameno of Chile.Native oral traditions tell about a journey to the Americas by boat and the present-day continent popularly referred to as the United States of America is an ancestral home to over 500 Indian nations. The state of California alone was home to over 60 tribes of between 30,000 – 40,000 Native people before the early European invasion (Stubben & Sokolow 2005, p.1-3; Carliste & Golson 2006, p.1-6).Native American tribes spoke a variety of languages but m ost of the northeastern tribes lived in semi-permanent and permanent dwellings, socially organized under clan membership.The clans were matrilineal and young men were raised in the households of their mothers by their maternal uncles. Daily Native American life revolved around hunting, gathering, farming and fishing, the main crops being maize, beans and squash.Native Americans moved in groups of about 50 – 100 people because such a group could manage reasonable hunting exploits especially when hunting large buffalo herds. Family was very important to the Native Americans and all members of a family ranging from grandparents, parents and the children shared a very special bond. Family and tribal elders were highly respected and their decisions in various matters were crucial to the existence of a clan or entire tribe.Men did the hunting and took care of other tribal matters such as maintenance of tribal boundaries while the women provide labor for tilling the fields as well a s doing several other chores. In some tribes like the Iroquois, women also held powerful positions whereby they controlled the election and removal of clan chiefs.These gender based cultural traits were to create a lot of cross-cultural conflict when the European arrived in the Americas (Stubben & Sokolow 2005, p.57; Carliste & Golson 2006, p.113).Life for the Native Americans however changed drastically with the arrival of European settlers to America especially during the early 1800s, when the Americas experienced an influx of European settlers.The need to supply the American nation with foodstuffs, clothing and lumber led to the displacement of Native people and immediately, plans got under way to resettle them to reservations. European invasion is said to have led to the extinct of some Native tribes like the Beothuk who are said to have been wiped out completely.Most other tribes lost over 90% of their people to European genocide because the white settlers had better weapons of warfare that were also more extreme and violent than the native peoples could resist.In their conquests, European invaders murdered noncombatants as well as used biological warfare such as deliberate spread of disease and starvation. 75 million Indians are estimated to have died with some estimates going as high as 112 million (Pritzker 2000, p.162; Carliste & Golson 2006, p.9, 26).European settlement was detrimental to Native American existence because it disrupted every aspect of their lives. The relocation f Native tribes from their native lands disrupted their way of life.Between 1854 and 1855 for example, Washington governor Isaac I. Stevens signed four treaties in quick succession with the Waka Walla Cayuse, Yakima, Makah, Nez Perce, Lushootsedd and Coer d’ Alene Native tribes around the Oregon and Washington territories.Through these treaties, Native lands were ceded back to the government which included the choicest lands of Tacoma, Seattle and Olympia. In return, th ese tribes were allotted tracts of lands although the government held the right over waterways and public transportation throughout these territories.Although native tribes retained such rights as fishing, hunting and grazing rights, these allotments marked the beginning of a restricted lifestyle for the Native tribes.These treaties not only eroded native culture but their lifestyle as well, and forced their assimilation into reservations (Hoxie, Mancall & Merrell 2001, p. 67; Pritzer 2000, p. 5, 214; Carliste & Golson 2006, p.29, 75, 111).