Ethical Leadership and How to Create a Positive Work Environment Essay

Leadership nowadays has encountered various problems. One of the most common one and which is contaminating the main business environment is that individuals at work are not engaging as they should. We have to ask ourselves, why is this happening and how can we prevent it? Dr. Charmine Hartel commented in the seminar that almost 20% of all the active workers in every organization do not work in favor of it. Instead they engage against the organization in various ways. This is a really big issue, because this means that there is something happening inside the organization and its leadership that is making these counter-productive acts. Recent researches that have been made show us that there are 3 different things that usually happens in the organization that get the workers to engage in a bad way their work as they should. * Work Environment * Negative Work Environment * Stress When the brain is under stress chemicals are released that weakens functions of the brain that gives us a higher level of structure (this is called the prefrontal cortex). When stressed, we are likely to engage inappropriate actions and lack the ability to regulate our emotions. With this in mind, we are encountering serious problems for the organization, because if these workers don’t have the use of their brain area they are not going to be able to engage the work they can and should do. Ethical Leadership The fruits of ethical leadership are Positive Work Environments, also known as PWE’s. PWEÂ ´s exists when the workers see their places as positive, respectful, inclusive and psychologically safe, and when leaders and coworkers are trustworthy and there exist an open diversity characterized in just policies and decision making. The entire above are needed to complete and get a PWE. PWE provides the set of emotional experiences necessary for human flourishing. We know that on average the positive emotional experiences outweigh the negative emotional ones. So, with this in mind, when you see your environment is safeyou have the ability to start being more creative and start being yourself. We should always keep in mind that an emotion is a response of the person when they have a particular event. They can have Destructive or constructive consequences. Organizations are responsible for the work environment they create. This is called the organization culture. When people and how the people interpreted the environment around their workplace. This is about how the organization context shapes the meaning and actions of its members. People management have the need to build resilience, diversity openness and be able to create a support to people trough change. There always exists the need to belong and to be valued for our uniqueness. Servant Leadership Many leadership approaches think about other things and focus their attention on what the followers need and develop things around them. Its an approach around the about the energy and direct it to the best place. With that in mind looking at the person as a whole being, not just as one more worker. One of the key things is that they can understand the core value of the workers and respect them as they deserve. There exist the emotion focus coping and problem focused coping they both have constructive and destructive emotions and impulses. The Giving Voice of Values (GVV) is designed to help individuals learn to recognize, clarify, speak and act on themselves when those conflicts arise. The focus is on how a manager raises this issues in an effective way.

The Lion as Symbol in Art

The lion has been a symbol in art since the origins of artistic representation have been documented (in pre-historic cave drawings to the later representation of the lion on city walls, coins, and household items such as vases and plates).   The lion in present day art realms is a symbol of strength and power[1].   The lion in more distant times was concurrent with these themes.   In order for a clear representation of the lion to be presented a look into its past dealing with art must be expounded.   Since artist draw the world around them, it must be inferred that in ancient Iran the lion was a prevalent animal and the artists of the time saw its powerful capabilities and associated that power with their own kings.   However, the lion is not a solitarily presented animal; it has other animal counter-parts such as the bull[2], the snake, the camel, the deer, etc.   In order for a precise discussion of the lion to be represented, these counterparts must also be included.T hese animals are the prey for the lion.   The lion show dominance over the above-mentioned animals, and in artistic representations of this battle, the viewer may infer the artist’s intention by how the lion is depicted, but first, some history about the lion in art,A study of the iconographies on vaes, seals, etc., from the earliest settlements of the Persian, Elamite and Mesopotamien area throughout the ages down to the Assyrian, Achaemenian and Seleucid periods, reeals a perfectly astrounding continuity of tradition in regard to a considerable part of the contellations, such as they were eventually transmitted to the Greeks.   That those uncounted reprentations of bulls, lions, scorpions and other figures, such ast he seven-headed hydra under the lion or the god with streams floating from his shoulders, are meant to be constellations, is in most cases clearly indicated by star symbols or by typical combinations and confrontations of two or more such astronomical elemen ts, or else by other typical concomitant motifs.  Ã‚   (Hartner The Conquering Lion 1964, 162).Thus, the lion was attributed to natural scenes found around the artist.   Since stars were such a dramatic and essential part of agrarian culture, it is not so far-fetched to believe that these artistic peoples placed the lion (a dominant figure in their own society both feared and revered) in the sky as a symbol, along with other animals (bull, bird, deer, etc.).   The calendar was instrumental in the daily lives of these people because it told them when certain seasons would arrive, when to plant crops, etc. and so, they continuously looked toward the skies for knowledge and inspiration:   In order to fully understand what they saw they gave common day items constellations by which to know the sky and by extension the season.   The Greeks or the Hellenistic calendar[3] as well as the Hispano-Islamic calendar[4] the solar year was understood and remembered.   Therefore, const ellations that are known today referred to as Leo, Taurus, etc, had their roots in ancient times.There was a symbolic and veritable battle taking place in the heavens for each of these cultures with their constellations.   As such, the two prominent constellations were Leo and Taurus.   They were in opposition to each other even in 4000 B.C.In the first half of February (counting according to the Gregorian Calendar), the constellations called later the â€Å"Hired Laborer† and the ‘plow’ had their heliacal rising and thereby indicated the time for Spring plowing, harrowing and sowing.   Just during this period, on February 10, the Pleiades, i.e. the leading star group of the Bull, Taurus, had their heliacal setting, i.e. were seen for the last time in the course of the year, to remain invisible (because in conjunction with the Sun) until, after 20 days, they rose again (heliacal rising), to indicate Spring equinox.   Now at the very moment of the Pleiades ’ heliacal setting (February 10, 4000 B.C.), the constellation of   Leo, standing 90 degrees apart, at the Persepolis or Ur occupies exactly the zenith, the â€Å"Royal Star†, Regulus-sarru, culminating at ca. 8 degrees distance from the zenith point.   (Hartner, 163).The significance in ancient culture of the above event was that it was interpreted as the victory of the lion over the bull.   The constellation Leo is at its apex during this time and is directly above the observer’s head and in its full spectrum of power.   It then is symbolic in this position has having killed the bull who has been escaping its equinox below the horizon to ‘hide behind the sun’s rays’.   After the lapsed time of 40 days will the constellation Taurus reappear and gain strength will the constellation Leo diminishes and set[5].   This is the classic Lion-Bull combat and can be seen in a plethora of paintings from this time to present art.   (Hartne r (163).As the Lion-Bull combat is dominant in Iranian art, especially with the lion as the victor is it imperative to juxtapose the lion with regality.   As such, one artistically representation piece that incorporates the beast is found on the cloak of Roger the second.   This cloak was created in Palermo around 528 H./A.D.   The cloak has an Arabic inscription that reads that the intention of the cloak is made for precise use for the treasury of the ‘Sicilian capital’ (Hartner 164).   Thus, the symbolic language of the cloak highlights the significance of the lion as representation of power , as Hartner states, â€Å"Indeed, the recent conquest of and rule over an Arab land, as well as Roger’s concern for the conversion of the ‘Saracens’, could not be better expressed than by the age-old motif of the lion slaying a big but weaker animal.   In this case, the latter was appropriately given in the shape of a camel† (164).The expressi on of the cloak is that of triumph over conquests and glory in those triumphs.   Not only is the lion in representation of royalty but also of military prowess.   In battle with different animals (snake, gazelle, bird, as the lion has often been represented slaying) the lion is victorious.   In cultural context, the lion’s symbols remain constant.   In Islam, for instance, the Great Mosque of Amid there is an archway that is framed on either side by the Lion-Bull motif.   These figures are excellently sculpted and juxtapose each other in a mirror image.   These figures were aesthetic by design but they also had political undertonesThe double scenes of the lion overcoming a bull would, according to van Berchem’s ingenious hypothesis, signify the tyrannical power exercised by the Nisanid over the Inalids; this assumption—and in particular the identification of the Inalid amir with a bull—is supported by another symbolic representation close to a n inscription on the city’s Aleepo Gate of 579 †¦Here the conqueror of the Inalids and of Diyarbakr, the Artuqid Muhammad, represents his victory by means of the emblem of a bird of prey over a bull’s head, which would again represent the same dynasty†¦(but the lion)should be regarded as a symbol of secular power. (Hartner, 166).In the early sixth and seventh centuries the lion stands out as a central motif.   The lion is a political symbol representing the power of one kingdom over another.   The lion essentially is a symbol of great power.   This is represented in the enameled dish of the Artuqid Dawud b. Sukman b. Artuq of Hisn-Kaifa[6] which has a classic lion motif.   The lion is pictured in the dish with a deer in the upper right.   There are other animals pictured on the dish as well, all quadrupeds or birds.   These animals are dominant over weaker animals (the birds of prey are more powerful that is) just as the lion overtakes the deer, s o do the birds reflect this predator/prey balance.   The central figure on the dish is Alexander the Great, ‘that is the apotheosis of the archetype of world ruler† (Hartner 166), so, the dish adequately represents the power symbol in the animal kingdom with the figure of one of the greatest rulers.The lion and the bull are prevalent in a power struggle throughout out, and the lion remains the victor of this battle.   Another prime example of this symbol can be witnessed on the gate of the citadel of Diyarbakr.   This symbol is associated with ancient Islam, as it existed in abundance in the art found in Umayyad near Jericho.   Here, there is mosaic dà ©cor that emphasizes the lion.   In the bathhouse in the palace, there is a mosaic room that is nonrepresentational and is mainly filled with geometric shapes, which was the aesthetic of the times, however, on the raised apse, where most likely the lord of the palace resided while in attendance is the mosaic sce ne of a lion and gazelles.This is a very naturalistic representation and more than likely the artist rendered it in accordance to true scenes found outside the palace.   The way in which this scene is compiled is reminiscent of Byzantine or Roman art.   The lion being incorporated onto the apse was not the only representation of power, but in the placement of the lion on the chair of the power figure of the palace is where strength could also be symbolized, as Hartner states, â€Å"This is underlined by the fact that the stucco figure of a ruler on the ceremonial gateway to the bath house complex is standing on two lions so that in this milieu the ion obviously had a royal connotation.   On the other hand, there has been found at Antioch a sixth-century mosaic frieze in which, on either side of trees, a wild beast is always juxtaposed to a tame animal†¦renders the older concept of uncompromising rule by the paramount power† (167).The lion as a symbol carried into o ther art forms as well such as the textile print based on the concepts of the lion permeated by the Sasanian era.   The silk depicts two hunters on horses with wings while in the foreground is a field of lions.   The lions are roaring in a berserk fashion.   Each rider is simultaneously holding up a lion cub.   The unique factor on the silk textile is that neither hunter holds a solitary weapon.   The figures then are representational of kings since they are surrounded with regal animals (not only the lions and cubs but also an eagle in the background) and their power can be seen in the fact that they do not have any weapons but rely on inner strength to hold the cubs.The Sasanian era is a plethora of lions being represented in art.   Assyrians were great supporters of the idea of lions as the king of the jungle and related this fact in artistic forms of their own kings or in art pieces were they wished to connote power,Assyrians regarded lions much like human enemies an d were thus eager to have their triumphs over them faithfully rendered; the image of the royal beast was then transformed into the conqueror himself, which meant that the kings identified themselves with the lion, be it in the metaphorical language of the historical accounts or visually, in the form or a royal emblem.   In this manner, the lion was shown in the act of triumph over the mighty bull, as we see it on the Boston disc[7].   Here the symbolic character appears quite evident from the fact that the ferocious lion looms so much larger than the less vitally rendered bovine animal, as it represented the point of view of patron and artist.   Such usage explains also why this motif occurs, for instance, as a design on the embroidered tunic of the ninth-century King Assurnasirpal (Hartner 168).The lion bull combat then is depicted as a regal power struggle with the lion being the victor.   This can be seen not only in the fact that the lion is, and has been the symbol of p ower but also in the way in which the battle is placed in relation to other objects (as was demonstrated on the apse and the picture of the owner atop two other lions, which showed dominance) as can be demonstrated by the great Apadana staircases.   Although the symbolism of royalty is not directed connoted with the lion, the juxtaposition of the relief can be found next to   an inscription by Xerxes which states, â€Å"of this wide, far-stretching earth† which is in reference to his celestial appointment.   (Hartner 169).The lion was also once on the flag representing Iran with the lion in front of the sun[8] and a sword in its grip.   The Iranians then have a prominent history involving the lion which seems to be a source unto itself as a symbol of kingly strength, as Hartner infers,At this point it is appropriate to indicate that a comparison of the Achaemenid reliefs with the earlier Assyrian version reveals that the Iranians had made great progress in perfecting the design.   While originally the symbolic situation necessitated the sharp contrast between a large, dynamic, and realistically rendered lion and a smaller, more inert and stylized bull, the actual relationship between the two animals is vague and remains artistically unresolved (169).The lion then becomes allegory in Iranian art, not only as it has been depicted in the past but as it is being represented in modern Iran as well.   Albeit, the lion has become more realistically draw in scale with the bull, so that the dominance of this beast over the lesser and inadequately equipped for battle quadruped, is exerted as an even more astounding display of heroics, dominance and strength.   Since the smaller lion is capable of defeating the more enormous bull, the association of a king with such allegory is representation of the king, though with lesser forces, can defeat his enemy who has many.Work CitedAdams, Liliana Osses.   (2003).   Sumerian Harps from Ur.   (Online).à ‚   Available:http://www.zwoje-scrolls.com/zwoje35/text11p.htm.Dorfles, Gillo.   (March 1957).   Communication and Symbol in the Work of Art.   TheJournal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism.   Vol. 15, No. 3.   pp.   289-297.Hartner, Willy.   (December 31, 1964).   The Conquering Lion, the Life Cycle of a Symbol.Oriens, Vol. 17.   pp.   161-171.Janson, H.W. & Anthony F. Janson.   (1997).   History of Art.   Fifth Edition Revised.   PrenticeHall, Inc., and Harry Abrams, Inc., Publishers.   New York.[1] The epic of Gilgamesh derives from Mesopotamian culture (Adams 2003) involving a super-human man, two-thirds god and one-third human.   Thus, the theme of the lion with human qualities or humans with super-human qualities likened to animals is not strictly found in Iran.   In the translated stone tablets that exist of the story Gilgamesh is king of Uruk in Babylonia, which is located today in modern Iraq.   The story, historically, takes place approxima tely 2700 B.C. however; the story itself was only orally passed between audiences until being written in cuneiform in 2000 B.C..[2] The bull did not reside in the culture of Iran alone but throughout the Middle East.   As Gilgamesh was given as an example prior, the bull is found in this story as well with Gilgamesh conquering the bull as depicted on the Lyre found in the British museum of London. This Lyre stresses the importance of music in Uruk as well as in Mesopotamia.   The pictorial representations of Gilgamesh on the lyre are very elaborate and innovative.   The image of the bull is greatly utilized in Mesopotamian art and on the Harp or Lyre of Ur at the British Museum the animalistic traits and images is no different.   The significance of the bull on the harp is that Gilgamesh slew the sacred bull at the walls of the Ishtar Temple.   The harp was then reputedly clothes in garments of gold and adorned with horns and thenGilgamesh dedicated it to his father [3] Fr om 200 B.C. but Ptolemy is attributed with making a calendar as early as 150 A.D. [4] from the 10th century. [5] Not only is the Lion-Bull combat well-known and represented in art, but there is also the Lion-Deer combat that also has its settings with the stars, and will discussed later in the thesis.[6] This period is between 508 and 538, and the dish being discussed is thought to have been created by a Persian-speaking craftsman who may have leaved around Iran or in Central Asia in general. [7] The Boston disc being referenced is that found in Khorsabad which is supposedly the shield that had belonged to the Assyrian King Sargon the second. [8] The sun is a symbol of eternal life, as is the lion.   The sun represents fertility since in agrarian culture it made plants grow.   The sun is a duality just as much as the lion is one because while the sun is impressive in its scope of aiding in growth it can also be deadly as in times of draught.

The HR Role in Transformational Period in the Health Care Sector in Ab Essay

The HR Role in Transformational Period in the Health Care Sector in Abu Dhabi Emirate - Essay Example Moreover, a satisfied workforce is an integral element of an effective CRM strategy. In a very competitive society, these elements are even more important. To understand this concept, it must be realized that the number of patients increases by small amounts whereas new facilities sprout up every other day. Thus there is a very important relationship between sound human resource practice and successful hospital management. The recent government has taken many measures to improve the quality of health care being provided to citizens of UAE. The flag of change on this front has basically been carried by two organizations. The ministry of health in association with SEHA has taken many different initiatives to improve the healthcare system in UAE. There is always a primary theme behind every change process which defines the vision of change. The primary theme of health sector reforms by SEHA and Ministry of Health has been ‘standardization’. This change process aimed at standardization has three primary strategies: (QPR) for Health Care Professionals is to ensure that all Health Professionals of the Health Authority –Abu Dhabi (HAAD) meet and maintain qualification and experience standards as required to ensure a quality health care, within University accepted health care standards. The achievement of JCI accreditation is accepted for the purposes of initial licensure in the specific areas covered by the accreditation process. Professional Standards, regulations, and guidelines related to Health professionals should be produced in HAAD. This functions as an inspection and quality control mechanism which ensures that changes are aimed at the long run. Al Corniche was built as a maternity hospital, with the sole purpose of providing health care to women and children. In 1970’s the time of its inception it was the only hospital providing such services on a public  level.  

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Nursing Curriculum Development - Assignment Example The CIPP model is useful in that critical external factors are taken into consideration. Moreover, the relationship between courses is established as well as the relevance of a progress to suit the needs of a job. An effective evaluation model must take into account as many factors as possible as long as they are manageable and deliver the anticipated outcomes with ease of monitoring. With regard to the input process, the objectives of the course are clearly stipulated to find a balance between theory and practice. Moreover, provisions for the necessary equipment and other learning resources are made to ensure a perfect learning condition. In the process phase of the cycle, the mode of communication and the responses between learners and the instructors is assessed to weed out any potential barriers. The discipline of the involved parties is also taken into account to ensure that seriousness is upheld. Lastly, the mode of student evaluation, test intervals, and quality of assessments are the final steps, that is, for the product phase of the cycle. Information to be used in decision-making is collected through well-structured evaluation forms, interviews, video recording of class sessions, questionnaires, or informal observations. This eliminates the bias associated with using a single form of obtaining evaluation data. However, CIPP model is deemed exclusive to experts only, and ways to incorporate other relevant stakeholders should be identified prior to the exercise.

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History Final - Essay Example The Germans made an alliance with Australia while Belgium and Netherlands were neutral.UK alleged protection for Belgium. German declared war since it did not like the encirclement from the Russia and France. War communed when Serbia was fired from the Hungarian moved against Serbia while German helping them, Russia rose to defend the slave. The war began against Serbia by Austria- hungaria.This made Russia o come to defend the Serbia of which they invited their ally France to assist with the war German colluded with Belgium and France then moved to Russia. Paris was then evacuated in France causing the French warfare to start. This British were therefore killed by the French US in war.US entered in war in 6 April 1917 when German put a policy of unrestricted submarine warfare. This was threatening America’s commercial shipping and they had to fight against these policies. The Second World War was as a result of the rise of dictatorial, military regimes in Germany, Japan and Italy, an occurrence arising from the Great Depression that was present in the world in the early 1930s. This part will examine the occurrence of the Second World War. The American depression produced effects especially in Europe. Germany had an economic disaster that resulted into social displacement. This made Hitler to rise. When the League failed to stop the second Japanese war in 1931, there were treaty violations. Hitler recreated German army in 1933 to prepare for war. In 1936 Hitler regrouped the Rhineland. Between 1935 and 1936 Mussolini won Ethiopia for Italy. From 1936 to 1939 the Spanish war started. Germany and Italy assisted the forces of Francisco to win the victory. â€Å"In 1938, Germany annexed Austria, and in September1938, the British and French policy of conciliation toward the Axis reached its height with the sacrifice of much of Czechoslovakia to Germany in the Munich Pact†. (Anonymous) In 1939, Germany engaged all of Czechoslovakia while Italy

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Statistic paper - Statistics Project Example A significant correlation was observed between days and charges, r(287) = .80, p Hospital managers bear the overall authority over the running of the hospital. However, their authority is usually curtailed when administrative duties come into play. This is due to the overpowering roles of physicians. Physicians control a significant portion of hospital costs and the length of time that a patient stays in a hospital. They also determine the drugs used in treating a patient and determine the suppliers. Despite these crucial roles, the physicians are not employees of the hospital. At times, hospitals give individual physicians admitting privileges and periodically review their performance. However, the hospital’s influence over various expenditures remains at the minimum. On the other hand, the revenues of the hospital are largely dependent on the patient’s insurance coverage. This insurance coverage may cater for a more or less fixed amount and is classified using the diagnosis related group (DRG) system. It may also cater for a percentage of the hospital bill. The performance of a physician is crucial to the general well-being of a patient. An outstanding performance

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Analysis Report of Benetton Company - Essay Example These are multinational companies that have been able to segment the market, position themselves strategically in the market, and attract the loyalty of the customers towards their products. In addition, these firms have outsourced their operations to different parts of the world. As a result, they are able to produce products at very low prices, an aspect that has been inserting pressure on Benetton Company to come up with an effective pricing strategy in order to retain its competitive advantage in the market (Maguire 2007). The companies are considered a threat to the future of the business. This is because they target the same market segment. In addition, they have a huge financial base which enables them to afford the rising advertising costs by the traditional media houses. In addition, they have diversified their operations to different markets across the world, an aspect that makes them to be financially stable (Maguire 2007). Benetton mainly sells women’s and men’s apparel, accessories, fragrances, and shoes. These are clients that are fashion-oriented and have a disposable income which can be used to purchase high-quality products by the firm. The major target market by the company is the young people. This generation accounts for the largest market segment in the whole population. The firm targets the young people who are at the age of twenty to thirty five. Through its internationalization program, the business has a customer base which emanates from different parts of the world. As a result, it publishes its magazines Colors in three editions and four languages. This is in an attempt to reach all customers irrespective of their race, gender, religion, and cultural background (Kapoor & Kulshretha 2012). This aspect has played a significant role in enabling the business to remain competitive despite various economic challenges in the world. Over the years, the Benetton Group has always

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ILSC 2 - Essay Example Involving and engaging employees in the decision-making process or working together with employees, as a team is another way of motivating employees.Many employees become contended with their work and also become active in the company when they are engaged in the decision-making process or work together as a team. Team building is crucial because it enables employees to improve their performance level because of accomplishing their task faster and effectively (Mayhem 2013, pr.6).For instance, Sony Company is one of the well-known corporations that have increased their revenues because of increased innovative products. This is because the company has a unique way of motivating their employees through involving and engaging them in the decision-making process, as well as, treating everyone equal (Smith 2013, pp. 16).James (2008, p. 433)offers some effective leadership strategies such as motivation and teamwork as valuable means for achieving competitive advantage in the company. Many l eaders have made significant efforts of incorporating varied leadership strategies in order to meet the organizational needs. Northouse (2010, p. 24) also argues that managers need to examine their own traits since this will enable them to recognize their weakness or strengths vital for understanding the way followers perceive them in the work environment. This is crucial because it can enable leaders to engage or create the good relationship with their employees; thus improving the industrial relations.

Focus Questions Essay Example for Free

Focus Questions Essay â€Å"Why was the French empire ultimately so much less successful than either the Spanish or the British empires? † France was a late player in the settling game of the New World. During the 1500s it was ravaged by wars and internal conflict, most of these were caused from the Roman Catholics at odds with the Protestant Huguenots. Also, once the colonies were created settlers did not stay, many either came home or never trekked out into the wild. There were very few reasons to travel to the colonies for the French. This is because the colonial government was under direct rule of the crown. The one gain that could be obtained by immigrating to the colonies was religious freedom. However, France would not allow the passage of the prosecuted Huguenots. The main trade was Canada’s fur; not the most profitable. Although fur was very popular in America, and had great potential to succeed. The lack of settlers and the large land area controlled by the French could not be efficiently occupied or fortified. France was suffering from many struggles back in Europe yet the insufficient number of settlers prohibited the French from maintaining their land through the wars (the French and Indian war) and conflicts. 2. â€Å"If France instead of Britain had won the duel for North America, would the 13 colonies ever have become independent of Britain, or would they have been forced to stay within the empire for protection against France? Would Detroit, St. Louis, and New Orleans now be cities in Canada rather than in the United States? † If France had won North America, then I still believe that the United States would become independent. The French and Indian war would have affected the greatly. They would have still been hurt economically from the French and Indian war, and by losing, they could have been damaged in many more ways. Britain would force even more taxes upon the colonies because a defeat would likely cost more. However, if France would have attacked the colonies, the colonists would be preoccupied with defending themselves. Afterwards, although, I believe that the colonies would rebel eventually, because Britain would mistreat them more. Historically, France was the weakest of the world powers. Some islands and Quebec speak French. While over 20 speak Spanish and more than that speak English. If France had won North America from the British, they wouldn’t keep it for long because another â€Å"bully† nation, like Spain, or Germany could have risen up and taken it like candy from the French. 3. â€Å"From Britain’s perspective, were stationing soldiers in the New World permanently and issuing the Proclamation of 1763 good colonial policies? What problems were these policies trying to address? How else might have Britain solved those problems while limiting colonial contempt? † Yes, Britain’s concern of Indian uprising outweighed the expansion of the colonies. Pontiacs Uprising, which began in May of 1763, took the lives of hundreds of colonists and British soldiers as Ottawa leader Pontiac and various other tribes attempted to drive the English out of the Great Lake Region. Finally, the English subdued the Indian uprising by distributing blankets infected with smallpox. A cheap tactic if you would ask me. The Proclamation of 1763 and the posting of soldiers were placed into effect to keep the colonists and the Indians separate. Likely, the act was put in place to protect the colonists, and not to confine them. The main purpose of the Proclamation Line was to delay colonial expansion into the West while Britain stabilized relations with Natives through monetary compensation and the return of land. The other choice was allowing the colonists to have what they want and get massacred as they moved west. Britain could have done a better job with keeping the colonist happy. One flaw was that the colonists that were already west lost their land and money along with it. If I were Britain, I would have insured the colonists with the same proportion of land in a different region or compensated them with monetary supplements. . â€Å"Should the French and Indian War be considered one of the major causes of the American Revolution? Why or why not? † Yes, because it made the Americans want freedom. The colonists felt edged in beside the Eastern coast. France was the major anxiety of the colonists. The historical conflict with France, the Catholicism of France, and the absolute rule of the French monarchy caused Americans to dislike the French. By the mid-17th century, the colonists had begun to move west across the Appalachians into Kentucky. Here the English came in conflict with the French moving down to the south from French Canada into the fertile Ohio Valley. French and British hostilities in the Seven Years War began in North America. Even George Washington was involved in the first engagement. The American share of the Seven Years War (1756-63) is known as the French and Indian War. The War had a main influence on proceedings leading to the Revolution. One might conclude that the British role in removing the French and Native American threat to the Colonies would have permanently sealed ties amongst Britain and the grateful colonies. This did not prove to be true. The disappearance of the French into America meant that the British and Colonists no longer had a mutual enemy. The War was also very expensive. The Colonists had made a major direct monetary contribution to the war effort. The War was very expensive to the British who had begun to rely on the colonists to pay a larger share of the expensive empire, especially the costs of maintaining a strong military. Chapter 7: The Road to Revolution 1. â€Å"Evaluate the system of mercantilism. What were the benefits for Britain and for the colonies? What were the costs to Britain and to the colonies? Is the system of mercantilism sustainable or will colonies inevitably revolt? † Mercantilists believe that economic strength is founded in a balance of trade; meaning exporting more than you import. The mercantilists felt the colonies were most valuable for economic purposes only. This mindset added to why the British felt their West Indies colonies that produced sugar were most important to them. Briefly, British mercantilists viewed the American colonies as mainly an economic and monetary source, a source of money and trade to make money for the motherland. The colonies relied on England for oods and military supremacy, so both were gaining in one way or another. In a mercantilism system, the supporting country, England in this case, ultimately earns much more than the serving country, in this case the American colonies. As a result, rebellion and revolt was sure to occur because the Americans felt like they were being used and could form a better nation than Britain could ever dream of becoming. And they succeeded. Eventually the colonists grew angry because Britain received the majority of the profits and the benefits, and therefore, revolutionized against Britain. In addition, many acts and numerous laws, such as The Navigation Acts or the Stamp Act were enacted to lift up English power and control even more and colonists felt their basic rights were being taken away from them even more so. The end result was revolution. 2. â€Å"Was the American Revolution inevitable? Could America have gradually and peacefully developed independence within the British Commonwealth, as Canada later did, rather than engaging in a violent revolt? At what point in time, if any, was a violent revolt inevitable? What could the British have done to stop the Revolution? The American Revolution was not inevitable; however, it was very probable for a majority of the time Britain had abused the future nation. Tensions were high between Britain and the colonies ninety percent of the time. Conflict was imminent, but a full out revolution could have been avoided. However, it was for the best that America become independent. It put Britain in their place and decimated their ego down to France’s level. A slow peaceful agreement could have been reached, but it would be no guarantee to relieve tension between the two in the future. It may have been for the best that two split. The revolution â€Å"meter† if you will, was at its â€Å"point of inevitability† at the Boston tea party. It was the turning point on the History of the colony and the birth of a new nation. All that the British would have needed to do was to treat the colonies more fairly. They did not ask for the French and Indian war. The combination of each of these factors is what lead the colonies to revolution. â€Å"Were all the American grievances really justified, or were the British actually being more reasonable than most Americans have traditionally believed? After the Boston Tea Party, the colonists already had a disobedient attitude and no matter what England did, the colonists would have rebelled against it. As John Adams had said, â€Å"The American Revolution was in the minds of the colonists long before the fact†. One example of the colonists over-dramatizing was to the Boston Tea Act of 1773. Although this act helped the â€Å"East India Company† since they had an excess of tea, and was mainly to ensure the English economy a foot hold, and even in an indirect tax situation, the Americans rebelled against it all the same. At this point, revolution was inevitable. The colonists paid far fewer in tax on tea than England had, the Americans were looking for a fight at this point. Since the colonists were trying to protest the Boston Tea Act, they dropped â€Å"342 crates of tea into the Boston Port. The Boston Port Act was signed to get the money back that was wasted, so the port was shut down until it was paid. England wasnt being as unreasonable as many people tend to believe, however, it was too late for Britain to reconcile. 4. â€Å"What was the Revolutionary movement at its core really all about? The amount of taxation? The right of Parliament to tax? The political corruption of Britain and the virtue of America? The right of a king to govern America? The colonies’ growing sense of national identity apart from Britain? Was the Revolution truly a radical overturning of government and society—the usual definition of a revolution—or something far more limited or even â€Å"conservative† in its defense of traditional rights? † The revolutionary movement was about more than just taxation. It was about freedom. The colonists were being mistreated so they decided to do something about it and set a precedent for the rest of the world. The taxation just fueled the fire. Parliament was a major cause. The lack of representation was a great motivator. Britain wasn’t politically corrupt in their own eyes, but taxation without representation was a horrendous injustice in the eyes of Americans. They believed that the king was to blame, so then the colonies proposed a government of self-rule. Unlike anything else in the world at that time, it was a shock to Britain. This radical reaction from America was the shot heard around the world. It changed the usual definition of revolution forever. Chapter 8: America Secedes from the Empire 1. â€Å"What was radical and new in the Declaration of Independence, and what was old and traditional? What did statements like all men are created equal mean in their historical context, and what did they come to mean later? † The declaration of Independence was wildly radical for Americans and for the entire world at its conception. It proposed a self-governed nation and elected rulers. So shocking in fact, that England did not take it seriously. Self-government was radical at the time because no one had tried it before. With a little luck, America would take the high road above all other nation with their democracy. Some traditional statements in the declaration included no suffrage for women and no laws against slavery. For these to change, two wars would take place. One literal war had to be fought, and one political. If the drafters of the declaration were feeling more ambitious, then they would have included these in the declaration in the first place. However, no one knows how the nation-to-be would have reacted. In a historical context, all men are created equal reffered only to white men, it wouldn’t be for another one hundred years until this would apply to all people in the United States, and few million American lives thrown into the mix. 2. â€Å"Was military strategy or politics the key to American victory in the war? How did the two coincide? † Military strategy was a key to the American victory in the revolution. Although, the single most influential factor was motivation for the Americans. In a sense, the Americans had nothing to lose as a nation. Britain was already taxing them and punishing them ridiculously. The American logic was to just take a stab at it. If they lost, they would go back into the same routine. Paying for their misdemeanors. They were fighting for freedom, while the British were fighting out of desperation. The sheer numbers of hard fighting, hard headed Americans were no match for even the skilled British. Great Military strategy was a huge moral boost for the soldiers on the battlefield. That gave them confidence, something the British began to lose toward the end of the war. The two went hand in hand because you can’t have strategy wit hout politics. Politics is what made the decisions in the end. What went on around the round table caused everything that happened on the battlefield. 3. â€Å"Did the Loyalists deserve to be persecuted and driven out of the country? What difference does it make to understand the Revolution as a civil war between Americans as well as a war against the British? † Loyalists were persecuted during and after the revolution because they were considered traitors to the cause. It was right to persecute them because they went against what the new nation stood for. They were not killed, like in other nations’ revolutions, but simply deported. The loyalist did not wish to live in the nation either way, so leaving was not a harsh punishment in anyone’s eyes. On the other hand, however, they were still Americans; they just wanted to continue to be ruled by Britain. This is why it is important to view the war as a civil war and a war against Britain. Not all Americans wanted to live in the new country, and under the new nation’s rules had the right to say so. In one sense the war was both an internal struggle and an external one. 4. â€Å"How important were the diplomatic relations between European nations in determining the success of the American Revolution? How significant a role did the French play in securing American independence? How significant a role did the rest of Europe play? How did the American Revolution change diplomatic relations in Europe? † Without diplomatic allies, America would still be under British control. The alliance with France over whelmed the British and drove the Americans to victory. The French, still sore from the war of Austrian succession, were looking for a fight with Britain. The French influence was crucial and cannot be stressed too much. Even Spain played a role in the revolution through their geographic actions. The rest of Europe kept Britain busy fighting wars and making enemies as the Americans were fighting for their independence. After America became independent, Europe was their best friend, if you will. The strong ties with European nations would prove invaluable in the future. However, the rest of Europe did not love America as much as they disliked Britain.

Malay Archipelago In The 18th And 19th Century History Essay

Malay Archipelago In The 18th And 19th Century History Essay Accounts of the Malay Archipelago, particularly the Malay Peninsula prior to the official intervention of the British in 1874, were mainly written by officials and non-officials who were in the Archipelago on business or to carry out professional activities. Nevertheless the writings by the merchants, travellers and missionaries in the 18th and 19th centuries are also means to enlighten us about the history of this part of the world before official intervention by western powers in Asia. This may be achieved by analysing selected writings and activities of the merchants, missionaries and travellers of the said period. Merchants/Traders Merchants or traders were in Asia well before the arrival of the western powers, but the objective was mainly to trade and not to intervene in the affairs of the native states. The scenario changed in the 16th and 17th centuries with the emergence of nation states in Europe and the introduction of the Mercantile System. This spearheaded the age of exploration and led to merchants traveling to Asia intent on acquiring spices to be exchanged in Europe for gold and silver. The formation of the English East India Company (EIC), Dutch East India Company (VOC) and French East India Company led to active trading activities in Asia. The EIC was formed in 1600 under the charter of the Queen and traders received instructions from their respective companies. However, when civil war erupted in England in 1657, a new charter was issued by Oliver Cromwell, ordering the EIC traders to withdraw from Asian waters. The orders were not adhered to by many of the traders, thereby prompting King Charles I I to repatriate the recalcitrants to England. His orders went unheeded, and the traders blissfully continued their Asian trade. These traders were known as country traders. The discussion below will highlight the importance of the country traders activities in providing clues to the history of the Malay Archipelago. The role of a number of prominent country traders will be highlighted to show how their accounts of this part of the world have become an invaluable source for the historical study of the Malay Archipelago. Country traders played a vital role in the Malay states in an era when the official policy of the British in this part of the world was non-interventionist. Prominent country traders like James Scott, Francis Light and Thomas Forrest played important roles in the Malay Archipelago of the 18th century. It was only through information provided by them that the European imperial powers gained a better appreciation of the situation in the Malay Archipelago of the late 19th and 20th century, thereby enabling them to make successful political inroads in this part of the world. The Prosperity of the Malay States Country traders played a vital role in highlighting the richness of the Malay states in the 18th century. This was obvious from their reports to the Government of India. For example Captain Alexander Hamilton who called at Kuala Terengganu as early as 1719 gave detailed information on the economic activities of Terengganu. In his report, Hamilton stated that the important products of the state of Terengganu were pepper and gold, which were mostly exported to China. Hamilton described Terengganu as an important flourishing port visited by traders of all races. Half of the towns inhabitants were said to be Chinese, and some 4-5 Chinese junks were said to be calling at the ports annually. Besides that, Terengganu was also said to have established, cordial relations with Siam, Cambodia and Sambas. Its leaders were said to be friendly with foreign traders and willing to fulfill their needs. The accounts show that Malay rulers from as early as the 18th century had a policy of accommodation towards foreign traders. Another important country trader was Captain Joseph Jackson, who visited Terengganu on 14 June 1764 en route to China. The intention was to collect the products of the Malay Archipelago to balance the trade with China which was not to Britains favour. His report provides a clear description of Terengganu of the time. It was said that the trade potential of Terengganu was equivalent to, or greater than that acquired at Coromandel or Malabar in India. The report provided information about the richness of the Malay states. Francis Light who was also a country trader in his letter to the Governor General of India, Lord Cornwallis, dated 7 January 1789, gives a comprehensive picture of the Malay states around Penang and its products. The information provided by Light relates to all the Malay states and enriches the historiography of the region. Without such information much less would be known about 18th century developments in the archipelago. The Accommodative Policy of the Malay Rulers The cordial relations established by the country traders created the opportunity for the Malay rulers to implement a policy of accommodation towards foreigners. Prior to the arrival of country traders, Malay traders were forced to sell their products at prices dictated by the Dutch. Malay rulers could now sell their products to traders who were willing to offer a higher price. Furthermore, country traders were also willing to sell fire arms to local traders. Light was said to have sold 5 thousand riffles to the Buggies. James Scott was also involved in selling firearms to local rulers. The policy of open and free trading enabled local rulers to sign different treaties with country traders, even when they had already signed treaties with the Dutch. Before this the Malay rulers sold tin to the Dutch at prices dictated by the latter and could not conduct trade with anyone besides the Dutch. It could be concluded that the relationship established by the country traders with Malay rulers gave the latter the opportunity to avoid Dutch intervention in their economy and the chance to sell their products to the country traders at a profit. The accommodative nature of the Malay rulers and their craftiness is evident in the written documentation attributed to the country traders; and this material has played an important part in clarifying the history of Malay Archipelago in the 18th century. Laissez-Faire Policy in the Malay Archipelago It was through the writings of traders operating in this part of the world that British officials first became aware that the laissez-faire policy had been in practice long prior to foreign commercial presence in this part of the world. G. Windsor, in his article which was published in the Journal of the Indian Archipelago in 1850, lists all the ports in the Malay Archipelago which practiced a laissez-faire policy. The laissez-faire policy in this part of the world had its own unique characteristics. If such a policy had not existed, foreigners would have employed gunboat diplomacy to achieve their ambitions. This would have proven costly, and many lives would have been sacrificed. The fact that most of the countries in Asia accepted indirect rule was very much related to the accommodative policy inspired by the laissez-faire system which had already been in place much earlier. Intervention was through negotiation and not force. The existence of free trade and free ports in the Malay Archipelago was brought to light by Stamford Raffles, the founder of Singapore. According to him, When the Europeans first frequented the Archipelago, the trade had long collected at certain established emporia; of this Achean, Malacca and Bantam were the principal. Macassar on Celebes, had also become an emporium of the more Eastern Commerce. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ the smooth seas of the Archipelago is readily conveyed to the most advantageous markets. Foreign traders in large vessels found it more to their interest to proceed to the emporia, where they might at once procure a full cargo. The foreign commerce was carried on with ease and safety and to manifest advantage of all parties. The Malay Archipelago already had trade links with the outside world before the modern age. Local conditions suited the strategy of free trade and free ports which were used by the foreigners to develop settlements along the peninsula coast. Before the arrival of the Europeans, the Spice Islands formed a well structured regional trade network. A number of important ports emerged in the Malay Archipelago, like Pedir, Pasai, Sri Vijaya, Demak, Tuban, Makasar and Malacca. The ports functioned as free ports and traded without restrictions. From the beginning of the fourteenth century, five trade zones emerged in the Straits Settlements. The first trade zone was the Bay of Bengal which began at the Coromandel Coast, South India and included Sri Lanka, the Northern Malaysian Peninsula and the North and West Coasts of Sumatra. The North and West Coast of Sumatra became important in the years after 1300 due to the global demand for pepper. Consequently, the entry port of Samudra Pasai on the east coast became an important supplier of pepper for the traders from the East and West. When the Europeans came to the Malay Archipelago they did not create new trade routes, in fact they made use of the old ones. All the ports which were located in these trade zones, such as Malacca, Aceh, Pasai, Bantam, Macassar, Ayudhya experienced a rapid progress in trade. This freedom enabled the ports to attract traders from the East and West and to function collectively as a political, economic and social centre. With the double attractions of an established trading network and free trade status, the British were encouraged to develop free ports in the Malay Archipelago in the late 18th and early 19th century. The emergence of Penang and Singapore as free ports was based on these factors. Travellers The term traveller normally refers to those travelling to new places for recreation or pleasure and not for economic activities. Some came to the archipelago en-route to other destinations, while many others came either in an official or non-official capacity for business objectives. While ordinary travellers might, as observers away from their home environment, record their impressions of the people, landscape and events encountered, others, through their writings unwittingly contributed information which can today be considered as historical source material for the study of the Malay Archipelago, particularly the Malay states in the 18th and 19th century. Although the general perception about travellers is that they frame their perceptions within the cultural filters of their own cultures and based on patriotic sentiments, the same may not be said to apply to all the travellers. There are travellers who tended to speak their minds. Travellers do make judgments on contemporary affairs which appeal to the modern historian, such as in the case of Isabella Bird, whos The Golden Chersonese, the Malayan Travels of a Victorian Lady helps provide a better perspective on the events that were to unfold in the later decades. Another two travellers worth mentioning are G.W. Earl who penned Eastern Isles and Howard Malcolm, who wrote Travels in South-Eastern Asia Embracing Hindustan, Malaya, Siam, and China. The testaments of these authors will be discussed below to prove their validity as sources of historical information. Isabella Bird The Golden Chersonese, the Malayan Travels of a Victorian Lady, Singapore, Oxford University Press reprint (paperback), 1980. Isabella is a traveller and writer who travelled to Malaya in 1879 at the age of 47, five years after official intervention by the British in Malaya. Her book The Golden Chersonese, which was published in 1883, comprised a series of letters written to her sister Henrietta in Edinburgh while travelling in the Malay States (for five weeks from January-February 1879). Her description and evaluation of certain historical events remains as a source for studying the history of Malaya in the 19th century. She recorded her impressions of every place she visited with extraordinary clarity. Isabella evidently had a talent for observation, description and an unquenchable thirst of information. Views of the Malays Isabella viewed the Malays as an enlightened race in contrast to the British administrators: The Malays undoubtedly must be numbered among civilised peoples. They live in houses which are more or less tasteful and secluded. They are well clothed in garments of both native and foreign manufacture; they are a settled and agricultural people; they are skilful in some of the arts, specially in the working of gold and the damascening of krises; the upper classes are to some extent educated; they have a literature, even though it be an imported one, and they have possessed for centuries systems of government and codes of land and maritime laws which, in theory at least, show a considerable degree of enlightenment. Her view contradicts British perceptions of the Malays as uncivilised. Frank Swettenham, who was the British Resident of Selangor (1876-82), Perak (1889-95) and later the Resident-General of the Federated Malay States (1896-1901) expresses the following in his book, The Real Malay: There was a strong belief that Malays were treacherous by nature and pirates by trade, and that there were no special inducements for a white man to trust himself in such a barbarous country. Views of the Chinese Isabella provided detailed information on the Chinese. She explained vividly the character of the Chinese and why they were dominant in Malaya. To quote her, The Chinese promise to be in some sort the commercial rulers of the Straits. It is by their capital, industry and enterprise that the resources of the Peninsula are being developed. It explains why the British administrators and capitalists developing the agriculture and mining sectors in the Malay states were so dependent on them. It was no surprise that the Chinese came to play a vital role in the affairs of the Archipelago, particularly Malaya. Francis Light praised the Chinese in 1794 as, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ the only people of the East from whom a revenue may be raised without expense and extraordinary effort of government. Raffles took steps to educate the Chinese in Singapore as they were seen as an asset to develop the island. The Chinese were generally preferred by the Europeans on account of their reliability and perseverance. As house servants with European families the Chinese were found to be particularly valuable. They were also employed to collect excise revenues. European trade in the Straits Settlements was managed almost exclusively by the Chinese. Isabella highlighted the role of Yap Ah Loy, a prominent Chinese businessman who developed Kuala Lumpur in the 1880s without any official recognition. In her writing, Isabella accorded due recognition to his contributions to the expansion of Kuala Lumpur. He was said to have built Kuala Lumpur each time it was burned down as a result of disturbances. He built roads connecting tin mines with the town. His contribution was recognised by Mr. Syers, the Superintendent of Police, who believed that without Ah Loys support, Kuala Lumpur would not have been developed. Isabella considers Ah Loy to be the creator of the commercial interests of Selangor, and as a man of large aims with an enlightened public spirit. She therefore considered that he needed to be accorded due recognition for his services and awarded either the St. Michael or the St. George Medal?. Incidentally, Yap Ah Loys place in history continues to be sidelined in modern Malaysian history. A local newspaper, the Sunday Star (dated 26th April 2009), carried a news item entitled Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) makes proposal to honor Kuala Lumpur founder. The MCA President declared that Yap Ah Loy had been overlooked, despite the fact that he had helped develop Kuala Lumpur into a commercial and mining centre, and contributed greatly to its advancement. The only reminder of this great hero is a small road in the city centre that carries his name. In view of this, the partys Chinese Community History Consultative Bureau was directed to document Ah Loys contributions. It looks like the grouches pointed out by Isabella 100 years ago are being repeated by the Chinese community in the 21st century. Views of the Indians Isabellas view of the Indian race does explain why Indians fail in modern day Malaysia. She compares them to the other races and her conclusion is that à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.Klings [Indians] are active and industrious, but they lack fibre apparently, and that quick-sightedness for opportunities which makes the Chinese the most successful of all emigrants. Not a Malay or a Kling has raised himself either as merchant or in any other capacity to wealth or distinction in the colony. To this day, the Indians continue to be seen in this light in comparison to the Chinese. In a news report, (New Straits Times, 27 April 2009), the Government exhorted the Indian community to emulate the Chinese in grabbing investment and business opportunities. In other words, Indians are asked to be more like the Chinese, who according to Frank Swettenham à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦are the bees who suck the honey from every profitable undertaking. View on Intervention in Perak, the Assassination of J.W.W. Birch, the first British Resident in the State of Perak and Intervention in Selangor Isabella made political commentary, although it was not her business to have done so. She wrote about the reaction to the assassination of J.W.W. Birch, the first British Resident of Perak. Those who were involved in the murder were hanged, while the Malay rulers were exiled. Isabella was of the opinion that the British had failed to heed the views of the locals. To her, the British were ever imposing their superiority over the locals, without realising that the latter had a superior civilization: A great mist of passion and prejudice envelopes our dealings with the chiefs and people of this State, both before and after the war. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ If I may venture to give an opinion upon so controversial a subject, it is, that all Colonial authorities in their dealings with native races, all Residents and their subordinates, and all transactions between ourselves and the weak peoples of the Far East, would be better for having something of the fierce light which beats upon a throne turned upon them. The good have nothing to fear, the bad would be revealed in their badness, and hasty councils and ambitious designs would be held in check. Public opinion never reaches these equatorial jungles; we are grossly ignorant of their inhabitants and their rights, of the manner in which our interference originated, and how it has been exercised; and unless some fresh disturbance and another little war should concentrate our attention for a moment on these distant States, we are likely to rem ain so, to their great detriment, and not a little, in one aspect of the case at least, to our own. In other word she admitted the natives had a superior civilisation. ARE YOU SURE? She was also critical of the manner in which the British intervened in Selangor: The history of the way in which we gained a footing in Selangor is a tangled one, as the story is told quite differently by men holding high positions in the Colonial Government, who unquestionably are all honorable men. This means she did not accept the official views of the British government which was considered to be the gospel truth with regard to intervention in the Malay states. George Windsor Earl The Eastern Seas, London, WMH, Allen Co., 1837 with an introduction by C.M.Turnbull, Singapore, Oxford University Press reprint 1971. Earl ( 1865) was another British traveller who was a ships captain, lawyer, colonial official, linguist, antiquarian and writer. He travelled widely in the Malay Archipelago. His famous book was The Eastern Seas. He also contributed numerous articles in the Journal of the Indian and Eastern Archipelago (JIEA). The Journal contains many writings by merchants and traders and reveals the importance of all the states and islands in the Malay Archipelago. Besides that, it also brings to light the importance of each island state and its products, referring to traders who are trading there as well as trade policy carried out by foreign powers. Writing in Earls journal conveyed valuable information about the region, and in some cases provided the stimulus for the advancement of Western colonization in Southeast Asia as well as other regions. These publications were widely read and were considered influential in shaping Western public opinion about the distant tropical east. Earl was also said to have been interested in the peoples of the Archipelago and mixed freely with the Asian population of the Straits Settlements. His account of the Malay Archipelago, according to Mary Turnbull in her introduction of the reprint of the book, was the honest opinion of an intelligent and detached observer and a most humane man. Although there might be accusations that his views reflected those of the British government, for Turnbull they reflected the liberal ideas of the times, as manifested in the actions of the officials on the ground: It reflects too the freshness and confidence of the best in British imperial idealism in the first half of the nineteenth century, before that confidence had toughened into arrogance of imperial power and the spirit of co-operation with the local population had coarsened into authoritarian command. Earl was said to be a man of integrity, with a sense of compassion. He was against the idea of taking strong repressive measures against the Chinese secret societies, and instead succeeded in convincing the Straits officers to be moderate and lenient to the Chinese population. Howard Malcolm Travels in South-Eastern Asia Embracing Hindustan, Malaya, Siam, and China, Vol. 1, 1839, Boston, Gould, Kendall Lincoln, 1839. Malcolm (1799-1879) was sent out as the deputy and representative of one of the great American Missionary Societies to gather details on every area in which the Board lacked information. The information provided was very objective and without bias. A lot of information was provided about Malaya, such as that relating to piracy. According to Malcolm, Malays considered piracy to be honorable and many of their princes openly engaged in it. This testimony also brought to light the fact that free trade policy was practiced in this part of the world before the advent of Western Powers. To Malcolm, Singapore was able to flourish as an important trading port in the 19th century due to the role played by local traders and trade routes which had existed for ages, well before the Europeans found their way into these seas. Malcolm also explained in detail the kind of products collected by the local traders from various areas. For example, the Battaks collected camphor; the Sulu gathered pearls; the Malays looked for birds nest, nutmeg, clove, tripang and agar-agar; the Bugis functioned as traders and mariners; the Sumatran traders dealt in pepper; the traders from China contributed wealth and capital towards the prosperity of Singapore; while the West brought technology and arts to this part of the world. Missionaries Missionaries were generally interested in the native population and helped to increase the number of converts to Christianity. In addition they became pioneers of social change. In the case of the Malay Archipelago, many missionary societies were formed and they published many works on this part of the world. One notable example was the London Missionary Society, which was founded in London in 1795 with the objective of spreading Christianity to all nations and people, to publish and distribute scripture in the vernacular and to teach the young to read and write in a school environment. Missionaries were therefore encouraged to produce Christian books, propaganda and text. The Origin of Missionary Activity in the Straits Settlements In 1815, the London Missionary Society (LMS) established a printing press in Malacca named Mission Press, and branches were formed in Penang (1819) and Singapore (1822). In Malacca, evangelism was spearheaded by Rev. William Milne (1785-1822). When Milne left Malacca the task fell to Rev. Claudius Henry Thomsen, who carried out missionary work among the Malays. His Malay teacher was the famous scribe, Munsyi Abdullah. Thomsens publications include a small hymn book, and tracts on human depravity, the Being of God, An exposition on the Commandments and a sixteen page treatise on the principal doctrines of the gospel. Thomsons activities raised objections from the locals, especially the Hajjies of Singapore. They were said to have refused to accept Christian tracts and also made efforts to prevent others from receiving them. Mission Press contributed not only to produce Christian publications, but also non- religious works. Their publications appeared in the various vernacular languages, and were mostly circulated in the form of tracts, broadsheets and books. Publications in the Malay language were mainly the Bible, interpretations of the Bible, religious treatises and prayers. In 1819, about 54,000 printed materials were published in Chinese and about 19,000 in Malay. Rev. Thomas Beighton (1790-1844) was responsible for Mission Press activities in Penang. Works published under his direction included Religion of the Bible, Fourth Commandment, and The Beatitudes. There were also a few controversial publications like Comparison of the Religion of Jesus with the Religion of Mohammed, The Rise of Christianity and pamphlets with titles like Pengajaran [Spiritual Lessons]. In Singapore, C. H. Thomsen (1782-?) who came from Malacca, became the editor of a Malay magazine, and assumed responsibility for missionary work among the Malays. Thomsen left Singapore in 1834 when he sold the Press to the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions. The American Board was responsible for the religious activities there. It was the American missionary movement which translated Hikayat Pelayaran Abdullah (Abdullahs Travel Narrative) and the New Testament into English. One notable person, Benjamin Peach Keasberry came from USA to Singapore to work with the Malays under the American Board, and in 1839 joined the London Missionary Society. Keasbery was very much involved with publications in Malay. The LMS came to an end in the Straits Settlements when the Opium War broke out in China between 1838-1842. The Society then decided to shift its work from the Straits Settlements to China. The Mission Press under Keasberry printed a few Malay manuscripts including Adat Segala Raja-Raja Melayu dalam Segala Negeri and Sejarah Melayu. With the help of Alfred North from the American Board, Abdullah was able to pen his experiences in Kesah Pelayaran Abdullah (The Voyages of Abdullah) and Hikayat Abdullah (The Narrative of Abdullah). When Keasbery died in 1875, the press was bought by John Fraser and D.C.Neave Printers Ltd which survived until the Japanese occupation. With Keasberrys demise, the Mission Press fell silent until it was revived by the Methodist William Girlestone Shellabear, who was responsible for its revival. He became a missionary for the Methodist Church Singapore, and started the American Mission Press, which later became the Methodist Publishing House in 1906, followed by the Malaya Publishing House in 1927. Shellabear was the one missionary who was largely responsible for enriching Malay historiography of the early 20th century. Among the publications produced was the Journal of the Straits Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society. Reaction of Natives to the Spread of Christianity It is interesting to note the reaction of the natives to Christian missionary activities in the Straits Settlements. The efforts failed to Christianise the Malays, although they were involved in the teaching of the Malay language to the missionaries. This poses an interesting question as to why such activities failed in the Malay States when it was successful elsewhere. Thomas Beightons publications related mainly to Christianity, and included titles like The Trinity Revealed in the New Testament, The Rise of Christianity that is the Story of Resurrection of Jesus on the Third Day after his Crucifixion, Religion of the Bible, and Fourth Commandment. Beightons most controversial publication was Comparison of the Religion of Jesus with the Religion of Mohammed, the Rise of Christianity and a pamphlet with the title Pengajaran. Comparison of the Religion was an attempt to belittle Al Quran and praise the Bible. Malay leaders were of the opinion that these writings were crude, insulting and belittled Islam and its followers. They were disturbed by the way such materials were brought right to their doorsteps. The Malays complained to the Governor of Penang, S. G. Bonham and wanted Beighton to be restrained from distributing such materials. The latter was, however, able to convince the Governor that most of them were translation works intended to stimulat e inquiry. The explanation was contained in his Letter to Mohammetans, in which he stressed that Abdullah Munsyi had helped in publishing the work. It is also interesting to note that Beighton had even adopted a young Malay, baptised him and named him Thomas John Ince. When the boy died, he even published a book titled The Story of Tom that is Thomas J. Inche who was Loyal and Dedicated to Christianity as Stated. The reaction of the natives towards Christianity is something which is not studied in Malaysian history. It is only through the writings of the missionaries that one could also acquire information with regard to how the natives reacted to the missionaries attempt to spread gospel or Christian teachings. As Milner rightly pointed out, It must be investigated further the contribution which missionaries made to the ideological assault waged by the west against Malay culture in the early nineteenth century; the schools they established in their preaching and the missionary pamphlets they distributed throughout the Archipelago. The Writings of the Missionaries as Historical Sources The Publication of Historical Works by Mission Press Early historical works of the time were published by missionary societies, without whose efforts Malaysian historiography would not have been complete. Many professional historians who worked on the Straits Settlements and the Malay Archipelago relied greatly on such publications to shed light on the many events of the time. A number of notable historical publications of the societies are listed below; Thomsen Claudius Henry, A Code of Bugis Maritime Laws with Translation, Singapore, Printed at the Mission Press, 1832. Moor, John Henry, (Compiler), Notices of the Indian Archipelago, and Adjacent Countries; Being a Collection of Papers Relating to Borneo, Celebes, Java, Sumatra, Nias the Philippine Islands, Sulus, Siam, Cochin China, Malayan Peninsula Etc, Singapore , Mission Press, 1837. Reverend Thomas Beighton, Comparison of the Religion of Jesus with the Religion of Mohammed. Prophet of the Arabs in Mecca, printed in Penang by Reverend Thomas Beighton in the year 1839. (Translation) Logan, The Journal of the Indian Archipelago, Vol. 1 2, Singapore, Mission Press, 1847. The Story of Abdullah Abdul Kadir Munshi, Singapore, Mission Press, 1849. (Translation). A number of the above publications need to be discussed in detail to show how they could be considered as historical sources for the study of the Malay Archipelago. Moors Publication John Henry Moor compiled Notices of the Indian Archipelago, and Adjacent Countries; Being a Collection of Papers Relating to Borneo, Celebes, Java, Sumatra,

Solomon and the Queen of Sheba :: Essays Papers

Solomon and the Queen of Sheba On Francesco del Cossa’s Meeting of Solomon and the Queen of Sheba The Italian artist, Francesco del Cossa, created an oil painting on a panel during the mid-15th century called Meeting of Solomon and the Queen Sheba. This work is now displayed in the Boston Museum of Fine Art. The plate that identifies the painted tray in the museum explains that this twelve sided tray is a ceremonial tray, most likely in honor of the marriage of Solomon and the Queen of Sheba and given to them as a gift. The back of the tray was against the wall but the identification plate noted that two cupid figures with cornucopias and coral necklaces were painted there to symbolize good luck and fertility. The most striking part of this work is the symmetry. The symmetrical architectural structures perfectly centers the palace. The dome of the palace perfectly divides the arch behind it; the highest point of the palace perfectly divides the sky within the main arch. The next most noticeable point of this painting is where the figures of the Queen of Sheba and Solomon stand. They appear to protrude out from the rest of the painting. Each has an out turned foot that comes into the viewer’s space. This aspect and the symmetry make it apparent that the Queen and Solomon are the characters to be focused on. The deep color is very striking, especially the abundance of reds, pinks and purple. It seems very bold, perhaps suggesting the royalty of the subjects. The overcast gray sky is the same color as the dome of Solomon’s palace. Perhaps the dome is supposed to look as if it is made of metal, but it appears to reflect the trouble that is about to storm. The entire painting is almost composed exclusively of shades of red and black, with highlights of blue. The use of color is not realistic, but very symbolic. Meeting of Solomon and the Queen of Sheba utilizes many of the techniques that were beginning to be used in painting during the 15th century. The vanishing point lies on the central angelic statue above the arch of Solomon’s throne. The lines created by the checkered floor and the landscape in the background suggest the depth and distance of this image.

The Effects Of The Various States Of Consciousness On Behavior Essay

Consciousness is the state or condition of being conscious. A sense of one's personal or collective identity, especially the complex of attitudes, beliefs, and sensitivities held by or considered characteristic of an individual or a group. There are several different stages of consciousness. Waking consciousness, altered states of consciousness and sleep.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Waking consciousness is the mental state that includes moving and thinking, along with anything else done while we are awake and alert. Behavior during this period is as normal as it can be. Although behavior can differ from person to person, although most people go through the relatively same behavioral patterns. While awake, people go through feelings of happiness, depression, anger, and boredom, to name a few. These feelings can cause people to do different things and act differently than normal. For instance, happiness, caused by having something give them pleasure in some way, can cause people to smile more or be more kind to other people, like doing other things for people just to be nice, or giving presents and gifts to people. Depression is caused by bad, non-pleasurable things happening to you. While depressed, people may become distanced from their family and friends, not want to interact with other people, and even, in severe cases, hurt themselves and/or others, and even commit suicide. Many things cause anger and aggression also. They can be caused by the interaction with other people like family and peers, but also frustration, hot weather, physical pain, and even noise. While angry pe ople may act overly aggressive, lash out at others, even loved ones, and also commit violent acts. Being bored can also cause people to act differently. While bored people may do things like act and think hastily and also commit crimes in hopes of satisfying their urge for fun and pleasure. All these feelings have different causes but most include interaction with people, television and different chemical balances and imbalances within the a person’s body.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Another type of consciousness is altered consciousness. There are many different types of altered consciousness. Daydreaming is one form of this type of consciousness. Daydreaming is when, due to boredom or mental fatigue, a person enters a dream-like state while awake. While not necessarily ba... ...rcoleptic are persistently tired and fatigued and experience loss of muscle tone. This loss of muscle tone can cause brief paralysis of functions and even for a standing person to fall to the ground. This disorder can effect a person’s behavior negatively because of the difficulty in conducting everyday activities with the fear of possibly losing consciousness or falling and getting severely injured. It is also harder to lead a normal sex life because the sudden sleep and loss of muscle tone can cause a person to become embarrassed to be close to someone or a person to be frustrated with their partners disorder.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In conclusion, the three states of consciousness can effect behavior in many different ways, whether it be positive or negative. Behavior is an important part of life although getting enough sleep and avoiding drug abuse can help, there are different things that can also effect people’s behavior in waking consciousness. Relationships with other people like friends and family can make a person have a lot of feelings like anger and happiness, and even television can also effect a person’s behavior by violent show’s making people more aggressive.

Road Construction in the Amazon :: Exploratory Essays Research Papers

Road Construction in the Amazon When one thinks of the Amazonian rain forest, it is very unlikely that paved roads and highways will come to the imagination. Unfortunately, in the past 35 years road construction has been the main reason for the deforestation in Brazil's Amazon basin. In an effort to expand its frontiers and develop economically the impenetrable areas of the country, Brazil's government has launched a series of projects aimed at improving the infrastructure in the Amazon region. This included mainly the building of big transport arteries such as the Trans- Amazon highway and the subsidizing of small-scale farming along those arteries. The National Development Plans (NDP's) did not meet their initial goals since few people settled in the newly expanded areas and those who settled still suffered from low income, lack of educational opportunities and low life expectancy.1 The negative impact on the environment of the planned human expansion is tremendous. It has been estimated that 10 million hectares of the Amazon forest have been destroyed due to clear-cutting, burning, slash-and-burn agriculture and conversion to pastures. Deforestation is caused mainly by road construction since 74% of the converted areas is within 50 km of roads.1 This clearly shows that frontier expansion and colonization for economical and social reasons has a devastating effect on the environment. The Brazilian Amazon is the largest piece of undisturbed rain forest and, unfortunately, this natural treasure is being damaged very carelessly and at an extremely high rate. Despite the above grim conclusions, the Brazilian government persists in its effort to expand the infrastructure by appropriating more and more land from the heart of the Amazon basin. In 1999, the government started a new program, called Avanà §a Brazil (Forward Brazil), which intends to add 6,245 km of paved highways and 1,600 km of railroads to the existing transportation network. The highlights of the project include the construction of the Santarem-Cuiaba and Porto Velho-Manaus highways, which would traverse pristine forest areas.1 There is a heated debate about the effects on the environment of the new construction project. Researchers and environmentalists predict that "Avanà §a Brazil" will cause deforestation at a rate between 269,000 and 506,000 hectares per year. They also accuse the Brazilian government in negligence and corruption, because "Avanà §a Brazil" was approved without the necessary environmental assessment reports from the Ministry of the Environment.2 Government officials claim that measures have been taken to minimize the negative impact on the environment, but do not present facts and examples of how this is being done.

Nebular Theory

The Nebular Theory is one of the famous theories which explains the formation of the universe primarily the stars, planets and other heavenly bodies. The theory was first applied on to the creation of the solar system and was later applied to the universe. It is sometimes called solar nebular model. According to the theory, the universe was created accidentally from a cloud of dust and gas called Nebula.The cloud collapsed due to its unstable gravitational force and spin faster and faster due to its angular momentum conservation. The gas involved in the nebula was mostly hydrogen. The nebular disk due to the unstable gravitational forces collapse and forms the sun, moon, and the planets. The theory is highly debated due to its inability to explain many of its proponents like angular momentum, the formation of giant planets and stars etc.Uniformitarianism in relation to the evolution of Earth and solar system Uniformitarianism is the assumption that natural processes which operated in the past can be observed and said to be also operating in the present. In relation to the evolution of the earth and the solar system, this philosophy of science explains that the Earth’s processes like moving of the tectonic plates and the formations of mountains and seas can be seen in the past.Uniformitarianism explains that what happens today has also happened in the past. This is why the evolution of the earth and solar system can be observed and known to us by observing the present state of the Earth and the solar system through thorough scientific methods of observation. Uniformitarianism is a principle used to explain why scientist observe and evaluate the earth today and is able to formulate hypothesis and theories on how the earth and solar system evolved through time.

How People Handle Grief Essay

Grief can be elucidated as a natural human reaction to loss. People in different stages of their life span undergo with grief when there is a major loss (Linda, 2000). People usually assume of grief as happening in the perspective of bereavement, death of a loved one, a close relationship ends through separation, or when a person is enforced to give up some facet of life that was imperative. This paper focuses on grief, which entails an entire range of emotions and experiences and various ways to deal with grief. Introduction Grief is a general attribute of human existence. It is not related to specific culture, though it is experienced by humans in varied form and intensity. Robert Burton described grief as a ‘cruel torment’. Scientifically, it is first described as people who had suffered sadness under traumatic circumstances, or who had looked for psychiatric assistance to overcome troubles linked with grief. Grief can be experienced under two broad circumstances, one, when a sudden and traumatic death of a dependent relationship, it involved strong and prolonged mournful and the other, related with the repression of throbbing thoughts or with an bitter relationship, involved deferred grief. When grief is experienced under traumatic circumstances it is labeled as a post-traumatic stress disorder. It exhibits severe and exaggerated types of grief responses such as severe depression or pronounced panic or anxiety, can lead to a psychiatric diagnosis (Kim and Jacobs, 1993; Prigerson, 1994). Robert Burton highlighted that grief can have adverse effect on health, and gave reference to examples of historical figures who lost their life because of grief, such as the Roman Emperor Severus (Archer, pg-3). Dealing with grief The concept of grief is usually understood when it is triggered by a specific loss that is why resolution can only be attained through a long and intricate process of face up to thoughts of the loss, and that there are no easy ways to come up from grieving state. Grieving people mull over their loss in thought, and since its cause is a specific event, therefore it subsides over a period of time. Cobb and Lindemann (1943) wrote, â€Å"It seems that the grieving person can delay his grieving period but not avoid it† (Archer, pg: 108). There are individual differences, so each person grieves in his own manner and take his own time to overcome. Grief period can be for one year, two years or still longer. During that period, person may be passing through a wave of grief. There are numerous ways to deal with grief. To deal with grief initially is to share one’s happening with others. It is important to express feelings through communication. A close friend or family member is ideal with whom the person can speak out his intense inner feelings and allow the tears to flow out. Tears can washout sadness along with anger, guilt, loneliness and exhaustion. Another influential way to deal with grief is to write a diary of event. For example, writing letters to deceased loved one, sharing regrets, things which could not be conveyed, feelings and what is missed. When it is difficult to live under grief due to great loss, person may join a support group. Loneliness may enhance bitter feelings and it takes time to come out from grief period. When a person adheres to some social group, he gets a chance to talk with others who understand and share the experience of grief and it will work as an effective medicine in healing grief. It is well understood that grief affects one’s mind, body and soul. To come out from grief situation, person must care for himself with a healthy diet, exercise and adequate sleep. If possible he may look for professional help. If the grief lasts longer than two months, one must talk to a doctor. Best way to cope up with grief situation is to pass time in useful manner such as reading literary or religious books, go to recovery programs, and enter therapy. Conclusion To sum up, Grief is a usual but sometimes a puzzling and irrepressible sentiment. To cope up with grief is a long, aching process. Grief is lessening when we give vent to it. Good cry always help to reduce sore feelings. In grief, source of the emotional feeling is clearly perceived as being external and not due to personal inadequacies so person can again enjoy living and loving, having good appetite back, the pain will weaken, and one will be able to have sound sleep. It is a universal truth that everybody experiences loss in his life and needs to find ways and means to deal with these feelings with a healthy approach. Work cited 1) Linda Goldman; Life & Loss: A guide to help grieving children. Philadelphia: Accelerated Development Inc. Year:2000. 2) John Archer; The Nature of Grief: The Evolution and Psychology of Reactions to Loss. Publisher: Routledge. Place of Publication: London. Publication Year: 1999. Page Number: 3.

The poem, “Joe Lawson’s Wife” by Lorna Crozier

The poem, â€Å"Joe Lawson’s Wife† by Lorna Crozier is a symbolically rich work. The poem tells the story of a man who commits suicide, and how his wife reacts to her husband’s death. There is obvious symbolism in both the sun and milk in the poem. The sun personifies Mrs. Lawson’s conscious efforts to absorb and accept the news of her husband’s suicide. She goes from only barely understanding what is going on, and being in complete shock to the realization that her husband is dead fully sinking in. The milk is representative of normalcy in Mrs. Lawson’s life, and it is the everyday chore of milking the cows that she clings to when her husband dies. The sun plays a significant role in symbolically showing the reader how the news of her husband’s death is gripping Mrs. Lawson. The sun builds up tension as it rises, symbolically representing her husband’s death sinking in as she struggles to accept this morbid news. The first mention of the sun occurs in the middle of the play. The doctor attempts to get Mrs. Lawson to go into the house and away from the gruesome scene of her husband, but she refuses to leave his side. Crozier writes, â€Å"The sun was rising, its splinters from the cracks in the walls falling all around her†. In these lines, the sun is representative of the news of her husband’s death and the revelation that she is alone. The splinters from the sun, or small beams of light coming through the cracks of the barn show that the news is just starting to sink in, and Mrs. Lawson is only slightly aware of what is going on. The sun is referenced again toward the end of the poem, with Crozier telling the reader, â€Å"The sun’s bright nails pounding through†. The use of the sun, again, to describe how the death of Mr. Lawson is affecting his wife is symbolic. Whereas when she first saw her husband’s body, she was in shock and barely comprehending what had happened, at this point she is fully aware of her husband’s death, and the realization of this hits her much harder, like nails pounding into her. The references to milk within the poem are also very symbolically significant. The ritual of milking the cows appears to be a common, everyday chore for Mrs. Lawson. For this reason, upon the news of her husband’s death, Mrs. Lawson begins milking the cows, almost in a sense of grasping for something normal in her life. The milk is symbolic of the normalcy that Mrs. Lawson had in her life prior to her husband’s suicide. After the men have taken Mr. Lawson’s body from the barn, â€Å"She pulled the wooden stool to the stall and milked the cow. † It is almost as if by milking the cows, Mrs. Lawson is attempting to go back to a time when her husband was still alive. Her complete focus, however, is on his death, as she doesn’t even bother to put a pail under the cow to catch the milk. Mrs. Lawson milks the cows just like she probably did every other day of her life in an attempt to return any sort of normalcy to her now chaotic life. Lorna Crozier’s poem, â€Å"Joe Lawson’s Wife† exhibits two symbolically important elements. The first element is the sun, which represents the news of her husband’s suicide sinking into Mrs. Lawson’s conscious mind. At first, only a few streaks of light shine though, but by the end of the poem the light is hitting her like a nail being pounded into her. The second important symbol in this poem is the milk. The milk is representative of normalcy in Mrs. Lawson’s life. Milking the cows is obviously part of her everyday routine, and she clings to this familiar chore in an attempt to return her life to any sort of normal state.