Development Through the Life Stages Essay

In older age (64+) many things happen on the inside and the outside the body. As you hit older age, you will start to notice that many things will happen on the outside of your body. Your hair may start to go grey or you may start to go bald. The hair goes grey because as you get older your hair loses pigment which is the colouring in your hair. Also your skin may lose elasticity; this means your skin may appear to get wrinkles. Your posture may also start to get worse in older age because your shoulders begin to drop and you may start to hunch forward. This will affect your posture. These things that happen on the outside could also affect you in other aspects of your life. You may start to feel depressed because you feel unattractive about your appearance. This could have an affect on other aspects of your life if you do get depressed because you may become isolated and not want to leave the house. Your social life will suffer if you do not want to go outside because you will not b e going out. This will affect your social development because you will not be going out meeting new people and expanding your horizon. You may also become isolated because you feel that people may judge you on how you look on the outside, this may also cause isolation. If you do not go outside you may have a deteration in your health because you will be in the same environment everyday and will not be getting any fresh air. However, in older age you get maturity with age because you have been there done that. This means that you can offer advice to your family. If you are retired you will have more time to socialise with friends that you have made though your life. In older age it is very important that you have good relationships so you know that they are people to look after you later on in your life. It will also raise your self-esteem if you have a good relationship with people that you are close too. As you get older your bones are less dense, you have more of a risk of falling and artrithus. Mobility in older age is very important because it is how you get around. If you have a problem with your mobility, it could have an affect on your social life because you will not be able to get to see your friends and family. It could have an affect on your self confidence if you do not see anyone because you may feel like they do not want to see you. Also you don’t want to feel like a burden on your family by asking them to take you places, this may mean that you become isolated. If you need someone to come out with you so that you can avoid falling and injuring yourself, you may feel childlike and vulnerable. You may also not feel that confidence if you do not have good balance because you may feel like you may fall. However, the more active you stay you are going to be active for longer. For example swimming is a good way to keep fit and some gyms has special classes for the older generation. This is there to keep them mobilised for longer is older age. If they lost their mobility then they would most likely lose their social life because they may not be able to get around as well as they used too. This could lead to them being disempowered because they won’t have their own choice to go anywhere and do anything by themselves. They also don’t want to feel like a burden on their family members because this could make them feel childlike and vulnerable. If you have gone throughout your life doing everything for yourself, you may feel embarrassed about asking people to help you. In some cases you may also feel ashamed. Your confidence will also be affect, this could be because of your mobility. If you do not have the best balance, you may not want to go in case you fall over or injury yourself in anyway. In older age there are also changes to your cardiovascular and respiration systems. As you get older your heart has to work harder to pump the blood around the body. This would mean that your circulation will begin to get slower and you will be more prone to blood clots at different points within your body. Your respiration system changes as well, you find you are shorter if breath quicker. This will lower your exercise tolerance because you will get out of breath quicker. Having shortness of breath is a frightening situation and it will also take you less time to get out of breath. You may also suffer from heart disease, lung cancer, asthma etc. You could also get any other problems that are associated with breathing and your heart. This could lead to many different things, such as lack of sexual relationships and lack in social life. If you are not feeling confident about yourself then you are not likely to want to go out or have sexual interactions with anyone. It could also affect you and your grandchildren’s relationship because you may not be able to play with your grandchildren. This could affect the relationship you have with them throughout their life. If you do have respiratory problems the you may have to depend on oxygen all the time. You could be left feeling embarrassed and not wanting to leave the house to socialise. As a consequence will limit the opportunities that are available to you. You may even stop your family members coming around your house because you are that embarrassed about the oxygen you have to have all of the time. Digestion In older age you digestion will also suffer. This could be because of false teeth making it harder to eat. This could be because of them being too big for your mouth or just not fitting properly. As you get older you have slower metabolism and weakened muscles in the stomach. This could affect you in many ways, for example it could cause you to gain weight if you are still eating as much as you did when you were 30 years old. Eating is often regarded as a social event and often people in older age do not eat unless they are will other people. Your food may also become less appealing because you lose sensation in your taste buds. This will make your favourite food less appealing and you may stop eating. A lot of things can stop you from accessing food; this could be because of your mobility. If you cannot get of the house, you can’t get to the shops to buy food. You may not want to ask people to go to the shop for you because you do not want to feel like a burden and childlike. However, if you are not eating it could increase your chances of having a nutrient deficiently and affect your immunity from viruses. Having a nutrient deficient could affect your health in a major way and can make you very ill if you are not getting the right nutrients. If you can’t stand by the cooker for a long period of time or undo bottles. This will stop you actually accessing the food to eat, if no-one else is around to open it for you. Another reason your digestion may be affected is if you have lost a loved one. You may feel like they is no point in just cooking for you. This may lead to you eating convenience food which is high in fat or not eating at all. You may also gain weight in older age. This could be because you are eating the same amount as you did when you were working. This will make you gain weight because you will not be burning off the energy like you used to do. You may also lose weight if you don’t eat healthy or not eat regularly. However some good things happen to your digestion when you get older. Since you are retired and wouldn’t be working. You will have more time to cook healthier food, so in retirement you may eat better. Continence Continence means the ability to control body liquids. You are more likely in older age to have incontinence. Some people in older age even have accidental incontinence. Having incontinence could mean that you have no control at all over releasing body liquids and in some cases you may not even know that you are doing it. However, it could be your pelvic floor muscles, if these are not strong you may release urine when you laugh or sneeze. This can be fixed by practicing your pelvic floor muscles. However, they are things you can do to stop it happening as often. Don’t drink caffeine, this is because it is a bladder stimulant and causes you to go to the toilet more frequently. Also diet coke has been linked with bladder cancer and this will affect your ability to hold body liquids for a long period of time. If you do have bladder or bowel problems, you may feel too embarrassed to tell anyone. This could be because they you think that they may judge you and loom at you like you’re a child. You may even think that you are childlike and vulnerable. If this is a bad problem and you do not want to tell anyone about it. It could lead to being isolated and not socialising because you are worried that it might happen whilst you are out. You may even stop people coming to visit you because you might worry that it smells of urine and you do not want people to know that you have a problem. If you did go out, you may want to take a change of clothes with you. This may be just for peace of mind just in case anything happens whilst you are out. Brain and Memory As you get older it is common for you to have memory loss. Don’t worry this happens to many people when they are in older age. You may feel embarrassed that you are unable to remember anything, even your close relative’s names. You may forget how to look after yourself. You lose your memory because as you get older you start to lose your nerve cells. Wisdom Many people think as you get to older age nothing good happens. However as you get older you gain wisdom. This can be shared with family and friends. The younger generation often think that you have been there done that so that you have got life experience that can be passed down the younger generation. You may also have strong relationships with your family members this causing you to have a good self-concept and feel good about yourself. Psychological effects on ageing As you get older your brain will start to change. This could be because you have recently retired or something major has happened in your life and it has affected your emotions. Retirement Retirement could affect your psychological development because you are used to going to work every day and suddenly it will stop. You may start to feel useless, this would be because you have had something to do and you would be getting money for your family. Everybody adjusts to retirement differently. You could take up many different hobbies to keep yourself active or you could stop doing everything all together this could lead to you feeling useless, this would be because you are used to bringing in the family money and now you don’t. Self-esteem and image Your self-esteem change in older age because you experience many different emotions. Your self-esteem could be positive or negative. It could be positive because you may go out all of the time and have a good social life. This would lead to a good self-esteem because they would feel good about themselves. However, you have negative self-esteem in older age. This could be because you may stay in all of the time and never go out. Your self-image could suffer as well because of the physical changes of older age could affect the psychological effects of aging. You may start to feel bad about yourself, this may mean that you do not want to leave the house. You may also think that people are staring at you and it could mean that you may not want to leave the house. This could lead to a negative self-image. You may also have a good self-image in older age, this may be because you go out all of the time with friends and have a good social life.

Caribbean Studies Syllabus

MODULE 1: CARIBBEAN SOCIETY AND CULTURE OVERVIEW Module 1 introduces students to the role played by geography in shaping the society and culture of the Caribbean region as well as the historical evolution of Caribbean society, the cultural characteristics of the Caribbean people, and the ways in which Caribbean society and culture influence and are influenced by societies and cultures outside the region. GENERAL OBJECTIVES On completion of this Module, students should: 1. Understand the factors which have shaped Caribbean society and culture; 2. Appreciate how cultural traits evident throughout the region have resulted from Caribbean peoples’ experiences; 3. Understand the common features which exist within Caribbean diversity; 4. Understand the relevance of concepts encountered within the Module, to their own lives and to the lives of their communities SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES Students should be able to: 1. Locate and define the Caribbean; 2. Explain the terms ‘society’ and ‘culture’; 3. Describe the characteristic features of Caribbean society and culture 4. Analyze the impact of the historical processes in Caribbean society and culture; . Assess the impact of geographical processes on Caribbean society and culture 6. Evaluate the ways in which societal institutions impact on their lives; 7. Analyze how the global community and Caribbean society impact on each other CONTENT 1. Location and Definition of the Caribbean Region i. Geographical location: a. Names of territories b. Sub-regions, for ex ample, Greater Antilles, Lesser Antilles, Western Caribbean, Southern Caribbean, The Bahamas; c. Position of territories in relation to the Caribbean Sea, Atlantic Ocean and the continental land masses i. Definitions of the Caribbean Region a. Geographical; b. Geological; c. Historical; d. Political; iii. Caribbean Identity and Culture 2. Characteristics of Society i. Society a. Shared common purpose; b. A defined territorial space; c. Continuity over time and space; d. Citizenship within a space; ii. Culture a. Learned behavior common to all human beings; b. Norms and values which provide a guide to behavior; c. Institutions which prescribe behavior; 3. Characteristics of Caribbean Society and Culture i. Cultural Diversity Positive and negative effects of cultural diversity; ethnic and cultural differences; the accommodation made among different ethnic groups with respect to space, political and economic power and social visibility. ii. Social Stratification a. Plantation society and its impact on Caribbean social stratification (that is, race, colour, and money as major factors in social stratification); education as a basis for new class formation and upward mobility; b. Concepts such as plantocracy, intelligentsia, middle class, bourgeoisie, working class, underclass, caste; iii. Social Mobility iv. Hybridization a. Factors such as racial admixture and colour in the formation of Caribbean society and culture; terms like mulatto, meztizo, dougla, transculturation, creole; b. Erasure, retention and renewal of cultural practices 4. Impact of Historical Processes i. Migratory movements and the establishment of patterns of settlement by different groups within the Caribbean from pre-Columbian times to the present ii. The development of systems of production: encomienda, slavery, indentureship, the plantation system iii. Responses of the Caribbean people to oppression and genocide: resistance, revolution, development of peasant groups v. Movements toward independence a. Political enfranchisement: i. Adult suffrage; ii. Internal self-government; iii. Economic enfranchisement; iv. Entrepreneurial activities, including shop-keeping and savings societies. 5. Impact of Geographical Phenomena i. Plate tectonics a. Definition; b. Location and movement of the Caribbean plate; c. Earthquakes and volcanoes: soc ial displacement. ii. Hurricanes – social and economic consequences iii. Soils – erosion, conservation iv. Coral reefs – coastal protection, sustainability of fishing industry v. Droughts 6. Impact of Societal Institutions on Caribbean People i. Family i. Education iii. Religion iv. Justice System 7. Caribbean-Global Interactions i. Influences of extra-regional societies on the Caribbean a. Consumption patterns: goods and services; b. Creative expressions: festivals, music, theater arts, culinary practices; c. Education: impact of colonialism; the information age; language; curriculum reforms, for example, teaching of Caribbean Studies in universities in the United Kingdom d. Political influences: i. Westminister System; ii. Rule of law; iii. Electoral processes; iv. Caribbean contribution to the political life of the host communities of Europe and North America; . Labour: the influence of migratory labour; vi. Sport – cricket, soccer, basketball, track a nd field; vii. Religion – traditional and non-traditional religious practices e. Mass Media f. Tourism ii. Caribbean influences on extra-regional countries a. Important political issues created within countries of Europe and North America by the presence of large numbers of Caribbean people (for example, impact of the Haitians and Cubans living in Florida upon the politics of that State). b. The impact of Caribbean festivals like Notting Hill Carnival in the United Kingdom (U. K. Labour Day in Brooklyn, Carnival in Miami and Caribana in Canada on the economics of the areas where they occur ; the impact of migrant labour on the economies of the countries of North America. c. The impact of festivals and music of the Caribbean ( for example, carnival, calypso, reggae, punta, salsa, zouk) upon the festivals, music, pageants and street parades of the countries of North America, Europe, Africa, and of Japan. d. The impact of Rastafarianism on countries throughout the world e. The i nfluence of Caribbean culinary practices within the countries of North America and Europe. Suggested teaching and Learning Activities To facilitate student’s attainment of the objectives in his Module, teachers are advised to engage students in the following teaching and learning activities. 1. Students are encouraged to compile a Glossary of key terms and concepts drawn from the module 2. Students can create a scrapbook based on newspaper, magazine and Internet clippings which are relevant to the themes in the Modules 3. Produce maps and charts to define the Caribbean illustrating features of the physical environment, patterns of settlement and migration 4. Individual or group projects in which students conduct interviews with members of the society on societal and cultural changes 5. Lectures by elders of the community on the characteristics of Caribbean society and culture 6. Tours of plantations; documentaries on slavery, resistance and free villages and independence 7. Class debate on the struggles for, and benefits of independence 8. The use of video footage, photographs from media houses and international agencies on hurricanes and volcanoes. Students can produce their assessment of the impact of these disasters on society and economy 9. Students can design posters on the importance of soils and coral reefs to territories 10. Invite musicians, calypsonians, and folklorists to give lectures on creative expressions 11. Students to deliver 5-7 minute presentations on the impact of societal institutions on Caribbean people RESOURCES Chavannes, B Rastafari: Roots and Ideology, Mona: Syracuse University Press Series, The Press, 1994 Deosaran, R. Reddock, R And Mustapha, N (eds) Contemporary Issues in Social Science: A Caribbean Perspective. Vol: 1, 1994 James, C. L. R. Beyond a Boundary, London: Hutchinson and Company Limited, 1993 Nettleford, R. Caribbean Cultural Identity, Kingston: Institutes of Jamaica, 1978 Payne, A. and Sutton, P. (eds. ) Modern Caribbean Politics, Kingston: Ian Randle Publications, 1993 Reddock, R. (ed. ) Ethnic Minorities in Caribbean Societies, St. Augustine: ISER, 1996 Sutton, C. and Chaney, S. (eds. ) Caribbean Life in New York City: Socio-cultural Dimensions, Centre of Migration Studies, 1987 Thomas, Hope E. Explanation in Caribbean Migration, London: The MacMillan Press Limited, 1992 http://www. pwi. netcom. com/hhenke http://www. caricom. org MODULE 2: ISSUES IN CARIBBEAN DEVELOPMENT OVERVIEW Module 2 introduces students to different conditions which satisfy the definition of development; to interrelationships among social, cultural, political and economic factors in the development of the Caribbean region; and to key individuals and institutions which have shaped the region’s development GENERAL OBJECTIVE On completion of this Module, students should demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between: i. Politics, economics and development; ii. Culture and development; iii. Technology and development; iv. Social justice and development SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES Students should be able to: . Describe the concepts of development and the indicators used to measure development; 2. Evaluate how development in the region is influenced by political, economic, social, cultural, environmental and technological factors; 3. Assess the ways in which globalization affects development in the region; 4. Explain the ways in which the evolution of the integration movement in the Caribbean has influenced development in the region; 5. Evaluate the importance of sports to the development of the region; 6. Assess the significance of Caribbean thought to development of the region; 7. Critically analyze factors which impact on the mass media’s contribution to the development of the region; 8. Formulate reasoned responses to issues of social justice within their communities CONTENT 1. Concepts and indicators of development i. Concepts a. Sustainable development b. Economic development ii. Indicators a. Levels of income b. Productivity c. Social and economic equalization d. Modern knowledge e. Improved institutions and attitudes f. A rationally co-ordinated system of policy measures g. Environmental factors 2. Factors that promote or hinder development i. Political ideologies; popular movements i. Distribution of wealth; resources; income generation iii. Changing class boundaries iv. Definition of Caribbean experience and identity v. Natural and man-made disasters vi. Impact of productive sector vii. Tourism a. Contribution b. Challenges 3. Globalization and Development i. Definition and Stages Facilitators of globalization, for example: a. World Trade Organi zation; b. International Monetary Fund; c. World Bank; d. Transnational organizations; e. Technology; f. Trade; g. Ideologies ii. Impact and Response a. Industry and commerce; b. Distributional sector (supermarkets, department stores); . Labour; d. Technology; e. Ideology 4. The integration movement i. The evolution of: federation, CARIFTA, CARICOM, OECS, ACS ii. Achievements and challenges of three of the following: a. Caribbean Community (CARICOM); b. University of the West Indies (UWI); c. Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC); d. West Indies Cricket Board (WICB); e. Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO); f. Caribbean Single Market and Economy (CSME); g. Regional Security System (RSS) 5. Contributions of sport i. Generation of Income ii. Health and fitness iii. Educational opportunities iv. Sense of Caribbean identity v. Discipline and morale vi. Presence on the world scene vii. Sports tourism 6. Intellectual traditions Objectives and impact of the following: a. Pan Africanism; b. Negritude; c. Industrialization by invitation; d. Marxism and neo-Marxism; e. Caribbean perspectives on British Capitalism; f. Trends in Caribbean feminist thought; g. Indo-Caribbean thought; h. Indigenous perspectives 7. Roles and functions of the mass media i. Provision of information about institutions, events and trends in individual countries, the region and the global community j. Entertainment k. Construction of national identity . Cultural imperialism 8. Social justice i. Knowledge of competing concepts of social justice, for example, recognition of natural rights, welfare and mutual advantage ii. Discrimination on the grounds of age, gender, ethnicity, race o class iii. Indicators of development affected by breaches of social justice: a. Levels of social and economic equalization b. Productivity c. Quality of life Suggested Teaching and Learning Activities To facilitate student’s attainment of the objectives in this module, teachers are advised to engage students in the following teaching and learning ctivities 1. Students are encouraged to compile a glossary of terms and concepts within the Module 2. Students should compile a scrap book on the lives and world of persons who have contributed to the development of the region in the field of politics, labour, the arts, sports. 3. A class research project: for example, the development by groups of students of charts to show a comparative performance among countries of the Caribbean region in areas like GNP, provision of health, literacy rates and unemployment 4. Student Parliamentary debate on the 1990 World bank Report for the Caribbean . Class debates on a range of topical issues, for example, the failure of the Federation, CARICOM, social justice, health, crime and economic issues 6. Panel discussion on Caribbean intellectual tradition 7. Students write a ‘play’ on globalization and its effects 8. A guided tour to a local media corporation 9. Students can evaluate television and radio programmes, advertisements based on criteria arrived at through class discussion 10. Students write letters to the editor of national newspapers, formulating responses to a range of issues 11. Students reate posters on the improper disposal of industrial waste, and overcrowding in urban centres. RESOURCES Beckles, H. A Spirit of Dominance: Cricket and Nationalism in the West Indies, Kingston: Ian Randle Publications, 1997 Globalization, Communications and Caribbean Identity, Kingston: Ian Randle Publications, 1995 Rethinking Development, Kingston: Consortium Graduate School In the Social Sciences, 1995 Black Meteors: The Caribbean in Intenational Athletics, Kingston: Ian Randle Publications, 1998 Dunn, H. S. (ed. ) Girvan, N. (ed) Ince, B. Leo-Rhynie, E. Bailey, B. and Barrow, C. eds. ) Gender: A Multi Disciplinary read er on the Caribbean, Kingston: Ian Randle Publications, 1996 MODULE 3: INVESTIGATING HUMAN AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT IN THE CARIBEAN OVERVIEW This Module introduces students to some of the major concepts and skills which should be mastered in conducting research. Through the research process, students will have the opportunity to deepen their understanding of a defined area of Caribbean experience which they have selected GENERAL OBJECTIVES On completion of this module, students should: 1. Demonstrate research and analytical skills; . Work independently or in teams to formulate, conduct and report on inquiries into issues they have identified as significant to the region 3. Appreciate the importance of ethical issues in conducting research SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES Students should be able to: 1. Explain the nature and purpose of research; 2. Identify a research problem; 3. Evaluate existing information about the problem; 4. Formulate relevant research questions and or hypothesis; 5. List var ious methods and instruments of data collection; 6. Apply appropriate formats in presenting data; 7. Draw conclusions and make recommendations; 8. Use American Psychological Association convention correctly; 9. Adhere to basic principles for maintaining ethical standards in conducting research CONTENT 1. Nature and purpose of research i. Systematic enquiry ii. Generation of new knowledge iii. Reliability and validity in research iv. Problem solving 2. The research problem Identification of a research problem 3. Sources of Information h. Identifying and accessing sources: a. Existing literature; b. Internet Resources; c. Oral histories; d. Newspaper reports; e. Minutes of meetings; . Archive i. Criteria for selection and use: a. Relevance; b. Degree of objectivity; c. Adequacy 4. Characteristics of research objectives i. Relevance ii. Direct link to research problem iii. Informed by sources iv. Clarity 5. Methods and Instruments of Data Collection i. Sampling a. Probability and non-probability; b. Target population i. Surveys a. Types of surveys; b. Interview techniques; c. Questionn aire construction 6. Format of Presenting Data i. Tabular ii. Graphic iii. Text 7. Conclusion and Recommendation i. Main findings in relation to research objectives ii. Areas of contention in relation to research objectives iii. New and interesting findings, if any iv. Limitations of the study v. Areas for further research 8. American Psychological Association Conventions (APAC) i. Bibliographies ii. Referencing 9. Principles of ethical conduct, for example: i. Consent of research subjects; ii. Respect for privacy and confidentiality; iii. Integrity and transparency of the research process THEMES Recommended Areas for Investigation The following themes represent areas of interest to the contemporary Caribbean in terms of their significance to regional development. The list is not considered exhaustive and it is expected that new themes will be added. Under each theme heading, broad areas for possible study are identified for the guidance of students. Students may choose one of the themes to be the subject of the research project A. The Environment i. ii. iii. iv. v. vi. vii. Pollution Sewage and Solid Waste Management Coming to terms with Natural and man-made Disasters Housing growing populations Protection of Parks and the National heritage Toxic Waste Disposal Renewable and non-renewable resources of the Caribbean B. The Mass media i. ii. iii. iv. v. Impact of selected media on cultural expressions and values Issues arising from the control of information by extraregional media organizations Issues surrounding censorship and freedom of information Effects of media messages on the economies of Caribbean countries The effects of new technologies on the growing influence of the mass media in the Caribbean C. Gender Issues in the Caribbean i. ii. iii. iv. v. Changing male-female relationships in the Caribbean – causes and characteristic features Gender issues in education Gender relations in the workplace Gender issues in the mass media Gender issues and the law D. The Productive Sector and Development i. ii. iii. Farming practices and land tenure Development of appropriate technologies Impact of new technologies iv. Foreign dominance of the productive sector Tourism Agro-industries v. vi. E. Health i. ii. iii. iv. v. Changing patterns of disease The impact of cultural habits and value systems Traditional/modern medicine Health care and the economy Sexual and reproductive health – social, economic, ethical and legal issues F. Crime in the Caribbean i. ii. iii. iv. v. vi. Crime as a function of changing social structures and technologies Trade in illicit narcotics Impact of crime on the economy and on the political structure Effects of crime on the society Impact on the physical well-being of individuals of the region International relations in the control of crime G. Sports i. ii. iii. iv. v. Effects of identified policies on the development of sports Physical benefits Sports and the regional/national economy Impact of developing technologies on performance in sports Changing patterns of interest and development H. The Work Place i. ii. iii. v. v. vi. Patterns of unemployment; causes and effects of unemployment Impact of changing technologies Challenges of entrepreneurial activity in the Caribbean Changing role of labour unions Industrial Law in the work place Providing education for the world of work I. The Languages of the Caribbean i. Historical and social factors shaping Caribbean Creoles ii. iii. iv. Implications for maintaining European languag es as the official languages of the region Roles and functions of Creole languages within Caribbean societies Oral traditions within the culture J. Religion i. ii. Emergence and persistence of folk forms of worship Religion and education in the region Impact of modernization on religion in the Caribbean Religion and alternative forms of medicine Religion and social change in the region Impact of religion on family values iii. iv. v. vi. K. Literary, Performing and Visual Arts i. Factors affecting the evolution of identified art forms (for example, history, inter-culturation, new technologies) Existing and potential roles for the performing arts in the development of countries within the Caribbean Ethical and legal issues – copyright, censorship Impact of globalization ii. iii. v. Suggested Teaching and Learning Activities To facilitate students’ attainment of the objectives in this Module, teachers are advised to engage students in the following teaching and learning activities. 1. Discuss the importance of the research paper in terms of the overall examination 2. Discuss research types and methods by teacher and other resource pe rson(s) 3. Provide a range of examples of problems statements, followed by class discussion to critically evaluate the effectiveness and completeness of sample problem statements 4. Provide examples of literature reviews to identify pertinent elements, such as: i. Relevance of theories and research findings to topic; ii. Agreement or disagreement between the stated theories; iii. Correct citation of sources 5. Group analysis of sample research reports so as to help students to arrive at an understanding of component parts, and of formats appropriate to different types of research design 6. Develop a glossary of research terms 7. Guided group library tours to help students to identify and access sources of information 8. Develop interviewing skills followed by class evaluation of the interviews 9. Mini-observation assignments within the classroom, the school, community or the workplace 0. Discuss the use and acknowledgment of sources to avoid plagiarism 11. Discuss the common problems encountered in designing and conducting research 12. Teacher feedback on project 13. Establish time lines for submission of drafts of the project Scope and Depth of Study Students should be guided in making decisions about scope and depth as they conduct and repor t on this study. Constraints of time and project length will affect the nature of the problem chosen, the population selected for study, and the extent of coverage of the relevant literature. It will also increase the demand that coverage of the literature be relevant and succinct. Time Management During the course of study, twenty contact hours are proposed for teaching the basic concepts of research and the skills of preparing a research proposal and report, as well as for discussion of factors which must be considered at different stages of the study. Twenty hours are allocated for the student’s independent work in carrying out the different phases of the study. At this time, the role of the teacher will be that of an advisor RESOURCES Suggested Reading List Boxill, I. , Chambers, C. M. , Wint, E. Introduction to Social research with Applications to the Caribbean, Kingston: Canoe Press, University of the West Indies, 1997 Roberts, P. West Indians and their Language, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2001 Sanders, R. Narcotics, Corruption and Development in the Countries of the OECS: The Problem in the Smaller Islands of the Commonwealth Caribbean, Caribbean Affairs 3: 1, 1990 West Indian Commission A Time for Action: Report of the West Indian Commission, Mona: The Press, University of the West Indies, 1992 World Health Organization Health and Environment in Sustainable Developments Five years after the Earth Summit, 1997 OUTLINE OF ASSESMENT EXTERNAL ASSESSMENT 60% Written Papers – 4 hours 30 minutes Paper 01 (1 hour 30 minutes) Fifteen compulsory shirt-response questions 27% Paper 02 ( 3 hours) Eight essay questions of which candidates must answer four 33% INTERNAL ASSESSMENT 40% Paper 03A The internal assessment will consist of a research project. The project will enable the student to demonstrate skills and competencies developed from each of the three modules. Paper 03B Private candidates are required to write Paper 03B, an Alternative Paper to the Internal Assessment MODERATION OF INTERNAL ASSESSMENT An Internal Assessment Record Sheet will be sent each year to schools submitting students for the examinations. All Internal Assessment Record Sheets and sample of assignments must be submitted to CXC by May 31 of the year of the examination. A sample of assignments will be requested by CXC for moderation purposes. These samples will be reassessed by CXC examiners who moderate the Internal Assessment. Teachers’ marks may be adjusted as a result of moderation. The Examiners’ comments will be sent to schools. Copies of the students’ assignments that are not submitted must be retained by the school until three months after publication by CXC of the examination results ASSESSMENT DETAILS External Assessment by Written Papers (60% of Total assessment) There will be a combined question paper and answer booklet for Paper 01 Paper 01 (1 hour 30 minutes – 27% of Total Assessment) 1. Number of Questions This paper is made up of 15 compulsory short-response questions covering all three modules 2. Syllabus Coverage Knowledge of all topics is required. The intention is to test candidates’ knowledge across the breadth of the syllabus 3. Question type Questions will be structured, consisting of two, three or four parts. Questions will test candidates’ understanding of concepts and issues 4. Mark Allocation Questions will not necessarily be awarded the same number of marks. A question may be worth three, four, five or at most six marks The maximum number of marks for this paper is 80. This paper contributes 27% of the total mark for the Unit Paper 02 (3 hours – 33% of Total Assessment) 1. Number of Questions This paper consists of eight questions. Candidates are required to answer for questions, two from Module 1 and two from Module 2 2. Syllabus Coverage This paper tests Modules 1 and 2. Four questions will be set on Module 1 and four questions on Module 2. Candidates are required to answer two questions on each module. 3. Question Type Questions in this section will test higher order thinking skills such as application, analysis, synthesis and evaluation. Candidates will be expected to present a case for or against a particular point of view, using the concepts and issues discussed in the course There will be two types of questions. Type A There will be four questions of this type. These will test candidates’ ability to explain and elaborate on conceptual issues and apply general principles to a problem situation. Each question is worth 20 marks and candidates are required to answer one of two questions on Module 1 and one of two questions on Module 2 Type B There will be four questions of this type. These will require candidates to analyze problem cases, discuss and make evaluate comments or issues and present arguments for or against a particular point of view. Each question is worth 30 marks and candidates are required to answer one of two questions on Module 1 and one of two questions on module 2. INTERNAL ASSESSMENT Paper 03A – Internal Assessment (40% of Total Assessment) Internal Assessment is an integral part of student assessment in the course covered by this syllabus. It is intended to assist students in acquiring certain knowledge, skills and attitudes that are associated with the subject. The activities for the Internal Assessment are linked to the syllabus and should orm part of the learning activities to enable the student to achieve the objectives of the syllabus. During the course of study for the subject, students obtain marks for the competence they develop and demonstrate in undertaking their Internal Assessment assignments. These marks contribute to the final marks and grades that are awarded to students for their performance in the examination The guidelines provided in this syllabus for selecting appropriate tasks are intended to assist teachers and students in selecting assignments that are valid for the purpose of Internal Assessment. The guidelines provided for the assessment of these assignments are intended to assist teachers in awarding marks that are reliable estimates of the achievement of students in the Internal Assessment component of the course. In order to ensure that the scores awarded by the teachers are not out of line with the CXC standards, the Council undertakes the moderation of a sample of the Internal Assessment assignments marked by each teacher. Internal Assessment provides an opportunity to individualize a part of the curriculum to meet the needs of students. It facilitates feedback to the student at various stages of the experience. This helps to build the self-confidence of students as they proceed with their studies. Internal Assessment also facilitates the development of critical skills and abilities emphasized by this CAPE subject, and enhance the validity of the examination on which candidate performance is reported. Internal Assessment therefore makes a significant and unique contribution to both the development of relevant skills and the testing and rewarding of students for the development of those skills. The Caribbean Examinations Council seeks to ensure that the Internal Assessment scores are valid and reliable estimates of accomplishment. The guidelines provided in this syllabus are intended to assist in doing so. The internal assessment component of the examination is worth 120 marks. This contributes 40% of the total mark for the unit. The Research Project The internal assessment for this Unit is a research project on a topic selected on any area of the themes outlines on pages 22-25 of the syllabus. The assignment is worth a total of 120 marks for the internal assessment FORMAT OF THE REEARCH PROJECT I. II. Length: 2,000 – 2,500 words Structure: Cover Page (Title, Name, Date): Acknowledgements Table of Contents: III. a. Introduction and Purpose of Research b. Literature Review c. Data Collection sources d. Presentation of Findings e. Interpretation of Findings f. Discussion g. Conclusion/Limitations of the Research/Recommendations h. Bibliography i. Appendices Allocation of Marks for the Research Project Marks will be allocated according to the following scheme: Marks A. Introduction and Purpose of research, Statement of Problem (15) Literature Review Data Collection Sources (10) (15) B. C. D. Presentation of Findings (18) Interpretation of Findings (20) E. F. Discussion of Findings (15) G. Conclusion, Limitations of the Research, Recommendations (15) Overall Presentation and Writing Skills (12) H. *The points to be considered for section H are as follows: Presentation j. Cover Page k. Acknowledgements l. Table of Contents m. Bibliography n. Appendices Mechanics/Writing h. Paragraphing i. Vocabulary, use of language j. Grammar and Spelling marks] [Total 120 Marks for the Research Project would be allocated across Modules in the ratio 1: 1: 4. For example if the total marks for the project is 72, divide the mark in the ratio 1: 1: 4. Therefore the candidate will receive 12 marks. For Module 1, 12 marks for Module 2 and 48 marks for Module 3 CARIBBEAN EXAMINATIONS COUNCIL CARIBBEAN ADVANCED PROFICIENCY EXAMINATION CARIBBEAN STUDIES MARK SCHEME Candidates will be awarded a total of 12 marks for communicating information in a logical way using correct grammar. The marks are awarded in Section H in the mark scheme below RESEARCH PROJECT A. INTRODUCTION marks) (Purpose of research – Statement of Problem) ? (15 Excellent explanation of the purpose of the research ? Very good explanation of the statement of the question or problem to be researched ? Explained very well the educational value of the research ? Defined clearly all or nearly all the technical terms used in the study (13-15 marks) ? Explained well the purpose of the research ? Stated clearly the question or problem to be researched ? Explained well the educational value of the research ? Defined clearly most or nearly all the technical terms used in the study (10 – 12 marks) ? Explained adequately the purpose of the research ? Stated adequately the question or problem to be researched ? Explained adequately the educational value of the research ? Defined adequately technical terms used in the study (7-9 marks) ? Explained in a limited way the purpose of the research ? Stated vaguely the question or problem to be researched ? Explained vaguely the educational value of the research Defined a limited number of technical terms used in the study (4 – 6 marks) ? Explained poorly the purpose of the research ? Stated inadequately the question or problem to be researched ? Provided no clear explanation of the educational value of the research ? Provided no meaningful definition of technical terms used in the study (1-3 marks) B. LITERATURE REVIEW mark s) (15 ? Showed an excellent understanding of the relevant literature and previous research on the problem and related them properly to the study, that is, placed the research clearly in context (13 – 15 marks) Showed a good understanding of the relevant literature and previous research on the problem and related them properly to the study, that is, placed the research appropriately in context (10 – 12 marks) ? Showed an adequate understanding of the relevant literature and previous research on the problem and related them properly to the study, that is, placed the research satisfactorily in context (7 – 9 marks) ? Showed a limited understanding of the relevant literature and previous research on the problem and related them in a limited manner to the present study, that is, placed the research in context in a limited way (4 – 6 marks) Showed a poor understanding of the relevant literature and previous research and showed little or no connection to the pr esent study, that is, was unable to put the research in context (1 – 3 marks) C. DATA COLLECTION SOURCES (10 marks) ? Gave an excellent description of the different sources, from which information was collected and was obtained and how these sources contribute to an understanding of the research problem (9 – 10 marks) ? Gave an good description of the different sources, from which information was obtained and how these sources contribute to an understanding of the research problem (7 – 8 marks) Gave an adequate description of the different sources, from which information was obtained and how these sources contribute to an understanding of the research problem (5 – 6 marks) ? Gave a limited description of the different sources, from which information was obtained and how these sources contribute to an understanding of the research problem (3 – 4 marks) ? Gave a poor description of the different sources, from which information was obtained and how th ese sources contribute to an understanding of the research problem (1-2 marks) D. PRESENTATION OF FINDINGS marks) (18 Gave an excellent presentation of the findings using a variety of tables, graphs, maps or text and other forms that are appropriate, well labeled, presented accurately (16 – 18 marks) ? Gave a good presentation of the findings using a variety of tables, graphs, maps or text and other forms that are appropriate, well labeled, presented accurately most of the time (12 – 15 marks) ? Gave an adequate presentation of the findings and some tables, graphs, maps or text but not using as many varied methods as could have been used; the data were for the most part accurate and adequately labeled (8 – 11 marks) Gave a weak presentation of the findings using few graphs or tables or text, not always using the most effective method; the data were not always well presented or accurate (4 – 7 marks) ? Gave a poor presentation of the findings; little thoug h is given to the labeling and presentation and to the accuracy of the data (1 – 3 marks) E. INTERPRETATION OF FINDINGSDISCUSSION OF FINDINGS (20 marks) ? Interpretation was very well, accurate and very relevant to the issues being studied (17 – 20 marks) ? Interpretation was clear, accurate and relevant to the issues being studied (13-16 marks) Interpretation was not clear, not always accurate and not always relevant to the issues being studied (9 – 12 marks) ? Interpretation was unclear, inaccurate and of limited relevance to the issues being studied (5 – 8 marks) ? Interpretation was generally unclear, inaccurate and was of little relevance to the issues being studied (1 – 4 marks) F. DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS (15 marks) ? Provided an excellent discussion of findings and their implications and comparison with previous studies (13 – 15 marks) ? Provided a good discussion of findings and their implications and comparison with previous studies (10-12 marks) Provided a satisfactory discussion of findings and their implications and comparison with previous studies (7 – 9 marks) ? Provided a limited discussion of findings and their implications; little reference to previous studies were made (4 – 6 marks) ? Provided a very limited discussion of findings and their implications, no reference to previous studies were made (1 – 3 marks) G. CONCLUSIONS, LIMITATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS (15 marks) †¢ Conclusions were very clearly stated, very well developed, logical and relevant (13 – 15 marks) Conclusions were clearly stated, were well developed, logical and relevant (10 – 12 marks) †¢ Conclusions were satisfactorily stated, developed, some recommendations (7 – 9 marks) †¢ Conclusions were inadequately stated, showed limited relevance and development, recommendations were inappropriate and not very practical (4 – 6 marks) †¢ Conclusions were inappropriate and sho wed little or no relevance or practical value (1-3 marks) H. OVERALL PRESENTATION AND WRITING SKILLS (12 marks) (Communication of information in a logical way using correct grammar) i. Presentation (4 marks) †¢ Provided appropriate layout, and relevant tables of content, bibliography, appendices, cover page (4 marks) †¢ Provided adequate layout, and relevant tables of content, bibliography, appendices, cover page (3 marks) †¢ Provided layout appropriate for the most part, and tables of content, bibliography, cover page (2 marks) †¢ Provided a weak presentation and only some of the important elements such as table of content, bibliography, appendices, cover page and those that were given were not well done (1 mark) ii. Writing Skills (8 marks) Demonstrated very high level of writing competence, for example, organization, use of language, grammar, spelling (7 – 8 marks) †¢ Demonstrated high level of writing competence, for example, organization, use of language, grammar, spelling (5 – 6 marks) †¢ Demonstrated adequate writing skills, for example, organization, use of language, grammar, spelling (4 marks) †¢ Demonstrate d limited writing skills, for example, weak use of language and grammar, several spelling errors (3 marks) †¢ Demonstrated poor writing skills, for example, poor use of language, poor grammar, many errors in spelling (1 – 2 marks)

Acceptance Speech - Martin Luther King Essay Example for Free

Acceptance Speech – Martin Luther King Essay ? Acceptance Speech Martin Luther King was an African American activist and leader who dedicated his life to fighting for equal rights for coloured people in America. Grown up in a Baptist family, Christianity held a huge fascination for Martin Luther King, which is often reflected in his speeches. In 1964, he received the Nobel Peace Prize for his achievements in the struggle for equality and independence for coloured people. When receiving the award, Martin Luther King expresses his appreciation by a speech in Oslo. This speech is slightly different to his other speeches such as â€Å"I have a dream† or â€Å"Eulogy† as he uses less metaphors and alliterations and not only focuses on racial discrimination in the United States of America. He uses high vocabulary, as he speaks to a highly educated non-American audience in a humble tone. Martin Luther King begins his speech with the words: â€Å"The tortuous road which has led from Montgomery to Alabama to Oslo†¦ This can be classified as a metaphor, as â€Å"tortuous road† emphasizes that Negros had to suffer humiliation, exploitation and oppression for many years. But this â€Å"road† gave new hope to the people in the United States, as it is said in the speech: â€Å"This road has opened for all Americans a new era of progress and hope. † This is an extended metaphor that appears throughout the whole paragraph, as he goes on with:† a superhighway of injustice†. These words show that the civil rights movement can’t be stopped anymore and will finally bring justice for Negros. Throughout the speech many alliteration occur such as:†faith in the future† or â€Å"bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood†. These examples show that alliterations point attention to the sentence and help to fix the reader’s mind. It then goes on with the simile: â€Å"Man is more flotsam and jetsam in the river of life†. By these words Martin Luther King wants to emphasize that it is possible for everybody to change something in the world, despite the fact that people do not have the same opinion. Later he says:† I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to Starless midnight of racism and war that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become a reality†. By metaphor â€Å"starless midnight of racism† Martin Luther King wants to indicate was considerate to something unsolvable or unchangeable. By the words â€Å"bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood†, he which is also a metaphor, he emphasizes thatpeace and brotherhood will finally be achieved. However, hese metaphor are very effective as they make the abstract or unknown concrete but it also enlivens the reader’s imagination. This sentence can also closely be classified as a balanced sentence, as Martin Luther King tells us what to do and what not to do. However, this helps to persuade the audience so stand up for their rights. Throughout the speech many anaphoras occur such as â€Å"I refuse to accept† or â€Å"I believe that†. This rhetor ical device emphasizes Martin Luther King’s aim for equal rights all over the world. Later on it says: â€Å"I refuse to accept the idea that the ‘is-ness’ of man’s present nature makes him morally incapable of reaching up for the eternal ‘ought-ness’ that forever confronts him. † Martin Luther King had a vision for how things ought to be. He shows us to refuse to accept things for how they are, and instead strive to find the solution for how they ought to be. Martin Luther King will always remain one of the most influential and greatest freedom fighters in the world. Though his commitment and persuasion, he achieved a lot for Afro American people in the USA. Acceptance Speech – Martin Luther King. (2018, Nov 13).

Fleabane Now a National Challenge Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Fleabane Now a National Challenge - Essay Example Thus, according to the GRDC funded research, it has been seen that the integrated weed management (IWM) is key to reduce the impact of the weed on the crops. Spraying the weed with herbicides while it is still young is another effective approach that can be taken. Alternatively, there is need to control the weed before it sets the seeds. This entails that the growers should strive to tackle the fleabane while it is still young. They should use the cultivators to bury the weed before it matures since it would become resistant with age. There are quite a number of benefits that can be derived from this action. For instance, the growers will not experience the recurrence of the problematic weed and this can also help to improve the yield. Persuasion channels like television can be used to appeal to the growers to follow the steps suggested above. On the other hand, Silverleaf whitefly (SLW) remains a potentially serious pest of coastal soya beans in the northern region. The main problem is that it quickly develops rapid pesticide resistance usually in a single season. It is also adaptive to high temperatures. The SLW cannot be managed by the use of pesticides alone and growers are not advised to use these since they kill the SLW parasites and predators allowing the pest to multiply unchallenged. Integrated pest management (IPM) is essential in order to combat this problem. There is the need for the growers to understand the basic tenets of this strategy as well as the measures that characterize it. The IPM strategy entails that the growers should ensure that there are natural predators in the crop that can suppress the pest’s population. The growers should try to maintain a natural balance in the ecosystem where the predators will feed on the SLW and this helps to ensure that the SLW does not multiply in numbers. The benefits that can be achieved by the growers of beans is that their crop will not be destroyed by the pests.  

Research Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 6

Research Paper - Essay Example The construction of the pyramids varied depending on the size of the pyramid itself and the nature of the surrounding complex. Therefore, the construction of any single pyramid may have involved a few thousand masons to tens of thousands. There are several reasons that make the Egyptian Pyramids stand out in the history of the world. First, these pyramids comprise the oldest monumental structures still standing, which were ever build through masonry. Secondly, the Egyptian Pyramids stands out as some of the largest structures that were ever built in the history of the world. Thirdly, some of the Egyptian Pyramids rank among the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, which are still in existence (Egyptian Pyramids, n.p.). The most famous of the Egyptian Pyramids are found in the Giza region, which is in the outskirts of the Egyptian capital, Cairo (Hoffman, n.p.). Among the most popular Egyptian Pyramids are the pyramid of Khufu, the pyramid of Khafre, and the pyramid of Menkaure. The gr eat Sphinx also ranks among the most popular monumental structures in the world. Therefore, this discussion seeks to discuss the above mentioned Egyptian Pyramids, with a focus on their history and their significance in the world today, in terms of preserving the world’s history and standing out as crucial tourist attractions in Egypt, since they are among the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, which are still in existence (Chapman, 47). The Pyramid of Khufu, also referred to as The Great Pyramid of Giza or the Pyramid of Cheops, is an ancient pyramid found in the Giza region of Egypt. This pyramid is the most famous of all Egyptian Pyramids, because it ranks as the oldest and the largest Egyptian Pyramid that exists to present day (Allen, 29). In fact, the Pyramid of Khufu is not only popular as an Egyptian pyramid, but also the oldest of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, which remains fairly intact to present day

Latin America and the Catholic Church Case Study

Latin America and the Catholic Church - Case Study Example A total of 17 members of the Sandinista youth organization had been killed during the ambush, and the Christians hoped that the pope would console them due to their loss. However, the pope avoided making any remarks that related to the killings, and rather, concentrated on the church unity, something that was unexpected to the crowd. The crowd was disappointed, hence making it hard for the mass to proceed as planned; they made a lot of noise that demanded for a consolation from the pope. However, the pope basically never commented on any political stand as the reformists hoped. His message was basically on the unity in the church. What position did the pope eventually make clear to the Nicaraguan priests? The pope’s words towards the Nicaraguan priest were very clear; since he recognized the fact that they had been treated recklessly and inhumanely, but he specified that it was not wise for them to avenge against their rivals. As such, an action would be disrespectful to the m emories of martyrs such as Bishop Romero, and it would lead to political ideologies and their faith would be compromised. The pope mostly insisted on the church unity to the priests as a way to promote peace in the area, and avoid divisions (Hoyt, 1993).

Estonia in Transition Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Estonia in Transition - Assignment Example As the discussion declares, along with the aforementioned developments, Estonia progressed so rapidly since the nation was once in a while utilized as a test showcase for new advances by associations for example Erickson and Nokia while the countrys IT and telecom bunches were the quickest developing among the Baltic countries. The issue that Estonia was confronting in 2002 was that albeit Estonias success, its prospect for daily life stayed far underneath other European countries, and unemployment remained elevated. Despite the fact that leaders in business and government decidedly supported promotion to the EU, sentiment reviews in late 2001 exhibited that less than 40 percent of Estonians might vote energetic about it. Thirdly, Estonia was facing a shortfall of highly qualified labor and labor costs were also heightening by 2002. Further, despite the development in telecom sector, vast majority of Estonian households still could not afford ISDN or ADSL connections in 2002. The Estonia financial businesses, as in the majority of the transition countries, banks played the overwhelming part in the rather underdeveloped financial institutions. The Estonia government should parity the growth between bank and other financial institutions. Next to that, competitive advancement and all the developments in high- tech sectors should be guarded since it is the main source of sustained development in Estonia. Estonia government additionally should expand the exports sector. In resentment of solid economic development, unemployment stayed at 13% and youth is still facing challenges in finding vocations or accessing professional training. Staff deficiencies are faced by certain sectors because of constrained geological and expertise portability. Indeed, the government needs to heighten more FDIs and ensures more avenues for employment in the country especially for the fixed income of older population. Finally, government budget should also be directed to improve the average standard of living of the country.

Paper about Atheism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Paper about Atheism - Essay Example It could be that they think in the tangible sense that anything that exists must be able to be proven. Many highly intellectual people need proof and evidence of something to ever believe in its being. Some philosophers and sociologists are not this way as they create a thought and see how society relates to it or use philosophy to explain something. Religion in some ways, is a philosophy. Religion could be seen as a way to keep going in life. To have faith in something that is unseen often gives people a meaning to their point of being. People use religion to talk to a God or to ask for help from angels in hopes that there is something out there to help them through. One would think that a life without some sort of spirituality or religion would be a life that has no meaning. For many, having a God or something to believe in is as essential as breathing. Varying religions contradict each other so much. Hundreds of religious views are followed by a group of people. Is religion a form of brainwashing? Religion and a belief in a higher power could just vary so much because for each person, that is what works for them and it is what they have come to know. Not that all people who believe in religious views are naà ¯ve. Those who are atheists, certainly are not naà ¯ve into believing that there is some other power that is accountable for all that is incorporated into being. They are not willing to turn their lives into something that they cannot see, hear, feel or touch. To have faith in a god is to believe in something that cannot be felt among any of those senses but to only read teachings of those that came before us. There is controversy about the actual term atheism. The word is of Greek origin of a combination of â€Å"a† and â€Å"theos.† The true meaning of â€Å"atheos,† though is questionable. â€Å"Atheos† could mean â€Å"no God,† â€Å"without God,† â€Å"lack God belief† or

Summary of Book Chapter Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Summary of Book Chapter - Essay Example Josephine St. Pierre Ruffin led the Black women in the call for a national club movement that articulates their issues in political life. The organizers defined the main function of the club was to voice their concern on the issue of racism. At the convection, the Black mad a declaration that their movement was open to all unlike the white woman society marred with racist issues. According to Ashburn, â€Å"the national women movement has its directorship and leadership by women to benefit both men and women, ensuring the entire society has liberation from racist notions. The national movement requests the active participation of all men in the society. The movement will also request the participation of American women. The national movement will not alienate or withdraw any other group from joining us. We cordially invite likeminded clubs to join in the quest of freedom. Some of the predominant white clubs refused to come to meetings or the demonstrations since they did not have in terest in women studies. The process of intensifying white, Afro American, Asian, Latina, and Native American women must voice the issue of color as one of their prime agendas. Another issue of Afro-American women is the issue of unemployment that can empower them to earn a decent living in the society. The current economic strata classify the Afro American women as the last in employment. The Regan administration has a high unemployment where the issue affects mostly the black people that whites. A large number of the unemployed are Afro-American women that face utter frustration since unemployment insurance has expired. The current administration depicts an impoverished status of the Afro American women that boasts of a high population close to 14 million that face homelessness. The national movement will also discuss the issue of homelessness in one of its core agendas in an enthusiastic way since it relates to daily life experience. In 1987, United Nations makes a

Wikileaks Endangered Lives Saved by Military Censorship Essay

Wikileaks Endangered Lives Saved by Military Censorship - Essay Example This is just not the case. In fact, what is usually called military â€Å"censorship† is in the best interest of our troops, our country, our government, and our liberty. One recent example of this is the Wikileaks scandal where a large number of sensitive documents were released to the public. This release of censored material shows why censorship is actually a positive thing when it comes to military documents, as it has caused problems with military security. Furthermore, it endangered not only the lives of American troops, but of Afghan civilians and everyone involved. Wikileaks and other disasters have proved that military â€Å"censorship,† far from being dangerous, is a necessary part of keeping the country safe. In the middle of 2010 and the war in Afghanistan, a website called Wikileaks began posting classified documents from the US Government. In many cases these documents being uncensored â€Å"could put the lives of Americans and our partners at risk, and t hreaten our national security† (Jones). Although it’s debatable what intent the Wikileaks project had in fighting against what they perceived as censorship, their result was definitely harmful. As Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs Douglas B. Wilson put it, the â€Å"arrogance and naivete† of fighting against military censorship â€Å"have determined and had negative consequences for national security" (Miles).

Apoptosis - Short Essay Essay Example for Free

Apoptosis Short Essay Essay Kerr, Wyllie, and Currie first used the term apoptosis in a paper in 1972 to describe a morphologically distinct form of cell death, although certain components of the apoptosis concept had been described years previously. Our understanding of the mechanisms involved in the process of apoptosis in mammalian cells transpired from the investigation of programmed cell death that occurs during the development of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans (Horvitz, 1999). In this organism 1090 somatic cells are generated in the formation of the adult worm, of which 131 of these cells undergo apoptosis or â€Å"programmed cell death. † These 131 cells die at particular points during the development process, which is invariant between worms, demonstrating the accuracy and control in this system. Apoptosis has been recognized and accepted as an important mode of â€Å"programmed† cell death, which involves the genetically determined elimination of cells. However, there is other forms of programmed cell death have been described and other forms of programmed cell death may yet be discovered Apoptosis occurs normally during development and aging and as a homeostatic mechanism to maintain cell populations in tissues. Apoptosis also occurs as a defense mechanism such as in immune reactions or when disease or noxious agents damage cells. Although there are a wide variety of stimuli and conditions, both physiological and pathological, that can trigger apoptosis, not all cells will necessarily die in response to the same stimulus. Irradiation or drugs used for cancer chemotherapy results in DNA damage in some cells, which can lead to apoptotic death through a p53-dependent pathway. Some hormones, may lead to apoptotic death in some cells although other cells are unaffected or even stimulated. Some cells express Fas or TNF receptors that can lead to apoptosis via ligand binding and protein cross-linking. Other cells have a default death pathway that must be blocked by a survival factor such as a hormone or growth factor. There is also the issue of distinguishing apoptosis from necrosis, two processes that can occur independently, sequentially, as well as simultaneously (Zeiss, 2003). In some cases it’s the type of stimuli and/or the degree of stimuli that determines if cells die by apoptosis or necrosis. At low doses, a variety of injurious stimuli such as heat, radiation,  hypoxia and cytotoxic anticancer drugs can induce apoptosis but these same stimuli can result in necrosis at higher doses. Finally, apoptosis is a coordinated and often energy-dependent process that involves the activation of a group of cysteine proteases called â€Å"caspases† and a complex cascade of events that link the initiating stimuli to the final demise of the cell Loss of contro l of apoptosis may result in disease. Excessive apoptosis is implicated in AIDS and Alzheimers disease and insufficient apoptosis may lead to cancer. Morphology of Apoptosis Light and electron microscopy have identified the various morphological changes that occur during apoptosis. During the early process of apoptosis, cell shrinkage and pyknosis are visible by light microscopy. With cell shrinkage, the cells are smaller in size, the cytoplasm is dense and the organelles are more tightly packed. Pyknosis is the result of chromatin condensation. On examination with hematoxylin and eosin stain, apoptosis involves single cells or small clusters of cells. The apoptotic cell appears as a round/oval mass. Plasma membrane blebbing occurs followed by karyorrhexis and separation of cell fragments into apoptotic bodies during a process called â€Å"budding.† Apoptotic bodies consist of cytoplasm with tightly packed organelles with or without a nuclear fragment. The organelle integrity is maintained and all of this is enclosed within an intact plasma membrane. These bodies are subsequently phagocytosed by macrophages, or neoplastic cells and degraded within phagolysosomes. Macrophages that engulf and digest apoptotic cells are called â€Å"tingible body macrophages† and are found within the germinal centers of lymphoid follicles or within the thymic cortex. There is no inflammatory reaction with the process of apoptosis nor with the removal of apoptotic cells because: (1) apoptotic cells do not release their cellular constituents into the surrounding interstitial tissue; (2) they are quickly phagocytosed by surrounding cells thus likely preventing secondary necrosis; and, (3) the engulfing cells do not produce anti-inflammatory cytokines. Distinguishing Apoptosis from Necrosis The alternative to apoptotic cell death is necrosis, which is considered to be a toxic process where the cell is a passive victim and follows an energy independent mode of death. Oncosis is used to describe a process that leads to necrosis with karyolysis and cell swelling whereas apoptosis leads to cell death with cell shrinkage, pyknosis, and karyorrhexis. Although the mechanisms and morphologies of apoptosis and necrosis differ, there is overlap between these two processes. Necrosis and apoptosis represent morphologic expressions of a shared biochemical network described as the â€Å"apoptosis-necrosis continuum† .For example, two factors that will convert an ongoing apoptotic process into a necrotic process include a decrease in the availability of caspases and intracellular ATP Whether a cell dies by necrosis or apoptosis depends in part on the nature of the cell death signal, the tissue type, the developmental stage of the tissue and the physiologic milieu (Zeiss, 2003). It is not always easy to distinguish apoptosis from necrosis, they can occur simultaneously depending on factors such as the intensity and duration of there stimulus, the extent of ATP depletion and the availability of caspases (Zeiss, 2003). Necrosis is an uncontrolled and passive process that usually affects large fields of cells whereas apoptosis is controlled and energy-dependent and can affect individual or clusters of cells. Necrosis is caused by factors external to the cell or tissue, such as infection, toxins, or trauma that result unregulated digestion of cell components Some of the major morphological changes that occur with necrosis include cell swelling; formation of cytoplasmic vacuoles; distended endoplasmic reticulum; formation of cytoplasmic blebs; condensed, swollen or ruptured mitochondria; disaggregation and detachment of ribosomes; disrupted organelle membranes; swollen and ruptured lysosomes; and eventually disruption of the cell membrane. This loss of cell membrane results in the release of the cytoplasmic contents into the surrounding tissue, sending chemotatic signals with eventual recruitment of inflammatory cells. Because apoptotic cells do not release their cellular constituents into the  surrounding tissue and are quickly phagocytosed by macrophages or normal cells, there is essentially no inflammatory reaction. It is also important to note that pyknosis and karyorrhexis are not exclusive to apoptosis (Kurosaka et al., 2003). Mechanisms of Apoptosis The mechanisms of apoptosis are highly complex involving an energy dependent cascade of molecular events. Research indicates that there are two main apoptotic pathways: the extrinsic or death receptor pathway and the intrinsic or mitochondrial pathway. However, there is now evidence that the two pathways are linked and that molecules in one pathway can influence the other. There is an additional pathway that involves T-cell mediated cytotoxicity and perforin-granzyme dependent killing of the cell. The perforin/granzyme pathway can induce apoptosis via either granzyme B or granzyme A. The extrinsic, intrinsic, and granzyme B pathways converge on the same execution pathway. This pathway is initiated by the cleavage of caspase-3 and results in DNA fragmentation, degradation of cytoskeletal and nuclear proteins, crosslinking of proteins, formation of apoptotic bodies, expression of ligands for phagocytic cell receptors and finally uptake by phagocytic cells. Caspases have proteolytic activity and are able to cleave proteins at aspartic acid residues, although different caspases have different specificities involving recognition of neighboring amino acids. Once caspases are initially activated, there seems to be an irreversible commitment towards cell death. To date, ten major caspases have been identified and broadly categorized into initiators (caspase-2,-8,-9,-10), effectors or executioners (caspase-3,-6,-7) and inflammatory caspases (caspase-1,-4,-5). Caspase-11, which is reported to regulate apoptosis and cytokine maturation during septic shock, caspase-14, which is highly expressed in embryonic tissues but not in adult tissues . Extensive protein cross-linking is another characteristic of apoptotic cells and is achieved through the expression and activation of tissue transglutaminase. Another feature is the expression of cell surface markers that result in the early phagocytic recognition of apoptotic cells by adjacent cells, permitting  quick phagocytosis with minimal compromise to the surrounding tissue. This is achieved by the movement of the normal inward-facing phosphatidylserine of the cell’s lipid bilayer to expression on the outer layers of the plasma membrane. Externalization of phosphatidylserine is a well-known recognition ligand for phagocytes on the surface of the apoptotic cell. PATHWAYS Extrinsic Pathway—The extrinsic signaling pathways that initiate apoptosis involve transmembrane receptor-mediated interactions. These involve death receptors that are members of the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor gene superfamily. Members of the TNF receptor family share similar cyteine-rich extracellular domains and have a cytoplasmic domain of about 80 amino acids called the â€Å"death domain†. This death domain plays a critical role in transmitting the death signal from the cell surface to the intracellular signaling pathways.The sequence of events that define the extrinsic phase of apoptosis are best characterized with the FasL/FasR and TNF-ÃŽ ±/TNFR1 models. In these models, there is clustering of receptors and binding with the homologous trimeric ligand. Upon ligand binding, cytoplasmic adapter proteins are recruited which exhibit corresponding death domains that bind with the receptors. The binding of Fas ligand to Fas receptor results in the binding of the adapter protein FADD and the binding of TNF ligand to TNF receptor results in the binding of the adapter protein TRADD with recruitment of FADD and RIP. FADD then associates with procaspase-8 via dimerization of the death effector domain. At this point, a death-inducing signaling complex (DISC) is formed, resulting in the auto-catalytic activation of procaspase-8 . Once caspase-8 is activated, the execution phase of apoptosis is triggered. Death receptor mediated apoptosis can be inhibited by a protein called c-FLIP which will bind to FADD and caspase-8, rendering them ineffective. Another point of potential apoptosis regulation involves a protein called Toso, which shows to block Fas-induced apoptosis in T cells via inhibition of caspase-8 processing . Intrinsic Pathway—The intrinsic signaling pathways that initiate apoptosis involve a diverse array of non-receptor-mediated stimuli that produce  intracellular signals that act directly on targets within the cell and are mitochondrial-initiated events. The stimuli that initiate the intrinsic pathway produce intracellular signals that may act in either a positive or negative fashion. Negative signals involve the absence of certain growth factors, hormones and cytokines that can lead to failure of suppression of death programs, thereby triggering apoptosis. In other words, there is the withdrawal of factors, loss of apoptotic suppression, and subsequent activation of apoptosis. Other stimuli that act in a positive fashion include, but are not limited to, radiation, toxins, hypoxia, hyperthermia, viral infections, and free radicals. All of these stimuli cause changes in the inner mitochondrial membrane that results in an opening of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore, loss of the mitochondrial transmembrane potential and release of two main groups of normally sequestered pro-apoptotic proteins from the intermembrane space into the cytosol. The first group consists of cytochrome c, Smac/DIABLO, and the serine protease HtrA2/Omi. These proteins activate the caspase dependent mitochondrial pathway. Cytochrome c binds and activates Apaf-1 as well as procaspase-9, forming an â€Å"apoptosome† The clustering of procaspase-9 leads to caspase-9 activation. Smac/DIABLO and HtrA2/Omi are reported to promote apoptosis by inhibiting IAP activity. Additional mitochondrial proteins interact with and suppress the action of IAP The second group of pro-apoptotic proteins, AIF, endonuclease G and CAD, are released from the mitochondria during apoptosis, but this is a late event that occurs after the cell has committed to die. AIF translocate to the nucleus and causes DNA fragmentation and condensation of peripheral nuclear chromatin. This early form of nuclear condensation is referred to as â€Å"stage I† condensation. Endonuclease G also translocates to the nucleus where it cleaves nuclear chromatin to produce oligonucleosomal DNA fragments. AIF and endonuclease G both function in a caspase-independent manner. CAD is released from the mitochondria and translocates to the nucleus where, after cleavage by caspase-3, it leads to oligonucleosomal DNA fragmentation and a more pronounced and advanced chromatin condensation. This later and more  pronounced chromatin condensation is referred to as â€Å"stage II†condensation The control and regulation of these apoptotic mitochondrial events occurs through members of the Bcl-2 family of proteins .The tumor suppressor protein p53 has a critical role in regulation of the Bcl-2 family of proteins.The Bcl-2 family of proteins governs mitochondrial membrane permeability and can be either pro-apoptotic or antiapoptotic. 25 genes have been identified in the Bcl-2 family. Some of the anti-apoptotic proteins include Bcl-2, Bcl-x, Bcl-XL, Bcl-XS and some of the pro-apoptotic proteins include Bcl-10, Bax, Bad, Bim, and Blk. These proteins can determine if the cell commits to apoptosis or aborts the process. It is thought that the main mechanism of action of the Bcl-2 family of proteins is the regulation of cytochrome c release from the mitochondria. Mitochondrial damage in the Fas pathway of apoptosis is mediated by the caspase-8 cleavage of Bid. This is one example of the â€Å"cross-talk† between the death-receptor (extrinsic) pathway and the mitochondrial (intrinsic) pathway. Serine phosphorylation of Bad is associated with 14-3-3, a member of a family of multifunctional phosphoserine binding molecules. When Bad is phosphorylated, it is trapped by 14-3-3 and sequestered in the cytosol but once Bad is unphosphorylated, it will translocate to the mitochondria to release cytochrome C. Bad can also heterodimerize with Bcl-Xl or Bcl-2, neutralizing their protective effect and promoting cell death When not sequestered by Bad, both Bcl-2 and BclXl inhibit the release of cytochrome C from the mitochondria. Reports indicate that Bcl-2 and Bcl-XL inhibit apoptotic death primarily by controlling the activation of caspase proteases. An additional protein designated â€Å"Aven† appears to bind both Bcl-Xl and Apaf-1, thereby preventing activation of procaspase-9. Puma and Noxa are two members of the Bcl2 family that are also involved in pro-apoptosis. Puma plays an important role in p53-mediated apoptosis. It was shown that, in vitro, overexpression of Puma is accompanied by increased BAX expression, BAX conformational change, translocation to the  mitochondria, cytochrome c release and reduction in the mitochondrial membrane potential. Noxa is also a mediator of p53-induced apoptosis. Studies show that this protein can localize to the mitochondria and interact with anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 family members, resulting in the activation of caspase-9. Caspase-3 is the most important of the executioner caspases and is activated by any of the initiator caspases (caspase-8, caspase-9, or caspase-10). Caspase-3 specifically activates the endonuclease CAD. In proliferating cells CAD is complexed with its inhibitor, ICAD. In apoptotic cells, activated caspase-3 cleaves ICAD to release CAD. CAD then degrades chromosomal DNA within the nuclei and causes chromatin condensation. Caspase-3 also induces cytoskeletal reorganization and disintegration of the cell into apoptotic bodies. Gelsolin, an actin binding protein, has been identified as one of the key substrates of activated caspase-3. Caspase-3 will cleave gelsolin and the cleaved fragments of gelsolin, in turn, cleave actin filaments in a calcium independent manner. This results in disruption of the cytoskeleton, intracellular transport, cell division, and signal transduction. Phagocytic uptake of apoptotic cells is the last component of apoptosis. Phospholipid asymmetry and externalization of phosphatidylserine on the surface of apoptotic cells and their fragments is the hallmark of this phase. The mechanism of phosphatidylserine translocation to the outer leaflet of the cell during apoptosis has been associated with loss of aminophospholipid translocase activity and nonspecific flip-flop of phospholipids of various classes. Research indicates that Fas, caspase-8, and caspase-3 are involved in the regulation of phosphatidylserine externalization on oxidatively stressed erythrocytes however caspase-independent phosphatidylserine exposure occurs during apoptosis of primary T lymphocytes. The appearance of phosphotidylserine on the outer leaflet of apoptotic cells then facilitates noninflammatory phagocytic recognition, allowing for their early uptake and disposal.This process of early and efficient uptake with no  release of cellular constituents, results in no inflammatory response. (Fadok et al., 2001). The process for apoptosis, is generally characterized by distinct morphological characteristics and energy-dependent biochemical mechanisms. Apoptosis is considered a vital component of various processes including normal cell turnover, proper development and functioning of the immune system, hormone-dependent atrophy, embryonic development and chemical-induced cell death. Inappropriate apoptosis (either too little or too much) is a factor in many human conditions including neurodegenerative diseases, ischemic damage, autoimmune disorders and many types of cancer. Excessive apoptosis results in diseases such as Alzheimers disease, Parkinsons disease. Cancer is an example where the normal mechanisms of cell cycle regulation are dysfunctional, with either an over proliferation of cells and/or decreased removal of cells. Tumor cells can acquire resistance to apoptosis by the expression of anti-apoptotic proteins such as Bcl-2 or by the down-regulation or mutation of pro-apoptotic proteins such as Bax. The expression of both Bcl-2 and Bax is regulated by the p53 tumor suppressor gene Alterations of various cell signaling pathways can result in dysregulation of apoptosis and lead to cancer. The p53 tumor suppressor gene is a transcription factor that regulates the cell cycle and is the most widely mutated gene in human tumorigenesis. The critical role of p53 is evident by the fact that it is mutated in over 50% of all human cancers. p53 can activate DNA repair proteins when DNA has sustained damage, can hold the cell cycle at the G1/S regulation point on DNA damage recognition, and can initiate apoptosis if the DNA damage proves to be irreparable. Tumorigenesis can occur if this system goes awry. If the p53 gene is damaged, then tumor suppression is severely reduced. The p53 gene can be damaged by radiation, various chemicals, and viruses.

Martha J. Coston Essay Example for Free

Martha J. Coston Essay Martha Coston was born in Baltimore in the year of 1826. She was left with four children to take care of after the death of her husband. This happened when she was only 21. Even though her husband was now gone she was determined to make money so she could raise her precious children. She then came up with the idea to signal flare on her dead husband notebook. Although the plans didn’t work she was still determined to find a successful way to make signal flare work. After some attempts she finally discovered that she could use phyrotechnice to make it. The green, red, and white flares worked so well that the navy bought them from her for $20,000 they even awarded Martha the contract to make them with. After the run in with the money she had just received her flares served as the bass of a system of communication that helped save lives and win battles during the civil war. So even after the war, Martha continued to improve her invention that has helped continuesly through out wars and such. The flares she had created became so popular that they sold in very many places. Such as France, Italy, Denmark, the Netherlands and Haiti. The system of bright, long-lasting signal flares revolutionized naval communication and continues to be in use. Costons invention saved many lives. The effectiveness of Pyrotechnic Night Signals attracted the U.S. Navy and till now these devices are still used. Later on her son Benjamin got a bad fever and died at age 26. Marthas life was then full of tragedies, her infant son had died and her mother also died. Even after all these tragic moments, she got money for her flares and saved the lives of millions people.

How American Civil War Was Inevitable History Essay

How American Civil War Was Inevitable History Essay The American civil war was the largest ever armed conflict to occur on Americas soil and it occurred in between the years of 1861 to 1865. It was deadly and arguably the most important event in the nations history. Sections entrenched in the constitution of the united sates Catapulted tension between the northern and the southern states leading to a brutal war. Slavery was a root cause of the conflict. This war increased Americas economic dominance until it overtook all the other countries of the world. It also lead the country into having a strong constitution that made Americans to be part of a single nation instead of a corporate made up of different states with their own rules and institutions. The war indeed changed the way Americans viewed their own nation seeing it as one nation. After the war every part of Americas national fabric changed; from the role of the federal government to the status of African Americans. The war was triggered by the victory of Abraham Lincoln in the elections of 1860.  [1]   Factors That Made the Civil War Irrepressible In these elections, the Republican Party led by Lincoln won, beating three other candidates. The southerners did not vote for him so his victory was seen as a northern affair. His speech, given in 1858, stated that, a divided house cannot stand and visualized that America can not endure a half-slave and half-free. This clearly showed that he was a moderate and was therefore not up to task, in the views of the southerners, to be able to tackle the abolitionist they perceived as a threat.  [2]  He countered this by stating he will uphold the doctrine of states right. Most southerners distrusted him. His victory in the election led to the withdrawal of eleven states from the south from the union leading to the formation of the Confederate States of America with Jefferson Davis as its president. This was viewed by the US administrators as an act of treason. Hostilities were prompted in April of 1861 when the confederalists attacked a US military installation at fort summer in South Carolina prompting Lincoln to call for each state to volunteer an army. He declared these acts of secession as illegal and asked for 500,000 soldiers from the Congress to destroy what seemed to be a threatening and aggressive rebellion. This led to declaration of secession by four other states. In 1862 Lincoln emancipation declaration made ending slavery in the south the goal of the war. This was the principle of abolition. As a principle it was more than just the need to limit and abolish slavery. Slavery existed in the southern states and the federal government could not intervene as the constitution did not permit. Previously most northerners had favored a gradual and compensated scheme of slave emancipation but this was rejected by 1849 where they know demanded its immediate end every where. In 1807 external slave had been abolished making slave trade to be purely internal. The Dred Scott decision effectively limited the expansion of slavery in the US but the fugitive slave act that was subsequently passed declared slaves as properties. This led to hostilities between the southern states and the northern ones. Politicians in a bid to stem the feuds brought the compromise of 1850 and negotiated the status of territories gained after the Mexican- American war (1846-1848). This compromise was also aimed at maintaining the balance of power in Congress between leaders of slave states and those of Free states. It designated land, boundaries and processes by which a country could be slave state or a free state. Still, these compromises did not prevent divisions from growing. Opposition to the abolition movement in the south was strong due to several factors. The coexistence of the slavery south with the free states of the north was a recipe for disaster. Abraham Lincoln had not proposed any laws to curb slavery and most politicians were riding on the fence. Political feuds were a bout expanding slavery to the new territories of the west so as to enhance economic security of the south. These new territories were more likely to become Free states, a move that propelled southerners to embrace secessionism. Both leaders of the north and south used Thomas Jefferson ideas listed in his Kentucky resolutions to defend there hard line positions. Slavery indeed was the chief reason for secession. The southerners used state rights as a cover for defending slavery. They used this doctrine of a states right to base many of their grievances. The Constitution aimed at taking a middle ground by juggling the notion of a federal government with the freedom of individual states to govern them.  [3]   This doctrine to which the United States was founded became the basis for the South in its quest to block northerners from imposing anti-slavery laws to it. The support of secession was correlated to the number of plantations in the south and these were the regions that had more slave owners who had more than 100 slaves. To the southerners the notion of equality with blacks coupled with loss of economic prosperity was a worrisome matter. The north and south were different as the south had an agricultural economy based on slavery while the north had an industrial economy based on free labor and was an industrial power. The north had an abolitionist movement that which had a large membership and that was rapidly growing. This mounted a lot of fear to the southerners as the movement had the power and ability to cut down slave trade which would change their normal ways of life. States located at the border between Pennyslavia and Maryland had begun to proscribe slavery in the eighteenth century. This led to temperament and brewing sectional conflict leading to the Missouri compromise of 1850 where the northern leaders accepted into the Union a new slave state of Missouri, on condition that Maine, another state is a free territory. These are the major primary factors that precipitated the American civil war.  [4]   Conclusion The southern states were agricultural in nature. Hence they relied heavily on slavery as the main means of labor provision. This is what underpinned the high economic growth experienced by these states prior to the crush of the 1850s. Hence when the abolitionist was campaigning for equal rights and equality, these were viewed as a direct threat to there means of survival and wealth creation. The implication of slavery vibrated through the political, social and economic dimension in the relationship between the southern states and the northern states. Thus this was the primary reason for the civil war and these factors made the slide to the civil war inevitable.

Saint Joan of Arc :: Essays Papers

Saint Joan of Arc The Lindau Gospel Book Cover is a signatory representative of the early and mid 9th century due to its quality to compel and garner admiration from the common masses. The cover exemplifies the attributes of many other works from its period. It is a safe assumption that the majority of the citizens that lived during the time these works were created couldn’t read, and that works of art such as the book cover could function as a metaphor for the story contained within. Stories like the Passion could be depicted on a slab of stone or pressed into a sheet of gold to show levels of importance on particular moments. One example of a multi-level drawing is that of the Utrecht Psalter. The Psalter, created around 820 in Reims, is a preliminary source for the style of metaphor overlaid in visual representation1. The Psalter provided an interpretation to all of the Biblical allusions, sometimes very cleverly. Though the type of visual representation found in the Psalter are thought to be modeled after earlier forms2 there is a certain simplicity in style that seems to compel not the courtesans, but the common citizen3 . The images are highly stylized, a far cry from the art of the aristocracy; even more telling, it was rendered in the very local artistic style of the workshops of Reims4. The drawings are impressionistic5 and worked as a puzzle for the viewer6. There was a definite link reaching out from the work to the viewer, the Psalter served as a prototypical way of engaging the audience in a visual tale while communicating the literal story behind it7. The viewer was able to take a mental pictu re of a liturgical event8. This style progressed and found its way to other visual forms9. The ivory book covers illustrating Psalms 50 and 51 had drawn influence and may have been in fact directly modeled after the Utrecht Psalter10. The ivories depict the same scenes from the Psalms drawn into the Utrecht Psalter, however, the ivory panels are more of an abridged version11. The progression from drawing to book covers represents a certain leap in audience and visual structure even if just momentarily or inadvertently, since ivory was a luxury few could afford, and the meticulous undercutting even fewer12. The scenes did however grow in leaps and bounds in the method of figural representation, realistic drapery, and depth that is monumentally achieved in such a minimal space13.

case study Leonardo Bridge Project Essay -- essays research papers

When Leonardo da Vinci designed a 240 meters bridge it would have been the longest bridge in the world. His plan was ambitious. In 1502, a skeptical sultan rejected Leonardo's design as impossible, but 300 years civilization finally embraced the engineering principle - arches as supports - underlying the construction. The bridge has been constructed, in Norway. Now instead of spanning the Bosporus , his visionary creation was destined to span 500 years as a bridge to another millennium. Vebjorn Sand, the man behind the modern project, has a site with images and details. http://www.vebjorn-sand.com/thebridge.htm Leonardo Bridge Project In 1502 Leonardo da Vinci did a simple drawing of a graceful bridge with a single span of 720-foot span (approximately 240-meters.) Da Vinci designed the bridge as part of a civil engineering project for Sultan Bajazet II of Constantinople (Istanbul.) The bridge was to span the Golden Horn, an inlet at the mouth of the Bosphorus River in what is now Turkey. The Bridge was never built. Leonardo's "Golden Horn" Bridge is a perfect "pressed-bow." Leonardo surmised correctly that the classic keystone arch could be stretched narrow and substantially widened without losing integrity by using a flared foothold, or pier, and the terrain to anchor each end of the span. It was conceived 300 years prior to its engineering principals being generally accepted. It was to be 72 feet-wide (24 meters), 1080-foot total length (360 meters) and 120 feet (40 meters) above the sea level at the highest point of the span. Norwegian painter and public art creator, Vebjà ¸rn Sand, saw the drawing and a model of the bridge in an exhibition on da Vinci's architectural & engineering designs in 1996. The power of the simple design overwhelmed him. He conceived of a project to bring its eternal beauty to life. The Norwegian Leonardo Bridge Project makes history as the first of Leonardo's civil engineering designs to be constructed for public use. Vebjà ¸rn Sand took the project to the Norwegian Public Roads Administration. Though hardly a visionary organization, when Sand presented the project the reaction was unanimous. "Everyone on the project knew we would be making something more than another boring bridge," Sand says of his meetings with government officials, "We would be... ...or the Project. Through the process of development, these world-class architects and engineers have joined Vebjà ¸rn Sand to create a "dream team" of experts on the history, design and structural aspects of the "Queen of Bridges" prepared to implement the global project. Sand's vision to build the bridge on each continent also includes drawing on the cultural traditions, and incorporating materials, unique to each region. Finally, the Leonardo Bridge Project represents a historical connection between Europe and the Middle East, between Christianity and Islam. The Italian Renaissance was inspired by the scholarship of the Ottoman Empire. Leonardo, in turn, was fascinated by the Middle East. This aspect seems particularly relevant since the events of September 11, 2001, as the Leonardo Project expands into the global goodwill project Vebjà ¸rn Sand envisioned. The Norwegian Leonardo Bridge was constructed and opened to foot and bicycle traffic on October 31, 2001. Da Vinci's vision resurrected, 500 years after the drawing was made. Vebjà ¸rn Sand is currently considering several sites in the United States for the next Leonardo Bridge Project.