African American Culture Essay

Although slavery greatly restricted the ability of Africans in America to practice their cultural traditions, many practices, values and beliefs survived and over time have incorporated elements of European American culture. There are even certain facets of African American culture that were brought into being or made more prominent as a result of slavery; an example of this is how drumming became used as a means of communication and establishing a community identity during that time. The result is a dynamic, creative culture that has had and continues to have a profound impact on mainstream American culture and on world culture as well. After Emancipation, these uniquely African American traditions continued to grow. They developed into distinctive traditions in music, art, literature, religion, food, holidays, amongst others. While for some time sociologists, such as Gunnar Myrdal and Patrick Moynihan, believed that African Americans had lost most cultural ties with Africa, anthropological field research by Melville Hersovits and others demonstrated that there is a continuum of African traditions among Africans in the New World from the West Indies to the United States. The greatest influence of African cultural practices on European cultures is found below the Mason-Dixon in the southeastern United States, especially in the Carolinas among the Gullah people and in Louisiana. African American culture often developed separately from mainstream American culture because of African Americans’ desire to practice their own traditions, as well as the persistence of racial segregation in America. Consequently African American culture has become a significant part of American culture and yet, at the same time, remains a distinct culture apart from it. History From the earliest days of slavery, slave owners sought to exercise control over their slaves by attempting to strip them of their African culture. The physical isolation and societal marginalization of African slaves and, later, of their free progeny, however, actually facilitated the retention of significant elements of traditional culture among Africans in the New World generally, and in the U. S. in particular. Slave owners deliberately tried to repress political organization in order to deal with the many slave rebellions that took place in the southern United States, Brazil, Haiti, and the Dutch Guyanas. African cultures,slavery,slave rebellions,and the civil rights movements(circa 1800s-160s)have shaped African American religious, familial, political and economic behaviors. The imprint of Africa is evident in myriad ways, in politics, economics, language, music, hairstyles, fashion, dance, religion and worldview, and food preparation methods. In the United States, the very legislation that was designed to strip slaves of culture and deny them education served in many ways to strengthen it. In turn, African American culture has had a pervasive, transformative impact on myriad elements of mainstream American culture, among them language, music, dance, religion, cuisine, and agriculture. This process of mutual creative exchange is called creolization. Over time, the culture of African slaves and their descendants has been ubiquitous in its impact on not only the dominant American culture, but on world culture as well. Oral tradition Slaveholders limited or prohibited education of enslaved African Americans because they believed it might lead to revolts or escape plans. Hence, African-based oral traditions became the primary means of preserving history, morals, and other cultural information among the people. This was consistent with the griot practices of oral history in many African and other cultures that did not rely on the written word. Many of these cultural elements have been passed from generation to generation through storytelling. The folktales provided African Americans the opportunity to inspire and educate one another. Examples of African American folktales include trickster tales of Br’er Rabbit and heroic tales such as that of John Henry. The Uncle Remus stories by Joel Chandler Harris helped to bring African American folk tales into mainstream adoption. Harris did not appreciate the complexity of the stories nor their potential for a lasting impact on society. Characteristics of the African American oral tradition present themselves in a number of forms. African American preachers tend to perform rather than simply speak. The emotion of the subject is carried through the speaker’s tone, volume, and movement, which tend to mirror the rising action, climax, and descending action of the sermon. Often song, dance, verse and structured pauses are placed throughout the sermon. Techniques such as call-and-response are used to bring the audience into the presentation. In direct contrast to recent tradition in other American and Western cultures, it is an acceptable and common audience reaction to interrupt and affirm the speaker. Spoken word is another example of how the African American oral tradition influences modern American popular culture. Spoken word artists employ the same techniques as African American preachers including movement, rhythm, and audience participation. Rap music from the 1980’s and beyond has been seen as an extension of oral culture. Harlem Renaissance [pic] Zora Neale Hurston was a prominent literary figure during the Harlem Renaissance. Main article: Harlem Renaissance The first major public recognition of African American culture occurred during the Harlem Renaissance. In the 1920s and 1930s, African American music, literature, and art gained wide notice. Authors such as Zora Neale Hurston and Nella Larsen and poets such as Langston Hughes, Claude McKay, and Countee Cullen wrote works describing the African American experience. Jazz, swing, blues and other musical forms entered American popular music. African American artists such as William H. Johnson and Palmer Hayden created unique works of art featuring African Americans. The Harlem Renaissance was also a time of increased political involvement for African Americans. Among the notable African American political movements founded in the early 20th century are the United Negro Improvement Association and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. The Nation of Islam, a notable Islamic religious movement, also began in the early 1930s. African American cultural movement The Black Power movement of the 1960s and 1970s followed in the wake of the non-violent American Civil Rights Movement. The movement promoted racial pride and ethnic cohesion in contrast to the focus on integration of the Civil Rights Movement, and adopted a more militant posture in the face of racism. It also inspired a new renaissance in African American literary and artistic expression generally referred to as the African American or â€Å"Black Arts Movement. The works of popular recording artists such as Nina Simone (Young, Gifted and Black) and The Impressions (Keep On Pushin’), as well as the poetry, fine arts and literature of the time, shaped and reflected the growing racial and political consciousness. Among the most prominent writers of the African American Arts Movement were poet Nikki Giovanni; poet and publisher Don L. Lee, who later becam e known as Haki Madhubuti; poet and playwright Leroi Jones, later known as Amiri Baraka; and Sonia Sanchez. Other influential writers were Ed Bullins, Dudley Randall, Mari Evans, June Jordan, Larry Neal and Ahmos Zu-Bolton. Another major aspect of the African American Arts Movement was the infusion of the African aesthetic, a return to a collective cultural sensibility and ethnic pride that was much in evidence during the Harlem Renaissance and in the celebration of Negritude among the artistic and literary circles in the U. S. , Caribbean and the African continent nearly four decades earlier: the idea that â€Å"black is beautiful. † During this time, there was a resurgence of interest in, and an embrace of, elements of African culture within African American culture that had been suppressed or devalued to conform to Eurocentric America. Natural hairstyles, such as the afro, and African clothing, such as the dashiki, gained popularity. More importantly, the African American aesthetic encouraged personal pride and political awareness among African Americans. Music [pic] Men playing the djembe, a traditional West African drum adopted into African American and American culture. The bags and the clothing of the man on the right are printed with traditional kente cloth patterns. African American music is rooted in the typically polyrhythmic music of the ethnic groups of Africa, specifically those in the Western, Sahelean, and Sub-Saharan regions. African oral traditions, nurtured in slavery, encouraged the use of music to pass on history, teach lessons, ease suffering, and relay messages. The African pedigree of African American music is evident in some common elements: call and response, syncopation, percussion, improvisation, swung notes, blue notes, the use of falsetto, melisma, and complex multi-part harmony. During slavery, Africans in America blended traditional European hymns with African elements to create spirituals. Many African Americans sing Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing in addition to the American national anthem, The Star-Spangled Banner, or in lieu of it. Written by James Weldon Johnson and John Rosamond Johnson in 1900 to be performed for the birthday of Abraham Lincoln, the song was, and continues to be, a popular way for African Americans to recall past struggles and express ethnic solidarity, faith and hope for the future. The song was adopted as the â€Å"Negro National Anthem† by the NAACP in 1919. African American children are taught the song at school, church or by their families. Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing traditionally is sung immediately following, or instead of, The Star-Spangled Banner at events hosted by African American churches, schools, and other organizations. In the 1800s, as the result of the blackface minstrel show, African American music entered mainstream American society. By the early twentieth century, several musical forms with origins in the African American community had transformed American popular music. Aided by the technological innovations of radio and phonograph records, ragtime, jazz, blues, and swing also became popular overseas, and the 1920s became known as the Jazz Age. The early 20th century also saw the creation of the first African American Broadway shows, films such as King Vidor’s Hallelujah! and operas such as George Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess. Rock and roll, doo wop, soul, and R;B developed in the mid 20th century. These genres became very popular in white audiences and were influences for other genres such as surf. The dozens, an urban African American tradition of using rhyming slang to put down your enemies (or friends) developed through the smart-ass street jive of the early Seventies into a new form of music. In the South Bronx, the half speaking, half singing rhythmic street talk of ‘rapping’ grew into the hugely successful cultural force known as Hip Hop. Hip Hop would become a multicultural movement. However, it is still important to many African Americans. The African American Cultural Movement of the 1960s and 1970s also fueled the growth of funk and later hip-hop forms such as rap, hip house, new jack swing and go go. African American music has experienced far more widespread acceptance in American popular music in the 21st century than ever before. In addition to continuing to develop newer musical forms, modern artists have also started a rebirth of older genres in the form of genres such as neo soul and modern funk-inspired groups. Dance [pic] The Cakewalk was the first African American dance to gain widespread popularity in the United States. [pic] African American dance, like other aspects of African American culture, finds its earliest roots in the dances of the hundreds of African ethnic groups that made up African slaves in the Americas as well as influences from European sources in the United States. Dance in the African tradition, and thus in the tradition of slaves, was a part of both every day life and special occasions. Many of these traditions such as get down, ring shouts, and other elements of African body language survive as elements of modern dance. In the 1800s, African American dance began to appear in minstrel shows. These shows often presented African Americans as caricatures for ridicule to large audiences. The first African American dance to become popular with White dancers was the cakewalk in 1891. Later dances to follow in this tradition include the Charleston, the Lindy Hop, and the Jitterbug. During the Harlem Renaissance, all African American Broadway shows such as Shuffle Along helped to establish and legitimize African American dancers. African American dance forms such as tap, a combination of African and European influences, gained widespread popularity thanks to dancers such as Bill Robinson and were used by leading White choreographers who often hired African American dancers. Contemporary African American dance is descended from these earlier forms and also draws influence from African and Caribbean dance forms. Groups such as the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater have continued to contribute to the growth of this form. Modern popular dance in America is also greatly influenced by African American dance. American popular dance has also drawn many influences from African American dance most notably in the hip hop genre. Art [pic] Sand Dunes at Sunset, Atlantic City by Henry Ossawa Tanner 1859-1937 From its early origins in slave communities, through the end of the twentieth century, African-American art has made a vital contribution to the art of the United States. During the period between the 1600s and the early 1800s, art took the form of small drums, quilts, wrought-iron figures and ceramic vessels in the southern United States. These artifacts have similarities with comparable crafts in West and Central Africa. In contrast, African American artisans like the New England–based engraver Scipio Moorhead and the Baltimore portrait painter Joshua Johnson created art that was conceived in a thoroughly western European fashion. During the 1800s, Harriet Powers made quilts in rural Georgia, United States that are now considered among the finest examples of nineteenth-century Southern quilting. Later in the 20th century, the women of Gee’s Bend developed a distinctive, bold, and sophisticated quilting style based on traditional African American quilts with a geometric simplicity that developed separately but was like that of Amish quilts and modern art. After the American Civil War, museums and galleries began more frequently to display the work of African American artists. Cultural expression in mainstream venues was still limited by the dominant European aesthetic and by racial prejudice. To increase the visibility of their work, many African American artists traveled to Europe where they had greater freedom. It was not until the Harlem Renaissance that more whites began to pay attention to African American art in America. [pic] Kara Walker, Cut, Cut paper and adhesive on wall, Brent Sikkema NYC. During the 1920s, artists such as Raymond Barthe, Aaron Douglas, Augusta Savage, and photographer James Van Der Zee became well known for their work. During the Great Depression, new opportunities arose for these and other African American artists under the WPA. In later years, other programs and institutions, such as the New York City-based Harmon Foundation, helped to foster African American artistic talent. Augusta Savage, Elizabeth Catlett, Lois Mailou Jones, Romare Bearden, Jacob Lawrence and others exhibited in museums and juried art shows, and built reputations and followings for themselves. In the 1950s and 1960s, there were very few widely accepted African American artists. Despite this, The Highwaymen, a loose association of 27 African American artists from Ft. Pierce, Florida, created idyllic, quickly realized images of the Florida landscape and peddled some 50,000 of them from the trunks of their cars. They sold their art directly to the public rather than through galleries and art agents, thus receiving the name â€Å"The Highwaymen†. Rediscovered in the mid-1990s, today they are recognized as an important part of American folk history. Their artwork is widely collected by enthusiasts and original pieces can easily fetch thousands of dollars in auctions and sales. The Black Arts Movement of the 1960s and 1970s was another period of resurgent interest in African American art. During this period, several African-American artists gained national prominence, among them Lou Stovall, Ed Love, Charles White, and Jeff Donaldson. Donaldson and a group of African-American artists formed the Afrocentric collective AFRICOBRA, which remains in existence today. The sculptor Martin Puryear, whose work has been acclaimed for years, is being honored with a 30-year retrospective of his work at the Museum of Modern Art in New York starting November 2007. Notable contemporary African American artists include David Hammons, Eugene J. Martin, Charles Tolliver, and Kara Walker. Literature [pic] Langston Hughes, a notable African American poet of the Harlem Renaissance. African American literature has its roots in the oral traditions of African slaves in America. The slaves used stories and fables in much the same way as they used music. These stories influenced the earliest African American writers and poets in the 18thcentury such as Phillis Wheatley and Olaudah Equiano. These authors reached early high points by telling slave narratives. During the early 20th century Harlem Renaissance, numerous authors and poets, such as Langston Hughes, W. E. B. Dubois, and Booker T. Washington, grappled with how to respond to discrimination in America. Authors during the Civil Rights era, such as Richard Wright, James Baldwin and Gwendolyn Brooks wrote about issues of racial segregation, oppression and other aspects of African American life. This tradition continues today with authors who have been accepted as an integral part of American literature, with works such as Roots: The Saga of an American Family by Alex Haley, The Color Purple by Alice Walker, and Beloved by Nobel Prize-winning Toni Morrison, and series by Octavia Butler and Walter Mosley that have achieved both best-selling and/or award-winning status. Museums The African American Museum Movement emerged during the 1950s and 1960s to preserve the heritage of the African American experience and to ensure its proper interpretation in American history. Museums devoted to African American history are found in many African American neighborhoods. Institutions such as the African American Museum and Library at Oakland and The African American Museum in Cleveland were created by African Americans to teach and investigate cultural history that, until recent decades was primarily preserved trough oral traditions. Language Generations of hardships imposed on the African American community created distinctive language patterns. Slave owners often intentionally mixed people who spoke different African languages to discourage communication in any language other than English. This, combined with prohibitions against education, led to the development of pidgins, simplified mixtures of two or more languages that speakers of different languages could use to communicate. Examples of pidgins that became fully developed languages include Creole, common to Haiti,and Gullah, common to the Sea Islands off the coast of South Carolina and Georgia. African American Vernacular English is a type variety (dialect, ethnolect and sociolect) of the American English language closely associated with the speech of but not exclusive to African Americans. While AAVE is academically considered a legitimate dialect because of its logical structure, some of both Caucasians and African Americans consider it slang or the result of a poor command of Standard American English. Inner city African American children who are isolated by speaking only AAVE have more difficulty with standardized testing and, after school, moving to the mainstream world for work. It is common for many speakers of AAVE to code switch between AAVE and Standard American English depending on the setting. Fashion and aesthetics [pic] A man weaving kente cloth in Ghana. Attire The cultural explosion of the 1960s saw the incorporation of surviving cultural dress with elements from modern fashion and West African traditional clothing to create a uniquely African American traditional style. Kente cloth is the best known African textile. These festive woven patterns, which exist in numerous varieties, were originally made by the Ashanti and Ewe peoples of Ghana and Togo. Kente fabric also appears in a number of Western style fashions ranging from casual t-shirts to formal bow ties and cummerbunds. Kente strips are often sewn into liturgical and cademic robes or worn as stoles. Since the Black Arts Movement, traditional African clothing has been popular amongst African Americans for both formal and informal occasions. Another common aspect of fashion in African American culture involves the appropriate dress for worship in the Black church. It is expected in most churches that an individual should present their best appearance for worship. African Americ an women in particular are known for wearing vibrant dresses and suits. An interpretation of a passage from the Christian Bible, â€Å"†¦ very woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head†¦ â€Å", has led to the tradition of wearing elaborate Sunday hats, sometimes known as â€Å"crowns. † Hair Hair styling in African American culture is greatly varied. African American hair is typically composed of tightly coiled curls. The predominant styles for women involve the straightening of the hair through the application of heat or chemical processes. These treatments form the base for the most commonly socially acceptable hairstyles in the United States. Alternatively, the predominant and most socially acceptable practice for men is to leave one’s hair natural. Often, as men age and begin to lose their hair, the hair is either closely cropped, or the head is shaved completely free of hair. However, since the 1960s, natural hairstyles, such as the afro, braids, and dreadlocks, have been growing in popularity. Although the association with radical political movements and their vast difference from mainstream Western hairstyles, the styles have not yet attained widespread social acceptance. Maintaining facial hair is more prevalent among African American men than in other male populations in the U. S. In fact, the soul patch is so named because African American men, particularly jazz musicians, popularized the style. The preference for facial hair among African American men is due partly to personal taste, but because they are more prone than other ethnic groups to develop a condition known as pseudofolliculitis barbae, commonly referred to as razor bumps, many prefer not to shave. Body image The European aesthetic and attendant mainstream concepts of beauty are often at odds with the African body form. Because of this, African American women often find themselves under pressure to conform to European standards of beauty. Still, there are individuals and groups who are working towards raising the standing of the African aesthetic among African Americans and internationally as well. This includes efforts toward promoting as models those with clearly defined African features; the mainstreaming of natural hairstyles; and, in women, fuller, more voluptuous body types. Religion While African Americans practice a number of religions, Protestant Christianity is by far the most popular. Additionally, 14% of Muslims in the United States and Canada are African American. Christianity [pic] A river baptism in New Bern, North Carolina near the turn of the 20th century. The religious institutions of African American Christians commonly are referred tocollectively as the black church. During slavery, many slaves were stripped of their African belief systems and typically denied free religious practice. Slaves managed, however, to hang on to some practices by integrating them into Christian worship in secret meetings. These practices, including dance, shouts, African rhythms, and enthusiastic singing, remain a large part of worship in the African American church. African American churches taught that all people were equal in God’s eyes and viewed the doctrine of obedience to one’s master taught in white churches as hypocritical. Instead the African American church focused on the message of equality and hopes for a better future. Before and after emancipation, racial segregation in America prompted the development of organized African American denominations. The first of these was the AME Church founded by Richard Allen in 1787. An African American church is not necessarily a separate denomination. Several predominantly African American churches exist as members of predominantly white denominations. African American churches have served to provide African American people with leadership positions and opportunities to organize that were denied in mainstream American society. Because of this, African American pastors became the bridge between the African American and European American communities and thus played a crucial role in the American Civil Rights Movement. Like many Christians, African American Christians sometimes participate in or attend a Christmas play. Black Nativity by Langston Hughes is a re-telling of the classic Nativity story with gospel music. Productions can be found a African American theaters and churches all over the country. Islam [pic] A member of the Nation of Islam selling merchandise on a city street corner. Despite the popular assumption that the Nation represents all or most African American Muslims, less than 2% are members. Generations before the advent of the Atlantic slave trade, Islam was a thriving religion in West Africa due to its peaceful introduction via the lucrative trans-Saharan trade between prominent tribes in the southern Sahara and the Berbers to the North. In his attesting to this fact the West African scholar Cheikh Anta Diop explained: â€Å"The primary reason for the success of Islam in Black Africa†¦ onsequently stems from the fact that it was propagated peacefully at first by solitary Arabo-Berber travelers to certain Black kings and notables, who then spread it about them to those under their jurisdiction† Many first-generation slaves were often able to retain their Muslim identity, their descendants were not. Slaves were either forcibly converted to Christianity as was the case in the Catholic lands or were besieged with gross inconviences to their religious practice such as in the case of the Protestant American mainland. In the decades after slavery and particularly during the depression era, Islam reemerged in the form of highly visible and sometimes controversial heterodox movements in the African American community. The first of these of note was the Moorish Science Temple of America, founded by Noble Drew Ali. Ali had a profound influence on Wallace Fard, who later founded the Black nationalist Nation of Islam in 1930. Elijah Muhammad became head of the organization in 1934. Much like Malcolm X, who left the Nation of Islam in 1964, many African American Muslims now follow traditional Islam. A survey by the Council on American-Islamic Relations shows that 30% of Sunni Mosque attendees are African Americans. African American orthodox Muslims are often the victims of stereotypes, most notably the assumption that an African American Muslim is a member of the Nation of Islam. They are often viewed by the uneducated African-American community in general as less authentic than Muslims from the Middle East or South Asia while credibility is less of an issue with immigrant Muslims and Muslim world in general. Other religions Aside from Christianity and Islam, there are also African Americans who follow Judaism, Buddhism, and a number of other religions. The Black Hebrew Israelites are a collection of African American Jewish religious organizations. Among their varied teachings, they often include that African Americans are descended from the Biblical Hebrews (sometimes with the paradoxical claim that the Jewish people are not). There is a small but growing number of African Americans who participate in African traditional religions, such as Vodou and Santeria or Ifa and diasporic traditions like Rastafarianism. Many of them are immigrants or descendants of immigrants from the Caribbean and South America, where these are practiced. Because of religious practices, such as animal sacrifice, which are no longer common among American religions and are often legally prohibited, these groups may be viewed negatively and are sometimes the victims of harassment. Life events For most African Americans, the observance of life events follows the pattern of mainstream American culture. There are some traditions which are unique to African Americans. Some African Americans have created new rites of passage that are linked to African traditions. Pre-teen and teenage boys and girls take classes to prepare them for adulthood. They are typically taught spirituality, responsibility, and leadership. Most of these programs are modeled after traditional African ceremonies, with the focus largely on embracing African ideologies rather than specific rituals. To this day, some African American couples choose to â€Å"jump the broom† as a part of their wedding ceremony. Although the practice, which can be traced back to Ghana, fell out of favor in the African American community after the end of slavery, it has experienced a slight resurgence in recent years as some couples seek to reaffirm their African heritage. Funeral traditions tend to vary based on a number of factors, including religion and location, but there are a number of commonalities. Probably the most important part of death and dying in the African American culture is the gathering of family and friends. Either in the last days before death or shortly after death, typically any friends and family members that can be reached are notified. This gathering helps to provide spiritual and emotional support, as well as assistance in making decisions and accomplishing everyday tasks. The spirituality of death is very important in African American culture. A member of the clergy or members of the religious community, or both, are typically present with the family through the entire process. Death is often viewed as transitory rather than final. Many services are called homegoings, instead of funerals, based on the belief that the person is going home to the afterlife. The entire end of life process is generally treated as a celebration of life rather than a mourning of loss. This is most notably demonstrated in the New Orleans Jazz Funeral tradition where upbeat music, dancing, and food encourage those gathered to be happy and celebrate the homegoing of a beloved friend. Cuisine [pic] A traditional soul food dinner consisting of fried chicken, candied yams, collard greens, cornbread, and macaroni and cheese. The cultivation and use of many agricultural products in the United States, such as yams, peanuts, rice, okra, sorghum, grits, watermelon, indigo dyes, and cotton, can be traced to African influences. African American foods reflect creative esponses to racial and economic oppression and poverty. Under slavery, African Americans were not allowed to eat better cuts of meat, and after emancipation many often were too poor to afford them. Soul food, a hearty cuisine commonly associated with African Americans in the South (but also common to African Americans nationwide), makes creative use of inexpensive products procured through farming and subsistence hunting and fishing. Pig intestines are boiled and sometimes battered and fried to make chitterlings, also known as â€Å"chitlins. Ham hocks and neck bones provide seasoning to soups, beans and boiled greens (turnip greens, collard greens, and mustard greens). Other common foods, such as fried chicken and fish, macaroni and cheese, cornbread and hoppin’ john (black-eyed peas and rice) are prepared simply. When the African American population was considerably more rural than it generally is today, rabbit, possum, squirrel, and waterfowl were important additions to the diet. Many of these food traditions are especially predominant in many parts of the rural South. Traditionally prepared soul food is often high in fat, sodium and starch. Highly suited to the physically demanding lives of laborers, farmhands and rural lifestyles generally, it is now a contributing factor to obesity, heart disease, and diabetes in a population that has become increasingly more urban and sedentary. As a result, more health-conscious African-Americans are using alternative methods of preparation, eschewing trans fats in favor of natural vegetable oils and substituting smoked turkey for fatback and other, cured pork products; limiting the amount of refined sugar in desserts; and emphasizing the consumption of more fruits and vegetables than animal protein. There is some resistance to such changes, however, as they involve deviating from long culinary tradition. Holidays and observances [pic] A woman wearing traditional West African clothing lighting the candles on a kinara for a Kwanzaa celebration. As with other American racial and ethnic groups, African Americans observe ethnic holidays alongside traditional American holidays. Holidays observed in African American culture are not only observed by African Americans. The birthday of noted American civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr has been observed nationally since 1983. It is one of three federal holidays named for an individual. Black History Month is another example of another African American observance that has been adopted nationally. Black History Month is an attempt to focus attention on previously neglected aspects of the African American experience. It is observed during the month of February to coincide with the founding of the NAACP and the birthdays of Frederick Douglass, a prominent African American abolitionist, and Abraham Lincoln, the United States president who signed the Emancipation Proclamation. Less widely observed outside of the African American community is Emancipation Day. The nature and timing of the celebration vary regionally. It is most widely observed as Juneteenth, in recognition of the official reading of the Emancipation Proclamation on June 19, 1865 in Texas. Another holiday not widely observed outside of the African American community is the birthday of Malcolm X. The day is observed on May 19 in American cities with a significant African American population, including Washington, D. C.. One of the most noted African American holidays is Kwanzaa. Like Emancipation Day, it is not widely observed outside of the African American community, although it is growing in popularity within the community. African American scholar and activist â€Å"Maulana† Ron Karenga invented the festival of Kwanzaa in 1966, as an alternative to the increasing commercialization of Christmas. Derived from the harvest rituals of Africans, Kwanzaa is observed each year from December 26 through January 1. Participants in Kwanzaa celebrations affirm their African heritage and the importance of family and community by drinking from a unity cup; lighting red, black, and green candles; exchanging heritage symbols, such as African art; and recounting the lives of people who struggled for African and African American freedom. Names African American names are often drawn from the same language groups as other popular names found in the United States. The practice of adopting neo-African or Islamic names did not gain popularity until the late Civil Rights era. Efforts to recover African heritage inspired selection of names with deeper cultural significance. Prior to this, using African names was not practical for two reasons. First, many African Americans were several generations removed from the last ancestor to have an African name since slaves were often given European names. Second, a traditional American name helps an individual fit into American society. Another African American naming practice that predates the use of African names is the use of â€Å"made-up† names. In an attempt to create their own identity, growing numbers of African American parents, starting in the post-World War II era, began creating new names based on sounds they found pleasing such as Marquon, DaShawn, LaTasha, or Shandra. Family When slavery was practiced in the United States, it was common for families to be separated through sale. Even during slavery, however, African American families managed to maintain strong familial bonds. Free, African men and women, who managed to buy their own freedom by being hired out, who were emancipated, or who had escaped their masters, often worked long and hard to buy the members of their families who remained in bondage and send for them. Others, separated from blood kin, formed close bonds comprised of fictive kin; play relations, play aunts, cousins and the like. This practice, perhaps a holdover from African tradition, survived Emancipation, with non-blood family friends commonly accorded the status and titles of blood relations. This broader, more African concept of what constitutes family and community, and the deeply rooted respect for elders that is part of African traditional societies may be the genesis of the common use of the terms like â€Å"aunt†, â€Å"uncle†, â€Å"brother,† â€Å"sister†, â€Å"Mother† and â€Å"Mama† when addressing other African American people, some of whom may be complete strangers. Or, it could have arisen in the Christian church as a way of greeting fellow congregants and believers. Immediately after slavery, African American families struggled to reunite and rebuild what had been taken. As late as 1960, 78% of African American families were headed by married couples. This number steadily declined over the latter half of the 20th century. A number of factors, including attitudes towards education, gender roles, and poverty have created a situation where, for the first time since slavery, a majority of African American children live in a household with only one parent, typically the mother. These figures appear to indicate a weak African American nuclear family structure, especially within a large patriarchal society. This apparent weakness is balanced by mutual aid systems established by extended family members to provide emotional and economic support. Older family members pass on social and cultural traditions such as religion and manners to younger family members. In turn, the older family members are cared for by younger family members when they are unable to care for themselves. These relationships exist at all economic levels in the African American community, providing strength and support both to the African American family and the community. Politics and social issues Since the passing of the Voting Rights Act, African Americans are voting and being elected to public office in increasing numbers. As of January 2001 there were 9,101 African American elected officials in America. African Americans are overwhelmingly Democratic. Only 11% of African Americans voted for George W. Bush in the 2004 Presidential Election. Social issues such as racial profiling, the racial disparity in sentencing, higher rates of poverty, institutional racism, and lower access to health care are important to the African American community. While the divide on racial and fiscal issues has remained consistently wide for decades, seemingly indicating a wide social divide, African Americans tend to hold the same optimism and concern for America as Whites. In the case of many moral issues such as religion, and family values, African Americans tend to be more conservative than Whites. Another area where African Americans outstrip Whites in their conservatism is on the issue of homosexuality. Prominent leaders in the Black church have demonstrated against gay rights issues such as gay marriage. There are those within the community who take a more inclusive position most notably, the late Mrs. Coretta Scott King, and the Reverend Al Sharpton, who, when asked in 2003 whether he supported gay marriage, replied that he might as well have been asked if he supported black marriage or white marriage. Neighborhoods African American neighborhoods are types of ethnic enclaves found in many cities in the United States. The formation of African American neighborhoods is closely linked to the history of segregation in the United States, either through formal laws, or as a product of social norms. Despite this, African American neighborhoods have played an important role in the development of nearly all aspects of both African American culture and broader American culture. Due to segregated conditions and widespread poverty some African American neighborhoods in the United States have been called â€Å"ghettos. † The use of this term is controversial and, depending on the context, potentially offensive. Despite mainstream America’s use of the term â€Å"ghetto† to signify a poor urban area populated by ethnic minorities, those living in the area often used it to signify something positive. The African American ghettos did not always contain dilapidated houses and deteriorating projects, nor were all of its residents poverty-stricken. For many African Americans, the ghetto was â€Å"home† a place representing authentic blackness and a feeling, passion, or emotion derived from the rising above the struggle and suffering of being of African descent in America. Langston Hughes relays in the â€Å"Negro Ghetto† (1931) and â€Å"The Heart of Harlem† (1945): â€Å"The buildings in Harlem are brick and stone/And the streets are long and wide,/But Harlem’s much more than these alone,/Harlem is what’s inside. Playwright August Wilson used the term â€Å"ghetto† in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (1984) and Fences (1987), both of which draw upon the author’s experience growing up in the Hill district of Pittsburgh, an African American ghetto. Although African American neighborhoods may suffer from civic disinvestment, with lower q uality schools, less effective policing and fire protection. There are institutions such as churches and museums and political organizations that help to improve the physical and social capital of African American neighborhoods. In African American neighborhoods the churches may be important sources of social cohesion. For some African Americans the kind spirituality learned through these churches works as a protective factor against the corrosive forces of racism. Museums devoted to African American history are also found in many African American neighborhoods. Many African American neighborhoods are located in inner cities, These are the mostly residential neighborhoods located closest to the central business district. The built environment is often row houses or brownstones, mixed with older single family homes that may be converted to multi family homes. In some areas there are larger apartment buildings. Shotgun houses are an important part of the built environment of some southern African American neighborhoods. The houses consist of three to five rooms in a row with no hallways. This African American house design is found in both rural and urban southern areas, mainly in African-American communities and neighborhoods.

Argumentation Paragraph

All schools should have several armed and trained staff members to ensure student safety in case of a shooting. Some schools already have some type of security; however, these people are not armed to handle a shooting. The first reason schools should have armed personnel is to protect our students and faculty from these critical situations. Since 2010, there have been 34 school shootings in the U. S. The most recent massacre took place on December 14, 2012 at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. Twenty-eight people were murdered. Amongst them were 20 first grade students. Innocent people are killed and no one can do anything until police arrive. Another reason is it will also give students and faculty members a sense of security while on campus. The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun. If the criminals know that the schools have these armed members, they might think twice before committing a serious act of violence. One objection might be that there are limited funds as it is for schools and their budgets would not support it. However, if they would use staff members already employed by the schools, the cost would be minimal. Another objection might be that firearms should not be allowed on school property for security reasons. I think the benefits of this would heavily outweigh the risks associated. These tragedies can be avoided or at least controlled to eliminate most deaths and injuries. We need to start protecting our children and our schools.

BALABOUMUTOMBO V SWITZERLAND

BALABOUMUTOMBO V SWITZERLAND Disclaimer: This work has been submitted by a student. This is not an example of the work produced by our Law Essay Writing Service . You can view samples of our professional work here . BALABOUMUTOMBO V SWITZERLAND CONSISTENT TENSE!!!!!!; the court Facts The Applicant, BalabouMatombo, was a Zairian citizen born in 1961. Heclaimed to have been a member of the Zairian Armed Forces since 1982. In 1988, in response to feelings of discrimination based on his Luba ethnicity, the Applicant secretly joined a political movement Union pour la dà ©mocratieet le progrà ¨s social (UDPS), of which his father was allegedly also a member.The Applicant attended several illegal meetings and demonstrations organized by UDPS. On 20 June 1989, the Applicant was arrested by three members of the Division Spà ©cialePrà ©sidentielle while delivering a letter from his father to a founding member and leader of UDPS named Mr. Etienne Tshisekedi.The Applicant was detained in a military establishment and locked in a one square metre cell, where he was subjected to electric shocks, beaten with a rifle, and his testicles were bruised until he lost consciousness. This torture continued for fou r days. On 24 June 1989, the Applicant was brought before a military tribunal, found guilty of conspiracy against the State and sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment.He was transferred to a military prison, where he was detained for seven months without receiving medical attention for serious injuries sustained in his interrogation prior to the tribunal hearing. Hewas released on 20 January 1990 under the condition that he presented himself twice a week at the Auditoratmilitaire of Mantete. He sought medical treatment in February 1990 for his eye injury at the General Hospital Mama Yemo. For fear of further injury, and of exposing other members of the UDPSto threats of similar treatment from the Government by virtue of their contact with him, the Applicant left Zaire for Angola, leaving his family, including two children. He stayed in Angola for three months with a friend.The Applicantlater left Angola for Italy, where he arrived on 29 July 1990 using a friend’s passport . On 7 August 1990, the Applicant illegally crossed the border to enter Switzerland.On 8 August 1990, he applied for recognition in Switzerland as a refugee. Hesoon learned that his father had been detained after his departure. The Applicant was heard by the Cantonal Office for Asylum Seekers at Lausanne on 10 October 1990. He presented medical documents from Swiss medical practitioners indicating that the injuries he had corresponded with the alleged torture sustained in June 1989. The Federal Refugee Office (Office fà ©dà ©ral des rà ©fugià ©s) rejected the Applicant’s application for asylum on 31 January 1992,and he was instructed to leave Switzerland.This decision was subsequently appealed a number of times on the ground that the authorities had not sufficiently taken into account essential documents, such as a report of Amnesty International and medical reports. The appeals were rejected. The rejection of the application was based partly on the following: it was unli kely that the Applicant had been imprisoned at a military prison for political reasons. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), which had visited the prison in November 1989, had stated that he apparently did not belong to the category of prisoners which fell under the mandate of ICRC that being prisoners of war and interned civilians, and â€Å"security† or â€Å"political† detainees; and

Control Room Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Control Room - Movie Review Example However, this movie, Control Rooms, reveal a different side to the facts, the film reveals the extent to which the staff and reporting crew of the Media network had gone to convey the truth behind the sugar-coated waged war against the innocent civilians of Iraq (Samuel-Azran 73-89). Thus, in my opinion, in spite of its sketchiness, the movie delivers the message of its theme explicitly and indirectly, that touches the very cords of the hearts of sensitive humans. 2. To what extent the documentary might change your perception on the war in Iraq? I agree to Ty Burr (2004) when he says, â€Å""Control Room" is like an open window that sucks the smog out of the room. Clear-sighted and fair-minded, sympathetic to everyone except Saddam Hussein and the topmost level of the US government, this modest yet necessary documentary digs into the tussle between bias and balance in modern journalism and sends you out debating where one side's reporting becomes the other side's distortion.† This movie has changed my perception of war in Iraq to a greater extent. Earlier I had taken this military act to be against a brutal and killing enemy who had a monster like image in my imagination. Never had I considered the people dying there to be humans. I had always regarded their execution as a winning ‘mission accomplished’. ... If US had to wage a war against Saddam Hussain, it must have had find another way. To kill millions of people in the name of execution of their tyrannical ruler is to add inflict on injury. These people were already suffering and the military invasion had destroyed whatever they had managed to save so far. Truly, I am impressed and affected by the reporting of Al-Jazeera now as â€Å"†¦the station has revealed (and continues to show the world) everything about the Iraq War that the Bush administration did not want it to see† (Varma, 2004) 3. Critically identify the strengths and weaknesses of the video. The video, Control Room, is no doubt a marvelous and daring act done by Noujaim. The movie reveals hidden truths and passion for reality that is shared by all the journalists with living conscience. She has focused the role of the Qatar based media network, Al-Jazeera, which had covered the gruesome details of the happenings in Iraq. This particular network had sent its co rrespondents in Baghdad and other areas where they had covered the live details of the bombarding and shelling on the innocent civilians for which US government had blamed it to be a pawn in the hands of propagandist lobby of Arabs. However, the video exclusively reveals the false facets of the media world and this particular aspect makes this movie strong and effective. Moreover, Noujaim has just offered details of what happens behind the camera in a news agency network. All the interviews are taken in a bias free and impartial manner and the conclusion is left to the watcher. She has not tried to force her own ideas on the people; she has just captured with her camera what she found. â€Å"In the spirit of welcoming all information, she refuses to draw conclusions--these are left to the

Analyzing film The Story of Bottled Water Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Analyzing film The Story of Bottled Water - Essay Example The film seeks to explain how bottled water is not safer than tap water thus people should opt for tap water that is cheaper. The most important pattern of the film is when it indicates how bottled water is a scam. Indeed, the simplest way of understanding this is by watching the short film that utilizes simple language and charming episodes that makes viewers walk through the economy of bottled water. In brief, the film brings into attention benefits that emerge from taking tap water than bottled water. It indicates how bottle water is not often cleaner than tap water and worse to it cost expensive. To persuade the audience of its purpose, the film uses two strategies, which are simplest language and animation. The film uses simplest language that â€Å"Bottled water costs about 2, 000 times more than tap water.† The narrator proceeds by saying how bottled water is a lot pricier than tap water despite being not safer than tap water. The film uses animation to contribute the effect of the video of most people taking ten bottled water that in total is a lot pricier. This video is created in such a way that, it persuades viewers to take tap water as it easily available and cheaper compared to bottled water that frequently derived from the tap, which is sometimes not safer than tap water. The film captures viewers’ attention when it recalls how the Coca-Cola Company discovered that its water exceeded the limit for carcinogen and bromated. Still, it highlights how The Environmental Working Group tested ten bottled water to have contained harmful chemical pollutants thus, indicating how bottled water is not safer than tap water. The purpose of the video is to educate viewers on being cautious not to spend more money on bottled water while it is not safer than tap water. In doing this, he uses the text of how Americans spends a lot of money purchasing bottled water and indeed, it is not safer than tap water as it

The cost of short selling Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 1

The cost of short selling - Term Paper Example A short sale, in general, requires loaning a security and comprises two parties- the borrower and the lender. Stock lending can take place directly or through intermediate agents. The fee for lending is a factor of market demand and supply; low supply or high demand raises the fees. It is said that short selling also influences the market price of a stock; for this reason the regulatory bodies restrict short selling in times of depressed market conditions. Another argument that goes against short sale is the high costs associated with it in the form of margin interest, commission and bid/ask spread. Other than these short selling is also exposed to dangers like unlimited losses, uptick rule etc. Other proxies are available in the market such as options that can replicate short selling and are also said to be less costly. Short selling costs Collateral and margin requirements- Short selling a stock is the opposite of going long on a stock in a â€Å"margin account†. An investor borrows the shares from the brokerage firm. As the seller does not own the stock he has to furnish collateral such as T-bills or cash (AIMA Canada, 2007). These serve the margin requirements of short selling. The amount which the investor has to deposit in the account at the point of initiation of sale is known as ‘initial margin’. ... a total of $13500 (Investopedia, 2010). Bid and ask spread- In a stock quote there are two prices- bid and ask. In the case of a short sale an ordinary investor sells the security at the bid rate. For this kind of investor the broker transmits the order to the stock exchange. At this point the market maker or specialist sells the stock and makes a profit equivalent to difference between the bid and ask rate referred to as ‘spread’. Suppose the bid and ask of Microsoft is $25.95 and $26.05 respectively. Then on a short sale the market maker will enjoy a spread of 10 cents. The profits earned on each trade may be small but the market maker can make huge profits in the case of bulk trading volumes. The amount shelled out as ‘spread’ is borne by the ordinary investor. The ordinary investors fail to realize this and place trade using market orders. In this kind of trade an investor may not get a good return on trade. Margin interest- Most of the firms charge an i nterest on the amount of securities shorted in an account. Going by the low rate of interest this may appear to be small but this can in due course add up with time. Suppose if an investor shorts $8000 worth of security ABC and the interest charged on the account is 6 percent then the investor will have to pay $480 as fees for that year. In the case of highly liquid stocks an investor can also ask for waiver of margin interest. Commissions- The amount paid as commission varies as per discount brokerage firms and full service. An investor has to pay a higher rate of commission in the case of full service brokerage on account of the personal counselling and guidance. But this may not prove to be always

Verizon or GAP Inc Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Verizon or GAP Inc - Research Paper Example Legal, Social and Economic Environment Given its broad range of products and services, together with the intense competition that is prevalent in the telecommunications industry, Brien (2010) believes that the external environment plays an influential role in determining Verizon’s goals and business strategy. Apart from fulfilling the needs of customers, Verizon is also involved extensively in complying with regulatory requirements besides developing better strategies to tackle its competitors. Winer (2011) analyzed Verizon using an elaborate SWOT analysis and concluded that the company is best placed in terms of marketing as it is an established and recognized brand across the United States and in other countries. However, Bohlander (2009) argues that the company faces multiple threats across legal, social and economic environments. He states that customers have largely refrained from using wireless technologies in favor of long distance services that are offered by local pro viders. While Verizon has the potential to overcome this trend by expanding its wireless services into newer markets, it will be difficult to offset this threat completely (Winer, 2011). The global financial crisis and the resulting decline in economic activity have had an impact on the telecommunications sector. ... For instance, Verizon is now required to lease its access lines to these local exchange carriers at two-fifths of the prevailing market rates. This has not only reduced the barriers to entry for the local exchange carriers, but has also diminished Verizon’s market share (Bohlander, 2009). The FCC’s actions towards reducing most barriers to entry and enhancing the level of market competition has intensified the rivalry among all major players in the telecommunications industry besides eroding several strategic advantages that were enjoyed by established firms like Verizon for over five decades. Customers no longer face any additional switching costs for changing service providers while new entrants to the market receive significant financial backing from the FCC in addition to adequate network capacity. Despite these disadvantageous factors, Verizon enjoys a strong and recognized brand identity and elaborate distribution channels that cannot be matched by newer rivals ov er the next few years (Altmann, 2008). Better economies of scale are however expected to erode over time as the level of competition intensifies in the market. Managerial, Operational, and Financial issues The increasing competition in the telecommunications industry implies that the success of most projects undertaken by Verizon depends on efficient workflows, reduced costs, quicker turnarounds and creation of better values. Altmann (2008) says that achieving these objectives requires the development of advanced strategies that offer a unique challenge to larger, hierarchical organizations. Wallace (2010) explains that Verizon has adapted to this evolving business environment by

W2A 590 Whole foods Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

W2A 590 Whole foods - Essay Example The welfare of employees in terms health insurance cover, compensation and development are well taken care of. Associates even contribute in the recruitment process for their potential colleagues and the recruitment process aims at tapping top talent. With such autonomy, independence and great teamwork the associates are motivated and this translates into exceptional customer service. Top management at Whole Foods Market strongly believes in building a shared identity where all team members participate. Management therefore encourage all associates to take part in the daily decision making process at all business levels. Employees are empowered to contribute to decisions on the benefit options. The company has also adopted an open-book policy approach where every associate is allowed access to company financial information including compensation all employees. Transparency is regarded highly the management stresses company values such as collaboration and decentralization. At the store levels, associates are members of teams and engage with their team leaders proactively to voice their contributions on product lines and the leaders take that into consideration. Associates re given the authority to participate in the vetting potential employees before they are confirmed. The approach has seen the company attract associates sharing their core values maintain and re ward a workforce that is engaged and highly productive. One potential risk of the company’s democratic model of selecting new associates is that it could interfere with the development of a diverse workforce. With the direct involvement of every employee there always come issues such as bias and favouritism. Some of the store leaders or influential employees could recommend potential employees on personal considerations and therefore bit the logic of tapping talent whilst at the same time maintaining diversity. However this should not be a major problem if the HR function implements

Analysis of the economic arguments of an independent central bank Essay

Analysis of the economic arguments of an independent central bank - Essay Example The Latin American inflations are fable material with inflation rates sky rocketing often to 200% or more. In some extreme cases what was affordable at twilight became unaffordable by daylight. With complex and fine lending and borrowing of money as investible funds, interest rates have turned indicators that are pliable in the hands policy makers or dictators as the case may be.Government, myopic with political avarice, and desirous of sweeping hustings have dictated lower interest rates, keeping economic realities on window sills. This tended to raise up spending and then employment though only in the short term, but finally and in the medium to long term it caused severe inflationary pressures. Inflations were crippling when such spending was directed less towards real sector and more towards wasteful expenditure resulting in the physical output not meeting the heightened stock of money in circulation. It is at once natural for a political system to dictate manipulation of monetar y policy and maintain only a short run vision of popularity in or around the election period even risking higher inflation just because this option always was available to detractors or competitors for votes. The Keynesian prescriptions did not build a specific treatment of inflationary situations despite the fact that such situations had arisen. It was preoccupied with determination of the output levels and relied only on a simplistic analysis of inflation via media the demand and supply theory of money. Enunciation of the Phillips curve added a logical sequence to analysis of inflation. The Phillips curve, in its native form, posited a long-run trade-off between inflation and unemployment. However this causality has been reexamined and redefined theoretically and... This paper presents a thorough theoretical analysis of the varying role of central banks in an economy, in an attempt to find the optimal level of central bank`s independence from state. Central banks the world over have quiet but strong presences. With low public visibility they perform the most vital of functions with that of creating and putting into circulation legal tender money. As is known legal tender money serves as a means of payment, a unit of account and a store of value. The most preferred favoring an independent central bank is that the power to expend money should be separated or delinked substantially from the power to create money. In case these two capabilities converge we have spendthrift governments indulging in fiscal profligacy while the Central Bank simply acts as a 24/7 mint or currency printing house. While political masters may be tempted to manipulate monetary policy to suit their short term political objectives the Central banking professionals, having no such ulterior targets, nurture and design monetary policy generally on a long horizon. Protecting monetary policy decisions from State dictates can better assist the cause of lower inflation while a decent economic growth rate can be targeted concurrently. Short run considerations of political nature force the economy in bouts of uncontrolled accelerations which often turn uncontrollable and unsustainable. In nearly every major financial crisis political interference in financial sector regulation helped make a bad situation worse.

Puritan Essay Example for Free

Puritan Essay During the 1630s to 1660s, Puritans to a vast extent powered the ideas and values on the New England colonies through the political, economical and social development with their belief in religion. Politcally, the did not divide the difference between the government and church. Economically, obtained a work ethic that allowed them to grow, and socially they expanded the knowledge of their religion and education. The Puritans had migrated to New England because they were unsatisfied with the Anglican Church in England and the forming of the Protestant religion. After immigrating to New England a majority settled in Massachusetts forming the Massachusetts Bay Colony along with many other Puritan colonies. They came here in hopes of creating a theocracy, a way to have a new form of government and society. They wanted to escape the Catholic influence they had in Great Britain. They did have some political involvement with town meetings for the townspeople which they did not have in England. The line between church and state was unclear. Many of the colony’s laws were based on the people’s behavior and the Puritan values. As Nathaniel Ward believed state laws should go together with the morals of the church. In the views of Puritans, the government should not have all the power because tribulations will occur and all order should be under the church. As Reverend John Cotton explicated, giving more power to man than is needed will only allow them to misuse it; therefore, they should only allow as much power that God gives to them by his word. God is seen to be the leader, so the church displayed religious rules of the church which the colonies willingly followed. They would not accept anything less from the people other than to serve God and be under his obedience for they lived life for Him. Puritans did not like the idea of freedom of religion. They wanted to be seen as only one religion because they believed having more than one religion would only cause conflict and disagreement. Puritans did not like the idea of freedom of religion; however, Roger Williams saw flaws in the Puritan views of the relationship with church and state. He believed that they should be separate which caused him to be expelled from the church. They did not accept anything other than the belief that church was more important. Politically, Puritans carried their faithful obedience to God and brought government under the church. As they began to settle, their towns began to grow. Churches and schools sprang up to expand the knowledge of their religion. Schools were built to teach the children about the Bible and the importance of it in their lives. The people promised to put all their knowledge of God into the children and servants to the best of their ability (Doc C). With the churches they wanted to expand their theocracy. John Winthrop, the leader in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, wrote that they must all work together as one and help each other so that the could be led to the right path by God. Winthrop says that they are the â€Å"city upon a hill. † With everyone eyes on them they needed to demonstrate the level of their Christianity. If they all have faith together and rejoice together, with the will to better their community God will present help for them. Puritans believed everyone should believe in God. They looked to advance the education in New England with learning because of the effect it would have. They wanted to educate their ministers to stress religion so they built Harvard, the first college. They wanted to stress religion so they tried to teach it to those in school. The Puritans used the educational level of society to influence others of their strong religious beliefs. Puritans believed that a greater outcome will come if they worked hard. They thought prosperity and success would only come if this was done. A hard working ethic was established due to this view and many gained determination. This allowed them to establish a strong commercial economy. They worked mostly on farms, which many were established in the colonies, and traded goods for other goods they did not obtain. Winthrop did fear that his people would have more satisfaction for the wealth rather than the â€Å"piety† that was presumed to bring financial plunder. Many built their economy with the trade of their goods and the farming techniques. Farming took months due to the hard work that came with it and the short growing season. The Puritan commercial economy grew and many gained wealth from this, but they still looked to work hard and for piety for their success. The ideas and values of the Puritans separated them from other forms of people. Their way of thinking and views set up for a religious society was drastically diverse. The political, social, and economical development structured their way of living and their prosperity.

Pollution And Its Effects

Pollution And Its Effects Contemporary world has been marked with so many changes and advancement through industrialization and development of new technologies. It is amazing the effects industrialization and technology advancements have caused. Nations have experienced improved techniques in production leading to increased production and consequently economic growth. Citizens have had their living standards through the increased production. Authors of papers and books have expressed their felt gratitude to industrialization and its effects as well as the improvement in technology. Nonetheless, many such authors do not leaning on one side but appreciate both the negative and positive effects of industrialization and improvement in the technology. Other than the positive effects of industrialization and technological improvement the most threatening negative effects of the two is pollution. Pollution is a broad aspect encompassing many institutions and schools of thoughts. In direct terms, pollution is the int roduction of unwanted substances into natural environment leading to environmental instability, disorder, discomfort and harm to the ecosystem affecting the different living things in their habitat. Unwanted substance introduction into the environment has been spurred by industrialization and improved technology leading to production of many varied products. The unwanted substances are the pollutants. Unfortunately, industrialization and technological effect of pollution has caused a lot of harm to living things in their natural habitat. Air pollution being one of the forms of pollution has had serious negative impacts on living things Release of Chemicals into the atmosphere inhaled by living things Causes diseases related to lungs and pulmonary Global warming leading All these activities and effects forces nations to employ structural and strategic policies thus incurring increased costs. Water pollution is another cause of pollution detrimental to survival of living things Causes through pathogens, chemical, and thermal Effects on non-aquatic living things Effects to aquatic living things Water is one of the essentials of life thus taking polluted water leads to health deterioration leading to spending resources in treatment and prevention of diseases. Other than two broad classification of pollution, environmental pollution is another Causes of environmental pollution; dumping Effects to living things Just as the other forms of pollution, environmental pollution leads to stretching of a nationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s resources in trying to curb with the problem and this increases running costs of nations. Conclusion Works Cited Atkinson, William. Pollution and Environmental Exposure Insurance. Precast Magazines, July 28, 2010 Silverman, Robert. Pollution takes its Toll on the Heart. Science Daily, September 21, 2010. Air Pollution and its Negative Effects Air pollution is one of the most common forms of pollution experienced because of industrializations and improvement in technology. This form of pollution arises due to emission of unwanted substances (pollutants) into the atmosphere. Atmosphere contains specific components of gases such as oxygen, nitrogen, carbon (IV) oxide, and argon among others thus introduction of any other gases leads to pollution of the air. Survival of living things requires oxygen resent in the atmosphere. It is an essential to living things survival and thus it should never been contaminated. Most industrial processes release certain substances most of which are chemicals into the atmosphere thus contaminating the oxygen present. Such chemicals are in form of smoke that entails burnt fuels primarily composed of carbon. Burning carbon combines the element with oxygen thus forming a dangerous gas, carbon (IV) oxide commonly referred to as the carbon dioxide. Releasing such chemical substances into the atmosp here causes air pollution (Atkinson). During inhalation and exhalation amongst the living things, there are no specialized organs within their structures that purify the air or choose the right type of gas to be inhaled. In the process, most living things end up inhaling different gases among them carbon (IV) oxide also known as the carbon dioxide. Inhalation of CO2 has so many effects within the physiological processes of the living things. It combines with the hemoglobin meant to transport oxygen from the lungs to all parts of the body. Such combinations are usually chemical reactions that are irreversible hence interfering with the hemoglobin normal biconcave structure for efficient transport of oxygen. As a result, living things end up suffocating and this in most cases leads to complications and at the end death (Silverman). Emission of such chemical substances into the atmosphere especially the CO2 leads the worldà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s threatening concept, global warming. Global warming is the rapture of the ozone layer because of increased amount of CO2 in the atmosphere; at average, the normal amount should be 0.03% of the atmosphere. Global warming has had great influence in the operations of nations who are putting resources in the reducing it through planting of trees and other environmental promotions. Global warming has the effect of interfering with the skin due to allowing of the ultra violet rays from the sun to heat human beings and living things. Consequence of the ultra violet rays is different cancers resulting from them (Atkinson). These leads to extensive use of public funds in environmental preservation thus stretching the available resources in the structural and strategic policy formation hence reduction in the economic levels. Water Pollution and its Negative Effects This is another form of pollution where the unwanted materials contaminate water bodies. Many pollutants leading to water pollution include pathogens, chemicals, and thermal contaminations. Pathogenic pollution is caused by water contaminations through bacteria such as the coliform bacteria. Other microorganisms cause water contamination such as the salmonella, novovirus, and parasitic worms among others. On the hand, chemical substances released from factories and industries cause water pollution. Chemicals released from the industries, factories, and other sectors of the economy such as agricultural sector include both organic and inorganic chemicals. These chemical substances interfere with the purity of water and most of these chemicals cause so much diseases and complications (Silverman). Human activities such as burning charcoal leading to global warming cause increase in general temperatures thus interfering with the temperatures of water bodies. Other human activities also influence the temperatures of water bodies using engines within such water bodies thereby interfering with the water temperatures. Changes in water temperatures and chemical presence within the water bodies directly affect the aquatic life through killing the living things within such water bodies. As a result, the effect on such aquatic life leads to their death hence the negative effects of water pollution (Atkinson). Deaths of aquatic lives affect human activities indirectly and directly. For instance, the death of fish due to chemicals and changes in water temperatures has the direct effect of reducing the amount of food available for people in terms of proteins. This has the indirect effect or poor health due to reduced proteins as well as reduction in the economic activities causing poor performance of the economy (Silverman). Contaminated water by pathogens causes diseases to human beings thereby reducing the productivity of the citizens of a given nation. Just as the other forms of pollution, water pollution influences forces nations to employ the use of national resources to reduce these effects. Consequently, this leads to poor economic performance. Environmental Pollution and its Negative Effects Another broader form of pollution is the environmental pollution taking care of other forms of pollution other than water and air. The major cause of environmental pollution is the dumping of most of the non-biodegradable products from the industrial and technological development. Such industrial products mostly abused and haphazardly dumped include the industrial plastics. Pollutants of environment release so much toxin substances into the atmosphere affecting both human and other living things (Atkinson). Some of the effects of environmental pollution include the biomagnifications where toxin substances from the pollutants released into the atmosphere concentrate to higher levels thereby affecting the productivity of human beings. Research has proved that the majority of people staying near the dumping sites experience physiological process and sometimes is affected brain wise. Sometimes the environmental pollution causes soil infertility thus reducing the productivity of the soil and this greatly affects the activities and living standards of citizens within a given nations (Silverman). It is worthy noting that the efforts put in place to correct the environmental pollution stretches the national resources and this causes much problem to the economic performance of the nation in question. Conclusion As a parting short, it has been evident from observation and carried out research that pollution has enormous negative impacts to the society. Therefore, there is a need to engage in a number of activities that will help mitigate the risks associated with pollution.

Euthanasia and Christian Beliefs Essay -- Euthanasia Mercy Death Healt

Euthanasia Euthanasia is defined in the Chamber’s English Dictionary as â€Å" the act or practice of putting someone painlessly, or as gently as possible, to death†. There are various forms of Euthanasia, which I must explain before referring to the teachings of the different Christian denominations. The most common of them is Voluntary Euthanasia, where the patient decides for themselves, that they would prefer to be dead. They might decide at the time, or perhaps they might have written a ‘living will’ instructing doctors to kill them if they are ever in a situation where they will never be conscious again. There is also In-voluntary Euthanasia, were someone else decides against the patient’s wishes that would be better off dead, and enforces it in the act of killing them. Therefore it is often out-classed as Euthanasia, because it is not ‘gentle’. Non-voluntary Euthanasia takes place in a situation where the patient cannot be asked, or more correctly, cannot answer. This may be because the victim is a baby and can’t speak yet, or perhaps the victim is in a coma and is unable to respond to people around h im, but in this case a relative or doctor will decide for the person. It is also important to distinguish the difference between killing someone (Active), and letting them die (Passive). Killing a person is expressed in an action. An example of this, would be a doctor injecting his patient with a poison. Whereas letting someone die, is expressed in not performing an action. An example of this would be a doctor not supplying his patient with drugs that would save his life, and as a result the patient’s life is shortened. I will set, discuss, and finally evaluate a debate about Voluntary Euthanasia using contexts from both the Roman Catholic Church, and the Church of England. Some of the key influences I will refer to are Natural Law, Situation Ethics, Doctrine of Double Effect, The Golden Rule, Church documents, and the Bible. Ignoring all religious views, an argument for Voluntary Euthanasia performed by someone other than the patient, is that it is simply ‘mercy killing’. This would, under general Christian views, be just because it was an act of love, and after all that is what Christianity revolves around. One question, that must be answered is, ‘Is there a difference between killing and letting someone die, when it comes to an argu... ...f the family would suffer as a result of his death, then he should not die in an unnatural way. But, it is more likely that they will be suffering with him, and will feel the relief if he does not, and they do not have to watch him, live any longer in his painful condition. If this is the case, then they should back his feelings, and give him their support. It has been said that although the earth does not belong to the people, God did create humans to make their own decisions on it. Therefore in the case of voluntary euthanasia, there is no doubt that the end decision must be made by the patient, and not the doctor. If the patient is in a persistent vegetative state, then the appeal for his death, falls into the non-voluntary category, and is of no complication to my conclusion. As I have said already, the fifth commandment is addressing the point of murdering innocent people. Murder is when one person intentionally kills another without legal justification or excuse. If euthanasia was legalised, then it would not officially be murder. In such a case, a Christian would not be violating the fifth commandment, and there would be no reason why he could not be a supporter.

Crop Rotation and Soil Sustainability Essay -- Agriculture Farming Pap

Crop Rotation and Soil Sustainability Agriculture is responsible for providing food for an ever-growing population, and as it becomes clear that yields cannot continue to rise without limit, sustainability of agricultural practices becomes an increasingly important question. The soil is a precious resource in which all of agriculture has its base, and careful management of this complex system is essential. Crop rotation is one of the most important management practices in a sustainable agriculture system, both as a means of conserving soil and of maintaining its fertility. "A well-thought-out crop rotation is worth seventy-five percent of everything else that might be done, including fertilization, tillage, and pest control" according to The New Organic Grower (Coleman, 1989, p. 50). Crop rotation is by no means confined exclusively to organic farming, although much of what is considered in planning a rotation sequence encompasses the concerns of the organic farmer. The difference is primarily one of sustainability. "The organic farmer is essentially turning part of his potential income into renewal of the soil (by adding organic matter) in order to assure sustainability of future crop production. The conventional system maximizes present income and is not as concerned about viewing soil as a long-term investment" (Poincelot, 1986, p.23). A varied sequence of crops provides benefits that a monoculture cannot. A monoculture is an unnatural system; the relationship between soil, plants, and climate is designed to be balanced by diversity. A carefully planned rotation that considers as many aspects of this relationship as possible is a significant step toward establishing sustainability. Although not all the effects of rotatio... ...ress, 245 p. Lal, R., A.A. Mahboubi, N.R. Falsey, 1994, Long-Term Tillage and Rotation Effects on Properties of a Central Ohio Soil: Soil Science Society of America Journal, 58: 517-522. Loomis, R.S. and D.J. Connor, 1992, Crop Ecology: Productivity and Management in Agricultural Systems: New York, Cambridge University Press, 538 p. Meek, B.D., D.L. Carter, D.T.Westermann, R.E. Peckenpaugh, 1994, Root-Zone Mineral Nitrogen Changes as Affected by Crop Sequence and Tillage: Soil Science Society of America Journal, 58: 1464-1469. Meek, B.D., D.L. Carter, D.T. Westermann, J.L. Wright, R.E. Peckenpaugh, 1995, Nitrate Leaching Under Furrow Irrigation as Affected by Crop Sequence and Tillage: Soil Science Society of America Journal, 59: 204-210. Poincelot, Raymond C., 1986, Toward a More Sustainable Agriculture: Westport CT, AVI Publishing Co. Inc., 241 p.

Comparing the Role of the Narrator in Melville’s Benito Cereno, Henry James’ Daisy Miller and Hwang :: Comparison Compare Contrast Essays

Comparing the Role of the Narrator in Melville’s Benito Cereno, Henry James’ Daisy Miller and Hwang’s M. Butterfly Written stories differ in numerous ways, but most of them have one thing in common; they all have a narrator that, on either rare occasions or more regularly, help to tell the story. Sometimes, the narrator is a vital part of the story since without him or her, it would not be possible to tell the story in the same way, and sometimes, the narrator has a very small role in the story. However, he or she is always there, and to compare how different authors use, and do not use, this outside perspective writing tool, a comparison between Herman Melville’s Benito Cereno, Henry James’ Daisy Miller, and David Henry Hwang’s M. Butterfly will be done. One of the basic functions of the narrator is to describe the actions that occur from an outside perspective. Since almost no characters will describe the basic actions, i.e. how people are moving, in the plot, it is necessary to use the narrator as help in this issue. All three works that are compared in this essay, Daisy Miller, Benito Cereno and M. Butterfly, use this technique quite often and in very similar ways. First of all, we have James who never writes any words without explicit meaning to the story. As a result, the narrator’s descriptions of simple actions are often short and concise; â€Å"Daisy looked at him for a moment† (James 108). However, since M. Butterfly is originally written to be performed and not read, Hwang uses the narrator to describe the stage for the reader. Therefore, most of the narrator’s comments are related to how the characters move on stage, and how the stage itself looks like; â€Å"They start to walk about the stage. It is a summer night on the Beijing streets. Sounds of the city play on the house speakers† (Hwang 21). Melville, on the other hand, uses the narrator for more detailed purposes. He often adds specific details to the descriptions; small hints of what is still to come in the storyline. A good example of this is when he describes how the two captains in the story are standing on the deck: â€Å"While most part of the story was being given, the two captains stood on the after part of the main deck, a privileged spot, no one being near but the servant† (Melville 45).

Course ouline

What should the nurse suspect when hourly assessment of urine output on a vasoconstriction patient exhibits a urine output from a catheter of 1 ,500 ml for 2 consecutive hours? A) Cunning's syndrome B) Syndrome of inappropriate antipathetic hormone (SHAD) C) Adrenal crisis D) Diabetes insipid 2. The PACIFIC staff have brought a patient to the unit following a tracheotomy. To promote comfort for this patient, how should the nurse position this patient? A) Side-lying (lateral) with one pillow under the head Head of the bed elevated 30 degrees and no pillows placed under the head C)Semi-Fowlers with the head supported on two pillows Flat, with a small roll supporting the neck 3. The nurse is caring for a patient with Addition's disease. The patient is scheduled for discharge in the morning. When teaching the patient about hormone replacement, the nurse instructs that too low a dose may be indicated by what? A) Weight gain Dizziness Increase in systolic blood pressure Headache 4. A patie nt is prescribed corticosteroid therapy. What would be important information for the nurse to give the patient who is prescribed corticosteroid therapy? A)The patient's diet should be low protein with ample fat. There will be no change in appearance. The patient is at an increased risk for developing infection. D) The patient is at a decreased risk for development of thermoplastics and thrombosis's. 5. The nurse is performing a shift assessment on a patient with alterations. A sign that the patient's condition is not yet controlled would be: A) Anural Algeria Polaris Proteins 6. The nurse is caring for a patient with hyperthyroidism's. What level of activity would the nurse expect the health care provider to order? A) Complete bed restBed rest with bathroom privileges Out of bed (BIB) to the chair twice a day Ambulation and activity, as tolerated 7. A patient has returned to the floor after having a tracheotomy for thyroid cancer. The nurse knows that sometimes during thyroid surger y the parathyroid glands can be injured or removed. What laboratory finding may be an early indication of parathyroid gland injury or removal? A) Hypothermia Hypothermia's Hypoglycemia Hypoglycemia 8. The nurse caring for a patient with Cunning's syndrome is teaching the patient about the documentations suppression test scheduled for tomorrow.What does the nurse explain that this test will involve? A) Administration of documentations orally, followed by a plasma cortical level every hour for 3 hours B) Administration of documentations intravenously, followed by an X-ray of the adrenal glands C) Administration of documentations orally at 11 PM, and a plasma cortical level at 8 AM the next morning D) Administration of documentations intravenously, followed by a plasma cortical level 3 hours after the drug is administered 9. The home care nurse is conducting patient teaching with a patient beginning corticosteroid therapy.To achieve consistency with the body's natural secretion of cort ical, when would the home care nurse instruct the patient to take her corticosteroid medication? A) In the evening between 4 PM and 6 PM Prior to going to sleep at night At noon every day In the early morning between 7 AM and 8 AM 10. A patient presents at the walk-in clinic complaining of diarrhea and vomiting. The patient has a history of adrenal insufficiency. Considering the patient's history and current symptoms, what would the nurse instruct the patient? A) Increase his intake of sodium until the gastrointestinal symptoms improve B)Increase his intake of potassium until the gastrointestinal symptoms improve C) Increase his intake of glucose until the gastrointestinal symptoms improve D) Increase his intake of calcium until the gastrointestinal symptoms improve 11. An adult patient has undergone extensive testing that has resulted in a diagnosis of a basophilic pituitary tumor. The photographically effects of the patient's tumor include excessive secretion of traditionalistic h ormone (CATCH). As a result, this patient is likely to exhibit signs and symptoms that are characteristic of what endocrine disorder? A)Addition's disease Cunning's disease Hyperthyroidism 12. A patient has been admitted to an acute medical unit with a diagnosis of diabetes insipid with a neurotic etiology. When planning this patient's care, what diagnosis should be the nurse's most likely priority? A) Fluid volume deficit related to increased urine output Acute confusion related to alterations in electrolytes Altered nutrition: less than body requirements related to decreased intake D) Risk for injury related to decreased level of consciousness 13. A 24-year-old male patient is being cared for in the intensive care unit following a tricycle accident.In addition to musculoskeletal injuries, he has developed syndrome of inappropriate antipathetic hormone (SHAD) from the traumatic head injury. Which of the following imbalances is consistent with this diagnosis? A) Hyperemia Hyperglyce mia's Hypoglycemia 14. A nurse practitioner is aware of the high incidence and prevalence of hypothyroidism and regularly encourages many patients to undergo screening of their thyroid secreting hormone (TTS) levels. Which of the following individuals likely faces the greatest risk of developing hypothyroidism? A)A 49-year-old man who works in an iron smelter A 55-year-old woman who complains of fatigue A 30-year-old man with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes A 71 -year-old man who has experienced nausea and vomiting secondary to influenza 15. A middle-aged female patient has been diagnosed with hyperthyroidism and admitted to the hospital for treatment. When providing care for this patient, the nurse should prioritize: A) Vigilant monitoring of intake and output Teaching the patient about the pathologically of the disease C) Performing constant blood sugar monitoring Providing a calm, low-stimulation environment 16.In planning the care of a patient who has hyperthyroidism, the nurs e has identified the nursing diagnosis of altered nutrition: less than body requirements. What intervention is the best response to this diagnosis? A) Arrange for the patient to be assessed for the possible use of internal nutrition. B) Provide the patient with a low-fat, high-protein diet. Provide several small meals each day for the patient. Teach the patient to eat each meal slowly and methodically. 17. A patient who is receiving treatment for hyperthyroidism is being monitored closely by the care team.When observing this patient for signs and symptoms of thyroid tort (trichinosis's), the nurse should prioritize which of the following assessments? A) Temperature and heart rate Deep tendon reflexes and peripheral pulses Pain and level of consciousness (LOC) Assessment for visual and auditory disturbances 18. A 50-year-old male patient has been admitted to the postcolonial unit from the PACIFIC after having a total tracheotomy. The nurse is now conducting an admission assessment an d planning the patient's subsequent care.When providing this patient's care, the nurse should emphasize which of the following actions? A) Changing the patient's surgical dressing as ordered Monitoring and treating the patient's pain Maintaining the patient's fluid status Protecting the patient's airway 19. The nurse is closely monitoring the blood work of a patient who has a diagnosis of primary hyperthyroidism's. The nurse should be aware that the fluid and electrolyte disturbances associated with this disease create a significant risk of what problems?A) Fluid volume overload and purists Metabolic acidosis and cardiac schemas Renal calculi and urinary obstruction Deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism 20. A patient who is postoperative day 1 following neck dissection surgery has rung his all bell complaining of numb fingers, stiff hands, and a tingling sensation in his lips and around his mouth. The nurse should anticipate that this patient may require the IV administration of: A) Potassium chloride Calcium calculate Magnesium sulfate Sodium phosphate 21.A 42-year-old man with a history of phosphorescently is being treated in the intensive care unit after experiencing an acute exacerbation of his condition. This patient will require the nurse to perform which of the following assessments most frequently? A) Motor and sensory function Orientation and cognition Urine testing for commonality Blood pressure (BP) and heart rate A patient has been taking oral corticosteroids for several weeks to a treat a chronic inflammatory skin condition.When performing health education with this patient, the nurse should emphasize the need to: A) Supplement the corticosteroids with nonessential anti-inflammatory drugs (Nasals) Avoid stopping the drug abruptly Take the drug only during an acute exacerbation of the condition D) Monitor fluid intake and output for the duration of treatment A nurse is preparing an IV dose of hydrochemistry that is to be administered to an du ll patient on an acute medical unit. The endocrine disorder for which this treatment is most clearly indicated is: A) 24.A nurse in a large university hospital has cared for several patients with endocrine disorders over the past year. For which of the following patients would a nursing diagnosis of disturbed body image be most likely applicable? A) A man who was treated for Washington's thyroids A woman with a longstanding diagnosis of Cunning's syndrome A woman whose diagnosis of Graves' disease required radioactive iodine therapy D) A man who was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism after neck surgery 25.

The Ukrainian Higher Education System Today

A lot of us soon or late being either thinking students or worrying parents face with such problems â€Å"Which school is the best to study? Higher or Secondary Education† All this questions do not have clear and right answer but even though education is still one of the main and the most important problems of our society. So, how does the classical education system present itself? During the period of Renaissances- lyceums, colleges and gymnasiums were the main elements of High Education. And the basic subjects were Latin and Greek language, history and literature.Its aim was acquire of self-education skills, which in further life would help in studying out other subjects. In addition, this system of education was paid, that is why it was available to not all population. Classical education was substituted be real education, the foundations of which were exact science. Real education system has given the ability for developing of technical specialization. New, at that time kn owledge of math, physics and chemistry have brought into life electricity, steam machinery and electronic. In the beginning of the 20th century the education was still paid.But with the advent to power Communists Party, the education has become free. Free education became available for every person, even from villages, small towns and poverty from cities. The young state developed industry enterprises, built railways, were mastering virgin soil and Sibir. All this activities needed the specialists in exact science. In Soviet Union the school was chosen due to place of living. All school were the similar: the same program, same books, same education. Such position made senseless searching for another school.However, there was small number of special schools with deeper studying of foreign languages as German, French, Spanish and of course English. For the liquidation of illiteracy on one level with daily there also were evening schools, where adult people could receive basic knowledg e. Huge number of soviet people even having families wanted to be educated. Therefore Soviet Republics spaced a lot of means and attention to Higher and Secondary Education. The peculiarity of secondary Technical Education was receiving school education simultaneous with receiving specialization.Higher education stipulated for going out to better position in society. The quality of real education, on sample of Soviet Union, had given huge number of experts who later were demanded all over the world. In the end of 20th century great country died, as died its education system. New government decided to return some points of classical education. As you can see, among us someone graduated from simple school, someone from lyceum, someone from gymnasium. However, the attempts to resume the classical education were done partially.That means that the refuse of real education did not bring the increasing of education level. The fact is that all knowledge received must be used in labor activi ty. If it is not so- such knowledge does not make sense. The problem of our country today is small demand of technical knowledge. We really have specialists but they are old and they even do not have ability to share their skills with. We do not have enough factories to work, we do not have appropriate substitution for this, that is why we just simply cannot gave good specialist.We have bad statistic, there is small number of people who really wants to study and does it but then when they finally received their knowledge in our corrupt country, they prefer to use it abroad. The position of our villages is so frightening that young, just graduated students, do not want to work there. That is why now in 21st century every person have to clarify what to do and how, because who else will teach, treat and rule is now you choose irresponsibility, laziness and indifference†¦