Early Latin America CCOT Essay Essays - Free Essays, Term Papers

Early Latin America CCOT Essay Essays - Free Essays, Term Papers Early Latin America CCOT Essay Thesis: Throughout the settlement of the Spanish in Latin America, ____ changed through _____, while ______ persisted through _____. PRIMES of Latin America Conquest (14921570s) Political: Unplanned: King and Council of Indies will take charge To rule, Spain created administrative institutions: the governorship, the treasury office, and the royal court of appeals staffed by professional magistrates Spanish legalism was part of the institutional transfer Religion: missionary sent to convert (catholicism) voluntary + coerced conversion The Mission, Valladolid debate (treatment of natives in the new world spanish city valladolid) De Las Casa (one cannot go to heaven if they keep killing natives, supported natives and wanted them to be protected. Harsh treatment of natives. Nonviolent solutions are available.) The church, represented at first by individual priests and then by missionaries such as the Dominicans, participated in the enterprise By 1530, a cathedral was being built on Hispaniola, and a university soon followed Intellectual: Everything is renamed in Spanish > Latin America Wealthy Creoles went back to Spain to complete education Cities: recreate Spain along grid lines churches maintained records of births deaths etc. (creoles vs peninsularesmake sure creoles cant gain any political/religious power) Military: conquest areas of resistance Disease and conquest virtually annihilated the native peoples of the Caribbean Depopulation of the laboring population led to slaving on other islands, and in 30 years or so, most of the indigenous population had died or been killed natives had no weapons, therefore Spaniards saw them as weak and easily conquered Economy: Route to Asia Spanish and Italian merchants began to import African slaves to work on the few sugar plantations that operated on the islands Looking for trade with Asia Trading ports: possession of gold silver, spices. Spanish take over land, Portugese not as much. Encomienda land to noble > collect taxes from them, as well as the must buy goods from producer Mita > forced labor > Potosi Mines Encomienda + Mita > led to loss of natives (early on) communal manufacturing + farming, provided food + clothing, for domestic market. Disease and conquest virtually annihilated Social: 85% white men small population = tropical dependency Goal: 2 separate republics > miscegenation > depopulation > blacks + miscegenation. As early as 1510, the mistreatment and destruction of the American Indians led to attempts by cleric and royal administrators to end the worst abuses Bartolome de Las Casas (14841566) Dominican friar who initiated the struggle for justice Conquest was not a unified movement but rather a series of individual initiatives that usually operated with government approval Topics of the Exam 1. Renaissance Italy: Greco Roman Humanism/ Individual worth Cultural, Arts/ Literature Intellectuals (John Locke) 2. Reformation: M.L. (95 Theses) R.C.C. abuses, corruption Translated the Bible German vernacular John Calvin French theologian during the protestant reformation. Believed in predestination, monergism, and damnation (punishment for actions committed on earth) 3. Enlightenment Locke Vs. Hobbes (absolutism) Limited Monarchy (Result) 4. Columbus + historical time period 5. Bourbon Reforms Charles III (enlightened despot) reign mid 1700s higher profitability of spanish colonies reforms taxation system grants monopolies to spanish corporations: Cuban Sugar, Buenos Aires: Coffee, Salted Beef, Seeds Spanish flooded local economy w/ cheap goods (local handicrafts/industries cant compete w/ cheap spanish goods Method: New Vice Royalties : New Grenada (1739) Rio de la Plata (1778) Reformation of Mining techniques means more silver for the crown Local Magistrates replaced by provincial governor who report directly to the crown Local Creole Autonomy diminished Increase resentment Creoles wanted independence. Effective? Short term yes for the spanish economy and increase in Spanish control over colonies, but long term resentment of crown by most social classes Settlement Primes (second period) Political: Treaty of Tordesillas (The pope split the world into two where the west would be left for the Spanish to conquer and the east was left for the Portuguese to conquer) Professional bureaucracy based on Spanish system of Legalism Royal Nomination of church officials (govt side by side with church) Encomienda system: Grants of lands Spanish (Indigenous People=labor) Religion: Clergy Missionaries Forced Conversions Church hierarchy develops Churches were set up 1) Pope 2) Cardinotes 3) Archbishops 4) Bishops 5) Priests Loyal to mother country Spain Church not available to natives forces them to follow catholicism and be obedient and pay their funds. Intellectual: Church establishes universities to 1. Convert People 2. Record Birth and Death Record traditional Culture Economic: Silver Mines (Forced Labor) Mercantilistic Policy Social: Arrival of Spanish Women Transatlantic slave trade Castas system develops 1. Racial hierarchy developed Multiracial society is developed Middle Upper class women's patriarchal society Black man + Spanish Women = Mulatto Machismo = male dominated Lower class women enjoyed more social mobility because they owned small business in villages and towns Encomienda system: Grants of

Journal Topics Involving Different Perspectives

Journal Topics Involving Different Perspectives Writing in classroom journals is one powerful strategy to get students to respond to literature, gain writing fluency, or increase dialogue in writing with another student or the teacher.  Journal writing is a great way for students to stretch their thinking and look at things from different perspectives. Most journal writing is done in the first-person point of view, using  I. Journal writing can also be from an omniscient point of view, with the writing is done from an all-knowing perspective. The following topics cause the writer to predict or try to things from an unusual perspective. These may be highly creative, such as describe the events of yesterday from the perspective of your hair. Journal Topics on Perspective Students should have fun as they stretch themselves for these journal writing topics. What one non-living item would you take from your house if it caught on fire?Which five of these things (make a list) would you take from your house if it caught fire?Pretend you met an alien and explain school to him/her/it.Set your clocks ahead to the beginning of next school year. Where are you and what are you be doing?What would you do with a million dollars? List five things you would buy.Youve landed on another planet. Tell the inhabitants all about the earth.Youve gone 500 years back in time. Explain plumbing, electricity, cars, windows, air conditioning and other conveniences to those you meet.What animal would you be? Why?If you were your teacher, how would you treat you?Describe a day in the life of (choose an animal).Describe how you feel at the dentists office.Write about the time as a child you played in a place you thought was magical: a treehouse, a cornfield, a construction site, a junkyard, an abandoned house or barn, a stream, a playground, a swamp, or a pasture.De scribe the perfect place for you. What if your teacher fell asleep in class?Describe the life of your locker.Describe the life of your shoe.If you could live anywhere, what would you choose?If you were invisible, what would you do first?Describe your life five, ten, and then fifteen years from now.How would do you think your parents views would change if they walked in your shoes for a week?Describe your desk in complete detail. Focus on all sides and angles.List twenty-five uses for a toothbrush.Describe a toaster from the inside.Assume you are the last person on earth and have been granted one wish. What would it be?Imagine a world that contained no written language. What would be different?If you could step back in time to relive one day, what would you do differently?You discover you have only six weeks to live. What would you do and why?Imagine you are 30 years old. How will you describe yourself as you are today?Describe how you would feel if you were YOUR parent. What would you do differently?Describe how you would feel if you were YOUR teacher. What would you do differently? What would you do if you were locked inside your favorite department store overnightWhat would you do it all the electricity in the world just stopped?  Ã‚  What would you do if you could travel free anyplace in the world?  You being chased by a villain or villainous group through an abandoned warehouse.  Why?Consider the phrase ‘If I’d known then what I know now, I never would have†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢Ã‚  Finish this sentence: Thats what happens when you follow your heart...Have you ever faced a difficult situation that required making adjustments? What adjustments did you make?The local TV reporter holds a microphone under your nose and says, Channel 14 is doing a survey. Wed like to know: What really matters to you?Describe the group you most identify with and tell why the members of that group might identify with you.  Would you like to be famous? Why or why not? What would you like to be famous for?What advice would you give to someone who stole something but now feels guilty?How do you define beauty? What things do you think are beautiful? If you were a fly on the wall in your house, what would you see your family doing?Script your acceptance speech for an award you never thought you would receive.Script your response to a surprise party...when you already knew about the surprise.Write a letter to a character in a Disney movie.  What do you plan to say to a friend who borrows things from you but never returns them?Write from the perspective of a ghost. What frightens you?We often dont know our own strength until something really gets in our way. Write about a time when you stood your ground.List ways you can entertain your friends without spending any money.

Ways of Praying Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Ways of Praying - Essay Example Prayers of corporate confession focus on the wrong that is committed jointly, rather than the sins of each person. Paul Bradshaw, in his book Two Ways of Praying, describes these prayers as cathedral prayer and monastic prayer. Cathedral prayer is mainly led by ordained, formally appointed ministers, while in monastic prayer each person in the community takes obligation to take turn at the reading, speaking or singing that is part of the prayer (Bradshaw, 1995). Cathedral prayer is the obligation of the whole congregation while monastic prayer is more of individual activity. In addition, cathedral prayer is mainly outward, involving occasional gatherings for prayer that is reinforced by praise and intercession. Monastic prayer is mainly inward-looking, that is communicated through a person’s mind and heart, and thus it assists in forming the person who prays. Moreover, cathedral prayer is supported by externals of worship actions and materials such as candles and vestments, wh ile monastic prayer does not necessary require material support, since it mainly involves silent meditation. Generally, prayer enable us to communicate with God by allowing us to be aware of the encounters with God we experience at various times of our lives. Prayers therefore help us to learn to arrive with fullness of our heart, mind, body, feelings, and experience into the living presence of God and to receive the revealed fullness of God’s own heart, word, body, love, and reality for us in ever-deepening mutual intimacy (Dahill, 2005, p.10). The next part of this paper will be based mainly on corporate prayers of confession in the church. One’s spiritual wellbeing is much related to the spiritual wellbeing of others, thus, goodness of the community is very essential for the goodness of individuals. God uses confession as a means for helping people to move past their sins to better and deeper self lived existence within the communal interdependence. Through corporat e prayers of confession, community is able to turn away from sin and begin the process of healing from the suffering. This type of confession enables community to receive God’s will towards wellbeing, as the sins are washed away because they normally block the community from receiving the goodness. Sins therefore lead to isolation and fragmentation of our society, as we concentrate on seeing the problems as originating outside ourselves, rather than concentrating on ways of resolving these problems as a community. Fragmentation in turn leads to powerlessness, as fragmentation makes us focus on perpetuating the problem rather than participating in forms of it resolution (Suchocki, 1996, p.80). The powerlessness makes people to refuse responsibility for problems that are caused by evils in our society; hence, they distance themselves from efforts to seek forgiveness and addressing the problems. The powerlessness makes people to be more individualistic, thus, the church does not confess its corporate sins. By church shunning confessions of its corporate sins, the God’s merciful power of social renewal is left uninitiated, as church member are more concerned about addressing their individual problems while hiding from the social aspects of all personal sins. Christians therefore become more involved in privately confessing their personal sins, while forgetting that personal confession only is not sufficient to attract God’s forgiveness for social sins of our society. As individuals, we participate in various corporate evils that warrant corporate confession. When the church

Presidential Perspectives Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Presidential Perspectives - Essay Example The difference between Democrats and Republics is apparent in American politics. Democrats and Republicans differ mainly in terms of philosophy, worldview, ideologies, and politics. Democrats are more of socialists and hold that the duty of the government is welfare of the people regardless of individual interests. They support government sponsored programs such as healthcare as well as subsides. Republicans, on the other hand, elevate economic equity and free market; they believe that solutions lay with the people rather than the federal government. Hence, they are more of capitalists, promoting property rights over welfare rights. They also decry active government interference in the economy. Obama’s policies and Mitt Romney’s are contrasting and apparent due to their political divides, which shapes their philosophy, worldview, ideologies, and politics. Alperovitz (2011) asserts that power structure in the United States can be analyzed in four rival approaches, namely: pluralism, State autonomy, elite theory, and Marxism. Pluralism theory holds that groups such as unions and professional associations, civil rights activists, business and financial lobbies govern America. Liberalists assert that there are multiple centers of power, which yield a colossal bearing in the making of laws and policies. According to Alperovitz (2011), state autonomy stresses that the government is always an autonomous force due to its control of military. Hence, they conclude that the government in the United States is the central source of power. Elite theory stipulates that leaders of large organizations inevitably dominate key sectors of the society and that America is no different. Finally, Marxism argues that property owners dominate the society. Those who hold power are predominantly those who own means of production. Policy issues such as taxes, trade agreements, and labor standoffs are a manifestation of this fact. Obama’s ideologies

Dimensional Analysis Lab Essay Example for Free

Dimensional Analysis Lab Essay In this Lab the students were required to do several tests and measurements and then convert these units into other units. There were five tests in all. The first test was measuring the average of three broad jumps in centimeters then find out how many jumps it would take to travel one mile. The second test involved measuring a candy bar (for my group we used a snickers bar) then finding out how many snickers bars end to end it would take to wrap around the equator of the earth. For the third measurement we had to find out how many tootsie rolls were equivalent to a five pound tootsie roll. For the next test we had to find how long it took in hours to get to the center of a tootsie pop. For the final test we had to calculate our speed in mph then find out how many days it would take to get from Indianapolis to Chicago if you only walked five hours a day. The materials we used were a gram scale, tootsie roll, tootsie pop, snickers bar, and a meter stick. Materials 1. gram scale 2. tootsie roll 3. tootsie pop 4. snickers bar 5.

Realm of Labor Essay -- Labor History, Technological Revolution

Separation can develop from anywhere or anyone over periods of time since people’s needs, desires, and goals are very diverse. The variety of people with dissimilar interest can cause tensions among groups, especially in the modern age. There are three categories that contributed to the physical and abstract separation all within the realm of labor: workers versus machines, skilled versus unskilled labors or workers, and immigrant versus non-immigrant workers. These three all intertwine and connect to one another under the world of labor. Along with lectures, historians and writers Herbert G. Gutman, J.M. Roberts, Ann L. Stoler, and Rudyard Kipling addressed the causes and consequences brought about from the three categories, which led to separation. The effects divided workers among themselves, thus created the idea of separation. Before the modern age, workers generally created their own products by hand, but this type of labor process has changed drastically with the rise of new technology and resources. Due to this change, workers were unconnected to their products; since they were no longer involved in the production, they were essentially separated from the creation. During the Industrial Revolution and the Second Industrial Revolution, otherwise known as the Technological Revolution, the rise of technology brought in new machinery that replaced workers. Machines controlled workers; as mentioned in lecture, workers lost all control when they were part of the assembly line. Also in Charlie Chaplin's film, Modern Times, workers had little or no control over the pace of the work, and the smallest distractions can slow down production. This was how workers and labor were described in the mechanized world. Herbert G. Gutman exp... ...inctively divided people; immigrants came in to work and better their lives and lives of their family, but instead were discriminated against and driven out. What make people different in society can result in the process of separation; it can be positive in terms of originality for an individual, but disastrous in the workplace. Separation in labor was proven to cause tensions among workers who were skilled, unskilled, immigrants, and non-immigrants. The division among them was both physical and abstract; the machines separated them as well as race and their own views. People were forced to unite and work together, but their differences created isolation and an inefficient work environment. It is inevitable to group diverse people in one place without conflicts. Separation was analyzed as an outcome of how people work, behave, and interact with others in society.

Andrew Carnegie Essay

The rise of capitalism was characterised by exploitation and opportunity. Opportunities, if taken at the chance, enabled men to access wealth. Andrew Carnegie is the perfect example of an entrepreneur and man who built the roots of American infrastructure. He can also lived the ‘perfect’ American dream. He has a typical ‘rags to riches’ story, which makes him a historical icon and an admirable man. Carnegie is known to have built a fortune on steel. However, the ways in which he made money could be considered an abuse to ethics and moral rights. Toward the end of his life, Carnegie decided to use his wealth for the greater good of the community and encouraged learning. For the above reasons, he can be considered as a robber baron, but I believed that he also worked for the greater good of human nature. Carnegie was able to take opportunities to create a vast fortune. He came from absolutely nothing, but is known as a captain of industry. He monopolised wealth, transport and infrastructure. He was born in Scotland in 1835. His family migrated to America in 1848 when he was thirteen. As a young boy, he worked in a cotton factory in Pittsburgh. He did not have many years of schooling nor attended university but he became the richest man on the planet during the industrial revolution. In this sense, he is the incarnation of the American Dream. One of Carnegie’s sayings; â€Å"The first man gets the oyster, the second gets the shell† explains his career fully. Carnegie had the ability to identify and seize opportunities, to foresee what would happen to industries and to take risks. He also stated that; â€Å"people who are unable to motivate themselves must be content with mediocrity no matter how impressive their other talents† show his ambitiousness. Carnegie was not content with commonplace. His ability to seize opportunities and invest in them helped greatly his career. He saw potential in telegraphing and transport. While he was working in the railroad industry, in 1859, he saw a connection between steel and infrastructure. Carnegie grabbed the opportunity and created a successful steel company, a great example of capitalist exploitation. Carnegie’s steel company, Carnegie Steel, which opened near Pittsburgh in the 1870s, is an example exploitation during the rise of capitalism. Carnegie created employment. The way he ran his company can be believed to be an  abuse of manpower and human capacities. His workplace was similar to modern day sweatshops. He made men work hard. They had long hours, twelve hours per day, six days per week, in extremely poor working conditions. Because steel was in demand at the time, due to the advancements in steam engines, Carnegie decided to keep costs low to attract more people. However that meant that he kept his workers’ wages low as well. This resulted in violent labour strike in 1892. Carnegie always preached for rights of workers and unions. However his actions did not match his rhetoric. A major strike at Carnegie Steel was a clash between capitalism and workers’ unions. It was bloody and violent. It lasted five month. During that time Carnegie went to Scotland and left the company’s general manager, Henry Clay Frick in charge. 300 Pinkerton armed guards were posted around the factory and ten men were killed. Carnegie’s only way out of this dilemma was to sell his factory. He sold it to J. Pier Morgan, for $480 million, in 1901. Andrew Carnegie turned his career from capitalism to philanthropy. When Carnegie sold his steel company to Morgan, he became the â€Å"richest man on earth†, said Morgan the day he bought the company. In 1889, Carnegie had published an essay, in which he stated that, â€Å"the rich have a moral obligation to distribute their money in ways to promote the welfare and happiness of the common man†. He also said that, â€Å"the man who dies rich thus dies disgraced†. During his life he gave away more than $350 millions. Carnegie supported education and reading. He donated money to 2500 libraries around the world. The particular thing about Carnegie’s philanthropist career is that he did not just want to help people; he wanted to help others help themselves. He gave away his money for the improvement of mankind. For example, giving money away to libraries instead of people allowed mankind educate themselves. Consequently, education became easier to access for everyone. Carnegie became one of the most famous philanthropists, a complete opposite to the man whom exploited people in his factory. Andrew Carnegie was both a robber baron and a philanthropist. In my opinion, he worked for the greater good of human nature. He was a man who took opportunities to make his career, as well as giving other opportunities. Even though he exploited people, and the working conditions in his steel  factory are an example of that, he offered them jobs, and a way to make money for their families. I agree that in the end he â€Å"helped others to help themselves†. His massive donation of $350 millions shows his change of heart towards the end of his life. As Carnegie, grew up in a poor social class, I believe that he wanted to give others similar opportunities as he strived for. Giving them a chance for education and free access to libraries. The millions of dollars that he donated gave others a chance to improve their lives. I believe that Andrew Carnegie is a man to be remembered as one whom sought better mankind.

Rationalizing Economic Development and Environmental Sustainability Essay

There happens to be a two-fold task governing the existence of economic development and environmental stability – national progress towards economy depends on natural resources, and natural resources needs replenishment to continue the cyclical mode of economic development. In this manner, these two important national concerns continuously exist with a common approach of relationship. Indeed, the economy depends on the environment and the stability of the environment likewise opts for support from the sectors enriching the economy. In issues occurring between economic development and environmental stability, there are claims that the arousal of the economy inhibits the constancy of the environment. The energy sector primarily is one of the fundamental avenues governing this relationship. An exemplification of such is the report of Woodwell and Ramakrishna (2004) entitled â€Å"World Bank undermines efforts on global warming†: It states there that the World Bank favorably considered the continued support for the expansion of new-fangled sources of fossil fuels, one of the principal causes of climatic distraction. It came up with a decision that interests on recommending support to the less developed countries which are good prospects that can sell oil or gas or coal to the world markets. Furthermore, the alleged deed brings back into the limelight the ongoing inconsistency between the voices of the scientific community that provokes on the world’s state, and the ears of what the economic and political communities bear. In fact, the environment is being changed in conduct that annihilates its life-supporting capacity. Instead, it seeks for immediate efficient steps to stop the erosion. Such report only signifies how the trend of coming up with possible sources of oil, gas or coal can be much of a danger to the environment, to the inhabitants surrounding the possible resources, and to the planet earth as well. Global warming for the past decades continuously alarms the people of its degrading effects on the environment. Drastically, different industries governing the economy surely have directly or indirectly implied to such dilemma. In lieu with this, the question is back to basic – â€Å"What does the environment do to the economy? † Indeed, there is a need to assess the economic value of the environment through its fundamental means, ways, and processes. Taking a look with CIDA’s Policy for Environmental Sustainability, an article called â€Å"Assessing the Economic Value of the Environment† states that taking into consideration the economic values implied to all environmental values, which may be of cultural, aesthetic, or spiritual, is not possible. Moreover, programmers are in constant need to assess the environment’s value to know its value in economic terms, and to assess the economy’s value to identify its value in making of environment decisions. In contrast with the macro and micro level, there is a need to emphasize the pros and cons of doing economical activities that may affect that of the environment. Furthermore, the article â€Å"The Complicated Interrelationships of Poverty, Population and Natural Resources† from the same policy states the sophisticated interrelated web of cause and effect relationships among poverty, population growth, degradation of natural resources and natural resource consumption (11). Three factors such as population, environment and poverty are commonly indivisible. In this manner, such dilemma is perceived in most of the less developed and highly populated countries. Most of the highly populated countries accumulate much of its resources creating a slash on its natural resources yet may incur a probable high or low effect to its economy. Indeed, in terms of economic development and environmental sustainability, the whole process is inevitably diversified. With this, the relationship between the economy and the environment takes action upon the people and their surroundings. Works Cited Woodwell, George M. and Ramakrishna, Kilaparti. â€Å"World Bank undermines efforts on Global Warming. † The Boston Globe 11 August 2004. â€Å"Assessing the Economic Value of the Environment. † January 1992. Canadian International Development Agency. 13 April 2007 â€Å"The Complicated Interrelationships of Poverty, Population and Natural Resources. † January 1992. Canadian International Development Agency. 13 April 2007

Writing Prompts and Topics for the Easter Holiday

Writing Prompts and Topics for the Easter Holiday Journal writing teaches elementary school students to think creatively and gives them an opportunity to practice writing without the pressure of a right or wrong answer. You may or may not choose to review journal entries for correct grammar and spelling, but lifting the pressure of producing a polished piece often frees students to just enjoy the process. Many teachers see a marked improvement in overall writing ability in a short time when they use journals in the classroom. Try to make time at least a few days each week for your students to express their thoughts and feelings through words. Writing Prompts Holidays and other special occasions make good writing prompts because children generally look forward to them and enthusiastically share their thoughts on the topic. Easter writing prompts and journal topics inspire  students to write about the Easter season and what it means to them. It also gives teachers an opportunity to learn more about their students personal lives and how they celebrate the holiday. Suggest that your students share their journals with their parents at the end of the year; its a priceless gift of a scrapbook filled with mementos straight out of their childs mind. You can let your students write stream-of-consciousness style with few restrictions or provide more structure for a journal entry with length recommendations and suggestions for details to include. The main goal of journal writing should be to help students lose their inhibitions and write with the  pure purpose of writing for the sake of writing. Once they get the hang of letting their thoughts flow, most students really enjoy the exercise. Topics for Easter How do you celebrate Easter with your family? Describe what you eat, what you wear, and where you go. Who celebrates Easter with you?What is your favorite Easter book? Describe the story and explain why you like it best.Do you have an Easter tradition with your family or a friend? Describe it. How did it start?How has Easter changed from when you were really little to  now?I love Easter because†¦ Explain what you love about the Easter holiday.How do you decorate your Easter eggs? Describe the colors you use, how you dye them, and what the finished eggs look like.I once got a magic Easter egg†¦ Start a story with this sentence and write about what happened when you received the magic egg.At the perfect  Easter dinner, I would eat... Start a story with this sentence and write about the food you would eat at your perfect Easter dinner. Dont forget dessert!Imagine that the Easter bunny ran out of chocolate and candy before Easter ended. Describe what happened. Did someone c ome along and save the day? Write a letter to the Easter bunny. Ask him questions about where he lives and what he likes most about Easter. Tell him how you celebrate the holiday.

Brooklyn Bridge Construction and History

Brooklyn Bridge Construction and History Of all the engineering advances in the 1800s, the Brooklyn Bridge stands out as perhaps the most famous and most remarkable. It took more than a decade to build, cost the life of its designer, and was constantly criticized by skeptics who predicted the entire structure was going to collapse into New Yorks East River. When it opened on May 24, 1883, the world took notice and the entire U.S. celebrated. The great bridge, with its majestic stone towers and graceful steel cables, isnt just a beautiful New York City landmark. Its also a very dependable route for many thousands of daily commuters. John Roebling and His Son Washington John Roebling, an immigrant from Germany, did not invent the suspension bridge, but his work building bridges in America made him the most prominent bridge builder in the U.S. in the mid-1800s. His bridges over the Allegheny River at Pittsburgh (completed in 1860) and over the Ohio River at Cincinnati (completed 1867) were considered remarkable achievements. Roebling began dreaming of spanning the East River between New York and Brooklyn (which were then two separate cities) as early as 1857 when he drew designs for enormous towers that would hold the bridges cables. The Civil War put any such plans on hold, but in 1867 the New York State legislature chartered a company to build a bridge across the East River. Roebling was chosen as its chief engineer. Just as work was beginning on the bridge in the summer of 1869, tragedy struck. John Roebling severely injured his foot in a freak accident as he was surveying the spot where the Brooklyn tower would be built. He died of lockjaw not long after, and his son Washington Roebling, who had distinguished himself as a Union officer in the Civil War, became chief engineer of the bridge project. Challenges Met by the Brooklyn Bridge Talk of somehow bridging the East River began as early as 1800, when large bridges were essentially dreams. The advantages of having a convenient link between the two growing cities of New York and Brooklyn were obvious. But the idea was thought to be impossible because of the width of the waterway, which, despite its name, wasn’t really a river. The East River is actually a saltwater estuary, prone to turbulence and tidal conditions. Further complicating matters was the fact that the East River was one of the busiest waterways on earth, with hundreds of crafts of all sizes sailing on it at any time. Any bridge spanning the water would have to allow for ships to pass beneath it, meaning a very high suspension bridge was the only practical solution. And the bridge would have to be the largest bridge ever built, nearly twice the length of the famed Menai Suspension Bridge, which had heralded the age of great suspension bridges when it opened in 1826. Pioneering Efforts of the Brooklyn Bridge Perhaps the greatest innovation dictated by John Roebling was the use of steel in the construction of the bridge. Earlier suspension bridges had been built of iron, but steel would make the Brooklyn Bridge much stronger. To dig the foundations for the bridge’s enormous stone towers, caissons- enormous wooden boxes with no bottoms- were sunk in the river. Compressed air was pumped into them, and men inside would dig away at the sand and rock on the river bottom. The stone towers were built atop the caissons, which sank deeper into the river bottom.Caisson work was extremely difficult, and the men doing it, called â€Å"sandhogs,† took great risks. Washington Roebling, who went into the caisson to oversee work, was involved in an accident and never fully recovered. An invalid after the accident, Roebling stayed in his house in Brooklyn Heights. His wife Emily, who trained herself as an engineer, would take his instructions to the bridge site every day. Rumors thus abounded that a woman was secretly the chief engineer of the bridge. Years of Construction and Rising Costs After the caissons had been sunk to the river bottom, they were filled with concrete, and the construction of the stone towers continued above. When the towers reached their ultimate height, 278 feet above high water, work began on the four enormous cables that would support the roadway. Spinning the cables between the towers began in the summer of 1877, and was finished a year and four months later. But it would take nearly another five years to suspend the roadway from the cables and have the bridge ready for traffic. The building of the bridge was always controversial, and not just because skeptics thought Roebling’s design was unsafe. There were stories of political payoffs and corruption, rumors of carpet bags stuffed with cash being given to characters like  Boss Tweed, the leader of the political machine known as Tammany Hall. In one famous case, a manufacturer of wire rope sold inferior material to the bridge company. The shady contractor, J. Lloyd Haigh, escaped prosecution. But the bad wire he sold is still in the bridge, as it couldn’t be removed once it was worked into the cables. Washington Roebling compensated for its presence, ensuring the inferior material wouldn’t affect the strength of the bridge. By the time it was finished in 1883, the bridge had cost about $15 million, more than twice what John Roebling had originally estimated. While no official figures were kept on how many men died building the bridge, it has been reasonably estimated that about 20 to 30 men perished in various accidents. The Grand Opening The grand opening for the bridge was held on May 24, 1883. Some Irish residents of New York took offense as the day happened to be the birthday of Queen Victoria, but most of the city turned out to celebrate. President Chester A. Arthur came to New York City for the event, and led a group of dignitaries who walked across the bridge. Military bands played, and cannons in the Brooklyn Navy Yard sounded salutes. A number of speakers lauded the bridge, calling it a Wonder of Science and lauding its anticipated contribution to commerce. The bridge became an instant symbol of the age. Its early years are the stuff of both tragedy and legend, and today, nearly 150 years since its completion, the bridge functions every day as a vital route for New York commuters. And while the roadway structures have been changed to accommodate automobiles, the pedestrian walkway is still a popular attraction for strollers, sightseers, and tourists.

Skill Application Evaluation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Skill Application Evaluation - Essay Example The texts and phone calls always lead to disagreements with her. The messages have no significant meanings. Besides, anytime I humbly pass my positive intentions to her through the phone, I only receive negative odds; she misinterprets the intentions since she thinks that I am furious. I have chosen the activity to build a relationship by communicating supportively with my elder sister in order to heal our family relationship. I feel unreal associating positively with friends rather than my sister who is a family member. I am aware she does not intend to do anything to harm me. I am dedicated to give Kerry, my sister, a chance in my life. In addition, I intend to offer her an opportunity to be a sister who can listen and reason with me. Whenever our parents speak, they support and encourage us to be friends and solve our differences amicably. Consequently, our parents silence us to find lasting peace for us. Therefore, the activity I chose for building relationships by communicating supportively and engaging in supportive communication as problem-oriented and not person-oriented, assisted my sister and me, into knowing each other’s character and learning from one another. This skill application in problem solving has assisted me in gaining and learning human differences in terms of character and, hence building my relationships through effective supportive communication. When solving disagreements an individual experiences various problems. In settling conflicts between my sister and I, I experienced challenges from developments of different characters displayed by my sister, since most of the communication between my sister and I, were commanded and dictatorial. One of the characters was my sisters raised voice during the discussion period. Moreover, Life at home was unbearable between my elder sister and i. There were many miss-understandings on how we associate and interact daily. My daily experiences with her concentrated on arguments and