The Battles of Lexington and Concord Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Battles of Lexington and Concord - Essay Example oiling conflict between the British and the colonists which stemmed from the determination of George III and the British Parliament to make the colonies pay the tea tax and force them to abide by the coercive regulations that followed the Tea Party. General Gage, the military governor of Massachusetts, was ordered to enforce the tax laws. His first move was to send troops, led by Lieutenant Colonel Francis Smith and Major John Pitcairn, to Concord to seize stores of arms from which the rapidly forming companies of militia were being supplied. On the night April 18, the British started from Boston. Three colonists known as the riders became pivotal in the colonists answer to this move. Paul Revere and William Dawes, riding by different routes, warned Hancock and Adams of their arrest and aroused the whole countryside along the fifteen miles to Lexington. The third rider, Dr. Samuel Prescott, got the warning to Concord so that when the British arrived, the colonials were ready and expecting them. By April 19, the colonials were ready and they were led by Captain John Parker. The Triangular town common at Lexington was where the British encountered the colonials. Both of the military leaders have ordered their men not fire unless fired upon. Captain Pitcairn, who was leading the assault, declared: â€Å"Ye villains, ye rebels disperse! Lay down your arms!† (Uschan 2003, p. 28) The heavily outnumbered rebels started to leave when, suddenly, a shot was fired. No one know who fired first but after the shot hundreds the firefight began. There were eight dead rebels in the wake of the British army which started for Concorde. At Concord, the people of the town had been busy hiding the Patriots store of arms and ammunition when the British arrived. They set fire to some wooden houses believed to have housed cannons and firearms. By this time, the countryside was swarming with colonial militia and they were angry. (Cook, Perry and Ward, p. 217) From Concord to back to

The Theory Of The Unitary Executive Essay Example for Free

The Theory Of The Unitary Executive Essay The theory of the ‘unitary executive’ posits that the constitution vests all executive power in the executive. Thus it is a breach of the constitution for other arms of the executive to try and limit the powers of the president in his execution of his duties. Attempts by Congress to limit the ability of the president to prosecute the war on terror should be seen in this light. President Bush established the Department of Home land Security in the aftermath of the 9/11 bombings and most of the executive orders he has made since then have taken advantage of this theory. He has been able to consolidate a lot of power in the executive and is at the risk of becoming a dictator. In the process of establishing security safeguards the, executive has trampled on the rights of the citizens. The executive has appended signing statements to a number of bills that congress has passed that in essence would have limited his authority. An example of this is the bill H. R. 986, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 , which the president signed a statement saying that he will construe the provisions on the law in accordance with the theory of the unitary executive. This in effect circumvents any limitation the bill placed on his administration spending funds on national security. Cheney’s law shows how the vice president was instrumental in helping the executive to amass more powers by using the constitutional tools at his disposal. By invoking the principle of the unitary executive, the president was able to have his way on such blatant violations of the constitution like the torture and detention of prisoners of war on Guantanamo Bay. Wiretapping of people’s phones without a judge’s warrant was allowed on the basis of mere suspicion that one was a member of a terrorist organization. The sweeping powers given to the department of Homeland Security made it possible for any suspect to be picked up, tortured and detained all in the name of maintaining security and winning the war of terror. Cheney and David Addington interpreted the law in their own way so as to fulfill their objectives. They had the audacity to present the view that the president had the authority to ignore international agreements like the Geneva Convention because the constitution of the US allowed him to. This buildup in presidential powers was not without controversy and many people in the Justice Department disagreed with the assertions made by Cheney and his advisors. The illegality of the actions being taken was tantamount to usurping the constitution and overturning international law. Under normal circumstances there should have been an investigation into the president’s conduct but because the administration intimidated people citing the 9/11 terrorist attacks, few people stood up to challenge the blatant misuse of presidential powers. Taking advantage of Ashcroft’s illness, the White House appointed its point man, Gonzales, to the post of attorney general. He quickly overruled any objection his office had concerning the extrajudicial measures that Bush had put into place to fight the war on terror. This action will frustrate the prosecution of individuals who may have committed crimes in the name of unitary executive mandate. I believe that the new administration should repeal a number of the executive orders made by Bush concerning the war on terror and a commission be appointed to look into the excesses committed by fronting presidential powers that do not explicitly exist under the constitution.

Picturebook Analysis Essay

Picturebook Analysis Essay Picturebooks are often labelled as easy books with simple illustrations, large fonts, few words, and produced exclusively for children. Indeed, the Randolph Caldecott Medal committee definition states: A picture book for children is one for which children are an intended potential audience (ALA). Picturebooks may masquerade as easy texts, but their child friendly appearance masks the intricacies that they often contain. Contemporary picture books have become more sophisticated, encourage multiple readings, and may deal with complex issues. Today they are often written for two sets of readers with two levels of meaning: one for younger readers and one for older readers. The question of audience is one this essay will address, considering ways in which childrens picturebooks may appeal to adults, with the primary focus on contemporary texts. In the framework of this essay, the word picturebook is defined as a book that uses both text and illustration to create meaning as opposed to an illustrated book where the pictures may enhance the book but add nothing to the story. In the picturebook neither the illustrations nor the text can stand alone, requiring an integral relationship between picture and word, the interplay between the two being essential to the whole (Moebius, p. 312). The modern picturebook is a vibrant and sophisticated art form, which invites engagement and examination. One striking example of an outstanding visual text is writer-illustrator Shaun Tans The Lost Thing (2000). The design of the book cleverly and successfully integrates the text into the illustrations so that the two work as one. Each full page (no white space), has a collaged background of technical specifications, scientific diagrams and formulae. Layered on top of these are the pictures and words that tell the story of the lost thing, a red bio-mechanical creature found on the beach by a boy, who then takes on the responsibility of finding it a home. The narrative, reminiscent of a lost dog story, is likely to appeal to the young child, although there is no happy ending as such. Equally, the sarcastic and humorous expressions may strike a chord with the older reader, and is just one way in which the book is able to crossover between the child and the adult audience. Another way is through Tans detailed illustrations; his industrial and urban landscapes, suggestive of a retro-futuristic metropolis, are open to multiple readings and interpretations. For the older reader, the value and appeal is the opportunity to deconstruct the imagery, analyse the visual and symbolic codes, and appreciate the intertextuality. Tan mentions how readers of The Lost Thing often notice [his] parodies of famous paintings by artists like Edward Hopper and Jeffrey Smart, or slight references to the medieval artist Hieronymus Bosch and Spanish Surrealists. Visual intertextuality is a common device in childrens picturebooks and one way in which it reaches out to an adult audience. Jonathan Jones, writing in the Guardian newspaper in 2008, for example suggests that Sendaks monsters in Where the Wild Things Are resemble the minotaur in Pablo Picassos 1937 print Minotauromachy and Beatrix Potters art has been linked to that of the artist John Everett Millais. Intertextuality is also an underlying premise of Anthony Brownes work whose illustrations reference the paintings of the surrealist artist Rene Magritte. Browne is open about how his work includes pictorial references saying: I do use, in the backgrounds, famous works of art which, in some way, comment on the story in some way tell us something about somebodys state of mind or whats happening beneath the story, beneath the words. Browne is noted for creating visual metaphors and layered meanings in unusual and ironic ways, incorporating hidden jokes and objects within the images. Critic Sandra Beckett suggests that the parodying of artworks by illustrators is one of the reasons that picturebooks appeal to adult readers, stating: Browne certainly seems to poke fun at high art in Voices in the Park, where the two paintings displayed for sale in a garbage-littered street beside a panhandling Santa with the sign Wife and millions of kids to support are the Mona Lisa and a very sad-looking Laughing Cavalier (Bec kett, 2001). For those who are familiar with the originals, this adds intertextual meaning. But enjoyment of intertextual references depends on the reader recognising cultural allusions. Full appreciation of visual and verbal puns requires prior knowledge from the reader. Intertextuality assumes a knowing, or ideal audience. Browne however, says What I wouldnt like to do is to share some sort of conspiratorial wink with the adult reader with the parent or teacher over the childs head. Nevertheless, much of the humour, allusions, and subtleties in Brownes books may be beyond the understanding of young children. Other picturebooks break with the traditional convention of juxtaposing text alongside illustration, which has not only guided the way readers read, but also their understanding of the relationship between words and images. Examples of ironic discrepancy between text and pictures can be found in Jon Scieszkas and Lane Smiths The Stinky Cheeseman and Other Fairly Stupid Tales (1992) and David Weisners The Three Pigs (2001), which bend the traditional fairy tale into a new shape. The size and positioning of the text, the way the words relate to the characters, the change in their function, and the fact that characters speak about the words and the layout, all become part of the meaning. In the conventional childrens picturebook readers know what to expect and how to receive it, but postmodern books such as these break the rules and question the readers usual expectations about their form and nature. Bette Goldstone in her essay Postmodern Experiments discusses how the spatial dimension s in postmodern texts have been reconceptualised to allow for movement and interactions never before seen in picturebooks which present startling new ways to read and view a page (Goldstone, p. 322 323). In The Three Pigs the old story of The Three Little Pigs is pieced together in new ways, and as Goldstone explains, explores the space beyond the conventional margins of storytelling. The focus is consistently visual as characters break through the picture plane to rearrange the words and manipulate the story which allows the reader/viewer to witness the construction of the story, and permits a non-linear reading of the text (Goldstone, p. 326). Readers must be alert to the changing nature of the way that word and image interact on the page, switching from one mode to the other. Weisners parodying of the conventions of narrative literature is possibly one of the most appealing aspects for adults. The interplay of the textual and the pictorial lies at the heart of the picturebook, a relationship that is being continually challenged and re-worked in the modern text. One innovative example is David Macaulays Black and White (1990). Four separate stories, which may or may not be connected, are presented in a four panel format. Macaulay employs multiple art styles and techniques as well as unusual perspectives and variable viewpoints. Words and images work together to bring story telling to new levels; sometimes the words help explain the illustration, and sometimes they contradict the illustration. Readers are encouraged to navigate the stories and draw connections between seemingly unrelated things. Irony, humour and playful deception are running themes in what is a multidimensional, nonlinear story. This book not only looks different but must also be read differently. Readers must work to resolve the conflict between what they see and what they read. This is not so much a book just to be read, as one that invites an interactive experience. Goldstone argues that by involving and challenging the reader in this way their reading experience is enhanced and intensified. For adults, this contravention of the conventional childrens picturebook may be the intriguing aspect, and one they are happy to delve into. With so many viewpoints, details, and features the modern hybrid book certainly suggests a practised reader, one who is able to use their experience of conventional story structure and sequencing to negotiate these non-linear and sometimes confusing texts. But they also imply a reader who accepts and celebrates the changing landscape of the modern picturebook, be it the adult or child. Picturebooks represent a unique literary form for learning and discovery, and for the adult can open up new ways of reading childrens literature. Although picturebooks are primarily aimed at the child, the text and illustrations, concepts and issues may be more relevant (and important) to older readers, whether the author-illustrator intends it or not. The contemporary picturebook is a sophisticated and multifaceted production which can be recognised and appreciated for its artwork, and the synthesis of text and illustrations. While the quirky postmodern text may not be considered quality literature, it is nevertheless thought provoking and invites engagement, making it an ideal medium for the adult as well as the child. In the debate over what constitutes childrens literature, the texts discussed in this essay are just a few examples where picturebooks written for children may appeal equally to adults, and where illustrated does not necessarily mean belonging exclusively to children . Picturebooks can cross all genres and be enjoyed by people of all ages.

Dubaya :: Essays Papers

Dubaya He brought his father's sterling name, degrees from Yale and Harvard, some $13,000 left in his trust fund, and his strongest personal asset — an exuberant charm spiked with wisecracks. Bush never found much oil in Texas, but he slowly found his way. He married and fathered twin girls, quit drinking, began studying Scripture, and made his an unsuccessful foray into the family business by running for Congress. He learned to court friends and political supporters of his father, the vice president. And he hooked up with the oil investors who would eventually help him become managing partner of the Texas Rangers baseball team. Bush used the Rangers post to cultivate celebrity status and prepare for a gutsy, winning challenge to Democratic Gov. Ann Richards in 1994. The Rangers deal also made him a multimillionaire. George Walker Bush was born July 6, 1946 in New Haven, Conn., where his father, already a flying hero of World War II, was charging through Yale. When he was 2, his parents moved West to chase the oil boom. But young George also endured great sorrow at age 7, when his little sister Robin died of leukemia. The next child, now Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, was seven years younger. Three others followed: Neil, stung by the S&L scandal of the 1980s and now a business consultant; Marvin, a venture capitalist; and Doro, wife of a Washington lobbyist and mother of four. None seems to have felt the weight of their father's successes as much as the eldest, often called ``Junior'' although he's one name short of George Herbert Walker Bush. He followed his father's path to prep school in Andover, Mass., and then Yale, but failed to live up to his legacy in academics or sports. Instead, he's remembered at Andover for organizing stickball tournaments and lavish pep rallies that brightened an otherwise rigid campus. At Yale, like his father, he was tapped for the secret Skull and Bones society and became president of Delta Kappa Epsilon. Fraternity brothers remember him as ``the life of the party'' among a group preoccupied by beer, sports, soul music and, of course, girls. Friends say Bush avoided the nascent Vietnam War protests at Yale and didn't brook criticism of his father, then a Texas congressman supporting the war. Shortly before graduation in 1968, Bush signed up for pilot training in the Texas Air National Guard, where it was unlikely he would be sent to Vietnam.

Imprisonment became widespread in the United States Essay

The United States has a big prison population because laws were designed to stop drug traffickers caught small-time dealers. Crime is defined as an act that the law makes punishable and it’s often called an offense. A form of punishment would be incarceration. Incarceration action is the act of placing someone in prison. It serves as a form of punishment for criminals due to their actions towards the law. They take their freedom. As the United States incarceration rate continues to increase more people are locked behind bars. They are constantly being watched over with no privacy. Imprisonment as a form of criminal punishment only became widespread in the United States just before the American Revolution. America has around 5% of the world’s population and 25% are prisoners. Since 1980, the number of increased citizens in the United States has more than quadrupled. More than out of a 100 citizens are locked behind bars and because of This America is known for having the largest prison population in the world. The first prisons in the independent United States were established as †penitentiaries† to represent their prisoners as religious † penitents,† serving time for their sins. Early penitentiaries gained national and international attention for their high goals of perfecting society through incarceration. However, they soon became as overcrowded. This past July in the speech to the NAACP, President Obama stated that the real reason why the U.S prison population is so high is that over the last decade they have locked up more no nviolent drug offenders than ever before. Guns, violent crimes, and punishments are pressing issues in the United States. The relationship between these three issues is that they are all debatable and provoke the proper role of guns in American society. In state courts in the mid-1990’s the average year’s sentence to a gun, offenders average up to four years. They are punished in many different ways once they are initially arrested. By the late 19th Century, outrage over prison conditions led to the †reformatory† movement, which attempted to redefine prison’s role as that of † reforming† inmates into model citizens, by providing education, work, and counseling. Rehabilitation is the act of restoring something to its original state. The goal of rehabilitation is to help people learn how to care for a body that How works differently, maintain a high level of health and restore oneself. The rehabilitation of offenders is a key feature of the modern UK system. Rehab is the only place where patients receive the proper treatment for their mental illness that causes or contributes to their addiction. Some people may feel that if you commit a crime you must be punished but rehabilitates might disagree. The rehabilitation conveys a message that the state has an obligation to help those who fall short of the standards. Psychologically we don’t know what individuals may be going through. Not giving them a free pass and saying their right but different actions can be taken into consideration. For example, rehab is a way to help individuals to not go back and do the same thing. Depending on the type of crime committed, the convicted may get the c hoice to have a plea bargain. Retribution is a punishment inflicted on someone as vengeance for a wrong or criminal act. The purpose of retribution is active to injure criminal offenders. Retribution is at the heart of just about all judicial systems that deal with law and order. One example of retribution would be if you kill someone you will get a death penalty for it. Some people may feel that is should not be helpful and that it should treat the offending conduct as wrong. They also feel that punishing them is the best way to deal with them. Crime is the result of choices made by the individual. Retributivism recognizes the offender status by asking that they take responsibility for what they have done rather than making excuses for it. Retributivism also pushes that more serious crimes should be punished more seriously. Many people would look at retributivism as â€Å" an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth† situation. However, they just strongly believe that if you commit a crime or do wrong you must pay the consequences. Regardless if one situation is more serious than the other. In my opinion, I feel that if someone violated the law they should be dealt with accordingly. The first thing someone would think of when they do something wrong is that they are going to jail. However, that is not the only problem. I feel that race has a lot to do with it as well. This is why crime and incarceration are so big in the united states.

Why the United States Joined the Space Race

In 1957 Russia set the bar in technological advances against the United States when for the time ever in history Russia sent a spacecraft into orbit. While the Cold War dwindled down and the space race took off the United States felt the pressure. The space race demonstrated the precedence for the United States to take charge against the communist Russia. So with this the United States joined the race to space with President Kennedy pushing is at full force. Kennedy sought out an inspirational goal that would surely motivate the country.The fear that the Soviet Union could launch a missile from anywhere in the world gave Kennedy all the support he needed to join the race. Section I explains why the United States joined the space race using the realism theory; Section II details how the individual level of analysis brought America into space using the realism theory; Section III will qualify the decision making-progress; Section IV will provide a closing to why the United States joine d the space race. Realist Theory on the Space Race The decision of the United States to join the space can be seen through the realist theory.The realism perspective views the nation-state as the most important actor on the world stage. Realist view world politics as an endless repetitive, struggle for power much like the relationship shared between the United States and Russia. After the failure at the Bay of Pigs in Cuba â€Å"Kennedy wanted to link his administration to the dream of reaching the stars. †1 The United States feared that the communist Russia would soon be, if not already, advancing past America not only in technology but also in missilery. Such advances brought â€Å"fear of domestic spying† which â€Å"became a powerful force in the American life in the postwar era. 2 These fears represent the realist perspective as America and Russia struggle for power in the desire to take the world stage. With both country’s uncertainty of the others intent ions the race developed into a constant struggle for a lead as a new decade began. After the launch and safe return of Sputnik I â€Å"the Russians were hailed as leaders of world technology†¦ the initiative had been snatched from America, and the for the first time U. S. leaders were shocked to learn the conquest of outer space was not to be a one-country affair. 3 As a result it became â€Å"increasily important for the United States to salvage whatever pride and prestige it could by placing a satellite into orbit as soon as possible. †4 The realist perspective of the space race instilled a fearsome implication, â€Å"the nation that dominated space could dominate the Earth. †5 Feeling the threat of Russian as they advanced in technology, missilery and international prestige the United States demonstrated the realist theory as they to developed as a nation in order to exceed Russia Individual Level of Analysis in the Space RaceAs the Soviet Union continued to h old the stage in the space race, President Kennedy developed a plan that would surely win the race. President Kennedy asked, â€Å"How can we catch up? There is nothing more important. †6 With these questions in the air Kennedy sought out an inspirational goal to rally the country. On May 25, 1961 Kennedy announced â€Å"the nation’s intention to place a man on the moon before the end of the decade. †7 His plans disagreed with scientist who felt that adding a human to the spacecraft â€Å"was foolish† as it â€Å"diverted money from more important scientific projects in order to carry out what they regarded as a public stunt. 8 Such behavior demonstrated by Kennedy represents the individual level of analysis. The individual level of analysis refers to the personality traits, experiences, and behavior of those responsible for decision-making. President Kennedy felt it necessary to send a human to the moon in order for the â€Å"nation to take a clearly l eading role in space achievement, which in many ways may hold the key to our future on Earth. †9 For such reason the individual level of analysis supports the realist theory to explain why the United States joined in the space race.Kennedy’s desire to implement the importance of his ideas on the country was done so in the hopes that the United States would be able to surpass Russia and take the led on the world stage once again. The individual level of analysis balances with the realist theory because Kennedy’s goal of a â€Å"manned lunar journey was a goal dramatic enough to capture the world’s attention† eventually leading the United States to end the race, because in July 20, 1961 the first manned mission to the moon was a success. 0 Qualifying the Decision Making-Progress The decision for the United States to join the space race can be seen through the individual level of analysis and the realist theory. The space race put the United States in â€Å"a aggressive position in the race with the Soviets for space dominance. †11 The idea of the liberal theory and constructivist theory do not play a role in the race to space because both countries are not obtaining a mutual gain nor are there any outside organization playing a role in the race to space.It instead reflects the realist theory as the United States attempts to weaken Russian’s place on the work stage by obtaining a new worldwide prestige. The idea of state or systemic level of analysis both feature qualities not demonstrated in the space race. Although the space race can be represented by similar characteristics of the state level of analysis the influences of the Individual level weighs more on the outcome of decisions being made. President Kennedy was committed to supporting a more robust space program than his predecessor, thereby allowing him greater influence over the space mission. 2 His involvement and influential decisions makes the idea of in dividual level of analysis more favorable. Conclusion of the United States Decision to join the Space Race With Russia taking the lead on the world stage in missilery, technology, and prestige, the United States began to develop a new way to compete with the communist country. While the Russians had the upper hand in the race to space President Kennedy came up with an idea that would surely inspire the country and gain back their place on the world stage.With this the United State now had the challenge to place a man on the moon by the end of the decade. The plan demonstrated to Russia that United States was still in the lead as superpower nation. The epic battle between the America and Soviet Union the brought about new fears and development in the use of missiles. By looking at the realist theory and the individual level of analysis the decision to join the space race developed through strong motivations by president Kennedy who wanted the nation to remain at the top of the world stage.Bibliography Cadbury, Deborah. Space Race: the Epic Battle between America and the Soviet Union for Dominion of Space. New York: HarperCollins, 2006. Print. Hardesty, Von, and Gene Eisman. Epic Rivalry: the inside Story of the Soviet and American Space Race. Washington, D. C. : National Geographic, 2007. Print. Taylor, L. B. Lift Off! : the Story of America's Spaceport. New York: E. P. Dutton, 1968. Print. Watts, Franklin. U. S. and Soviet Space Program. USA: David E. Newton, 1988. Print. â€Å"The Decision to Go to the Moon. † Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI). Web. 26 Oct. 2010. .