Biography of Francisco de Miranda, Venezuelan Leader

Biography of Francisco de Miranda, Venezuelan Leader Sebastian Francisco de Miranda (March 28, 1750–July 14, 1816) was a Venezuelan patriot, general, and traveler considered the Precursor to Simon Bolivars Liberator. A dashing, romantic figure, Miranda led one of the most fascinating lives in history. A friend of Americans such as James Madison and Thomas Jefferson, he also served as a General in the French Revolution and was the lover of Catherine the Great of Russia. Although he did not live to see South America freed from Spanish rule, his contribution to the cause was considerable. Fast Facts: Francisco de Miranda Known For: Venezuelan patriot and world adventurer, revolutionary, dictator, and colleague of Simà ³n Bolà ­varBorn: March 28, 1750 in Caracas, VenezuelaParents: Sebastin de Mirando Ravelo and Francisca Antonia Rodrà ­guez de EspinosaDied: July 14,1816 in a Spanish prison outside CadizEducation: Academy of Santa Rosa, Royal and Pontifical University of CaracasSpouse: Sarah AndrewsChildren: Leandro, Francisco Early Life Francisco de Miranda (Sebastin Francisco de Miranda y Rodrà ­guez de Espinoza) was born on March 28, 1750, into the upper class of Caracas in present-day Venezuela. His father Sebastin de Mirando Ravelo was an immigrant to Caracas from the Canary Islands who set up several businesses, including a textile factory and a bakery. There he met and married Francisca Antonia Rodrà ­guez de Espinosa, who came from a wealthy Creole family. Francisco had everything he could ask for  and received a first-rate education, first from Jesuit priests and later at the Academy of Santa Rosa. In 1762, he enrolled in the Royal and Pontifical University of Caracas and did formal study in rhetoric, math, Latin, and Catholic catechism. During his youth, Francisco was in an uncomfortable position: because he was born in Venezuela, he was not accepted by the Spaniards and those children born in Spain. Creoles, however, were unkind to him because they envied the great wealth of his family. This snubbing from both sides left an impression on Francisco that would never fade. In the Spanish Military In 1772, Miranda joined the Spanish army and was commissioned as an officer. His rudeness and arrogance displeased many of his superiors and comrades, but he soon proved an able commander. He fought in Morocco, where he distinguished himself by leading a daring raid to spike enemy cannons. Later, he fought against the British in Florida and even helped send assistance to George Washington before the Battle of Yorktown. Although he proved himself time and again, he made powerful enemies, and in 1783 he narrowly escaped prison time over a trumped-up charge of selling black-market goods. He decided to go to London and petition the King of Spain from exile. Adventures in North America, Europe, and Asia He passed through the United States en route to London  and met many U.S. dignitaries, such as George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, and Thomas Paine. Revolutionary ideas began to take hold in his keen mind, and Spanish agents watched him closely in London. His petitions to the King of Spain went unanswered. He traveled around Europe, stopping in Prussia, Germany, Austria, and many other places before entering Russia. A handsome, charming man, he had torrid affairs everywhere he went, including with Catherine the Great  of Russia. Back in London in 1789, he began to try to get British support for an independence movement in South America. The French Revolution Miranda found a great deal of verbal support for his ideas, but nothing in the way of tangible aid. He crossed to France, seeking to confer with the leaders of the French Revolution about spreading the revolution to Spain. He was in Paris when the Prussians and Austrians invaded in 1792, and suddenly found himself being offered the rank of Marshal as well as a noble title to lead French forces against the invaders. He soon proved himself to be a brilliant general, defeating Austrian forces at the siege of Amberes. Although he was a superior general, he was nonetheless caught up in the paranoia and fear of The Terror of 1793-1794. He was arrested twice and twice avoided the guillotine through an impassioned defense of his actions. He was one of the very few men to come under suspicion and be exonerated. England, Marriage, and Big Plans In 1797 he left France, sneaking out while wearing a disguise, and returned to England, where his plans to liberate South America were once more met with enthusiasm but no concrete support. For all his successes, he had burned many bridges: he was wanted by the government of Spain, his life would be in danger in France, and he had alienated his continental and Russian friends by serving in the French Revolution. Help from Britain was often promised but never came through. He set himself up in style in  London  and hosted South American visitors, including young Bernardo OHiggins. While in London he met (and may have married) Sarah Andrews, the niece of portrait painter Stephen Hewson, who came from a rural Yorkshire family. They had two children, Leandro and Francisco. But he never forgot his plans of  liberation  and decided to try his luck in the United States. The 1806 Invasion He was warmly received by his friends in the United States. He met President Thomas Jefferson, who told him that the U.S. government would not support any invasion of Spanish America, but that private individuals were free to do so. Wealthy businessman Samuel Ogden agreed to finance an invasion. Three ships, the Leander,  Ambassador,  and Hindustan, were supplied, and 200 volunteers were taken from the streets of New York City for the venture. After some complications in the Caribbean and the addition of some British reinforcements, Miranda landed with some 500 men near Coro, Venezuela on August 1, 1806. They held the town of Coro for barely two weeks before word of the approach of a massive Spanish army caused them to abandon the town. Return to Venezuela Although  his 1806 invasion  had been a fiasco, events had taken on a life of their own in northern South America. Creole Patriots, led by  Simà ³n Bolà ­var  and other leaders like him, had declared provisional independence from Spain. Their actions were inspired by Napoleons invasion of Spain and detainment of the Spanish royal family. Miranda was invited to return and given a vote in the national assembly. In 1811, Miranda and Bolà ­var convinced their companions to formally declare independence outright, and the new nation even adopted the flag Miranda had used in his previous invasion. A combination of calamities doomed this government, known as the  First Venezuelan Republic. Arrest, Imprisonment, and Death By mid-1812, the young republic was staggering from royalist resistance and a devastating earthquake that had driven many over to the other side. In desperation, Republican leaders named Miranda Generalissimo, with absolute power over military decisions. This made him the first president of a breakaway Spanish republic in Latin America, although his rule did not last long. As the republic crumbled, Miranda made terms with Spanish commander Domingo Monteverde for an armistice. In the port of La Guaira, Miranda attempted to flee Venezuela before the arrival of royalist forces. Simon Bolivar and others, infuriated at Mirandas actions, arrested him and turned him over to the Spanish. Miranda was sent to a Spanish prison, where he remained until his death on July 14, 1816. Legacy Francisco de Miranda is a complicated historical figure. He was one of the greatest adventurers of all time, having escapades from Catherine the Greats bedroom to the American Revolution to escaping revolutionary France in a disguise. His life reads like a Hollywood movie script. Throughout his life, he was dedicated to the cause of South American independence and worked very hard to achieve that goal. Still, it is hard to determine how much he actually did to bring about the independence of his homeland. He left Venezuela at the age of 20 or so and traveled the world, but by the time he wanted to liberate his homeland 30 years later, his provincial countrymen had barely heard of him. His lone attempt at an invasion of liberation failed miserably. When he had the chance to lead his nation, he arranged a truce so repulsive to his fellow rebels that none other than Simon Bolivar himself handed him over to the Spanish. Mirandas contributions must be measured by another ruler. His extensive networking in Europe and the United States helped pave the way for South American independence. The leaders of these other nations, impressed as they all were by Miranda, occasionally supported South American independence movements- or at least did not oppose them. Spain would be on its own if it wanted to keep its colonies. Most telling, perhaps, is Mirandas place in the hearts of South Americans. He is named the Precursor of independence, while Simon Bolivar is the Liberator. Sort of like a John the Baptist to Bolivars Jesus, Miranda prepared the world for the delivery and liberation that was to come. South Americans today have great respect for Miranda: he has an elaborate tomb in the National Pantheon of Venezuela despite the fact that he was buried in a Spanish mass grave and his remains were never identified. Even Bolivar, the greatest hero of South American independence, is despised for turning Miranda over to the Spanish. Some consider it the most questionable moral action the Liberator undertook. Sources Harvey, Robert.  Liberators: Latin Americas Struggle for Independence  Woodstock: The Overlook Press, 2000.Racine, Karen. Francisco de Miranda: A Transatlantic Life in the Age of Revolution. Wilmington, Deleware: SR Books, 2003.

TV Series Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

TV Series - Research Paper Example However, these days, there are various services that would allow that individual to watch any episodes they missed, including the DVR. The DVR allows individuals to record a program, which they can watch at a later time. The availability to services like Netflix, Hulu Plus and Amazon which provide similar features, also contribute to this lack of urgency. In a brief description, a television program is a segment of content intended for broadcast on television; the United States uses an audience measurement system developed by the Nielsen Company, in an effort to determine the size of the audience and the arrangement of television programming. This decline in television ratings affects the life span of the shows themselves. I always pondered the question of how a TV show makes money, and then I read an article about TV Commercials which are a span of television programming produced and paid for by an organization, which conveys a message, usually to advertise a product or service. From what I understood companies look at TV ratings to see if they have something to gain from advertising within the specific TV program. This research is worth a lot of money. Advertising companies pay to air their advertisements on TV programs using the information interpreted from Nielsens figures. Network executives also use Nielsens figures to see if scheduling decisions are paying off or not. Just because a show has millions of viewers don’t always mean that it is successful, it may make it popular to certain crowds but in order to be a financial success it needs to be above the network average and stable. Thats why some shows with a steadfast fan base still get canceled (How TV ratings work). In 2011 Comcast, the No. 1 cable company has launched their on-demand podium Xfinity TV on Demand, in an effort to compete against DirecTV and Netflix making Comcast the only pay TV provider to offer recent episodes from existing shows from all the

The Effects of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder on Vietnam War Soldiers Essay

The Effects of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder on Vietnam War Soldiers - Essay Example exposure to a traumatic event, and is re-experiencing that traumatic event; also showing or exhibiting signs of avoidance to certain stimuli, an increased arousal in particular situations, and presenting with symptoms which are present for more than 1 month, of which there is clinical significance with a diagnosis of functional distress or impairment (Jenkins 2003, pg. 10). Vietnam Veterans have suffered for years with this disorder but there was a time where they suffered in isolation and received barely any recognition from the medical world with regard to having a legitimate mental illness and needing help (Beall 1997, pg. 917). Now however, in current day there is obvious attention to this type of mental disturbance and soldiers who have gone and not received therapy in the past are now getting significant amounts of quality care in order to try and bring back some sense of decency and good in their lives. There is still a lot of study that needs to be given to this mental illness but many questions have been solved through much of the research in the past and present that has been carried out. The history of PTSD was initially identified during the Viet-Nam era although instances of it existed before then. Both American soldiers and Vietnamese soldiers suffered and do still suffer with PTSD in their lives. Not only were the soldiers affected mentally by the brutality of the war but an estimated 50% of Vietnamese families, including children have been defined as showing signs of PTSD throughout the years, especially during the Viet-Nam War period. Young (1995) states that those who were directly exposed to much of the fighting in Viet-Nam, either due to being a Vietnamese female in a village or a child, it is feasible to assume that they still suffer with involuntary symptoms of traumatic stress that is related to what transpired in Viet-Nam. For the American soldiers there have been many signs and noticeable warning symptoms of the onset of PTSD

Interaction with a Group of Students from UAE Assignment

Interaction with a Group of Students from UAE - Assignment Example Though the young guys from the UAE did respond, they seemed to be a bit hesitant and restrained. It appeared that something was holding them back. In retrospect, now that I have accrued a little cultural literacy, I think that being from UAE, which is a nation with a high Uncertainty Avoidance Index, my initiating a conversation in a spontaneous and abrupt manner made them feel a little ambiguous and anxious (Geert Hofstede 2). In consonance with a their cultural dimensions, our friends from the UAE must have been a little startled to be accosted by a group of young strangers, who were trying to interact with them as if they were long lost friends. However, as our interaction proceeded, things became a little more relaxed and comfortable. We learnt that the young people were students from a reputed business school located at Abu Dhabi and the two mature gentlemen accompanying them were their professors. We showed a great interest in knowing as to how they found the academic environment at Abu Dhabi, the subjects they liked and the careers they intended to pursue after finishing their degree in business. They warmly responded to our curiosity and proceeded to talk about the topics they found really interesting. In the meantime, my friend Steven, who was also pursuing an MBA, asked one of the professors about his opinion regarding an international business issue. The professor proceeded to talk about the issue with a smile. However, as he was talking, Steven interrupted him and candidly contradicted the gentleman regarding a specific aspect of the topic being discussed. Suddenly we felt that a foreboding sense of seriousness too k over the entire group from the UAE. The professors seemed a bit irked and disturbed. Today, I think, UAE being a country with a very high Power Distance Index, the instance of Steven discernibly contradicting a senior professor, must have seemed disrespectful to our Arab friends (Geert Hofstede 2).

Representations of Ageing in the Media

Representations of Ageing in the Media Ageing, Society and Policy Take two types of media and critically examine the dominant representations of later life, noting key points of similarity and difference. Age is an issue of mind over matter, if you dont mind, it doesnt matter (Laham, 2015: para. 19). This quote resonates well when discussing the mass media and its dominant representations of later life. Particularly, because The Mass Media have long been critiqued by researchers for often representing seniors in a negative light. The Mass Media tends to portray the old as unhealthy, ugly and badly dressed rather than showing positive portrayals as healthy, productive and attractive (Rozanova, 2010:214). The impact of the negative stereotyping can damage the self-concepts of the elderly and disrupt the socialisation of young people with respect to the elderly which contributes to ageism (Miller, Leyell Mazachek, 2004:315). The most dominant representations of ageing are repeated across the media over time and so are the values. Therefore, to identify which are most dominant we will critically examine the key similarities and differences of ageing within film and magazine advertisement s and to what extent these representations of ageing have shaped society. Next, I will be discussing how the media representations add pressure for seniors to age successfully by fighting the ageing process. Lastly, Ill be examining how the media represents the third and fourth age in films and adverts. (Kriebernegg Maierhofer, 2013:107) maintain that Social realities of age and ageing are not primarily based on biological facts but on social constructions of what it means to be and grow old. Positive ageing encourages those who are healthy and productive known as the young old who are actively ageing but isolates those who are ill and must deal with the realities of ageing. The negative concept of old age refers to images of them being dependent and frail (Kriebernegg Maierhofer, 2013). Through using the Cultivation theory, we can understand how content released by the mass media has the power to shape the minds of society and their opinions of the world regardless of the effects the negative representation of later life has on others (Vickers, 2007). Through defining the most dominant representations of ageing we can determine if age is an essential factor in establishing ones identity and how they are regarded by others (Hatch, 2005). Ageing has come to occupy such a central p osition within Postmodern culture because there Is more age about than ever before, more varied resources to shape its experiences. This suggests that the arrival of pop culture has shaped the experiences of how we view later life (Gilleard Higgs, 2000:10). The most dominant representations of old age fall into three classifications. Firstly Old age as a Human Decline whereby the old are stereotyped as always suffering from either physical or mental decline (Kriebernegg Maierhofer, 2013). This idea is further developed by identifying the old as having to rely on others and incapable of being in control of their own lives due to physical limitations. Additionally, they are subjected to exploitation by criminals, care homes and are viewed by others as a burden particularly by family members. In other words, this leads to the old being lonely and isolated by family and society. Examples of these representations can be found frequently in the media in the form of an ad or a character in a film (Rozanova, 2010). Age as a human decline is demonstrated by Lewis, Medvedev, Seponski (2011) via Fashion magazines which tend to be ageist and portray age negatively, especially when discussing physical limitations. For example, In Elle and Glamour magazine the focus of the advertisements is on youthfulness and anti-ageing methods mainly featuring younger models. This representation echoes a culture which favours youthfulness and competent individuals over those ageing naturally by using younger models and encouraging cosmetic surgery to delay the ageing process (ibid). Similarly, Being physically attractive counts much more in a womans life than in a mans, but beauty, identified, as it is for women, with youthfulness, does not stand up well to age (Sontag, 1972:31). In Film, a mans success is determined by power and authority, a womans is determined by looks, they are expected to adapt to societies requirements of appearing youthful to others to obtain particular roles on the big screen (Lauzen Dozi er, 2005). In this case, there are similarities within the representations of older women in Films and Ads as a human decline in regards to beauty. The second classification of old age is Old age as a New Beginning, this is viewed more positively and encourages active behaviour in later life. Old age is viewed as happy and satisfying. It comes in three forms, the old being independent and the director of their own lives and how fulfilling it becomes. Being able to adapt and keep up with societies changes mentally and physically whilst copying the behaviours of their children and grandchildren, and the association of old age with an eternal sexless love (Kriebernegg Maierhofer, 2013). This is a new way of ageing which is promoted as inspirational and positive, an active way of maintaining ones youth and ageing well (Ylà ¤nne, 2015). This representation of old age is prevalent in films with an older cast but can be difficult to identify in magazines which usually focus on cosmetics as a way of maintaining youth. Vogue magazine are aware of the changes in demographics and try to support the ageing process, particularly because the positive portrayal of old age is usually in ads which promote food and health and rarely in Fashion which society have become familiar with. Up until 2007 Vogue had never paid attention to the older demographic, until their ageless style issue was released which endorsed old age as a new beginning with their sell in lines Ageless style: the best pieces at any age How to grow fashionably. This attitude affirms societies aim to look younger and remove any signs of ageing (Twigg, 2010). Similarly, films which try to support old age as a new beginning the message occasionally gets lost. For example, in the movie RED (Retired, extremely dangerous), the focus is on a Bruce Willis and his team of ageing retired black ops operatives who are no longer living a fast-paced life. Although the messages support living an active lifestyle and having a zest for life where by retire ment shouldnt be the first choice, it suggests that to remain youthful you must imitate the behaviour of the young. The Postmodern Life Course supports this way of living where theres a shift from the dark days of ageing to a postmodern time where seniors are urged to dress like their children and grandchildren, to live a similar lifestyle and enjoy the benefits of pop culture (Estes, Biggs Phillipson, 2003). However, this is difficult for those who cant due to physical limitations, the focus shouldnt be on the inescapable horror of age but what ageing means for one may differ for another (Cox, 2012). Equally, The Intern another film with a mixed message about old age concentrates on Ben, a Retired executive who applies to a senior citizen intern program after retirement has become too boring for him and is eager to learn how to use technology. This displays old age as a consumer market whereby the old are independent, competitive and willing to learn (Dhar McKinney, 2015). Moreover, these qualities suggest that not all people distinguish themselves as old and dont expect anyone else to either, they enjoy being identified alongside the young and be integrated. This is seen in Films such as Meet the Fockers with Barbara Streisands who plays a sex therapist who teaches sex exercises to senior couples, this is a positive reinforcement of old age as a new beginning because it removes the dominant stereotype that senior partnerships are sexless (Gatling, 2013). Therefore, it can be said that we are living in a third age demonstrated by self-realization and consumption of the elderly ( Twigg, 2010). The Third age concept captures an economic and demographic shift describing the emergence of a cohort of relatively healthy and financially secure older people who were entering the age of personal achievement and fulfilment (Laslett, 1987:135). This concept has crawled into the advertising industry and suggests a period of liberation from old age whereby older people are used for the promotion of products and endorsements (Marshall Rahman, 2014). Old age is understood to be a consumer market with competitive seniors in the advertising industry. This representation of the third age is comparable with old age as a new beginning hence a dominant representation of old age. Publications such as: Yours and Saga magazine, endeavour to remove the negative stereotype of age and encourage a more active lifestyle via educational and inspirational advertisements endorsing a healthier and vigorous standard of living (Ylà ¤nne, 2015). An example which further illustrates this dominant represent ation of old age as a means of self-realisation is the movie: The Best Marigold Hotel. The story engages with a group of retired seniors who travel for a holiday to India and embark on a journey where later life isnt a disadvantage but a chance of fulfilment, financially or romantically. The film suppresses the fear of ageing for seniors and the youth and acts as a guide for enjoying old age (Cox, 2012). The concept of the Fourth Age unlike the Third age, focuses on the fear of ageing. The Fourth age embodies all the fears of old age: it brings fragility, helplessness and loss of autonomy. Especially because not being in control of your own ageing process can be daunting compared to the third age which promotes successful ageing as a personal choice. Instead the fourth age describes the disabled as them and questions if this illustrates the real process of ageing (Kafkovà ¡, 2016:23). This description of old the ageing process comes under the third classification of Old age as Superiority where the elderly are an inconvenience and later life is an ageing horror (Kriebernegg Maierhofer, 2013). However, advertisements promote health issues in a positive light using the third age concept Leisure-oriented exercise benefits older people, reducing both their morbidity and mortality (Gilleard Higgs, 2000:80). Rather than instilling fear in the minds of consumers, advertisers use seniors to sell health products and encourage older people to live an active lifestyle to age well and by use of autonomy they can postpone the fourth age (Ylà ¤nne, Williams Wadleigh, 2009). On the other hand, health in films are a dominant representation of old age as a human decline and horror. Old age is presented by considering the fourth age in relation to dementia Ageing and disability are commonly assumed to go hand in hand (Kriebernegg Maierhofer, 2013:57). This can be seen in the Simpsons film where Grandpa Simpson has trouble remembering the names of family members and confuses items such as the phone for an iron. These representations of Alzheimers and Dementia are usually inaccurate and fail to bring awareness to the issue. Although the representation may be comical, for children watching it leads them to identify the old as a nuisance and helpless (Alexander, 2015). In other words, the representation of health concerns as an ageing issue in a magazine ad is not as negative as it is a film and doesnt have the same influence on the youth as films do. The major premise of cultivation theory is that the more time individuals spend consuming media e.g. watching TV, the closer their views are to the world created by media. In other words, repeated and extensive exposure to media images influences viewers perceptions of social reality in the direction of the world constructed by media (Zhang, 2006:265). This suggests the stereotypical images the youth have of the elderly is as a result of the media. They are represented as dependent, grumpy and disabled which cause the young to behave in a disrespectful way and shapes the interactions they have with older people (Magoffin, 2007). Film more than advertisements plays a big part in constructing the views of the youth even if the representation doesnt accurately reflect society. The dominant representations include grumpy old characters who refuse to adjust to the changes of modern society and believe the youth are impolite. For instance, the film UP features Carl a cranky, hard of hearin g and frail old man who accidentally injures a construction worker over damage to his mailbox. Carl is deemed a public nuisance, and the court orders him to be admitted to a nursing home, to get him out of the way, exhibiting age as a human decline. This is supported by children who restrain the old within two categories: Evil powerful and Benign but helpless which is where Carl is placed (Gatling, 2013). This aligns the image which the youth maintain of the old and influences communication ensuing a self-fulfilling prophecy. The old internalise those stereotypes and interactions causing low self-esteem and a need to slow the ageing process (Kriebernegg Maierhofer, 2013). Magazine advertisements publicise anti-ageing representations of old age more so then Films and particularly for women Anti-ageing attempts to slow, stop or reverse, rejuvenate the ageing process (Ylà ¤nne, Williams Wadleigh, 2009:56). Magazines promote anti-ageing practices including: cosmetic surgery, anti-ageing creams and hair dyes as solutions to the ageing process through concealing indicators of old age which is deemed unattractive. This process is not limited to the elderly, it is also used by those in their 20s and 30s who begin the staying young process at a young age (Gilleard Higgs, 2000). Using the example of an Olay magazine ad featuring model Twiggy promoting a beauty product, it was reported by consumers as misleading and extremely airbrushed with a slogan captioned Because younger looking eyes never go out of fashion. Although a mature model was used the promotion is selling how to achieve younger looking skin which not only gives false promises but has a negativ e outcome for those who endeavour to age naturally (Sweney, 2009). Ultimately, we can see how anti-ageing practices shapes the ageing process for older people where they view ageing as a human decline. Disney films create negative stereotypes which impact how kids perceive older adults and fear the ageing process. Using toothless characters and portraying them as evil for example, the old woman who tempts snow white to eat the poisonous apple (Robinson et al 2007; Gatling 2013). Children internalise the most widespread representations of old age when young which are usually negative in films and hang on to them which creates a fear of ageing. Although the mass media continues to be a popular discourse which shapes the representations of old age in society advertising does not have the power to alter or shape social values, but merely reflects the values of its target audiences, the same can be said for films (Miller, Leyell Mazachek, 2004:316). The most dominant representations of ageing are: Old age as a Human Decline and Old Age as a New Beginning which are shaped by the stereotypes society created. Although the representations in magazine ads and films have relevant similarities and differences individually they contribute to the interactions amongst the old and young. Despite this, can we suggest there been a trend from less negative to more positive portrayals consistent with a shift toward more favourable attitudes toward the elderly and the increasing size of the elderly population? (Miller, Leyell Mazachek, 2004:316). This suggests representations relating to old age are limited. Then again, should we educate so ciety particularly children that opposing depictions of strength and agility on one hand, and frailty and stiffness on the other stimulate the viewer to ponder that we all live somewhere along the weak/strong continuum. Some older people may be weaker than younger people, some may not (Gatling, 2013:77). Bibliography Alexander, S. (2015). Were tired of these stereotypes of older people in the media [online]. Available from: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/goodlife/living/were-tired-of-these-stereotypes-of-older-people-in-the-media/ [Accessed 15 Jan. 2017] Cox, D. (2012). Why do films do such a bad job of portraying old people? [online]. Available from: https://www.theguardian.com/film/filmblog/2012/feb/28/films-bad-job-portraying-old-people [Accessed 15 Jan. 2017]. Dhar, A. and McKinney, S. (2015). 3 Ways The Intern Gets Older Workers Wrong [online]. Available from: http://www.nextavenue.org/3-ways-the-intern-gets-older-workers-wrong/ [Accessed 15 Jan. 2017]. Estes, CL. Biggs, S. Phillipson, C. (2003). Social theory, social policy and ageing. Open University Press: Maidenhead. Gatling, M. C. (2013) Representations of age and ageing in comedy film. PhD thesis, James Cook University Gilleard, C. and Higgs, P. (2000). Cultures Of Ageing: Self, Citizen And The Body, Harlow: Prentice Hall. Hatch, L.R. (2005). Gender and Ageism, Generations, 29 (3), p.19-24. Kafkovà ¡, M.P. (2016). The Real Old Age and the Transition between the Third and Fourth Age, Sociologia, 48 (6), p.622-640 Kriebernegg, U. and Maierhofer, R. (2013). The Ages Of Life. [Electronic Resource] : Living And Aging In Conflict?, Bielefeld : Transcript, Aston University Library Catalogue, EBSCOhost, viewed 14 January 2017 Laham, TS. M. (2015). This Is Really When Old Age Begins [online]. Available from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/martha-ts-laham-/when-old-age-begins_b_8099004.html [Accessed 14 Jan. 2017]. para. 19 Laslett, P. (1987). The Emergence of the Third Age, Ageing and Society, 7 (2) p.135. Lauzen, M.M. Dozier, D.M. (2005). Maintaining the double standard: Portrayals of age and gender in popular films, Sex Roles, 52, p.437-446. Lewis, C.D. Medvedev, K. and Seponski, M.D. (2011). Awakening to the desires of older women: Deconstructing ageism within fashion magazines, Journal of Aging Studies, 25 (2), p101-109. Magoffin, D. L. (2007). Stereotyped Seniors: The Portrayal of Older Characters in Teen Movies from 1980-2006, All Theses and Dissertations. 977. Marshall, B.L. Rahman, M. (2014). Celebrity, ageing and the construction of third age identities, International Journal of Cultural Studies ,18 (6), p. 577 593 Miller, D.W. Leyell, T.S. and Mazachek, J. (2004). Stereotypes of the elderly in U.S. television commercials from the 1950s to the 1990s, The International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 58 (4), p.315-340. Robinson, T. Callister, M. Magoffin, D. Moore, J. (2007). The portrayal of older characters in Disney animated films, Journal of Aging Studies; 21 (3) p.203-213 Rozanova, J. (2010). Discourse of successful aging in The Globe Mail: Insights from critical gerontology, Journal of Aging Studies, 24. p213-222. Sontag, S. (1972). The Double Standard of Aging. Saturday Review of the Society, 23, p.31. Sweney, M (2009). Twiggys Olay ad banned over airbrushing [online] https://www.theguardian.com/media/2009/dec/16/twiggys-olay-ad-banned-airbrushing [Accessed 15 Jan, 2017]. Twigg, J. (2010). How Does Vogue Negotiate Age?: Fashion, the Body, and the Older Woman, Fashion Theory, 14 (4), p.471-490. Vickers, K. (2007). Aging and the Media: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow, Californian Journal of Health Promotion, 5 (3), p.100-105. Ylà ¤nne, V. (2015). Representations of ageing in the media in: Twigg, Julia and Martin, Wendy Handbook of Cultural Gerontology London: Routledge, p.369-376. Ylà ¤nne, V. Williams, A. and Wadleigh, P. M. (2009). Ageing well? Older peoples health and well-being as portrayed in UK magazine advertisements, International Journal of Ageing and Later Life 4 (2), p.33-62. Zhang, Y.B. Harwood, J. Williams, A. Ylà ¤nne-McEwen, V. Wadleigh, P.M. Thimm, C (2006). The Portrayal of Older Adults in Advertising, Journal of Language and Social Psychology 25 (3), p.265

Early America :: essays research papers

Everyone always talks about the early America, how it started the thinking of people today. Throughout this report you will understand more about early America. People always say America is a land of beginnings, well after Europeans discovered America, the New World became peoples hope for a new life. They tried to escape from poverty and just to start over. So we know that America started with hope but does the American writers? In order for something to begin there needs to have experiences. So the writers looked back on American history. They even had to go as far as before Christopher Columbus, and even before the year 1000. At that time the Native Americans lived here. They each had a tribe and their writings were very personal to how they lived their life and how they knew of America. They also had to think about all their fears and even the excitement in life itself. Some of the people lived and died horrible lives so the ones that survived it told others all about it. Some unforgettable and some hard to even believe, but that's how the people of the early America lived. The New World had lots of experiences for the new writers to tell. Some of the new writers included John Smith; he only spent two in a half years in America. Jonathan Edward's, he thought that a revolution would create a world of literature. He was the first major writer to be educated and lived his whole life in the New World. When he was eleven he wrote science essays on insects. Then when he was thirteen we went to Yale for religious experience. He wrote Sinners in the Hands of an angry God and still is one of the most famous literary monuments to the "great Awakenings" The first book published in America was the Bay Psalm Book; it was a translation of the biblical psalms. Many of the puritans kept journals to help they with their relationship with god. The journals and diaries were usually meant to be private. But somehow they got out to the public. Even when it did get out to the public the puritans said that none of it had ever happened. They did not write to entertai n the public they wrote for themselves, and for God. They wrote no fiction, and they didn't even want to read it.

Reign of Terror was during the French Revolution Essay

The immediate bloody aftermath , was a product of social, economic, and political forces. The spirit of idealism that gripped France during the early phases of the Revolution gave way to mass paranoia and extremism, culminating in Robespierre’s cruel regime. In the beginning of the French Revolution, Enlightenment of the French Revolution, known as the Reign of Terrorphilosophy seemed like a panacea for societal woes. Prominent philosophers like Rousseau, Voltaire, and Diderot contributed to a new mentality in France, one which instigated the mass revolt that caused the storming of the Bastille. The causes for the Reign of Terror in the 1790s cannot be isolated without examining first the leading causes of the French Revolution. Under the Reign of King Louis the XIV, France still maintained a basically feudalistic society in which the monarch ruled with divine and absolute authority. This â€Å"ancien regime† had persisted for centuries throughout Europe. A stratified social class structure dominated French culture and politics. The privileged classes, including the clergy and the nobility, were exempt from most of the taxes passed on to the poorest rungs of French society: the farmers, the common laborers, and the peasants. This system obviously benefited the wealthy, upper classes of French society, who were unwilling to sacrifice their economic and political privilege for a more just society. However, the monarchy and the â€Å"ancien regime† came under heavy criticism by Enlightenment thinkers, philosophers, and economists. Voltaire attacked the Church and its absolutism, criticizing the Church’s political and intellectual dominion. Denis Diderot advocated a new social order, while Montesquieu advocated the adaptation of an English-style constitution. Rousseau’s notion of popular sovereignty was perhaps the most influential political philosophies that influenced the beginnings of the French Revolution. Although the Revolution was spurned by these Enlightenment thinkers, the political philosophies they espoused failed to take root, leading to the Reign of Terror. The economic forces that led to the French Revolution also contributed greatly to the Reign of Terror in the 1790s. The Revolution started as a result of financial mismanagement on the part of the French government, who  was contributing to overseas efforts in the New World. Participation in the American Revolution caused national debt, and in an attempt to avoid national bankruptcy, the Assembly of Notables was formed in 1787 to attract donations from the wealthy classes. However, the privileged people were unwilling to offer financial support. King Louis the XVI and his government were forced to quickly adopt a plan of financial reform. The three class divisions in French society, the clergy, the nobility, and the commoners, held specific grievances toward the state. This generalized discontent and unrest led to the Revolution. The commoners, who were known collectively as the Third Estate, formed their own National Assembly amidst the political and economic turmoil in 1789. Some members of the other two estates, the clergy and the nobles, joined the efforts of the National Assembly, which called for a constitution. Their determination was solidified by the Oath of the Tennis Court, named after the meeting place they adopted after the King originally disbanded them. So influential was the National Assembly that the King relented to legalize the National Assembly, thus recognizing the grievances of the French common people. This small victory led to a mass outbreak of fervent idealism among not only the Third Estate of French culture but also among the clergy and the nobility, who were now willing to make the financi al sacrifices they needed to bond ideologically with the common people. The nobility abolished feudalism and linked hands with the commoners in their overthrow of the monarchy. The National Assembly adopted the Declaration of the Rights of Man and in 1791 drafted a constitution that permitted a limited monarchy. The Church was hit hard by this early phase of the Revolution, as the National Assembly passed several measures opposing religious authority. Large numbers of nobles and princes, including the King himself, fled France in fear. The origins of the Reign of Terror can already be witnessed in this phase of the Revolution, in which a mob mentality took control of Paris and France in general. Although the political and social ideologies that underpinned the Revolution were admirable, the Revolution was fragmented and chaotic. Mobs, inspired by their victories, by their idealism, and their radicalism, turned revolutionary ideology on its back. In the early 1790s, several political clubs and groups formed in Paris to contend in the newly formed Legislative Assembly. Two of the more famous clubs, which would become influential during the Reign of Terror, were the Girondists and the Jacobins, who spread their ideology of â€Å"liberty, equality, and fraternity.† However, this spirit of liberty, equality, and fraternity would soon fall apart. First, the exiled nobility garnered international support for their cause and wanted to fight for their rights to regain control of France. Many revolutionaries and French Republicans also hoped that war would embolden the revolutionary cause and inspire other nations to their own popular revolutions. In 1792, the country engaged Austria in war, setting off a string of events that would eventually lead toward the Reign of Terror. Generally, an atmosphere of suspicion and paranoia fueled the Reign of Terror. The King, accused of treasonous actions against the Republic, became a focal point of anger. While it was understandable that the mass revolt against the old regime rested on the high ideals and aspirations of Enlightenment thinkers, the new regime that replaced King Louis XVI was no better. The National Convention scrapped their earlier constitution in favor of a new one in 1792, after the mass storming of the Tuileries. A massacre of thousands of prisoners, called the September Massacres, was an example of mob rule that gave rise to the Reign of Terror. The National Convention held a meeting in 1792, with the goal of completely abolishing the monarchy. As a result, King Louis the XVI was convicted of treason and executed. The execution of the King fueled royalist sentiments, which were supported by international support against the new Republic. France was still fighting Revolutionary wars abroad. The Republic became severely divided politically, as the Girondists and the Mountain party fought to gain power. The Girondists were basically centrists, while the Mountains were a far left leaning group who were affiliated with the Jacobins. The Mountains succeeded and summarily arrested and killed any persons who disagreed with their policies. The rise to power by the Jacobins in Paris marked the beginning of the Reign of Terror. Leaving aside the democratic ideals to which the original revolution ascribed, and which were summarized by the Declaration of the Rights of Man, the Jacobins instituted a militaristic dictatorship in Paris. Their aims were to destroy their opposition both at home and abroad. Abandoning their philosophical ideals, the Jacobins overtook all social and political institutions in the name of restoring order to their country. The Committee of Public Safety, the Committee of General Security, and the Revolutionary Tribunal were examples of the Jacobin organizations that were formed when they first rose to power. Still holding to the illusion that true democracy was possible, the Jacobin government believed that the Reign of Terror was necessary to first induce a sense of calm and order in France. Moreover, international opposition and war made the Reign of Terror seem like a wartime necessity. The terror tactics used were employed in the name of self-preservation. The Jacobins filled the j ails to capacity and ordered thousands of executions in order to assure the elimination of opposition forces. The leadership of Georges Danton and Maximilien Robespierre solidified the forces that enabled the government to practice its tyranny. Robespierre soon became the dominant force in the Reign of Terror and in 1794, Danton was executed because of his views espousing the abolition of the emergency measures that Robespierre was clinging to. Moreover, Robespierre ordered the execution of Jacques Hebert, whose glorification and deification of Reason became a popular movement. To counteract Hebert’s influence, Robespierre instituted the Cult of the Supreme Being, a perfect example of the fanaticism gripping the time. Interestingly, the government under Robespierre still proclaimed the economic equality of all citizens. Robespierre still believed that a just society in France was possible, but that the Reign of Terror was necessary in order to squelch any opposition. The government abolished slavery and enforced economic equality among the people by imposing wage and price caps and in troducing an artificially inflated paper currency called the assignats. Robespierre was clearly out of control and the National Convention finally arrested and executed him in 1794. The National Convention then drafted a new constitution and established the Directory. The Directory was designed to be a centrist political body that balanced the needs of the leftist  Jacobins and the right-wing royalists. Their initial economic reforms were beneficial in restoring the country after its being ravished by the revolution, but the Directory was wrought with internal and external political strife. Furthermore, international hatred for the Directory grew intense, which forced France to place Napoleon Bonaparte in power. Therefore, the Reign of Terror left a scar on French politics that would lead to the Napoleonic years. The original revolutionary ideals of reason, liberty, equality, and fraternity were now covered in blood. Basically, the Reign of Terror is an example of failed implementation of lofty democratic ideals. The Enlightenment idealism that sparked off the French Revolution was completely transformed into fear and paranoia. The Reign of Terror has some elements of a massive revenge campaign against the oppressive regime of the monarchy. However, the popular revolt that led to the righteous overthrow of the monarchy and feudalism had no clear focus. The ideals of democracy and equality were thwarted by the chaos and fear that gripped the nation once the monarchy was overthrown. The Reign of Terror was in part a response to post-revolutionary chaos, and was a concerted effort to restore social, political, and economic order. However, the Jacobins resorted to means as cruel, if not crueler, than those used by the monarchs they hated. Far from promoting liberty and justice, the Jacobins executed people without regard to their class and without permitting any victim to defend themselves. Instead of implementing a democracy, based on the true and original Jacobin ideals of â€Å"liberty, equality, and fraternity,† the Jacobins stripped French citizens from each of these rights. The Reign of Terror was a panic campaign, an example of what happens when a small group of men take control over a nation in a time of crisis. Ironically, Robespierre spoke out against tyranny and oppression and ascribed to Rousseau’s political philosophy. Robespierre held fast to the abstract vision of democracy, popular and self-rule, and political virtue. However, he resorted to means that were antithetical to his original vision of the Revolution.