The Myth Of Abraham Lincoln - 1291 Words

Lincoln was a man of many talents that helped form the myths we know today and that most of those myths are well justified. With Lincoln being a man solidified into history and mythology, have the myths overshadowed the facts that truly made his life historically worthy or is it that within every myth lies an element of fact? The myths about Abraham Lincoln are ones of much debate leaving some to say that they accurately depict what Lincoln was and some see them as an embellishment of the truth causing the real man to be lost in translation. This paper will explore this topic delving into what events leading to the formulation of one of the greatest and most heavily debated myths such which is â€Å"The Great Emancipator†. (Peterson, 1994,†¦show more content†¦The ideas we have come to know today about Abraham Lincoln were not even a thought in his head during this period nor was anyone writing down myths about him. While the years toiled on for Lincoln he was bec oming a man of much knowledge and one who had set his sights on making something great of himself. So he inspired to be a lawyer which he accomplished laying the ground work for his well-documented abundance of patients and strategy (Philips Dr., 2015). Both of which are contributors to some of the myths about him. Lincoln ads on to his legacy when he decides to enter into politics but surges the larger than life mantra of his personality when confronted with the great debates between him and Stephen A. Douglas (Peterson, 1994). These debates were a defining moment in the beginnings of Lincoln’s political career as well as a defining moment in his mythology. Here stood this man towering over Douglas debating word for word with him in a twang stricken accent but articulating far better than most. Lincoln’s appearance and speech was something to behold which had a lasting effect on the people who viewed him. These individuals would continue to speak about the man that they saw as if he were a giant due to the fact that in this time most men did not achieve six feet in height. These tails rang through the country in a fairly short amount of time as if they were a Greek mythological tail of some cyclops or

Leadership Theory And The Main Methods Of Leadership

Leadership is an often misunderstood concept. Many people confuse management and leadership, classifying them as being the same. While a leader can be a manager and a manager can be a leader, they are often two separate things. There are four main components of leadership that we will discuss and there are many different ways to view and examine leadership with theory and maxim being the main methods. As many people point out, leadership is a complex topic to discuss. Leadership can mean many different things to different people. Leadership can be a combination of something a person is born with as well as something that someone acquires. On a very basic level, leadership can be defined as a process that involves influence, occurs†¦show more content†¦As with anything in life, one person’s view of something isn’t a very good judge. It takes many views and research to back it up. Leadership theories are a variety of explanations with scientific data to back up those explanations. Theories are used in many different aspects of the world because they are reliable. The difference between maxims and theories is the proof that backs up the explanations. When reviewing leadership it will be most effective to use theories so as to have supporting scientific documentation. There seems to be little usefulness with maxims, particularly when evaluating leadership. When evaluating leadership, theory will be the most important method of analysis. Forming a theory on leadership is providing explanations as well as scientific data to back it up. On example of a leadership theory will be trait theories. â€Å"Trait theories often identify particular personality or behavioral characteristics shared by leaders.† (Cherry, 2014) Trait Theories are theories that have been researched and there is scientific data to support trait theories. â€Å"Throughout the years, researchers have identified a multitude of traits that are associated with leadership.† (Northouse, 2015) When reviewing leadership, there are four main components and they include: being a process, involving influence, occurring in a group, and involving goal attainment. (Introduction to Leadership,

Discuss the political, social, and cultural developments of China 1500-1900s Free Essays

The period between 1500 and 1900 encompasses important years that mark the time that preceded the development of modern China. First oppressed by the Mongolian rule in the 14th century, the nation was taken over by the Ming Dynasty that sought out to rebuild centralized control and reunite the country. The Ming Dynasty was replaced by the Qing Dynasty in the 17th century, signaling the start of the Manchu rule. We will write a custom essay sample on Discuss the political, social, and cultural developments of China 1500-1900s or any similar topic only for you Order Now We will discuss in turn the political, social, and cultural developments in China in that time period. Political Life The Ming Dynasty Coming to the nation as a break from the hated Mongolian dominance, the Ming Dynasty was started by a Han Chinese farmer and a Buddhist monk. In the early 16th century, its heyday when China conducted intense sea expeditions with the aim to conquer the surrounding area and challenge the Mongol expansion was to a great extent over. The Ming Dynasty had to engage in prolonged wars with Mongols to challenge their dominance and protect its borders. In the meantime, its own coastal areas were often attacked by the Japanese pirates that gave Ming emperors a lot of headache. In the north, even the construction of the world’s best known fortification, the Great Wall, did not prevent the attacks of the Mongols. As a result, the Ming emperors in the 16th-17th century were much weaker than their predecessors, like the powerful Zhu Yuanzhang who founded the dynasty in the early 14th century. In addition, internal conflicts were plaguing the court since â€Å"the harassed emperors abandoned more and more of their responsibilities to eunuchs† (Encarta). The Ming started a war with Japan in 1592 when they sent their troops to help the Korean allies to defend themselves against Toyotomi Hideyoshi. This turned into a prolonged warfare that lasted over seven years and dealt a heavy blow to the Ming’s treasuries. The result was an increase in social tensions all over the country. An example is the peasant rebellions in North China that started in 1628. These revolts finally led to the demise of the Ming Dynasty. A hefty rebellion occurred in 1642 when the dikes of the Huang He were cut by a rebellious group, leading to a flood and a starvation thereafter. The assault on Beijing, the capital used by the Ming, in 1644 resulted in the seizure of the city by the rebels and suicide of the last representative of the dynasty. The Qing Dynasty The Ming was replaced by the Qing Dynasty. As is often the result of a politically weak structure, their rule was in fact a foreign invasion since the Qing rulers were not Han Chinese, but Manchu. In order to be accepted by the Han Chinese majority, they retained a lot of customs of the Chinese and even upheld the Confucian tradition, nevertheless they always remained different from the Han Chinese. Thus, they also imposed some of their customs and traditions on their Chinese subordinates. They forced, for example, the Han to pick up the queue in the Manchu haircut style and to dress in their fashion, in this way replacing the traditional Han pigtail. To this day the Chinese wear â€Å"Qipao (bannermen dress) and Tangzhuang† that actually come from the Manchus (Encarta). It is noteworthy in which way the Manchus forced the Chinese to adopt these styles: the penalty for non-compliance was death. In the political system, the two groups were also separate. As the ruling ethnicity, the Manchus outnumbered the Han Chinese in the highest-ranking offices in the capital. However, there were still a lot of Chinese in other offices in the provinces. The Manchus, as mentioned before, were quick to adopt the philosophy of Confucianism that called on subordinates to obey the emperor. With those means, they were quick to bring the nation to obeyance and reinstate order in the provinces. With that accomplished, the Qing Dynasty also took pains to enlarge the empire through conquests and military raids. They attacked the Mongols, conquering the Outer Mongolia in the 17th century. In the next century, they added to the empire the territory of Central Asia and set up a protectorate in Tibet. With time, they also gained control of Taiwan. With the efforts of the Qing Dynasty, almost all danger to China Proper had been eradicated. In the 19th century, the Qing Dynasty entered a period of steady decline. Their control of the country became weak, and the nation once again plunged into a state of social tension and economic troubles. The Opium Wars began with the First Opium War in 1840, triggered by the desire of Britain to control the lucrative opium trade in China. The desire of the Western nations to control â€Å"concessions† in China led to unfavorable peace treaty following the First Opium War. The Opium Wars resulted in the Treaty of Nanking in 1842 and the Taiping Rebellion in 1851-1864 and the Boxer Rebellion in the same century. As a result of military campaigns and rebellions, the control of the Qing over the country became even weaker. Social Life Under the Manchu rule, the nation was dominated by foreign rulers who imposed their rules and traditions on everything. In addition, they also made efforts to keep themselves separate from the mainstream Chinese life. For example, marriages between the Manchus and the Han Chinese were prohibited. The Chinese could not move permanently into the traditionally Manchu lands, and occupations such as trade or manual labor were reserved only for the Han as the Manchus were prohibited to do these jobs. In many administrative positions, the office was taken by the Manchu person and the Chinese counterpart so that the Manchu official could check in on his Chinese colleague. The Qing rulers also imposed some of their customs and traditions on their Chinese subordinates. They forced, for example, the Han to pick up the queue in the Manchu haircut style and to dress in their fashion, in this way replacing the traditional Han pigtail. To this day the Chinese wear â€Å"Qipao (bannermen dress) and Tangzhuang† that actually come from the Manchus (Encarta). It is noteworthy in which way the Manchus forced the Chinese to adopt these styles: the penalty for non-compliance was death. Cultural Life The years under the rule of the Ming and the Qing Dynasties were an important period in Chinese culture. The Ming rule is marked by the arrival of the Europeans, among them a lot of Christian preachers. Particularly noteworthy were â€Å"Jesuits, members of a Roman Catholic religious order, showed respect for Chinese culture and overcame the foreigners’ reputation for lawlessness† (Encarta). The Jesuits tried to integrate with the local reality, learning the Chinese language and setting up settlements in the nation from which they could disseminate their religion. One of the important leaders in the Christian community was Mateo Ricci who took effort to learn Chinese and settled down in China. In intellectual life, as said, Confucianism was the dominant influence. The government placed emphasis on conforming to the official interpretation of Confucius’ writings consistent with the one provided by Zhu Xi. For centuries, his interpretation was considered standard, and deviation was not permitted. However, in the later Ming period, a few dissenting ideologies emerged, among them one proposed by â€Å"Wang Yangming, a scholar-official who rejected Zhu Xi’s emphasis on the study of external principles and advocated striving for wisdom through cultivation of one’s own innate knowledge† (Encarta). Although the Qing Dynasty was of Manchu, not Chinese origin, they also invested effort in the development of the Chinese culture. Thus, they engaged in projects devoted to Chinese literature in history. In fact, their efforts helped preserve a lot of Chinese ancient literary works. An outstanding effort was made by Emperor Kangxi who â€Å"ordered the creation of the most complete dictionary of Chinese characters ever put together at the time† (Encarta). The project on compiling the list of the important works related to Chinese culture was undertaken in the reign of Emperor Qianlong. Conclusion China in the period ranging from 1500 to 1900 experienced many events that left a deep imprint on modern China. Torn together by many different rulers, it nevertheless managed to maintain its unique culture and build upon it. It remained loyal to the ideals of Confucianism that were consistently implemented by the powerful monarchs who used the ideology to demand obedience. The rise of the Ming Dynasty was followed by its decline, the end of a cycle that opened the way to new rulers, the Manchus. Even being foreigners, they left a great deal of Chinese customs in place and left China even more culturally developed than it was. Even so, by the end of the nineteenth century, the nation was weakened politically and was heavily influenced by European powers. How to cite Discuss the political, social, and cultural developments of China 1500-1900s, Papers

Essay on Freedom Of Religion Child Marriages Example For Students

Essay on Freedom Of Religion : Child Marriages Freedom of religion is the ability to manifest religion in teachings, practice, or worship, whether it is in public or private. The first amendment has always been an issue worth discussing, it stirs up many questions including, should religious practices be allowed in school? Or can rosaries be worn without having to be hidden during school time? Of course, there are more intense questions that follow. Should religious cults, such as Fundamentalist Latter Day Saints, be allowed to arrange marriages between older men and young girls for the sake of their religious beliefs? Most Americans would agree that underage marriages should not be practiced even in a religious practice. Underage marriages are marriage unions engaged in by individuals under the age of 18. Although there are laws to protect the minor from sexual exploitation, and child trafficking, there are special situations in where underage marriage is allowed without parental consent due to teen pregnancy. Another reason for underage marriage is the practice of religious beliefs. Warren Jeffs was the leader of a Mormon group called Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, in Eldorado, Texas on Zion Ranch, where he performed more than 500 polygamist marriages, as well as 67 other sect marriages involving underage girls. He, himself, had 80 wives and 24 were under the age of 17. (Weissert, 2011) Most people would agree an underage marriage is wrong, but there are some who would claim it is normal due to religious views. To people in the United States underage marriage is completely against our code of ethics but to natives in Africa marrying a child at the age of 13 is normal. They are raised to believe that child brides are all they know, they are raised into thinking women are just created to bare children and respect their husbands, just like on Zion Ranch. The children of Zion Ranch were raised to believe women were rightfully theirs to abuse as long as they are married, and the women are supposed to serve their husbands without question. Many times the child involved, majority of the time it is a girl, is unaware of anything other than being married off that young. In the paragraph above it explains how the children are brought up to think that child marriages are acceptable. Most of the world’s outside of these religious cults are raised differently; in thinking how marriage should be at an older age and how marrying at the age of 12 is disgusting, repulsive and unacceptable. In America, children are supposed to enjoy their childhood and finish school before they get married. Many parents instill going to college and getting their lives together before getting married. Not only is the child getting married unaware of the effects of getting married young, but they know no other option. Many times girls are married off at a young age they do not finish school so they then become uneducated. The most a child bride will receive is secondary education thus hindering her personal development, preparation for adulthood, and their ability to contribute to their family and community. Another negative factor in partaking in child marriages is the abuse the child endures not only sexual but physical and emotional abuse. Child brides are often expected to bear children soon after marriage, which makes them vulnerable to pregnancy and childbirth complications, including obstetric fistula, a condition that causes chronic incontinence and occurs commonly in young girls who give birth before their bodies have matured. Babies born to adolescent or child mothers are more likely to die than those born to mothers over age twenty. They tend to have lower birth weights and weak immune systems, and face higher risks of malnutrition. (Laski, 2015) Girls, who are less than the age of 15 more likely to die during childbirth than older, more mature women. The infant mortality rate is also very high because the young body of a woman is biologically not capable of maternity. Child brides are more likely to be raped during their marriage because they do not know how to speak out about the abuse they endure. Many times the younger the bride the more they are psychologically affected by the batter and sexual abuse. (Tangri, 2013) .uf93a7a7c1b11c15fa557972e7ef22e7e , .uf93a7a7c1b11c15fa557972e7ef22e7e .postImageUrl , .uf93a7a7c1b11c15fa557972e7ef22e7e .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .uf93a7a7c1b11c15fa557972e7ef22e7e , .uf93a7a7c1b11c15fa557972e7ef22e7e:hover , .uf93a7a7c1b11c15fa557972e7ef22e7e:visited , .uf93a7a7c1b11c15fa557972e7ef22e7e:active { border:0!important; } .uf93a7a7c1b11c15fa557972e7ef22e7e .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .uf93a7a7c1b11c15fa557972e7ef22e7e { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .uf93a7a7c1b11c15fa557972e7ef22e7e:active , .uf93a7a7c1b11c15fa557972e7ef22e7e:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .uf93a7a7c1b11c15fa557972e7ef22e7e .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .uf93a7a7c1b11c15fa557972e7ef22e7e .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .uf93a7a7c1b11c15fa557972e7ef22e7e .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .uf93a7a7c1b11c15fa557972e7ef22e7e .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .uf93a7a7c1b11c15fa557972e7ef22e7e:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .uf93a7a7c1b11c15fa557972e7ef22e7e .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .uf93a7a7c1b11c15fa557972e7ef22e7e .uf93a7a7c1b11c15fa557972e7ef22e7e-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .uf93a7a7c1b11c15fa557972e7ef22e7e:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: How My Brother Leon Brought Hime a Wife EssayWarren Jeffs had a secret diary in what he called his â€Å"priesthood records†, stating how he and his followers were to relocate and create a secret compound on Zion Ranch for his â€Å"religious practices†. In this secret compound there was a bed where he would rape underage girls. The bed had to be made of hardwood, sturdy so it wouldn t rattle, long enough to support Jeffs tall frame and equipped with padded sides that could be pulled up to hold him in place â€Å"as the Lord does His work with me.† â€Å"It will be covered with a sheet, but it will have a plastic cover to protect the mattress from what will happen on it,† Jeffs’ instructed. Marriages on Zion Ranch were â€Å"spiritual marriages†, which means young girls from the ages 12 to 15 were married to the elder men of the church; many times the men were over the age of 45. (Frosh, 2008) Seven out of the twelve girls who were â€Å"spiritually married† had borne either one or more children. (King, 2012) Laws have been created to enforce no child marriages but are they stepping on the toes of religious freedom? The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act defines child marriage as marriage in which either the girl or the boy is underage and gets married to someone who is older than the girl is under 18 years of age or the boy is younger than 21 years. (Tangri, 2013) In the case of Zion Ranch, it is clearly shown that the girls married were underage but with parental consent. So how is the jury system supposed to decide whether this is legal or not? When deciding whether the children born from the religious cult are to stay with their parents or to go into foster care what factors are supposed to come into account? Religious freedom is the ability to practice whatever religion you want whenever you want whether it be in the private of your home or in a public place. When the jury was deciding on how to deal with the cases of each and every 439 children who lived on Zion Ranch, they took into account of how the child behave, the living environment, and how they interaction of others. So overall Texas lost the battle of the children of Zion Ranch because the children weren’t in danger, but the men of that ranch were convicted of bigamy, sexual assault, endangerment of children, and failure to report child abuse. Many cases religious cults do not look out for the children’s best interest. Marrying off young girls to older men is part of many religious practices but the negative effects outweigh the positive effects even with their religious beliefs included. The young girls have no chance to live their lives, or go out and experience the real world. They are also emotionally, physically, and psychologically scarred. After going through all the turmoil of being abused at such a young age, it is hard to turn their whole situation around and live a good life even after they have escaped their terrifying fate of child marriage. Many times there is no hope to prevent the child marriages to be prevented, but there is hope for them if more laws against child marriages is enforced throughout the United States and even in private compounds such as Zion Ranch. Religious cults should not be allowed to have underage marriages.