The Success of the Roman Army an Example of the Topic History Essays by

The Success of the Roman Army At its height, the Roman Empire has been considered as one of the greatest empires of the Old World. In a span of two centuries, it had stretched its borders to gain control of the Italian peninsula (Manas 24). The driving force behind the success of the Roman Empire was its army. The Roman army was considered to be the ultimate fighting machine of the Old World. At full strength, one Roman legion can be made up of over 10,000 men with 4,200 infantry, 4,200 footmen, 600 horsemen and 300 calvary men called the Eques Legionis. Over time, the soldiers serving in the army were composed of Romans and auxiliaries who are soldiers from the allied provinces of the empire (MacMullen 228; Santosuosso 18). The success of the Roman army in conquering the modern world could be attributed to three prime factors: the weaponry used in combat, their military tactics and the frame of mind of the soldiers. This paper will discuss in detail these three factors. Need essay sample on "The Success of the Roman Army" topic? We will write a custom essay sample specifically for you Proceed University Students Frequently Tell Us: I'm don't want to write my paper online. I want to spend time with my family Our writers advise: Winning Academic Essay Writing Delivered On Time All Roman soldiers were equipped with three basic weapons: a shield, a sword and two javelins with one lighter than the other. The shield used by a Roman soldier is called a scutum. It is a curved, oblong shield that measures 1.2 meters in height, 75 centimeters in width and weighs about 10 kilograms. It is made up of two wooden sheets joined together and then wrapped with canvass and calf skin. The top and bottom and center parts are made up of iron. The Roman utilizes the scutum both as a defensive tool as well as an offensive weapon. The weight of the scutum allows the Roman soldier to force down an enemy to the ground. As a defense tool, the Roman soldier would anchor the scutum on the ground to protect him while attacking his adversaries. The metal boss in the middle of the scutum protects the soldier from the onslaught of stones, missiles and spears from the opponent (Burns 64,75; Santosuosso 16-17). The primary weapon used by the Romans in battle is a short, double-edge sword called a gladius. The entire sword has a length of 76 centimeters with the blade measuring between 50 and 55 centimeters. The construction of the gladius not only makes it easy for a soldier to maneuver it during close range combat, but it is also more likely to strike an enemys vital organs when it is used in a thrusting motion. This makes the gladius an efficient and lethal weapon (Santosuosso 17). Every Roman soldier is also equipped with two javelins called pila (plural form of pilum). Each pilum is composed of two parts: an iron topped that measures about 135 centimeters long with a flat and polygonal barbed blade at its tip and a long wooden shaft. The iron section is fastened using two rivets in order from preventing the iron section to break off during battle. The rivets also helps the pila in lodging either onto the ground or on the bodies of the enemies firmly that it prevents the soldiers adversaries from using it against them (Santosuosso 17-18). The Romans protected their bodies with bronze breast and back plates fastened with the use of hinges which they have adopted from the Greeks. Eventually, the more affluent members of the Roman army began to use mail armor and Montefortino type helmets. By the middle of the third century, all members of the Roman army began to equip themselves with open-faced helmets made from a single piece of bronze that had a close-fitting bowl to protect the skull and a neck guard slopping down under the ears. This new helmet, adopted from the Samno-Attics, were more effective since it was less tiring to wear and less likely to be knocked askew while the soldier is in transit or in battle. It was also cheaper and easier to make, making mass production possible (Burns 71-74). During a battle, the Roman army was divided into four lines: one line of light infantry called the velites and three lines of heavy infantry. Except for the third heavy infantry line, each line is composed of ten maniples ad two centuries, which is the smallest unit of the Roman army. Each maniple is then deployed in a manner resembling that of a check board. The third infantry line were further equipped with a thrusting spear and were arranged in a close-ordered formation, similar to that of the phalanx formation used by the Macedonians (Burns 65; Santosuosso 18-20). The tactics employed by the Romans in battle is one that provided them as much room for them to maneuver around their enemies as possible. The light infantry was tasked to disorganize the enemy, reveal its vulnerable areas and cause damage from a distance. Only when the light infantry has been successful with this would the heavy infantry bring the battle to the enemy and engage in close quarter combat (Burns 65, 75; Santosuosso 19-20). As the war campaigns lasted longer in more remote areas involving more superior adversaries, modifications were made to make their military tactics more efficient. One of the modifications that they made was the utilization of a larger basic military unit called the cohort which is composed of 600 men. The Romans also studied their enemies military tactics and would use those that they have found effective in later conquests. One such incident was the modification of how the commanders govern their armies after the battle in the Allia where they have discovered that insufficient leadership in the battlefield on the part of the Roman commanders caused the soldiers to be overwhelmed by the Gallic army which resulted in them breaking their ranks during battle (Burns 63-64; Santosuosso 20-21). Perhaps the biggest change to the Roman army was seen in the political will of Emperor Augustus. In it, the emperor had considered the Roman army not as the army of Rome as many have viewed it, but as the army of the Empire. Not only did this change the role of the Roman army as the guardian of the state, but it had also meant that the reigning emperor is also the commander-in-chief of the army as well (Patterson 99; Santosuosso 90). However, what made the Roman army an extremely powerful force were the soldiers themselves. The Roman Empire had a very strong military culture. The Romans revered military achievement above everything else. They were more than willing to give their consent to the Roman army to engage in combat with their adversaries since a successful battle would mean that Rome would gain a new province as well as its wealth and the victory would be a message to their adversaries of their superiority. Moreover, they viewed serving in the Roman army is the greatest service a Roman man can do (Rich 41, 56, 65; Patterson 93, 97). Prior to 107 BC, only the affluent men of Rome are allowed to enlist in the Roman army since their wealth would determine their rank in the army. Eventually, the Roman army was opened to all male Romans citizens except for slaves, adulterers and criminals who were physically healthy, muscular, and alert. As a result, majority of the male citizens of the Empire were involved in military service, making it easy for the army to call on reserves from both Roman citizens and its allies (Patterson 93; Rich 53; Santosuosso 10, 46, 91-92). Once enlisted, a Roman would need to undergo four months training as a recruit. Upon completion of the recruitment period, he would then take his oath in the presence of the gods and the emperor as a full fledge solider of the Roman army. However, the training did not stop after the individual was welcomed into the army. Roman soldiers would practice battle drills continuously to increase the stamina of the soldiers which is crucial in battles. This has made the Roman army into a professional standing army (Patterson 96; Santosuosso 91-92). Since enlistment to the army is voluntary, the empire rewards the soldiers with a number of benefits. These benefits include donations upon retirement as well as their sons being able to enter the Senate once they are of age (Patterson 97). Although the Roman army had always been seen as a symbol of honor, bravery and the army of Rome itself, not the army of the emperor, this had not always been the case. For a time, they had become corrupted and no longer became the guardians of Rome. It was only when Julius Caesar came into power that the Roman army once again regained its good name among the citizens of Rome (Santosuosso 28). Although the Roman army had its shares of defeats and failures, it would be remembered for its discipline and superior military tactics (Santosuosso 21). They were able to conquer their enemies not only by assimilating their tactics and weaponry, but they also began to think like their enemies. It was composed of men who were well-trained in battle and firmly believed that in spite of the bloodshed and loss of life, each battle was for the glory of the empire and for the glory of Rome. In the end, the Roman army entered the pages of history as a symbol of honor, bravery and patriotism, and perhaps the greatest army history has ever seen. Works Cited Burns, Michael T. The Homogenisation Military Equipment Under the Roman Republic. 2003. 04 February 2008. Manas, J. Lessons from the Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire: An Ancient Guide to Modern Project Management. Patterson, John. "Military organization and social change in the later Roman Republic." War and Society in the Roman Word Leicester-Nottingham Studies in Ancienty Society. Ed. John Rich and Graham Shipley Vol. 5. New York: Routledge, 1993. pp. 92-109. NetLibrary. Pellissippi State Tech. Coll. Lib., Knoxville, TN. 04 February 2008. Rich, John. "Fear, greed and glory: the causes of Roman war-making in the middle Republic." War and Society in the Roman Word Leicester-Nottingham Studies in Ancient Society. Ed. John Rich and Graham Shipley Vol. 5. New York: Routledge, 1993. pp. 38-66. NetLibrary. Pellissippi State Tech. Coll. Lib., Knoxville, TN.

Major General Edward O. Ord - American Civil War

Major General Edward O. Ord - American Civil War Edward O. Ord - Early Life Career: Born October 18, 1818 at Cumberland, MD, Edward Otho Cresap Ord was the son of James and Rebecca Ord.  His father briefly served in the US Navy as a midshipman but transferred to the US Army and saw action during the War of 1812.  A year after Edwards birth, the family moved to Washington, DC.  Educated in the nations capital, Ord quickly showed an aptitude for mathematics.  To further these skills, he obtained an appointment to the US Military Academy in 1835.  Arriving at West Point, Ords classmates included Henry Halleck, Henry J. Hunt, and Edward Canby.  Graduating in 1839, he ranked seventeenth in a class of thirty-one and received a commission as a second lieutenant in the 3rd US Artillery. Edward O. Ord - To California: Ordered south, Ord immediate saw combat in the Second Seminole War.  Promoted to first lieutenant in 1841, he next moved to garrison duty at several forts along the Atlantic coast.  With the beginning of the Mexican-American War and swift capture of California in 1846, Ord was dispatched to the West Coast to aid in occupying the newly-captured territory.  Sailing in January 1847, he was accompanied by Halleck and Lieutenant William T. Sherman.  Arriving in Monterey, Ord took command of  Battery F, 3rd US Artillery with orders to complete the construction of Fort Mervine.  With Shermans assistance, this task was soon completed.  With the beginning of the Gold Rush in 1848, prices for goods and living expenses began to outpace the officers salaries.  As a result, Ord and Sherman were permitted to take side jobs to make extra money.   This saw them conduct a survey of Sacramento for John Augustus Sutter, Jr. which established much of the layout for the citys central areas.  In 1849, Ord accepted a commission to survey Los Angeles.  Aided by William Rich Hutton, he completed this task and their work continues to provide insight in the citys earliest days.  A year later, Ord was ordered north to the Pacific Northwest where he commenced surveying the coast.  Promoted to captain that September, he returned to California in 1852.  While on garrison duty at Benicia, Ord married  Mary Mercer Thompson on October 14, 1854.  Over the next five years, he remained on the West Coast and took part in various expeditions against the Native American in the region. Edward O. Ord - The Civil War Begins: Returning east in 1859, Ord arrived at Fortress Monroe for service with the artillery school.  That fall, his men were directed to move north to aid in suppressing John Browns attack on Harpers Ferry but were not needed as Lieutenant Colonel Robert E. Lee was able to deal with the situation.  Sent back to the West Coast the following year, Ord was there when the Confederates attacked Fort Sumter and opened the Civil War in April 1861.  Returning east, he received a commission as a brigadier general of volunteers on September 14 and assumed command of a brigade in the Pennsylvania Reserves.  On December 20, Ord led this force as it won a skirmish with Brigadier General J.E.B. Stuarts Confederate cavalry near Dranesville, VA.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   On May 2, 1862, Ord received a promotion to major general.  Following brief service in the Department of the Rappahannock, he was transferred west to lead a division in Major General Ulysses S. Grants Army of the Tennessee.  That fall, Grant ordered Ord to direct part of the army against Confederate forces led by Major General Sterling Price.  This action was to be coordinated with Major General William S. Rosecrans Army of the Mississippi.  On September 19, Rosecrans engaged Price at the Battle of Iuka.  In the fighting, Rosecrans won a victory, but Ord, with Grant at his headquarters, failed to attack due to an apparent acoustic shadow.  A month later, Ord won a victory over Price and Major General Earl Van Dorn at Hatchies Bridge as the Confederates retreated after being repulsed at Corinth. Edward O. Ord - Vicksburg the Gulf: Wounded at Hatchies Bridge, Ord returned to active duty in November and held a series of administrative posts.  While Ord recovered, Grant embarked on a series of campaigns to capture Vicksburg, MS.  Laying siege to the city in May, the Union leader relieved the troublesome Major General John McClernand from command of XIII Corps the following month.  To replace him, Grant selected Ord.  Taking over on June 19, Ord led the corps for the remainder of the siege which ended on July 4.  In the weeks after the fall of Vicksburg, XIII Corps took part in Shermans march against Jackson.  Serving in Louisiana as part of the Department of Gulf for much of the latter part of 1863, Ord left XIII Corps in January 1864.  Returning east, he briefly held posts in the Shenandoah Valley. Edward O. Ord - Virginia:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   On July 21, Grant, now leading all Union armies, directed Ord to assume command of XVIII Corps from the ill Major General William Baldy Smith.  Though part of Major General Benjamin Butlers Army of the James, XVIII Corps operated with Grant and the Army of the Potomac as they besieged Petersburg.  In later September, Ords men crossed the James River and took part in the Battle of Chaffins Farm.  After his men succeeded in capturing Fort Harrison, Ord fell badly wounded as he attempted to organize them to exploit the victory.  Out of action for the remainder of the fall, he saw his corps and the Army of the James completely reorganized in his absence.  Resuming active duty in January 1865, Ord found himself in temporary command of the Army of the James. In this post for the remainder of the conflict, Ord directed the armys operations during the latter stages of the Petersburg Campaign including the final assault on the city on April 2.  With Petersburgs fall, his troops were among the first to advance into the Confederate capital of Richmond.  As Lees Army of Northern Virginia retreated west, Ords troops joined in the pursuit and ultimately played a key role in blocking the Confederate escape from Appomattox Court House.  He was present at Lees surrender on April 9 and later purchased the table at which Lee had sat. Edward O. Ord - Later Career: Following President Abraham Lincolns assassination on April 14, Grant ordered Ord north to investigate and ascertain if the Confederate government had played a role.  His determination that John Wilkes Booth and his conspirators had acted alone helped calm demands that the newly-defeated South be punished.  That June, Ord assumed command of the Department of the Ohio.  Promoted to brigadier general in the regular army on July 26, 1866, he later oversaw the Department of Arkansas (1866-1867), Fourth Military District (Arkansas Mississippi, 1867-68), and Department of California (1868-1871).   Ord spent the first half of the 1870s commanding the Department of the Platte before moving south to lead the Department of Texas from 1875 to 1880.  Retiring from the US Army on December 6, 1880, he received a final promotion to major general a month later.  Accepting a civil engineering position with the Mexican Southern Railroad, Ord worked to build a line from Texas to Mexico City.  While in Mexico in 1883, he contracted yellow fever prior to departing on business for New York.  Falling severely ill while at sea, Ord was landed at Havana, Cuba where he died on July 22.  He remains were brought north and interred at Arlington National Cemetery.   Selected Sources Civil War Trust: Edward O. OrdTSHA: Edward O. OrdOhio Civil War Central: Edward O. Ord

Traffic Cameras Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Traffic Cameras - Research Paper Example Such offenses are chargeable in the courts of law as stipulated by the laws in the constitutions of the given State. In an attempt to avoid hazards and negative outcomes associated with the absence of traffic cameras at major road intersections, the governments should install the gadgets to reduce accidents and enhance security among other benefits. Road traffic collisions are accountable for 1.2 million deaths and approximately 50 million injuries annually according to the approximations by the World Health organization (Cinnamon et al. 1). Cinnamon et al. claims that motorists and pedestrians from frequent observations commit road rule violations at signalized intersections. The accidents are a major drawback to the various states as it leads to loss of scarce human resource through the deaths that normally occur. In addition, mechanical and infrastructural destructions that the intersection accidents bring along lead to infrastructural related losses and thus derail a State’s economy. A designed means of observing and monitoring traffic flow along the intersections can help in minimizing the frequency of the accidents’ occurrence. Therefore, most of the states with the need to eliminate accidents along the intersections should install the traffic cameras in order to help reduce the losses accompanying it. An argument about the sure effectiveness of the installation of the traffic cameras is relevant. A pilot installation is essential in addition to the numerous researches done that fully advocate traffic cameras as the best mechanism in reducing associated accidents. Due to the higher need to reduce the number of traffic accidents in major road intersections, installation of traffic cameras is recommendable. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) calculates that the traffic along the intersections causes more than 100,000 crashes and 1000

Argument Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Argument Analysis - Essay Example In order to build an excellent and convincing argumentative essay it is necessary for the writer to take in account various aspects that are involved in the construction of a good essay. This includes the tone, style of writing, use of statistical data and the art of building an essay on the basis of the data collected, targeting and securing an audience for his essay etc. similarly the author of this article is also observed to be using such techniques as a result of which his essay provides the readers with a lot of a variety of aspects to be explored. The approach used in depicting this essay is explicit because the article deals with a critical topic that can have hazardous affects if remedies are not taken. This essay reflects the writers concern for his environment as well as the health of his fellow beings because he tries to convince the readers about the adverse effects of using fossil fuels in contrast to the benefits of nuclear power plant. ... Yet at the same time analogies and facts are used to compare and contrast the state of his country with other governments without confining the comparison to a particular country. As mentioned in the article, ‘other governments are enthusiastically embracing nuclear power as a way to lessen their greenhouse emissions and their dependence on imported oil. Hence the writer’s point of view depicted in this article is not only acceptable but also gives the readers food for thought and consequently results in convincing them. The article very tactfully states all the pros and cons of starting a new power plant. The essay strategically first talks about the importance and the benefits of nuclear power plants and gradually moves towards the amount of risk and finance involved in this essay. So this gradual descend from the glory to the risk is a good strategy on the writer’s part. As states, ‘†¦with advanced designs, new construction techniques and strong over sight should be even safer†¦ The tab for a new reactor can run as high as $7 billion to $8 billion, and overruns can add more. There is a long lead time before a plant starts selling power and paying returns. The target audience of the writer appears to be the investors of the private sector as well as the government officials who are responsible for providing assistance to the citizens of the country in beginning a new venture. The tone of the essay is formal since the target audience is also the group of investors and the government officials. The use of formal tone helps in enhancing the over all impact of this article on the readers since the purpose of this article is to attract the citizens of

Our Moral Responsibility to Provide Monetary Aid to Pakistani Villagers Essay Example for Free

Our Moral Responsibility to Provide Monetary Aid to Pakistani Villagers Essay In this essay, I will argue that the theory of Utilitarianism presents resilient, compelling arguments that exemplifies why we have a moral obligation to donate money to help the Pakistani villagers affected by recent floods. Though the argument put forth by Ethical Egoists in favor of donating money to the Pakistanis is convincing, it lacks the quantitative validation that Utilitarianism provides. The Perspective of an Ethical Egoist Ethical Egoism is a consequentialist moral theory that says each person ought to pursue his or her own self-interest exclusively (EMP 69). A person’s only moral duty is to do what is best for him or herself, and he or she helps others only if the act [of helping] benefits the individual in some way (EMP 63). On the surface, it appears that it is not in a person’s best self-interests to donate money to help villagers in Pakistan. The giver experiences monetary loss and the diminution of personal financial wealth, and expends time, energy, and effort in the donation-transaction process. He or she receives neither public acknowledgement nor donor recognition. There are, however, intangible benefits that the giver may reap as a result of his or her deed, such as the satisfaction that he or she receives from giving monetary aid to the Pakistanis or the happiness that he or she experiences for acting in accordance with his or her values. It is in the giver’s self-interest and, therefore, his or her moral duty to give monetary aid to those plagued by the Pakistan floods. The facts that an Ethical Egoist would consider to be important are the consequences to him or herself because Ethical Egoism is a consequentialist moral theory that revolves around the self. Consequentialism contends that the right thing to do is determined by the consequences brought about from it (Class Notes, 10/05/2010). In this case, the morally relevant facts that the Ethical Egoist is primarily concerned with are the intangible benefits and advantages that he or she would receive from giving. The Ethical Egoist would also consider the actual and implicit costs of giving aid, as they are consequences brought about from helping the Pakistani villagers. The argument put forth by Ethical Egoism is good because it is compatible with commonsense morality. To reiterate, Ethical Egoism says that â€Å"all duties are ultimately derived from the one fundamental principle of self-interest† (EMP 73). According to Hobbes, this theory leads to the Golden Rule, which states that â€Å"we should ‘do unto others’ because if we do, others will be more likely to ‘do unto us’† (EMP 74). In this case, if we do not give to others, other people will not give to us. Thus, it is to our advantage to give to others. The Utilitarian Argument Classical, or Act, Utilitarianism maintains that the morally right act is the one that yields maximum happiness for all sentient beings impartially. Utilitarianism requires us to consider the general welfare of society and the interests of other people. Giving money to help the villagers in Pakistan generates positive consequences and diminishes the negative effects of the floods. Specifically, donations for disaster relief results in the availability of medicines to treat sicknesses, the provision and distribution of cooked meals, hygiene kits, and clothing, and the reconstruction and restoration of homes and schools. In short, giving money relieves great suffering of the flood-affected Pakistanis, enhances the balance of happiness over misery, and endorses the maximum and greater good of society. Therefore, the morally right thing to do is to donate money to help the Pakistani villagers. Similar to Ethical Egoism, Utilitarianism is a consequentialist moral theory, though this theory is concerned with the greater good of society. Therefore, the morally relevant facts for a Utilitarian are the consequences to all people impartially. In this case, they include the circulation of food, clothing, medicines, and the restoration of villages. Providing monetary aid ultimately produces the greatest balance of happiness over unhappiness for society. The Utilitarian argument for donating money is good because it provides calculable validation. In other words, the utility of the receivers is quantifiable and tangible (number of meals, hygiene kits, water tanks provided, number of homes rebuilt, etc. ). This tangibility clearly illustrates that the utility of the receiver exceeds the marginal cost to the giver and produces the greatest amount of happiness over unhappiness. Why the Utilitarian Argument is Stronger There is an epistemic problem that weakens the argument given by the Ethical Egoist. We do not know precisely what the consequences will be. We expect that the intangible benefits include self-satisfaction, enjoyment of giving, and happiness from providing financial aid, and we estimate that the costs consist of the actual donation payment and all related opportunity costs; however, we do not know exactly what the consequences will be and the extent of the results. It is, thus, difficult to gauge whether donating to charity is actually in the giver’s best self-interest exclusively because the associated costs may be very great (the giver may end up poorer or the donation-transaction process may be stressful; both situations would not be to his or her advantage). The immeasurability and intangibility of the benefits also weakens the argument. Ayn Rand, an Ethical Egoist, responds to this objection and asserts that it is completely moral and permissible to offer aid to others even when one does not anticipate any tangible return; â€Å"personal reasons for offering aid—reasons consistent with one’s values and one’s pursuit of one’s own life—are sufficient to justify the act† (Gordon Shannon, 10/16/2010). Rand says that personal reasons, such as values and pursuit of a flourishing life, are adequate to justify the act. We run, however, into a problem: just because we have a moral justification to give aid, does it mean we are morally required to give aid? Rand provides a moral justification, but not a moral mandate; this makes the argument put forth by Ethical Egoism weak. While Ethical Egoism provides a convincing argument and response to the objection, the Utilitarian argument is stronger because it buffers against the epistemic problem and provides quantitative, calculable validation. The problem of epistemology does not apply to or weaken the Utilitarian argument because we know what the consequences will be, based on present initiatives. Plan UK has provided cooked meals to over 250,000 people, shelter for 230,000, water tanks, hygiene kits, and medicines for thousands of families (Plan UK). We know how the money will benefit the Pakistani villagers and we can quantify the amount of happiness and good that entails the act of giving aid to others. To summarize: Ethical Egoism says that we ought to pursue our own self-interests exclusively. The morally right act is the one that benefits the self. There is, however, an epistemic problem. We do not know what the consequences will be or the extent of these outcomes. Donating to charity may not benefit the self. Utilitarianism, however, avoids the problem of epistemology and immeasurability. Therefore, Utilitarianism is the stronger argument. Conclusion In this paper, I have presented the theories of Ethical Egoism and Utilitarianism, delved into the morally relevant facts, and reflected on why each argument is good. I illustrated why Utilitarianism is stronger by appealing to a weakness of Ethical Egoism. Thus, the Utilitarian perspective that we have a moral duty to donate money to help Pakistani villagers is a better argument.

Patriotism and The American Flag Essay -- essays research papers

There is much controversy surrounding the idea of patriotism and the iconography of the American flag in today’s society. Some believe patriotism is simply the act of supporting the decisions of the leaders of the country. Others say, to be patriotic, people should be outspoken and voice their oppositions to what is going on in the government. Opinions also differ on the idea of what the American flag represents. One opinion of the flags representation is that the flag represents our history, and the formerly mentioned idea of patriotism. Others believe the flag also represents our history as a nation, but these beliefs focus much more heavily on the negative aspects of our history; such as slavery and other injustices carried out by our nation. These people often believe we should find a new iconography for our country’s ideas of patriotism. As Barbara Kingsolver states in â€Å"And Our Flag Was Still There,† â€Å"Patriotism seems to be falling to whoever cla ims it loudest, and we’re left struggling to find a definition in a clamor of reaction† (Pg. 1). Therefore, every American’s duty is to define patriotism amongst the clamor of reaction, recapture the American flag’s representation, and create a new icon for the flag.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In times of war, such as these, the importance for everyone to know where they stand on the idea of patriotism so they can voice or enact their opinion to the government and the people around them in a more clear and fair fashion is multiplied. The idea of patriotism can often be an obscure one, and during times of heightened security patriotism is a more spoken upon subject. Discussing the many different views of what patriotism means is a key step in better defining patriotism for all people. Barbara Kingsolver says in her article, â€Å"My patriotic duty is to recapture my flag from the men now waving it in the name of jingoism and censorship† (Pg. 2). What she means by this is that the idea of patriotism is being morphed into something it is not. She believes patriotism should encourage free speech and criticism of our leaders in times of difficult decisions. Instead, what is happening is patriotism is suggesting more fascist ideals than democratic idea ls. Barbara believes her duty is to recapture the true meaning of patriotism and let everyone know what that meaning is. She wants everyone to feel open towards voicing t... ...ed to the Red Cross, the stars of film, theater and music who are using their influences to raise money for recovery, and the small hands of schoolchildren collecting anything they think might help the kids who’ve lost their moms or dads (Pg. 2). Although some of these suggestions are not tangible items, they definitely give me a sense of patriotism, and make me feel good about what is going on in our country today. These people and objects truly, in my opinion, represent patriotism. If we were somehow able to take these objects and ideas and put them into an icon of patriotism I know I would solute it, but until then, I will keep these peoples actions in my mind as what I believe to be true patriotism.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The exploration of what patriotism is and what represents patriotism is an important one more people should embark upon. If Americans are to examine patriotisms true meaning, we will be able to abolish this faux patriotism, which is represented by intimidation, censorship, and majority rules attitudes or actions. This can be replaced by feelings and actions of caring, compassion, acceptance, rationality, and nonviolence, or in other words, patriotism.

Son of the Revolution Essay

Peter Kim HIST 354 McKenzie April 2013 Son of the Revolution Essay Right at the start of the memoir, Son of the Revolution, the reader’s attention is drawn to the strict nature of the daycare center the narrator is in. We find that China’s motion towards a Socialist party is integrated down to the people’s level, even implemented and enforced in the daycares. This seems extreme to the reader, especially when the songs sung by the children are titled, â€Å"Sweeping the Floor†, â€Å"Working the Factory† and â€Å"Planting Trees in the Countryside†.One doesn’t need much context clues to figure out what these songs are about. Consequently, this level of extreme integration has caused Chinese society to value family as second-priority to this pursuit of Socialist. However, in this setting where the family isn’t that well off, we learn that Heng and his siblings were spoiled by their paternal and maternal grandmothers. In regards to Mao Zedong, the people of China are led to believe that Mao was in some sort of a deity, a god that affected everyone’s lives.Simultaneously, he was considered as a national father of everyone in Communist China. The author demonstrates this when recalling the sweet of relief he felt when he heard â€Å"that Chairman Mao had forgiven† him, and through writing exercises that required them to repeatedly practice writing, â€Å"Chairman Mao is our Great Saving Star,† and â€Å"We are all Chairman Mao’s good little children. † To many outside nations, including Americans, this seems like a way of brainwashing the people, especially at such an early age.However, we already know that the leaders of the Communist Party have no such fatherly intentions for their â€Å"children†. The â€Å"Hundred Flowers Movement,† a movement that encouraged China’s peoples to openly express their voices and opinions, turns out to be a trap set to ide ntify any Rightists in the midst of people. Trying to be helpful, Heng’s mother is accused of being a Rightist and is sent to a labor camp to â€Å"reform† her. We observe this clash of traditional Confucian value in family with the political allegiance to the Communist movement in Heng’s father, even to the oint where he denounces his own wife. The loyalty to China’s communist Party over family runs deep within its people. Upon hearing that their own father is accused of being a Capitalist and anti-Party, Liang Heng and his siblings become enraged at their own father; in other words, the children honored the communist Party more than they honored their own father, which is ironic to Liang Shang, since he abandoned his wife for the Party.In addition to the Hundred Flowers Movement, Liang Heng’s life took another major turn of events with the initiation of â€Å"The Great Leap Forward,† Mao Zedong’s attempt to transform China from an a grarian economy into a more modernized Communist society via rapid industrialization and collective farming. Naturally, private farming would become prohibited and even accused as an act of rebellion against the revolution. However, the Great Leap Forward was a massive failure with millions of people dying from starvation. Liang Heng’s family was no exception, and had to accommodate for these times.The majority of this narrative takes place during the Cultural Revolution, movement that resulted from the failure of the Great Leap Forward. The main goal of the Revolution was to shift â€Å"old,† traditional, Capitalist China into the â€Å"new,† communist China to secure Mao Zedong’s position in power. Like his other previous endeavors, we see that the Cultural Revolution brought with it confusion and chaos to the people, particularly having to do with the change in names of everything around them from roads to stores to public parks. Liang’s friends have even abandoned their old names to adopt newer â€Å"revolutionary† names.Still, holding such high regards to their Chairman Mao and failing to see flaws in his methods, our narrator strives to one day carry his own Red Guard uniform, specifically upon seeing his older sister wearing her own uniform. Ironically, his own home is later raided by these Red Guards because of his family’s â€Å"political† history – his mother’s relatives have moved to Taiwan, she herself is branded as a Rightist, his father is a writer, or â€Å"stinking intellectual. † These circumstances make it difficult for Liang Heng socially, and he is constantly persecuted and ridiculed by the rest of society because of it.