The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano free essay sample

â€Å"The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano† From Olaudah Equiano’s autobiography published in 1776, historians are able to understand the significant difference between how the business of slavery was conducted between Europeans and Africans. Throughout Equiano’s journey, he recalled how the European and African slave traders and owners differed in the treatment of slaves. Although both Africans and Europeans viewed slavery as a business and traded slaves as property, the European’s treatment of slaves was much more horrific and inhumane. Thus, from his personal accounts traveling throughout parts of Africa and across the Atlantic Ocean, he was able to write from his perspective as a slave which provides historians an accurate firsthand account of the slave trade. From Equiano’s earliest account of childhood in the African region of Nigeria, slavery was a common practice amongst Africans in the region. He noted that slaves â€Å"were only prisoners of war, or such among us had been convicted of†¦crimes, which we esteemed heinous. We will write a custom essay sample on The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page † (Equiano, p701. So from Equiano’s account, slavery amongst Africans was not for the purpose of profit and exploitation but rather out of necessity, custom and to assist slave owners. He even commented on that after he was abducted into the slave trade in Africa, he found his way into a chieftain and claimed that â€Å"they all used me extremely well, and did all they could to comfort me. Although the Africans used the practice of slavery as part of their common commerce from Equiano’s account of how he was traded numerous times, each African master throughout his journey treated him â€Å"ethically. We can even construe that African slave owner’s assimilated their slaves as part of the family from Equiano who considered one of his master’s wife â€Å"as something like a mother. † (Equiano,p701) We can also see how although slaves were still considered as property, the African slavers treated slaves as human beings from Equiano’s account of how one of his mistress washed him and even allowed him to eat with her and her son who are both free. Not only did they allow him to eat and drink before them, they also maintained common African customs when the mistress’s son â€Å"would not at any time either eat, or drink till I had taken first, because I was the eldest. †(Equiano,p702. ) From Equiano’s journey in the slave trade in Africa, we see many evidence of how the treatment and sale of slaves was much more â€Å"ethical† in context to his account of his later travels with European slavers. After Equiano had been traded to the Europeans to be transported across the Atlantic to Barbados his accounts significantly differs from his previous accounts while he was in Africa. His Equiano’s point of view, Europeans saw slavery as an economically viable way to exploit Africans and make tremendous profits from the trade. We can see evidence of this from how they loaded the slaves in masses unto ships that caused the condition to be â€Å"so crowded that each had scarcely room to turn himself. †(Equiano,p703. ) His account provides evidence of Europeans negligence and inhumane treatment of slaves by putting them in these horrific living conditions. These living conditions not only brought suffering, but sickness and death to many slaves from Equiano’s accounts. We can also see that Europeans did not believe that African slaves had any humanity and saw them as purely property to be exploited when Equiano described how a â€Å"multitude of black people of every description chained together. †(Equiano,p702. ) From what Equiano described as he was traded to the Europeans, it is clear that European and African slavers had a much different perspective on slavery. Equiano’s autobiography gives historians a firsthand account of what he sees as he journey throughout Africa and across the Atlantic Ocean. His autobiography provides us evidence that Europeans exploited the African slave trade and treated slaves much more inhumanly then the African slavers. Although Equiano could be slightly biased due to the fact that he was African and he addressed largely to European Christians from his autobiography, his accounts from a firsthand view gives historians evidence to believe that Europeans did in fact treated slaves far worst then Africans.

Spence v. Washington (1974)

Spence v. Washington (1974) Should the government be able to prevent people from attaching symbols, words, or pictures to American flags in public? That was the question before the Supreme Court in Spence v. Washington, a case where a college student was prosecuted for publicly displaying an American flag to which he had attached large peace symbols. The Court found that Spence had a constitutional right to use the American flag to communicate his intended message, even if the government disagreed with him. Fast Facts: Spence v. Washington Case Argued: January 9, 1974Decision Issued:  June 25, 1974Petitioner: Harold Omond SpenceRespondent: State of WashingtonKey Question: Was a Washington State law criminalizing the display of a modified American flag in violation of the First and Fourteenth Amendments?Majority Decision: Justices Douglas, Stewart, Brennan, Marshall, Blackmun, and PowellDissenting: Justices Burger, White, and RehnquistRuling: The right to modify the flag was an expression of freedom of speech, and as applied, the Washington State statute was in violation of the First Amendment.   Spence v. Washington: Background In Seattle, Washington, a college student named Spence hung an American flag outside the window of his private apartment - upside down and with peace symbols attached to both sides. He was protesting violent acts by the American government, for example in Cambodia and the fatal shootings of college students at Kent State University. He wanted to associate the flag more closely with peace than war: I felt there had been so much killing and that this was not what America stood for. I felt that the flag stood for America and I wanted people to know that I thought America stood for peace. Three police officers saw the flag, entered the apartment with Spence’s permission, seized the flag, and arrested him. Although Washington state had a law banning desecration of the American flag, Spence was charged under a law banning â€Å"improper use† of the American flag, denying people the right to: Place or cause to be placed any word, figure, mark, picture, design, drawing or advertisement of any nature upon any flag, standard, color, ensign or shield of the United States or of this state ... orExpose to public view any such flag, standard, color, ensign or shield upon which shall have been printed, painted or otherwise produced, or to which shall have been attached, appended, affixed or annexed any such word, figure, mark, picture, design, drawing or advertisement... Spence was convicted after the judge told the jury that merely displaying the flag with an attached peace symbol was sufficient grounds for conviction. He was fined $75 and sentenced to 10 days in jail (suspended). The Washington Court of Appeals reversed this, declaring that the law overbroad. The Washington Supreme Court reinstated the conviction and Spence appealed to the Supreme Court. Spence v. Washington: Decision In an unsigned, per curiam decision, the Supreme Court said the Washington law â€Å"impermissibly infringed a form of protected expression.† Several factors were cited: the flag was private property, it was displayed on private property, the display did not risk any breach of peace, and finally even the state admitted that Spence was â€Å"engaged in a form of communication.† As to whether the state has an interest in preserving the flag as â€Å"an unalloyed symbol of our country,† the decision states: Presumably, this interest might be seen as an effort to prevent the appropriation of a revered national symbol by an individual, interest group, or enterprise where there was a risk that association of the symbol with a particular product or viewpoint might be taken erroneously as evidence of governmental endorsement. Alternatively, it might be argued that the interest asserted by the state court is based on the uniquely universal character of the national flag as a symbol.For the great majority of us, the flag is a symbol of patriotism, of pride in the history of our country, and of the service, sacrifice, and valor of the millions of Americans who in peace and war have joined together to build and to defend a Nation in which self-government and personal liberty endure. It evidences both the unity and diversity which are America. For others, the flag carries in varying degrees a different message. â€Å"A person gets from a symbol the meaning he puts into it, and what is one manâ⠂¬â„¢s comfort and inspiration is another’s jest and scorn.† None of this mattered, though. Even accepting a state interest here, the law was still unconstitutional because Spence was using the flag to express ideas which viewers would be able to understand. Given the protected character of his expression and in light of the fact that no interest the State may have in preserving the physical integrity of a privately owned flag was significantly impaired on these facts, the conviction must be invalidated. There was no risk that people would think the government was endorsing Spence’s message and the flag carries so many different meanings to people that the state cannot proscribe the use of the flag to express certain political views. Spence v. Washington: Significance This decision avoided dealing with whether people have a right to display flags they have permanently altered to make a statement. Spence’s alteration was deliberately temporary, and the justices appear to have thought this relevant. However, at least a free speech right to at least temporarily â€Å"deface† the American flag was established. The Supreme Court’s decision in Spence v. Washington was not unanimous. Three justices - Burger, Rehnquist, and White - disagreed with the majority’s conclusion that individuals have a free speech right to alter, even temporarily, an American flag in order to communicate some message. They agreed that Spence was indeed engaged in communicating a message, but they disagreed that Spence should be allowed to alter the flag to do so. Writing a dissent joined by Justice White, Justice Rehnquist stated: The true nature of the State’s interest in this case is not only one of preserving â€Å"the physical integrity of the flag,† but also one of preserving the flag as â€Å"an important symbol of nationhood and unity.† ... It is the character, not the cloth, of the flag which the State seeks to protect. [...]The fact that the State has a valid interest in preserving the character of the flag does not mean, of course, that it can employ all conceivable means to enforce it. It certainly could not require all citizens to own the flag or compel citizens to salute one. ... It presumably cannot punish criticism of the flag, or the principles for which it stands, any more than it could punish criticism of this country’s policies or ideas. But the statute in this case demands no such allegiance.Its operation does not depend upon whether the flag is used for communicative or noncommunicative purposes; upon whether a particular message is deemed commercial or politica l; upon whether the use of the flag is respectful or contemptuous; or upon whether any particular segment of the State’s citizenry might applaud or oppose the intended message. It simply withdraws a unique national symbol from the roster of materials that may be used as a background for communications. [emphasis added] It should be noted that Rehnquist and Burger dissented from the Court’s decision in Smith v. Goguen for substantially the same reasons. In that case, a teenager was convicted for wearing a small American flag on the seat of his pants. Although White voted with the majority, in that case, he attached a concurring opinion where he stated that he would not â€Å"find it beyond congressional power, or that of state legislatures, to forbid attaching to or putting on the flag any words, symbols, or advertisements.† Just two months after the Smith case was argued, this one appeared before the court - though that case was decided first. As was true with the Smith v. Goguen case, the dissent here simply misses the point. Even if we accept Rehnquist’s assertion that the state has an interest in preserving the flag as â€Å"an important symbol of nationhood and unity,† this does not automatically entail that the state the authority to fulfill this interest by prohibiting people from treating a privately own flag as they see fit or by criminalizing certain uses of the flag to communicate political messages. There is a missing step here - or more likely several missing steps - which Rehnquist, White, Burger and other supporters of bans on flag â€Å"desecration† never manage to include in their arguments. It’s likely that Rehnquist recognized this. He acknowledges, after all, that there are limits to what the state may do in pursuit of this interest and cites several examples of extreme government behavior which would cross the line for him. But where, exactly, is that line and why does he draw it in the place he does? Upon what basis does he allow some things but not others? Rehnquist never says and, for this reason, the effectiveness of his dissent completely fails. One more important thing should be noted about Rehnquist’s dissent: he makes it explicit that criminalizing the certain uses of the flag to communicate messages must apply to respectful as well as contemptuous messages. Thus, the words â€Å"America is Great† would be just as prohibited as the words â€Å"America Sucks.† Rehnquist is at least consistent here, and that’s good - but how many supporters of bans on flag desecration would accept this particular consequence of their position? Rehnquist’s dissent suggests very strongly that if the government has the authority to criminalize burning an American flag, it can criminalize waving an American flag as well.

Individual development plans (IDPs) part 2 Essay

Individual development plans (IDPs) part 2 - Essay Example An important characteristic of development objectives pertains to skills assessment. It is crucial for an individual to conduct an assessment of all the required and necessary skills to meet the objectives. An honest self-assessment will help identify gaps, as well as, strategies to seal the gaps within the specified timeframe. Strategies are such as one-on-one tutorials, workshops, and seminars can help accomplish the objectives (Feldman, 2011). The second aspect that leads to the effectiveness of the IDP is the timeline of the development. One ought to have a strict schedule that he or she will commit towards a particular development. It is impossible to attain all the skills needed for a long-term development in a few weeks. In the same way, a short-term development requires less time to acquire the needed skills (Feldman, 2011). A timeline serves as the roadmap to success for one to achieve various professional and academic developments. Setting a realistic timeframe for each development is crucial to the fruition of the IDP. Commitment to the development within the set time is an important characteristic needed for one be successful (Feldman,

ASSIGNMENT- Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

- - Assignment Example This will allow me to quantify the competence of players in each of the six competence areas, and provide me with objective results and hence, names of the players to be drafted. What will you do to motivate the players? Motivation comes from satisfaction and self actualization. In order to inculcate both in the players, it is imperative that the leader makes them aware of the importance of the task at hand and the significance of their individualistic and collective roles in making the project successful. When the players are explained the background of the project along with its importance and their own importance, it makes them feel important that in turn, inculcates satisfaction. Therefore, I shall call a meeting and demonstrate the project, along with their roles and responsibilities in it. I shall also assure them that their hard work will be rewarded in any way the organization deems appropriate. Successful players may get a financial reward or be promoted or sent to paid leav e etc. The team knows that it is involved in a corporate bake-off, winner take all. What members don't know is that it is a suicide mission, meaning results won't matter because the parent firm is sinking underneath it.   A.

Urban Water Quality Issues Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 242

Urban Water Quality Issues - Assignment Example An instance where referencing will be essential in technical writing is in research dissertations in order to indicate the historical backgrounds of different water elements and water quality issues. This analyzes the previous researches that were undertaken by some engineers in a similar field to prove or reject the claims presented. Referencing in technical writing will also apply in transaction documents issued to supplier or vendors of engineering materials. Similarly, engineers normally enter into contracts with other parties and this requires legal interpretations of the phrases used in the documents (Jaffe & Trajtenberg, 2008). It is essential to ensure that the contract provisions conform to the laws by indicating the correct sections through credible references.ABC Company requested the submission of a report concerning urban water quality issues in which the findings by various researches indicated that the activity would be successful. Regnery, et al (2013), claim that urb anization has affected the quality of water due to factors like population growth, urban runoff, and sewage overflow. It is apparent that the high number of residents within the urban centers has contributed to developments that affect the drainage systems. Such constructions spoil the water resources because the water supply cannot serve the high population (Regnery, et al., 2013). Â  This leads to the shortage of water within the areas and the residents are forced to use untreated water from other sources. The author also indicates that urban runoff and sewage overflows sleeps water downhill to other areas, causing flooding and blockages.

Mechanisms of Autoimmunity in Animal Models and Humans

Mechanisms of Autoimmunity in Animal Models and Humans Norzawani Binti Buang Genetic and cellular mechanisms of autoimmunity in animal models and humans

Revenge and Emotions Essay -- Literary Analysis, Shakespeare

In the world today, many people face family problems every single day, but there are few people who face adversities as tough as those in William Shakespeare’s plays. Coping with family problems can cause a person to do vile things to themselves as well as to others. Shakespeare’s famous play revolves around revenge, which is the desire to do harm in return for a wrong. His play shows how the loss of loved ones can affect people. He builds up the idea that people do harmful things through anger rather than reasoning. In the play Hamlet, the characters face emotions that lead to revenge because they are unable to cope with the death of love ones. Hamlet’s Uncle Claudius kills his father, but he has no knowledge of this. The ghost says, â€Å"I am thy father’s spirit, doomed for a certain term to walk to the night, and for the day confined to fast in fires, till the foul crimes done in my days of nature are burnt and purged away† (I.v.9-33). The ghost tells Hamlet that he is his father and that a foul crime has been committed. He also tells him that the crime is forgotten. Hamlet finds out that his uncle kills his father by pouring poison in his ear while he is sleeping. Ghost says, â€Å"List, list, O, list! If thou didst ever thy dear father love —† (I.v.21-23). At this point, the ghost is saying to Hamlet if he has any love for his father he will avenge his death. The ghost states, â€Å"Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder† (I.v.25). Hamlet’s father is telling him to get revenge for his death. Hamlet ‘s initial reaction is to avenge his father, a reaction that is brought on by a sudden shock of the ghost’s confession.To prove that Hamlet has love for his father he is going to avenge his father’s death. â€Å"Haste me to know’t, that... ...and wounds the king. Hamlet finds out that the king poisoned the drink that killed his mother. Hamlet is full of rage and runs his uncle through with the poisoned sword. Hamlet states, â€Å"Here, thou incestuous, murd’rous damned Dane, drink off this potion. Is thy union here? Follow my mother† (V.ii.304-306). Hamlet makes the king drink the same drink that kills his mother. Hamlet has fulfilled the ghost’s wishes. The theme of revenge reaches its conclusion when Hamlet kills Claudius. Revenge is the core theme in Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Death of loved ones cause the characters to act blindly through anger and emotion which cause them to carry out revenge. Hamlet has opportunities to kill Claudius, but he waits until the time is right to kill him. Hamlet, and the Laertes both accomplishes their task. Their obsession and need for revenge lead them to their downfalls.