The Slave Trade in Africa Essay Example for Free

The Slave Trade in Africa Essay Eric Williams thesis entitled Capitalism and slavery is not a study on the nature of the slave trade, but rather a study of the role of slavery in the English economy. In his thesis Williams proposes the idea that capitalism is a result of the Atlantic slave trade. Williams defines capitalism as when someone can use their resources to make a profit without that person actually being present. The Atlantic Slave Trade was then an example of capitalism. English investors gave funds to stock companies, such as the Dutch East Indian Company, who wound use those funds to purchase ships and trading goods. The stock companies would then hire a crew and send the ships to Africa where they would trade their goods for African Slaves. The ships would then transport the slaves to the Americas where they would sell their human cargo and purchase American goods. The ships could then return to England and sell their American goods for capital, then splitting the profit amongst the investors. In his thesis Williams asserts that these stock companies were the first examples of capitalism and that the capitalists systems which are present in the modern world are direct results of the Atlantic Slave Trade. It appears that Williams is correct in his thesis. While elements of capitalism, such as buying and selling of goods, were present prior to the slave trade, this was the first point in history when private investors combined their capital in the form of a company whose sole purpose was to increase that capital. At no point did the stock companies manufacture any new product instead these companies served only to buy and sell commodities in such a way as to increase the capital of their investors. Ancient Africa was characterized by strong states. Unlike Europe African states were well organized before the birth of Christ. However as European states became stronger African states weakened. These strong ancient African states such as, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kush and Benin, believed that the purpose of the state was to serve the people. This ideology made it possible for African states to become strong because since the state served the people the people were willing to participate in defending the state and submit to taxation in order to pro vide for the needs of the state which then benefited the individual. However African states began to weaken when the Arab came into Africa. In a quest to seek the destruction of Christianity in Europe the Arabs tore through the Maghreb (five north African countries). The Arabs not only took over the state, but also the culture, as a new Arab population settled, and pushed the original African population below the Sahara. The Arab presence in Africa soon led to a weakening of the African State. In 1350 the strong African state of Songhai began to have border disputes with the Arab led state Morroco. Songhai stated that the purpose of the African state was to serve the people to which Morroco replied that the purpose of the state was to serve Islam. Since the ruler of Morroco was a descendant of Mohammed that meant that it was Songhais responsibility to support the Morrocan state rather than the interests of its own people. Songhai was destroyed by Morroco in 1591, and after Songhais destruction any new states that emerged in this area put the interests of outsiders above the welfare of their own people. The area that had once been the strong empire of Songhai became the core of the slave trade in Africa. When Europeans came into Africa to trade they dealt with these weakened African states. They provided the states arms and the states allowed Europeans to enslave their citizens. African states allied with European nations at the expense of their own people; showing that the purpose of the African state had changed from serving its citizens to serving the interests of outsiders because the same sort of brutality used by Morroco in its destruction of Songhai was used by the Europeans in gunboat diplomacy. The African state would submit to foreign interests because it was no longer strong enough to fight back. African states could not compete against European technology so the rulers of these states signed agreements that allowed their people to be captured, enslaved and taken across the Atlantic. The weakening of the African state caused a change in the purpose of the State. The purpose of the state became providing for the needs and wants of foreigners; this is why the slave trade was possible in Africa. Not only did the African states allow its people to be enslaved, but the states participated in the enslavement of its own people in order to receive the benefits of trade with the Europeans.

George Balanchine Essay -- Choreographer Art Ballet Essays

George Balanchine If composers are the masters of time, then the choreographer George Balanchine is the master of visual realization of that time in human terms. A master in both the kinesthetic and musical frames of creativity, he did not devote his energies to music visualization by assigning a certain number of dancers to represent strings, others the brass, and still others woodwinds or percussion but by creating a visual analogy in space that restates the musical structure with the trained dancer's body. He claimed that "Ballet... should not be an illustrator of even...the most substantive of literary sources. It will speak for itself. The ballet is flowers, beauty, poetry...I am, if you please, an advocate of pure art." Balanchine's most intense desire was "to make audiences see music and hear dancing." Georgi Melitonovitch Balanchivadze was born the second of three children to Meliton Balanchivadze and his wife Marie on January 22,1904 in the village of Banodzha in western Georgia. His older sister was named Tamara and his younger brother, Andrei. Georgi was a very reserved child and never showed his emotions. When he was punished he would hide, afraid someone would see him crying. When translated, balanchivadze means "jester's son", which always amused Balanchine because his father was a singer and composer, and his mother was a pianist who encouraged the musical development of her children. When Meliton was home from his many tours and study trips he would teach the children to sing, and all three of them took piano lessons. At parties Andrei and Tamara would often dance for the guests but Georgi refused because he hated anything to do with dance and performance. When she reached the official age for admitt... ... companies perform at least one Balanchine work. Upon his death, it was written in the New York Review of Books that "George Balanchine liked to say, quoting Mayakovsky, 'I am not a man, but a cloud in trousers.' And now that luminous cloud has floated off, leaving us with a loss far deeper than the grave." Works Cited: A Ballet Society Book. Portraits of Mr. B: Photographs of George Balanchine. New York: The Viking Press, 1984. Buckle, Richard. George Balanchine: Ballet Master. New York: Random House, 1988. Flatow, Sheryl. "The Balanchine Trust: Guardian of the Legacy". Dance Magazine. December 1990, p 58-61. McDonagh, Don. George Balanchine. Boston: Twayne Publishers, 1983. Reynolds, Nancy. "Balanchine in the USSR: Cultural Revelation". Dance Magazine. January 1994, p 88-90. Taper, Bernard. Balanchine: A Biography. New York: Times Books, 1984.

Abortion: Pro Life or Pro Choice? Essay

The issue of abortion is one of the most contentious, and emotive dilemmas faced by modern societies (Devanny, 2000). Women should have the right to choose whether or not they want to continue or terminate their pregnancy. Since the infamous Supreme Court case of Roe vs. Wade, women were given the right to choose what’s best for them and their unborn child even if it means to end life. Since abortion became illegal, there have been many debates between pro choice and pro life that women have the right to choose but in the process they are killing a living human being. Pro Choice Women all over the world should have the right to a safe, legal, and accessible abortion (Lee, 2007). Pro choice groups agree that it’s the women’s right to decide whether or not to bring a child into this world is a personal matter and we shouldn’t try to interfere with her right to choose. Statistics have should that when abortion is made illegal and inaccessible to women, she would turn to every unsafe procedure in order to terminate an unwanted pregnancy. Women may attempt to induce miscarriages or will try to self terminate the pregnancy by using home remedies. If this happens complications may include inflammation, hemorrhaging, kidney failure, infertility complications, and may also result in death. Each year it has been estimated that 78,000 deaths occur due to homemade abortions. In the cases of rape or incest, forcing a woman who got pregnant in a violent act would cause more psychological damage to them. In these types of cases, abortion is best option which will allow the victim to not bring a child into this world which was conceived through a violent crime. See more: Unemployment – problems and solutions essay Pro Life Abortion is a tragedy; there are far too many in the United State today (Chittom, 2007). Since the landmark Supreme Court case of Roe vs. Wade which gave the right for women to seek medical help for terminating a pregnancy. The debate between pro life and pro choice has been going on for years. Pro life groups have made continuous efforts to inform women who are contemplating abortion to consider the consequence that come with it. Some pro life women who had abortions have experienced some emotional, psychological, physical, and spiritual scars that stay with them for the rest of their lives. Depression and other stress related illness have derived from abortions. Due to abortions, mental health services costs have increased to women suffering from post-abortion trauma. Studies have shown that abortions can lead to medical complications later on life which included the risks of ectopic pregnancies, pelvic inflammatory diseases, and a chance of miscarriages with future pregnancies, Pro life movements have expressed that life begins at conception and getting an abortion is like committing murder. Abortion Debated Abortion is an option that must remain accessible to women if they decide to choose to terminate the pregnancy. Before abortion was legalized woman waited longer before deciding to seek abortion which makes it more dangerous to the welfare of the mother and child. Abortion can also be present psychological pain and stress that comes after abortion. Abortion is important option to women who faces an unplanned pregnancy. Some argue that a child who is unwanted should not be brought into this world. Pro lifers look at a child as blessing and there are many other options that will allow you to get rid of any unwanted pregnancy. Adoption should be considered for women who don’t want to terminate their pregnancy to give their child up to people who will give them the love and care that they deserve. The most heated debate between pro life and pro choice is rape. Pro choice forces believe that a woman who has suffered through rape or other violent crimes should be able to terminate the unwanted pregnancy with no remorse. Pro life forces believe that the rapist should be punished not the child. Terminating the pregnancy punishes an innocent child not the rapist. Conclusion The battle between for pro life and pro choice has been debated for years. It’s up the women to do what she thinks is necessary when it comes to unwanted pregnancies. Since the 1973 case of Roe vs. Wade, many have taken sides for and against abortion. Is it right for the federal government to interfere with a women’s right to choose life or not? This debate will continue for until the end of time. Who are we to say who’s right and who’s wrong when it comes to abortion? References: Lee, M. (2007) Point: Abortion is a Health and Human Right Issue. Points of View: Abortion. Retrieved on June 28, 2009 from the Points of View Reference Center Database Chittom, Lynn-nore. (2007) Counterpoint: Why Women Should Choose Not to Abort. Points of View: Abortion. Retrieved on June 28, 2009 from Points of View Reference Database Wilson, Brian. (2007) Counterpoint: Outlawing Abortion. Points of View: Abortion. Retrieved on August 14, 2009 from the Points of View Reference Center Database Anderson, Tim (2007) Point: The Right to Safe and Legal Abortion. Points of View: Abortion. Retrieved on August 13, 2009 from the Points of View Reference Center Database. Devanny, Joe (2009). Should abortion be permitted? Retrieved from www.idebate.org Lowen, Linda Ten Arguments for Abortion and Against Abortion Retrieved on August 12, 2009 from www.womenissues.about.com

The History of Calculators and William Seward Burroughs

Determining who invented the calculator and when the first calculator was created is not as easy as it seems. Even in pre-historic times, bones and other objects were used to calculate arithmetic functions. Long afterward came mechanical calculators, followed by electrical calculators and then their evolution into the familiar but not-so-ubiquitous-anymore handheld calculator. Here are some of the milestones and prominent figures who played a role in the development of the calculator through history. Milestones and Pioneers The Slide Rule:  Before we had calculators we had slide rules. In 1632, the circular and rectangular slide rule was invented by W. Oughtred (1574-1660).  Resembling a standard ruler, these devices allowed users to multiply, divide, and calculate roots and logarithms. They were not typically used for addition or subtraction, but they were commonplace sights in school rooms and workplaces well into the 20th century.   Mechanical Calculators William Schickard (1592-1635):  According to his notes, Schickard succeeded in designing and building the first mechanical calculating device. Schickard’s accomplishment went unknown and unheralded for 300 years, until his notes were discovered and publicized, so it was not until Blaise Pascal’s invention gained widespread notice that mechanical calculation came to the public’s attention.   Blaise Pascal (1623-1662): Blaise Pascal invented one of the first calculators, called the Pascaline, to help his father with his work collecting taxes. An improvement in Schickard’s design, it nevertheless suffered from mechanical shortcomings and higher functions required repetitive entries. Electronic Calculators William Seward Burroughs (1857-1898): In 1885, Burroughs filed his first patent for a calculating machine. However, his 1892 patent was for an improved calculating machine with an added printer.  The Burroughs Adding Machine Company, which he founded in St. Louis, Missouri, went on to great success popularizing the inventor’s creation. (His grandson, William S. Burroughs enjoyed great success of a far different kind, as a Beat writer.)