buy custom The Spanish American War essay

buy custom The Spanish American War essay The Spanish American War began just like many other wars in the sense that opposing forces were competing for dominance or independence on different grounds. The Spanish American War began officially on the 25th of April 1898 and came to an end on the 10th of December 1898 (Graves, 2000). The main issue behind the war was that Cuban revolutionary groups that had been firmly established wanted independence from Spain. It is arguably true that Spain had dominated most of the west since it was the first European nation that set its eyes on the western part of the world. This is to say that Spain was the first European nation to sail westwards across the Atlantic Ocean. Therefore, Spain had taken bigger part of the west, extending its territories from Virginia (the United States of America) to South America (Brazil, Alaska, and California) and to the southernmost tip of the South American mainland (Tierra del Fuego) (Library of Congress, 2011). This dominance of Spain made the Cuban revo lutionary groups demand their independence. Since there was no agreement over this demand, the United States supported the rebels, thus, prompting a war between the United States and Spain. Commence of the War A war against Spain began on February 18th after a battle ship Maine exploded at Havana, one of Cubas main harbours. This prompted president McKinley to declare war against Spain after local newspapers blamed Spain over this event (Hendrickson, 2003). The American media led to a lot of public pressure, whereby many American citizens demanded action against Spain. Therefore, the American authorities had no option but to declare the war that had different consequences. In this regard, the sinking of the United States ship in Havana is truly one of the main catalysts of the war. Military aggressiveness is one of the most viable ways to provoke another country into war because it is the main way a country can illustrate its dominance over the other. Yellow Journalism The pressure piled upon the United States government was actively supported by journalists who were determined to use visual evidence on how the situation developed between the two countries after the sinking of the battle ship. This effect of journalism is commonly known as yellow journalism. According to Dolan (15), journalists usually choose to use circumstantial evidence to tell their stories with an aim of maximizing on their sales. In this regard, two journalists, Joseph Pulitzer and William Hearst, were at the centre stage of yellow journalism that led to the American Spanish war. Dolan (21) posits that the two men were extraordinarily influential through their journalism career, making the work of the president of that time terribly difficult. Both Hearst and Pulitzer used their New York journal, and the New York world newspapers respectively to win the mind of many readers using non-researched publications, a fat tactic that was able to convince many Americans that the Spani sh American war was necessary and called for. Unfortunately, this method could be fallacious because it is not research based. For instance, yellow journalism at that time relied on the Cuban patriots for information (23). This eans thatfacts, as presented by the journalist, could not be accurate, hence, pushing the government into a war that was not necessary. However, the yellow journalism effect was successful since the war was started. On the other hand, the facts could be correct since the Spanish rule was dictatorial, especially in Cuba and in other colonies. The effect of yellow journalism also provoked America into war. Before the war begun, President William McKinley was keen to use negotiation as a means to secure the much-needed independence. This portrayed him as a nonaggressive president who would make enough efforts to avoid war. Hendrickson (8) asserts that the most conspicuous step that the president took in this attempt was sending his personal representative Stewart Woodford to Spain in 1887. Although this was in an attempt to give dialogue a chance, it was thwarted by the so-called De Lome letter. Enrique Dupuy de Lome, the Spanish minister to the United States, had written the infamous letter. According to the minister, American politicians preferred an aggressive policy towards Spain. However, this assertion was contrary to McKinleys preference. Therefore, the minister wrote the letter expressing his reservations that the president could fall for the politicians' views and disadvantage Spain. This letter leaked to William R adolph Hearst who published it in February 1898, leading to recalling of the Spanish minister to the United States (8). This letter provoked many Americans who were outraged by the ministers comments, hence, pushing their government to take military actions against Spain. This culminated into a full-blown war. The Cuban junta played a singularly critical role in ensuring that the letter was published to the public. According to Trask (2011), Cuban junta first received the letter. They forwarded it to Radolph for straight away publication. In addition, the juntas were tremendously helpful to the military activities. This is because they provided leadership skills to the military groupings that were fighting the Spanish. Similarly, the junta provided funds in support of the preparations for war. Barnes (66) reveals that the Cuban junta was the political wing of the Cuban revolutionary party that established in 1895 in New York under Thomas Estrada Palmas, a Cuban dictator. This group was established to seek support from Americans against the Spanish. Major Battles The Spanish American War presented a number of fierce battles that led to the defeat of the Spanish. The Battle of Manila Bay was one of these battles. It occurred on May 1, 1898, when Spanish fleet that was near a place called Cavite was destroyed by American forces under the command of George Dewey. This battle is purported to be one sided since the United States emerged superbly victorious. The battle was particularly decisive since it frustrated Spanish naval efforts as its ships were destroyed. The battle left many Spanish soldiers dead and only two Americans dying indirectly (Dolan, 38). This battle destroyed most, if not all, Spanish naval power, thus, enabling America to protect its pacific coast. In addition, Spanish forces in Cuba could not be reinforced, hence, weakeningg them. In May 1898, American soldiers launched another battle at Santiago, blocking the harbour and preventing the Spanish from using it for supplies. George Dewey used this strategy to weaken the Spanish army even further. The Spanish army was based in Santiago under the leadership of Pascual Cervera, meaning that the capture of the harbour was detrimental to the Spanish. Invasion of the eastern shore in 1898 via Santiago was facilitated by a coordinated effort between General William Shafter and Theodore Roosevelt who was commanding his cavalry (rough riders) that was the first volunteer into the battle. The Spanish forces in Santiago surrendered as American forces took over Puerto Rico (Graves, 2000). San Juan was under the United States control when the Spanish attempted to take over. However, the battle saw the Spanish troops fail to capture it while the American continued controlling the blockade. Again, the Spanish lost heavily in the battle of San Juan, which took place on the 22nd of June, 1898. After the battle of Santiago at Santiago de Cuba, the Spanish army was weakened largely. When Cervera discovered this, he tried to escape westwards on July 3rd, 1898 (Trask, 2011). However, his ships were attacked by the United States, leaving them burning and in terrible conditions to continue with the war. This led to the ultimate surrender on July 17, thus, marking the end of the war. The Peace Treaty Following the defeat of the Spanish by the United States, the Spanish and American diplomats met in Paris, France, to negotiate a peace treaty. According to Graves (41), the treaty was signed on December 10, 1898. By then, the United States were controlling many overseas colonies, following the subsequent elimination of the Spanish. These colonies included the islands of Puerto Rico, Guam, and Philippines. In this event, the treaty, signed in France, allowed the United States to buy the Philippines from Spain for 40 million dollars. On the other hand, Cuba gained its independence from the Spanish. This is clear evidence that the pioneers of the war alongside the United States benefited in different ways. The urge by Theodore Roosevelt and Henry Cabot top had the United States have a significant influence on other parts of the world, especially Asia.This was because the United States owned the mentioned islands fully. This position meant that the United States could build its economy from the additional natural resources it was controlling, just as it was with any other colonial authority. The Spanish American war is one of the most outstanding military events in the history of the United States. This is, perhaps, because Americans had indisputably emerged stronger than the Spaniards, who had a strong presence in the west. Therefore, the United States occupied an influential position in the world, implying that it could influence more issues that are global. The war events prooved the United States army was stronger and military wiser. This became evident after the Spaniards were defeated in virtually all key battles. This is probably the main reason why the peace treaty was signed in Paris, France, in December, 1898. Buy custom The Spanish American War essay

6 Steps for Self-Discipline When You Study

6 Steps for Self-Discipline When You Study Have you ever heard the quote, Self-discipline is the difference between choosing what you want now and choosing what you want most? Its a quote that tons of people in the business world follow religiously in order to get exactly what they most desire from their companies. Its a theory that many people use to get themselves out of bed to get to the gym before going to work. Its a mantra that athletes use to do that last set of squats, even though their legs are burning and they want nothing more than to quit. But its message of endurance and self-denial is perfect for those students looking to gain an edge on their competition by acing the ACT in order to get into the college or university of their dreams or those students who simply want to score their highest on their midterm or final exams.   Why Self-Discipline Is Important According to Merriam-Webster, the definition of self-discipline is the  correction or regulation of oneself for the sake of improvement. This definition implies that certain regulation or stopping of ourselves from certain behaviors is important if we are going to improve in some way. If we are relating this to studying, it means that we need to stop doing certain things or start doing certain things while studying in order to get the positive results we crave. Regulating ourselves in this way is incredibly important because it can build self-esteem. When we achieve the goals we set for ourselves, we get a boost of confidence which can improve many aspects of our lives. How to Have Self-Discipline When You Study Step 1: Remove Temptations Self-discipline is the easiest when things that distract you from your studies are out of sight, out of earshot, and out the window, if necessary. If you find yourself tempted by external distractions like your cell phone, then by all means, turn the thing completely off. Nothing is going to happen in the 45 minutes that you are going to sit down to study (more on that in a minute) that cannot wait until you have a scheduled break. Also, take the time to remove the clutter from your study area if clutter makes you crazy. Unpaid bills, notes to yourself of things you need to accomplish, letters or even pictures can pull your focus off your studies and into places it does not belong when you are trying to learn how to write a stellar essay for the Enhanced ACT test. Step 2: Eat Brain Food Before You Begin Studies have shown that when we are  exercising willpower (another word for self-discipline), our  mental energy tanks slowly get  emptied. Forcing ourselves to give up what we want in the now for what we want later physically zaps our reserves of glucose, which is the brains favorite fuel. This is why  when we are sitting diligently ignoring our cell phones and pushing back our need  to check Instagram, we are more likely to head to the pantry for a chocolate chip cookie than we would be if we were not practicing self-discipline at all. So, before we ever sit down to study, we need to be sure to indulge in some brain foods like scrambled eggs, a little bit of dark chocolate, maybe even a jolt of caffeine to make sure that our glucose is steady enough to NOT drive us away from the learning were trying to do. Step 3: Do Away With Perfect Timing There is never a perfect time to begin studying for your test. The more time you give yourself the better off you will be, but if you sit around and wait for the  perfect  moment to start studying, you will be waiting for the rest of your  life. There will  always  be something more important than reviewing the SAT Mathematics test questions. Your friends will beg you to go out to the movies to see the final showing of the seasons top film. Your family members will need to be driven on errands or your parents will need you to finish cleaning your room. If you wait until everything is just right- when everything else is accomplished and you feel  great  - you will never find the time to study. Step 4: Ask Yourself If I Had to, Could I? Imagine that you are sitting at your desk. Behind you is an intruder with a weapon pointed at your head. If the only thing between life and saying goodbye to the world as you know it was studying for the next several hours (with scheduled breaks), could you do it? Of course, you could!  Nothing in the world would mean more than your life at that moment. So, if you could do it then- drop everything and give studying everything you have in you- then you can do it in the safety of your own bedroom or library when the stakes arent quite that high. Its all about mental strength. Give yourself a pep-talk. Tell yourself, I have to do this. Everything depends on it. Sometimes, imagining a real life-death scenario works when youre staring at 37 pages of differential equations. Step 4: Give Yourself a Break And by giving yourself a break, we definitely dont mean abandoning all self-discipline and settling down in front of the TV. Schedule mini-breaks into your study session strategically. Set a watch or timer (not the phone - thats turned off) for 45 minutes. Then, force yourself to study for those 45 minutes, making sure that nothing interferes with your work. Then, at 45 minutes, take a scheduled 5- to 7-minute break. Use the bathroom, stretch your legs, grab some brain food, reorganize, and get back at it when the break is over. Step 5: Give Yourself Rewards Sometimes the answer to being self-disciplined lies in the quality of the reward you give yourself for exercising willpower. For many people, the practice of self-discipline is a reward in and of itself. For others, especially those who are just trying to learn to have some willpower when studying, you will need something a little more tangible. So, set up a reward system. Set your timer. Practice studying for that final  for 20 minutes with no interruptions. If youve made it that far, then give yourself a point. Then, after a short break, do it again. If you make it another 20 minutes, give yourself another point. Once youve accumulated three points- you have managed to study for a full hour without surrendering to distractions- you get your reward. Perhaps its a Starbucks latte, one episode of Seinfeld, or even just the luxury of getting onto social media for a few minutes. Make the reward worth it and withhold the reward until youve met your goal! Step 6: Start Small Self-discipline is not a natural thing. Sure. Some people are more self-disciplined than others. They have the rare ability to say no to themselves when they want to say yes. What you need to remember, however, is that self-discipline is a learned skill. Just like the ability to make a perfect free-throw with a high percentage of accuracy  only comes after hours and hours on the court, self-discipline comes from the repeated exercise of willpower. Dr. Anders Ericsson, a Florida State University psychologist says that it takes 10,000 hours to become an expert at something, but â€Å"You don’t get benefits from mechanical repetition, but by adjusting your execution over and over to get closer to your goal. You have to tweak the system by pushing,† he adds, â€Å"allowing for more errors at first as you increase your limits.† So, if you truly want to become an expert at having self-discipline while studying, you not only have to practice the skill, you have to start small, especially if you repeatedly give in to what you want now instead of waiting for what you want most. Start by forcing yourself to study (I have to style) for just 10 straight minutes with 5-minute breaks in between. Then, once that becomes relatively easy, shoot for fifteen minutes. Keep increasing the time you manage self-discipline until you are able to focus for the full 45 minutes. Then, reward yourself with something and get back at it.

Oxycodone Use and Abuse Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Oxycodone Use and Abuse - Research Paper Example The drug is very addictive in effect and is used by many people for reasons other than just pain relief. â€Å"Oxycodone, an opioid with known abuse liability, is misused by the intranasal route† (Middleton et al., 2012). Repeated intake of Oxycodone develops tolerance in the individual so that higher doses are needed for the same effects to be experienced. This paper discusses the uses and abuses, effects, signs and symptoms, and treatment options for the Oxycodone abuse. The most fundamental positive effect of Oxycodone is that it is a very good drug for pain management for a long time. While common pain killers’ action lasts anywhere between four to six hours, oxycodone gives round the clock pain relief to the patient. According to Marry A. Simmonds is a cancer specialist and gave testimony on OxyContin’s value in the alleviation of pain experienced because of cancer at the 2002 Congressional hearing. OxyContin is a drug that contains anywhere from 10 to 80 milligrams of Oxycodone (Skarlunis 2012, p. 1). According to Simmonds, â€Å"If you have pain thats there all the time, four hours goes by very quickly. †¦If youre not watching the clock, the pain comes back. People tend not to take their pills on time. The pain builds back up, so youre starting over. Its not very good management of pain. †¦For moderate to severe pain, aspirin and Tylenol arent effective. We do need opioids† (Simmonds cited in Skarlunis, 2012, p. 1 ). Many doctors prescribe Oxycodone as an alternative to the opiates and especially when such drugs as diphenoxylate and loperamide have been tried and found ineffective for the treatment of severe diarrhea in a particular case. A vast majority of abusers do not take Oxycodone as a drug for abuse in the start; they are rather prescribed by the doctor to help in the pain relief, but many patients spiral out of control and start using the drug for abuse rather than pain relief. With the increase in their tolerance for Oxycodone, they need

Foreign Monetary System Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Foreign Monetary System - Essay Example There were also huge direct foreign investments in China during the 1990s (Zi et al, 2009). With the increased trade amongst the East Asian countries and huge direct foreign investments from countries like USA, it presented a great future ahead for China. However this was not the case, as it created â€Å"cyclic overheating†. After the revised Bretton Woods System, China’s exchange rate was pegged to the US dollar and creating an artificially low rate. These countries benefitted from this as China attracted foreign investment in their country with huge profit initiatives due to cheap labor and the finished products were exported to US. In retrospect, China used its export earnings and invested it in T-bonds in US, bringing down their interest rates, thus increasing investments in their own country. However, this made China totally dependent on the foreign investments and had no control over its money supply. This lead to the revaluation of the Chinese Renminbi (RMB) in 2005 which meant the currency was no longer pegged with US dollar but was market determined by a basket of currencies. This managed floating exchange rate system was the important change in the Monetary System of China. This move was important as the old Yuan-Dollar peg, resulted in over investments within the country and over evaluation of the Yuan. Hence, this move was made to cool down the cyclic overheating in the country (Wu, 2006). This cool down of the cyclic overheating in China had started before the revaluation of RMB. According to the study, this cool down was not achieving the full anticipated affects. With the anticipation of the revaluation in 2005, the money supply in the country grew from 2004 to 2005 by 14%, which resulted in an increase in the loans by 11%. The strong relationship between the loans and the real estate sector, led to an inflation of asset prices and land rents. As China relies on investments and exports to run its economy, it will take considerably more time to cool down the over investments and rectify the imbalances created by it. All the affects in the China’s Economy, whether they are large foreign exchange reserves, increased money supply, overheating of investments or asset price inflation are all focusing on its exchange rate. Thus the exchange rate system of China plays an integral part in its macroeconomic policies and management (Wu, 2006). In the recent years, China has had to face another challenge. Due to the efforts of the People’s Bank of China (PBC), the capital inflow started to decrease. However, due to the slowed global growth rate PBC has managed and adjusted the policies so that the growth rate of China does not fall at an alarming rate. The challenge here is that over the recent years, PBC and the policymakers have become adept at trying to slow down capital inflow, but are rather inexperienced when it comes to slowing down capital outflow. One way to create a more balanced inflow and outflo w is to decrease the cash reserves required for the Commercial Banks to keep. This was done in the first place to reduce the surplus liquidity formed by capital inflows. In this case, for the PBC to reverse the reduced growth it has to inject liquidity into the economy. As mentioned above, a way out currently adopted by China is the cut in the Required Reserve Ratio. This is a loose

Comparison of Death of a Salesman and The Glass Menagerie Essay

Example: I asked Gina to accept my hand in marriage. She then smiled and as I awaited her response, her face appeared to diffuse just as leisurely as a dinner candle that is dripping its’ melting wax onto the fibers of an Egyptian, cotton tablecloth. The sentence example preceding this paragraph can be perplexing to any reader when any additional details are not given that describe the context in which this sentence has been written. Devoid of any transition in the opening sentence of this paper, the audience may not be able to discern whether the actions in the sentence are real or part of a dream or some alternate reality. As any author or playwright attempts to transition his story from one reality to an alternate reality, it is his responsibility to noticeably or inconspicuously guide his audience into the next scene or alternate reality of the story. Not doing so can lead the audience into confusion and misperception of the intentions of the author. Playwrights Tennessee Williams and Arthur Miller have both similar and contrasting ways in which they apply their non-realistic techniques, with the purpose of elucidating any transitions from the stage or script to the intended audience. Subsequently I will explain my examination, both comparatively and contrastively, of Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman along with Tennessee Williams’ The Glass Menagerie and each playwright’s application of non- realistic technique. The first major transition in Death of a Salesman transpires as the main character, Willy Loman, is imagining that his teenage sons, though now both in their 30’s are washing his fairly new Chevy automobile. The audience... ...Miller’s non-realistic approach was abstract and metaphoric, while Williams’ non-realistic approach was conveyed as a memory of certain times and places with events and actions that did happen. I have a personal affection and admiration for the abstruse but I’d perhaps better receive the message in Death of a Salesman by witnessing the story on stage or on film. I admire the straightforward approach that Tennessee Williams took in writing The Glass Menagerie. Williams’ approach allowed for easier reading on paper. My eyes and mind now instinctively move toward the future. Works Cited Miller, Arthur. "Death of a Salesman." 1949. The Norton Anthology of American Literature. 8th ed. Vol. E. New York: W.W. Norton &, 2012. Print. Williams, Tennessee. The Glass Menagerie. New York: New Directions Publishing, 1945.

Rain Dance Essay

A rain dance is a dancing ceremony performed by some Native American Indian tribes, asking their spirits or gods to send rain. It is more common among Southwest Native Americans, who live in drier regions. Time Frame * The rain dance normally takes place during the spring planting season and the summer months before crops are harvested. The dance asks the gods or spirits to send the appropriate amount of rain at the correct time to assure a plentiful crop. Geography * Some Native American Indians of the Southwest include the rain dance as part of their religious ritual. Rain dances can be found in other cultures in different parts of the world, such as in ancient Egypt, 20th century Romania and in Slavic countries. History * Stories of the origins of ceremonial dances have been passed from generation to generation orally. When the Native Americans were relocated in the 19th century, the United States government banned certain tribal ceremonial dances. In some regions tribal members would tell federal representatives that they were performing a â€Å"rain dance† rather than disclosing the fact they were actually performing one of the banned ceremonies. Features. * One thing that makes rain dances unique from some other ceremonial dances is that both men and women participate in the ceremony. Rain dances vary from tribe to tribe, each with their unique rituals and ceremony. Large headdresses are often worn, along with specific ritual dress and accessories. Dance steps usually involve moving in a zigzag pattern as opposed to other ceremonial dances that involve standing in a circle. Identification * Native Americans have many different types of ceremonial dances, which may vary from tribe to tribe, depending on their particular religious and spiritual beliefs and needs. The rain dance is perhaps one the most stereotypical Native American ceremonial dance depicted by Hollywood. Many Native American people continue to honor their ceremonial dances. Some Native Americans on reservations perform this ritual daily. Each year on August 19th, the Pueblo Zuni people in New Mexico hold their rain dance ceremony. Both the men and women take part in the ceremony, each wearing masks. The men perform the ceremony with a nude torso, adorned with paint and a necklace of beads. A fox skin is attached to the back of the waistline of the embroidered apron they wear. Leather or silver bracelets are worn. Their legs are bare and they wear moccasins. Women performing the dance are fully covered, with only bare feet. Shawls cover their dress and hands. * Form two lines parallel to each other and about four feet apart. Men stand in one line; women in the other. * Step forward with your left foot. * Raise your right foot while moving forward and bring that foot to the floor. The men can stomp more vigorously than the women. * Continue to step forward in this way–left foot, right foot higher, stomp to floor. Unlike other Native American dances performed in a circle, rain dancers move in a square pattern around the sides of the room or area in which they’re dancing. * During one measure of the song, and while moving forward, face to the right. During the next measure, face to the left. A zigzagging pattern is formed as you continue on in this manner * Between measures, dancers can stop and twirl in imitation of the wind, which is showing the promise of rain. The women may chant or sing the song that’s playing, and the men can yelp with the beat.

How Far Do You Agree That Trotsky’s Leadership of the Red...

How far do you agree that Trotsky’s leadership of the Red Army was responsible for the survival of the Bolshevik government? (30 marks) There were many factors that contributed to the survival of the Bolshevik Government, ranging from Trotsky’s leadership of the Red Army to the failings of the Bolsheviks’ rivals for power. This essay shows that the main reason for the Bolsheviks’ continued survival through the period was not Trotsky’s great leadership of the Red Army, but the opposition’s mistakes and failings. This will be demonstrated by analysing the key factors leading to the survival of the Bolshevik Government: Trotsky’s leadership; Lenin’s leadership; The Bolsheviks’ geographical advantage; and finally the Bolsheviks’ enemies’†¦show more content†¦Much of the strategy employed by Trotsky and his generals was designed to weaken the enemies transport system so that they could not effectively organise and coordinate troop movements. Therefore many battles took place near sections of train track and stations, which crippled many enemy a ttacks and allowed the Bolsheviks to crush each attack and then move on, rather than fighting on several fronts. This great strategy employed by Trotsky helped the Bolshevik Government survive, and without Trotsky and his control of the Red Army, the Bolshevik Government would most likely not have survived. A further factor that contributed to the survival of the Bolshevik Government was Lenin’s great leadership of the whole Bolshevik party. At first glance, it appears as though Lenin played only a small role during the Civil War because he remained in Moscow throughout, however, when looked at more closely it can be seen that Lenin was a key decision maker. Lenin forced through the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk when many opposed it; he did this because he had promised peace to the public and he needed their support to have any chance of winning the Civil War, and therefore helping the Bolshevik Government survive. Lenin also instigated the policy of War Communism, in which industry was