Battles of the Revolutionary W essays

Battles of the Revolutionary W essays The book that I chose to review for Early U.S. History was Battles of the Revolutionary War: 1775 1781 by W. J. Wood. This book is an analysis of numerous important battles fought in America's war for independence. In theAuthor's Introduction? section of the book, Wood states his main objective in writing Battles of the Revolutionary War: 1775 1781. He explains that his purpose is to refute the common belief that battles in the American Revolutionary War areof questionable worth for military historians and their readers because they areall of a piece? too much alike.? (Wood xix) Wood disagrees with this view of the war and has attempted to give examples of battles that he has deemedunique? and that should be studied in military history. Wood does not limit his descriptions of the major battles to simple tactical analysis, however. In addition to tactical evaluation, he also seeks to paint a portrait of each battle and its respective conditions and participants. Some major points that Wood emphasizes in his writing are the effect of the rifle on Revolutionary War tactics, the hindrance that British soldiers faced due to their bulky uniforms, and the strengths and weaknesses of important military commanders such as George Washington and Benedict Arnold. In addition to painting a picture of each battle, W. J. Wood also adds a variety of visual aids to further assist the reader. The various maps and diagrams that are included within the text are enormously helpful in allowing the reader to understand the unique land features of each battle, the placement of troops, and also the overall regional theater through maps of the entire region. Wood has also added sixteen pages of artwork illustrating relevant battle scenes and portraits of various military commanders. The majority of the book Battles of the Revolutionary War: 1775 1781 is, of course, spent detailing the ten battles that Wood has chosen to describe. These ten battles...

Wormholes and Space Travel

Wormholes and Space Travel Space travel through wormholes sounds like quite an interesting idea. Who wouldnt like to have the technology to hop in a ship, find the nearest wormhole and travel to distant places in a short time? It would make space travel so easy!   Of course, the idea pops up in science-fiction movies and books all the time. These tunnels in space-time supposedly allow characters to move through space and time in a heartbeat, and the characters dont have to worry about physics. Are wormholes real?   Or are they only literary devices to keep science-fiction plots moving along. If they do exist, whats the scientific explanation behind them? The answer could be a little of each. However, they are a direct consequence of general relativity, the theory first developed by Albert Einstein early in the 20th century. However, that doesnt necessarily mean that they exist or that people can travel through them in spaceships. To understand why theyre even an idea for space travel, its important to know a little about the science that might explain them. What are Wormholes? A wormhole is supposed to be a way to transit through space-time that connects two distant points in space. Some examples from popular fiction and movies include the movie Interstellar, where the characters used wormholes as portals to distant parts of the galaxy. However, there is no observational evidence that they exist and theres no empirical proof that they arent out there somewhere.   The trick is to find them and then figure out how they work.   One way for a stable wormhole to exist is for it to be created and supported by some kind of exotic material. Easily said, but whats exotic material? What special property does it need to have to make wormholes? Theoretically speaking, such wormhole stuff   has to have negative mass. Thats just what it sounds like: matter that has a negative value, rather than regular matter, which has a positive value. Its also something scientists have never seen. Now, it is possible for wormholes to spontaneously pop into existence using this exotic matter. But, theres another problem. There would be nothing to support them, so they would instantaneously collapse back in on themselves. Not so great for any ship that happens to be passing through at the time.   Black Holes and Wormholes So, if spontaneous wormholes arent workable, is there another way to create them? Theoretically yes, and we have black holes to thank for that. They are involved in a phenomenon known as an Einstein-Rosen bridge. Its essentially a wormhole created due to the immense warping of space-time by the effects of a black hole. Specifically, it has to be a Schwarzschild black hole, one that has a static (unchanging) amount of mass, doesnt rotate, and has no electrical charge. So, how would that work? Essentially as light falls into the black hole, it would pass through a wormhole and escape out the other side, through an object known as a white hole. A white hole is similar to a black hole but instead of sucking material in, it repels material away. Light would be accelerated away from a white holes   exit portal at, well, the  speed of light, making it a bright object, hence the term white hole.   Of course, reality bites here: it would be impractical to even attempt to pass through the wormhole to begin with. Thats because the passage would require falling into a black hole, which is a remarkably lethal experience. Anything passing the event horizon would be stretched and crushed, which includes living beings. To put it simply, there is no way to survive such a trip. The Kerr Singularity and Traversable Wormholes There is yet another situation in which a wormhole might arise, from something called a Kerr black hole. It would look quite different than a normal point singularity that is what astronomers think make up black holes. A Kerr black hole would orient itself in a ring formation, effectively balancing the immense gravitational force with the rotational inertia of the singularity. Since the black hole is empty in the middle it could be possible to pass through that point. The warping of space-time in the middle of the ring could act as a wormhole, allowing travelers to pass through to another point in space. Perhaps on the far side of the universe, or in a different universe all together. Kerr singularities have a distinct advantage over other proposed wormholes as they dont require the existence and use of exotic negative mass in order to keep them stable. However, they havent yet been observed, only theorized.   Could We Someday Use Wormholes? Putting aside the technical aspects of wormhole mechanics, there are also some hard physical truths about these objects. Even if they do exist, it is difficult to say if people could ever learn to manipulate them. Plus, humanity really doesnt even have starships yet, so figuring out ways to use wormholes to travel is really putting the cart before the horse.   There is also the obvious question of safety. At this point,  no one knows exactly what to expect inside a wormhole. Nor do we know exactly WHERE a wormhole could send a ship. It could be in our own galaxy, or perhaps somewhere else in the very distant universe. Also, heres something to chew on.   If a wormhole took a ship from our galaxy to another one billions of light-years away, theres a whole question of time to consider. Does the wormhole transport instantaneously? If so, WHEN do we arrive in the distant shore? Does the trip ignore the expansion of space-time?   So while it may certainly be possible for wormholes to exist and function as portals across the universe, it is considerably less likely that people will ever be able to find a way to use them. The physics just dont work out. Yet.   Edited and updated by Carolyn Collins Petersen

Journal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 31

Journal - Essay Example More often than not I feel depressed over my under achievement of tragic events that have taken lace in my life. This leads to some form of stress. I was a little bit surprised by the Perceived stress scale that was able to help me understand how a different situation affected my feelings and my perceived stress. My PSS score was 4. From the PSS scale, the scores that ranged room 0-13 indicate that I have low stress levels. I was also surprised by the frequency of the symptoms of stress that I experienced over the years. Top of my list was irritability, boredom. These are symptoms that I would experience quite frequently. Other symptoms that I experienced was anxiety, eating too much difficulty in sleeping, headache, restlessness and constipation. However this was not on a regular basis. The results I established from the Inventory of Collage Students’ Recent Life Experiences also took me by surprise as I was able to determine my exposure to different source of stress . I able to determine the intensity of those stressors and to get an overall score of 82. I was also able to determine which type of hassle played a greater part of my life. Hassle like Too many things to do at once, Struggling to meet your own academic standards, Not enough time to meet your obligations and financial burdens greatly impacted my life. These were the things that I had to look into more deeply so that I could manage my stress levels. The student stress scale also made me understand how each life event and the amount of readjustment that resulted to change. A major life event that I underwent is the death of a close family member. This made me stressed for quite a long time. My total score was 102. From the scale, it indicates that I have a 30 percent chance of serious health chang e. The ability to handle my personal problems, the ability not to cope with all things that I have to do. I also want to be able to handle my upsets because things

Personal Development Planning Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Personal Development Planning - Coursework Example It is evidently clear from the discussion that personal development plan, according to Jackson, is â€Å"a structured and supported process undertaken by an individual to reflect upon their own learning, performance and/or achievement and to plan for their personal, educational and career development†. Almost all rational persons, belonging to divergent ethnic-racial, regional and religious groups and communities, and belonging to different socioeconomic statuses as well as both the genders, draw out some plans in the light of their educational background, technical skills, professional experience and proficiencies, and resources, which turn out to be supportive in respect of determining their goals and making struggle in order to obtain the same. Like all other students, professionals and business personnel, I have also established my personal development plan, which would serve as a guiding star in respect of exercising my abilities towards a specific direction. My areas of interest, strengths, and weaknesses, opportunities and threats, and action plan have been discussed in the following lines: I have developed keen aptitude in understanding the physical and social phenomena existing all around. For this, I have studied biological and social sciences, philosophy, literature, and law in order to obtain knowledge about the realities of universal explored by the scientists, philosophers, intellectuals, and writers by dint of their hard efforts in divergent fields and disciplines. I have studied the works of distinguished ancient Greek philosopher-scientist Aristotle, renowned ancient playwright Sophocles, medieval era Italian mathematician, biologist, physicist and astrologist Leonardo da Vinci, works produced by English authors including Shakespeare, Milton, Keats, Bronte, Virginia Woolf and others, evolution theory of nineteenth-century biologist Charles Darwin and psychoanalytic theory articulated by Sigmund Freud. Moreover, the philosophies of twenti eth century great thinkers including Sir Bertrand Russell and Khalil Gibran have also captured my attention. In addition, the tremendous achievements made by contemporary era business tycoons including Sir Richard Branson and Bill Gates in the areas of IT and communications have also fascinated me to a great extent.

Religious Free

Religious Freedom in Colonial America Essay Religious freedom was the driving force that led the first settlers that arrived on America’s shores in the 1500’s. They wanted to be free from the religious intolerance and forget the past. They were greeted by something that they couldn’t have expected in their wildest dreams, people living there already, and people that had lived on the land for centuries before. These Native Americans were not ready to assimilate and saw these settlers as gods, and began to worship them. The settlers believed that the natives were inferior to them due to their lack of technology, economy, and anything beyond a simple form of government. They used this to their advantage when they exploited the natives by trading unfairly. As the 1500’s moved into he 1600’s the natives communicated with the settlers more. The settlers considered the natives to be the inferior people, due to lack of technology and the fact that they didn’t realize that they were getting cheated with every trade. The Native Americans even sold off their land without realizing that the land had changed hands. This action caused the settlers to believe that the natives lacked the intelligence necessary to speak to the settlers. The language gap was the cause for this, even of the settlers didn’t see it. The settlers and natives are equal in my opinion, despite the settlers’ thoughts that they were inferior. Although the settlers could and did easily win on the battlefield, the natives had a strong connection to nature and knew the surroundings. The Native Americans also had an entirely different culture and religion than the settlers; they were earthy and at peace with nature while the settlers were just trying to grab gold with their greedy fingers. The fact that they couldn’t communicate did not make one any more intelligent than the next; it just meant that there was a language gap that proved to be too big to cross. Because the settlers considered themselves superior, and the natives looked at the settlers as if they were gods, the natives were taken advantage of. The settlers saw it as okay due to their superiority, this idea is similar to one called Social Darwinism because it has the settlers believing they are better than the next group (the natives) even if they didn’t consider themselves more evolved. To give an example that fueled the settlers’ beliefs of superiority, the natives were taken advantage of again, but this time on a larger scale. The settlers bought Manhattan from the Native Americans, but they were unaware of it at the time. Manhattan was given to the settlers for the small price of $24. The treatment of the Native Americans was unfair. The settlers simply believed that due to their superiority they could simply take advantage of the natives. This was wrong because the Native Americans were so culturally advanced. The natives only trusted them so much because they were people like they had never seen before and were looked at as if they were gods. The settlers took away the natives material items, as well as large parts of their culture. It is sad because the settlers just couldn’t see how brilliant the Native Americans really were.

Mrs. Whipples Mistreatment of Her Son in Katherine Anne Porters He :: Katharine Anne Porter He Essays

Mrs. Whipple's Mistreatment of Her Son in Katherine Anne Porter's He The prevailing theme in Katherine Anne Porter's story "He" is Mrs. Whipple's concern over appearances and particularly how her neighbors perceive her actions concerning her retarded son. Many critics have written about Porter's emphasis on appearances in this story. However, what lies under the surface of the story is also interesting. Contrary to both her actions and spoken words, it is clear Mrs. Whipple inwardly feels her retarded son is an animal and that she secretly wishes for his death. The story "He" is similar to another story of Katherine Anne Porter's titled "The Downward Path to Wisdom." Both stories depict children who are retarded, who are equated to animals by one or both of the parents, and who are wished dead or never born (Weisenforth 359). The title of the story "He" provides the reader with the first clue that the retarded son is de-humanized. Throughout the story the other two of Mrs. Whipple's children, Emly and Adna, are given names and are referred to by their given names. This is not true of the retarded son. Not once in the story is He called by his given name. In fact, the reader never learns his given name. The failure to give the retarded son a name is similar to the farm practice of giving names to pets but not to the ever-present farm animals. People generally do not name animals they plan on killing. Because Emly and Adna have names, they appear to the reader to be more human. In contrast, the failure to name the retarded son makes him appear more animal-like or less than human. Another example of animal treatment takes place during family meals. The retarded son does not eat his meals at the table with his family. In a description of the retarded son, Porter writes "He didn't whine for food, as the other children did, but waited until it was given Him; He ate squatting in the corner, smacking and mumbling" (597). When Mrs. Whipple's brother comes for a visit, Porter writes "He wouldn't come into the dining room, and Mrs. Whipple passed it off very well" (599). For appearances sake "Mrs. Whipple loaded up a big plate for Him first, before everybody"(Porter 599). The parallels to how people treat their dogs can not be overlooked. It is common practice for dog owners to train their dogs not to beg or whine for food.

Tourism in Lesotho

It is called the Kingdom in the sky. Where you can touch the clouds and be as one with nature. The mountains of Lesotho provides serenity, a rejuvenation of the mind, a revitalizing of the spirit things which cannot be described but can only be experienced. And it is too true that if you have not been to the mountains, you have not been to Lesotho. The sheer majesty of the peaks as they kiss the clouds leaves one breathless, the cascading rivers flowing from on high bringing forth life giving, nature’s best, fresh clean crystal clear water. It is as if you have crossed into another realm. This natural tourist paradise is begging to be marketed to draw people from all over the world for the benefit of Basotho people. The mountains are but one of the many tourist attractions Lesotho is endowed with. Added to them are the falls the historical monuments which have enriched the folklore of the country for many years. All these places have potential to generate income especially during the 2010 soccer world cup if well marketed, making big strides towards the achievement of the national vision 2020. Promoting tourism in Lesotho is a sure fire way to social and economic development, and to the attraction of much needed foreign investment. Lesotho is really a wonderland for nature lovers or those who simply appreciate the wonders of nature. It has a real culture, natural history and boundless ecotourism options. Overview of Lesotho as tourist destination â€Å"Kingdom in the sky†, also known as â€Å"Friendly mountain Kingdom†. This popular eco destination is characterized by its remote, rugged mountains and deep valleys, with plummeting waterfalls that form a spectacular frozen stalactite in the winter months. Lesotho is truly idyllic destination. A mere four hours drive from Johannesburg or Durban is a place where the sun shines three hundred days a year. This country has the lowest point that is one thousand meters above sea level and boasts the highest single drop in Southern Africa. It has the highest road pass in Southern Africa at 3275 meters and is one of the few countries in the world that is completely land locked. Lesotho’s two main mountain ranges are the Snow-capped Maloti and Drakensbug ranges. The capital, Maseru, is the only city in Lesotho. However there are also several large towns in each of its ten districts. The ever-friendly Basotho people are eager to share their culture with tourists. The serene simplicity of their highlands life is enviable. This indeed is a country where time stands still. For the people of the world, the natural and cultural features that are of outstanding universal importance and value include the unique mountain wet lands and alpine tundra eco systems, the superlative natural beauty and the distinctive array of both plants and animals. In addition, the natural setting provides a glimpse into a way of life of the San who once lived there, documenting their lives and spirituality in over 40 thousand rock art images in almost 600 sites. Liphofung (place of Clarence) Situated just off the main road from Butha-Buthe to Mokhotlong, Liphofung (place of Clarence), was a stop over for Moshoeshoe I the founder of the Basotho Nation on his way from Menkhoaneng to Thaba-Busiu. The place is now famous for its museum and one of the largest galleries in the world which has the art of the first habitats of Lesotho, the San (Bush men) who lived there over 10 000 years ago. Some of the rock paintings Close by, with a height of 3482m (11 424 ft), is Thabana-Ntlenyana, which literally means ‘Beautiful Little Black Mountain’. It is the highest point in Lesotho and the highest mountain in Africa South of Kilimanjaro. It is found in Mokhotlong district, 15km (approximately 1. 5 hrs. drive) from the top of Sani Pass and it is to the top of Kotisephola Pass, 3250m. It is famous for its unpredictable atmospheric weather, veering from thunderstorms, very low temperatures to scorching suns or siege by mysterious mists which make it more unforgettable. These mountains are best experienced from within Lesotho. Historically it is here in these mountains where Basotho fled from the Zulu King Shaka, in the 19th century. The mountains became their fortress and protection. The route to Thabana-Ntlenyana is filled with formidable twists and turns of the sheer craggy mountains, majestic valleys and cascading streams meandering between the rocks. A combination of all these is a definition of a true scenic beauty giving a sense of remoteness in spring and summer, but a virginal white in winter. There is a friendly highest pub in Africa called Sani Top Chalet at 2874m above sea level. The route to Thabana-Ntlenyana is filled with formidable twists and turns of the sheer craggy mountains, majestic valleys and cascading streams meandering between the rocks. Combination of all these is a definition of a true scenic beauty. The plateau landscape is simply beautiful with awesome vegetation, open yellow plains and a distinct sense of remoteness , more especially during spring and summer seasons, but a virginal white in winter. Visible along the route are small stone build huts ( called Metebo in Sesotho) which are in isolation, deep into the mountains, in which rural Basotho shepherds live while looking after their cattle and sheep. There are many view points where tourists can stop to observe this remarkable beauty. This arduous trek to Thabana-Ntlenyana can be undertaken on a horseback or alternatively a 4WD vehicle. Thabana-Ntlenyana is also preferred for skiing, ice skating and snowboarding during winter season, which is from May to August. Near this mountain are the headwaters of the Tugela and Senqu (Orange) rivers, where fly fishing and water rafting are possible during summer season. Hiking, rock climbing and pony trekking are enjoyed throughout the year. Mornings here are such heart-warming with different kinds of birds with beautiful music to prepare you to the day ahead. It is with no doubt that a day is just not enough for one to be at this place because of the many activities provided here. Among the most interesting activities provided, here is ‘walking’ which really offers an ideal way in which to explore the fascinating archaeological sites found in this area. Afri-Ski The novelty of snow in Africa is best experienced at Afri-Ski which caters for skiing in winter. With a ski slope 3222m above sea level, Afri-Ski is the largest skiing resort in Africa. The skiers are accommodated at the New Oxbow Lodge and self catering Mahlasela Lodge. Trout fishing and water rafting take place in summer in Maliba-Mats`o, a river just a couple kilometers from Oxbow Lodge. Pony Trekking is another activity in summer. Letseng Diamond mine It is not just a diamond mine!. It is the world’s highest altitude mine with 3 kilometres above sea level, experiencing -20 degrees Celsius in winter . It is in this mine where the highest proportions of largest stones of any mine in the world are found. The discoveries states that in 1967 a 601 carat stone was discovered and a 215 carat stone was recovered in 2005. In August 2006, a 603 carat stone was discovered being â€Å"the 15th largest rough diamond ever discovered, and the biggest diamond un covered in this century† . Letseng does not only play a significant role in the economy of Lesotho as a mine but also as a tourist destination as it accommodates tourists who want to have a feel of the ‘Mine in the sky’ as it were. This is enhanced by the close proximity of â€Å"The Khubelu Hot spring. † The hot spring is at close range to Letseng Diamond mine, sharing social backgrounds and other aspects encompassed in Mental, Physical and Spiritual building of a living being. Khatse Dam This centerpiece of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project is a fine piece of engineering. The flooded valleys of the dam extend for 45km and the dam wall is 185m high. This dam is second in size (in Africa) only to the Lake Volta Akosombo Dam in Ghana. The view of this massive dam from Mafika Lisiu Pass is magnificent and is often of great interest to visitors. The centre piece of the whole project is the dam wall which is the highest in Africa. An area of the lake can be devoted to water sports. Thaba Bosiu Thaba-Bosiu is Lesotho’s great national monument. The mystical Thaba Bosiu is a flat-topped hill which was used by Moshoeshoe I as his citadel when establishing the nation. In translation, the name means ‘Mountain of the night’ and it is believed that the enemies of Moshoeshoe could not attack as the hill became a formidable mountain at night but went back to a hill during the day. The substantial remains of the King’s dwellings and villages and the royal cemetery of Lesotho are on top of the hill. Maletsunyane Falls Maletsunyane Falls in Semonkong is one of the highest single-drop falls in Southern Africa plunging 200 meters into a swim able pool whose stunning natural scenery is unspoiled by anything man-made. It is nearly twice as high as Victoria Falls, though not nearly as wide. The falls are very impressive, and can be visited on pony-trekking trails from both Malealea to the West and Molimo Nthuse to the North. Maletsunyane Falls are most spectacular in summer when the flow is highest, but in winter the water freezes, spraying the rocks with ice water. Conclusion Lesotho is indeed in a class of its own in tourism terms and the sensitive exploitation of its endowments can firmly place the country on the world tourism map.