Armor and Weapons of the Spanish Conquistadors

Armor and Weapons of the Spanish Conquistadors Christopher Columbus discovered previously unknown lands in 1492, and within 20 years the conquest of these new lands was proceeding quickly. How were the Spanish conquistadors able to do it? The Spanish armor and weapons had much to do with their success. The Swift Success of the Conquistadors The Spanish who came to settle the New World were generally not farmers and craftsmen but soldiers, adventurers, and mercenaries looking for a quick fortune. Native communities were attacked and enslaved and any treasures they may have had such as gold, silver or pearls were taken. Teams of Spanish conquistadors devastated native communities on Caribbean islands such as Cuba and Hispaniola between 1494 and 1515 or so before moving on to the mainland. The most famous conquests were those of the mighty Aztec and Inca Empires, in Central America and the Andes mountains of South America respectively. The conquistadors who took these mighty Empires down (Hernan Cortes in Mexico in 1525 and Francisco Pizarro in Peru, 1532) commanded relatively small forces: Cortes had around 600 men and Pizarro initially had about 160. These small forces were able to defeat much larger ones. At the Battle of Teocajas, Sebastian de Benalcazar had 200 Spanish and some 3,000 Caà ±ari allies: together they fought Inca General Rumià ±ahui and a force of some 50,000 warriors to a draw. Conquistador Weapons There were two sorts of Spanish conquistadors: horsemen or cavalry and foot soldiers or infantry. The cavalry would usually carry the day in the battles of the conquest. When the spoils were divided, cavalrymen received a much higher share of the treasure than foot soldiers. Some Spanish soldiers would save up and purchase a horse as a sort of investment which would pay off in future conquests. The Spanish horsemen generally had two sorts of weapons: lances and swords. Their lances were long wooden spears with iron or steel points on the ends, used to devastating effect on masses of native foot soldiers. In close combat, a rider would use his sword. Steel Spanish swords of the conquest were about three feet long and relatively narrow, sharp on both sides. The Spanish city of Toledo was known as one of the best places in the world for making arms and armor and a fine Toledo sword was a valuable weapon indeed. The finely made weapons did not pass inspection until they could bend in a half-circle and survive a full-force impact with a metal helmet. The fine Spanish steel sword was such an advantage that for some time after the conquest, it was illegal for natives to have one. Foot Soldiers Weapons Spanish foot soldiers could use a variety of weapons. Many people incorrectly think that it was firearms that doomed the New World natives, but thats not the case. Some Spanish soldiers used a harquebus, a sort of early musket. The harquebus was undeniably effective against any one opponent, but they are slow to load, heavy, and firing one is a complicated process involving the use of a wick which must be kept lit. The harquebuses were most effective for terrorizing native soldiers, who thought the Spanish could create thunder. Like the harquebus, the crossbow was a European weapon designed to defeat armored knights and too bulky and cumbersome to be of much use in the conquest against the lightly armored, quick natives. Some soldiers used crossbows, but theyre very slow to load, break or malfunction easily and their use was not terribly common, at least not after the initial phases of the conquest. Like the cavalry, Spanish foot soldiers made good use of swords. A heavily armored Spanish foot soldier could cut down dozens of native enemies in minutes with a fine Toledan blade. Conquistador Armor Spanish armor, mostly made in Toledo, was among the finest in the world. Encased from head to foot in a steel shell, Spanish conquistadors were all but invulnerable when facing native opponents. In Europe, the armored knight had dominated the battlefield for centuries and weapons such as the harquebus and crossbow were specifically designed to pierce armor and defeat them. The natives had no such weapons and therefore killed very few armored Spanish in battle. The helmet most commonly associated with the conquistadors was the morion, a heavy steel helm with a pronounced crest or comb on top and sweeping sides that came  to  points on either end. Some infantrymen preferred a salade, a full-faced helmet that looks a little like a steel ski mask. In its most basic form, it is a bullet-shaped helm with a large T in front of the eyes, nose, and mouth. A cabasset helmet was much simpler: it is a large steel cap that covers the head from the ears up: stylish ones would have an elongated dome like the pointy end of an almond. Most conquistadors wore a full set of armor which consisted of a heavy breastplate, arm and leg greaves, a metal skirt, and protection for the neck and throat called a gorget. Even parts of the body such as elbows and shoulders, which require movement, were protected by a series of overlapping plates, meaning that there were very few vulnerable spots on a fully armored conquistador. A full suit of metal armor weighed about sixty pounds and the weight was well distributed over the body, allowing it to be worn for long periods of time without causing much fatigue. It generally included even armored boots and gloves or gauntlets. Later in the conquest, as conquistadors realized that full suits of armor were overkill in the New World, some of them switched to lighter chainmail, which was just as effective. Some even abandoned metal armor entirely, wearing escuapil, a sort of padded leather or cloth armor adapted from the armor worn by Aztec warriors. Large, heavy shields were not  necessary for the conquest, although many conquistadors used a buckler, a small, round or oval shield usually of wood or metal covered with leather. Native Weapons The natives had no answer for these weapons and armor. At the time of the conquest, most native cultures in North and South America were somewhere between the Stone Age and the  Bronze Age  in terms of their weaponry. Most foot soldiers carried heavy clubs or maces, some with stone or bronze heads. Some had rudimentary stone axes or clubs with spikes coming out of the end. These weapons could batter and bruise Spanish conquistadors, but only rarely did any serious damage through the heavy armor. Aztec warriors occasionally had a  macuahuitl, a wooden sword with jagged obsidian shards set in the sides: it was a lethal weapon, but still no match for steel. The natives had some better luck with missile weapons. In South America, some cultures developed bows and arrows, although they were rarely able to pierce armor. Other cultures used a sort of sling to hurl a stone with great force. Aztec warriors used the  atlatl, a device used to hurl javelins or darts at great velocity. Native cultures wore elaborate, beautiful armor. The Aztecs had warrior societies, the most notable of which were the feared Eagle and Jaguar warriors. These men would dress in Jaguar skins or eagle feathers and were very brave warriors. The Incas wore quilted or padded armor and used shields and helmets made of wood or bronze. Native armor was generally intended to intimidate as much as protect: it was often very colorful and beautiful. Nevertheless, eagle feathers provide no protection from a steel sword and native armor was of very little use in combat with conquistadors. Analysis The conquest of the Americas proves decisively the advantage of advanced armor and weaponry in any conflict. The Aztecs and Incas numbered in the millions, yet were defeated by Spanish forces numbering in the hundreds. A heavily  armored conquistador  could slay dozens of foes in a single engagement without receiving a serious wound. Horses were another advantage that the natives could not counter. It’s inaccurate to say that the success of the Spanish conquest was solely due to superior arms and armor, however. The Spanish were greatly aided by diseases previously unknown to that part of the world. Millions died of new illnesses brought by the Spanish such as smallpox. There was also a great deal of luck involved. For example, they invaded the  Inca Empire at a time of great crisis, as a brutal civil war between brothers Huascar and Atahualpa was just ending when the Spanish arrived in 1532; and the Aztecs were widely despised by their subjects. Sources Calvert, Albert Frederick. Spanish arms and armour: being a historical and descriptive account of the Royal armoury of Madrid. London: J. Lane, 1907Hemming, John.  The Conquest of the Inca. London: Pan Books, 2004 (original 1970).Pohl, John. The Conquistador: 1492–1550. Oxford: Osprey Publishing, 2008.

History and Members of The Warsaw Pact

History and Members of The Warsaw Pact The Warsaw Pact was established in 1955 after West Germany became a part of NATO. It was formally known as the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation, and Mutual Assistance. The Warsaw Pact, made up of Central and Eastern European countries, was meant to counter the threat from the NATO countries. Each country in the Warsaw Pact pledged to defend the others against any outside military threat. While the organization stated that each nation would respect the sovereignty and political independence of the others, each country was in some way controlled by the Soviet Union. The pact dissolved at the end of the Cold War in 1991.   History of the Pact After  World War II, the Soviet Union sought to control as much of Central and Eastern Europe as it could. In the 1950s, West Germany was rearmed and allowed to join NATO. The countries that bordered West Germany were fearful that it would again become a military power, as it had been just a few years earlier. This fear caused Czechoslovakia to attempt to create a security pact with Poland and East Germany. Eventually, seven countries came together to form the Warsaw Pact: Albania (until 1968)BulgariaCzechoslovakiaEast Germany (until 1990)HungaryPolandRomaniaThe  Soviet Union The Warsaw Pact lasted for 36 years. In all of that time, there was never a direct conflict between the organization and NATO. However, there were many proxy wars, especially between the Soviet Union and the United States in places such as Korea and Vietnam. Invasion Of Czechoslovakia On Aug. 20, 1968, 250,000 Warsaw Pact  troops invaded Czechoslovakia in what was known as Operation Danube. During the operation, 108 civilians were killed and another 500 were wounded by the invading troops. Only Albania and Romania refused to participate in the invasion. East Germany did not send troops to Czechoslovakia but only because Moscow ordered its troops to stay away. Albania eventually left  the Warsaw Pact because of the invasion. The military action was an attempt by the Soviet Union to oust Czechoslovakias Communist Party leader Alexander Dubcek whose plans to reform his country did not align with the Soviet Unions wishes. Dubcek wanted to liberalize his nation and had many plans for reforms, most of which he was unable to initiate. Before Dubcek was arrested during the invasion, he urged citizens not to resist militarily because he felt that presenting a military defense would have meant exposing the Czech and Slovak peoples to a senseless bloodbath. This sparked many nonviolent protests throughout the country.   End of the Pact Between 1989 and 1991, the Communist parties in most of the countries in the Warsaw Pact were ousted. Many of the Warsaw Pacts member nations considered the organization to be essentially defunct in 1989 when none assisted Romania militarily during its violent revolution. The  Warsaw Pact  formally existed for another couple of years until 1991- just months before the USSR disbanded- when the organization was officially dissolved in Prague.

Islam in the modern world Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Islam in the modern world - Essay Example It is a distressing reality that people consider themselves superior to others in terms of economic conditions, financial resources, color, caste, creed and even gender. Racism has been divided into scientific racism that involves genetics as well in terms of defining black, white, brown and yellow people. Some authors believe it comes from scientific reasons and theories. However there is a class of believers who justify that racism arises from the ideologies of global capitalism which gives rise to the unequal social relations. However the truth is that racism does not exist in a single form but a combination of all types. It involves culture, traditions, language, people, history, class, politics, ideology, religion, gender and even economical conditions (Berg & Wendt, 2011) European Racism Over the past two hundred years, racism has taken many forms in Europe such as Anti-black racism, colonial racism and Anti-Semitic racism. One of the greatest examples of European Racism was th e series of Crusades which were an attempt against the Muslims in terms of religious differences. Their main purpose was the restoration of Christianity and they were a longitudinal series of violent wars that began hundreds of years ago. At the time when the first Crusade took place Palestine had been ruled by Muslims for over four hundred years. The primary cause of this series of Wars was the Muslim invasion of France as well as the decline of the Byzantine Empire by the Muslims of Turkey. The second crusade was then called after a long silence by both participants where many lives were lost in the barbarous attempts to let each other down. Nothing could have stopped them and the brutality continued to another series of dozens of more to be seen in the next few hundred years to come. Of course it raised the spirits of hatred between both parties for their generations to come and both had been blaming each other for the loss of their territories and people. It was something that w as imitated by the Europeans for the hatred that they felt for the Muslims for being their rulers for thousands of years. This was their last resort to get their power from Muslims. Another notable series of racial highlights was the colonial times where Europe had many colonies by the beginning of the First World War. These constituted of dozens of British French, Dutch and German colonies at that time. The consequences of colonialism were negative in nature, and still have an impact on the world as a whole. The seeds of racism sown by the Europeans have played a major role in making this world a more unfair place to live with unequal rights and discrimination in the name of race, religion, caste, color and history. Where some nations consider themselves superior in all ways, other nations and individuals are treated as second class citizens inferior to them with lesser rights to live a respectable life. The times of colonialism began by spreading diseases all over the world never to be cured and many people died because of these. It also led to people having unequal distribution of resources and strained social relations in terms of relations with other nations as well as individuals and even other religions along with people of a different color. This colonial period also gave way to slavery, as the territories that were conquered, the suppressed people belonging there were made slaves and

Research Proposal on Training Lab Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

On Training Lab - Research Proposal Example This requires them to adapt to the new reign of automated, technologically driven and digital society which has its own principles and which subjugates its people to leave aside their old ways and conform to the new order. In this regard, it is easier for some groups to adapt to this change quickly; to others, it comes with some difficulty. These groups face some hindrance in the process of adaptation to these new lifestyles due to many reasons. It can be due to their vulnerability to other material conditions such as poverty or unavailability of resources, which may lead to deprivation of secondary pleasures such as technology, or it can be because of their own built-in features like age or inclination towards conservatism or liberalism that affects this adaptation. Based on this notion, one group that finds it extremely difficult to adapt to the technological shift of twenty first century is the elderly or the senior citizens (Robinson, 2009). Speaking of technology, the invention and prevalence of computers have been so far the most intriguing. Not only did computers take over the simple tasks of mails and writing, but also replaced man in areas of communication, documentation, book keeping and much more. From children to adults, farmers to gynecologists and elite to middle-class, most people have access to computers in one setting or another and they utilize its efficiency as much as they can (Fogg, 2003). However the elderly people, in many settings, especially in countries like USA, where nuclear family systems are most popular and the elders live separately, it is common for these aged people to lag behind and lose touch with the society and fall into isolation. Thus, in order to bring the elderly people on a par with other age groups and to save them from falling into depression and isolation, teaching them how to use computers is an essential way to go. This proposal entails essential outline of the research that will study the set-up of computer train ing labs for the elderly. It discusses, for the most part, the intricacies of the study itself and for the other, the issues related to the study. To put it precisely, the project undertaken is of establishing computer literacy center for the elderly in a small locality inhabited by mostly Catholic Christians in Upper West Side, NY. The locality is primal for the project for it is a residence of a major chunk of NY’s population. The demographics also suggest that the residents of the Upper West Side range from upper-middle to middle class. This is a positive trait for the study since it caters to the right sub-group of people; the elderly in this financial standing are usually more deprived in comparison to elders of the elite class since they have fewer resources to afford learning and using computers, both monetary and non-monetary. For this purpose, this research aims to find out the teaching methods most productive in teaching computer to the senior citizens. Methodology The research will comprise two phases: primary and the secondary searches. The primary research will definitely entail the interviews and surveys conducted in the locality with the participants, which will include the senior citizens, their guardians and the teachers and educationists. The secondary research, on the other hand, will entail the study of literature on the subject (Hamilton, 2004). There has been a huge discourse on the subject of pedagogy

Preschool pros and cons Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Preschool pros and cons - Research Paper Example The supporters of preschool education are of the view that preschool education has an integral role in children’s learning and development. They could find out certain other features that are truly helping the children to expand their learning experience. But many others strongly disagree with the prospect of preschools and remark that they are nothing more than glorified babysitters that cannot provide individual attention to each child. This paper explores the pros and cons of the preschools and identifies that preschools have an elite role in molding the character and behavior of students and they are essential for preparing them for elementary school. Preschools have certain good qualities that really help the children to be confident, enthusiastic and eager learners. Preschools provide students the opportunity to do as many things by themselves. This independent learning will increase their confidence to put on their dress themselves or keeping or arranging their toys as they wish. Preschools let the children to have their own preferences than prescribing things for them. Encouraging children to engage in games with their friends, relatives and others will also have the same effect. Preschools help the children to get acquainted with friends and family and they are taken to the new realm of education as well as knowledge. The combined endeavor of the parents and the teachers can ensure the all-round development of the children. Laurie Edwards in the article, ‘Building Self-Esteem in Preschool’ makes an assessment about the role of preschools in creating self esteem among the children. The author also agrees with the fact that â€Å"self-esteem begins in infancy, and by the time they reach the preschool years children already have the foundation for their self-esteem. However, parents and preschool teachers can do many things to build on that base so that your child retains a sense of self-esteem throughout his growth

Comparison of Benjamin Rush and John Adams

Comparison of Benjamin Rush and John Adams Cody Palladino Revolution essay Between the year of 1760 and the 1800 many events happened including the revolutionary war that would become an important part of American history. Both Benjamin Rush and John Adams were very accomplished men that had very different views on the revolution in America. Also, both john Adams and Benjamin Rush had enormous influence on the outcome of the American revolution. During this essay, I will explain how the view of Benjamin Rush and john Adams differ from one another such as how John Adams thought that the American revolution was over before the war but that wasnt the case for Benjamin rush as for he thought the American revolution was far from over even after the revolutionary war. Also as much as they did not agree upon each others view of when the revolution ended they did agree upon some idea about the American revolution. Lastly this essay will explain my views as well to if the American revolution qualify as revolutionary. First, John Adams was one of the leader in the American revolution, and was the second president of the united states form (1797 to 1801). He was born in Massachusetts and was soon to be recognized as a Harvard-educated graduate who shortly after became a lawyer. John Adams was extremely intelligent, patriotic, and very opinionated. Adams became a huge correspondent of great Britains colonial America and he also thought that the British tariffs and high taxes were a tool of oppression. In 1765 the passage of the Stamp Act thrusted Adams into the public affairs of the empire and colony. This same year John Adams had Published his first major essay about politics called A dissertation on the Canon and Feudal Law, and also composed the Braintree Instruction. These pieces of work assailed the Stamp Act for striping the American colonists of their two basic rights. These two rights were, the rights to be taxed only by consent and tired only by ones peers for the jury, these rights were gu aranteed to all Englishmen by the Magna Carta and were still being taken away. In the 1770s John Adams became a member of the continental congress. John Adams was also one of the only two signers of the Declaration of Independence. John Adams had dedicated his life to the cause of liberty and to the development of the republican government in America. His views and beliefs about the American revolution are far from that of Benjamin Rush. John Adams believed that that the revolution occurred before the actual war did. Adams has suggested that the colonists has already mentally rebelled against the monarchy before the actual bloodshed. The event such as the Boston tea party supported his claims. Thus, was because when England started taxation British people rebelled throwing tea off the ship into the harbor which could be evidence that there was already a metal revolution. Next, Benjamin Rush was a big advocator of social reforms and also the singer of the Declaration of Independence. Benjamin Rush was extremely well educated and became a doctor and surgeon during the war who treated the wounded. Benjamin Rush was one of the top Physician in the newly developing Americas. Benjamin was a strong supporter for his nation and the people trying to help out where he can even provide medical care for the poor. He was a very vocal proponent of the emancipation of slaves, descent care for the mentally ill, and also public education. Rush agreed with John Adams and wanted to abolish to Stamp Act of 1765 because he thought is was ludicrous and also a violation to the American people imposed by the British primarily because they were in a long 7-year debt. He had and influence on one of the founding fathers Thomas Paine in which Paine wrote a book called Common Sense. This book had a dramatic effect on the people convincing them in favor of the independence. Rush also helped Ratify the constitution because he served in the Pennsylvania convention. Rush was a strong believer in the principle of equality, and he wanted to abolish slavery. In the book titled Visions of America by Jennifer Keene it states, Women needed to be familiar with the political idea of republicanism (136). This is why Benjamin Rush was championing female education so much. Rush believes that the American war that made us independent is over but the revolution is far from that. He thinks that the revolution is not just the war. Independence was not the only fact and cause for this revolution. Also he thinks the revolution is more than trying to get independence from Britain it about changes that havent happened and are struggling to. He was very important to making this amazing country we live in today. In my opinion based on the American revolution, I believe that the American Revolution wasnt very revolutionary and this is based on a couple reason I will talk about in the paragraph. First of all the same people or kind of people were in power in the colonies and later what became known as the United States. There was no actual real change in social relations. Women were still unequal as to men and sadly slavery still existed. Many different races, ethnicities, poor white Americans and females did not achieve their liberty from the new leadership after the American revolution. In the American revolution, what actually happened was the American colonist began to realize that their rights were being stripped from them and they started voicing their opinion, the British government were abusing many of their rights. So many years after the colonist people had spent many years trying to propose a compromise peacefully. When change didnt take place wars/fights broke out which eventually lead the colonist to declare their independence and fought for their freedom. Just because the colonist received their independence doesnt mean that this event was revolutionary. Its not out of the ordinary for people to want to change and replace a type of government that is unfairly treating the people. What was designed and created after the revolutionary war was not too much different than what was created before the war, nothing dramatically changed or happened for the good. the definition of revolutionary is involving or causing a complete or dramatic change in which the American Revolution did not obtain even after the American war. The revolution did lead to some great accomplishments such as civil liberties enacted by the Founding Fathers that was based on axiological laws of nature and religious beliefs. All in all, both John Adams and Benjamin Rush had different views and understandings of the American revolution. John Adams was a strong believer that the revolution happened before the actual war. Adams has suggested that the colonists has already mentally rebelled against the monarchy before the actual bloodshed. For Benjamin Rush his views explain that just because the war was over the revolution was far from that. Benjamin Rush interpretation can be justified that the revolution wasnt over because there wasnt any new form of government established and perfected after the American War. The articles of confederation clearly is an example of the failure. In my opinion the American revolution was not very revolutionary at all. There was no actual real change in social relations. What was designed and created after the American revolution wasnt very different than what was accomplished before the wars, things generally stayed the same. Although John Adams and Benjamin Rush did not agr ee about when the revolution was over they did have similar views and agreeance with some of the stupid laws that the British opposed such as the tax tariffs and the Stamp Act. Work Cited Keene, Jennifer D., et al. Visions of America: a History of the United States. 3rd ed., vol. 1, Boston, Pearson, 2017.

Injustices Exposed in Alan Patons Cry the Beloved Country :: Cry, The Beloved Country Essays

Cry the Beloved Country, by Alan Paton, is the story of the two fictional characters, Stephen Kumalo and James Jarvis, who lose their sons in South Africa in 1948. In his story, Alan Paton used the George Hegel's Dialect of thesis, antithesis, synthesis, in order to expose social injustices in a microcosm of South Africa that correlate to the macrocosm of the issues faced by the entire country and what must be done to fix these injustices. Paton subdivided his story into three books. The first of these books, depicts the Journey of Stephen Kumalo, to try and restore his family, is a cry against injustice. The second book focused mainly on James Jarvis’s plight to understand his deceased son, depicts the yearning for justice. While the final book displays the restoration and repair of the injustices derived from the yearning for justice. The society of the small urban town called Ndotsheni, from which both Stephan and Author come, is based largely on the native African tribal system. This town also suffers from a drought that drives away the young men to work in the mines of Johannesburg. Johannesburg directly contradicts Ndotsheni with no tribal system and the brake down of the moral fibers of its people. Yet in Johannesburg there is also hope for the future and ideas that help lead to the restoration of Ndotsheni. During the time the story is set in Johannesburg the reader is introduced to two exceptionally different characters. The first is John Kumalo, the brother of Stephen Kumalo. He is a corrupt politician with the voice of a â€Å"lion,† but a week hart, who spoke about the injustices of the whites to the blacks and their need to revolt. The other an enlightened priest, Msimangu, who prayed for loving and restoration through coming to amends. Their influences help to shape Kumalo into a new per son. Furthermore, throughout his story Paton stresses the idea of irresponsibility contradicted by individual responsibility. Eventually the idea of unified responsibility is shown to be the only manor by which South Africa can be saved. The partied society in place when Paton wrote Cry the Beloved Country was one of extreme racial inequality and injustice. Paton wrote the first book of his story as a protest to this injustice. This book begins with the description of Ndotsheni and the land that surrounds it.

In the time of the butterflies Essay

1 Overview In the Time of the Butterflies is a book about the struggle of the Mirabal sisters in their fight against the totalitarian of Rafael Leonidas Trujillo, the merciless ruler of the Dominican Republic. The, though, fictitious, book tackles many issues mainly centered on the Dominican Republic Government and the true essence of its function. The Mirabal sisters went through drastic changes, one of the notable themes in the book is that the sisters put photographs of Jesus Christ and Trujillo together and cite differences between the two. The tremors of a dictatorial rule to citizens is also another attention grabbing theme in the narrative. The story in its entirety is told by the famous Mirabel sisters who each tell their version of how they fought Trujillo’s tyranny. The book was based on a true story Summary In an era where free will is totally controlled by one person, four sisters showed courage in its truest form and joined a rogue faction to fight a dictator to the end. The tale of the Mirabel sisters tells a story of courage and repulsion. The four sisters denied dictatorial decree in every means necessary until their lungs ceased to draw breath. The narrative starts with the surviving Mirabal sister, Dede. Telling th events of their struggle to an American interviewer. The succeeding chapters are told by each sister. Throughout the book, the sisters’ endeavors against the government, apart from this, a personal struggle on the hands of Trujillo are also told by each sister. Three of the Mirabal sisters who were major contributors to the rebel group that fought against Trujillio were beaten to death in 1960. In the Time of the Butterflies 2 The Root of all Evil Trujillo claimed his name to power the hard way, meaning he did not simply grabbed it but he worked his way to achieve it. The path to his reign began when the United States conducted an occupation on the Dominican Republic in the twentieth century. The U. S Marine-trained Trujillo quickly rose among the ranks in the Guardia Nacional, an army of locals trained by the U. S armed forces. The United States made many developments during the occupation. The Americans built infrastructures, developed public health, and established schools, creating a middle-class society. Trujillo enrolled himself in a military school operated by America, in the year 1921. By the end of the year, he was assigned to command a particular battalion. This was the stepping stone to his rule. He the collaborated with rebel troops and forced the current president to file an immediate resignation. Come the next election, Trujillo was the sole candidate for the Dominican Party. Rafael Trujillo’s Tyrant career was already put into practice upon the beginning of his term. This is because of the disastrous hurricane that hit the country, Santo Domingo was totally devastated. Help soon arrived and the United States Red Cross provided the funds and the City of Santo Domingo was reconstructed by Trujillo. Tranquility lasted for a year, Trujillo later began to make the citizens aware of his powers. He decreed that the only political party shall be the Dominican Party, hence making elections only a formality for his dictatorship to last. Government employees were forced to shell out ten percent of their wage to the National Treasury. All who opposed the decrees met their demise. From own yard, Trujillo expanded his domain to the local populace. Trujillo was incomprehensive of the biggest challenge to his career, upon unveiling his will to the people, Maria Argentina Minerva Mirabal refused to be controlled by Trujillo and fought for what she believed in, Trujillo was unmindful of the other threats and the only dreadful thought to him was to be beaten by a woman, when Trujillo finally got rid of his greatest nemesis, he thought the he finally won. Contrary to his convictions, the assassination of the key figures of the resistance led to a revolution in a nationwide scale which led to the plot of his his death on May 30, 1961. In the Time of the Butterflies 3 The Way of the Butterfly Minerva was the second born of the Mirabal Sisters. Minerva grew up a strong woman with rebellious tendencies. She started concerning herself when she noticed that she can’t even speak her mind in her own home. In Minerva’s narrative chapter, she told that her eyes opened little-by-little, she exclaimed that her primary motives were political as she fought for her freedom, as a girl and as a citizen. As she sees the torment inflicted by Trujillo’s cronies to her friends’ families, in her years with Immaculada Concepcion, her separatist ideology was turning into angst. Her revitalized cause went on, as she got associated with the Popular Socialist Party. Her acquaintance with the group’s leader strengthened Minerva’s rogue emotions toward the Trujillo Administration. These sentiments that she had were also backed up by literary works with leftist implications and radio frequencies from the nearby lands of Cuba and Venezuela that centered discussion on the Dominican Republic’s political turmoil. Minerva’s first encounter withTrujillo was when the Mirabals were invited to a party by Trujillo, the invitation was personally brought by prominent local government officials. Don Enrique, Dona Chea, Patria with her husband Pedro, Dede along with her husband Jaime and Minerva attended the Banquet. A storm ruined the party which prompted the family to make a graceful exit. Minerva’s father was immediately apprehended the next day, followed by Minerva and her Mother the day after. Trujillo, angered by the family’s early departure, treated such act as a form of disrespect. Prior to their arrest, the governor suggested that Don Enrique should submit a letter of apology to Trujillo. The head of the Mirabal family complied, however Trujillo was not satisfied. Minerva was detained with her mother at he Hotel Nacional apart from Don Enrique who was barred at the Ciudad Trujillo(Santo Domingo). Everyday, Minerva was taken to the Fortaleza Ozama for interrogation. Minerva was questioned about communism charges and was also obliged to write a letter of apology but declined. The connections of the family brought Minerva and her family back to liberty’s arm. In the Time of the Butterflies 4 They were again arrested, after two years of freedom, Don Enrique was incarcerated on Ozama while Minerva and the other females were placed under house arrest. They were convicted of failure to purchase a book written about Trujillo. The truth behind the arrest was actually Minerva’s contempt for Trujillo’s ideologies in government. These accounts proved to be too straining for their father, fear and stress brought Don Enrique Mirabal to his grave in 1953. Due to this recent events, Minerva’s motives list added a fresh one, a personal motive, her angst turned into desire, the desire to get Rafael Trujillo out of position. She went to the city of Santo Domingo to study law in her belief that it would give her a big leap in her struggle against Trujillo’s governance, she was then persuaded by a law professor, Lio Morales and taught her that Trujillo was Neither the God nor the Supreme Ruler whom the people believed he is. As she was in law school, her her studies were ordered to stop due to the sensitivity of her topic. The next years were periods of peace for Minerva as she led a normal life. Minerva and her sisters pursued romantic relationships. Four years later Minerva would be part of an internal anti-regime group in her re-kindled attempts to abolish the Trujillo-led government. The group in which Minerva’s husband was the president, was named The 14th of June Movement. The movement was named as such as a tribute to the Dominican Liberation Troops who were slaughtered by Trujillo’s army in an effort to end his regime. The group has an elite subgroup â€Å"The Butterflies† in which Minerva is a part of. The members of the Leftist Sect were apprehended and later released due to increasing anti-government uprisings. Unfortunately, some of the prisoners remained, one of them was Minerva’s husband Manuel. This move by Trujillo did not stop Minerva in fighting for her cause, one after noon when Minerva was on her way home from a visit to her husband, the vehicle they were in was ambushed by the Trujillo Soldiers. They were brought in a sugarcane filled where the unarmed Minerva together with her sisters Patria and Maria Teresa. Here they were ruthlessly beaten to death. Minerva did not die in vain. Her death served as a wake up call and started an anti Trujillo which resulted to the ruler’s assassination, thus ending his barbarous sovereignty. References Alvarez, J. (1994). In the Time of the Butterflies. New York. Alonquin.

Destructiveness of War essays

Destructiveness of War essays Vonneguts Illustration of Destructiveness of War Slaughterhouse-Five was written by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. in 1953. Whether the book is an antiwar novel or a science fiction novel is ambiguous, but after writing this book, Vonnegut insists that it was a failure. Failure it is not according to many critics. Rather than just writing an anti-war/science fiction novel, Vonnegut wrote a tale of the trials and tribulations resulting from the complete and utter destruction of Dresden during World War II. In Slaughterhouse-Five, Vonnegut develops the protagonist, Billy Pilgrim along with utilizing science fiction and satire to demonstrate the destructiveness of war. Vonnegut uses satire and fiction to ironically display the destructiveness of war. In Slaughterhouse-Five, Vonnegut comes at last in direct confrontation with his Dresden experience (Keogh and Kislatis 172). John Somer adds, It took him twenty three years to write his lousy little book (222). In fact, because Vonnegut found it so difficult to write about the bombing of Dresden, He comments on the reality of Dresden by treating the problems as fiction (Giannone 83). One critic establishes that Vonnegut enjoys playing with fiction, using it to represent truth or reality (Meeter 208-209). Glenn Meeter adds that Billy alone is a separate version of the role of fiction in the novel by describing his space adventures and time warps (210-211). Billys character is satirical in itself, for he is a weak and feeble man, not fit to fight a war. Ironically, J.G. Keogh and Edward Kislastis agree, At the core of the characterization of Billy Pilgrim is the conception of war as a childrens crusade (182). Vonnegut introduces Edgar Derby to further strengthen the ills of war: I think the climax of the book will be the execution of poor old Edgar Derby...The irony is so great. A whole city gets burned down, and thousands and thou...

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buy custom Health and Medicine essay There are two types of medicines that play their roles in my family. For health-promoting medicine, such as multi-vitamin, it provides the nutrients my body needs. And for healing-medicine, it might quickly remove my symptoms and restore my health. I believe in the treatment of medicines and healthcare of all kinds. My familys members also hold the same beliefs or values as mine. This response falls under Dr. Edmund Pellegrinos theory of Hippocratic tradition which is summarized as tradition emerges from relatively homogenous societies where beliefs were similar and the majority of societal members share common values (The Theoretical approaches to Health Care Ethics, n.d.). If the sickness is a common recurring type, I would purchase medicine at the counter that has conventionally helped me to heal such symptom or consult my physician. If the illness is not a recurring one, I would need to consult a physician. I would choose the physician in whom I have confidence to cure my sickness according to my view. And my family members, though with different background and beliefs, would also share all my views. Thus, this response would fall under the theory of Principlism where principles were expansive enough to be shared by all rational individuals, regardless of their background and individual beliefs (The Theoretical approaches o Health Care Ethics, n.d.). I would buy medicines at counter for normal cold or for headache. For chronic cold or headache, however, I would consult a physician. The theoretical approach to understanding health is similar to response 2) above. It all depends on the types of medicine I take. For example, if I want to promote my health by taking health-promoting medicine, I would look at the contents of the medicine, such as whether there is sufficient quantity of calcium per capsule for increasing the health of my bones. For those common medicines such as pain-killers, I would not check on what contents are in the pills. In both cases, I thus place good faith in the medicines or the people who produce it. This response would fall under the theoretical approach to health by the Virtue Ethics of the Anti-Principalism that emphasizes the virtuous character of individuals who make the choice (The Theoretical approaches to Health Care Ethics, n.d.). - In the long run, however, the nature of my healthcare is overall very satisfactory. Buy custom Health and Medicine essay

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