Ordeal by Fire Essay Example

Ordeal by Fire Essay After reading the two books, â€Å"Ordeal by Fire† by James McPherson and â€Å"Slavery† by Stanley M. Elkins I would have to say the books are very separate on their approach to slavery before the Civil War.   McPherson’s book looked at slavery as it related to the Civil War.   Elkins book looked more at the institution of slavery.   Both looked into the economic role and its foundation in slavery.   Both agreed that in comparison Latin American slaves had a more difficult life than slaves in Southern North America.   The differences in views from these authors, that I could see, were standard views at the time at which these books were written.   McPherson’s book was written in 1982 and Elkins was first published in 1959.   I will admit though that Elkins book was obviously way before its time.   His ideals of slave personality probably helped invent the phrase â€Å"slave mentality†.   â€Å"How a person thinks about Negro slav ery historically makes a great deal of difference here and now; it tends to locate him morally in relation to a whole range of very immediate political, social, and philosophical issues which in some way refer back to slavery† (Elkins, 1959, p. 1).   In McPherson’s book he looks at how â€Å"slavery formed the foundation of the South’s distinctive social order† (p.31), and how this fit into a lifestyle in the south. When thinking of the brutality of slavery Elkins basically argued that slavery in itself was brutal.   Ã‚  With McPherson, although he did not disagree with brutal acts happening he just didn’t believed they happen often.   He believed that the owner’s power over his slaves â€Å"was often tempered by economic self-interest and sometimes by paternalism† (p.34).   He wrote, â€Å"Dead, maimed, brutalized or runaway slaves grow little if any cotton† (p.34).   There was a gentleman’s code of noblesse oblige which required â€Å"beneficence towards inferiors†.   The use of persuasions, inducement, rewards for good work and concessions between slave owner and slaves.   Overseers and masters could â€Å"not rule by the whip alone†, McPherson wrote. We will write a custom essay sample on Ordeal by Fire specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Ordeal by Fire specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Ordeal by Fire specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Slavery was a human institution along with a legal and economic one that helped to give reason for the dehumanizing of slavery.   Elkins wrote of a childlike conformity slaves were taught to keep them in line.   â€Å"Cruelty per se cannot be considered the primary key to this; of far greater importance was the simple â€Å"closedness† of the system, in which all lines of authority descended from the master and in which alternative social bases that might have supported alternative standards were systematically suppressed† ( Elkins, 1959 p. 128).   One factor that McPherson wrote about is the effect of the family structure and how it has affected African Americans throughout history in years since his book was published much has been written on that subject.   But at the time these books were written the consequence of this broken family structure was not yet fully recognized. Slavery in law was a form of property.   Human rights were something slaves did not have.   â€Å"They could not legally marry, nor own property, nor be taught to read or write in most states† (McPherson, 1982 p.34).   They were allowed to have a family, in fact after 1808 because of ending of the African slave trade; this was encouraged as natural reproduction of stock.   Some were allowed to earn money and in rare cases they could buy their freedom.   But until they were free their family and money could legally be taken from them at any time. In both books lack of education among slaves served well for a couple of reasons.   â€Å"The low level of literacy was one of the chief features distinguishing the slave from the free population of the South from the North.† (McPherson, 1982 p. 37)   There was a belief that educating a slave would cause them to have â€Å"dissatisfaction in their minds† that would cause insurrection and rebellion.   â€Å"Every Southern state except Maryland and Kentucky had stringent laws forbidding anyone to teach slaves reading and writing, and in some states the penalties applied to the educating of free Negroes and mulattoes as well† (Elkins, 1959 p. 60).   Education in the North was very strong and very weak in the South abolitionist gave this as to the reason the South kept slavery.   Saying â€Å"this one main for the ‘backwardness’ of the South and the immorality of slavery† (McPherson, 1982, p. 37) was the reason slavery was still practice d. In McPherson’s book talked of the work ethics and slavery.   He wrote of how slavery had undermined Southerners work ethics and made them lazy.   Their fight to keep the institution of slavery kept them from accepting new and better agricultural tools for use in the fields and ending the economically unsound practice of slavery.   A critic of work habits of the South and slavery, Frederick Law Olmsted, believed â€Å"that the average free worker in the North accomplished twice as much as the average slave.   Most slaves had little motivation to improve their output through harder work or greater efficiency.   They lacked the time discipline of modern work habits.† (McPherson, 182 p. 36). The church influence was a tool to keep a bond between master and slave.   â€Å"The slaves spoke the same language and worshipped the same Christian God as their owner.   Relationships of trust and affection as well as alienation and hatred could exist between slave and master.† (McPherson, 1982 p. 34).   In Elkins book he introduced the church as having moral authority over every man in every condition.   In the United States during the years of slavery the only law that was supportive somewhat of the marriage and how it related to church law was conjugal relations between slaves.   This dealt only with unions between master and slave; known as concubinage.   Unlike Latin America and other nations of slave holder’s concubinage was condemned and was not allowed.   Marriages, between slaves were permitted in these countries they were sanctified by the church and protected under law.   Many of the slaves still practiced their own religion in secret in fea r of punishment if found. The brutality of slavery was a direct result of Southerners devotion to limited government and laissez faire capitalism.   I tend to agree with Elkins theory that slavery itself is brutal.   Openly acts of brutality were not a rule but an exception it was the openly brutal social class system slaves were placed in that was the cruelest.   All one has to do is look at today’s society to see the long term affects this had on African Americans.   Both authors gave good sound argument on slavery, but if I had to choose which gave a better picture of what slavery was like I would have to say that is was â€Å"Slavery†.   I found the book was a little harder to follow, but gave a broader view of slavery.   In McPherson’s book there were only really 6 or 7 pages that really dealt with slavery.   Even though Elkins book was written in 1959, a time of civil rights, I thought he showed more to slavery than just the economic reasons for slavery.   The conseq uences of slavery have survived many generations and really only in the last fifty years the affects of this turbulent time in history has just began to be understood.   A whole culture and society was created out of slavery.   The Civil War changed a nation, slavery changed a culture.   I found the picture that McPherson gave was only superficial and in my readings gave me an understanding of why the Civil War and slavery were intertwined.   Elkins gave more meaning to what slavery was all about.

Bubonic Plague

In the late Middle Ages, the growth of population was so great that it caused somewhat of a famine. In the early 14th century, crop problems created an even bigger famine and caused great suffering. Overpopulation and famine created starvation, bad health, and opened up the chance for the bubonic plague, which struck in 1348. After its first appearances, the bubonic plague spread through Europe like wildfire and created havoc. The bubonic plague, or â€Å"Black Death†, was most likely caused by seaborne rats that followed trade routes across Eurasia. Common symptoms were fever and swelling in the groin. Sicily was one of the first cities to see the plague, from where it would then travel into Venice, Genoa, and Pisa. Furthermore, the plague spread to the coastlines around France and Spain causing even more damage. An estimated loss of population was approximately 40% loss in the early fifteenth century. The plague which was transmitted by rat or human-borne fleas would reach the human lungs and then be spread through coughing, sneezing, or wheezing. The virulent effects of the disease caused it to spread quickly, not to mention that rodents that enjoyed free rides on the trading boats could also spread the disease. The disease spread so quickly because no one understood what caused it. At the time, people had no exact clue as to what caused or how to cure it. Medieval people suggested that it was passed by staring at an infected person or from poisonous reptiles falling from the sky. Other crazy suggestions included that the Jews poisoned the water or the planets were in the wrong positions. The medieval people had absolutely no clue as to what really was going on. To them, it may have seemed that people would just get it one day and be gone no too far after. As a result, life was affected quite a bit by the disease. The Black Death killed off approximately one-third of the population in Europe. This meant fewer laborers which in... Bubonic Plague Free Essays on Black Death / Bubonic Plague In the late Middle Ages, the growth of population was so great that it caused somewhat of a famine. In the early 14th century, crop problems created an even bigger famine and caused great suffering. Overpopulation and famine created starvation, bad health, and opened up the chance for the bubonic plague, which struck in 1348. After its first appearances, the bubonic plague spread through Europe like wildfire and created havoc. The bubonic plague, or â€Å"Black Death†, was most likely caused by seaborne rats that followed trade routes across Eurasia. Common symptoms were fever and swelling in the groin. Sicily was one of the first cities to see the plague, from where it would then travel into Venice, Genoa, and Pisa. Furthermore, the plague spread to the coastlines around France and Spain causing even more damage. An estimated loss of population was approximately 40% loss in the early fifteenth century. The plague which was transmitted by rat or human-borne fleas would reach the human lungs and then be spread through coughing, sneezing, or wheezing. The virulent effects of the disease caused it to spread quickly, not to mention that rodents that enjoyed free rides on the trading boats could also spread the disease. The disease spread so quickly because no one understood what caused it. At the time, people had no exact clue as to what caused or how to cure it. Medieval people suggested that it was passed by staring at an infected person or from poisonous reptiles falling from the sky. Other crazy suggestions included that the Jews poisoned the water or the planets were in the wrong positions. The medieval people had absolutely no clue as to what really was going on. To them, it may have seemed that people would just get it one day and be gone no too far after. As a result, life was affected quite a bit by the disease. The Black Death killed off approximately one-third of the population in Europe. This meant fewer laborers which in...

Defining Sports Tourism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5750 words

Defining Sports Tourism - Essay Example Daniels also recognizes that sports tourism is a realm to explore to increase an economic situation in a particular location. Adding sports teams or events to a geographic location can increase the local economy and will encourage spending in the area by those who are either participating or are spectators of the particular sporting event. She also adds that though some people like the idea of adding a sports team to their community for the entertainment value, it can be quite costly for the area. This is because a new stadium would have to be built and in turn, it could be publicly financed through taxation in the community. Therefore, this would, in theory, even out the economic status of an area. Though it increases visitors to come to watch a sports team play in a large new arena, it can hinder the local residents by having to deal with additional traffic, having to pay for law enforcement officers to work the events, and even having to contribute to the city through taxation to allow for various roads or whatever means it would take to create a stadium. While it stimulates the local economy, it could also hinder it. Although Daniels acknowledges that many communities host sports events in one way to entertain, it is also to stimulate the local economy. She also concludes that even though sports events hosted in a certain area can boost a local economy, it can also hinder certain areas that are not well equipped to handle as many people as a large scale mega event, for example as the Olympics, the Super Bowl or the World Series. Amateur sporting events, however, have little impact on the existing economy according to Daniels, unless it is an amateur sporting event that lasts over an extended period of days. The sporting events can increase tourism in areas that have offers additional attractions, services, etc and Daniels' central place theory helps predict which geographic locations (primarily based on the size of the city or town) would benefit best from sporting tourism and development due to the resources that are already available within that locale, particularly urban areas. However, there are many other factors that also come into play. The event that Daniels used as an analysis to test this theory is the United States National Softball Association where a youth girls' World Series was held in 2001 in locations of North Carolina and South Carolina that were near to each other. One city, Mecklenburg, was located near Charlotte and had a population of 650,000 people while the other city, York, South Carolina had only 170,000 people. The tournament was centralized in Mecklenburg with the event being held within one facility while in York, the tournament was in four different locations throughout the city. The week-long event had over 300 teams and over 20,000 in attendance between the two cities. Spectators were given questionnaires about how long they were staying, how far they had traveled to get to the tournaments from their ho metown, what their primary reason was for coming as a spectator and what their expense habits were while there. Data were analyzed from the results of these questionnaires and found that expenditures in both cities were approximately the same per person though lodging and dining were significantly higher in Mecklenburg.  Ã‚