The United States Will Fall Like Rome Essay Example for Free

The United States Will Fall Like Rome Essay The United States is a powerful nation that is around 250 years old replicating that of Rome whose empire lasted 270 years. These empires have similar backgrounds regarding their foundation and governmental structures. The U.S. has a democracy that allows citizens to participate in the government while Rome’s republic acts the same way. Also, the United States’ legislative body is made up of Congress just like Rome who had a Senate. Some social pressures that occurred in Rome were the publics’ low confidence in the governing body of the empire. And finally, Inflation was an economic issue that contributed to the fall of Rome and is also occurring in the United States today. The social, economic and political contributions combined with Invasions by germanic tribes caused the final fall of Rome. The fate of the United States will mimic that of Rome in that social pressures, economic turmoil and political corruption will attribute to its demise. Social pressures are a major contributor as to why the U.S. will fall much like Rome. Rome’s Citizens started to show low confidence in Empire, much like what is happening in the U.S. now. Today, in the United States â€Å"sixty-five percent of American voters think the federal government is ‘broken’† (Blanton par1). The government is broken is up seven percentage points from fifty-eight percent two years ago. These percentages show the United States is losing much confidence in its government and is increasing over-time. Not only will the U.S. fall because of social pressures but also because of economic turmoil felt across the nation. Economic turmoil are a major contributor as to why the U.S. will fall much like Rome, inflation specifically. Inflation is an economic indicator that assesses the fall in purchasing power of currency. Usually, inflation is caused by an increase in the money supply, which leads to price increases.â€Å"In recent years there has been a steady increase in inflation rates† (U.S. Inflation). If inflation rates keep increasing so will the gap between the middle class and poor. The increasing of the gap between the middle class and poor is the reasoning for our society splitting up.Usually inflation is caused by an increase in the money supply, which leads to price increases. The lower classes will not be able to afford the price increases, the middle class most likely will thus causing the gap between the lower and middle class. Not only will the U.S. fall because of economic turmoil but also because of political corruption felt across the nation. Political corruption is a major contributor as to why the U.S. will fall much like Rome. Every year (CREW) releases a list of the most corrupt members in Congress.Rob Andrews earmarked federal funds for his wifes employer and also used his campaign money for personal expenses(Hickey par 8). The amount of betrayal that occurs in our government proves the U.S. citizens cant trust the political members in the U.S. government. Without confidence in our government the U.S is sure to fall. The social, economic and political contributions combined with Invasions by germanic tribes caused the final fall of Rome. The fate of the United States will mimic that of Rome in that social pressures, economic turmoil. In conclusion the final blow to the fall of the U.S. will be invasions from North Korea and their alliances..One can only assume that if North Korea develops nuclear weapons the South Koreans wont stand idly by,(Rogers par 6). With the technology that North Korea has such as nuclear missiles proves the U.S. will stand no chance against North Korea, the United States will fall.

Heart Of Darkness :: essays research papers

Each person has a different definition of what the term ‘remarkable’ means; each unique definition, holds a significant link to the other. This link is that the term is always given to a person that holds certain characteristics that are superior to the average individual. The set of characteristics that are observed tend to subscribe to the specific set of values of the person issuing the remark. Marlow, the main character in Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness is able to assert that Mr. Kurtz was a remarkable man. This is true because of the unique values that Marlow possesses, which allow him to assert Mr. Kurtz as a remarkable individual. Through the actions and words of Mr. Kurtz, and other individuals Marlow encounters, Marlow is able to gain an overall perception of how characteristics of Mr. Kurtz deem him remarkable. Through the development of the narrative, Marlow establishes that Mr. Kurtz does not want to return to society, he does not want to return to the world were people judge one another based on social issues. â€Å"Kurtz had apparently intended to return himself, the station being by that time bare of goods and stores, but after coming three hundred miles, had suddenly decided to go back, which he started to do alone in a small dugout with four paddlers, leaving the half-caste to continue down the river with the ivory.† (Conrad Pg. 52) Instead Kurtz returns to the wilderness and is able to judge himself. â€Å"I went no more near the remarkable man who had pronounced a judgement upon the adventures of his soul upon the earth.† (Conrad Pg. 118) Marlow looks upon these two actions as remarkable feat. Kurtz, through Marlow’s eyes was able to pronounce a judgement based upon his own actions rather than having society dictate them to him. Marlow realizes that in order for Kurtz to pass judgement on himself, Kurtz must have been courageous, a value that Marlow lacked. â€Å"I was within a hair’s breadth of the opportunity for pronouncement, and I found with humiliation that probably I would have nothing to say.† (Conrad Pg. 119) Marlow clearly illustrates that on his own deathbed he would not be able to express his own judgement, despite the opportunity to speak, he would just hide like a coward. Thus Marlow is able to pronounce that Kurtz is a remarkable individual because he has a value, courage, that Marlow and many other individuals do not posses.

Latin America colonial times Essay

?4. How does colonialism engage with notions of spirituality, witchcraft, and/or (ritual) intoxication? You may analyze how the distinctions between orthodox and unorthodox practices were distinguished (and oftentimes blurred). You may look at Staden, the readings on witchcraft and â€Å"superstition,† etc. Beginning in 1492 when the Spanish under the crown of Castile invaded the Americas, where their first settlement was in Santo Domingo, their main motivations were trade and the spread of the Catholic faith through indigenous conversions and economic gain. Due to these objectives they intervened and attempted to change every facet of the indigenous way of life including their ‘notions of spirituality, witchcraft, and intoxication’. The indigenous population had formally been removed from the jurisdiction of the inquisition by order of King Phillip the second in 1571, however the native people of Mexico and other invaded lands of the Americas were still prosecuted on accounts of witchcraft or being Nauatil (witches). Colonialism engaged with notions of spirituality and witchcraft by asserting their dominance in attempts to completely annihilate these practices. They attempted to make sense of what they did not understand by attributing these happenings to witchcraft and condemning those prosecuted as witches. Further, as previously mentioned, they attempted to spread the Catholic religion by deeming the religious practices previously ‘inherited’ (treatise on Heathen superstition) by the indigenous population as acts of witchcraft. In his letter to Reverend Don Francisco Manso de Zunga, Hernando Ruiz de Alarcon a Spanish navigator of the sixteenth centaury wrote that the reasons behind attempting to completely eradicate the superstitious ways of the people he regarded as Indians was that some of their practices such as â€Å"drunkenness was not permitted to them even in their heathen state† and was punishable by death. (39) His reasons behind â€Å"scraping of drunkenness from the memory of humanity† (39) is that even to those who are believed to be Pagans or non believers (heathens) (39) it was prohibited, therefore once baptised and accepted as Christians it is was a sin to indulge in these acts. To increase the spread and conversion to Catholicism within the Indians, Alarcon, validates the eradication of their customs. Further in his letter Hernando Ruiz de Alarcon explains how by indulging in these superstition practices the Indians are harming themselves. He states â€Å"This (their drunkenness) is the cause of the total destruction of the health of their bodies, and consequently the sufficient and principal barrier to their preservation and increase† (39). Alarcon explains that the deepness with which these practices have fastened into the native American culture leads him to believe that â€Å"the ministers have entered late into their parishioners’ language. † (40). Here we get an indication that despite their conversion to Christianity, Alarcon believes there is no hope to change the Indians’ superstitious ways. In light of the Spaniards determination to spread the Christian faith they attempted to eradicate all other religious practices within the Americas. In his letter Alarcon states in his letter â€Å"others (superstitions) have a weak foundation, because a traditions of their false gods is hardly found among their stories† (39). He explains their previous religion had no concrete roots, they worshiped ‘false gods’ and it was illegitimate; therefore, all rituals and practices for this cause were superstitious. It is important for us to note that the work of finding and documenting the acts of superstition in Mexico was bestowed on Alarcon and therefore it was in his best interest to exaggerate the evidence he supposedly finds. Further, he admits that he is not fully capable to undertake this task because of his â€Å"defective intellect and small experience with writing† (40). In his Treatise on the Heathen Superstition Alarcon explores many aspects of the Mexican native population’s way of idolizing their god’s or goddesses, he attributes this act to an act of worshiping the devil. This is another example of how the Spanish used the notion of witchcraft to propel the spread of Christianity. In his treatise Alarcon states â€Å"and by this means they usually communicate with the devil, because he usually communicates with them when they are deprived of judgement with the said drink and deceives them with different appearances† (48). In this example we can see how Alarcon uses Christianity and the threat of the devil to abolish drunkenness. Alarcon also uses the Devil to explain phenomenons that were beyond the scope of the Spanish understanding. He states in his treatise, â€Å"they (the sages in Mexico) are always deceitful and ceremoniatic and seek to persuade people that they are consummate in knowledge, since they profess to know what is absent and to foresee what is in the future, which, it may be, is revealed to them by the Devil, who can, through knowledge and conjecture, foresee many future events. † (45). Due to the fact that Alarcon and other Spaniards at that time could not make sense of why the prophecies or futuristic readings of the native Mexican sages were holding true, they declared it an act of the Devil and therefore a form of witchcraft. Another example of the Spaniards condemning the unexplainable acts in the Americas is in the document â€Å"On her Deathbed, Maria de la Candelaria Accuses Michaela de Molina of Casting Spells† produced in Guatemala in 1696. In this text different testimonies of various people that witnessed the sickness of Maria de la Candelaria a girl servant. In the testimony of Dona Juana Gonzalez a Spanish woman and mistress of Maria, she states, â€Å"the reason that she presumes this (that Michaela de Molina had casted spells on Maria) is because her servant, Maria had some fights with [Michaela] and not with anyone else. † (170) The Spaniards and even the natives of Guatemala could not fathom why or how Maria was dispelling such large amounts of blood and various objects like stones, rags and hair from her mouth and nose therefore attempted to reason it by condemning Michaela in the act of witchcraft. It is important to understand why the Spanish were interested in Maria’s sickness. In Spain and other parts of Europe the acts of witchcraft were highly condemned. People were afraid of loosing their power and therefore they feared the unknown. They condemned it by illegalizing all forms of witchcraft. Further, the act of ‘drunkenness’ and other practices not coherent with the beliefs of Christianity were also attributed to witchcraft therefore abolishing witchcraft became a means to spread the Christian faith specially since the indigenous population had formally been removed from the jurisdiction of the inquisition by order of King Phillip the second in 1571.

Prison Overcrowding A Negative Effect On The Inmates

When a prison becomes overcrowded its intended mission and goal becomes more difficult for the administration to achieve. It can have adverse effects on the lives of inmates, correctional staff, and even cause those released from prison to fall victim to recidivism after release. The objective of this paper is to critically analyze and research this issue in order to come to some conclusions about this issue, and the credibility of the resources used. Overcrowding in prisons has a negative effect on the inmates both during the sentence and even after. The first article I read was â€Å"Contemporary Prison Overcrowding: Short-term Fixes to a Perpetual Problem†. After reading it I took away a very practical understanding of the issue. The reading, although somewhat dry, included causes, consequences, and possible solutions to overcrowding in prisons. I particularly liked one of the presented solutions which was for the federal, state, and local institutions to give more careful consideration during the classification of custody. For example, some inmates are in restrictive custody when their sentence may be better served in a halfway house or on parole. The second article I chose was â€Å"Does Prison Crowding Predict Higher Rates of Substance Use Related Parole Violations?†. This was a more recent article and included many helpful statistics, was easy to read, comprehend, and included multiple angles. The article even included test studies and data charts. The charts showed theShow MoreRelatedEffects Of Prison Overcrowding907 Words   |  4 PagesAnother effect is that prisoners must spend more time inside due to the lack of officers to watch them in the outside areas. This results in less time outside in the fresh air and sunshine for the prisoners which lead to their dissatisfaction; unhappy prisoners are harder to control and more fighting is the result. There is also the problem of watching the inmates so that they have to remain inside their small cells for more time during the day. (Prison overcrowding is a growing concern in the URead MoreOvercrowding Of Prisons And Its Effects On Inmates1389 Words   |  6 PagesOv ercrowding in Prisons In the United States, the increasing population within prisons contribute to the stress regarding the security of correctional facilities’ and the negative effects on inmates. Overcrowding can be defined as a space with a concentrated number of objects or people in a space beyond comfort. According to Verne Cox, PhD, â€Å"as a group of prison researchers summarized, in the 1980s [...] crowding in prisons is a major source of administrative problems and adversely affects inmateRead MoreThe Negative Effects Of Prison Overcrowding1524 Words   |  7 PagesPrison Overcrowding is a topic that isn’t brought up much in the media. However, it’s one that should be addressed more than it is. Overcrowding puts Correctional Officer’s safety at risk as well as the safety of inmates. There must be a way to reduce the number of inmates or possibly build additional prisons. Prison overcrowding has many negative effects ranging from sickness, to even death. The first article I want to discuss is â€Å"Underfunded, Overcrowded State Prisons Struggle With Reform†. OnRead MorePrison Overcrwoding in America and England1234 Words   |  5 PagesPrison overcrowding in the United States is due to many reoccurring charges that is being sentenced to inmates that have been released and returning. As the increasing inmate population is a growing concern in the U.S, many law enforcement agencies and academic expert have analyzed data about the situation and are working to combat it. Research shows that Drugs are mainly to blame. Of the inmates in federal prison as of September 2011, more than half or 50.4% was serving sentences for drug offensesRead MoreThe Negative Effects Of Prison Overcrowding1361 Words   |  6 Pagesmany prison in the United States, but all the prison are being overcrowded by inmates. What is prison overcrowding? Prison overcrowding is exceeding the numbers of inmates and not having enough beds and space for the inma tes (Stohr Walsh, 122). When prison is overcrowded, this means there are less officers in the prisons to take care of the inmates, which becomes a safety concern. Many prisons are over capacity but yet they are still taking in inmates and making the situation worse. Prison overcrowdingRead MoreCan Racial Profiling Be Justified1612 Words   |  7 Pagesyou’re out† law is in effect in different states around the country. In basic terms, the law requires that any offender that is convicted of three violent crimes must receive a sentence of 25 years to life in prison. The law is aimed at reducing crime by focusing on the small percentage of criminals that commit the majority of violent crimes and felonies. Many systems have been lenient with repeat offenders, allowing them to return to a life of crime after short stints in prison. Sometimes, theseRead MoreReduced Time from Prison1440 Words   |  6 PagesTime from Prison Prisons are correctional facilities where offenders are incarcerated as punishment and deterrent from engaging in other criminal activities. It serves justice for victims of criminal offenses and provides a chance for the offender to reflect, and with prison time; they will become better citizens of society. This however, may not always be the case. If an inmate exhibits understanding of good behavior and structure, a prisoner may not serve his or her full sentence in prison. They mayRead MoreProblems With The Three Strikes Legislation1610 Words   |  7 Pagesyou’re out† law is in effect in different states around the country. In basic terms, the law requires that any offender that is convicted of three violent crimes must receive a sentence of 25 years to life in prison. The law is aimed at reducing crime by focusing on the small percentage of criminals that commit the majority of violent crimes and felonies. Many systems have been lenient with repeat offenders, all owing them to return to a life of crime after short stints in prison. Sometimes, theseRead MorePrison Overcrowding And Its Effects On The United States Essay1605 Words   |  7 PagesPer Derek Gilna’s report on Increase in Federal Prison Population, Overcrowding, prisons have become overpopulated throughout a five-year span from 2006 to 2011 (Gilna, page 48). Prison overcrowding has become a plague in the United States for some time now. The US Bureau of Justice Statistics shows more than two-million adults are incarcerated in US federal and state prisons. There are many reasons that prisons are becoming overpopulated but not such a certain cause. To fix the problem, attentionRead MoreIncreased Population of Prisons Essay1606 Words   |  7 PagesOvercrowded prisons and improper punishment systems are enormous social issues for our government. The United States has seen steady growth in its prisons. A projected increment in seen due to â€Å"get-tough† policies that locks up offenders for longer sentences (Ohlemacher, 2007, para. 1). The correction system had been through various phases of transformation, and the government had been tough on crime; this approach had resulted in rising prison populations. There are many factors that cause overcrowding