Is the Family a Fabricated Thing

Introduction The family has traditionally occupied a central place in society with communities hailing it as the basic unit of society. Families provide the social core in all societies and the nuclear family is present in all societies in the world. The unifying function of the family has been credited with the development and advancement of societies since time immemorial.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Is the Family a Fabricated Thing? specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More For this reason, the family unit is unanimously considered as the basic building block of a successful and functional society. This is the ideal institution within which children are created and brought up in a protected environment until they are able to take care of themselves. The family also serves as a tool for socialization since the shared moral and social values of the community are inculcated in the children withing the family setting. For these reasons, the family is assumed to be an innate experience with some authors suggesting that the family is a natural institution. However, this notion has been questioned by anthropologists whose studies have led them to question the â€Å"naturalness† of the family unit. The findings of these scholars have led them to conclude that the family is not a natural thing but rather a construction of the society. This paper will set out to discuss the ideas of some of the most outstanding anthropologists of the 20th century, Adam Kuper, David Schneider, and Claude Levi-Strauss, in order to show that the family is a fabricated thing. The Idea of the Family The family is regarded as the basic unit of society and at its most base level; it is made up of a man, woman, and their children. Kuper (1982) states that the family preceded the formation of the society and in these early stages, it comprised of a male figure who exercised jurisdiction over his wives and children. Each family paid no regard to the other and acted in its own self-interest. The aggregation of families was the next step in social evolution and the ties of kinship became the basis of societies. The family provided the basis on which societies were ordered with expanded extended families serving as the social core.Advertising Looking for essay on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Reproduction is universally considered to be the basis of family relations since each person must have a biological father and mother. This simple parent-child relationship makes it possible to perform genealogical tracing since it is a biological fact that a man and a woman must be involved in procreation. Therefore, the concept of kinship was formulated based on this blood relation and relationships though marriage unions between previously unrelated parties. The naturalness of the family has been presupposed for many centuries due to th e prevalence of this social grouping. However, the arguments made by anthropologists suggest that the family is a cultural construct. Family: A Fabricated Concept Adam Kuper’s Ideas Adam Kuper suggests that the family was formulated as an organization through which people could live in harmony and accomplish greater exploits. Before the concept of family, each individual acted at his own discretion and there was no order or system of laws in place. Kuper (1982) records that the original state of human society was characterized by promiscuity rather than family life and this status quo was detrimental to the raising of children. This primitive existence was unsustainable since violence and anarchy reigned. The family unit emerged as a more ordered system of procreation within which the child could exist in a more secure environment. As the family concept became more sophisticated, legal paternity became recognized and the child could grow in an environment where he/she had a m other and a father. The extended patriarchal family group provided the basis for jural order and continuity (Kuper 1982, p.73). The earliest form of government was therefore based on the family concept. The political ideas were grounded in the assumption that â€Å"kinship in blood is the sole possible ground of community in political functions† (Kuper 2008, p.723). The family was formulated as the best structure to foster social stability and encourage good governance. The prohibition of some relationships in some cultures while the same relationships are allowed in others is further proof that kinship is a culturally constructed concept. Human beings formulate the laws governing who should marry whom and therefore forms a family and they vary from society to society.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Is the Family a Fabricated Thing? specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Kuper (2008) documents that in the nine teenth century, there was no crime in incest, and there were no rules articulating which marriages were allowed or forbidden. Before the 1880s, incest was an acceptable practice in England and there were no laws against the practice. The social perception of incest only underwent a radical change when the danger of sexual relations between fathers and daughters, or brothers and sisters began to be publicized by the National Vigilance Association. Following this, incest came to be conceived of as an offence with a victim. Because of this change in public perception, the British Parliament passed a Law in 1907 that made incest a crime and criminalized sexual relationships between members of the immediate family. As such, the family is a fabricated institute that is prone to changes based on the public needs. Kuper (2003) argues that the family was necessary to ensure survival in the primitive societies where division of labour was necessary. In these pre-modern societies, the nuclear family comprised of male and female enabled the parties to specialize in various activities for sustenance. The males typically acted as the hunters while the females were gatherers within a nuclear family setting. This economic function increased the value of the family and kinship was integral for survival Kuper (2003). It is conceivable that without the economic need of family, this institution would never have been created. Further reinforcing this supposition is the observation by anthropologists that with the rise of the individualist modern society, the economic functions of family have shrunk and each sex can manage to exist without the need of the other. Another indication that family is a fabricated concept is the difference in preference placed on a particular side of the family by different cultures. While some cultures emphasize on matrilineal descent (kin from the mother’s lineage), others emphasize on patrilineal descent (kin through the father’s lineage ).Advertising Looking for essay on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In addition to this, the location of residence differs with some cultures promoting marriage residence at the mother’s family house while most promote residence at the father’s family house (Kuper 2003). If the family was a natural construct, there would be universal preferences and all cultures would follow the same conventions. The fact that different ideals are practiced by different cultures proves that family is a human construction. The rapid changes in society that were experienced in the 1950s and 1960s demonstrated that the family was not an integral component of the society. During this period, consensual unions became widespread and the traditional family unit was dismantled in some circles. Some people began to view the family as a major source of discontentment within the society and this greatly discredited the nuclear family as an unshakeable institution. The sentiments of the time are best articulated by Leach who asserts, â€Å"far from being the basi s for the good society, the family with its narrow privacy and tawdry secrets, is the source of all our discontents† (Kuper 2003, p.332). The nature of partner relationships has also experienced significant changes over the decades with a marked decline in the importance of the social origin of a partner being exhibited in all modern societies. In the past, great weight was placed on marriage with major kinship involvement in the process (Dykstra 2006). Today, marriage unions are primarily a matter of personal choice and preference with the families on both sides of the partners being involved only marginally. In addition to this, the frequency with which family unions are dissolved has risen tremendously. The increased rate of marriage dissolutions is blamed on the heightened emphasis on the emotional side of relationships, which leads to higher expectations and demands by both partners on each other (Dykstra 2006). In traditional marriage unions, emphasis was placed on the s ocial and material benefits of the union. Claude Levi-Strauss’s Ideas Claude Levi-Strauss is credited with advancing the Structuralism theory in which he argued that the phenomena of the external world are apprehended as having distinct characteristics because of the way our senses communicate these perceptions (Voss 1977). Human beings are predisposed to categorize things into separate units or segments and assign these things named classes. Any material object of culture or belief system is in imitation of human apprehension of nature (Levi-Strauss 1970). Man’s perception of nature as segmented is therefore responsible for his view of society as ordered. Advocates of the family as a natural unit might argue for the â€Å"natural† nature of the family structure since it exists universally. Both primitive and civilized societies have some concept of family, which is typically made up of females and at least one male figure either related to the female(s) by bloo d or by marriage. Levi-Strauss refutes this assertion by highlighting that cultures are bound to have some similarities since they are all products of human minds (Voss 1977). For this reason, universal features such as the family unit can occur. Levi-Strauss suggests that the basis of marriage rules was to create bonds between otherwise unrelated people. He argues that the since pre-historic times, communities had the option of intermarrying among themselves or giving away their women to other communities (Johnson 2003). The communities that gave away their women cemented political alliances and thus reduced the risk of being annihilated by superior enemies. The incest taboo was formed out of the need to enforce exogamy and therefore increase the society’s chances of survival. Voss (1977) best articulates this idea by stating that â€Å"if survival of a society is dependent upon alliance, strong sanctions against incest must be interdicted† (p.28). The family concept was formulated as an important unifying force through which the social cohesion was fostered and propagated. Levi-Strauss formulated the alliance theory in which he argued that sibling groups were linked through the exchange of sisters in marriage thus extending sibling solidarity to larger groupings (Kuper 1982). Levi-Strauss argued that â€Å"all the pre-modern societies of the world were organized on the basis of cross-cousin marriage† (Kuper 2008, p.726). He further stated that the family as a function of marriage was an institution that was formulated to create and maintain alliances. These alliances took place through the exchange between groups as people married for strategic reasons such as to strengthen political alliances (Levi-Strauss 1969). Kinship served the practical purpose of preventing war by setting up a diplomatic alliance between groups. The class structure that is based on family status is a cultural construction. Levi-Strauss considers the practice of to temism an expression of the differences among members of the society. Totemism, which is the naming of individuals or clans after particular plant or animal species, was a widespread practice since historical times (VonSturmer 1970). This practice emerged from the need of man to develop a system of social ordering by giving different class structures. Human beings are able to distinguish each other according to their mutual social status, which is normally articulated in the form of social classification. David Schneider’s Ideas Throughout the 19th century, Americans held the view that the family relationship was biologically given and of huge importance to the society. Many Europeans also shared this assumption and they presumed that kinship was a biological outcome. However, Schneider argues that if this were the case then the same set of ideas would have been developed by other peoples across the world. This is not the case and the family structure varied from continent to continent, and tribe to tribe. For this reason, David Schneider suggested that kinship was a function of civilization and not a feature of primitive society. According to this anthropologist, there is nothing natural about kinship and it is the production of the society. Social conventions alone may lead to a family relationship even if there is no biological relationship between or among parties. This view is corroborated by Johnson (2003) who reveals that a person is regarded as family based on some socially prescribed duties and privileges that the person fulfils in his/her relation to others. The manner in which people act towards each other is based on the concept of kinship, which is a construction of man. Schneider (1984) argues that there is no such thing as kinship and that â€Å"kinship† is in fact a creation of anthropologists and it has no concrete existence. Schneider (1984) suggests that family is a social construction that is useful for the allocation of right s and their transmission from one generation to the next. The family was formulated as an entity through which continuity could be guaranteed. Patrilineage in many societies served as a landholding corporations with parents leaving property to their children. Dykstra (2006) notes that resources are â€Å"passed down from one generation to the next, in the form of gifts or inheritances for example, or in the form of financial support† (p.1). Schneider (1984) theorizes that biological kinship is culturally constructed and it was formulated to help establish paternity with a fair degree of likelihood. He elaborates that primitive man lived at a time when promiscuity prevailed and there was no way of establishing who the child’s father was. The concept of â€Å"marriage of pairs† was formulated to help establish paternity and this was the earliest and greatest act of human intelligence. The bonds and ties that are attributed to the sexual reproduction that occurs in the family setting are not natural but a function of the society. Schneider (1984) observes that sexual relations can occur and have significance even outside kinship. However, the social and cultural attributes that are created when sexual reproduction occurs in a nuclear family setting are formulated by the society. Biological relations are for this reason afforded special qualities by the society. This has led to the ties being regarded as natural and inherent in the human condition. The ties between biologically close members are not natural since they would not be special without the social and cultural connotations ascribed to them. The socialization process is responsible for inculcating the concept of kinship in children. As a child grows up in the family, he/she is taught the logic by which his/her specific culture classifies kin and these concepts become ingrained in him/her. The child is often ignorant as to what kinship terms such as â€Å"uncle†, and â€Å"aunt y† mean but he/she is brought up to attach special meaning to the relationships. Schneider (1984) points out that the classifications of â€Å"relatives† may extend beyond the simple biological and genetic relationships with stipulated descent being included in the categories. Without the socializing process, the concept of the family would die out as individuals would not be confined to this socially prescribed structure. Schneider strongly rejects the understanding that family has to do with reproduction and he assertively declares that kinship is essentially undefined and vacuous which since it has little that can justify it (Read 2003). The inadequacy of blood relationships for a definition of family is accentuated by the inability for this consanguinity to account for practices such as adoption that still make fatherhood and motherhood possible. Read (2003) argues that it would be more convincing to state that family is a social convention rather than a function of procreation and parturition. Schneider argues that the family is a fabrication since some cultures do not have words that can reasonably translate to â€Å"father† or even â€Å"child†. In his ethnographic work among the Yapese, Schneider noted that the relationship between the biological father and offspring could not be translated as â€Å"father† and â€Å"child† in the English sense of the word (Schneider 1984). The Yapese people were able to exist without this genealogically based kinship relationship and even the passing down of property from generation to generation was not done on the basis of biological relationships. Further Evidence In addition to the thoughts of the renowned anthropologists referenced herein, current developments in the family structure provide more evidence that the family is a cultural construct. The traditional gender-specific division of labour has had to change with the increased participation of women in the labour mark et. Dykstra (2006) notes that the interaction between the partners who make up the family has become â€Å"more of a matter of negotiation† with the traditional gender-specific notions being all but discarded in most developed nations. The recent legitimization of gay and lesbian family formation in many Western countries further reinforces the assertion that family is a fabricated concept. For centuries, homosexual relationships were frowned upon by societies with severe penalties being imposed on individuals who engaged in these unions. Schneider (1997) reveals that the notion of sodomy was so abhorred in Western culture that if â€Å"justified killing and enslaving so many in the 15th and 16th centuries† (p.271). This has changed and homosexual unions are today tolerated on a greater scale. Schneider (1997) notes that gay and lesbian rights are today asserted with antidiscrimination laws and fringe benefits being accorded to this previously marginalized sub-group. T he traditional notion of family has had to be reinvented as non-heterosexual couples form relationships and become â€Å"families†. Discussion The idea that family is a fabricated concept has led to the fall of kinship studies as modern anthropologists have abandoned the subject due to the many internal problems and theoretical weaknesses contained in it (Kuper 2003). In spite of the different approach taken in their arguments, the three thinkers analysed in this paper, Levi-Strauss, Kuper, and Schneider all contend that family is a cultural construct. The paper has demonstrated that the prevalence of families in all communities is not an indication of their naturalness. Renowned anthropologists such as Levi-Strauss have demonstrated that the seemingly universal concept is not an indication of the naturalness of the family unit. Rather, it is a statement of the scientific operations of classification of objects and phenomena which occurs in both Western and primitive societie s. The universal family structure as we know it is a product of identical mental manipulations, which explains the seemingly self-consistent systems exhibited all over the world. The fact that the family unity is â€Å"not what it used to be† is proof enough that the family is a fabricated unit that keeps evolving with the culture of the society. In the recent past, alternative household organizations such as single-parent families and singles have become prevalent hence necessitating a review of the importance of the nuclear and extended family. These realities suggest that the assumption of genealogy or biology as the basis of the family is faulty since if this were the case, the family structure would remain static through time. In spite of the understanding that the family is a fabrication, this unit will continue to play an important role in society. The nuclear family is still the engine-room of socialization and it continues to bestow economic benefits for its members. Even Schneider (1984) acknowledges that kinship is a privileged institution since it is the major building block out of which all social systems are constructed. Conclusion This paper set out to examine the ideas of prominent anthropologists in order to demonstrate that the family is a fabricated thing. A review of these ideas has revealed that family is an ideological illusion constructed by man over the centuries. The paper has demonstrated that the concept of family started from the individual actor playing for economic and political advantage and using the family as a tool for social cohesion. The paper has convincingly shown that most aspects of kinship are not natural but rather the social construction of various societies over the centuries. The family relationship is not primarily one of genealogical and reproductively, instead, it is culturally specified and the manner in which it is expressed and perceived is a fabrication. It can therefore be authoritatively stated that family is not inherently human or universal; rather, it is a cultural construction that is arbitrary and variable in nature. References Dykstra, A 2006, Family relationships: the ties that bind, Amsterdam Study Centre for the Metropolitan Environment, Amsterdam. Johnson, C 2003, Claud Levi-Strauss: The formative years, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. Kuper, A 1982, ‘Lineage Theory: A Critical Retrospective’, Ann. Rev. Anthropol, vol. 11, no. 1, pp.71-95. Kuper, A 2003, ‘What Really Happened to Kinship and Kinship Studies’, Journal of Cognition and Culture, vol. 3, no. 4, pp. 329-335. Kuper, A 2008, ‘Changing the subject – about cousin marriage, among other things’, Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute, vol. 14, no.1, pp. 717-735. Levi-Strauss, C 1969, The Elementary Structures of Kinship, Beacon Press, Boston. Levi-Strauss, C 1970, The raw and the cooked, John and Harper, New York. Read, D 2001, What is Kinship? In The C ultural Analysis of Kinship: The Legacy of David Schneider and Its Implications for Anthropological Relativism, University of Illinois Press, Urbana. Schneider, D 1984, A critique of the study of kinship, University of Michigan Press, Michigan. Schneider, D 1997, ‘The power of culture: notes on some aspects of gay and lesbian kinship in America today’, Cultural Anthropology, vol. 12, no. 2, pp. 270-274. VonSturmer, J 1970, Claude Levi-Strauss: the anthropologist as everyman, Cornell University Press, Ithaca. Voss, S 1977, ‘Claude Levi-Strauss: The Man and His Works’, Nebraska Anthropologist, vol. 145, no.1, pp. 21-38. This essay on Is the Family a Fabricated Thing? was written and submitted by user Doctor Spectrum to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

History and Geography of Puerto Rico

History and Geography of Puerto Rico Puerto Rico is the easternmost island of the Greater Antilles in the Caribbean Sea, approximately a thousand miles southeast of Florida and just east of the Dominican Republic and west of the U.S. Virgin Islands. The island is approximately 90 miles wide in an east-west direction and 30 miles wide between the north and south coasts. Larger Than Delaware and Rhode Island Puerto Rico is a territory of the United States but if it became a state, Puerto Ricos land area of 3,435 square miles (8,897 km2) would make it the 49th largest state (larger than Delaware and Rhode Island). The coasts of tropical Puerto Rico are flat but most of the interior is mountainous. The tallest mountain is in the center of the island, Cerro de Punta, which is 4,389 feet high (1338 meters). About eight percent of the land is arable for agriculture. Droughts and hurricanes are the major natural hazards. Four Million Puerto Ricans There are almost four million Puerto Ricans, which would make the island the 23rd most populous state (between Alabama and Kentucky). San Juan, Puerto Ricos capital, is located on the north side of the island. The islands population is quite dense, with about 1100 people per square mile (427 people per square kilometer). The Primary Language Is Spanish Spanish is the primary language on the island and for a short time earlier this decade, it was the commonwealths official language. While most Puerto Ricans speak some English, only about a quarter of the population is fully bilingual. The population is a mixture of Spanish, African, and indigenous heritage. About seven-eighths of Puerto Ricans are Roman Catholic and literacy is about 90%. The Arawakan people settled the island around the ninth century CE. In 1493, Christopher Columbus discovered the island and claimed it for Spain. Puerto Rico, which means rich port in Spanish, wasnt settled until 1508 when Ponce de Leon founded a town near present-day San Juan. Puerto Rico remained a Spanish colony for more than four centuries until the United States defeated Spain in the Spanish-American war in 1898 and occupied the island. The Economy Until the middle of the twentieth century, the island was one of the poorest in the Caribbean. In 1948 the U.S. government began Operation Bootstrap which infused millions of dollars into the Puerto Rican economy and made it one of the wealthiest. United States firms that are located in Puerto Rico receive tax incentives to encourage investments. Major exports include pharmaceuticals, electronics, apparel, sugarcane, and coffee. The U.S. is the major trading partner, 86% of exports are sent to the U.S. and 69% of imports come from the fifty states. United States Citizens Since 1917 Puerto Ricans have been citizens of the United States since a law was passed in 1917. Even though they are citizens, Puerto Ricans pay no federal income tax and they can not vote for president. Unrestricted U.S. migration of Puerto Ricans has made New York City the one place with the most Puerto Ricans anywhere in the world (over one million). Pursuing Statehood Through the U.S. Congress In 1967, 1993, and 1998 the citizens of the island voted to maintain the status quo. In November 2012, Puerto Ricans voted not to maintain the status quo and to pursue statehood through the U.S. Congress. 10-Year Transitional Process If Puerto Rico were to become the fifty-first state, the U.S. federal government and the state-to-be will establish a ten-year transitional process towards statehood. The federal government is expected to spend about three billion dollars annually in the state toward benefits not currently received by the Commonwealth. Puerto Ricans would also begin paying federal income tax and business would lose the special tax exemptions that are a major part of the economy. The new state would probably obtain six new voting members of the House of Representatives and of course, two Senators. The stars on the United States flag would change for the first time in more than fifty years. If independence were chosen by the citizens of Puerto Rico in the future, then the United States will assist the new country through a decade-long transition period. International recognition would come quickly for the new nation, which would have to develop its own defense and a new government. However, for now, Puerto Rico remains a territory of the United States, with all that such a relationship entails.

Reading Assignment 5 Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Reading 5 - Assignment Example I think this is important because looking at absurdity as springing from anxiety makes one realize that many of the absurd things we do or see happen because of fear or apprehension of consequences and of things to come. â€Å"Tomorrow, he was longing for tomorrow, wheras everything in him ought to reject it. That revolt of the flesh is the absurd† (14). Many people tell themselves that tomorrow will be better only to get through the day. This is another absurdity of life. Everyone hopes for something better but they know that this is just wishful thinking. I think this is interesting because it is consciousness telling itself that tomorrow will be better than today, however, it is as if the conscious mind knows that it is lying to itself. Hence, this â€Å"revolt of the flesh† is absurd because consciousness telling itself lies is absurd. â€Å"But what is absurd is the confrontation of this irrational and the wild longing for clarity whose call echoes the human heart † (21). The world is often irrational yet the heart longs to make sense of it all. Thus what I think is meant here is that incompatibility of the irrational reality of things and the clarity that people desire is, in itself, an absurdity. This incompatibility leads to absurd situations where people try to make sense out of something if only to maintain their sense of clarity.

Human Resource Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Human Resource - Essay Example Alternatively, I would set aside the elections based on the Taft- Hartley provisions and the circumstances of the case. The law stipulates employees’ freedom and right to determine their representative union and prohibits any form of threat of reprisal from the employer. The supervisor, being a recognized representative of the employer, however expressed interest in the union’s meeting by making multiple appearances around the meeting. Such a repetitive act was therefore not coincidental and indicated a motive to influence employees’ representation. The supervisor’s appearances around the union’s meeting could also have implications such as identifying members of the unions, based on their past unionism initiatives, and influencing elections results to favor some unions. The employer is also vicariously liable for the supervisor’s actions. These therefore mean that the employer’s behavior, through its supervisor, identifies significant threat of reprisal against the union and therefore contravenes employees’ freedom and right to determine their union of representation (Carter and Rausch,

The Declaration of Independence and Its Irony for Equality Term Paper

The Declaration of Independence and Its Irony for Equality - Term Paper Example Its primary goal is to discuss how the Declaration departs from its true essence based on the undermined state of the minorities within the society throughout history. For research materials, this paper will deal with the American Political Thought by Kenneth M. Dolbeare and Michael S. Cummings as its primary source of information for the Declaration of Independence. It will also use several internet and magazine articles as other sources of information. Keywords: Thomas Jefferson, the Declaration of Independence, equality and the rights of men, racial discrimination, women, gays, lesbians The Declaration of Independence and its Irony for Equality The Declaration of Independence portrays literal power in the usage of rhetoric devices that clearly stands out throughout the document. Thomas Jefferson, as its writer, had such proficiency beyond doubt that he was a very learned and skilled person. The rhetoric devices used to point at the possibility of a good education and literal skill s well developed throughout the writer’s experiences. As the studies of the Declaration of Independence find attest, the document is perhaps one of the most creatively designed state documents. Distinctively enumerated into exceptional divisions, Jefferson demonstrated some rare writing skills that make it one of the best literal state papers. The Declaration of Independence can be divided into an introduction, a clearly developed preamble, a section describing the indictment of the Crown, denunciation of the American oppressors - the British - and a good conclusion (Dolbeare & Cummings, 2009, pp. 49-52). Any paper passing the test of good writing must at least show such organization. With skill in rhetoric and a steadfast soul for nationalism, Jefferson had created some of the most messianic, heroic and memorable lines contained within the Declaration of Independence. Even down to his choice of words, Jefferson managed to immortalize this document throughout the annals of th e United States. Usage of terms such as â€Å"necessary† creates an impression of the strong need for the Americans to take the proposed action, which is well connected to their human nature. The line, â€Å"One people† can be translated to send a strong message that the Americans and the British were different people brought together politically and breaking the â€Å"political bands† which was a necessity for the survival of the Americans. This choice of words was intended to capture the attention of America’s friends. However, there is one line in the Declaration that gathers much controversy and debate. The usage of the line, "We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among them are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness† poses an intention that could have well been deeply thought to bring a diverse interpretation by the Americans, the British and possible allies who could assist the Americans in their quest for independence. This line consists of a group of principles pertaining to human rights that are naturally and rhetorically read and interpreted together.  

Fall Of The Magan Civilization

Fall Of The Magan Civilization The transition of humanity from primitive life which emerged hunting and gathering with agriculture, and living in with small group during the Neolithic to establish city states under administrative authorities in the Chalcolithic ,was a tremendous leap  in the renaissance of humanity, which have significant impact on civilizations flourished in the Bronze Age. This transition had a positive impact on the progress of human knowledge in various fields. Menon ( 2010) in his book distinguishes this age by six characteristics (i) copper and bronze from the age takes its name ; (ii) harnessing of animals power ; (iii) wheeled vehicles ;(iv)the sailboat;(v) the potters wheel; and (vi) bricks (p5). These improvements changed the structure of society. Cities became a center of economy, politic, culture and religions. Societies form depended on a hierarchical system. On top hierarchy was king, priests and armies commanders and in middle farmers, artists and craftspeople and in the bottom slaves. Their economy flourished as result of diversity of occupations as well as religion system which played role to demonstrate people .Finally, Knowledge of writing led kings to record economic transactions and social events(Duiker and Spielovgel,p8). 1:1Emergence of civilizations The earliest city states in the world emergence on the banks of rivers in the Nile in Egypt, the Tigris and Euphrates in Iraq, Indus in India and the Yellow river in China. They prospered as result of availability of natural resources, trade activities and an increase of knowledge (Menon , 2010,p6). These led their neighbors to emergence as result of trade and increased demand on materials which were not available in those civilization. 1:2Emergence of Magan civilization Due to development of Mesopotamia and Harappa and Iran states , many other states emergence and grew as result of trade activities such as Magan ( present day in Sultanate of Oman and United Arab Emirates) , Meluhha (India) and Delmon (Bahrain) (. From first half of the third millennium BC, clay tablets from Mesopotamia recoded trade relations between Mesopotamians estates with these civilizations. Land Oman peninsula one of these states witnessed, from the end of fourth millennium B.C birth of the new civilization called Magan in Sumerian cuneiform and Makan in Akadian cuneiform(Weisgerber 2007,p197,198). The Magan was a major partner in intra-regional trade with the other civilizations like Mesopotamia, Syria, Iran , Indus civilization, Yemen and Horn of Africa by exporting copper and diorite Magan civilization which marked in the history of trading with (Cleuziou ,Tosi,2007,p213). Clay tablets which were found in south of Mesopotamia indicated that they obtained copper from Magan in the 3rd millennium BC. Texts from the reign of King Sargon about 2350 BC stated that Magan and Dilmun (Bahrain) and Meluhha (Indus) ships anchored at harbors of his capital Akkad , loaded and purchased goods including copper, silver, oils, beans, textiles and leather products. Copper was the one important goods that was much required by Mesopotamias states to use it in social and religious purpose. Due to limited availability of this metal, they imported it from their neighbors especially from Magan (Weisgerber 2007, p197,198). Extensive investigations in the Oman peninsula have situated many archaeological sites belong to Magan civilization. The sites Archeologists called this phase Hafit which is attributed to the first site that was discovered on the border of Oman and United Arab Emirates by Danish expedition. The archaeological researches presented the first phases of Magan civilization which as follow: The archaeological studies have shown that the era of Magan civilization which extended from the end of 4th millennium BC to the end of second millennium BC, encountered growth and declined in its economy which reflected to communitys remains which they were found whether in settlements or graves. This essay will track the traces of rise and fall of the Magan civilization from two aspects, mining and copper smelting and tombs of the people of this civilization. 2. The development of Copper production Even though , the chemical analysis for composition of copper samples ,found in the Mesopotamia which have proved that their source was Oman peninsula(Berthoud and Clezuiou,1983,p239,v6,p2), there are some views have tried to link name of Magan to east coast of Iran. The main reason for their orientation is that copper were produced in Iranian side (Clezuiou and Mery,2002,p275). However, Cannot be denied that the copper had a role in the renaissance of civilization in the peninsula of Oman. Investigations and archaeological studies in Oman and the United Arab Emirates over last the years, have indicated that the of Oman mountains range contain a large proportion of copper ore which exists in Ophiolites rocks, extending from Musandam in the north to Masirah island in the south. Therefore, more than 150 copper sites have been found, exploited since the Bronze age until the Medieval ( Hauptmann, Weisgerber and Bachmann, p35). Most of these sites locate in Sumail in interior region, Wadi Andam, Wadi Ibra and Lasail in Sohar (Potts 1978, p35). Archaeological studies of a number of mining and smelting sites have shown that mining and smelting copper were similar in all the Calcholithic and Bronze Age sites. Moreover, the techniques of extraction and production was advanced since the end of the Chalcolithic period, that means they were influenced from Neighbors in the Near East (Weisgerber,2006,p:193,194).These technique began with digging and extracting cupriferous mineral Malachite and Azurite sources by using stone or metal hammers. After collecting ore, it was crushed on stone pestles to small pieces to be able to smelt them later. Then, they were smelted in pear shaped furnaces made of clay (Weisgerber, 2007, p: 197,198), with 50 cm diameter and 60-80 cm height and provided by blowpipes, made of leather used for ventilation. At a temperature of more than 1100c fluid copper flowed into hole the ground of furnaces and formed as bun shape ingot or ingot when they become cooled. Thus, the product is ready for exploiting, wh ether for local use or for exporting (Weisgerber, 2007, p197,198). Copper ingots which were prepared for exporting were transferred to number of ports by using donkeys. Umm-an-Nar in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates was one of the important ports of Magan civilization. Merchants from Mesopotamia obtained their copper ingot with 1 to 2 kg weight. It might also, there was a internal network trade ,connected internal settlements with those in coastal line which it has still followed in present time .Serg Cleuziou ( 1996,p161) states to this kind of trade network fish processed on various ways (salted ,smoked ,dried) already travelled to the interior and that the coastal settlements moved from a subsistence oriented production to a larger scale export oriented production ,thus becoming fully integrated into the exchange system built around the exportation of copper. Through surveys and studies of archaeological in many mining of copper sites, made possible to make timeline for the development for this industry from 3200 1300 BC. 2:1 Copper production Hafit period (Chalcolithic 3200-2500BC) Copper industry in this period began with simple production. A few of mining and smelting sites were found, but often it is difficult to identify them from other sites, belonging to subsequent periods because of continued exploitation of these sites (Weisgerber,v6/2,p270). However, archaeologists were able to follow attacks of this period through the figments of furnaces and waste (slag) of copper production or through artifacts such as needles which found in tomb at Maysar -25 , halberd from Bat site and fish- hocks in Ras-Al-Hamra site RH-5 Ras al-Hadd HD-6 (Cleuziou,1996,p160) . Extensive studies in mining sites, which were carried out by the German mission from Bochum Museum have indicated that, copper production in this period might be poorly developed and it was fluctuating over the period. In addition, they noticed that copper smelting sites were far from mines. This indicates that copper ore could be transferred to settlements by smelters and donkeys. For example, At Batin site in the Ibra state, which was dated to 2660 BC, many heaps of slag, furnaces fragments and hammer stones ( used for crushing ore and slag) are spread on surface of settlement , but mines are not exist in same area(Weisgerber, 2006,p192) . 2:2 Copper productions in the Umm-an-Nar period (Early Bronze Age 2500-2000BC) Outset of half of the 3rd millennium BC marked to an enormous increase in human activity in copper production. This is indicated by the mining sites which are located in the mountains of the peninsula, stretching from Al-Safawir in the united Arab Emiratis to Masirah Island in Oman ( Hauptmann ).It can be seen also through Mesopotamian clay tablets which began to point out to Megans copper. Copper industrial in this age progresed forward by alloying tin factor with copper to produce bronze, which is harder than the copper ( Prang and Hauptman,p75). It also appears that the Magan and Dilmon have played a role in tin and copper trade in the Bronze Age. This was indicated by the analytical studies of copper and bronze assemblages found in Oman and the United Emiratis. This Scientific evidence dissented previous opinion which said that region did not know has this kind of trading( Weeks,2003,p116). Despite this scientific fact, there some archaeologists such as Michael Prange and Andreas Hauptmann believe that0 tin bronze production started late in central of Oman in the second millennium BC, but it was known in one site in the United Arab Emirates(Yule and Weisgerber,2001,p75). Although this view based on archaeological excavations in some mining sites in central of Oman, there are many other mining sites which have been not studied yet and could give a clear image about b eginning of tin bronze production in central Oman. 2:3 Copper productions in the Wadi suq period (Middle Bronze Age 2000-1300BC) In the second millennium BC, something happened that affected on lifestyle of Magans society. Oases might be abandoned and replaced by nomadic style (Cleuziou and Tosi 2007,p257).There was a widespread perception this change has had a negative effect on copper production during this period, but the large number of copper assemblages which were found at the site of Qattara and Awasit and Nizwa grave continued with extensive production throughout second millennium BC(Velde,2001,p109) .In addition an excavations at Bir Kalhar in Almodhbi and Samad al-Shan state have shown that no change apparent in furnace techniques was similar to previous ages (Weisgerber,2006, p196). The expository article by Weisgerber in 1997 ,successfully demonstrates a clear explanation of fall of Magan in secocond millennium BC the importance. He highlights that the internal political crisis in the Indus civilization ,which was one of the important trading partners for the Magan in the tin trade as well as developing copper production technology in Anatolia in Turkey and Alashia in Cyprus which reduced a copper price, were the main reasons for the collapse of the civilization. Thus, Mesopotamia merchants began to import their copper from new countries(p11). In Magan, copper production began to be limited for domestic uses and bronze assemblage was rarely found (Weisgerber ,2007,p287). 3. The development of funerary architecture Funerary architecture was a major concerned by most old civilizations ,because of strong belief of the existence of life after death. Thus, they have been one of the importance monuments in archaeological studies, especially in social, economic and religious aspects which prevailed in these communities. Tombs On land Oman peninsula are the most remarkable monuments . They can be seen in many places Oman Peninsula , on foothills mountains ranges and in bottom of valleys ( Clouziou and Tosi ,2007,p107). They were the first monuments that attracted many archaeological missions to study history of this civilization. Extensive studies have revealed ,there is gradual evolution in funerary architecture from the end of 4rd to3rd millennium BC and abrupt change in this architecture from the second millennium BC . 3:1 Tombs in Hafit period 3200-2700BC They were labeled these tombs as beehive tombs a well known beehive shape in Europe while some others called them cottages. Regarding the architectural design, these tombs were designed in a way that they have two parallel walls surrounding a circle, oval, square or rectangle burial room the floor of which is covered with stony plates. The walls are built using unpolished stones taken from nearby Limestone Mountains without using mortar. The external view of the temples varies according to the type of stones used in construction; some of them are polished and some are not. The internal wall has soft frontages constructed with a particular type of stones organized systematically with fills of small stones that occurs in between. The width of the external wall is lesser and separated from the internal wall with a fill of small stones. In some cases, a third wall is added to these temples. The burial room is roofed with stones that lean towards the surface so that it appeared to be flat . In some temples, a supportive wall was noticed to be constructed inside burial rooms. The entrance of burial rooms takes the form of triangle or square towards south, east or west. After burying dead bodies, these entrances are to be blocked using stones. Mostly, these tombs are mass graves which contain no less than 3 to 30 skeletons of males and females of different ages and some of them are individual. The corpse will be put by its lateral side squatting accompanied by its funereal belongings including daggers, bead necklaces, stony tools and pottery vessels imported from Jimdat Nasr civilization, Mesopotamia. As we know, inhabitants of that period were not aware of pottery industry yet. They just import it or maybe imitate producing this type of clay. These tombs continued to be used for long periods reaching one or two centuries by family groups each one of which used one tomb or more. At later periods of time, the old skeletons were to be pushed aside and the tomb shall be used for new corpses. 3:2.Tombs in the Umm an Nar period 2700-2000BC By the beginning of 2700 B.C, architecture of tombs changed as result of the economic development of Majan civilization. Most of them were built at the plain close to the dwellings of settlements. They become of bigger size and have more rooms to include more corpses; two to four corpses separated by dividing walls. Some temples include two semi-circle rooms divided by central wall one end of which is linked to the wall of the tomb from inside. Some of them include three rooms divided by two central parallel walls constructed in the middle of the tomb separately and their ends are linked to the internal wall of tomb. Some other temples include four rooms divided by central wall constructed in the middle of the tomb and two small walls branch out from it to form the four rooms. In addition, there is one more type which is a wall dividing the tomb into two halves (picture 15). These tombs have one or two entrances located at the eastern or western side. They are 50 cm higher than ground surface, 60- 70 cm tall and 60 cm wide at the lower part. These entrances are locked using three stones of particular shapes: two in the lower part and one in the upper. The floor of burial room was tiled used flat limestone. The internal walls were built using unpolished stones strengthened with mortar. The external walls or frontages of tombs of early Umm- an-Nar period (2700- 2400 B.C) were built using brown and white limestone. These stones were removed from nearby quarries, transferred to the site and then polished taking the shape of small tangle or square cubes (picture 16). They are made curved to be in the same line with the circle wall. These tombs look very nice and the polished limestone look like pieces of sugar. The diameter of temples of this period was 7 -8 m. By the beginning of late period of Umm-an-Nar, the frontage walls of these become greater. Some of them contain two floors the height of which is about 10 12m and sometimes 14m. They were built by using huge limestone plates reaching 1m height and they were decorated with prominent sculptures comprising drawings of humans, animals and snakes. These drawings help understanding the nature of lifestyle of inhabitants of 3000 BC. The roofs of Umm-an-Nar temples were flattened using huge stony plates. A roof gutter at the external ends of the tomb surface is provided to drain rainwater.

The Need For Federal Government Involvement In Education Reform :: essays research papers

The Need for Federal Government Involvement in Education Reform by____________ Political Science 2301 Federal and State Government OVERVIEW For centuries, generations of families have congregated in the same community or in the same general region of the country. Children grew up expecting to earn a living much like their fathers and mothers or other adults in their community. Any advanced skills they required beyond the three R's (Readin', Ritin' and Rithmatik) were determined by the local community and incorporated into the curriculum of the local schools. These advanced skills were taught to the up- and-coming generation so they could become a vital part of their community. The last several decades has greatly expanded the bounds of the "community" to almost anywhere in the country or anywhere in the world for that matter. Advances in transportation and communication has made the world a much smaller place then the world we knew as children. The skills our children need to realize parents' perpetual dream of "their children having a better life" are no longer limited to those seen in the local area. It is becoming more and more apparent that the education system of yesterday cannot adequately prepare students for life and work in the 21st Century. These concerns have prompted people across the country to take a hard look at our education system and to organize their efforts to chance the education system as we know it. WHAT'S HAPPENING OUT THERE? There are two major movements in recent years whose focus is to enhance the education of future generations. The "Standards" movement focuses on educational content and raising the standards of traditional teaching and measurement means and methods. The "Outcome Based Education" (OBE) movement is exploring new ways of designing education and changing the way we measure the effectiveness of education by focusing on results or outcomes. STANDARDS MOVEMENT In September 1989, President Bush and the nation's governors called an Education Summit in Charlottesville, Virginia. At this summit, President Bush and the nation s governors, including then-governor Bill Clinton, agreed on six broad goals for education to be reached by the year 2000. Two of those goals (3 and 4) related specifically to academic achievement: * Goal 3: By the year 2000, American students will leave grades 4, 8, and 12 having demonstrated competency in challenging subject matter including English, mathematics, science, history, and geography; and every school in America will ensure that all students learn to use their minds well, so they may be prepared for responsible citizenship, further learning, and productive employment in our modern economy. * Goal 4: By the year 2000, U.S. students will be first in the world in science

Gender Empowerment Measure

Gender Empowerment Measure or GEM is a system used in measuring the gender inequality of a nation when it comes to both the political and economic opportunities. Using data from different nations, GEM is able to ranked nations on how the gender inequality issue is improving over time. The system used a more complex formula when it comes to measuring the political and economic participation of women relative to that of men. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) used four indicators in order to create a composite GEM.These indicators are seats held by women in parliament, female professional and technical workers, female administrators and managers, and the real GDP per capita of women. A GEM table is an indicator of gender inequality between different nations. It captures three major areas of gender inequality among nations. The first area is the extent to which women participate in decision-making in terms of political aspect. The second is the economic participation of wom en as well as their decision-making power. The third area is the measure of the power that women exert over the nations economic resources.In the 2009 Human Development report, Sweden was ranked first in GEM with 47% sets in parliament held by women, 32% female legislators, senior officials and managers, 51% female professional and technical worker and 0. 67 ratio of estimated female to male earned income. The figures show that Swedish women enjoy the most gender equality than any other nation included in the report. GEM is also a measure of how the inequality between men and women are changing through time. Thus, having a greater GEM means that a country is likely to develop a sense of equality between the role of men and women in society. Reference Human Development Report (2009). Gender Empowerment Measure and its Components.

Loot Context Essays

Loot Context Essays Loot Context Essay Loot Context Essay Joe Orton was the son of a gardener and a mechanist, he had an ordinary schooling in Leicester, where he was born, and started working at the age of 16. For 2 years he got often sacked from his employers since what he did didnt interest him. At night he was member of many different amateur dramatic societies, what inspired him to become a professional actor. With the help of private tutition, he managed to get into R.A.D.A. He claims not to have learnt anything for the first year, but he says that he had lost his confidence. When he went into Rep he got married to one of the other students he got married to one of the other students, but of course, this rushed relationship soon came to an end. Soon enough after that, Orton started to express his homosexuality, getting involved in a relationship with another of his classmates, this time, his name was Kenneth. This personal experience reflects on his writing of the play Loot, where he shows disrespect to marriag e and relationships (in real life, Orton often cheated on Kenneth, by cottaging). His can be clearly seen in the first scene, where Fay asks McLeavy, right after Mrs Mc Leavys death, if he has considered a second marriage yet? Kenneth and Orton have experienced 3 months of jail during their relationship, after they had been sentenced for vandalising the covers of public library books. During this 3-month period, he has been overcome with this feeling of disrespect for the police force and in the play Loot, especially; he shows this feeling and uses Trustcott to undermine the police authorities. Joe Orton was influenced by other plays, before he introduced his contemporary works. One of these plays might be Look back in Anger by John Osborne. This play marked the start of a new genre on the British stage in the late 1950s. It was the first play where some views and opinions, which before had been considered inappropriate, had now been expressed to a large public. Its lines are for the first time very similar to the every-day spoken language, and the bluntness of the speeches would have been quite shocking for the society at the time. For example, Jimmy, one of the main characters, says to Alison (his wife) If only something- something could happen to you, and wake you out of your beauty sleep! If you could have a child, and it would die. This play was written in the sixties, a period of time where people wanted to liberate society from the post-war tranquillity mood that had settled in the UK after WW2. The sixties were a time of change. New music bands were influencing the new era, but not only that: the first man on the moon, new daring movie stars such of marilyn monroe, and the womens liberation movement starting to expand, with the publishing of The feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan.

How to Get Your CDL in Louisiana and Missouri

How to Get Your CDL in Louisiana and Missouri If you live in Louisiana or Missouri, check this round up of state guidelines and see what you’ll need to do to be certified to drive safely behind the wheel of a commercial job. For information on all other states, TheJobNetwork has published a guide on how to apply for a CDL in every state of the country. LouisianaThe following vehicles require you to have a CDL:If you will drive a combination vehicle (truck and trailer) whose trailer has a GVWR of 10,001+ lbs. total weight with the truck of 26,001+ lbs, you will need a Class A CDL.If you will drive a vehicle with  GVWR is 26,001+ lbs., you will need a Class B CDL. With this license, you can also tow a trailer with  weight that does not exceed 10,000 lbs.If you will transport hazardous materials or 16+ passengers (including the driver) in a vehicle with  GVWR 26,000 lbs. or less, you will need a Class C CDL.To obtain a CDL, you must:Possess and provide a valid picture driver’s licenseProvide a Supplemental Appli cation Form (DPSMV 2211)Undergo a current, complete Physical Examination (DPSMV 2219)Possess and provide proof of liability insurance on personally owned vehicle(s)Possess and provide proof of Social Security numberProvide a $15 application feeKnowledge TestThe  desired  class of license and endorsements you seek  will determine what CDL knowledge tests are required. You must obtain an 80% passing score on each required test. You must provide a Medical Examiner’s Certificate (DOT Card) or a valid Intrastate State/Interstate Waiver.The General Knowledge Test is required by all applicants, and you must pass it to take  additional knowledge tests.The Air Brake Knowledge Test is required if your vehicle is equipped with air brakes.The Combination Vehicles Knowledge Test is required if you want to drive combination vehicles.The Tanker Knowledge Test is required if you want to haul liquids in bulk.The Double/Triples Knowledge Test is required to pull double or triple traile rs.The Passenger Knowledge Test is required by all bus drivers and school bus operators. In addition, school bus operatiors must pass the   School Bus Knowledge Test.The Hazardous Materials Knowledge Test is required if you wish to haul hazardous materials.Upon passing required test(s), applicants will be issued a 60 day learner’s permit.Skills TestThis test consists of a  pre-trip inspection to include an air brake test if vehicle is equipped with air brakes, a basic maneuvers test, and a public road test.  You must pass each level before moving on to the next.MissouriThe following vehicles require you to have a CDL:If you will drive a combination vehicle (truck and trailer) whose trailer has a GVWR of 10,001+ lbs. total weight with the truck of 26,001+ lbs, you will need a Class A CDL.If you will drive a vehicle with  GVWR is 26,001+ lbs., you will need a Class B CDL. With this license, you can also tow a trailer with  weight that does not exceed 10,000 lbs.If you will transport hazardous materials or 16+ passengers (including the driver) in a vehicle with  GVWR 26,000 lbs. or less, you will need a Class C CDL.Knowledge TestThe  desired  class of license and endorsements you seek  will determine what CDL knowledge tests are required. You must obtain an 80% passing score on each required test. You must provide a Medical Examiner’s Certificate (DOT Card) or a valid Intrastate State/Interstate Waiver.The General Knowledge Test is required by all applicants, and you must pass it to take  additional knowledge tests.The Air Brake Knowledge Test is required if your vehicle is equipped with air brakes.The Combination Vehicles Knowledge Test is required if you want to drive combination vehicles.The Tanker Knowledge Test is required if you want to haul liquids in bulk.The Double/Triples Knowledge Test is required to pull double or triple trailers.The Passenger Knowledge Test is required by all bus drivers and school bus operators. In addition, school bus operatiors must pass the   School Bus Knowledge Test.The Hazardous Materials Knowledge Test is required if you wish to haul hazardous materials.Upon passing required test(s), applicants will be issued a 60 day learner’s permit.Skills TestThis test consists of a  pre-trip inspection to include an air brake test if vehicle is equipped with air brakes, a basic maneuvers test, and a public road test.  You must pass each level before moving on to the next.

E-commerce Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

E-commerce - Essay Example They display photos of a wide variety of products on their homepage which helps in making purchases decisions. Moreover, eBay makes me as their customer feel valued through their feedback platforms. This supports the argument by Botha, Bothma and Geldenhuys (2008) that effective e-commerce organizations should learn from their websites. The corporation advertises itself on the web, particularly through social media, thus constantly leads me to checking out their day’s offers. Finally, eBay offers a unique feature not found in most of their rivals, daily deals. These deals on items make me visit eBay almost daily to make sure I do not lose out on any opportunities. Nonetheless, the overcrowding of the homepage with products could be confusing hence interfering with purchases decisions. Furthermore, eBay serves best those customers who run accounts with them. Non-members access limited information which could deter them from making purchases. Therefore, I would recommend that eBay keeps all necessary information on their stock public to both its members and non-members. One does not have to operate an account with them for such a person to access full details on products. This way, the pool of customers would be expanded and subsequently increase the purchases from this e-commerce

Stanton And Women Liberty Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Stanton And Women Liberty - Essay Example During the period of American Revolution, white males having personal property were allowed to vote, the general attitude about women started to grow conservative. Women were allowed limited privileges, and had certain responsibilities to be carried out, including household activities. Elizabeth arranged a meeting in 1848, at Waterloo. The purpose of the gathering was to fight for women rights. Her colleagues were Quakers and were associated with anti slavery cause and temperance movement. In the meeting, she openly criticized the American government for its failure to protect and safeguard the rights of women. She discussed some of her concerns in this regard. She protested against laws, that offered husband with the permission to beat his wife, she protested for not allowing wife to divorce her spouse. The previous laws and practices, according to which, when a woman got married, all of her property, including her children, automatically became her husband's property, was opposed and challenged. Elizabeth immediately requested revival of policies. The meeting concluded with a plan to launch Women's Rights Convention, where Elizabeth drew up a declaration of woman's right and modeled it after the Declaration of Independence. Elizabeth protested and condemned such laws, according to which married women was treated as if she was civilly dead, women had no right on their property and earnings. She openly criticized the divorce laws for ignoring the happiness of wife, imposing taxes on her property, but not providing her with the right to vote, and demanded right to vote. She demanded equal education for all, irrespective of gender. Elizabeth was then selected as the leader of women's rights movement. She struggled, and never lost courage and determination. Majority was against her views regarding women, and opposition poured in from all sides. Elizabeth criticized the society for considering women as secondary or inferior being, without the ability to think logically, especially in the political arena. (Blatch, Harriot Stanton an d Alma Lutz (1940). Challenging Years: the Memoirs of Harriot Stanton Blatch). In 1851, Elizabeth met Susan B. Anthony, both applied concentrated efforts for women's right. Elizabeth possessed personality and strong speaking ability; she was the brains, the public figure for this cause. Elizabeth was selected as the President of National American Women's Suffrage Association; she remained in this authority from 1869 to 1892. She spent her time circulating and signing petitions for emancipation activities, during the civil war. She stressed that the women population should be allowed to vote, she concluded that, women's suffrage can only be addressed if constitutional amendment in incorporated allowing women right to cast independent vote. She desired the political empowerment of American women. In one of Elizabeth's later speeches that she delivered in 1892, tilted The Solitude of Self, she stated that every individual, irrespective of gender, stands alone. An individual, according to her, is responsible for personal actions, and therefore should accept consequ ences, create a moral life, and take a stand or not. Before moving to Seneca Falls, Elizabeth developed strong interaction with Lucretia Mott, the Quaker minister, feminist, and abolitionist. She met her at the International Anti-Slavery Convention in London, England in the spring of 1840. The two women were able to