Columbus and Cortes Essay - 1060 Words

Matthew Johnson Lesson 2 Essay Assignment U.S. History One February 1, 2013 In the 16th century Spaniards Herman Cortes and Christopher Columbus set out on endeavoring journeys in search of new worlds. Christopher Columbus encountered, in the Caribbean islands, a group of extremely simplistic Native Americans. Herman Cortes however encountered a much more advanced Native American group in Meso America; we formally know this area to be Mexico. In my essay I will be comparing and contrasting several aspects between both of these Native American Civilizations including sophistication, technology, housing, weapons, religion and their reaction to the Spaniards. Letters written by Columbus and Cortes will be used to make these comparisons.†¦show more content†¦The Natives encountered by Columbus seemed to not be very warlike; although there were accounts about them having weapons. The warlike way in Cortes’ letter of the Aztecs was that the people were protected by their swords and sheltered by their shields. The native’s en countered by Columbus and those encountered by Cortes were similar in how they treated the newly arrived Spaniards. They were greatly different, though, in their religious beliefs. The Aztecs seemed to be a very religious group of people. In Cortes’ letter he says, â€Å"This great city contains a large number of temples, or houses, for their idols.† Cortes says that those in priesthood wear black and do not curl or comb their hair their entire time in priesthood. Cortes says, â€Å"I said everything to them I could to divert them from their idolatries and draw then to a knowledge of our God.† The Aztecs would not convert though, showing the strength of their beliefs. In contrast, those Native Americans encountered by Christopher Columbus did not exemplify any religious beliefs or practices. As mentioned in the past paragraph, the Aztecs had many temples and houses for their idols. The architectural structures of the Aztecs were of great sophistication. First, let me mention that their Province was built in the shape of a circle surrounded by rugged mountains. It is not stated in Cortes’ letter but it may have strategically been located there to beShow MoreRelatedColumbus and Cortes encounters Native and Meso Americans Essay1113 Words   |  5 PagesENCOUNTERED BY CORTES IN THE MESO-AMERICA. In the Age of Exploration these are two of the recorded encounters of Native Americans and here is my comparison of those encounters. Each encounter was by a different explorer and were 27 years apart as well as many miles apart. With each encounter comes a difference in sophistication and how technologically advanced the Native Americans by Hernando Cortes in the Meso-America to those of the Native Americans encountered by Christopher Columbus on the islandsRead MoreAge Of Exploration : The Promise Of Glory1188 Words   |  5 PagesExploration, during the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, led to a myriad of expansion for European countries, namely Spain and Portugal. The rush to the New World by Portugal and Spain during the Age of Exploration, led by men such as Hernan Cortes, Christopher Columbus, and Vasco da Gama, shaped the world of today. Although the Age of Exploration brought Spain and Portugal vast amounts of wealth, it adversely affected the native populations by expos ing them to foreign European diseases, ones they hadRead MoreRelations Between Spain and Indigenous People1537 Words   |  7 Pagespeoples Spanish colonization started in 1492 when Cristoforo Colombo, Christopher Columbus, arrived in the West Indies .1 Even though Columbus was on route to find a easier, quicker route to India, he stumbled upon an unknown land full of exotic new people, plants, and animals. Columbus was the first Spanish American to come to America, but many more Spanish explorers would follow after him; including Cortes, Aguirre, and Pizarro. The Spanish seemed to be fascinated with what riches the new landRead MoreEssay on American History To 1700942 Words   |  4 PagesThe writings of Columbus, Castillo, and de la Casas represented vastly different points of view of the Spanish conquests of the Americas. In his first letter, Christopher Columbus mostly focused on the political victory of the voyage and arriving in the Indies (p. 32), and the splendor of the landscape including palm trees, mountains, and beautiful birds (p. 33). In the subsequent letter to King Ferdinand of Spain, Columbus seems s elfish and one-sided (somewhat understandable considering that heRead MoreThe Civilization Of Columbus : Columbus And Christopher Columbus785 Words   |  4 Pagesbloodshed and deceit – from Columbus to Cortà ©s, Pizarro, the Puritans – a necessity for the human race to progress from savagery to civilization? (Howard Zinn) I strongly feel that Howard Zinn was questioning Columbus and (Weiser) (Weiser) was asking himself if what he did was right. Columbus caused a lot of bloodshed and because of this, it has caused racial judgment. Christopher Columbus was an Italian explorer who found the new world. A lot of people see Columbus as a hero but people do notRead MoreThe Discovery Of The New World1075 Words   |  5 PagesSince the arrival of Columbus to the New World in 1492, it began a new era for the Spanish Empire. During this time Spain successfully conducted the Reconquista back home and were power hungry for more land to conquer to keep the momentum going. The e arly explorations would lead to bigger conquest and fortunes for the Spaniards. After the reunification of Spain with Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand, they financed the expedition for the Genoese explorer, Christopher Columbus, for trading routes toRead MoreThe Conquistadors1677 Words   |  7 PagesThe Conquest of Mexico and the conversion of the peoples of New Spain can and should be included among the histories of the world, not only because it was well done but because it was very great. . . . Long live, then, the name and memory of him [Cortà ©s] who conquered so vast a land, converted such a multitude of men, cast down so many men, cast down so many men, cast down so many idols, and put an end to so much sacrifice and the eating of human flesh! —Francisco Là ³pez de Gà ³mara (1552) When peopleRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book Columbus 1244 Words   |  5 Pagesby foreigners. Zinn’s thesis for pages 1-11 was that Christopher Columbus was not the storybook hero that many textbooks portray him as. Instead, he is more of a dishonest explorer who wasn’t truthful with those who supported him. Columbus wasn’t correct in his explorations either. He didn’t discover what he thought he had and led Europe to believe that he had achieved what was thought to be impossible. According to Zinn, Columbus is portrayed as a heroic figure in traditional history books. ManyRead MoreChristopher Columbus And The Middle Of A Population Revival1405 Words   |  6 Pagescrusade. Portugal sent Vasco da Gama and Spain sent Christopher Columbus to find a trading route to Asia (History, 432). Both da Gama and Columbus were sailors on a mission to Asia, but the nature of their expedition and the consequences set them apart. Christopher Columbus was a Genoese map maker. Knowledgeable about the ocean, he had experience with Portuguese navigational developments and using a compass as a nautical tool. Columbus was also a religious man, and saw Christianity as a missionaryRead MoreThe World s Largest Catholic Fraternal Service Organization1573 Words   |  7 Pageslike during that time. We need to hear these stories, preserve them, and pass them down to those that come after us. After visiting The Knights of Columbus I learn something interesting. The world s largest Catholic fraternal service organization was founded by Father Michael J. McGivney in New Haven in 1882; it was named in honor of Christopher Columbus. Little did I know my visit to the KC would bring me back to work in the Father Michael J. McGivney Cancer Center. During the seven years I worked

The Rage That Drives Achilles Essay - 785 Words

The Rage That Drives Achilles In Homer’s book the â€Å"Iliad† lays an epic conflict between a man and his inner self that ultimately leads to great loss on a wider scale and not just to himself. Achilles is a man with a superpower but has a severe problem when his ego is insulted. Achilles is driven by rage and anger and will do everything in his power to seek vengeance on anyone whom gets in the way of his pride whether it is friend or foe. One might argue whether Achilles is an epic hero but this answer lies within the reader. Achilles is one man who has the greatest fighting abilities as well as the greatest military prowess of any of the Achaean ranks. The only downfall for Achilles is that his inner force is driven by rage and†¦show more content†¦During the war, with Achilles absent and refusal to fight, the Achaean have a hard time keeping the Trojans at bay and with the gods involved on the Trojan’s side it is even harder for the Achaean army to with stand the Trojans. The gods give Diomedes supernatural powers and the ability to harm a god in hopes that he will even out the war and the absence of Achilles. Unfortunately this is not enough for the Achaean army to defeat the Trojans without Achilles and his men. Achilles rage towards Agamemnon is what the Achaean’s need to defeat the Trojans. The Achaeans try bribing Achilles for his return and to stand and fight with them but Achilles rage towards Agamemnon is so strong that he refuses. It is not until Patroclus, Achilles best friend, dresses in Achilles uniform and returns to battle. In doing so this brings upon Patroclus’ fate in the hands of Hector, which was stated by Homer that as soon as Patroclus is called to talk with Nector his doom is sealed. Patroclus’ death is the turning point for Achilles to rejoin the battle. He only does so to avenge his friend’s death by vowing to kill Hector. Achilles rage towards Agamemnon has been refocused onto avenging Patoclus’ death and he stops at nothing until he slays Hector. He goes onShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of The Iliad 1208 Words   |  5 PagesRobert Fagles Pride and Rage Warfare is, and always has been, the most appalling and yet most integral part of all human life. This is a truth that is displayed most ingeniously in Homer’s epic poem, The Iliad. In this epic, both mortals and gods alike are engulfed with the desire to best their enemy, even though pride and rage are what cloud their vision and fuel their actions. These seemingly harmless flaws carry great weight and prove to be irremediable vices. Achilles and Agamemnon, two of theRead More Achilles: a Tragic Hero Essay example1166 Words   |  5 PagesAchilles as Tragic Hero In his classic work Poetics Aristotle provided a model of the tragic hero. According to Aristotle, the tragic hero is more admirable than the average person. This results in the tragic hero being admired by the audience. For the audience to accept a tragic ending as just, it is crucial that the tragic hero be responsible for their undoing. At the same time though, they must remain admired and respected. This is achieved by the tragic hero having a fatal flawRead MoreKleos in the Iliad Essay1074 Words   |  5 Pagesheard.’ Achieving kleos entails that your tale and ultimately you will live on forever. Kleos is essential to the Greeks and life would not be worth living without it. When a warrior or hero is advised to avoid risking their life in battle it almost drives them even further towards the deed. It is better to be killed in action rather than to live and be thought a coward. By our rational standards one would certainly not be thought a coward if they didnt rush into battle to almost certain death, theRead MoreOf Redemption In The Illiad In The Iliad1022 Words   |  5 PagesAchilles: Let the Redeemed Say So Some basic human needs are specific. Some needs are universal. One need, that is both specific and universal, is the need to be redeemed. Every human experiences this basic need (whether they know it or not). The tale of Achilles in Homer’s epic, The Iliad, is a masterful account of man’s redemption. Redemption is to be set free, and the word â€Å"redeem† means to essentially purchase or pay for something; freedom is bought with a price. Homer used the loss of Achilles’Read MoreJustice Is Not Rigid And Unchanging Like So Many People1297 Words   |  6 Pagesturning to their rage as a tool to help them justify their actions (Agamemnon 1555). The Iliad opens with â€Å"Rage-Goddess, sing the rage of Peleus’ son Achilles† (Iliad i.1). It is Achilles’ rage that is called upon and drives his actions through the entire work. Achilles’ rage is to right a great wrong done to him, but it comes at a deadly cost. Patroclus begs to be se nt into battle to help the Greeks fight. He wants to â€Å"bring some light of victory to the Argives† by donning Achilles’ armor to boostRead MoreAchilles : A Tragic Hero1604 Words   |  7 Pagesthe Trojan War, but also the tale of the hero Achilles. In the Iliad, Achilles is a very complex hero who, known for his rage, determines both his own destiny and the fate of a nation and its people. Achilles may be remembered for his anger, but that doesn’t define who he is as a character. Achilles has both good reasons and good intentions as to why he chooses to react in anger. The speaker only elaborates about how Achilles reacts in response to his rage to entertain listeners. Since the tale wasRead MoreThe Iliad Of Homer s Achilles888 Words   |  4 PagesIn The Iliad of Homer, Achilles goes through many trials and tribulations, making some harsh and careless choices. Sorrowfully, Achilles does not learn from these mistakes until it’s far too late. One of Achilles first prolonged lessons learned was that one should be less intense when it comes to one’s values. During the first couple books of The Iliad of Homer, honor is the most important thing to Achilles. Honor comes before all. Unfortunately, in book nineteen, Achilles beloved comrade and brother-in-armsRead MoreAnalysis Of The Poem Achilles 1977 Words   |  8 PagesIn the last chapters of the poem, Achilles’ rage becomes all-consuming and takes him over. Rage dictates all of his actions, and whether it is his god-like or animal-like characteristics being attributed to his rage, Homer and the soldiers no longer speak about him as a mortal. Achilles may go on breathing after the death of Patroclus, but he is not truly alive again until he can quell his rage, because his rage comes at the price of his humanity. Who Achilles is before Patroclus is killed veryRead MoreMovie, Troy, By Wolfgang Petersen1273 Words   |  6 PagesFilm adaptations often do a less than adequate job of representing the book off of which they are based. Occasionally, a director with the correct vision and drive will produce a movie that leaves the audience screaming for more. One must take a step back and decide whether it is more important for a movie to be entertaining, or follow the plot of the book from which its story is taken. In the 2004 film Troy, by Wolfgang Petersen, the story, although interesting, fails to correctly follow the plotRead More Essay on Diomedes, the True Hero of Homer’s Iliad1552 Words   |  7 Pagespermitted to be blinded by rage or have mood swings. In The Iliad, two Greeks are presented to the reader as heroes. They are Achilles and Diomedes. Although they are both good contenders for the title of hero, Diomedes is by far the better of the two. Diomedes is one of the finest and bravest of the Greek warriors. He is respectful to all authority figures and has little or no pride. Always wise and reasonable, he may be the vision of the perfect nobleman. Both Achilles and Diomedes easily meet

Alcoholism Issue Within College Society Free Essays

string(42) " freshmen students in finding a new home\." Do you remember graduating high school? Remember all the questions you had to ask yourself. What are you going to do now? Do you want to work? Do you want to go to school again for another four years? These questions are eventually answered and some choose to find a job, and others figure out that going to college is probably a good thing. Now you have realized that you want to get a taste of college life and you†re back to where you started. We will write a custom essay sample on Alcoholism Issue Within College Society or any similar topic only for you Order Now Where do you get the money? Where do you want to go? What are you really going to get out of this? Finally you make your decisions and you now find yourself away from home in a new environment, living the college life. College is a time where tough decisions are to be made and these choices can change the direction of your life. It is a time where in most cases students get a taste of the real world by being away from home for the first time with a new found freedom to live as they please. College life is a new experience and the pressures that come along with it have an effect on a student†s path to success. Unfortunately, alcohol is one of these pressures. Alcohol abuse is a major problem that many young men and women encounter throughout their college experience. Drinking on college campuses is a problem that affects everyone. Let†s first begin by understanding what alcoholism is and what it does to us. Alcoholism can be defined as an illness or a chronic disorder that comes from constant drinking. It obviously has serious physical and mental effects on a person. According to Louis Joylon West, M. D. a professor and Chairman of the Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences at the UCLA School of Medicine, the attributes that define an addiction, in this case alcohol, include craving, tolerance and withdrawal phenomena (West, 28). This is a problem that exists among men and women of all ages. Alcohol addiction has no barriers to race, religion or sex; anyone can have this addiction. Is alcoholism a disease? The American Medical Association and the World Health Organization officially acknowledged alcoholism as a disease in the 1950†³s. It is very apparent that alcohol abuse has major effects on major organs of the body. Ethyl alcohol, or ethanol, causes severe damage to excretory organs including the liver and kidneys. Yet the major organ affected the most by outcomes of ethanol is the brain. Long-lasting effects of impairment of normal brain functions and damage of brain tissue are results of constant drinking. These outcomes eventually lead to other diseases of the body such as cirrhosis of the liver and mental disorders including depression and anxiety. However, addiction to alcohol has side effects not only to a person†s body but effects to those who surround them. Stewart G. Wolf, a professor at the Temple University School of Medicine, states, It should be emphasized that alcoholism is more than a disease of an individual. It disrupts the equilibrium of the family structure and, in one way or another, affects every family member. New equilibriums must be established when the alcoholic stops drinking, and there are adjustment to be made throughout both the drinker†s period of recovery and after the establishment of long-term sobriety (28). College drinking among university and college campuses across the United States is very prominent. According to studies conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health, heavy drinking by college students has gone up since the beginning of the 1990†³s to the present. The study conducted in 1993 included a survey of 15,103 students to learn of student drinking habits. Results of the study showed that 39 percent of surveyed students consumed alcohol until they felt drunk. The same study was conducted in 1997 among 14,521 students and showed that 52 percent â€Å"drank to get drunk†, an increase of 13 percent. However binge drinking, defined as consumption of five drinks in a row by men and at least four drinks in a row by women in the past two weeks, has gone down according to the study (American Medical News, 39). This landmark study of college drinking has changed the thoughts and ideas of college administrators. It has been proven that this is a major problem, and it is worsening among the young men and women who attend our colleges. College drinking has an effect on not only the drinkers, but on their friends and classmates as well. How are non-drinking students affected by the presence of alcohol? Many are pressured to drink in order to fit in with a crowd. Many students feel that it is cool to be seen with a beverage in your hand at a party or a function. The need for acceptance among their peers is a big deal to many first-year students and therefore many give in to these pressures. Yet there are many students that come to college to study and not to party. It has been proven that drinking on campus has consequences for those who choose not drink as well. According to the Brown University Digest of Addiction Theory and Application, students who drink cause problems that effect other students who do not drink. Non-drinking students, at schools where drinking was common, reported having sleeping and study difficulties (68%) as well as having to console drunken students regularly (54%). Also, the study showed that students reported being degraded and harassed by students that were intoxicated (34%) and having been sexually provoked by drunken students (26%). Students attending other schools where excessive drinking took place reported similar results (5). How does the presence of alcohol affect first-year college students? Many students that are going to college for the first time are looking for new friends and buddies to hang out with. Fraternities and sororities at our colleges in the United States help freshmen students in finding a new home. You read "Alcoholism Issue Within College Society" in category "Papers" This in turn introduces them to the social functions that exist within a college campus. The Greek society within our colleges and universities has for years been known to contribute in student drinking on campus. In the November 1, 1998 edition of the Oregonian, writer Spencer Heinz reported that four out of five people associated with college fraternities or sororities were binge drinkers (A2). Fraternity and sorority life is considered a brotherhood and sisterhood. They encourage a family-like relationship between members and promote partying together. Unfortunately, many functions created by these fraternities and sororities do not prohibit the use of alcohol. Members are therefore allowed to drink at these parties, which exposes new students to alcohol. Many of these freshmen are not mature enough to know where to draw a line and when this occurs, problems begin. There are far too many examples of how drinking among college fraternities and sororities have led to severe consequences. Heavy consumption of alcohol has been the cause of an increased number of assaults and unintentional injuries on campuses across the United States. Alcohol related deaths have gone up as well. A direct example is the case of Benjamin Wynne, an undergraduate student that attended Louisiana State University. Upon gaining acceptance into the fraternity, Alpha Sigma Epsilon, the fraternity had a party where alcoholic drinks were served. Wynne died the next morning with a blood alcohol level of . 588. The fraternity eventually was charged with purchasing alcohol for eighty-six underage drinkers and pleaded no contest. This is an unfortunate freak accident but who is to say that it will not happen again? The fraternity that he wanted to become a part of caused his death. Yes, Benjamin Wynne’s case was very extreme in its nature but heavy drinking is very much a part of the life that exists within fraternities and sororities. We cannot say that fraternities and sororities are the cause of all drinking-related problems on campus. The truth is that these organizations benefit a lot of students. Many colleges do not have fraternities and sororities but this does not make them different from any other school. They still have the same problems with alcohol and students are affected in the same ways. Take for instance Southwestern Oregon Community College, a college without fraternities and sororities. Many students at this college see alcohol at their parties and just like any other college, there are students cannot handle the problems that their drinking creates. Unfortunately, it can change their lives. A student at Southwestern Oregon Community College, who we will call Haley to protect her identity, is a prime example of this. How do we begin to solve this problem? There is obviously no one single person, no single cause that can be put to blame for this problem that exists at our colleges. Yet it must be realized that unfortunately, as wrong as it may be, alcohol becomes a part of many students’ lives. Many American-College students go to parties where alcohol is present. But the majority of these students are underage, illegal drinkers according to our laws. The point being that trying to tell students not to drink and hoping that they will listen does not work very well. Richard P. Keeling, author of an article titled â€Å"Drinking in College: the Politics of Research and Prevention†, writes The very nature of the academy is to encourage exploration, discovery and the testing of new ideas and experiences. Besides, many college and university students are of, or achieve, legal drinking age while they are enrolled. Higher education, therefore, cannot have a credible policy the simple option available to secondary schools: â€Å"just say no. † It is not enough for institutions of higher learning to advocate (or â€Å"teach†) abstinence (51). Preventing alcohol abuse among students should be through education of the problems that come about from alcohol, not by just simply saying that drinking is wrong. Saying that it is wrong to drink before reaching the legal age will not prevent our young adults from abusing alcohol. The only outcome of this is that we will have young adults abusing alcohol legally, as soon as they reach the age of twenty-one. Abstinence does not educate our college students of the dangers that are caused by the use of alcohol; it only makes them ignorant to what can happen. Education can be in the form of health forums, increasing alcohol awareness on campus and the creation of prevention programs. These are all far superior alternatives to promoting abstinence from alcohol because it teaches students in a mature way. It provides them with knowledge and understanding instead of trying to tell them what to do. The fact is that there is no way to eliminate the use of alcohol thus our only prevention is to educate kids at our colleges and universities properly and maturely. Programs must be installed in every school in the United States to lead our future in the right direction. We must teach our youth that alcohol is a very habit-forming, addictive drug that has severe aftermaths. Students must understand what the risks are and what measures can be used to inform others of this problem. Clifford R. Browell, Chairman of the Department of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation at the Teachers College of Columbia University states, Education about alcohol deserves a prominent place in the school curriculum. Education is viewed as a process for the development of proper attitudes, habits, knowledges and skills that involve experiences of greatest value now, and to prepare youth for later happiness and success- â€Å"to live most and serve best. Emphasis on academic achievement seems to be running far too ahead of subject matter designed to make human beings better able to cope with problems associated with wholesome personal and family living and responsible citizenry. (168) Our education systems have placed an emphasis on learning in a classroom. Yet learning how to add numbers and how to write papers are not the only things we must learn to become mature. The point is that there are other things we must learn in a classroom. This includes the understanding of how alcohol can effect our futures. Alcoholism affects those around them. It is important to understand that alcohol can take over a person†s ability to function in a normal manner and that traditional habits can be broken with ease. Again it can be emphasized that there is not one student that is immune to this problem, it affects everyone. We, as a society, do not want our future generations to experience these problems. Our prospective lawyers, doctors, engineers and scientists lie within the youth that attend our colleges and universities. It has been shown that there definitely is a problem that lies within our systems of higher education and things must be done in order to stop this problem. Our future is within our young men and women and for many of them, their success starts with a proper education in order for them to achieve their goals and aspirations. As a society, we need to assist them in their path to prosperity and therefore recognizing the problems that can harm them. Alcohol will probably never disappear on our colleges and universities. Consequently, our primary concern should be to educate our students of the dangers that can affect them. Without this the problem will only get worse. How to cite Alcoholism Issue Within College Society, Papers