The Maya Essays - Maya Classic Period, Maya Civilization, Tikal

The Maya The Maya The Maya were once considered one of the greatest civilizations in North America, and possibly the world. They built many pyramids and temples to honor their gods and to preserve their religion. Their lives revolved around their king and sacrifice of his blood. The cultural achievements of the Maya along with the educational achievements came centuries before other cultures. These achievements still exist today along with the Mayan culture, which has spanned over two thousand years. The Mayan people of today still hold these traditions sacred and want to preserve them. Only about two million Mayan Indians exist today, but their culture reflects that of their ancestors, along with the Spanish, who invaded the Maya around the sixteenth century. Archeologists who have dug up and studied many Mayan sites trace the Mayas back ten thousand years when their ancestors migrated from Asia to the Yucatan peninsula and northern Central America. The history of the Maya is divided into three major time periods: preclassic (two thousand BC ? AD three hundred), classic (AD three hundred ? AD nine hundred), and postclassic (AD nine hundred ? AD fifteen hundred). Early Mayan settlements date back to twenty four hundred BC, but few traces of Mayan culture before AD four hundred have been found. In the preclassic era of Mayan history, corn was farmed and the early Mayans laid a base for their culture, which was believed to have been influenced by the Olmec Indians near-by. The very first hieroglyphics were written, and cities started to appear. The early Mayan economy was based on agriculture and the exchange of farm goods. The Maya grew Indian corn, or maize. It was a staple food of many Indians in Central America for centuries. The Mayans developed the slash-and-burn farming method. A Mayan farmer would clear the cornfield by cutting bushes and girdling trees, and then he would allow the piled brush to catch fire under the hot sun. The ashes were then scattered among the stumps of the trees, and a sharp stick called a mattock was used to poke holes in the ground for the seeds to be laid. This method was used for centuries and it made farming the basis of the Mayan economy. It is estimated that as many as one hundred and fifty days out of the year were free from farm labor. Using the time off from farming, the Mayans built magnificent cities and temples to honor their many gods. In early Mayan history, homes were built with wattle-and-daub walls in an oval shape with a thatched roof of palmetto fronds. These homes stayed dry when it was raining, and cool when it was hot. They contained very little furniture, and were used only for eating and sleeping. Decedents of the Maya still continue to build and live in these huts today. The Mayans used stone to construct temples and pyramids. Some of their best creations include: the Caracol, an astronomical observatory in Chichen-Itza, the tomb of Lord Pacal (inside the Temple of the Inscriptions), the royal palace, which was used to look out for invaders over the Usumacinta River, El Castillo, or the Pyramid of Quetzalcoatl (the feathered serpent), and finally the Temple of the Magician, which was rebuilt five times to follow the rounds of the Mayan calendar every fifty two years. The great architecture was only one of the many aspects that made the Maya such an advanced civilization. The Maya reached their height in the classic period (AD three hundred to AD nine hundred). Over one hundred cities existed during this time, and some of the most advanced included: Tikal, Uaxactun, Quirigua, Copan, Palenque, Uxmal, Kabah, Sayil, Labna, Etzna, Old Chichen, and Coba. All of these cities served as cultural, religious, and spiritual centers for the Mayan people and rulers. Culture was a very important aspect of Mayan life. The Mayans favorite way to express their pride and religious devotion was to build many temples, pyramids, and building that would all form large cities. The Mayan workers who constructed these dwellings often decorated the walls with many pictures and symbols that would tell anything from a person's life to an important religious belief or tale.

The Infortunate - Indentured Servitude essays

The Infortunate - Indentured Servitude essays Indentured servitude commenced in the seventeenth century when many Europeans wanted to embark on a life in the colonies. At that time, European nations heavily promoted the possibility of prosperity in the colonies, encouraging families to move to America. However, individuals seeking out affluence in the colonies could not afford the trip to America, and if they could, most would not have enough money to purchase land and support their family. This financial burden did not hinder the European's longing to reach the colonies. And the solution to the financial problem was indentured servitude. The complications of seeking out a new life in the colonies is exemplified in The Infortunate an autobiography written by William Moraley that illustrates his voyage as a poor European seeking out prosperity in the colonies as an indentured servant. Although many Europeans hoped to thrive in the colonies, this was not attained without difficulty. Indentured servants and bound servants had a poor quality of life. Indentured servants, even after gaining their freedom usually worked low paying jobs and poor free workers faced similar hardships. Bound servants had an added difficulty in that they could be captured and recirculated into slavery all over again. There was no break to the servant-hood cycle. After the death of his father, a journeyman clockmaker, Moraley possessed scarce resources and was imprisoned for debt. The thirty-year-old Moraley bound himself for five years as a servant in the British North American colonies. As exemplified throughout Moraleys excursion, a Europeans trip to America would be paid for if they would then be a servant for a certain number of years (usually between four and fourteen). After they served their term, an indentured servant would be given clothes, land, and some money. For many poor, taking a ship to the plantations was a form of survival migration, necessitated by the dif...

Combating Compassion Fatigue Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Combating Compassion Fatigue - Essay Example Burnout is one of the major concepts of compassion fatigue. The signs of burnout, according to Espeland (2006), includes that the nurses are always exhausted, they are cynical and feel detached, and they feel that they are ineffective. They also exhibit signs that include anger, depression, paralysis, feeling stuck, irritability, cynicism, bitterness and negativity towards others, the self, and the world (Espeland, 2006). Job stress is another concept of compassion fatigue, according to Chen et al. (2009). They state that signs of job stress include job absences, conflicts with staff members, depression, staff turnover, and inferior caregiving. The difference between job stress and burnout is that burnout is the result of unrelenting job stress, over a period of time, therefore job stress is a lessor version of burnout. Compassion fatigue itself is an expanded version of burnout. As stated below, compassion fatigue is really burnout plus the fact that the nurses have to deal with very sick and dying patients, much of the time, as with oncology nurses, who exhibit high levels of compassion fatigue. According to Bush (2009), the signs of compassion fatigue are that the nurse identifies and integrates the grief, emotions and fears of their patients, and this means that their own stress and emotional pain are exacerbated. The nurses experience a kind of vicarious trauma in these situations, as they absorb the emotions of their patient, and this affects the nurse’s perceptions of trust, safety, self-esteem, control, and intimacy (Bush, 2009). Nature of the Problems and their Causes The nature of the problem of burnout is that it results in severe mental fatigue and is an energy drain, according to Espeland (2006). Espeland (2006) states that burnout also results in depersonalization and a reduced feeling of accomplishment. Espeland (2006) further states that there are five work situations which might contribute to job burnout. One is that there is ambiguity on the job, as there is a lack of goals and information. No-win situations represent another type of employment issue which contributes to burnout, and this means that the manager is always dissatisfied, no matter how well the nurses perform. Role overload is the third situation, and this means that the nurses have too many responsibilities. Role conflict is the fourth situation, which means that there are conflicting responsibilities and the nurses feel pulled in different directions. The fifth situation is when the nurses are underpaid, despite the fact that they work hard. Compassion fatigue is slightly different from burnout, but described by Bush (2009) as being an expanded form of burnout. In this case, it is distinguished from burnout, according to Bush (2009) by the fact that, in addition to there being stressors in the workplace, like between

The Sampling Frame in Study Sampling Plan Research Paper

The Sampling Frame in Study Sampling Plan - Research Paper Example Take, for example, the experience sampling method (ESM) and daily diary (DD) research wherein the off late experiences of the ditto sample of people take place for many days or weeks (Fisher & To, 2012). Issues in the designing and performing an ESM/DD research can surface, which can be related to data collection selections and timetables, steps taken, technology, training and interest of participants, and discussion related to multi-dimensional data. For example, a decision has to be made over the plan for sampling moments of experience, which may include how, how often, and for how long. Technology choice can be decided at any time but there are a number of generic alternative for sampling experiences, such as interval-contingent reporting, signal-contingent reporting, event-contingent reporting, and combining of these methodologies, which pinpoints the criticality of a sampling frame (Fisher & To, 2012). Poorly specified sampling frame can prove to be a hurdle in the research process. In the case of online surveys for sampling purpose, as on the Facebook, releasing of the survey in single waves can cause the problem of increased traffic, offering no possibility of amending the forthcoming issues if the survey link is sent to about one/third of all the network members, letting the rest of the members receive it after a gap of three days. As soon as the link is sent in the first attempt, a problem with any of the questions can arise even if the question is checked in advance in the given online survey. Even if the error is instantly rectified by the sender, it takes time for the change to reflect in the sample survey; it is because of the presence of many visitors on the website at that time. If the error is critical to the primary analysis, and the sampling model is making use of a variable, then it becomes urgent to exclude such cases from the online survey sampling.

External Factor Are Affecting the Ecosystems Essay Example for Free

External Factor Are Affecting the Ecosystems Essay The word ecosystem refers to the combined physical and biological components of an environment; these organisms form complex sets of relationships and function as a unit as they interact with their physical environment. Ecosystems are constantly changing naturally, and they’ve got a specific and stable climax, equilibrium. Living as well as non-living factors may have an impact in an ecosystem such as the impact of humans in ecosystems by hunting, fishing, agriculture etc. r climate change may affect an ecosystem and dare it to adapt to the conditions. Will human’s activity affect the equilibrium of the arctic wolves ecosystem? Equilibrium refers to balance, so†¦ will human’s activities affect the balance of the physical and biological components of the tundra? Human activities, which affect the arctic wolf’s ecosystem, the tundra, are pollution, chemical contamination and overdevelopment. All of them are harmful to the ecosystem. Pollution affects indirectly the tundra, habitat of the Arctic wolf. Pollution leads to Global Warming and this affect the global temperature, as a result ice melts and the tundra is affected because its an ecosystem nearly made up on ice, so eventually the ecosystem would be endangered and also the species that are contained in the ecosystem. Lately, thousands of â€Å"green† organizations have been generated to promote the green habits and to try to reduce pollution worldwide, reducing also the vulnerability of the tundra biome. Their projects consist in reducing wastes of any kind of energy source and saving any resource we get. This will involve social aspects also in the way that our society must take part and have an impact into world pollution, which will finally affect the tundra ecosystem; it has lately become popular to be ecofriendly. This ecologic movement has also affected the fashion industry which lately looks for looks with more pure materials, not much synthetic ones, also they’ve preferred clothing with pure cotton, even not only the materials of clothing are involved but the message in the clothing’s have taken a very special impact in the society. Hunting, affects directly and indirectly to the ecosystem of the Arctic wolf, it affects the interaction of living organisms by hunting the animals. The overhunting of species such as the musk ox and caribou in Alaska and North America were even near of extinction. This would create unsustainability on the ecosystem because there would not be equilibrium in the food chain and all the animals that have any relationship with the specie would me affected by don’t having a predator or a prey. Hunting in the tundra has had a very negative effect because important species suck as the musk ox have nearly got to extinction. By 1950, herds in North America were reduced by ninety percent, so this made the American population realize what was really going on in their country. They were loosing biodiversity and so laws were created to protect animals. This had an economic impact, because musk ox’s (prey of the arctic wolf) leather was part of the market so it has also a social impact, not only from for hunters but for the fashion industry which had a relation with musk ox’s fur and leather. Chemical contamination also affects the Arctic Wolf’s ecosystem. Lately, Petroleum and Coal or Natural Gas, Iron, Lead or Zinc mines and mineral exploration and exploitation and extraction are increasing worldwide especially in the Arctic. The development affects the Caribou, which are one of the main species present in the Arctic wolf habitat. Overdevelopment indicates to the building of roads and buildings in the tundra, this lead to more circulation. Fragile tundra areas of plants are taken out for the creation of these roads. Without plants to give nutrients to the soil, earth will stop being rich and will abolish the community of flora in the tundra. After discussing all the direct and indirect human impact in the environment, hunting, chemical contamination and overdevelopment are certainly harmful for the ecosystem. These activities attempt to the balance of the ecosystem by attempting against the living organisms that live in the tundra, ecosystem of the arctic wolf and by attempting against the non-living factors in the ecosystem such as climate. Even tough there are solutions for these activities to reduce or to stop, they are not completely efficient. In my opinion after all my investigation, apart from the pollution affecting indirectly to the tundra, the other activities are not a major concern for the arctic wolf’s ecosystem. As seen, human activities impact in the arctic wolf’s ecosystem is not positive (although they don’t damage much the tundra) toward the ecosystem. My final conclusion will be that external factors are definitely against the equilibrium of the arctic wolf’s ecosystem.

Essays --

Triangle: The Fire That Changed America Disasters can be so impactful; some can forever change the course of history. While many at the time thought this story would soon pass, and with it all the potential bad publicity, the story of the Triangle fire spread quickly, and outraged many people. On a beautiful spring day in March 1911 when 146 workers lost their lives, a fire would prove it could do what years of reformers had failed to do, get the government on the side of the workers. I would argue that the fire largely impacted the country. Specifically, the Triangle Fire ended up changing New York’s interconnected political and economic scene, and spurred on the creation of stricter safety codes. For the first time owners would hold responsibility for their actions. Max Blanck and Isaac Harris; being indicted for manslaughter was proof of this. Social change seemed to be spurred as well; the general public and newspapers would come back the workers of New York. Large institutions would suffer as well. Tammany Hall would be feared less and less by waves of new immigrants. The largest change brought about by the blaze would be legislation. Twenty-five bills, recasting the labor laws of the state The political scene of New York was altered greatly as a result of the Triangle Fire. Still dominated by the machine-boss system, New York was prime example of graft and corruption of politicians. Tammany Hall still reigned supreme, even after the fall of Boss Tweed in the 1870s, and a man named Charles Murphy headed it. In 1909, when workers at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory went on strike, owners Max Blanck and Isaac Harris used the police and gangsters to get the strikers to give up their cause. The suppliers of these corrupt office... ...arose in New York soon existed throughout the country. Von Drehle makes it very clear in his book that the Triangle fire did in fact, as the subtitle suggests, change America. He gives clear examples of how the Triangle fire led Tammany Hall to almost completely shift its agenda, and how it also led to a plethora of new safety codes. His argument is made especially compelling by how he gives a detailed background of many key people involved and also how he describes in detail how things were before and after the fire. This gives the reader a fuller understanding of the time period around the fire, and therefore shows how much the fire actually changed things. After reading his book, it is abundantly clear that the Triangle fire was a main cause of political change and safety reform in America. Although terrible, it led to many positive changes in American politics.

Macbeth Literary Analysis

The Soliloquies of Macbeth Many times in a play, a character, usually alone on stage and pretending that the audience is not there, thinks out loud. This type of action is called a soliloquy: â€Å"An instance of talking to or conserving with oneself or of uttering one’s thoughts aloud without addressing any person† (Oxford English Dictionary).A remarkable author, William Shakespeare, uses the soliloquy technique in his famous playwright, The Tragedy of Macbeth. In this tragedy, many of Shakespeare’s soliloquies target around Macbeth, revealing important aspects about himself. The first soliloquy expresses Macbeth’s conscience, â€Å"indecision, and his fierce inner conflict† (Richard 383). He is dealing with the internal conflict of â€Å"pity and horror at killing the virtuous Duncan† (Jorgensen 8:90).In this soliloquy, Shakespeare defines Macbeth’s agonizing imagination: â€Å"Besides, this Duncan/ Hath born his faculties so meek, hath been/ So clear in his great office, that his virtues/ will plead like angels trumpet-tongued against/ The deep damnation of his taking-off;/ And pity, like a naked newborn babe,/ Striding the blast, or heaven’s cherubin horsed/ Upon the slightest couriers of the air,/ Shall blow the horrid deed in every eye,/ That tears shall drown the wind† (Shakespeare I:7:16-25).This best describes Macbeth as being directed into conflicts by prophesies of the three witches. Macbeth is a grief-stricken man with a wounded heart that is bleeding for someone else. The second soliloquy is found in the beginning of Act II, where Macbeth is seen alone with a â€Å"dagger† in his hand. Macbeth is giving into evil and the â€Å"terror in his soul and his inability to recover his lost innocence† (Richard 383) is revealed. He lets the illusion of the dagger affect him greatly by talking about satanic images of witchcraft.Shakespeare verbalizes the evil spirits as he goes on t o write: â€Å"†¦witchcraft celebrates/ Pale Hecate’s offerings, and withered murder,/ Alarmed by his sentinel, the wolf,/ Whose howl’s his watch, thus with his stealthy pace,/ With Tarquin’s ravishing strides, towards his design/ Moves like a ghost† (Shakespeare: II:2:51-56). Mabillard sums up the quoted soliloquy by documenting: â€Å"Hecate, the goddess of witchcraft and a strong presence in Macbeth, is preparing her acrificial victims, and Murder himself, called by his trustful watchman, the wolf, moves with the power and speed of evil king Tarquin near his prey† (Mabillard). The witchery turns Macbeth into an evil murderer. Lastly, there is another one of Shakespeare’s soliloquies that describes Macbeth. Jorgensen explains what is happening pertaining to this soliloquy: â€Å"Macbeth becomes king. But the ‘settled’ is deeply ironic, for he will be more driven in restless ecstasy to seek final security† (Jorgense n 8:91).This meditative kind of speech can be found in the beginning of Act III, where Macbeth specifies his own great loss: â€Å"For Banquo’s issue have I filed any mind;/ For them the gracious Duncan have I murdered;/ Put rancors in the vessel of my own peace/ Only for them, and mine eternal jewel/ Given to the common enemy of man,/ To make them kings, the seeds of Banquo kings! † (Shakespeare III:1:65-70). The killings lead Macbeth into â€Å"being accommodated to his murderous career† (Richard 383).Richard Sime also states that: â€Å"This suffering Macbeth is experiencing describes the person Macbeth has become† (Richard 383). At this point, the evil in Macbeth has definitely outweighed the good. Without Shakespeare’s choice of technique, the audience will not fully understand what Macbeth does to become who he is. The reader can see how Macbeth’s character changes throughout the period of time by seeing and hearing the feelings reveal ed by the use of soliloquies. Therefore, in Macbeth, â€Å"the inner spiritual catastrophe parallels the outer physical catastrophe† (Richard 383).