Philosophy theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Philosophy theory - Essay Example The concept of absurd has a rather weighty importance in the work of Kierkegaard. Kierkegaard considers the theory of absurd in several of his works, but it occupies a special role in his work Fear and Trembling. Here, speaking from a position of criticism of Christianity, Kierkegaard considers the biblical story when Abraham was asked by God to sacrifice his son to Him. For Kierkegaard, this is an example of the absurdity of human existence, based on lack of freedom. Kierkegaard sees the faith of Abraham as a paradox as it is able to convert a murder into the sacred and charitable act. Kierkegaard, however, does not diminish the importance of faith. On the contrary, he emphasized that faith is transcendent and therefore is absurd. Faith in God is absurd because it cannot be explained by means of logic, however, it is effective by giving people the spiritual strength. Thus, the absurd is an inability to logically comprehend faith in God, while it is able to provide moral support. Feuerbach demonstrates a critical attitude to religion, because he is convinced that it is the result of the alienation of human qualities such as kindness, compassion, etc. Religion arose when people began to ascribe to God the qualities that belong to the people. The philosopher believes that a man is in himself a divine being, and it is a man (not the transcendent God) who should be deified. Thus, in the concept of Feuerbach, a divine being is a human being who deserves to be erected on a pedestal of God. People should treat each other as if each of them is God. Thus, the interaction between people should be based on the principles of equality, justice, and mutual aid. In this respect, love also plays a particularly important role as a force that unites people. In his works, Nietzsche provided a strict demarcation between the weak and strong cultures, each of which

Communication Barrier Essay Example for Free

Communication Barrier Essay Communication is defined as an exchange of information. It involved the transmission of ideas and thoughts. To communicate means that you share with others your concepts, your thoughts and ideas. Most of our time is spent in this mutual relationship by either speaking or listening. This ability to communicate is what makes man the unique creature that he is, with the ability to control and dominate, to build and maintain. Communications is a big thing in America. It is said to be our most vital and largest industry. We are awed by mans methods of communication. We find them complete in oral, written or visualized form. In spite of this, communication is a big problem in our lives. Because of human nature, certain barriers exist making the communication process either ineffective or impossible. At times we just do not get through to people. This often results in misunderstanding. Many splits in congregations are due to the communications problem. Brethren have trouble talking to each other, they become estranged and some become enemies. Much of this can be eliminated if we understand some of the barriers to our communication. In the discussion that follows, the principal barriers to communicating effectively in todays working environment are identified, and proven techniques for coping with them are considered. The principal barriers to effective communication are: noise, poor feedback, selection of inappropriate media, a wrong mental attitude, insufficient or lack of attention to work selection, delay in message transmittal, physical separation of the sender and receiver, and lack of empathy or a good relationship between the sender and receiver. Lets now give four examples of communication barriers and the solution of each one as well. There are many communication barriers that come up during the communication process. First, there are physical distractions that interfere with the effectiveness of a communication attempt. For example, I work at a hardware store and I would be mixing paint for customer while another customer comes up to me and asks where something is located in the store. For this case, it can be many ways. You can ask someone else to attend to the customer, yet still be able to accomplish your job without losing the customer. If the first customer not around, you should attend to the other customer first and go back to your job. Second, we live in a verbal environment. Words constitute the most frequently used tool for communicating. Words usually facilitate communication; however, their careless, improper use in a given situation can create a communication barrier. Arthur Kudner, an advertising executive, once told his son: All big things have little names such as life and death, peace and war, or dawn, day, night, hope, love, and home. Learn to use little words in a big way. It is hard to do, but they say what you mean. When you dont know what you mean use big words; they often fool little people. The words we use should be selected carefully. Dr. Rudolph Flesch, a specialist in words and communication, suggests a way to break through the word barrier: use familiar words in place of the unfamiliar, use concrete words in place of the abstract, use short words in place of long and use single words in place of several. Unfortunately, almost every commonly used word has more than one meaning. Also words have regional meanings or derive new meanings as a result of the development of new industries or fields. The meaning conveyed by the senders words depends upon the experience and attitude of the receiver. Therefore, one way to penetrate the word barrier is for the sender to strive to speak or write in terms of the receivers experience and attitude. The better able he is to do this, the more successful the communication will be. Dr. S. E. Hayakawa, a U.S. Senator from California, expressed it very well when he said, The meanings of words are not in the words; they are in us. Third, the ability to empathize with someone else may not be easy. If you are to see things from anothers viewpoint, you have to put aside your own prejudices and preconceptions. The receiver may be of a different race,  creed, educational background, from a different section of the country, or have a different specialty or rank within the organization. Under these circumstances, the task of empathizing with the other member of the communication link is difficult. The task is further complicated if you believe that understanding anothers viewpoint may pose a threat to your own. To better communicate, we must try to see ourselves through the eyes of others in the communication link. By developing some empathy with the people to whom we will be directing messages, we might recognize the need to modify our messages from time to time before sending them. We should use easy word when we communicate with other people, let everyone understand easily. Not to ward, no technician word that people around the word will be able to follow. The last one, as manager, many communication barriers will turn out as well. Generally, managers make more frequent use of oral, rather than written, communication. However, the media one selects for communication in a particular situation should correlate with the feedback requirements. A communication failure or partial failure could occur if the media you select for transmittal of a message is inappropriate and necessary feedback is not received. Most simple messages can be transmitted orally either in a face-to-face discussion, formal briefing, or meeting of the staff. More complex messages should be written in a directive, instruction, memorandum, or report. Very complex messages should be transmitted in both oral and written form. Repetition and review of an oral communication in written form can be a facilitating device. So the personal qualities of the manager should be a consideration in the selection. As manager, you should recognize your strengths and limitations. You should evaluate your successes and failures in communication and plan to use the media that best fits your style and qualities. From the above communication barriers and each of solution, we can observe that in todays world, no matter what the communication barrier is, there is always to the solution over the barrier. It is just a matter of different  approach within you means and ability to execute the solution without losing any clients.

Organizational change typology of evolutionary and strategic changes

Organizational change typology of evolutionary and strategic changes Introduction: This assignment examines organizational change, focusing on the distinction of changes according to their scope and presenting a typology of evolutionary and strategic changes. Business in the new millennium will continue to increase in intricacy. More and more, this demanding environment forces executives and managers to deal with constant change. Globalisation, increased opposition, international development and reformation are just a few of the challenges faced daily. Success in dealing with these new challenges will depend to a great extent on the organisation’s ability to change and adapt. It will depend on how well these organisations can manage these situations by understanding the opportunities and challenges that accompany it. The organisations that will succeed are those that recognise and react the fastest to change. Therefore, the ability of an organisation’s staff to change can mean the difference between scraping just to get by or else becoming the industr y leader. In either case the results translates into millions of dollars in revenues, profits, or losses. It must therefore be accepted that change is an organisational reality. It is critical therefore for managers and executives in todays business environment to be equipped with the skills necessary to manage change. Ultimately it is people who make organisations, and if they do not change, then there is no organisational change. The challenge therefore is for managers and executives to not only know what to change but how to go about it especially in relation to people, products, processes and systems, marketing strategies etc. Just like the butterfly, organisations will have to change and undergo a metamorphosis before they can fly. If they do not, they will be doomed to live out their lives only as caterpillars, or worse still become dinosaurs. Litrature Review: Organizational change is an empirical observation in an organizational entity of variations in shape, quality or state over time (Van de Ven and Poole, 1995), after the deliberate introduction of new ways of thinking, acting and operating (Schalk, Campbell and Freese, 1998). The general aim of organizational change is an adaptation to the environment (Barr, Stimpert and Huff, 1992; Child and Smith, 1987; Leana and Barry, 2000) or an improvement in performance (Boeker, 1997; Keck and Tushman, 1993). This definition encompasses many situations that should be distinguished by applying certain dimensions to establish ‘typologies of change’. We will refer to the scope of change, because it is one of the most used variables in literature to design change typologies. That way, changes can be defined along a continuum starting in lowscope or evolutionary changes to high-scope or strategic ones. With the aim of making the use of this dimension (scope) easier, we will describe bot h extremes of the continuum, but we should always keep in mind that real changes are not a pure type but a mixture. First, we will describe evolutionary, incremental, or first order changes. These are small changes that alter certain small aspects, looking for an improvement in the present situation, but keeping the general working framework (Blumenthal and Haspeslagh, 1994; Goodstein and Burke, 1991; Greiner, 1972; Levy, 1986; Mezias and Glynn, 1993; Nadler and Tushman, 1989; 1990). The second type of changes arestrategic, transformational, revolutionary or second order ones. They are radical transformations, where the organization totally changes its essential framework (Blumenthal and Haspeslagh, 1994; Ghoshal and Bartlett, 1996; Goodstein and Burke, 1991; Marshak, 1993; Nadler and Tushman, 1989, 1990), looking generally for a new competitive advantage (Hutt, Walker and Frankwick, 1995) and affecting the basic capabilities of the organization (Ruiz and Lorenzo, 1999). Background to Change exits in HP Economic Movement: Managing change is one of the most important issues confronting information technology (IT) organizations today. By combining three powerful products—HP Service centre software, HP Change Control Management software and HP Universal Configuration Management Database (CMDB) software—HP Change Management Suite software gives IT managers, changer managers and change advisory boards (CABs) a complete solution for managing change within an IT environment. This tightly integrated solution enables IT departments to gain visibility into the IT environment and service dependencies, and manage the change process in a standardized manner to increase the number of effective, well-founded changes their companies undertake. It also provides decision support for the CAB by auto mating impact analysis to make change decisions based upon business impact and mitigates the risks inherent in instituting change. Strengths and Weaknesses of Change within an organisation in regards to HP: Strengths: Sole point of contact, high market consciousness, easier for customers to deal and cooperate. Easier to preserve functional skill, staffs tends to be more loyal to occupation, frequently has lower cost at the unit level. Highly combined work units, integrated functions, and backup skills. Easier harmonization, determined on the customer, more supple, minimal isolation, flatter, staff gain broader information of the business. Federal responsibility, higher quality, faster decision making, focused on the customer of each product/service group. Flexible resource planning, high practical knowledge exposed to diversity, forced collaboration service areas. Weaknesses: Less contribution/higher costs, more product or service changeability. Tends not to have end-to-end customer sight, practical priorities sometime are contradictory, more difficult to transform processes due to isolation of functions. Some laying-off of functions, lower sense of useful responsibility. Difficult to put into practice and maintain, requires cross functional expertise, long term management commitment. Comparison of alternative forms of organisational development: Digital change and organisational Development: It is been investigated the determinants of local governmental presence and the influence of organizational presence using econometric scrutiny, supported by qualitative information from the review. The variables included in these regressions and the hypotheses about the impacts of explanatory variables are discussed in a later section. In all regressions, the coefficients and standard errors were corrected for sampling weights, stratification, and the total number of communities in the central region (StataCorp 1997). The results are thus agent of the province as a whole. Standard mistakes were approximate using the Huber-White estimator, and are thus robust to general forms of heteroskedasticity (White 1980). A pathways of enlargement found in the region, were included as descriptive factors in the analysis (along with other factors).10 A development pathway is defined as a common prototype of change in livelihoods and resource management, and thus represents a particular set of ec onomic opportunities and constraints (Pender, Scherr, and Duron 1999). Using data on occupations and changes in profession and land use since the mid-1970s, six pathways of development were acknowledged. Basic grain (maize, beans and sorghum) production is the most or second most important profession in all but one of the sample communities. Other factors were therefore more determinate in characteristic the pathways. The pathways include villages where 1) basic grain production is the dominant economic activity and has been expanding during the past 20 years (basic grains expansion pathway), 2) basic grains production is the dominant economic activity though production has been sluggish or failing (basic grains stagnation pathway), 3) horticultural (mainly vegetable) production has amplified and has become the first or second most important activity (horticultural expansion pathway), 4) coffee production has increased and is the first or second most important activity (coffee expan sion pathway), 5) forestry performance are the first or second most important activity (forestry specialization pathway), and 6) non-farm employment has increased and become the first or second most important source of income (non-farm employment pathway). Involvement of Stakeholders in the Introduction of Change in an Organisation: Stakeholders, including NGOs, investors, and activists, as well as communities, labour, and consumers, are playing an increasingly important role in improving corporate behaviour. Some NGOs are using tactics of direct confrontation. Others have been working for years to create partnerships with companies in order to help them green their production, often in ways that actually save them money. As well, the investor community is taking an increasingly active role in encouraging corporations to consider not just the next quarter’s earnings but also the long-term financial risks of failing to address broader social and environmental issues. Together, these are proving key strategies in compelling corporations to internalize the environmental and social costs that are often ignored in the mad race for profit. Analysis and Evaluation of the Strategies: Corporate managers face many daily pressures, and improving social and environmental records (often in ways that don’t directly enhance the bottom line) is not generally their highest priority—until their corporations suddenly become the targets of bad publicity from a coordinated group of activists. With corporations spending a half trillion dollars each year to create positive images through advertising, a sudden storm of negative publicity from the actions of thousands of coordinated activists can swiftly raise environmental issues to the top of managers’ action-item lists. This fear of public shaming—and the connected loss of profit and stock value—are what makes these â€Å"corporate campaigns† so successful. Unlike traditional campaigns against companies, such as boycotts, labour strikes, and litigation (which remain important but often have limited objectives), corporate campaigns treat the targeted company more as a lever of change th an as an end in itself. When a coalition of NGOs and investors led by the Rainforest Action Network (RAN) targeted Citigroup, the goal was to reduce overall exploitation of natural resources. But RAN didn’t target mining and logging companies—which are not in the public eye and depend on continued extraction to survive—pouncing instead on the financial institutions that capitalize the mining and logging companies. Unlike them, banks spend billions to maintain strong brands and customer bases. These assets are essential, and thus exploitable vulnerabilities.And exploit RAN did. In 2000, RAN asked Citigroup to adopt a green lending policy.While the company initially refused, after more than three years of protests, shareholder actions, and other irritating tactics, Citigroup finally recognized that lending to unsustainable industries would be more costly than profitable, while not lending to them would be worth its weight in free advertising. Once Citigroup yielde d, its antagonistic relationship with RAN evolved into a collaboration to ensure adherence to its new standards—a partnership that provided much free publicity to Citigroup. Meanwhile, RAN quietly drafted a letter to Bank of America asking managers to adopt a similar policy. Bank of America, having witnessed the disruption that committed activists can cause by chaining themselves to bank doors, quickly realized that it was better to join the ranks of ecofriendly banks. Bank of America’s capitulation then left JPMorgan Chase as the next target, and it soon followed suit. Conclusion: It can be argued that the booming management of change is vital to any organisation in order to endure and succeed in the present highly economical and endlessly evolving business environment. However, theories and approaches to change management currently available to academics and practitioners are often clashing, mostly deficient pragmatic evidence and supported by undisguised hypotheses concerning the nature of fashionable organisational change management. The reason of this assignment was, therefore, to provide a significant review of some of the main concepts and methodologies to organisational change management as an important initial step towards implementing a new framework for managing change. Reference: Boeker, W. (1997) â€Å"Strategic change: The influence of managerial characteristics and organizational growth†, Academy of Management Journal, 40 (1), pp. 152-170. Blumenthal, B. and Haspeslagh, P. (1994) â€Å"Toward a Definition of Corporate Transformation†, Sloan Management Review, 35 (3), pp. 101-106. Ghoshal, S. and Bartlett, C.A. (1996) â€Å"Rebuilding Behavioral Context: A Blueprint for Corporate Renewal†, Sloan Management Review, 37 (2), pp. 23-36. Goldstein, J. (1988) â€Å"A Far-from-Equilibrium Systems Approach to Resistance to Change†, Organizational Dynamics, (Autumn), pp. 16-26. Goodstein, L.D. and Burke, W.W. (1991) â€Å"Creating Successful Organization Change†, Organizational Dynamics, 19 (4), pp. 5-17. Greiner, L.E. (1972) â€Å"Evolution and revolution as organizations grow†, Harvard Business Review, (July/Aug.), pp. 37-46. Hutt, M.D., Walker, B.A. and Frankwick, G.L. (1995) â€Å"Hurdle the Cross-Functional Barriers to Strategic Change†, Sloan Management Review, 36 (3), pp. 22-30. Leana, C.R. and Barry, B. (2000) â€Å"Stability and Change as Simultaneous Experiences in Organizational Life†, Academy of Management Review, 25 (4), pp. 753-759. Levy, A. (1986) â€Å"Second-Order Planned Change: Definition and Conceptualization†, Organizational Dynamics, (Summer), pp. 5-20. Mezias, S.J. and Glynn, M.A. (1993) â€Å"The three faces of corporate renewal: institution, revolution, and evolution†, Strategic Management Journal, 14, pp. 77-101. Nadler, D.A. and Tushman, M.L. (1989) â€Å"Organizational Frame Bending: Principles for Managing Reorientation†, Academy of Management Executive, 3, pp. 194-204. Nadler, D.A. and Tushman, M.L. (1990) â€Å"Beyond the Charismatic Leader: Leadership and Organizational Change†, California Management Review, 32 (2), pp. 77-97. Pender, J., S.J. Scherr, and G. Durà ³n. 1999. Pathways of development in the hillsides of Honduras: Causes and implications for agricultural production, poverty, and sustainable resource use. Environment and Production Technology Division Discussion Paper No. 45. Washington, D.C.: International Food Policy Research Institute. Ruiz, J. and Lorenzo, J.D. (1999) â€Å"Cambio estratà ©gico y renovacià ³n organizativa: utilizacià ³n de las capacidades latentes y perifà ©ricas†, Revista Europea de Direccià ³n y Economà ­a de la Empresa, 8 (4), pp. 71-82. Schalk, R., Campbell, J.W. and Freese, C. (1998) â€Å"Change and employee behaviour†, Leadership Organization Development Journal, 19 (3), pp. 157-163. StataCorp. 1997. Stata statistical software: Release 5.0. College Station, TX: Stata Corporation. Van de Ven, A.H. and Poole, M.S. (1995) â€Å"Explaining development and change in organizations†, Academy of Management Review, 20 (3), pp. 510-540. White, H. 1980. A heteroskedasticity-consistent covariance matrix estimator and a direct test for heteroskedasticity. Econometrica 48: 817–838.

How Frederick Douglass Changed History Essay -- slavery,emancipation pr

There are numerous individuals throughout the past that had the chance to leave a stain in the fabric of history. But, small amounts that stood up and represented slavery in the United States. The immoral selling of beings to becoming a slave is recognized as slavery. Slavery had a huge role in the United States history, getting down in the 1600’s and was abolished in the 1800’s. African-American slaves were maliciously being walked on, as if they were carcasses, for a hundreds of years. Although, slaves were prevented from being educated, one particular astonishing African-American fellow was able to change overpass this situation. Frederick Douglass changed the United States for the better. Douglass was born on the seventh of February 1817, in Tuckahoe, Maryland. He was the son of an African- American slave named Harriet Bailey. Though slaves were unable to be educated, Douglass had a huge thirst for learning. He became a self-taught slave child, with a little assistance from his owner. Douglass had gained important knowledge (was now literate), which made him realize that there were many other opportunities to increase his education. After several abortive attempts to run-away in 1836, he then succeeded to escape. Once reaching New Bedford, Massachusetts he assumed the name Douglass (his birth name was Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey). After many years of his educations in England, he was able to buy his freedom before returning to the United States. Douglass later rose through determination, wisdom, and eloquence to shape the American nation. He became an abolitionist, human rights and women's rights activist, public speaker, writer, journalist, publisher, and s ocial reformer. One way Douglass was able to change Amer... ...ower (whites) to take action against slavery. Douglass did not only stand up for slaves but also for women’s rights, helped lay the groundwork of women’s suffrage. If Douglass was unable to escape slaver, many civil rights could have been delayed. Works Cited Clark, Charles S. "Feminism's Future." CQ Researcher 28 Feb. 1997: 169-92. Web. 27 Mar. 2014. "Digital History." Digital History. College of Education, 2014. Web. 25 Mar. 2014. "DOUGLASS, Frederick." (n.d.): Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia. Web. 27 Mar. 2014. Lederle, Cheryl. "Frederick Douglass on Abraham Lincoln: The Writer and Abolitionist Remembers the President in Library of Congress Primary Sources." Teaching with the Library of Congress. Library of Congress, 7 Feb. 2013. Web. 26 Mar. 2014. "Underground Railroad." (n.d.): Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia. Web. 27 Mar. 2014.

South Carolina and the Caribbean Connection

To most, South Carolina is simply just one of the United States, 50 states, and originally was on the thirteen original colonies that declared independence from the British Crown. However, this plot of land, which extends from the Atlantic Ocean to the Appalachian Mountains, from the Savannah River to the sea, contains a rich historical pass of slavery, trade, cultivation and foreign influence which molded the beginnings of what we Americans know as South Carolina today. Today, South Carolina is ranked thirty-ninths for the total median income out of all fifty states, but in the early part of the 18th century was the most affluent colony.What made South Carolina so successful? Slavery and the West Indies. The West Indies shaped the early colony of South Carolina, whether it was everyday cultural patterns of the colonists and slaves or their socio-economic status, strong ties and resemblances are seen with the Caribbean’s citizen’s and economy. Slavery played a large rol e in South Carolina society, the most influential members of society owned and used slaves, and the overall economic status was based off of that slave work.In South Carolina, slaves from both India and Africa were used, however, the more dominant slave race was definitely those of African decent. They were believed to possess specific qualities such as familiarity with rice cultivation, which became the staple crop of South Carolina. They also had lived in malicious climates for centuries, and had developed the immunity of malaria. These distinctive skills and strengths suited them in Carolina lowlands, contributing greatly to their positive effect on the South Carolina colony.Peter Wood, American historian and author of Black Majority: Negroes in Colonial South Carolina from 1670 through the Stono Rebellion, concisely sums up the role slaves played in South Carolina when he states â€Å"Negroes Played a significant and often determinative part in the evolution of the colony† (Wood, XVII). The following paragraphs explore South Carolina from the 1670’s to the 1740’s and examine the elements of Caribbean influence seen throughout its early history and the developmental parallels between other Caribbean colonies.In 1670 on the British island of Barbados, there were serious overpopulation problems, these problems eventually led to the colonization of South Carolina. Barbados was first settled in 1627, and for the following decade followed the economic pattern of the other British colonies, Bermuda and Virginia, by producing tobacco. By the end of the 1630’s Barbados had established itself as a successful producer for the English market, resulting in the high demand for Barbados land, as inhabitants covered all arable land on the island.It was in the mid-1640’s that the true staple crop of Barbados was introduced, sugar. The sugar revolution not only brought an abundance of wealth to Barbados but â€Å"By the early 1650’ s†¦ Barbados had achieved a population density greater than any comparable area in the English-speaking world† (Greene, 195). Sugar production required intensive labor, and as labor needs increased, so did the use of the more economical and reliable source of labor – African slaves. Barbados exemplified the first large-scale use of slavery and non-European labor of any English colony.The island was â€Å"the richest, most highly developed, most populous and most congested English colony in America†¦ with 50,000 inhabitants, including 30,000 negroes,† unfortunately Barbados was just 166 sq, miles (Journal Of Caribbean History XVI, 1982). With such overpopulation, a substantial emigration began to occur. This exodus from Barbados made-up the wave of colonists of all socioeconomic statuses that traveled to the Carolinas. In 1663 King Charles II granted the land of the Carolinas to eight nobles, also know as the Lords Proprietor, to build the Carolina Colon y.These proprietors were extremely commercial, as they wished to gain quick profits in this new colony. All of the initial eight proprietors had ties with the Caribbean and Slavery. It is evident that even the earliest settlers European settlers were all connected by a past of slavery, furthermore, they also shared the same vision that Barbados â€Å"could provide seasoned settlers from a short distance at a minimal cost† (Wood, 15). However their attempt to establish settlements failed. The first successful settlement came in late march of 1670 when the Carolina, under captain Henry Brayne, reached the Carolinas at Seewee Bay.They set up a community at a location on the west bank of a nearby river now know as the Ashley. By the end of May the colonists from the wrecked Albermarle and estranged Port Royal reached this site. All three ships had come from Barbados. Barbadians played a large role in this first successful settlement. In the first two years, almost half of the whi tes and more than half of the blacks who settled in Carolina were from Barbados. Between the years of 1670-1690, 54% of the white settlers who immigrated to South Carolina came from Barbados. (Green, 197).Barbadians from many varying social classes came to Carolina within the first two decades, ten percent (18/ 175) of Barbados elite sugar planting families obtained land in South Carolina. Thirty three mid-tier planting families, and a number of Barbadian merchants also acquired land in South Carolina. (Green, 197-198) The importance of the Barbadians immigration is noted in a Letter of Lord Ashley, to Yeamons (Whos this? ) stating â€Å"I am glad to hear soe many considerable men come from Barbadoes for wee find by deare Experience that noe other are able to make a Plantation†¦ the rest serve onely to full up Numbers. (Coll. , V, 361) The staggering numbers of Barbadians amongst the original settlers begin to represent why the Caribbean had such a strong influence on South Ca rolina. It is evident that these immigrants were substantial men, looking for new land to take advantage of their expertise, providing a place to bolster and resemble the Barbadian economy. For many, South Carolina was not a place where these Barbadians wanted to start a new life, they were not in search of new culture, legislation, and economy, and instead they brought theirs with them. Slavery completely encompassed Barbadian culture and economy.A slave society is defined as a society dominated by slavery, as Barbados was. Barbados was the first English colony to introduce large-scale slavery, and received much success in this venture. In Woods, Black Majority he states South Carolina, more so than any mainland colony, â€Å"roots of settlement and early commercial ties stretched toward Barbados and the other islands of the English Caribbean†¦ English colonists from the West Indies who were economically unable to bring negroes with them at least brought along the social aspi ration of slave ownership† (Wood, 55).Barbadians did not just bring energy, experience and wealth, but most importantly; they brought the cultural shaping and economy boosting, concept of slavery to South Carolina. South Carolina was the only mainland English colony to begin its existence with a preference of African slave labor and a significant number of slaves as original settlers. The first documented Negro arrival in the colony came from Capt. Brayne when he reported on August 23, 1670 â€Å"one lust negro man 3. ristian servants and a oversear† (Waring, pp, 24-25) Three more slaves arrived several weeks later, and in September 1670 the first negroes recorded by name, John Sr. , Elizabeth, and John Jr. , arrived in South Carolina. with the ‘First Fleet’ of settlers. Moreover, reports have shown immigrations of ‘able-bodied’ men which were most likely referring to slaves. More negroes continued to arrive in South Carolina, â€Å"between on e fourth and one thirds of the colony’s newcomers were negroes† (Wood, 25). South Carolina was a slave society from the very beginning.In a deposition on August 1, 1671, just a year after the first settlers arrived by the Ashley river, an Indian messenger reported on the South Carolina colony â€Å"that the settlement grows, that the castle is getting bigger [and] that many Negroes have come to work† (Childs, pp. 132-135) Slaves became the backbone of South Carolina; they were what kept the settlement from collapsing. John Yeamons Jr, the lieutenant governer and one of the original men who tried to establish the Carolina colony addressed the king stating â€Å"thes setlements have beene made and upheld by Negroes and without contant supplies of them cannot subsist. (Salley, 67) There was an exponential increase in the amount of Negros from the late seventeenth century into the first part of the eighteenth century in South Carolina. The Black population in South Carolina went from about 2,500 in 1700 to 5,000 in 1710 to a staggering 39,000 in 1730’s. For the first 25 years, South Carolina relied on Barbados for slaves until they black population was reproducing enough to become self-reliant. This reliance â€Å"served to strengthen the existing ties to the sugar island and these bonds- helped predispose would-be planters in the mainland colony to black labor† (Wood, 46).Wood’s statement shows that this South Caroline culture was based around black-labor, and that inhabitants were ‘pre-disposed’ to use Black labor. The interest and abundance of black labor is evident from the 1670’s through 1740, these slaves shaped the economy and social hierarchy, but also displayed problems and resistance to the white slave owners. One of the main aspects of Carolina society that slavery and the West Indies influenced was the economy. From the start South Carolina exemplified â€Å"strong commercial, materialistic and exploitative mentality† that was standard in the Caribbean culture (Greene,198).South Carolinians were avid in their search for a profitable agricultural staple, one that could do for South Carolina what sugar did for Barbados. Interest in Carolina settlement stemmed from Barbadians hopes for developing an economy that would benefit their own. While trying to find this staple agricultural product, South Carolina resorted to the raising of livestock. Their was a strong demand for livestock in Barbados and other Caribbean islands, the English King confirms this point stating that â€Å"Barbados and ye rest of ye caribee islands†¦have not food to fill their bellies. (Harlow, 283) From the earliest years, Carolina provided the island with food for the labor force, wood for caneboiling, and staves for the shipment of molasses sugar. By 1678, Barbados was shipping ten thousand pounds of sugar to Carolina and paying good prices for the livestock. The sale of livestock to t he Caribbean gave South Carolina the wealth to build more convenient houses and to purchase more negro- slaves. Responsibility for caring for the livestock fell on the slaves. Slaves would build the â€Å"cowpen, attend the calves and guard the gazing at night.The care and maintenance of the livestock was no easy task, had it not been for the use of slaves such a project would have been extremely difficult. The early livestock economy also benefited the growth of South Carolina because â€Å"The New Settlers can be furnish’d with Stocks of Cattle and Corn† (Salley, 291). The link with the Caribbean islands and the reliance on slaves, molded the early economy of South Carolina, however, grazing was just the initial stage in the colony’s economic growth, it wasn’t until the 1690s that South Carolina found its key to economic success; rice.Author of Black Majority, Peter Wood, described the importance of rice best when stating, â€Å"No development had gre ater impact upon the course of South Carolina history than the successful introduction of rice† (Wood, 35). Rice was the agricultural staple that the colonial planters could use to provide the basis for a viable plantation system based off the Barbadian model. Like sugar for Barbados, rice propelled South Carolina toward becoming one of the richest North American colonies, and â€Å"Charleston, its capital, one of wealthiest and most fashionable cities in early America†(Yale).Although Slaves played a role in the grazing economy, their involvement in rice cultivation was staggering in comparison. It is no coincidence that following the introduction of rice production the slave population skyrocketed, soon passing the colonist population. This black majority was unprecedented in the England’s North American colonies. African Slaves were needed for rice to be successful a successful crop, because planters and plantations owners were unfamiliar with the cultivation o f rice. Slaves were the only settlers who had experience and were accustomed to growing rice.They were used to the climate and could work efficiently in the hot Carolina weather, had great physical strength, and were immune to malaria. While not every African slave had come from a African rice field, there still hundred of black immigrants â€Å"more familiar with the planting, hoeing, processing and cooking of rice than were the European settlers who purchased them† (Wood, 61). Slaves were responsible for all stages of cultivation, from seeding in spring, hoeing in the summer, to making baskets in October when the grain was fanned.All these skills were adopted from Africa, and the slaves did not alter their annual routine, no matter which side of the Atlantic they were working. To the English, rice was the staple they had been seeking for years, and the Africans were its most logical cultivators and processors. African Slaves were the largest factor for the wealth of South C arolina, at this point in South Carolina history, it is clear that this colony can be characterized as a slave society.Barbados was the largest market for South Carolinas rice throughout the 1730s, in total, â€Å"the Island colonies took about 10 percent of South Carolinas total rice exports in 1717-1720. Nearly forty ships annually from the West Indies would arrive in Charleston with return cargoes of rice and other commodities for Jamaica, Barbados, the Leeward Islands and the Bahamas. A fourth to a third of the total tonnage came from the West Indies, and about 15 percent to 25 percent of the ships leaving Charlestown traded to the West Indies† (Greene, 199-200).The Caribbean not only provided South Carolina with a trade resource, but the model of a plantation society. This steady link between South Carolina and the West Indies, along with the use of slaves, not only shaped the economy but the social aspects of culture as well. Slaves in particular played a large part in the social culture of South Carolina. When settlers first came to the southern wilderness, there were no aspects of social hierarchy. Owning slaves soon became what Englishmen used to establish status distinctions in the mainland (Wood, 46).Slaves were associated with wealth and class amongst this early society. Slaves also provided cultural advancements, more specifically the Gullah. Language was an extraordinary barrier in South Carolina; Gullah became the main form of communication and expression of people across different backgrounds. Even today, Gullah has direct ties and patterns with Black English (Wood, 191). Although Slaves were at first looked upon as possessions, the normal appeal of a possession did not correlate to a positive outlook on slaves by the whites. The Reverend Francis Le Jau strove to teach religion amongst South Carolinians.He was part of the newly created Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in foreign parts. He recounts many obstacles trying to conver t the blacks, he acknowledges language barriers but the main problem was the opinion Slave masters had of slaves. To really display the social attitude towards slaves in Carolina, Le Jau recalls three quotes from slave masters; Slaves shouldn’t learn prayers because â€Å"knowledge makes them worse†, there is no difference â€Å"between slaves, and free Indians, and beasts,† and lastly one master asked Le Jau â€Å"Is it possible that any of my slaves could go to Heaven, & must I see them there? (Ibid, p16) Although mistreated, slaves were very much apart of everyday life in society. Slavery completely changed the social demographic of South Carolina. By the 1720s, when the Crown assumed control, South Carolina, unlike any other mainland country, was demographically dominated by migrants from West Africa. Not only were the migrants superior in total numbers, but also in the pace of immigration and the rate of their natural increase (Wood, 145-166). The result o f this demographic and a constant connection through trade with the Caribbean was a strong public interest in slavery.Within the text of the South Carolina Gazette, one can analyze the viewpoints of the people in this slave society. The South Carolina Gazette was the state’s first successful newspaper and was printed from 1732 to 1775. The gazette not only displayed information regarding slaves but it often reported news from the West Indies. Slave advertisements and notices were common appearances in the Gazette. Although they were usually short in text, the ads offer large insight into the culture of a slave society. They shed light on what specific characteristics buyers looked for in slaves, such as the age, health, and where these slaves came from.One such advertisement, in June of 1739, mentions a â€Å"very fine cargo of able-bodied Gambia negroes. † Another notice in the paper from July 7th 1733 reports a run away slave â€Å"From Dr. Samuel Stevens plantation , A negro man named Pompey, and had on when he went away, a white negro cloth jacket and breeches, almost worn out, and a blue and white negro cloth cap. Whoever bring the said negro to the plantation aforesaid, shall have reasonable satisfaction from Samuel Stevens. † These two articles display the perceptions of the Africans.The first article demonstrates a bias-towards Gambian Africans, this most likely stems from the fact that Gambia is located on the coast of Africa, where rice cultivation larger took place. This ad shows that slaves were often bought for their specific skills, as these slaves would be useful rice cultivation. Moreover, since slaves were bought for specific skills, this confirms the notion that South Carolina was never monoculture. Planters looked for more than just rice-orientated slaves because Carolina was still exporting some of its original products.The first ad was surrounded by advertisements for consumer goods and tools. This is interesting becaus e it portrays slaves as tools, not human life, and puts them on the same level of consumer goods. The inferiority of slaves is also portrayed in the ad about the runaway slave, as it mentions he was wearing a ‘negro cloth jacket’, which was worn out, and a ‘negro cloth cap,’ not only did the negroes wear worn out clothing, but the white master specifically mentions that it is negro clothing which is due to the 1735 act requiring a Negro Dress code, furthering the separation between whites and blacks of this slave society.Lastly, the fact that a slave is running away shows insight to the tensions in between master and slave in the Carolinas (Wood, 239). While the South Carolina Gazette often portrayed negative opinions of Negroes, it also painted a portrait of problems in slave society. In South Carolina, slavery brought degradation for blacks, but also danger for whites. As the black population grew, and they began to show signs of their own culture, the wh ite minority began to feel threatened (Wood, 195). Wood notes that previously slaves were â€Å"taken as an asset, were now viewed in part by whites as a liability† (Wood, 220).The Slave majority posed possible threats to the minority of whites, first is that it increased the chances of a foreign power to attack, it reduced the colonies defense of such attacks, and also increased the possibility of internal attacks as well. The South Carolina Gazette only printed the concerns of white Carolinians, whom took extreme interest in the published stories about aspects of other slave societies. In particular, many stories were reported of slave uprisings and revolts. One such article in the July 7th 1733 paper, reports of an uprising on The Robert; â€Å"The Robert, Capt.Hamilton, was lately blown up by the negroes on the Coaft of Guinea. † These reports were often gruesome, which would cause extreme worry amongst the whites. The January 15, 1732 edition states, â€Å"a Guin ea-man belonging to Bristol, rose and destroyed the whole crew, cutting off the Captain’s Head, Legs and Arms. † Reports from Jamaica appeared in the Gazette from 1732 through 1738, one such story quotes a White Jamaican saying, â€Å"Our Rebellious negroes are so numerous that they attack us every-where. † (SCG, May 18 1734).The South Carolina gazette was only printed once a week and contained only a select few news stories. The fact that the gazette published so many articles involving slave revolts portrayed the fear and anxiety of the white readers. These events held special concern for the whites of South Carolina, because South Carolina resembled colonial Caribbean powers, especially Jamaica, the one area with the most dramatic reports of slave rebellions. Like South Carolina, Jamaica was heavily involved in production of agricultural staples.It imported extremely high numbers of African slaves which resulted in a black majority, it hard harsh system of lab or discipline, the elites were extremely wealthy, and was plagued by a disease filled environment which caused high mortality rates. It is shocking how closely they resembled one another. What’s even more surprising is that the whites in Carolina did not learn from the Caribbean mistakes. Carolina experienced patterns of black slave resistance such as running away, poisoning, arson and conspiracy.From the beginning of its existence, South Carolina was always connected with the Caribbean, a prime example of this connection are South Carolina slave acts. The original slave regulations were borrowed from the Barbados, and they were almost identical. As South Carolina began to establish itself and develop their own acts, the regulations became considerably harsher. Rev. Le Jau, on August 30, 1712, wrote, â€Å"There has been a severe act to punish our slaves, lately past in this province.Runaway slaves are to be Mutilated; and at last put to death if they absent themselves for t he fourth time for fourteen days. I have taken the Liberty to say Mutilation and Death too great punishments† (Wood, 138). Many acts and laws were put in place but when a new act was passed in 1734 to extend the extent of the 1720’s patrol act, worsened the brutality of slaves. The South Carolinian leaders felt that harsh laws, and publish punishment would help by making the Slaves more submissive. This concept was extremely false.Jamaica in the late seventeenth century experienced an onslaught of slave resistance due to extreme cruelty. It was soon realized that strengthened systems, an increase in brutality and punishments provoked, instead of deterred, slave resistance when in 1740 South Carolina was torn by what is know as the Stono Rebellion. A group of slaves, in search for liberation, joined together to rebel against the whites, resulting in the deaths of more than sixty people (Wood, 308). This rebellion opened the eyes of everyone, as it displayed the possible dangers of slaves.The Stono rebellion holds more significance as â€Å"it can be seen as a turning point in the history of South Carolina’s black population,† never again did a time such severe racial unrest occur (Wood, 308). From its initial settlement in 1670 to the Stono Rebellion in 1740 South Carolina established itself as one of the wealthiest North American colonies. This reign of success would not have been possible without the Caribbean and the development of a slave society. Unlike any other North American colony of its time, South Carolina, displayed a culture that was based around African Slavery.Early Barbadian settlers, who represented over fifty percent of the early Carolina settlers, brought the concept of slavery to South Carolina. Basing its economy off a profitable agricultural staple, and using slaves whose active involvement â€Å"undertook all the routine activities† on the plantation, South Carolina began to take face of a colonial Caribb ean island (Wood, 198). The social demographics of this region displayed a large black majority, almost 9 blacks to every 1 white in areas of the lowlands.The economy was sustained by the blacks, the population was majority black, this society was so reliant on the black slaves, even one Swiss newcomer named Samuel Dyssli in 1737 said of Carolina â€Å"looks more like a negro country than like a country settled by white people† (Wood, 132). Dyssli observations are far from unordinary, and were not the only of its kind. In South Carolina, whether it was trade, culture, plantation systems, or economics, the Caribbean colonies have influenced it in such a way that it was often referred to as â€Å"Carolina in Ye West indies† (Woods, 160).Dyssli was correct in calling Carolina a negro country, however, so was the English document stating Carolina in ye West Indies, Carolina was molded into the wealthy North American colony it once was, due to the West Indies influence and the advantages of the African slaves. Works Cited Carey, Bev. The Maroon Story: the Authentic and Original History of the Maroons in the History of Jamaica, 1490-1880. Gordon Town, Jamaica: Agouti, 1997. Print. Childs. Colonization. 132-35. Print. â€Å"Collections. † Print. Rpt. n South Carolina Historical Society. Vol. V. Charleston: South Carolina Historical Society. 361. Print. Greene, Jack P. â€Å"Colonial South Carolina and the Caribbean Connection. † The South Carolina Historical Magezine Oct. 1987: 192-210. Jstor. Web. 20 June 2011. . Harlow, Todd V. â€Å"Francis Lord Willoughby. † A History of Barbados, 1625-1685. Oxford: Clarendon, 1926. 283. Print. Jau, Francis Le. The Carolina Chronicle of Dr. Francis Le Jau, 1706-1717 (University of California Publications in History). Kraus, 1980.Print. Salley Jr. , Alexander S. Narratives of Early Carolina, 1650-1708. Gardners, 2007. 67. Print. Thompson, Alvin. The Journal of Caribbean History XVI (1982). Print. Waring, Joseph I. The First Voyage and Settlement at Charles Town, 1670-1680. Columbia: Published for the South Carolina Tricentennial Commission, by the University of South Carolina, 1970. 24-25. Print. Wood, Peter H. Black Majority: Negroes in Colonial South Carolina from 1670 through the Stono Rebellion. New York: Norton, 1996. Print.

The Intolerable Acts (1774) in the American Revolution

The Intolerable Acts (1774) in the American Revolution The Intolerable Acts were passed in spring 1774, and helped cause the American Revolution (1775-1783). Background In the years after the French and Indian War, Parliament attempted to levy taxes, such as the Stamp Act and Townshend Acts, on the colonies to aid in covering the cost of maintaining the empire. On May 10, 1773, Parliament passed the Tea Act with the goal of aiding the struggling British East India Company. Prior to the passage of the law, the company had been required to sell its tea through London where it was taxed and duties assessed. Under the new legislation, the company would be permitted to sell tea directly to the colonies without the additional cost. As a result, tea prices in America would be reduced, with only the Townshend tea duty assessed. During this period, the colonies, angered by the taxes levied by the Townshend Acts, had been systematically boycotting British goods and claiming taxation without representation. Aware that the Tea Act was an attempt by Parliament to break the boycott, groups such as the Sons of Liberty, spoke out against it. Across the colonies, British tea was boycotted and attempts were made to produce tea locally. In Boston, the situation climaxed in late November 1773, when three ships carrying East India Company tea arrived in the port. Rallying the populace, the members of the Sons of Liberty dressed as Native Americans and boarded the ships on the night of December 16. Carefully avoiding damaging other property, the raiders tossed 342 chests of tea into Boston Harbor. A direct affront to British authority, the Boston Tea Party forced Parliament to take action against the colonies. In retribution for this affront to royal authority, the Prime Minister, Lord North, began passing a series of five laws, dubbed the Coercive or Intolerable Acts, the following spring to punish the Americans. The Boston Port Act Passed on March 30, 1774, the Boston Port Act was a direct action against the city for the previous Novembers tea party. The legislation dictated that the port of Boston was closed to all shipping until full restitution was made to the East India Company and the King for the lost tea and taxes. Also included in the act was the stipulation that the colonys seat of government should be moved to Salem and Marblehead made a port of entry. Loudly protesting, many Bostonians, including Loyalists, argued that the act punished the entire city rather than the few who were responsible for the tea party. As supplies in the city dwindled, other colonies began sending relief to the blockaded city. Massachusetts Government Act Enacted on May 20, 1774, the Massachusetts Government Act was designed to increase royal control over the colonys administration. Abrogating the colonys charter, the act stipulated that its executive council would no longer be democratically elected and its members would instead be appointed by the king. Also, many colonial offices that were previously elected officials would henceforth be appointed by the royal governor. Across the colony, only one town meeting was permitted a year unless approved by the governor. Following General Thomas Gages use of the act to dissolve the provincial assembly in October 1774, Patriots in the colony formed the Massachusetts Provincial Congress which effectively controlled all of Massachusetts outside of Boston. Administration of Justice Act Passed the same day as the previous act, the Administration of Justice Act stated that royal officials could request a change of venue to another colony or Great Britain if charged with criminal acts in fulfilling their duties. While the act allowed travel expenses to be paid to witnesses, few colonists could afford to leave work to testify at a trial. Many in the colonies felt it was unnecessary as British soldiers had received a fair trial after the Boston Massacre. Dubbed the Murder Act by some, it was felt that it allowed royal officials to act with impunity and then escape justice. Quartering Act A revision of the 1765 Quartering Act, which was largely ignored by colonial assemblies, the 1774 Quartering Act expanded the types of buildings in which soldiers could be billeted and removed the requirement that they be provided with provisions. Contrary to popular belief, it did not permit the housing of soldiers in private homes. Typically, soldiers were first to be placed in existing barracks and public houses, but thereafter could be housed in inns, victualing houses, empty building, barns, and other unoccupied structures. Quebec Act Though it did not have a direct effect on the thirteen colonies, the Quebec Act was considered part of the Intolerable Acts by the American colonists. Intended to ensure the loyalty of the kings Canadian subjects, the act greatly enlarged Quebecs borders and allowed the free practice of the Catholic faith. Among the land transferred to Quebec was much of the Ohio Country, which had been promised to several colonies through their charters and to which many had already laid claim. In addition to angering land speculators, others were fearful about the spread of Catholicism in American. Intolerable Acts - Colonial Reaction In passing the acts, Lord North had hoped to detach and isolate the radical element in Massachusetts from the rest of the colonies while also asserting the power of Parliament over the colonial assemblies. The harshness of the acts worked to prevent this outcome as many in the colonies rallied to Massachusetts’s aid. Seeing their charters and rights under threat, colonial leaders formed committees of correspondence to discuss the repercussions of the Intolerable Acts. These led to the convening of the First Continental Congress at Philadelphia on September 5. Meeting at Carpenters Hall, delegates debated various courses for bringing pressure against Parliament as well as whether they should draft a statement of rights and liberties for the colonies. Creating the Continental Association, the congress called for a boycott of all British goods. If the Intolerable Acts were not repealed within a year, the colonies agreed to halt exports to Britain as well as support Massachusetts if it was attacked. Rather than exact punishment, Norths legislation worked to pull the colonies together and pushed them down the road towards war.