Economies for Native Americans Pre and Post Colonization

Economies for Native Americans Pre and Post Colonization What was the nature of Native American economies prior to European colonization? How did Native Americans impact colonial economies? The Native American communities, prior to the arrival of the colonists were not homogenous, and as such there is no one set of factors that encompassed all of their different societal and economic structures. However there were a few major components which had significant impacts. First, many of the communities lived in densely settled agricultural societies which facilitated a fairly prosperous environment. As Nash points out, evolving from a previously nomadic existence, along with the domestication of plants, allowed for a 1% change of land cultivation to produce â€Å"enormous increase[s] in the food supply† (p 11). These urban centric communities afforded the residents a high standard which were in some places, were quite affluent. This environment also allowed for the division of labor to increase the economic resources, for in addition to agriculture, food gathering, game hunting and fishing were also prevalent. Another component, as verified by archeological evidence, shows us that these various communities traded quite extensively, often creating vast networks linked together via water and in-land routes. One example Nash highlights are the Mound builders of the Ohio River Valley (p 13). Also prevalent, especially in the Iroquois nation, was the communal nature of property. This reciprocal principle allowed for an increased possibility in the accumulation of goods, which when shared, raised the quality of life for the whole group. These factors had a significant impact on the early colonial economies since they allowed the newcomers to benefit from structures already in place. One of the most notable is trade, which in addition to the exchange of food, also included items such as beaver skins and deer hides. Agricultural knowledge added great valued, as the colonists were not familiar with many of the plant varieties available in the New World. At the time, war was a common occurrence and interaction with different Native American groups allowed the colonists to offset some costs. Not quite as well understood, even though we know it existed, was a labor component supplied by the indigenous groups. And lastly the Native Americans had a form of money, â€Å"wampum† which facilitated trade and added to economic system of the new settlers. Who comprised the colonial labor force in the U.S., and what were the most important kinds of work arrangements? According to Hughes and Cain, in the later part of the 18th century, the labor force in the colonies was focused mostly on primary production, which employed approximately nine-tenths of the population (7th edition, p 30-31). The most common occupations were: agriculture, fishing, mining and timbering along with ship building. Yet when broken down by region we can see that artisans made up between one-third and one-half of those employed in the more commercial cities such as Boston, New York, Newport and Philadelphia. Common occupations among these artisans were milling, leather tooling, woodworking, distilling, sugar refining, hat making and spinning (p 30). Even though many occupations were represented, there was a significant lack of available labor. Native American labor was fairly limited, leaving the colonists to supply the larger share. This scarcity was reflected in the early days of the settlements when work was required for all the lower classes, as well as men between 12 and 60, and single women between 12 and 40, (p 42–43). As time progressed and more settlers came over, the labor market segmented into three main categories – free labor, indentured servants and slaves. In the early days, between 1630 and 1776, about one-third to one-half the population came as indentured servants. These were for the most part English nationals although a few Germans migrated as well. These early arrangements for indentured servants were negotiated by the shippers who allowed for free passage, but then sold the work contracts for these individuals on the docks. Prices for these individuals were variable and usually driven by whether they were literate, their age, sex, and occupation. It should also be noted that when the British labor market was in bad shape, there were strong incentives to come to the New World and work as an indenture servant. However, right as the labor conditions started to improve in England, was when the cost of passage across the Atlantic began to decrease. This scenario drove up the cost of indentured labor, making it no longer as attractive, while at the same time made the decreasing cost of slave labor more desirable. Were American colonists economically exploited by the British prior to the American Revolution? As noted in Hughes and Cain, prior to the Revolution, Americans had â€Å"achieved a level of affluence at least as great as their British cousins† with incomes (in 2000 prices) in the range of $3,875 to $7,250 per capita (p 51). In addition they note that Britain was spending considerable sums on military protection and administration for the colonies, as well as carrying a significant trade deficit (p 56). These and other factors give evidence to indicate that on the eve of the Revolution, thanks in part to contributions from the English, Americans were already among the wealthiest citizens in the world. To make the situation even more beneficial to those living in the colonies, almost everyone, even the ‘poor’, had some tangible goods, whether it be land or high wages; a situation almost unheard of in other nations at the time. Contributing to these conditions were England’s mercantilist policies, as prior to the Revolution these regulations casts a shadow on the output and production of the colonies. The British government’s laws regarding trade, specifically the Navigation Acts of 1651, 1660, 1662 1663, prescribed conditions which benefited both England and to a large extent, the colonies themselves. Part of the stipulated requirements were that all trading vessels must carry a crew comprised of three-fourths English or American sailors, all foreign trade must pass through English ports and that certain ‘enumerated goods’ (usually colonial commodities) could only be sold to British buyers. These actions gave the colonists not only privileged access to British markets, but were also in addition to generous subsidies by the English as well. As Hughes and Cain note, these subsidies, tax rebates, tariffs and quotas both protected and encouraged American industries and did so at the expense of other markets (p 69). To try and state empathic whether the American colonists were economically exploited, is impossible as the interactions between the two entities were so interconnected. However, both benefited and made gains from the other, but also chafed at the yearnings for power that each side longed to acquire as they continued to seek economic growth in new markets.

African Americans in the Civil War Essay

The role African Americans played in the outcome, and the road to the outcome of the Civil War was immense. The fact that the south had slaves and the north did not played an enormous role in the issues. The north wanted to abolish slavery, and the south did not and after the war started this became one of the main reasons for the Civil War. Since most African Americans could not read or write, this made them an easy target, for slavery, against the dominant white man. Once the slaves got to America they started to realize how much trouble they were actually in. The north and the south had a problem brewing, and that was due to the slave uprisings and the run a ways. African Americans played an enormous role in the outcome of the Civil War because of the part they took in it. The civil war, which took place from 1861 to the 1920s, the African American community made tremendous strides toward them becoming apart of America and equals in America. Since they had been controlled by the power of the whites for so long, their independence was extremely unfamiliar to them, with their new emancipation. Since they were so uncertain, they debated about the most effect way to go about actually receiving the rights they deserved. They did not just want to be inferior Negros. Some African Americans thought the actual approach would be to go along with the submissive status the whites held them to, so they could earn their respect until fairness pervaded. Others were more wishful with their thinking and thought the military would make whites surrender and give blacks their basic rights. Those who were still they are thought that no progress would ever come. These blacks decided that it was essential to escape the shackles and cruel attitudes toward blacks. The civil war initially began to save the Union. At the start of the war slave masters were terribly scared that the slaves would run to join the Union and help the war efforts. To subsidize the problem, most owner enforced harsh restrictions on their slaves. Some owners even moved their whole plantations inland to avoid any contact with the outside northerners. This did not stop the slaves one bit though, this just caused more slave to flee to the north. The slaves that did decide to stay just demanded more freedom from their masters. Some would say the ones that stayed even gained more power; this forced their masters to give them offerings in exchange for work. The issues of emancipation and military service were intertwined from almost the beginning of the war. News from Fort Sumter made African Americans rush to enlist in military units. They were all turned away since there was a law dating from 1792 that kept African Americans from joining the U. S. army. In Boston disappointed African Americans met and passed a resolution that requested the Government to modify its laws to permit them to enlist. Then Lincoln’s Second Confiscation Act was passed. The act stated that, Confederates who did not surrender with in sixty days of the acts passage were to be punished by having their slaves freed. The Militia Act was also passed. This act stated African Americans were allowed to fight in the war. These two acts together thoroughly punished rebel slaveholders. The African Americans that enlisted both fought in the front lines and worked behind the scenes labor jobs. All these rights that the African Americans were receiving inspired them to return home and free their families and friends. Some of them even started living in the plantations that they used to be slaves of. They took them over and began their own cropping. Some of the other plantations had been left to older disabled white woman, when the men had left for the Confederate army. All of this led to the separation of slave labor in the south After trying terribly hard to keep the issue of slavery out of the war, the North decided to start enlisting African Americans to help them fight in the war. The Fifty-Fourth regiment was created by the Union Army, and was the only all black unit. This Union in particular contributed to the war efforts of the North and showed a new found power among blacks. The regiment started when John Andrew sent a request to the secretary of war, Edwin Stanton, to create a volunteer regiment of African Americans (3). African Americans from all over the country joined. To help recruit even further they called for help from African American leaders like, Frederick Douglas and William Wells Brown. In just two months over one thousand African Americans, one from at least every state, had enlisted in the regiment. The leader of the regiment would not be black though, they wanted the superior officer to have some certain credentials. The job description posted read: â€Å"Young Man of Military Experience Of firm antislavery principles, ambitious, Superior to the vulgar contempt of color Having Faith in the capacity of colored men for military purpose† (2) The man picked for the job was Robert Shaw. The African American regiment and their captain set off for Beaufort, South Carolina on May 28, 1863 (1). They were to attack Fort Wagner, which was a vital key to Charleston. They only way to storm the fort was to go through loads and loads of Confederates. The sheer size of the Confederates to the Fifty- Fourth regiment was an obstacle in itself. The regiment knew the amount of obstacles they would have to overcome to achieve a victory and yet they kept marching. Shaw and a few men marched to the top of the parapet, and there Shaw was shot and killed. Though this was almost a complete disaster for the regiment they had set a path for future African American soldiers. Frederick Douglas said, â€Å"Once let the black man get upon his person the brass letter, U. S. , let him get an eagle on his button, and a musket on his shoulder and bullets in his pocket, there is no power on earth that can deny that he has earned the right to citizenship. † One thousand seventy-nine African Americans had served in the Civil War. They served in both the U. S. Army and about two thousand served in the Navy. By the time the war was over, forty thousand had died in battle and thirty thousand had died of disease and infection. African American soldiers performed all the jobs needed to run an army. They also served as carpenters, chaplains, cooks, guards, laborers, nurses, scouts, spies, steamboat pilots, surgeons, and teamsters (4). There were nearly 80 black commissioned officers (4). Harriet Tubman was the most famous spy; she served for the 2nd South Carolina Volunteers. Tubman decided to help the Union Army because she wanted freedom for all of the people who were forced into slavery, not just the few she could help by herself. And she convinced many other brave African Americans to join her as spies, even at the risk of being hanged if they were caught (4). Among Harriet Tubman were many other African American women who served as nurses, spies and scouts. Although, no women were allowed to formally join the army. When black troops were captured by the confederate soldiers, they faced harsher punishments than the white troops. In 1863 the Confederate Congress threatened to punish officers of African American troops and enslave the African Americans, if they were captured. As a result of this, President Lincoln issued General Order 233, which threatened payback on Confederate prisoners of war, if they mistreated African American troops. This order did scare the Confederates a little, but African American soldiers were still treated harsher than whites. In one of the worst examples of this abuse, Confederate soldiers shot to death black Union soldiers, captures at Fort Pillow, TN, in 1864(). Confederate General Nathan B. Forrest witnessed it all and did nothing to stop it. The President, Abraham Lincoln, issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863. This proclamation eventually led to the freedom of all slaves. The document officially made free all bondsmen in the areas of the Confederacy that were still in rebellion. Slavery although was not abolished in the Border States, Tennessee, or the Union occupied areas of Louisiana and Virginia. The proclamation only affected the states in rebellion, so after the efforts it didn’t actually free any slaves. On the other hand, it did strengthen the Northern war efforts, because they knew they were fighting for a cause. Over five hundred thousand slaves had escaped to the North by the end of the civil war. Many of the escapees joined the Union Army, which tremendously increased its power. As a result of the Emancipation Proclamation, the thirteenth Amendment was created. The Amendment created on December 18, 1865, legally freed all slaves still in bondage. The final step the Emancipation Proclamation was to depress England and France from arriving to the war on the side of the South. England and France wanted to enter the war on the South side, because the South had supplied them both with cotton and tobacco. England and Frances stance changed when they heard that the war had changed to a fight over slavery. Both nations were opposed to slavery, so ended up giving their support to the Union. That led to the winning of the fight for freedom. Juneteenth was the day created to celebrate the emancipation, when the slaves heard about it that midsummer. The holiday is still celebrated today. Abraham Lincoln said, â€Å"A house divided against itself cannot stand. I believe this government cannot endure permanently half-slave and half-free. I do not expect the Union to be dissolved. I do not expect the house to fall, but I do expect it will cease to be divided. It will become all one thing or all the other. â€Å"(3) African Americans along with the rest of the Union were fighting for this freedom and equality that Abraham Lincoln, was talking about. African American contributions were not limited to the role of working the fields in the south or supplying labor for industry in the north. Many African Americans in both south and north participated in either direct or supporting roles in the military. The War Between the States proved to be a war fought for democracy. The liberation that the slaves had been waiting for, recovered the ideas that founded the United States of America. All men were equal under the law. Since, the African Americans made such a persistent effort the changes were made more quickly. Africans pushed for their own emancipation by resisting their masters and other labor tasks. Although a formal Emancipation Proclamation and Thirteenth Amendment freed blacks in America, it would be a long time before they received all the rights they deserved. The minds of Americans had been so engrained with racism only decades of hard work would lessen this. Works Cited 1) Freeman, Elsie, Wynell Burroughs Schamel, and Jean West. â€Å"The Fight for Equal Rights: A Recruiting Poster for Black Soldiers in the Civil War. † Social Education 56, 2 (February 1992): 118-120. 2) â€Å"Blacks in the Civil War. †. Colorado College. Web. 3 Mar 2013.

The Necklace By Guy De Maupassant - 934 Words

During the nineteenth century countries around the globe were primarily governed by royalties. There were many important figures like kings and queens all throughout Europe. Every person’s dream during this era was becoming part of the high-class and the elite. This epoch was full of controversial changes between the social statuses of citizens. An important bourgeois role model during this time period was Guy de Maupassant, who wrote one of the most influential short stories of this century. â€Å"The Necklace†, written by Guy de Maupassant, illustrates elements of fiction such as the symbolism of the necklace because of Mme. Loisel’s desire to be rich, irony due to the twist ending, and a powerful theme. Firstly, the necklace Mme. Loisel borrows and her perspective symbolizes the desire she has towards being wealthy and important in society. Maupassant describes effectively the aspiration Mme. Loisel had on being from the nobility all through the story by illus trating the greediness she portrays on the story. Mme. Loisel is greedy on this story due to the fact that she is never happy with what her husband can give to her and she always wants more and more. Moreover, Mme. Loisel thinks that the more money a person had the more valuable a person was. In â€Å"The Necklace†, Guy de Maupassant indirectly conveys Mme. Loisel’s real background at the beginning of the story when he points out, â€Å"She was one of those pretty and charming girls, born by a blunder of destiny in a family ofShow MoreRelatedThe Necklace By Guy De Maupassant863 Words   |  4 PagesThe short story â€Å"The Necklace† written by Guy De Maupassant, tells the story of a married couple who live an average lifestyle together in France—when one day everything in their lives changes due to a simple decision. The author aims to show the reader the power of decision making when faced to decide between needs, wants, honesty and untruthfulness and how every decision we choose to make affect our lives in ways we never thought possible. In the first few lines of the story, the narrator introducesRead MoreThe Necklace by Guy de Maupassant1034 Words   |  5 Pagesregret which Guy de Maupassant depicts throughout â€Å"The Necklace.† Guy de Maupassant, a French writer, born in 1850, was considered one of France’s greatest short-story writers. His writings were mostly influenced by the divorce of his parents when he was thirteen years old and by great writers such as Shakespeare, Schopenhauer, and Flauber. His parent’s divorce caused his stories to depict unhappiness of matrimony, deceit, miscommunication, and a profound misunderstanding (Maupassant, Guy de, 1850-1893)Read MoreThe Necklace by Guy De Maupassant1367 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"Being Honest is Always Best† Telling the truth will always prevent future conflicts. Author Guy De Maupassant who lived from 1850 to 1893 proves in the story of â€Å"The Necklace,† that no matter how bad a situation is, speaking with the truth is always best. Now, this author does not prove this theme directly. Instead, throughout various situations in the story the main characters are faced with a long-term conflict because decisions were not made with honesty. Mathilde and Loisel who is her husbandRead MoreThe Necklace, by Guy de Maupassant791 Words   |  4 Pagescharacterized by other people. In â€Å"The Necklace† Mme. Loisel is a beautiful woman with a decent life, and a husband that loves her, and only wants to make her happy. She is not rich but she makes it along, she insists of a better, wealthier life. When her husband gets her invited to a ball, she feels the need for a brand new fancy dress and tons of jewelry. When the couple realizes they cannot afford jewelry as well, they searc h out to borrow her friend, Mme. Forestiers’ necklace. She comes to notice she noRead MoreThe Necklace, By Guy De Maupassant966 Words   |  4 PagesIn Guy De Maupassant’s â€Å"The Necklace,† Mathilde is a 19th century French woman who desires a wealthier lifestyle than she can acquire. She is completely indulged in the material possessions of life and is focused on the items she does not have rather than what she owns. It seems her happiness is entirely dependent on wealth and status. She neglects her husband and is never content with what he can offer. Eventually, Mathilde’s struggles of envy, selfishness, and materialism drive her to poverty.Read MoreThe Necklace By Guy De Maupassant1381 Words   |  6 Pagesstories are â€Å"The Necklace† by Guy de Maupassant and â€Å"The Secret Life of Walter Mitty† by James Thurber. â€Å"The Necklace† was about a materialistic woman who faced consequences because of her envious personality and â€Å"The Secret Life of Walter Mitty† was about a man who experienced daydreams randomly throughout the day. Although both short stories used literary elements, Guy de Maupassant utilized them for readers to understand and enjoy the story more than James Thurber. â€Å"The Necklace† was a short storyRead MoreThe Necklace By Guy De Maupassant1093 Words   |  5 PagesThroughout the short story titled â€Å"The Necklace† by Guy de Maupassant, it is clear that the main themes being stressed are pride versus greed, and that things are not quite what they appear. Each of these things are represented throughout the story in some way, whether it be using animated language or symbolism. It is also clear that background information clearly aided the development of the themes Maupassant incorporated throughout the passage. It is seen throughout the story that the main characterRead MoreThe Necklace, By Guy De Maupassant999 Words   |  4 PagesIn Guy de Maupassant’s â€Å"The Necklace,† readers experience Mathilde Loisel’s life-changing event. Coming from nobility, de Maupassant tells the story of luxurious desire through the eyes of the middle class woman Mathilde. Mathilde constantly dreams of living the life of the upper class, and this prohibits her from acting in reality. Mathilde’s internal struggle for a sense of social royalty shows readers how quickly selfish pride destroys a person’s life. Throughout the course of â€Å"The NecklaceRead MoreThe Necklace By Guy De Maupassant1019 Words   |  5 PagesIn the short story of â€Å"The Necklace†, the author Guy de Maupassant is a creative and intriguing tale which reveals a person s dreams of a luxurious lifestyle with countless materialistic possessions. He has skillfully developed the story into a mystery which reveals itself at the end. The main point in the story is that materialism can distort your view of happiness and fulfillment. It is wrong to be materialistic to the extent that you disregard what you already have and lose everything. MathildeRead MoreThe Necklace, By Guy De Maupassant823 Words   |  4 Pagesbe totally unhappy, â€Å"She was a simple person without the money to dress well, but she was as unhappy as if she had gone through bankruptcy, for a woman have neither rank nor race†(Maupassant 7). Loisel s sorrow over wealth and fancy things puts a constant pain on her husband. In Guy de Maupassant short story â€Å"The Necklace,† Mathlide Loisel goes from being a materialistic, dishonest woman to becoming an honest, hard-working woman. At the beginning of the story, Mathlide Loisel is a raging, spoiled

Journalism Reporting on the Courts

So youve gotten a handle on covering a basic police story, and now you want to follow a case as it winds its way through the criminal justice system. Welcome to the courthouse beat! Covering the courts is one of the most challenging and fascinating beats at any news operation, one rich with human drama. The courtroom, after all, is very much like a stage in which the actors - the accused, the attorneys, the judge and jury - all have their roles to play. And, depending on the severity of the alleged crime, the stakes can be enormously high when the defendants freedom - or even his life - are at issue. Here, then, are some steps to follow when you decide to visit your local courthouse to cover a trial. Pick the Right Courthouse to Visit There are courts of varying jurisdictions scattered across the country, from the smallest local court that deals with little more than traffic ticket disputes to the nations highest court, the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, D.C. It may be tempting to get your feet wet by visiting a small local court, sometimes known as a municipal court. But, depending on where you live, these very small courts are often fairly limited in scope. It may be interesting to watch people bicker over traffic tickets for a few minutes, but eventually youll want to move on to bigger things. Generally the best place to start is a state superior Court. This is a court where trials for serious crimes, otherwise known as felonies, are heard. State superior courts are where most trials are heard, and are where most court reporters ply their trade. Changes are theres one in the county seat where you live. Do Research Before You Go Once youve found a state superior court in your area, do as much research as you can. For instance, if theres a highly publicized trial thats been covered in the local media, read up on it before you go. familiarize yourself with everything about the case - the accused, the alleged crime, the victims, the lawyers involved (both the prosecution and the defense) and the judge. You can never know too much about a case. If you dont have a specific case in mind, visit the court clerks office to see what trials are being heard on the day you plan to visit (this list of cases is sometimes known as the docket.) Once youve decided which case you want to cover, get as many of the documents associated with that case from the clerk as possible (you may have to pay photocopying costs.) Remember, a good portion of the story you write will be background material: the who, what, where, when, why and how of the case. So the more of that you have ahead of time, the less confused youll be when youre in the courtroom. When You Go Dress Appropriately: T-shirts and jeans may be comfortable, but they dont convey a sense of professionalism. You dont necessarily have to show up in a three-piece suit or your best dress, but wear the kind of clothes that would be appropriate in, say, an office. Leave the Weapons At Home: Most courthouses have metal detectors, so dont bring anything thats likely to set off alarms. As a print reporter all you need is a notebook and a few pens anyway. A Note About Cameras Recorders: Laws can vary from state to state, but generally are pretty restrictive about bringing cameras or recorders into a courtroom; check with the court clerk before you go to see what the rules are where you live. Once in the Court Take Thorough Notes: No matter how much pre-trial reporting you do, chances are youll find courtroom proceedings a bit confusing at first. So take good, thorough notes, even about things that dont seem that important. Until you understand whats really going on, it will be hard for you to judge whats important - and whats not. Make Note of Legal Terms You Dont Understand: The legal profession is filled with jargon - legalese - that, for the most part, only lawyers fully understand. So if you hear a term you dont know, make note of it, then check the definition online or in a legal encyclopedia when you get home. Dont ignore a term just because you dont understand it. Watch For Moments of Real Drama: Many trials are long period of relatively boring procedural stuff punctuated by brief moments of intense drama. Such drama could come in the form of an outburst from the defendant, an argument between an attorney and the judge or the expression on the face of a juror. However it happens, these dramatic moments are bound to be important when you finally write your story, so take note of them. Do Reporting Outside The Courtroom: Its not enough to faithfully transcribe what happens in the courtroom. A good reporter has to do just as much reporting outside the court. Most trials have several recesses through out the day; use those to try to interview the attorneys on both sides to get as much background as you can about the case. If the lawyers wont talk during a recess, get their contact information and ask if you can call or e-mail them after the trial has ended for the day.