The Message of Art Matters Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

The Message of Art Matters - Essay Example The beauty of art is found everywhere. It is up to an individual how he perceives and appreciates it. While it is true that aesthetic beauty lies in the eyes of a beholder, visual representation brings the collaboration of art formed in many approaches: music,painting, stories, imagination and even science. The subject of an artwork is primarily and obviously taken notice. The artist has the liberty to choose the subject matter for his artwork. However, it is the content that will always reflect the artist (Nielsen). There are thousands of artists that paint the same subject. It is the artist’s own style that makes their works diverse and non-ephemeral. Every man is an artist. Every individual has a way to voice out what is going on inside of him and loose it out in ways that would make an impact to whoever perceives. Art as an expression reflects what is happening in a certain society and culture. If art is a work output, then it must come from inside of the artist. The freedom of every individual lets him explore the vastness of his creativity exploding into varied concepts of supreme work of art and achievements.

Geggus, David Patrick. Haitian revolutionary studies. Essay Example for Free

Geggus, David Patrick. Haitian revolutionary studies. Essay After the 1695 Ryswick Treaty between France and Spain, France took control of St. Domingue (Willie 2001, p 36). The legal rights bestowed upon the French gave them the jurisdictional capacity to reign over the western region of Hispaniola. Government officials from France took care of the administrative and governing bodies of St. Domingue. The Ryswick Treaty paved way for the French to colonize St. Domingue and take preeminence in virtually every fundamental aspect of the region. The social, economic and political realms of the people of St. Domingue were largely defined by the French colonial systems in place (Willie 2001, p 36). The weighty colonial systems of the French in St. Domingue led to a stratified social system, dividing the people into social classes. The Les Grand Blancs were the superior whites who consisted of the planters and royal officials of the colony. The Les Petit Blanc, considered as the lowest group of whites consisted of the artisans, shopkeepers and bookkeepers in St. Domingue. By 1789, the total umber of whites in St. Domingue was 30, 000. The Mulattoes or free coloreds, numbering 28,000 by 1789, consisted of children fathered by white French men with black women (Willie, 2012, p 38). Emancipation of the free coloreds gave them an opportunity to own slaves as their white counterparts. They possessed one third of the real estate in St. Domingue. The slaves, who numbered 450, 000 by 1789 were the least in the social ladder (Ghachem 2003, p 4; Willie 2001, p 38). They literally owned nothing and were devoid of any degree of liberty compared to the other social classes. The social stratification structure in St. Domingue resulted into social, economic and political disparities that constantly caused friction among the social classes in the social ladder. Every social class sought to defend its rights and freedoms; the quest for justice and liberty was deeply engraved in each of the social classes (Geggus 2002, p 14). A critical analysis of the perceived economic and social injustices experienced by the groups is ultimately significant in understanding the causes and aims of the St. Domingue Revolution. Indeed, a critical evaluation of the social ladder in the French colony is imperative in comprehending the causes and aims of the St. Domingue Revolution from 1791-1804. The economic demography of St. Domingue in the late 18th century               Ã‚  One cannot talk about the St. Domingue Revolution (1791-1804) without expounding on the economic demography of the then, largest French colony. Dominated by agriculture and trading relations, the French colony was indeed export motivated. The colonial economy maximized on sugar, coffee, cotton and indigo plantations. The colony had 3000 coffee plantations, 800 sugar plantations, 800 cotton plantations and 2950 indigo plantations (Willie 2001, p 36). The expansive plantations placed St. Domingue strategically among the French colonies; in fact, it was the richest plantation colony of the French. The second half of the 18th century saw St. Domingue expand to become the largest exporter of coffee and sugar in the world; this placed France at a strategic place in the world economy (Willie 2001, p 36). The increased growth and demand in the colonial economy in St. Domingue triggered the colonialists to continually restructure the plantation systems. A constant increase in the number of slaves in the colony by the colonialists fueled the destabilization of the social balance in St. Domingue. In a bid to maintain a robust and thriving colonial agricultural economy, the colonialists subjected the slaves into hard labor, which consequently eroded their state of freedom and liberties. The lowest social class in the French colony experienced social and economic deficiencies that exacerbated their poor living standards. The poor living standards meant that the mortality rate of the slaves, sky- rocketed and necessitated the capture of more slaves for the further expansion of the colonial economy. The complicated economy in late century St. Domingue saw an increase in the number of slaves, which led to slave insurrections prior to 1791(Marsh and Nicola 2011, p 21). The desire of the slaves to attain freedom and liberty precipitated the St. Domingue revolution that historians claim changed the landscape of world affairs, and contributed to the demise of slavery. Hence, the social imbalance created by the economic demography of St. Domingue led to the inception of the revolution. The economic and social disparities of the social groups               Ã‚  Economic and social disparities were at the height of the causes and aims of the St. Domingue revolution (Geggus 2002 p 14). The social classes often clashed with one another in a bid to secure their social, economic and political justices. However, this was not an easy endeavor; hence, precipitating repeated crises that brought social and economic imbalances in the colony. The colonial masters sought to maintain the colony’s economic valor, and for this to happen, the relentless friction among the social clashes continued inevitably. Certainly, the social ladder triggered disparities that heightened the imbalances in the colony. The Les Grant Blancs who were born in the colony expressed feelings of discontent against the whites born from France, their motherland. The whites from France took charge of the most important government offices in the colony. The whites born in the colony (creoles) expressed dissatisfaction because they wanted to participate effectively in the government (Geggus 2002, p 6). The inability of the Les Grant Blancs to have a greater autonomy in the running of the colonial administration affected their social status in the colony. The group perceived that being on top of the social ladder deemed it right to have autonomy over the affairs of the colony. The planters and wealthy members of the group perceived that the ceremonial positions they were given in the assembly was not tantamount to their social status. The reduction of their status to minor aristocrats precipitated their desire to command more grounding against the European-born colonialists. As a result, there was a social stru ggle and imbalance as the group sought to gain the legal rights of controlling the colony. The Les Grant Blancs also wanted to have the freedom of trade. As the plantation owners, they wanted to have more economic autonomy from the proceeds of their produce. Apparently, the colonialists controlled the produce from the island, which was its major asset because of the strategic economic benefits associated with it. The French government introduced the Exclusive trade system, which ensured that the control of goods had to come exclusively from France. Moreover, the high taxation levied on the colony did not auger well with the group. The white plantation owners continually sought to have economic independence from the French government and the colonial administrators. The economic struggles between the Les Grant Blancs and the royal French colonial administrators brought economic imbalances that often threatened the integration of the groups. The white planters saw that the economic advances were creating injustices that needed to be addressed. According to Willie (2001, p 39 ), the Les Grant Blancs believed that the colony officials wasted St. Domingue’s resources. Therefore, the plantation owners and members of the assembly constantly attacked the executive officials from France. It was widely acknowledged that the wealth of the French colonies was primarily meant to benefit France, but not the colonies. This brought mixed reactions in the colony, with the superior whites advocating for the abolishment of heavy taxes and a greater control of the colony’s trade relations. The Les Petit Blanc consisting of poor white men did not have good relations with their rich counterparts. The social disparities between the two groups caused sharp conflicts that often resulted into physical violence. The Les Petit Blanc did not like the fact that their rich counterparts had immense wealth, which they could only imagine. The privileges that the Les Grant Blancs enjoyed created a stratified social structure that made the Les Petit Blanc inferior. The Mulattoes or free coloreds were also inferior to the wealthy planters and civil officers. The interaction between the poor whites and the Mulattoes as well as the slaves made the rich whites to perceive them as less important in the economic status of the colony. The economic and social superiority of the rich whites resulted into strained relationships between them and the â€Å"Les Petit Blancs†. Undoubtedly, the strained relationships stemmed from the economic and social disparities of the colony’s stru cture. Of importance still, is the relationship between the whites and the Mulattoes/ free coloureds. The disparities between the social classes came because of the economic and social characteristics of the Mulattoes. The free coloureds were seen as extremely ambitious and a threat to the social and economic dominance of the whites. They were strong and showed great prospects of social mobility and capacity to compete with the whites. Additionally, most of the Mulattoes were highly educated; hence, posing challenges to the dominant whites. The whites did not like the fast-rising nature of the free coloureds; they wanted them to remain inferior to them and settle at the bottom of the social class ladder. The social and economic disparities between the groups caused numerous conflicts that destabilized the power of the colonial administration. Due to the massive influence of the Mulattoes/free coloureds, the colonial legislature introduced strict laws to limit their influence (James 1963, p 97). The enacted laws forbade them from holding public office, joining the colonial army, wearing European clothes, organizing social functions, marrying whites and residing in France. They were also forced to work for free for a certain number of days per year, according to the French law. The free coloureds were economically and socially deprived of their rights because of their race and their prospects of social mobility. The Mulattoes did not agree with the social and economic injustices committed against them; hence, they sought to find for their rights (Ott 1987, p 67). These factors caused tensions between the whites and the Mulattoes and consequently led to the intense fighting between the groups in 1791. The slaves, majorly from African origin were subjected to hard labor and deprivation of their rights as humans. They were the lowest in the social ladder, and yielded nothing in respect to their social and economic statuses. They experienced harsh conditions subjected to them by the superiors. The economic and social disparities between them and the other groups denied them the opportunity to enjoy their rights and dignity. In 1791, as the Les Blancs, Les Petit Blanc and free coloureds were fighting one another because of the prevalent social and economic disparities, the slaves maximized on the opportunity to start revolts in St. Domingue (James 1963, p 110). The slaves, favored by their numbers, fought against the whites and free coloureds because of the torments they faced as inferiors in St. Domingue. Undeniably, the social and economic disparities among the social classes in the colony contributed greatly in the St. Domingue Revolution. The Declaration of Rights of Men               Ã‚  The Declaration of Rights of Men of 1789 was an instrumental document of the French Revolution in the expression of human rights. The document played a vital role in the establishment of the fundamental human rights that have continued to influence the modern world. In the wake of the French Revolution, there was need for setting up of laws that recognized the basic human rights and the equality of all people before the law. The declaration came at a time when rights and liberties were highly violated at the merit of a few. The French Revolution sought to fight for liberty, equality and fraternity rights (Manigat 1977, p 420). Certainly, the Declaration of the Rights of Men played a dominant role in the start of St. Domingue Revolution. After the document brought the realization of human rights and universal laws in France, the social classes in St. Domingue sought to fight for their rights and privileges in a highly stratified colony. The Les Blancs wanted the right to makes laws, the abolishment of trading restrictions from France and wanted to have social equality with the French whites. They also wanted the scrubbing off, of royal bureaucracies in St. Domingue. The Declaration of the Rights of Men inspired the free coloureds to fight for social and political rights and the abolishment of discrimination. On the other hand, the slaves fought for their personal freedom from the oppression by the other social classes. Based on the discussion above, it is worth noting that the Declaration of the Rights of Men inspired the St. Domingue Revolution. Conclusion               Ã‚  In conclusion, it is notable to assert that the St. Domingue Revolution (1791-1804) was because of various factors. Social and economic disparities in the colony were a major factor in the start of the revolt that certainly ended slavery in the island. The social classes that lived in St. Domingue often clashed in respect to the economic and social factors defining them. The deprivation of rights and liberties among the social groups led to conflicts that often turned physical. The need for economic and social rights and the quest for justice in the late 18th century St. Domingue led to a successful slave revolt that resulted into the birth of the nation of Haiti. As historians put it, the St. Domingue Revolution was significant in defining the history of European colonialism. Indeed, the upheaval is significant in understanding the history of French imperialism. References Geggus, David Patrick. Haitian revolutionary studies. Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press, 2002.Ghachem, Malick W. Slavery and citizenship in the age of the Atlantic revolutions. Alfred, N.Y.: Alfred University, 2003. Print. Ghachem, Malick W. The Old Regime and the Haitian Revolution. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2012. Print. James, C. L. R. Parliament and Property. In The Black Jacobins; Toussaint LOuverture and the San Domingo Revolution. Second Ed. New York: Vintage Books, 1963 Willie, Doris. Renaissance and Revolt. In Lest you forget: a study and revision guide for CXC Caribbean History. Kingston, Jamaica: Jamaica Pub. House, 2001. 38-65 Manigat, Leslie F. The Relationship between Marronage and Slave Revolts and Revolution In St. Domingue-Haiti. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 292, no. 1 Comparative P (1977): 420-438.Marsh, Kate, and Nicola Frith. Frances lost empires: fragmentation, nostalgia, and la fracture coloniale. Lanham, Md.: Lexington Books, 2011.Ott, Thomas O. The Haitian revolution, 1789-1804. 1st ed. Knoxville: University of Tennessee Press, 1987. Source document

Human Form Through The History Of Art

Human Form Through The History Of Art Spanning across centuries of art movements, the human form has been depicted and developed in numerous ways. It can be seen that it has been illustrated according to specific ideologies of an era. Also, quite a significant point is looking in the past at the human form and the large amount of times that artists choose to depict it and how they have rendered it. One can look at two periods, the past -where have we been? and the present where are we now? according to the cultural, ideology and time influences on form. In this essay I firstly looked at how the human body has been portrayed, and secondly, the medium used in which to render the painting/ sculpture. Egyptian artists painted in a very simple, 2D manner, using only a set number of colours to depict their form of a human being. All of their appendages, such as hands and feet, are portrayed as flat and front on. Their eyes also appear to be a frontal view instead of the conventional side on view of the eye when looking at the face from the side angle. (Figure 1) These images are perfect examples of an art form that has been influenced by culture and ideology. The Egyptians lived relatively simple lives yet they were a very precision driven race, for example the pyramids. This is reflected in their art. Barry Kemp extensively researched the Egyptian ideologies and culture. In his book called Ancient Egypt: Anatomy of a Civilisation, he argues that ideologies have become one of the shaping processes of the modern times. Kemp stated that it would be appropriate to use the word ideology when referring to the Egyptians vision and use of symbolic terms in their artwork. The Egyptians beli eved that it was of central importance to keep the reflection of a divine order within their lives. (Kemp, 2006: 61) The use of simplistic form and symbols depict their idea of a true representation of a humans form and lifestyle at that time. Greek The Greeks worked in a variety of styles and mediums. From sculpture, to painting, to prints as seen below (Fig 2 3) a similar thread runs through of the Greek ideology. Their appearance is analogous in style to Egyptian art. Both representing 2D forms with very simple, reserved use of colour and no 3D qualities at all. These two examples represent prime facets to the violent Greek lifestyle of war and quarrel forever ending in gruesome death. Although when researching Greek art, it is impossible not to talk about sculpture. The Greeks were known for their sculpture and architecture. The central subject matter in Greek art is the human form and it is displayed in many ways. Static sculpture, such as the example below (Fig 4) (Home School, n.d.) represents the very early form of Greek sculpture. There is no movement in the artwork what so ever; the only difference / variety is the fact that the one leg is put forward. The Greek lifestyle and ideologies at this point in history was vital in the exploration of the human form. The sculptors started to differentiate their works by adding texture and movement. Or Mobile Sculptures: The Greeks believed in resolving issues with violence, as mentioned above. Therefore this was an ideology of their time. Their art no matter how static it appeared always carried connotations of viciousness and passion. This particular sculpture (Fig 5) is a demonstration of pure strength and domination of the male form in the Greek ideology. Every muscle is emphasized and their facial expressions tell a story of their own. Baroque In the Baroque movement there is a complete change to what has already been looked at. Art had evolved into more realistic renderings and the majority of work was completed in paint. The word Baroque has the original meaning of irregular, contorted, grotesque (Janson, 1982: 483). Which when speaking about the movement as a whole, is a largely out-dated explanation. The new style actually originated in Rome during the late 1500s. In Rubens painting, The Union of Earth and Water (Fig 6), it is evident that many, many hours of painting were put in to produce this work. The forms have a soft, gentle shape. The females bodies in this era were always described in the paintings as full and plump but not over-weight in any sense. In more modern terms their bodies would be considered to be shapely. The Ideal woman/ bodily form in this era in terms of the ideology of form was seen as more romantic in observation. It was not seen as in the more modern times of a slender, fit looking woman ideologies of the perfect woman of our time this is how their perfect woman appeared. The conventional way of portraying a human body with the face forward or to the side was challenged and explored by placing a form with his back to the observer. This could indicate deeper connotations of social changes or standards. With the male being the one to turn away, it could indicate his confidence in his own authority. Neo-Classicism Known as one of the first movements to be in the Modern World of universal art movements, Neo-Classicism brought forth new dimensions of the portrayal of the human body. Similarly to Baroque, the figures were rendered mainly in paint, with a more realistic emphasis. However there is one noticeable change in the human form when moving onto the Neo-Classicism era. It is visible that the form has been revised more in terms of muscle shape and the actual realistic shape of the body. For example, the men posed in the painting have very muscular bodies and are standing in a very blatant, upright position; which differs greatly to the style in which the artists portrayed their forms in the previous movement. Every muscle is defined and emphasized; every proportion is correct; nothing is removed from the composition and their forms are depicted in a very realistic manner. Looking also at the women in the background, it is apparent too that their shape and form is much more refined and calcul ated. This movement is described as a new revival of classical antiquity (or ancient) (Janson, 1982: 557). This movement spanned over a near century in length. A good example to illustrate this movement is Davids painting, The Oath of Horatti. (Fig 7) Impressionism is the next period towards the present. The term Impression means (in painting) to make a mark with paint to give the idea (impression) of something. It does not mean that the observer can see the exact object it is a suggestion using colour through emotion. In the case of the artwork below (Fig , lighter shades of the same colour are almost dotted on to the canvas to give the effect of dappled shade. The impression of shade is evident. Scenes from the world of entertainment (Janson, 1982: 608) such as dancing halls, side cafà ©s, concerts and the theatre were the main subject choice of the impressionist painters. To look at a good example of form and its depiction in this movement, The Tub by the impressionist artist, Degas (Fig 10), is a great instance. A woman is bathing in a round bath tub. As the subject in the painting, her body utilizes the majority of the space. The brush strokes are quite harsh and quick, in a way that just by looking at the image they are clearly seen. This in turn causes a hazy, or out of focus effect to the painting. Even through this however, the observer can clearly see her form. Her shoulder bone is distinct causing a line of shadow on her back. Her ribs can too be seen from the way that she is bent over they are easily exposed under a persons skin. The harshness of the brush strokes in a way emphasizes her form. The use of light and dark (chiaroscuro) has the same effect. Although, when compared to Davids Oath of Horatti (Fig 7), there is a great difference in the way in which the artist painted. The Neo-Classicist work expresses static definition, where as in The Tub (Fig 10) more of an impression of the emotion of the painter (and subject) are conveyed through the rough brushstrokes and colour use. Moving on from paintings and routine sculptures comes the reasonably broad movement of Modernism/ 20th Century painting and sculpture. There are thousands of examples of a modernistic artwork. It has been debated whether or not this was a turning point in how and what artists considered art. Research in this topic shows a definite turning point in one artists work. Anthony Gormley is his name. The image below is of one of his most famous works, a human being lying on the ground in the foetal position on his/her back. Constructed in small, rectangular, metal blocks put together in such a way as to take on / imply the human form. In a way the figure looks almost lost and out of place, on what looks like a sidewalk. The fascinating fete about Gormleys work is that even though it is highly unrealistic, it is too perfectly realistic at the same time in that you can see all the essential details of human form. This of course refers to a more simplistic approach of the interpretation of the body, which in turn could speak about how the form was perceived and/or appreciated in this time. At this stage the depiction of the human form was already moving at a steady pace towards unrealistic simplicity. The movement of Cubism followed shortly after Modernism and materials being used, in fact, completely differed to that of most modernistic works. Picasso, being one of the most famous artists of all history for his cubist works, painted the human form countless times. This particular painting of his is a picture-perfect example of a cubist artwork. The woman is barely capable of being observed properly. The true form in this case as in most artworks of this movement has been lost and only shape (2D) is left behind. The completely angular rendering of the undeveloped figure again hints towards the use of more and more simplicity and basic form in artworks. Most of Picassos cubist works were painted around 1908 1910 (Janson, 1982). This was therefore a few short years before World War 1 began in the summer of 1914 (Janson, 1982). If one looks at the history, there was much tension and social upheaval evident. This was a turning point that changed artists views and opinions which only continued changing due to World War 2. Lastly, the final movement being discussed is the Pop Art movement. A lot of Pop Art pieces were done by the method of silk-screening. This places layers of different colour onto the page to obtain a bright, cartoon-like image. Nowadays you can see them in almost all comic strips for example. It is clear that the human form appears entirely two dimensional for the majority of the time (Fig 14). In (Fig 13) however a rare occasion of tonal value is evident. The form also only appears by itself, with no detailed background, focusing all of the observers attention on the subject. Subsequently, the depiction of the human body has developed and changed. This was due to the ever changing influence of specific ideologies current in each time period. By looking through all the movements mentioned above, there is evidence to state that even though there has been development artworks have gone back to their original state. There has been a loop of progress, yet we still arrive at the same conclusion. In early times before Christ, artworks and sculpture consisted of only necessary form. Now, in the present day, there is the same result.

American Schools Need Essentialism Essay -- Education Teaching Essays

American Schools Need Essentialism There are five main philosophies that describe education: Essentialism (the back-to-basics approach which strives to teach students the essentials), Progressivism (which stresses individuality), Perennialism (which is the teaching of philosophies that have been around for hundreds of years), Existentialism (which give the students the choice of when to study and when not to), and Behaviorism (which lets teachers use reinforcement to achieve the desired behaviors which need to be used in the class room). Essentialism was the main philosophy used in earlier classrooms, and should be adopted back into the classrooms of today. If essentialism is going to be brought back into the classroom many changes are needed. The students’ curricula of today’s schools have too many classes that stray students away from the basic subjects. Another point of today’s schools is that there is too much acceptance for absences, tardiness, and misbehavior. Students feel like the school is their personal playground and there is nothing the teachers can do about it...

Culture of Cherokee American Indians Essay

Scholars differ on where the Cherokee subculture came from and when they arrived on their traditional lands in the Southeast. The archaeological record of human occupancy of the Southeast goes back to at least 10,000 B. C. (Muller, 1978, p. 283; Canouts and Goodyear, 1985, p. 181), but this does not mean the Cherokees, or even their very distant ancestors, were there that early. Cherokees, as Cherokees, did not exist nearly so far back in time, nor did they necessarily emerge from the first or even from early occupants of the Southeast. The Cherokees as a more or less distinct American Indian people seem to be at the very most only one or two thousand years old. They may have developed from other American Indian peoples already in the Southeast, or they may have migrated there from another region. The Cherokees say they and other human beings were created after plants and animals were made. Plants and animals were told by the creator–the Cherokees do not know who he or she was–to stay awake for seven nights and watch the world. Most could not do so. Of the plants, only the spruce, cedar, pine, holly, and laurel trees were able to watch so long: that is why they are now green all year. Of the animals, only the owl, the panther, and a few others were able to stay awake: that is why they see at night and prey on those who must sleep. Human beings were then created: â€Å"At first there were only a brother and sister until he struck her with a fish and told her to multiply, and so it was. † Seven days afterward the girl had a child; another came seven days later, then another, and so forth, and the human beings â€Å"increased very fast until there was danger that the world could not keep them. Then it was made that a woman should have only one child in a year, and it has been so ever since† (Mooney, 1982, p. 240). The Cherokees do not now know when or how some humans first became Cherokees. Almost certainly they had their origins in an ancient time, distinct from the present, when things were not as they are now. The Cherokees think they may even have emerged from the ground after other human beings were created, for it is said there is another world under the surface, identical except that the seasons are different. According to the Cherokees, â€Å"The streams that come down from the mountains are the trails by which we reach this underworld, and the springs at the heads are the doorways by which we enter it, but to do this one must fast and go to water and have one of the underground people for a guide† ( Mooney, 1982, p. 240). Some scholars have asserted that this is where the name Cherokee came from–given them by their neighbours. The scholars have argued that Cherokee means â€Å"cave people,† for the Cherokees are said to have come from under the ground (Reid, 1970, p. 3) and also lived in a mountainous land full of caves. The eighteenth-century trader James Adair asserted that the name came from the (apparently Cherokee) word chee-ra, meaning (sacred) fire, forming cheera-tahge, or â€Å"men possessed of the divine fire† (Adair, 1930, p. 237). Probably the name is from the Creek chilokee, â€Å"people of a different speech,† as John W. Swanton has stated; perhaps it is the name from which the form Chalaque was derived (Swanton, 1985, p. 49-50). The anthropologist John Witthoft supported this interpretation, based on his work with Eastern Cherokee â€Å"informants†: â€Å"The name came from the Creek, Celokokalke, ‘people of another language’. † He asserted, â€Å"The Creek name by which the Cherokee were first known to Europeans became the general name for them in the Southeast, and was soon accepted even by the Cherokee themselves; names for other tribal groups have come into existence after a similar fashion† (Witthoft, 1947, p. 305). The Cherokees commonly called themselves Tsalagi or, in the plural, Ani-Tsalagi, perhaps â€Å"corrupted† to form the name Cherokee or perhaps derived from the same word as Cherokee. According to James Mooney, their proper name for themselves was Yunwiya or, in the plural, Ani-Yunwiya. It means, more or less, â€Å"the people,† â€Å"the real people,† or â€Å"the principal people† (Mooney, 1982, p. 15). Tradition played an important role in Cherokee clans. It made sure certain elements of a culture from generation to generation were passed down. Such as, the traditional matrilineal Cherokee family structure, which means descent, is traced through the female line (Conley, 2002). The children belonged to the mother and her family clan. There was not any relatedness with the father and he’s family clan. This family structure provided a safe and secure environment for women and children. Also, it meant the man lived in the wife’s house, surrounded by her clan’s people, so he would not dare to abuse her unless he wanted a tribal beating. Women were largely incorporated into the tribes. Not only was she the head of her domain with mutually respected power and authority, she had equal say in the affairs of war and peace. She was also in charge of the household and nourishment of her family. The women were involved in many functions of daily life. It seems as if the women were the tribe, but not for long. Years after the first American contact, European traders living amongst would marry Cherokee women. European traders could not accept that fact of tracing descent through the female line, but slowly the clan system gave into the European style bilateral family, which traced descent through both male and female (Conley, 2002). The Cherokee were not too happy with this movement. It jeopardized the Cherokee’s clan traditional ways of a matrilineal family structure carried on for many centuries. Nevertheless, the Cherokees could do nothing about it. Before the first known contacts, life of the Cherokee nation had grown and thrived for many years in the south-eastern United States in the lower Appalachian Mountains in states such as: Georgia, Tennessee, North and South Carolina, and parts of Kentucky and Alabama. However, in less than thirty years, after the first recorded contact with outsiders, in particular with Hernado De Soto in his expedition of 1540, the Cherokee Indians reformed their culture. Many adaptations took place which resembled similar American cultures. The Cherokee soon built schools and court systems. This infuriated Andrew Jackson, a supporter of the Indian removal policy. After awhile, George Gist, also known as Sequoyah, established a Cherokee written language, utilizing an ingenious alphabet of 86 characters in 1821 (Ehle, 1925). Soon, this was adopted into Cherokee culture and a newspaper was formed. Again, Andrew Jackson grew more furious. He wanted the Cherokees removed off their lands. In 1830, United States Congress passed an Indian Removal Act pushed by President Andrew Jackson following the recommendation of former President James Monroe in his final address to Congress in 1825 (King, 1979). This act enforced the previous Georgia Compact of 1802, since many were ignoring that removal act. But, many opposed this Indian Removal Act ratified by congress. After debates over this issue, the oppositionist won. However, Andrew Jackson was able to reinforce the act, due to the Treaty of New Echota on Dec. 29, 1875 (Conley, 2002). The signing of the Treaty of New Echota set the stage for the beginning of Cherokee extermination. The treaty signed away the entire remaining tribal territory east of the Mississippi in exchange for five million dollars and the right to occupy lands west of the Mississippi (King, 1979). Major Ridge, John Ridge, Elies Boudinot, and the rest of the Treaty Party doomed the whole Cherokee Nation when they agreed to sign a fraudulent treaty with the federal government, which did not represent the Cherokee Nation as a whole (Martin, 2001). The Ross Party, people who oppose the removal treaty, tried to resist, but nothing else could be done. This removal process started what was to be known as the â€Å"Trail of Tears† or â€Å"Trail where they cried. † This forced migration journey consisted of thirteen groups of consecutive waves led by Cherokee captions that lasted from August 28, 1838 to March 18, 1839 (Conley, 2002). Over the journey many Cherokees died, approximately, four thousand out of sixteen thousand, due to diseases, exposure, or fatigue (Martin, 2001). The history of the Cherokee people is one of defeat and despair. After the first encounters with Americans, the Cherokee Nation was deteriorating. For instance, Cherokee family structures were changing, vast amounts of lands were being ceded to Americans, and Cherokee Indians were forced from their lands. Overtime, this constant chipping away at the Cherokee Nation, lead to the final Indian removal from homelands and the demise of the Cherokee Nation in southeastern United States. References Adair, James. (1930). Adair’s history of the American Indians. Johnson City, Tenn. : Watauga Press. Canouts, Veletta, and Goodyear, Albert C. (1985). Lithic scatters in the South Carolina Piedmont. In Structure and process in southeastern archaeology, ed. Roy S. Dickens Jr. , and H. Trawick Ward, (pp. 180-94). University: University of Alabama Press. Conley, Robert, J. (2002). Cherokee. Portland: Graphic Arts Center Publishing Co. pp. 24-5, 44. Ehle, John. (1925). Trail of tears. New York: Doubleday Dell Publishing Group, Inc. King, Duane, H. (1979). The Cherokee Indian Nation. Knoxville: The University of Tennessee Press. pp. 16, 129. Martin, Ken. (2001). History of the Cherokee. Retrieved February 13, 2006 from cherokeehistory. com Mooney James. (1982). Myths of the Cherokee and sacred formulas of the Cherokees. Nashville: Charles and Randy Elder. Muller Jon D. (1978). The Southeast. In Ancient Native Americans, ed. Jesse D. Jennings, (pp. 281-325). San Francisco: W. H. Freeman. Reid, John P. (1970). A law of blood: The primitive law of the Cherokee Nation. New York: New York University Press. Swanton, John R. (1985). Final report of the United States De Soto Expedition Commission. Washington, D. C. : Smithsonian Institution Press. Witthoft, John. (1947). Notes on a Cherokee migration story. Communicated by W. N. Fenton. Journal of the Washington Academy of Sciences, 37, 304-5.

A Guide For Students Writing A Great Discursive Essay

A Guide For Students Writing A Great Discursive Essay Discursive Essay: Topic and Structure Many people have at least one impartial friend. A disinterested friend is one who is exceptionally mature, never takes sides, and fair in all situations. That friend is similar to a discursive essay that we will elaborate in this article. Discursive essays are well known for being impartial; they take distance from complex issues. These essays would consider all possible outcomes from any given situation and makes conclusions based on the analysis. Discursive essays are more or less the same as that impartial friend you have who is willing to listen to your situation but avoids being emotionally attached in the issue under consideration. On the other hand, there is that friend we have who cant avoid taking sides on issues and will quickly get emotionally attached to a problem. This particular folk react readily and would always find a side to support. They would argue in support of this given side they have chosen until the end. This individual is very different from the discursive essay but conforms to the values of an argumentative essay. At times, they can relate to a persuasive essay. After reading this article, you will understand the best way of drafting a flawless discursive essay. It will be easier for you handling assignment on the discursive essay and will help you get a passing grade or even more. What is a Discursive Essay? A discursive essay is a kind of essay that would seek to explain all possible views and positions in a given topic, subject, or issue at hand. The main issue why students are given discursive essays is to determine whether a student can remain neutral on a given issue and overlook on the most charged opinions (How to Write an Amazing Discursive Essay (2019 Guide), 2019). You need to demonstrate to your teacher that even though you have your stand on some issues, you are capable of putting them aside and look at things logically. The most unusual types of discursive essays take silent steps and examine every shade of an issue. Example of an impartial friend still applies. You may decide to go to your best friend and inform him/her how your roommate failed you for lunch despite confirming to come. No matter how you present your statement, that impartial friend will still remain impartial and would replay and say: Well, in one perspective, that sounds rude and was not the best thing to do more so after confirming attendance lunch. In this modern time, there is no point why one would fail to give notification of not attending to your invitation. Communication is straightforward and just sending a text message was enough to settle everything. However, looking at the issue from another angle, you might find out that your friend got a demanding task that left her little time to even communicate to you. I have heard her complain severally that her cellular device is poor while in office. Besides, her parents are such strict, so she seems, to have weird issues when it comes to disappointing people. Like an impartial friend, discursive essays do not jump into conclusions even when an issue seems to be in black and white. Even when something appears to be simple, it is never that simple. Just a fraction of items in the whole world is simple. Thus, discursive essay gives students an excellent opportunity to critically look at issues and identify any connection existing in them. Structure of a Discursive Essay Nothing is unique when it comes to formatting. A discursive essay has similar structure like other essays you know. In your introduction, you need to start with a hook that connects to the rest of the essay and motivates the reader to continue reading. Other sentences would then discuss the background of the issue and how it connects to the current world. A discursive essay is one of the most challenging writing tasks as you need to develop a thesis statement that does not side with any part. I am sure you are used to writing those thesis statements that are definitive and would easily guide readers towards the direction the paper takes. The thesis statement for your discursive essay should maintain your two sides throughout your piece. For instance, you can decide to give a thesis like this: Although many people believe that death penalty should be eliminated as it is morally wrong, there are those who think that it should be administered as failure to administer it would deny victims justice. The above thesis statement has taken into consideration two possible perceptions that would be discussed. Every paragraph should not mix the two discussions but rather dwell on one. For example, if you are discussing on the immorality of death penalty, you need to equally have other two paragraphs that discuss on the pros of the death penalty. Also if you decide to write one paragraph for the death penalty, you will also have to write another one article to counter your claim. This should be effectively achieved regardless of your actual beliefs of the claim. Each side should be treated equally and should be similar in size and even word count. Concluding a discursive essay is different from the past conclusions students are conversant with while writing their assignments. But with this essay, you will start your conclusion by assessing all your evidence. While doing this remember not to define your stand but make more sense in your writing. Again, we make our references to an impartial friend who never takes sides no matter what. An impartial friend will never take a side but will weigh on issues and provide a response based on reality. In the above case of missed lunch, a disinterested friend will claim that it was not right for someone to lose lunch when plans had been made early. Though the friend might not be in a position to call or text, she could have sent you an email. All in all, we are human beings and one need to consider many options. The dream job your friend tried hard to get turned distracted her from her social life. She can work for almost 12 hours a day. In this statement, the conclusion will give more clarification but does not take sides with the issue. Also, in other essays, you will have to talk about your main points discussed in your body but using a new version of the language to avoid sounding repetitive. Some instructors will advise their students to give their viewpoint at the end of a discursive essay. This is not a true discursive essay but rather a semi-discursive essay. A purely discursive essay will not take sides even in conclusion. The ability of the composition to remain neutral throughout makes it strong compared with other essays that would change its focus at any point. A Template For Discursive Essays A hook sentence (quote or statistics) aimed at capturing the attention of your readers while showing them the purpose of your essay Background sentence Background sentence that is linking two discursive sides of your essay Transitional sentence Thesis statement: looking at truthfulness of the two sides Topic sentence that supports a give side of your topic Discussion on the relevance of your claim Supporting information on the details provided Detailed explanation on why you view is valid Topic sentence to support supporting the other view that opposes the thesis statement Important descriptions Further description or supportive information Discussing relevance of your opinion A nuanced discussion on the two opposing sides, stating validity of the two viewpoints without taking any concrete stand Revisit the first major point Revisit the second major point Revisit the third major point Revisit the fourth major point Connect the two perspectives of your thesis statement to a wide issue in existing either in the world or humanity. Steps of Writing Discursive Essays You need to choose a popular topic so you will have more content to write on. On your rough book, note down all basic points that will support one side of your thesis. Repeat the same for the remaining part of your thesis. Look for available quotes or statistics that are in line with your topic. Identify the one you like most and make it a hook for your readers. In this step, use two or three sentences to discuss the background of your issue. Design a thesis statement that summarizes the two sides of your topic. Use the first paragraph of your body to discuss on one perspective of this topic as well as the main points supporting it. Go deep and make your readers understand that you know the aspect inside out. (If you teacher wants a more extended essay, make sure to add paragraph). Repeat this in the following paragraph. Write an exciting opening sentence to conclude your work that revisits all that has been discussed in your essay. Do this is a way that will clarify your essay your points. Summarize your main points and give if possible your preference but do not be so open to it. Connect your points to the rest of your paper on the particular issue in the society, larger picture, or human existence. Topics on Discursive Essay Are two-parent homes more superior compared to single-parent homes? Do you believe that middle children in the family are under-achievers? Do you believe that exposing young children to violent media prepare them to the future realities in life or it will make them more violent like what they see? Do children growing with pets behave in a more adjusted life in their adulthood? Should religious institutions be taxed? Do social media have a role to play in controlling online bullying and troll irrespective of the first amendment bill? Do you believe that people who walk to work or ride on their bicycle should have reduced tax? The best teacher is a failure. Largest governments on the planet always try to stifle the economy of the country it controls. Children who are grown in the suburbs might not reach their full potential as these areas lack enough experiences children need. Example of a Discursive Essay Success is a lousy teacher. It seduces smart people into thinking they cant lose. This is a basic statement that was spoken by the richest man on earth, Bill Gates. If you sample some wealthiest people on earth, they seem to have one common understanding about success. They think that success is fickle in giving useful lessons that should be used while giving instructions. Any critical person will agree that failure has its own lessons to teach people. Even if it offers instructions, is it a better teacher than success? Both success and failure have lessons to teach us in life. But the main question remains if one is best compared to the other in a personal level development. In this essay, we will examine each experience in a more detailed way giving values of both failure and success in forcing one to develop. Failure gives us instant lessons with the majority of them being the regular lessons. Failure will show brilliant individuals that they are can also fail. Not all projects they venture it will eventually be successful, or like by the public. Failure is a mirror in peoples lives, and it helps them to re-examine themselves on the mistakes they might have done in the past. One will think of where something was overestimated/underestimated or even miscalculated. Failure will teach you and endure all levels of success like introspection that we tend to avoid. If allowed, the collapse will usher in a series of mistakes. All these mistakes should be fixed first before proceeding with the journey. Thus, failure is experiential learning that gives us an accurate picture of what we expect to get if we behave in a specific manner. The moment a person decides to embrace failure; he/she will endure all moments of break-down encountered on the way. This is experimentation that paves in great innov ation and discoveries that has changed the planet. Additionally, it makes one venture in the possible growth of emotional intelligence. This is because failure is accompanied by a sense of embarrassment.   Failure leaves you with nothing but to pick yourself up and try again. This will help but rather force one to forge ahead concerning grit, character, and resilience. On the other side, we have neglected the power success has to teach on the right paths of life. As one renewed entrepreneur said, you can own success but rather rent it, but even after renting it you have to understand that its rent is due every day. That is why we find successful people competing with each other daily. They have noticed that their success is not everlasting and they need to work hard in order to maintain their success. Success has forced them into a competition on a rigorous playing ground bringing them to this challenging battle. If they have to succeed in their ventures, then they need to be phenomenal. All successful individuals learn in a rather quick manner, and they leave their practices that do not make them succeed quickly to focus forward. In conclusion, both failure and success give specific opportunities and lessons for our growth. Identifying which one is best to use is very hard and might take quite a long some time. On the one hand, failure comforts one to confront failure with more energy and approach every situation experimentally. On the side of success, it offers individuals constant power to work smarter to maintain their excellence. In the process, they connect with other successful people whom they share ideas with. Both experiences drawn from the two offers an individual opportunity to grow. Failure should be treated as a circumstance that is unavoidable if one has to succeed in life. A discursive essay provides one with an opportunity to step into another persons impartial friend. When in this position, you get a chance to examine all places that may be surrounding a given situation or idea. Many people will not do these easily. Also, discursive essays give one the freedom not to argue or convince readers on a particular idea. Instead, your work is to shed light on some ideas that are not well understood by the public. If you need professional feedback regarding your essay or you need help with writing, we are here for you. Feel free to contact us at any time. Whether you need feedback or assistance with your essay, remember you are the reason why we are here. Our professional writers will help you any time you need to write a flawless article that will impress your instructor.