Nature vs Nurture Essay Example for Free

Nature vs Nurture Essay Abstract The discussion surrounding Stephen Pinkers book The Blank Slate: the Modern Denial of Human Nature has sparks some rather interesting arguments as to whether our being is a result of nature, genetics or is it learned through nurturing. The discussion revolved around Pinkers idea that there is no such thing as the Blank Slate theory, when it comes to human nature. He believes that the human mind, like the human body, has been designed by natural selection through the process of biological evolution (Bailey Gillespie, 2002, p. 2). The Blank Slate theory derived from John Locke, a great philosopher who lived in the 16th century. In John Lockes philosophy, tabula rasa was the theory that the (human) mind is at birth a blank slate void of all characters, without any ideas or rules for processing data, and that data is added and rules for processing it formed solely by our sensory experiences. As understood by Locke, tabula rasa meant that the mind of the individual was born blank, and it also emphasized the individuals freedom to author his or her own soul. Each individual was free to define the content of his or her character but his or her basic identity as a member of the human species cannot be so altered. Implicit in this theory is the belief that individuals are infinitely and arbitrarily malleable by society: by changing the individuals environment, and thus sensory experiences, one can shape the individual with few, if any, restrictions. Steven Pinker challenges the Blank Slate theory. He thinks, we are genetically coded to be whatever we are. The experiences we encounter only have a minuscule impact on how we grow. Pinker argues about the idea of which nurture plays a more important role than nature in the development of the human mind. He believes a child is born with a personality, and parents cannot cause their children to have a different personality to that which is given. Pinker states in an interview by Bailey and Gillespie that: Blank slates do not do anything they just sit there. Human beings do things. They make sense of their environment they acquire language they interact with one another. They use reasoning to bring about things that they want. Even if you acknowledge, as you have to acknowledge, that learning, socialization, and culture are indispensable aspects of human behavior you have to admit that you cant have culture unless you have some kind of innate circuitry that can invent and acquire culture to begin with. (p. 5) Pinker also has an interesting notion, that there is no such thing as intelligence as we know it. If everyone is born void of everything, how do we explain intellectual difference among humans? One of his ways to solve the difference, because it is given to us genetically is to have its checks and balance. We have to match social structure to genetics. Pinker stated that the Blank Slate theory made divisions among humans socially, intellectually, racially and by gender. Method Participants Research participants stemmed from his research with twins where Pinker with the help of Jennifer Ganger, PhD. They gathered data. On the development of words, sentences and past tense forms in a large sample of identical and fraternal twins. In the research he looked at there gradual development of their language, if it looked like the development appear in closer synchrony in identical twins (who share all their genes) than in fraternal twins (who share half their genes, among those that vary), it would suggest that language development is paced in part by a genetically influenced maturational timetable. (Pinker research 2002 p. 1) Pinker also conducted research studies on Neuroimaging of inflection where he used (functional magnetic resonance imaging to investigate the neural organization of language. He also used a set of projects that focused on inflections such as the past tense and plural to understand the psychology of language. I have studied how past tense forms develop in children. I studied this processed in real time during speech productions. How they vary and do not vary? and how their details, quirks and exceptions are explained by linguistic theory. (Pinker ? research, 2002 p. 1) My view of this topic is that I think to some extent we are born with some kind of personality but our experiences molds what we truly become. I do not believe that nature give us, by genetics all the things we need in life. I think we are born with some intellectual capacity and by nurturing that, we improve our knowledge. I saw an example of nurturing on an interesting episode of CBS 60 minutes. A little boy was born severely brain damaged and was blind. He could barely walk, talk or move his hands. At the age of two, his parents gave him a piano, he began playing it, and by age five, he was already playing classical music. The gene found in this child is found, is found in one in ten thousand people and it allows him to read music. He just needs to hear a sound once in its entirety and he can play it on piano minutes later. No everyone with this gene has this ability. His parents nurtured him and invoked the intellectual part of his brain that allows him to be an extraordinary musician. Our experience in life and the way we are nurture plays a vital roll in the individuals we become. In closing, I think we do learn a great deal from nurturing and we are born with a gene that gives us certain personalities. Therefore, a human being cannot be completely void. References Bailey, R Gillespie, N (2002). Reason: Biology vs. the blank Slate. http://reason. com/0210/fe. rb. biology. shtml Pinker, S (2005) http://pinker. wjh. harvard. edu Wikipedia. Org http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Tabula_rasa http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Nature_versus_nurture http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/The_Blank_Slate.

The Role Of ICT In Teaching ESL

The Role Of ICT In Teaching ESL The association of ICT and English in last few years had made rapid changes in the presentation of curriculum in various aspects. Practitioners, theorists and researchers have started to pay serious attention to the challenges of the new technology and these challenges and opportunities that new technology presents have resulted English teachers into a new dimension. There are different issues related to the relationship of ICT and English which consists of complex implications for classroom teaching and initial teacher education. Student teachers who play a vital role in delivering ESL have wide range of experiences and level of expertise in ICT. My aim is to enable student teachers to be aware of these important issues and have the skills, knowledge and critical understanding to respond teaching of English through ICT. Initially, I perform analysis of the changing nature of ESL in the light of current technology advancement. Then, explore the interpretations of the role of ICT in teaching English, the provision made by ICT in college and policy and classroom practice in the area of the curriculum. Changing nature of ESL at present Recent years have seen a move from the predominance of the printed test to varied sites for textual production, including web-based environments, mobile phones and computers games. Screen based texts are characterized by varied and densely interrelation multimodal communication with an increasing emphasis on visual aspects of texts, such as layout use of font and images and the incorporation of sound, animation and hyperlinks. Digital technology has also made it easier to experiment the text production and to communicate rapidly with a range of familiar and unfamiliar audiences. ESL teachers have to consider how to teach language literacy and technological skills so that learners can make effective use of ICT. When teachers develop and implement an electronic literacy approach, they must address a number of questions: How should ESL teachers make the best use of new online opportunities to maximize language study and practice while also helping students develop computer-based communication and literacy skills? What strategies for communicating and networking should students be taught? What goals should language teacher aim for and what kinds of online projects could students carry out to accomplish those goals? Which are the most crucial electronic resources and tools that teachers should learn about so that they can teach them to their students? How can teachers encourage students to become autonomous learners who can continue to learn how to communicate, conduct research and present their ideas effectively using information communication technology beyond the confines of the class or semester? (cited in Shetzer Warschauer, 2000, 171-172) The purpose of this study was to explore the use of the Internet in vocational high-school English learning environments in a specific socio-cultural context including in the physical world and in cyberspace. The results of the in-depth study aim to shed light on the combinations of English language and ICT that can both enhance vocational high-school students technological competence as well as facilitate English language acquisition and applications in an authentic situation. Research questions Specific questions explored in the study include the following: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Can students learn the functions of the Internet via the English language and Significantly improve their English e-talk on the Internet? à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ What are the benefits or difficulties with the use of Information Communication Technology in the teaching of English as a Second Language? à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ What are the perceptions of both teacher and students regarding the use of the Internet in the class? à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ What are the issues and challenges that arise in the integration of the Internet in English learning contexts? à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Can students feel comfortable communicating in English on the Internet? Can the design of the Internet and English class improve their language proficiency and grammatical usage? The setting for the study The research study was conducted at a vocational high school________________ The course was named Internet and English; its major objective was to help vocational high school students learn English in a natural setting with the assistance of ICT. This course used various methods to facilitate students Internet usage by way of English writing. A ______-hour on-line lecture plus a computer session was held on Tuesdays in a computer lab where ______ Personal Computers were set-up and networked. In the lab the teacher lectured on some introductory aspects of the Internet and its functions and at the same time demonstrated its uses and gave students opportunities for practice using English and exploring the Internet. In addition to the weekly lecture and computer session, the after-class activities and assigned tasks were required of each student. To carry out the after-class projects and assignments, the students therefore needed to connect to the Internet and search for the required materials in response to the teachers weekly questions and, meanwhile, they were required to use English to communicate with the teachers as well as with the other classmates. Although ICT facilities and support were limited in the vocational school studied, the English teacher wanted to overcome the barrier by the inclusion of some outside-campus network resources in his class. A course syllabus, updated announcements, handouts, profiles of the teacher and the students, and class presentations, pictures and recommended relevant web resources were all converged in colourful words on the website. Contents of the project English was the main language used throughout class activities, which included English website information collection, topic-centred discussion, on-line communication, and email exchange. the course used four major tools-the World-wide web, Newsgroups, Chat-rooms, and email to cultivate students network accessibility and language expressions/utterances so that the course was given primarily in four segments. First, for the World-wide web section, Project A self introduction and Project B website recommendation were their assigned tasks. Second, in the Newsgroup section, the teacher asked students to subscribe to the newsgroups they were interested in and then used the chat messenger to post articles and questions and required students to either answer the questions or discuss the given topics in English. Third, in the Chat section, the students were allowed to freely e-talk about whatever interested them in the chat room in chat messanger. Through the different presentation formats of online tutoring, online discussion, and online debate, they were given different objectives each time. Finally, in the email section, students learned the basic commands by using Outlook and basic ideas about email user interface design and the system setup and some key functions (POP setup, web-mail, filtering, and so on). Participants The participants in this study were ______ students: ____22 females and _____7 male students plus the_______ young male teacher. To take the elective course Internet and English, certain prerequisites were required. For instance, the students needed to have previously taken Introduction to Computer Science and Applications of Computer Science, which were the first-year and second-year courses. Assessment For this course students were assessed as follows: 20% for class participation, 20% for homework exercises, 30% for the combined score on the 1st and 2nd midterm exams, and 30% for the final exam. Projects A and B were counted as the scores of the 1st midterm. The quality as well as the quantity of each students specific online utterances their portfolio was used as students 2nd midterm scores. The Chat performance in the chat messanger was used for the final exam grades. The Final exam consisted of an article on the topic How do I perceive Internet and English ; students were instructed to talk about the current semester only and to include three parts: my impression of this class ; what I have learned from this course and my suggestions . Methodology The study employed both qualitative and quantitative methods. The researcher used a multi-method approach to document and evaluate the process of integration of the Internet in the English learning settings, including the collection of their electronic data from chats, discussions, dialogues and email exchanges on the Internet, observations of their online classroom activities, formal and informal interviews with the instructor. A post-class questionnaire was administered to the participants at the end of this class. In addition, a student who had a special need for remedial instruction had actively interacted with the English teacher via email communication throughout most of semester. The students email exchanges with the teacher were used as a case study. Data collection Data collected for the studies included authentic email messages, questionnaires, classroom observations, formal and informal interviews, and student logs. Descriptive statistical information was provided for cross-referencing. The study was conducted in a natural learning setting. None of the student subjects were aware of being observed and analysed during the data collection procedures. Overall results of the use of ICT in the class The teacher used an open-ended question to solicit student overall responses to the use of information communication technology in the class. This question was, Do you think Internet and English can really improve your English? Tell me why. Most students thought the Internet was an interesting and useful tool in their Internet and English class (Table 1). Table 1. Data from the open-ended question Positive reactions (19 out of 23 82.16%) Negative reactions 3 out of 23 (13%) Being able to practice typing 5 Not liking the Internet 1 Learning more English 4 Too much vocabulary resulting in Being more motivated in learning new vocabulary 4 learning pressure 1 Being able to learn more about computers 4 The fast-paced schedule of the class 1 Communicating with others using emails and making friends from other countries 4 Looking for information on the Internet and enhancing reading comprehension by materials on the Internet 3 Meeting people 2 Talking on line 1 Being able to correct mistakes instantly 1 The Tell me why self-report data were used for further analysis. The positive perception of Internet use could stem from two sources. First, due to the convenient access provided by the Internet, students were able to make foreign friends. Second, in the process of navigating the webpages, the chances of directly reading English and learning new vocabulary, sentence patterns, and grammatical patterns increased. Moreover, the immediacy of the online tutoring enabled the teacher to correct their mistakes quickly. The other advantages include the acquisition of relevant Online discourse data analysis The data for quantitative analysis were gathered from the Chat function in chatmessanger, which generally meant participating in online tutoring and online debates. Also, the data from both the midterm exam and final exam in the first semester were collected for analysis. In online tutoring and online debate, not every student wrote down his or her responses. Although five students were completely silent, the other 24 students had at least one sentence (here one sentence means an utterance with a period or a question mark at the end) in the online chatting. However, in online debate, which discussed the interesting topic of having a girl friend or a boy friend, the volume of discourse obviously increased by an average of six sentences, and that was five times as many as the very first time, when they were required to talk about a good teacher. Most students, who had already e- talked the first time, were more likely to write more than the second time. As for the 2nd midterm exam and final exam, since the written records were used for students grades, every student was mandated to express his or her opinions in order to gain points. Eventually the volume of the discourse resulted in an average of approximately 15 sentences in final exam. This was two and half times as many as in the midterm exam. When addressing the reasons for the increase in students discourse volume, the researcher found that students gradual increasing familiarity with the computer commands and the digital environment contributed to the increased number of their expressions. Moreover, the topics for discussion which appeared to be interesting, controversial or abundant in readily available online information also resulted in an increase in the number of sentences. Non-online discourse data analysis based on two projects In addition to the online data, non-online data were collected from Project A and Project B for analysis. For Project A, in order to encourage students to begin their English writing, the English teacher purposefully used self-introduction as an introductory and familiar topic. Thus each student was asked to use English to introduce himself/herself. For Project B, each student had to browse the English resources on the Internet and then recommended some websites as their favourites and to give reasons for their recommendation. Consequently, the average number of sentences produced in Project A was eight, and this was about four times as many as the number produced for Project B. Further analysis of the in-depth data revealed that Project A was a self-introduction and there were several basic items that the students could always include in their written presentations, such as blood type, sign of Zodiac, and favourite sports. On the other hand, Project B asked students to recommend a web site that they found interesting. This topic was of wide scope and more challenging than Project A. Student perceptions of the use of ICT in English learning In order to understand students perception of learning English by using the Internet and the impact of the Internet on English learning as well, a questionnaire was administered to the students shortly before the end of the first semester in order to collect their demographic information and their responses to the use of the Internet in this English class. The questionnaire was composed of three parts: personal data; experience in using a network computer; and ten 5-point-Likert-scale questions. A general question was given at the beginning of the questionnaire and 10 more corresponding statements followed with choices. A total of 26 questionnaires out of 29 were collected and used for analysis. The statistical results of this questionnaire are presented below (Table 5). Questionaire What do you think might be the reasons that the Internet could facilitate English learning? (1-Totally Disagree; 2-Strongly Disagree; 3-Agree; 4-Strongly Agree; and 5Totally Agree) Statements 1 2 3 4 5 Rank 1. The teacher interacted with students on the 0 3.8% 57.7% 15.4% 23.1% 1 Internet so that I feel less pressured in class. 3.8% 94.2% 2. I can learn new vocabulary, sentence patterns, 0 19.2% 57.7% 15.4% 7.7% 8 and grammar on the Internet. 19.2% 81.8% 3. Anonymous communication makes me less afraid 3.8% 3.8% 42.3% 15.4% 34.6% 2 of making mistakes in English chatting. 7.6% 92.4% 4. I could learn good English sentences from others. 3.8% 3.8% 30.8% 38.5% 23.1% 2 7.6% 92.4% 5. I dont need to speak English in front of my 7.7% 26.9% 26.9% 34.6% 3.8% 9 classmates. Instead, typing in front of the 34.6% 65.4% computer screen reduces my stress. 6. Learning English wont be that boring since I 3.8% 7.7% 38.5% 15.4% 34.6% 5 could find some intriguing English information 11.5% 88.5% on the Internet quickly 7. I could improve my English response speed since 7.7% 26.9% 30.8% 30.8% 3.8% 10 online chatting in English requires instantly 34.6% 63.8% answering in English. 8. I could make key/pen pals in foreign countries 3.8% 3.8% 23.1% 30.8% 38.5% 2 and practice English writing. 7.6% 92.4% 9. I could often practice English since English is 0 11.5% 26.9% 38.5% 23.1% 5 the common language on the Internet. 11.5% 88.5% 10. I could freely practice English because I could 3.8% 11.5% 34.6% 26.9% 23.1% 7 build up my little virtual world on the 15.3% 84.7% computer screen.

Native American and The US government Essay -- essays papers

Native American and The US government The Iroquois Nation was a nation of five tribes, which was comprised of Mohawks, Senecas, Oneidas, Cayugas, and Onondagas. These tribes were originally separated, but later brought together by two Indians named Hiawatha and Deganawidah. Hiawatha seemed to be the spokesman while Deganawidah took on the role as a philosopher. These two men formed a nation where some of the ideas are still intact today. One aspect that made them so strong was the way in which they governed themselves. Women in their society were basically in charge, except for the Sachems who were representatives appointed by the heads of the Ohwachiras. When this federal assembly met, the Sachems voted as tribes instead as individuals. This in many ways can be compared to present day government electoral votes. Another aspect I found that created a strong unity was the arrangement of power, which was demonstrated in their seating arrangement. The Mohawks and Senecas sat on one side, while the Oneidas and Cayugas on the other. The two tribes were separated with the Onondagas sitting between them. This arrangement was a lot like present day’s balance of power in the three different branches of the Federal Government. The government of the Iroquois Nation has set themselves apart from almost all other Indians of North America and made it a powerful force in denouncing the Indians as being savages. Today’s Native American has adopted many of the ideas of the Iroquois Nation. Native American history is handed down amongst the tribes through spoken language and rituals. Native American religion is centered on the idea that every day items as well as the nature surrounding them can possess spirit. Euro-Christian’s views are more anonymous as to religion and more scientific concerning their history. Native American’s view of history contains many inconclusive facts when looked at from a European point of view. When you consider their lack of a written language, there are many instances where they do name specific places from which they originate. Unlike the Euro-Christians, these places the Native American’s speak of can be found today. In contrast, Euro-Christian religion/history speaks of the Garden of Eden, but with no specific location as to where the garden can be found. Native American history is interwoven with... ...for what they needed to exist, not to turn a profit and destroy nature (the wilderness). Native Americans thought of gifts as symbolic gestures of friendship and peace at first. They would look at all trade as an exchange of gifts. They would have feasts after trades with the French, for instance to bolster the moral and finalize a deal. Even when the stakes were high and the Europeans knew that it was a gift and not a trade, the natives thought it to be a gift. When the Europeans traded gifts to the Natives for land, the Natives assumed they were trading a gift for the use of land, not knowing that land can be owned. Land was a sacred thing to the Natives and I doubt they would have traded any of it, if they knew the implications of these gifts they were receiving (in trade). The Europeans on the other hand knew that the natives didn’t know what some of these trades meant. A few Europeans tried to explain it to the natives, but to no avail. The Natives didn’t understand to the Europeans delight. They used this against the Natives who couldn’t have known the value of what they were giving up. The Europeans were at fault by knowing these trades to be absurd and unfair.

Operation Iraqi Freedom Essay -- International Politics

OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM Introduction On March 20, 2003, the combined military forces of the United States and Britain crossed the southern border of Iraq and Kuwait with the intent of capitulating the government of Saddam Hussein. Over the course of 21 days, the joint task force moved quickly and decisively to seize major objective cities along the road to Baghdad using aviation, armor, artillery, and infantry. Following the overwhelming success of the primary combat operations of the invasion, stability and support systems proved insufficient as sectarian violence and other criminal activity among the local population of Iraq increased. History In ancient times, Iraq was known by the Greek term Mesopotamia, or the land between two rivers. These two rivers, the Tigris and Euphrates, formed what was known as the â€Å"Fertile Crescent.† The vast stretch of low level land retained rain and flood water, making the soil exceptional for farming, thus it is said to be the cradle of civilization. It was home to the Sumerian Empire, beginning around 4000BC, long before Egypt, Greece, or Rome were known to have sophisticated societies. Agriculture, mathematics, literature, and the earliest forms of government were all established in this region. (1) Conflict has also been a significant part of Iraqi history since the Akkadian wars of 2340 BC. The rise of the Babylonian dynasty in 1700 BC gave way to the Assyrian dynasty in 1340 BC. The Assyrians were eventually overthrown in the seventh century BC by the Persian Empire of Alexander the Great. (2) The Arabs conquered the region in the early expansion of Islam in the eighth century AD, followed by the Mongol invasion in 1258. The last of the great dynasties to rule th... ...raq. References 1. Arabic-Media.com (Arabic Media) Site 1997-2011, http://arabic-media.com/iraq_history.htm 2. CRS Report for Congress, 17 February, 1998, http://www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/crs/98-129.pdf 3. UN Security Council Resolution 687, 8 April 1991, http://www.casi.org.uk/info/undocs/gopher/s91/4 4. UN Security Council Resolution 1441, S/RES/1441, 8 November 2002, PP 3, http://www.un.org/Depts/unmovic/documents/1441.pdf 5. Gordon, Micheal, R., Cobra II; The Inside Story of the Invasion and Occupation of Iraq, Pantheon Books, New York, 2006 6. Keegan, John, The Iraq War, Alfred A. Knopf, 2004 7. Purdum, Todd, S., and the staff of the New York Times, A Time of Our Choosing; America’s War in Iraq, Times Books, 2003 8. Trainor, Bernard, E., Cobra II; The Inside Story of the Invasion and Occupation of Iraq, Pantheon Books, New York, 2006

A Good Man is Hard to Find Essay -- Literary Analysis, Flannery OConn

A brilliant storyteller during the mid-twentieth century, Flannery O'Connor wrote intriguing tales of morality, ethics and religion. A Southern writer, she wrote in the Southern Gothic style, cataloging thirty-two short stories; the most well known being â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find.† Mary Flannery O'Connor was born on March 25, 1925, in Savannah, Georgia. Raised in her mother's family home in Milledgeville, Georgia, she was the only child of Regina Cline and Edward Francis O'Connor, Jr. Although little is known about Mrs. O'Connor's early childhood, in Melissa Simpson's biography on O'Connor, Simpson states that O'Connor attended St. Vincent's Grammar School in Savannah where she would rarely play with the other children and spent most her time reading by herself. After fifth, grade, O'Connor transferred; to Sacred Heart Grammar School for Girls; some say the reason for the transfer was that it was a more prestigious school than the former. She later enrolled in Peabody High School in 1938, entered an accelerated program at Georgia State Collge for Women in the summer of 1942, and in 1946 she was accepted into the Iowa Writer's Workshop at the University of Iowa (4 Simpson). According to American Decades, O'Connor earned her masters degree from the University of Iowa with six short-stories that were published in the periodical Accent (n pg Baughman). After college, O'Connor's writing career continued. During her brief career as a writer, O'Connor contracted lupus in which she ultimately died. In Short Stories for Students, Kathleen Wilson states that while O’Connor was writing her first novel Wise Blood, which she started while attending the prestigious Yaddo writers’ colony, she suffered her first attack of lupus, a chronic, ... ...Grandmother† (O’Connor 179). The Grandmother’s deviousness and immorality is evident in the beginning of the story. While reading the newspaper article about the Misfit, the Grandmother brings it to Bailey’s attention. In Short Story Criticism, Mary Jane Schenck writes â€Å"For Bailey, the newspaper story is not important or meaningful, and for the Grandmother it does not represent a real threat but is part of a ploy to get her own way† (Schenck 220). â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find† begins with an innocent road trip, however, due to coercion by the Grandmother; it soon turns into a fatal nightmare. In Short Story Criticism, Martha Stephens writes â€Å"†¦ it is true that in a trivial sense everything that happens is the Grandmother’s fault†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She continues with â€Å"It is in the conscious of the Grandmother that we continue to experience the action of the story†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Stephens 196).

Product Life Cycle of Nutri-Grain Essay

* The brand was first introduced in the United States in 1991 for a breakfast cereal bars consisting of fruit filling covered in a crust without added sugar. * There were four varieties initially (rye, corn, barley and wheat); later these were reduced to corn and wheat * There are various Nutri-Grain Bars made from the breakfast cereal bonded together, available in the markets where the cereal is available. The bars became popular in the 1990s as an â€Å"on-the-go† food. * In the United States the Nutri-Grain Bar name is used for the soft golden baked crust breakfast bars made with wheat, whole-grain, and oats. Product Development Nutri-Grain was developed in 1980 by Kellogg’s Company which was already successful in making cereal that people enjoyed. Kellogg’s wanted to produce a on to go cereal breakfast bar that was healthy and was filling. Introduction Nutri-Grain was launched in 1997 and was instantly a hit among the middle class population who had little time to spare and need food on the go. It gained almost 50% of share of the growing cereal bar market in just two years. In just 1997 they had sold about 4,000 tons of cereal bars. In 1997 they made of a soft crust with a fruit filling inside. They were popular amongst both adults and children. Nutri-Grain was advertised on T.V, magazines and newspapers Growth During the growth stage, Nutri- Grains sales climbed rapidly as more people overseas became aware of the product. The product became very popular in Great Britain, Australia and New Zealand. The growth and profit was short lived as sales started to die out. The product looked like it was going into decline without even going into the maturity stage. The growth stage lasted for a year in 1999 Maturity In 2000 Kellogg’s decided to increase profits and bring back the sales that they were starting to lose. They introduced a new type of cereal bar called Twists which were essentially 2 small soft bakes with different flavors twisted into one bar. This worked because the sales rose again, this lasted for about for another year

Emancipation Proclamation- Lincoln’s End of Slavery in America

Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation is still, to date, one of the most debated, revolutionary acts of the any of the Presidents of the United States. Through this document Lincoln took responsibility upon himself for the freedom of four million slaves throughout the divided country he presided over and forever changed the scene of what could be a very different American culture than that of which we live in presently today. After reading Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation: The End of Slavery in America, written by Allen C. Guelzo, I am fully convinced that Lincoln’s accomplishment through that document is very under credited not only by African Americans today, but also by their white counterparts in regards to the lasting impact it made for the future of the races in this country. Allen C. Guezlo opens his book on the defensive for Abraham Lincoln. Guezlo explains that when the topic of Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation comes to mind, basically , either you appreciate it at face value for what it accomplished and stands for, or you are a skeptic. Today more than ever, the Proclamation’s skeptics focus on what the document did not accomplish rather than what it did. In his book, Guezlo works at answering the four main questions that critics will raise regarding the Proclamation. Why is the language of the Proclamation so bland and Legalistic? Did the Proclamation actually do anything? Did the slaves free themselves? Did Lincoln issue the Proclamation to ward off European influence or boost Union morale? In defense of Lincoln, Guezlo takes us through a detailed chronology of the events leading up to the weighted decision made by Lincoln in September 1862, including incredible evidence in the form of documented conversations and eye witness accounts. Abraham Lincoln was a product of the end of the Enlightenment Era, an era that emphasized the age of reason and logic. Being a lawyer by profession, Lincoln exhibited an incredible display of prudence in making his decisions and showed an exceptional respect for the law. When considering the term â€Å"prudence†, Guezlo makes it a point to examine the word in the fashion of hat it would have meant to the classical philosophers that Lincoln came to admire. In this sense, prudence isn’t defined as what it is known as today. By today’s definition, a person who is â€Å"prude† is thought to display exaggerated caution, hesitation, lack of will, and fearfulness. According to Guezlo, the prudence that Lincoln display ed while in office would be better compared to the virtues of the classical philosophers who influenced the Enlightenment period which attributed prudence to shrewdness and sound judgment. Considering all the different obstacles that were thrown at Lincoln during his presidency, he needed to ensure that his actions were deliberate and would achieve a long term lasting effect as he was very cautious and untrusting when considering the judiciary branch of the government. Lincoln understood that any decision he made would be readily tested against the powers afforded to him by the constitution sooner or later. He did not want to take any chances in going about the emancipation process loosely, especially considering the amount of opponents he was going to face regarding the topic of emancipation both in the North and the South. Of the many ways to go about the emancipation process, Lincoln’s preference was that which consisted of three main features, â€Å"gradualism, compensation, and the vote of the people†. He rebuked ideas of using either the Confiscation Acts and Benjamin Butler’s contraband theory as well as the idea of martial law in order to achieve long term emancipation. As far as the contraband theory was concerned, at best Lincoln new that it would make slaves wards of the government until the end of the war. After compromise was reached, the fate of these men was out of his hands and into the hands of the ruling courts which would likely allow them to be reclaimed by their masters. Before issuing his own proclamation, Lincoln actually reversed two attempts at marital law proclamations attempted by both John Charles Freemont and David Hunter. Lincoln did not reverse these attempts so much because he was not for the emancipation process, but because in his legalistic mind, he knew that these courses of action would not stand the judicial test in regards to the limitations of the constitution. First of all, the use of the war powers in question would only be reserved for use by the commander-in-chief, namely himself; secondly there was no specifications provided within the constitution itself on the use of these war powers if hey did in fact exist. Lincoln was firm in his desire to convince the border states to accept his offer of compensated emancipation and aside from being denied time and again, he would continue to be convinced that given enough time and patience at the matter, that politicians in those states would see that the course of events leading to emancipation as inevitable and take the bait which he hoped would set off a chain reaction allowing other states to follow suit shortly there after. Though this plan eventually proved unworkable, it was not because of an unperceivable plan; Lincoln was not entirely prepared for the time restraints that unforeseen obstacles would pose in his attempt at being gradual. Between the defiant and incompetent military generals and the urging of different opinions in Washington, eventually his final course of action would be to take a gamble at using the war powers he was still uncertain and uneasy about and hope that with careful consideration, his document would not be challenged but gain support. Noting Lincoln’s wariness pertaining to the legality of his actions according to the constitution would lead us to the answer of the first of Guezlo’s four questions. Why was the language of the proclamation so bland and legalistic? In contrast to the conclusions of many critics that Lincoln had no feelings of moral obligation or sympathy towards the slaves, Lincoln was greatly afflicted by the issue at hand. After understanding the caution which Lincoln was trained to proceed with as an attorney and even more so as the President of the United States, Lincoln had to ensure that every syllable, every phrase was written so that it could not be scrutinized within the federal court system. His document held the fate of the lives of millions of people within its wording and he did not want to have to be faced with the possibility that it would be retracted or revoked. Many also believe that the wording of the Emancipation Proclamation is so bland because Lincoln composed it grudgingly as a last resort. Guezlo points out that during Lincoln’s political career his presidency was not the first time that Lincoln had motivation for emancipation. In his term in Congress as an Illinois Representative he made similar attempts at compensated emancipation for slaves in the District of Columbia. Although these attempts never made it to the House, it is notable to recognize that his feelings towards emancipation stem back farther than having to make a pressured decision as Commander in Chief of a nation in rebellion. He was recorded as having been completely transparent in his belief that â€Å"If slavery is not wrong, then nothing is wrong. † Upon disclosing his decision to issue the proclamation to his cabinet it is also important to realize that Lincoln did not address his colleagues for advice whether or not to issue the proclamation as his mind was already made up, but rather to â€Å"hear the views of his associates and receive and suggestions. As defeated as he may have felt over not having had enough time to follow through with the compensation route, it is unarguable that Lincoln did not hold a deep conviction about what had to be accomplished before he left office. In intimate conversations with close colleagues he would comment on his conviction that this decision had been of Divine assistance and that â€Å"he had sometime thought that perhaps he might be an instrument in God’s had of accomplishing a great work. In fact he openly expressed his agenda were there to be any concerns regarding the standing of his proclamation. Lincoln remarked that if there was to be a retraction or nullifying of the right of freedom to emancipated slaves through the courts that â€Å"it would not occur with him in office†. The second question raised by critics that Guezlo seeks to shed some light on is whether or not the Emancipation Proclamation actually did anything. To answer this question, Guezlo moves to highlight the fact that although the Emancipation Proclamation had little immediate impact, it embraced the idea for the first time that there was a long term and permanent solution to the institution of slavery. Not only did it ring the bells of freedom for the slaves, but it also gave the Union an even more dignified reason to continue on with the war. Although the feeling was not unanimous amongst even some of the abolitionists of the day, the expected â€Å"mutiny† that was expected to result from those in the armed forces in protest of the proclamation was not as severe as could’ve been predicted. As soon as more and more whites were exposed to former slaves they began to realize that this label of inferiority in both the mental and physical capacity was not as accurate as they had been led to believe. One Maine soldier admitted to his sister in a letter that, â€Å"instead of thinking less of a Negro, I have sadly learned to think better of them than many white men that hold responsible positions. † Among the newly freed black slaves came finally the feeling of attaining manhood through emancipation. With this feeling of manhood came the rallying of blacks willing and able to join the war effort as made eligible by the proclamation. The proclamation’s provision allowing blacks to enlist into the armed forces further secured the position of freedom in the eyes of the white man in the long term. For â€Å"how could we stand to see the Negro re-enslaved after demonstrating his allegiance to our Union with his blood? † asked one Union commander. In fact, not only was granting the slaves their freedom a major issue upon observing their willingness to loyally serve the military, but also the right of suffrage; although the move for social equality wouldn’t be addressed nearly as soon, the move to place more political power in the hands of the former slaves was introduced. Lincoln’s document would secure the way for future legislation which eventually would result in the complete abolition of slavery with the thirteenth amendment to the constitution. The proclamation also managed to avoid the mass deportation of freed blacks to Africa or South America as some abolitionists were in favor of. In addition to the effects nationally, the Emancipation Proclamation also helped gain a favorable opinion abroad throughout Europe for the United States transforming the civil conflict into a war against slavery ensuring that the Union would have nothing to fear from possible European recognition of the Confederacy. Did the slaves free themselves? Guezlo makes an important point when answering this question and the answer tends to be a bit more unexpected. Although the Emancipation Proclamation went into effect on January 1, 1863, it is surprising to understand that although the rejoicing of slaves upon receiving the news of emancipation was universal, more slaves than less remained put where they were waiting patiently for the Union soldiers to declare them free rather than run off to claim their freedom. But why stay put? According to his book, Guezlo remarks that even Abraham Lincoln himself was disappointed that more slaves had not taken it upon themselves to reach over to the other side of Union lines. Especially since he understood that with the upcoming perceived threat to his presidency from McClellan the only way he could ensure their emancipation was if they crossed Union lines before that threat could have a chance to materialize). One of the main reasons that more slaves did not readily embrace leaving their current positions was because of a fear that they would be returned to their masters just as they had heard many of the â€Å"contrabands† had been refused by the military prior to the proclamation. Unfortunately the lack of trust slaves placed in the white ace extended not only to those who had kept them in bondage, but also to those whom they knew even less of. Guezlo quotes Ohio Congressman William Homan, who thought it odd as well that, â€Å"three and a half or four millions of Africans remain right in the hotbed of this rebellion, with your proclamations cast broadcast over the South inviting them to freedom; nay, your policy urged them to assert their freedom and pledges the nation to maintain it,† yet, â€Å"they have remained perfectly indifferent and passive until your Army has reached them, idle spectators of war. The quiescence of the black population actually turned out to becom e an argument in favor of the emancipation as it demonstrated the restraint and self control the slaves possessed even in the face of â€Å"easy bloody opportunity†. Francis Wayland in Atlantic Monthly concluded that â€Å"Nine-tenths of the able-bodied Southern population have been in arms for more than two years and the President’s Emancipation Proclamation was made public nearly a year ago and yet none of the older men, women, and children remaining at home have been slaughtered, massacred or brutalized. Did Lincoln issue the Proclamation to ward off European influence or boost Union morale? This question seems to be Lincoln’s critic’s double edged sword, although a poor attempt might I add. Guezlo adds an interesting note that if morale or intervention were Lincoln’s primary concerns to be addressed, then issuing the proclamation when he did would’ve been the worst possible method he could’ve taken to do so. Alexander Twining wrote in 1865 that, â€Å"European intervention – and especially from England – was, at the time when the proclamation was issued, our most anxious liability. Lincoln’s main concern was that the British would intervene in response to an emancipation proclamation so long as emancipation was seen as a â€Å"direct encouragement to servile Insurrections†, sparking the British government’s memories of the racial carnage of the Indian Mutiny. It was actually during the Chicago ministers’ delegation in September 1862 that any argument for European sympathy was made convincing Lincoln that the issuance of the proclamation may gain the Union any favor. Attempts to down play Lincoln’s motives for standing firm behind his proclamation with this attack are quickly debunked. The second part of this question implies that Lincoln made his decision for emancipation based off of some incentive of united sentiment that would’ve been received as a whole country. This could not be more false. When Lincoln initially issued the Emancipation Proclamation, politically, lines were torn across the board. Within congress debates ran heated and from state to state more and more republicans were loosing favor and being replaced with peace Democrats and proslavery advocates. When it came time for the next elections to congress, Lincoln was hurt to see his majority in the House weaken before his eyes. Lincoln and his supporters fully understood before they issued the proclamation that this would in fact place their positions in government in jeopardy. He also understood that with the military advocating their own desires to negotiate a peaceful compromise with the Confederacy, that this could easily convince them to accelerate an intervention placing Lincoln’s administration in danger of loosing the cause. Eventually Lincoln’s administration would prevail against slavery not only in the Confederate states but also in the Border States. Beginning with West Virginia in 1862, the Border States finally began to embrace the inevitable and took advantage of the only option that was advantageous for them which was to agree to the compensated emancipation package that Lincoln had been pushing for all along. In the end it was even difficult for Lincoln’s most radical abolitionist critics to remain skeptical of the President’s personal conviction and determination regarding his motives with his Emancipation Proclamation. In a meeting with Frederick Douglas, Lincoln’s foremost freed black critic, Douglas was surprised to report that, â€Å"I was taken aback to discover that Lincoln had a deeper moral conviction against slavery than I had ever seen before in anything spoken or written by him†. Very few of the negative possibilities considered that could have taken place in response to the Emancipation Proclamation actually did. This was largely in part to the strict measures that Lincoln took as a skilled attorney and leader when drafting his plan and his determination to make the Proclamation succeed. During the time following the Emancipation Proclamation and even for years beyond his assassination, Lincoln was held in high esteem amongst the African American as well as the white population in this country. Unfortunately since the earlier 1900s many critics, both black and white, have risen to the occasion to minimize the greatness to which he impacted generations of human beings to come. Some claim Lincoln was a â€Å"white supremacist† only acting in the best interests of saving his country and others, at best, describe him as indifferent to the African struggle. Regardless of which position you try to understand, it is ridiculous to consider that, in either case, a man who felt no deep conviction for the nature of his actions would’ve remained persistent in his course to the conclusion. Had Lincoln really felt any other way than sympathetic towards the slaves he would’ve bowed down and compromised as many congressman and generals urged of him. Allen Guezlo makes his point strongly apparent; Abraham Lincoln’s actions spoke clearly of his the driving force behind his actions. â€Å"It would be special pleading to claim that Lincoln was in the end the most perfect friend black Americans have ever had, but it would also be the cheapest and most ignorant of all skepticisms to deny that he was the most significant. †