buy custom Peloponnesian War and Oedipus Tyrannus essay

buy custom Peloponnesian War and Oedipus Tyrannus essay The Peloponnesian war refers to a fight that occurred between the Athenian empire and the Peloponnesian. The attack was initiated and led by Sparta. The war has been split into three distinct phases by various historians. The phases are the Archidamian War (or first phase), the Peloponnese Fight (or second phase) and, finally, the Decelean War (or third phase). These three phases of the war were characterized by signing of various treaties such the Peace of Nicias, massive use of force during attacks and often repeated invasions of the cities. During the Decelean phase, Sparta fortunately received support from Persia (Thucydides Lattimore 17). There were numerous migrations as most people were abandoning their homes due to the tension and fear of the war. The war was characterized by destitute of capital, non-agricultural activities, reduced trading activities and the rich occupied large masses of land. Causes of the War According to Bagnall, the war was as a result of extreme greed by Athens which led it to attempt taking full control of the whole land of Greece. In response to this behavior of Athens, Sparta initiated a war so as to help itself as well as other oppressed cities of Greece. Sparta wanted Peloponnesians to have independence (Bagnall 213). In order to achieve this mission of saving itself and other cities from Athens control, Sparta had to form alliances with other smaller cities of Greece. It then sent its army to Athens in 430 BC. Disagreements between the two states started after Sparta rejected and prevented the proposed reconstruction of the great walls of Athens. According to Kagan, Sparta made the move so that it would be able to rule the defenseless Athens (Kagan 43). However, the real fight began in around 460 BC, when a rebellion broke up in Sparta. During this period, Sparta had to seek military support from its friendly nations, including Athens, but it surprisingly rejected the forces that sent by Athens to it. Kagan suggests that Spartas action was due to the fear of Athens forces changing their military aid mission and supporting the rebellions instead. As a confirmation of these allegations, Athens resettled the rebellious helot in the city of Naupactus after they were forced to surrender and exiled form Sparta (Kagan 67). In 460 BC, Athens again took advantage of a conflict between Megara and Corinth to form an alliance with Megara and initiated a war against Sparta that lasted for more than fifteen years. Megara and Corinth were both allies of Sparta. Another source of aggravation of the conflicts between the two states was the imposition of the Megara decree, a sanction that barred trade with citizens of Megara. DeSouza asserts that the Peloponnesian war was caused by persistent differences that existed between Athens and Sparta (De Souza 81). In Athens, there was democracy whereas Sparta had a military led government. He states that certain cities were overwhelmed with the fear that Athens would grab their power while others were not happy with Athens spending of the Delian money. According to Bagnall, Pericles punishment on cities that resisted Athens further catalyzed the speared of the war. Sparta finally declared war against Athens in 431 BC. During the regime of Pericles, Athens became overcrowded and people could easily get infected by disease. Plague spread steadily killing more than two thirds of Athens population, thereby weakening its forces and defense system, including the Pericles (Bagnall 142). Impacts of the War The war had a great impact on ancient Greece. Economically, the war left Grece in a miserable economic condition. The city of Athens was not able to regain its economic state and prosperity that it used to enjoy before the war, while Peloponnese suffered from skyrocketing inflation rates and increased poverty. Politically, the war between the two states resulted in frequent civil wars between cities of Greece. Being in conflict with another city became a norm for the states. The Peloponnesian war resulted into massive destruction of most cities of Greece. It also led to deaths of thousands of the Greeks. In addition, all the Greek states suffered from economic and military losses irrespective of whether or not a city was involved in the wars. The prestigious wealth, policies, and power of Athens led to umbrage, anger and bitterness among other cities of Greece. One of its major effects was the long-term weakening of city-states for more than 50 years. Athens, which was once the strongest city in Greece, was terribly reduced to a helpless and vulnerable state whereas its rival Sparta gained full momentum and power to become the leader of Greece. End of the War The war eventually ended after a severe destruction of Athens fleet at Aegospotami which forced it to deliberately surrender the fight. In 404 BC, Athens was forced to surrender to Sparta after the fight continued for another fifteen years, despite the signing of the Truce Agreement in 420 BC to bring the war to a halt. Athens Recovery There are various factors that led to the successful recovery of Athens. First, the enemies of Athens did not have enough force, strength and drive to bring down Athens, for instance, Sparta lacked the urge to send its military troops to Athens. Athens also received support from other Ionian states that required protection. Persia, on the other hand, deliberately delayed its promise to furnish Sparta with funds and army ships. This led to more and more frustrations of Spartas battle plans and strategies during the war. Consequently, Athena was able to win and recover most portions of its empire between 410 BC and 400 BC. Similarly, Athens shrewdly set aside some finances and more than one hundred and fifty ships that it would use as the last resort during the war. Rusten and Thucydides suggest that Alcibiades; use of less coercion also rapidly facilitated the process of restoring democracy in Athens. He was able to achieve this within a period of only two years (Rusten Thucydides 69). Athens after War In 403 BC, Athens was able to overthrow the oligarchs after a short period of suspension of Athens democracy. Similarly, the Corinthian war made it possible for Athens to recover its lost power during the Peloponnesian war. Lessons from the War According to Lattimore and Thucydides, countries that wage should learn from the Peloponnesian war that they can easily lose their power, control and supremacy despite their fights to gain it. When Athens was attacked by Sparta, a large number of its citizens migrated and settled behind the walls of the city (Thucydides Lattimore 51). This led to overcrowding and consequently poor living standards which eventually led to outbreaks of diseases and plagues. He further advises that countries should try as possible as they can to avoid conflicts with their neighbors. Oedipus Tyrannus This play was first performed in 426 BC, just a few years after the plague that hard hit Athens. At the beginning of the story, Oedipus finds himsellf in the city where there was the plague. He attempts to elate the plague. He then comes to realize that the plague would only end after the murder of Laius is identified. Oedipus was determined to pursue the truth but he later realized that he was the actual murder of his own father. This drives him to carry out investigations and develops a series of questions in his efforts of finding out the murderer of Laius, not knowing that he was the one who killed him in a three-way road. Similarly, he later on realizes that the same way he killed Laius, his real father. It is crammed when neverending questions from Oedipus and his condemnation of those who did not want to reveal the truth about the death of Laius (Gaylord 65). Oedipus exhibits extreme arrogance and violence as he searches for the murderer. The play revolves around a king who is humbled by a series of mysterious events beyond his control from extreme supremacy and seeks help form a blind woman. It was a tragic for a king of such high profile to be brought down to high poverty levels. Lessons from the Play The play explores different themes, state control among them. This theme can be paralleled with the conflicts that emerged between different states of the ancient Greek. From the story we learn how one may fall due to the unknown circumstance. It also shows us the disadvantages of destructive use of power and excessive pride. The play is about King Oedipus. It begins by the king sending his brother-in-law to seek help for the problems that were being encountered in his empire. When Creon goes to a priest, he is told that the problems were due to the religious pollution that resulted after the killing of King Laius (Segal 141). When Oedipus called for the priest, he refuses to speak on arrival. Oedipus becomes raged with this act and orders the priest to be killed. The priest further insists that the murder of King Laius was Oedipus plan. Visionary leadership King Oedipus in the play resembles a dictator king who uses force and coercion to rule. The writer emphasizes on the good qualities of a king such as love for his state and the people. A good king should not be self-centered or be proud. From the Peloponnesian war and Oedipus, it is evidenced that kings usually fall due to the bad ruling of the people who consequently form rebellions to overthrow their governments. In this play, Oedipus is portrayed a leader who will always pursues his own personal interest, is overconfident about himself and quick to angers. According to Gaylord, King Oedipus resembles that various characters of current political leaders who make citizens of their countries live in hopelessness, fear and desperation (Gaylord 127). Conclusion In my opinion, it would be easier for one to understand Oedipus Tyrannus play when he/she has heard of the Peloponnesian war. This is because there is a direct relationship between the play and the war. Actually, the play was sent just a few years after the Peloponnesian war within the same setting or environment. The play sets similar themes as the lessons that were learnt during and after the war. In my view, King Oedipus can be compared with Athens that was taking advantage of its economical, social and political supremacy to exercise control on other cities. This behavior of Athens can be directly linked to King Oedipus character of dictatorship. Both the play and Peloponnesian war provide valuable lessons to states that the use of force and conflicts as a way of acquiring power over other nations. The play was best set for colonies. Buy custom Peloponnesian War and Oedipus Tyrannus essay

Homelessness Today essays

Homelessness Today essays One day as I was driving to my sisters house in Ravenswood, I saw an elderly man standing at the end of the off-ramp. The gentleman was holding a sign that read: Homeless will work for food. God Bless. As I rolled to a stop, I rolled down my window and offered him my last five dollars. To my amazement the gentleman declined my charity. He said god bless you miss but I will work for my keep. I told him that I could certainly appreciate that. I then inquired if he had a place to stay for the evening and he informed me that if he didnt get to Parkersburg he would go to a friends house. As Mr. Baumohl declares in his book Homelessness in America "The lives of all people, disabled or not, are embedded in circumstances shaped as much by structural factors as personal and biographical ones" ( 26). It is sad to say that with that statement the gentleman I encountered is not eligible for homeless assistance according to the West Virginia Bureau for women and childrens homeless services. In order to be eligible for services under the homeless program, an individual or family must be in immediate need of housing and have no income or means of obtaining housing. This means that there is no one, friend or family, who can provide emergency shelter and there are no financial resources available to the individual or family with which to purchase shelter. Individuals or families facing eviction are not yet homeless and therefore do not qualify for homeless services (West Virginia Bureau for Children and Families). Today, in America, more and more people are becoming homeless in every sense of the word and still unable to receive assistance from government agencies. We as a concerned and caring nation need to combat these unjust labels and help those who need it, not just those who qualify. Homeless, its meaning is literal and prosaic: the absence of a domicile. Thus, we employ it to describe those sl...

The History of Electric Vehicles Began in 1830

The History of Electric Vehicles Began in 1830 By definition, an electric vehicle, or EV, will use an electric motor for propulsion rather than a gasoline-powered motor. Besides the electric car, there are bikes, motorcycles, boats, airplanes, and trains that have all been powered by electricity. Beginnings Who invented the very first EV is uncertain, as several inventors have been given credit. In 1828, Hungarian nyos Jedlik invented a small-scale model car powered by an electric motor that he designed. Between 1832 and 1839 (the exact year is uncertain), Robert Anderson of Scotland invented a crude electric-powered carriage. In 1835, another small-scale electric car was designed by Professor Stratingh of Groningen, Holland, and built by his assistant Christopher Becker. In 1835, Thomas Davenport, a blacksmith from Brandon, Vermont, built a small-scale electric car. Davenport was also the inventor of the first American-built DC electric motor. Better Batteries More practical and more successful electric road vehicles were invented by both Thomas Davenport and Scotsman Robert Davidson around 1842. Both inventors were the first to use the newly-invented, non-rechargeable electric cells (or batteries). Frenchman Gaston Plante invented a better storage battery in 1865 and his fellow countrymen Camille Faure further improved the storage battery in 1881. Better-capacity storage batteries were needed for electric vehicles to become practical. American Designs In the late 1800s, France and Great Britain were the first nations to support the widespread development of electric vehicles. In 1899, a Belgian-built electric racing car called La Jamais Contente set a world record for land speed of 68 mph. It was designed by Camille Jà ©natzy. It was not until 1895 that Americans began to devote attention to electric vehicles after an electric tricycle was built by A. L. Ryker and William Morrison built a six-passenger wagon, both in 1891. Many innovations followed, and interest in motor vehicles increased greatly in the late 1890s and early 1900s. In fact, William Morrisons design, which had room for passengers, is often considered the first real and practical EV. In 1897, the first commercial EV application was established: a fleet of New York City taxis built by the Electric Carriage and Wagon Company of Philadelphia. Increased Popularity By the turn of the century, America was prosperous. Cars, now available in steam, electric, or gasoline versions, were becoming more popular. The years 1899 and 1900 were the high point of electric cars in America,  as they outsold all other types of cars. One example was the 1902 Phaeton built by the Woods Motor Vehicle Company of Chicago, which had a range of 18 miles, a top speed of 14 mph and cost $2,000. Later in 1916, Woods invented a hybrid car that had both an internal combustion engine and an electric motor. Electric vehicles had many advantages over their competitors in the early 1900s. They did not have the vibration, smell, and noise associated with gasoline-powered cars. Changing gears on gasoline cars was the most difficult part of driving. Electric vehicles did not require gear changes. While steam-powered cars also had no gear shifting, they suffered from long start-up times of up to 45 minutes on cold mornings. The steam cars had less range before needing water, compared to an electric cars range on a single charge. The only good roads of the period were in town, which meant that most commutes were local, a perfect situation for electric vehicles since their range was limited. The electric vehicle was the preferred choice of many because it did not require manual effort to start, as with the hand crank on gasoline vehicles,  and there was no wrestling with a gear shifter. While basic electric cars cost under $1,000, most early electric vehicles were ornate, massive carriages designed for the upper class. They had fancy interiors made with expensive materials and averaged $3,000 by 1910. Electric vehicles enjoyed success into the 1920s, with production peaking in 1912. Electric Cars Almost Become Extinct For the following reasons, the electric car declined in popularity. It was several decades before there was a renewed interest in these vehicles. By the 1920s, America had a better system of roads that connected cities, bringing with it the need for longer-range vehicles.The discovery of Texas crude oil reduced the price of gasoline so that it was affordable to the average consumer.The invention of the electric starter by  Charles Kettering  in 1912 eliminated the need for the hand crank.The initiation of mass production of internal combustion engine vehicles by  Henry Ford  made these vehicles widely available and affordable, in the $500 to $1,000 price range. By contrast, the price of the less efficiently-produced electric vehicles continued to rise. In 1912, an electric roadster sold for $1,750, while a gasoline car sold for $650. Electric vehicles had all but disappeared by 1935. The years following until the 1960s were dead years for electric vehicle development and for their use as personal transportation. The Return The  60s  and  70s  saw a need for  alternative-fueled  vehicles to reduce the problems of exhaust emissions from internal combustion engines and to reduce the dependency on imported foreign crude oil. Many attempts to produce practical electric vehicles occurred after 1960. Battronic Truck Company In the early 60s, the Boyertown Auto Body Works jointly formed the Battronic Truck Company with Smith Delivery Vehicles, Ltd., of England and the Exide Division of the Electric Battery Company. The first Battronic electric truck was delivered to the Potomac Edison Company in 1964. This truck was capable of speeds of 25 mph, a range of 62 miles and a payload of 2,500 pounds. Battronic worked with General Electric from 1973 to 1983 to produce 175 utility vans for use in the utility industry and to demonstrate the capabilities of battery-powered vehicles. Battronic also developed and produced about 20 passenger buses in the mid-1970s. CitiCars and Elcar Two companies were leaders in electric car production during this time. Sebring-Vanguard produced over 2,000 CitiCars. These cars had a top speed of 44 mph, a normal cruise speed of 38 mph and a range of 50 to 60 miles. The other company was Elcar Corporation, which produced the Elcar. The Elcar had a top speed of 45 mph, a range of 60 miles and cost between $4,000 and $4,500. United States Postal Service In 1975, the United States Postal Service purchased 350 electric delivery jeeps from the American Motor Company to be used in a test program. These jeeps had a top speed of 50 mph and a range of 40 miles at a speed of 40 mph. Heating and defrosting were accomplished with a gas heater and the recharge time was ten hours.

Earth's Deserts Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Earth's Deserts - Research Paper Example The most important abiotic factor which influences the desert ecosystem is rainfall. Most deserts are characterized by the fact that it experiences little or no rainfall. The deserts receive a total of less than 300 mm of rainfall per year, where a rainforest receives about 2000 mm. The lack of rain, and ultimately water in a desert makes the vegetation scarce and influences the adaptation of the plants and organisms. Plants such as cacti which are very common in a desert ecosystem have adapted to the scarcity of water by storing water in their stems. The saguaro cacti do not have very deep roots, allowing it to soak up rain and dew before it evaporates. It's spongy surface inside expands to hold more water (Cunningham n.d.). Bushes develop small and few leave, but long roots to adapt to the harsh conditions by conserving water. Some plants are short lived and grow only during when rain is available. Temperature is another important factor which has a great impact on the ecosystem which ultimately is affected by another abiotic factor, sunlight. The temperature in the deserts reaches its extremes on a daily basis because there is no humidity in the desert air to block the Sun rays. Mean annual temperature in North American deserts like Chihuahuan, Sonoran, and Mojave, for example, is 20-25Â ° whereas it can reach up to 49Â °. Minimum temperature here can drop to -18Â ° as well. But temperatures can be so high that rain starts falling and gets evaporated whilst it reaches the ground (The desert biome. (n.d.).

Homosexuality Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Homosexuality - Essay Example This paper analyses both the genetic and environmental factors involved in homosexuality. One study revealed that â€Å"if one identical twin was gay, the other was also gay 50% of the time. If they were fraternal twins, they were both gay 22% of the time. And if one was adopted, the chances fell to 11%† (Dr.Starr). Ciani et al (n. d) also have pointed out that â€Å"homosexuals have more maternal than paternal male homosexual relatives†. The above statistics and conclusions clearly point towards genetic factors involved in homosexuality. Even though the percentage has slight differences, both identical twins and fraternal twins shows the tendency of becoming homosexuals if they genetic elements of homosexuality. The possibility of existence of homosexuality gene is widely discussed at present. â€Å"Although biologists are still far from answering this question, scattered evidence for a possible gene influencing sexual orientation has recently encouraged scientists to map out a guide to future research† (Is there a homosexuality gene?). Even though, such a gene has not been discovered yet, many of the biologists are confident of identifying such a gene which will answer all the questions related to the reasons of homosexuality. â€Å"Writing in the scientific journal Archives of Sexual Behavior, researchers from Queen Mary's School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, and Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm report that genetics and environmental factors are important determinants of homosexual behavior† (Homosexual behavior due to genetics and environmental factors). Homosexuality is common in military.

From the decade of 1990s Nike Inc is facing criticisms from different Essay

From the decade of 1990s Nike Inc is facing criticisms from different human rights organizations and government bodies - Essay Example Nike management is using the sweatshops for manufacturing of the products where the labor law is violated. The manufacturing units of Nike are mainly in the Asian countries like China, Vietnam, Indonesia etc where they can get labor in a relatively lower cost, also they are getting free trade zones there. The minimum wages law is violated there as well as the working conditions are poor there. Some media have also proved that the working conditions are not standard in Nike factories. Also there were claims that Nike is using child labors. Nike is using forced labor as reported by different media. Recently in July, 2011 an article claimed that Nike the employees of Nike factory abused by the supervisors constantly. So the main problem is that Nike management has failed to ensure a standard human resource policy in the company. Problem Symptoms The problem symptoms are as follows: Certain reports are claiming that Nike is not sticking to a standard human resource policy from the 1990s. Some customers are avoiding Nike on morale ground as they are violating the labor law continuously. Problem Statement As in the manufacturing Factories Nike Inc is violated the labor laws, the human resource organizations and the government bodies are protesting this in different countries as well as some customer started to avoid the products in a morale ground. Part B The Problem Nike Inc, a major manufacturer of apparel and sports equipment is violating the labor laws in its manufacturing factories which are situated mainly in the Asian countries. As the labors are not treated well in the factories so the international media is continuously focusing on this matter. They have collected some proves which made clear the fact that Nike is violating the labor laws really. Several issues are against the company, because of which some consumers also avoid using the products of Nike on the moral ground. Fishbone Diagram Key Findings From the fishbone diagram it has been found that sever al factors are there and because of all these Nike was able to violate the labor laws from the 1990s. The main factor is the management. The human resource policy of the management is below standard, which causes the problem mainly. Moreover the long term strategy of the company is not good at all. If the company continues this type of labor policy then the company can’t make profit in the long term. The government of the respective countries is also responsible for this situation. Nike is continuing this practice from the 1990s, but the respective governments have not taken such hard step so that the company will think about the matter seriously. The government has made the trade free zones for the foreign companies, and it is attractable for the companies as they can do business in low cost. They can also get low cost

Enron paper Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Enron - Research Paper Example Enron was a among leading promoters in restructuring of energy markets which led to the emergent of its name, but the name was later changed to energy country as a result of its invention in new global market. Enron was a pioneer company in the legend of elite of workers in financial world. The company acquired miscellaneous investments to its portfolio and had the capability of obtaining returns of 200% of its investments to shareholders. By 2000, Enron had become a massive company in the industry. They opened branches in South America, India Asia and a host of other European States and countries. They extended their functions by starting occupation in additional projects that they had started, and it is when they started the online manufacturing of energy and telecommunication facilities. They further introduced services such as, risk management, consulting services, internet broadband services, and the launch of outstanding products that protected against bad weather (Hutton 5). H owever, in October 16, 2001, the company was involved in some fraudulent activities and this led it to bankruptcy. On December 2, 2001, in Southern District of New York, Enron Company went ahead and filed for bankruptcy after it recorded a loss of an approximated $638 million in its third quarter earnings, and chose Weil Gotshal and Manges as their bankruptcy counsel. This bankruptcy was as a result of, top executives involved in huge scandals such as, money laundering, corruption and a series of other conspiracies. To add on top of that, they lost their goodwill, investments and confidence by admitting fraud in income of about four years, which was about $586. They also admitted to have hidden $3 billion in debt to create limited partnerships. Afterwards, they faced a massive deterioration in the stock market with, is $90 per share falling to less than $1 per share in 2000. (Bhatnagar et al. 8) Employees of Enron Corporation became affected in disastrous ways, stating form unemploy ment to their retirement savings getting lost in the fraud. Banks also became victims of circumstances by losing millions of dollars of investments that the company had acquired as loan, due to fake earning reports. The firm was sidelined by a number of its clients and workers resulting to them quitting out of business. The report of these financial frauds were preplanned, and systematically arranged to undertake fraudulent activities. The counterfeiting of strategies, embezzling of profits and hiding increased debt diminished the company’s stock value through the fraudulent activities, they were able to gain access in borrowing extra wealth and with this, and they were boosted. The statistics revealed that top executives gave incorrect audit reports about the company’s economic conditions. In February 2002, the company was inquired by Senate Commerce Committee and they later came out of bankruptcy in November 2004 (Bhatnagar et al, 10). Accounting Problems Enron start ed experiencing accounting problems in late 2001 that, compounded of some of its several businesses not doing well as required. In October 2001, Enron announced a series of asset losses which included an