Great Famine Essay

Buba – A boil that is caused by the Bubonic Plague, usually on the neck, armpit, or groin and causes excruciating pain. Flagellants- Group of people that whipped themselves to rid them of sins, in belief that Black Death was God’s punishment on humans for wickedness. Crecy-A city in Northern France 1346, English longbowmen scored a great victory over the French knights and crossbowmen. Agincourt- near Arras in 1415, the chivalric English soldier- King Henery V gained the field over vastly superior numbers. Joan of Arc- A peasant girl that convinced the French government the dauphin needed to be crowned and to expel the English out of France. She dressed as a man and fought in the war, but was caught and burned at the stake for being a witch. Representative assemblies- the beginnings to modern government like the English Parliament and German Diets Nationalism- The feeling of unity and identity that binds together people. The English had strong nationalism after winning the war. Babylonian Captivity- referring to the seventy years the ancient Hebrews was held captive in Mesopotamian Schism- Another word for division, in this case the division of the French and English and their Popes. Conciliarists- believed that reform of the church could best be achieved through periodic assemblies, or general councils, representing all the Christian people. Statue of Kilkenny- â€Å"there was to be no marriages between those of immigrant and native stock† To make sure there was no racism in Ireland Merchant- The fine you have to pay the lord to get a woman married. Banns- Public announcements that are posted on the church door that says who is getting married. Jacquerie- French Peasant uprising named after a mythical laborer. Racism- Discrimination based on ethnicity, Irish were discriminated mostly Dalimil Chronicle- A survey of Bohemian history pervaded with Czech hostility toward Germany Peasant Revolts- Peasants make large groups and try to over throw the leader, happened in Fladers. Review Questions 1. The Great Famine caused the population decline in the early 14th century. The famine wide out a large potion on the population. Infants, children, and elderly people were susceptible to disease and now the workingman had a reduced diet. These tough conditions made it difficult to support a family, so no babies were being born. So in the 14th century there was population decline. 2. The bacteria that caused the bubonic plague was found in the blood stream of rodents and it traveled through fleas. Overcrowding, poor sanitation, lack of personal hygiene, and poor nutrition encouraged the disease to spread dramatically through Europe. The land values drastically dropped. Narrow streets filled with refuse and human excrement were as much as cesspools as thoroughfares. The extreme overcrowding was everywhere. 3. The short and long-term causes of the Hundred Years’ War were the English claimed Aquitaine as in ancient inheritance. However, the French was strongly expansionist (French Policy). Economic factors about the wool trade and control of Flemish towns served as justification between France and England for the next centuries. The spreading of commerce with England threatened their prosperity. 4. The French overall had their land regained and won the war. They however lost thousands of soldiers and civilians as well as hundreds of thousands of acres of farmland causing the economy to be left in shambles. England spent over 5 million causing to have a massive net loss to go along with the loss of thousands of soldiers. They did however gain the power of representative assemblies such as Parliament. 5. The Babylonian Captivity weakened the prestige of the church because the current pope was asked to move to Rome while sick and at near death. Once he died, the clergy elected Urban VI to pope. He acted insane and cardinals â€Å"excommunicated† him from pope. Soon a new pope was chosen, Clement VII. Cardinals that supported the Concilliar Movement elected a new pope as well, making three popes at once. 6. The Conciliarists Movement was revolutionary. It was a belief the reform of the church would be best achieved through periodic assemblies, or general counsel, representing the Christian people. 7. (who is he) John Wyclif was an advocate for the Conciliarists Movement. Wyclif was a threat to the institutional church because he said that churches should be stripped of their property. He told people that they are their own churches if they just read the bible. His followers, Lollards, allowed woman to preach and were like by many. 8. After the Hundreds Years’ War there was little to no employment for knights. Many of those nobles turned to crime called fur-collar crime. This was where the nobles would steal from the rich and tell the poor that they had to pay a fee so that they wouldn’t hurt them. They gained a great deal of money, but after long suffering by peasants they began to get angry and revolt. 9. The French Peasants’ Revolt of 1358 was caused by heavy taxation by the French from the Hundred Years’ War. Plus plague, famine, and being harassed by fur-collar crimes, they went through the countryside killing nobles. Peasants brought about the English Peasants’ Revolt of 1381 because of the demand for higher wages and the governments fail to represent their wants. Also frozen wages and head tax were contributing reasons.

Problems Facing India Today – Overpopulation, Illiteracy, Corruption

India is one of the poorest countries in the world. The poverty in India isn't just psycological poverty. The poverty in India isn't just emotional poverty. The poverty in India isn't just social poverty. The poverty in India isn't just religious and cultural poverty. The poverty in India is an absolute poverty. The poverty in India involves poverty in every aspect of life. We all knew India is a very poor country although not so many of us knew how extreme the poverty level was in India. Now it is very clear how extreme poverty is in India. Now it is very clear how poor some Indians are. Now it is very clear how people continue to die from absolute poverty and hunger in India despite numerous efforts to help fight poverty in the world. A new multidimensional poverty Index shows that India is far poorer than Africa in both intensity and in number. The Multidimensional Poverty Index developed by Oxford University (which will appear in the upcoming UNDP human development report) shows that India is far poorer than Africa not just in number but also in intensity. The new poverty measure shows that 8 states out of the 29 states in India have more poor people than 26 poorest African countries combined. The Multidimensional poverty index views poverty from several different angles instead of just GDP figures. India like any other developing country is crippled by so many problems. For example, India's population growth rate is increasing by the day putting pressure on the limited resources and leaving many Indians in absolute poverty. India is very poor in terms of education, in terms of economic improvement, infrastructure, heath care, etc. Here are some of the problems facing India today. In today's India, there is nothing but: 1. HIGH INFLATION RATES. Fueled by rising wages, property prices and food prices inflation in India is an increasing problem. Inflation is currently between 6-7%. A record 98% of Indian firms report operating close to full capacity (2)With economic growth of 9. 2% per anum inflationary pressures are likely to increase, especially with supply side constraints such as infrastructure. The wholesale-price index (WPI), rose to an annual 6. 6% in January 2007 (1) 2. POOR GIRL CHILD EDUCATION Although India has benefited from a high % of English speakers. (important for call centre industry) there is still high levels of illiteracy amongst the population. It is worse in rural areas and amongst women. Over 50% of Indian women are illiterates 3. POOR INFRASTRUCTURE Many Indians lack basic amenities lack access to running water. Indian public services are creaking under the strain of bureaucracy and inefficiency. Over 40% of Indian fruit rots before it reaches the market; this is one example of the supply constraints and inefficiency’s facing the Indian economy. 4. BALANCE OF PAYMENT DETERIORATION Although India has built up large amounts of foreign currency reserves the current account deficit has deteriorate in recent months. This deterioration is a result of the overheating of the economy. Aggregate Supply cannot meet Aggregate demand so consumers are sucking in imports. Excluding workers remittances India’s current account deficit is approaching 5% of GDP . HIGH LEVELS OF DEBTS Buoyed by a property boom the amount of lending in India has grown by 30% in the past year. However there are concerns about the risk of such loans. If they are dependent on rising property prices it could be problematic. Furthermore if inflation increases further it may force the RBI to increase interest rates. If interest rates rise substantially it will leave those indebted facing rising interest p ayments and potentially reducing consumer spending in the future 6. INEQUALITY HAS RISEN It is hoped that economic growth would help drag the Indian poor above the poverty line. However so far economic growth has been highly uneven benefiting the skilled and wealthy disproportionately. Many of India’s rural poor are yet to receive any tangible benefit from the India’s economic growth. More than 78 million homes do not have electricity. 33% (268million) of the population live on less than $1 per day. Furthermore with the spread of television in Indian villages the poor are increasingly aware of the disparity between rich and poor. . LARGE BUDGET DEFICIT. India has one of the largest budget deficits in the developing world. Excluding subsidies it amounts to nearly 8% of GDP. Although it is fallen a little in the past year. It still allows little scope for increasing investment in public services like health and education. 8. RIGID LABOR LAWS As an example Firms employing more than 100 people cannot fire workers without government permission. The effect of thi s is to discourage firms from expanding to over 100 people. It also discourages foreign investment. Trades Unions have an important political power base and governments often shy away from tackling potentially politically sensitive labor laws. These are just a few of the problems facing India today. Life in India is nothing but absolute poverty with little hope of survival in the near future. Good education is the key to economic improvement yet India is lacking this essential key in terms of education and hence in terms of economic improvement. what do you think? what are some of the problems facing India today? How can India overcome some of these problems? Who is responsible and who is to be blamed?

Competing against walmart Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Competing against walmart - Essay Example Not all the people can be able to afford the prices of the services being offered by the business. That is the major challenge the business is facing. The business is well known for its optical services. Customers are tested for their different sight problems, and then given the rightful spectacles. One can also have their lenses or frames changed. Those are some of the many services offered by the business. The employees of the business work tirelessly to ensure that there is no gap in any of the services provided. Most of the customers of the business are usually children who attend school, and the aged people. Most of the school-going children are usually faced with the sight defect known as the short sightedness, while the aged are usually faced with long sightedness. The business has been able to gain a competitive advantage over the years. It has been able to do so through giving to their customers services that are of a high value. This is one of the aspects that keep the customers coming. The location of the business has also contributed towards creating a competitive edge for the business. The business is different from Wal-Mart in that, unlike the Wal-Mart, the business has been in operation for 10 years and, therefore, it has been able to analyze fully the market environment in which it is operating. It has been able to merge fully into the market environment. The Wal-Mart Optical Center has not been in the market, therefore, it will be difficult for it to gain the knowledge of the market that the business has. Since the Wal-Mart Optical Center is to be launched, it is curial for the business to undergo certain changes in order to uphold its competitive nature in the market. First, the business should be able to offer different range of services on top of what is offering. This will enable the customers to be able to shop around for their preferred choice. The business should also be able to revise

'Prison Works' Discuss Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

'Prison Works' Discuss - Essay Example the theory utilised in Scottish penal system and a reassessment of the principles used in criminal justice regarding gender, race, discrimination and rehabilitation of offenders. This paper will analyse if Scotland’s existing criminal justice and penology theories and application of these principles in the rehabilitation of offenders are effective in their treatment of prisoners. Prevailing views in the previous decades with regard Scotland’s prison service seem to be fortified by the current data and findings about the ‘inefficacy’ of the Scottish prison system which replete the media and the web. There is an increase in imprisonment, higher that what was posted in the previous years and overcrowding in Scotland’s prison, where many has languished for more than 6 months for minor offences, has become worse and was even described as the most overcrowded in Europe It is predicted that when legislators introduce new laws, the number of prisoners will increase by 14% (CJS 2007). Authorities on this subject contend that Scotland is turning in a punitive society where an increasing number of people are incarcerated, growing from 122 individuals out of 100,000 to 141. Some also question if Scotland has become safer as it plans put more people in jail (CJS 2007) by building more prison facilities while others contend that locking offender s up will not change anything if the criminal justice system is not improved. In addition, data and information, for many, have not improved at all as the studies still showed dismal results similar to those seen during past decades. For instance, in the 1996 data on offenders who sought psychiatric assistance, less that 0.1% of convicted offenders were afforded this service and only 0.5% of the offenders were confined in psychiatric institutions. The use of the insanity bargain is a rare occurrence in Scotland. Yet, mental unfitness is evident in many offenders and the problem lies on the absence of a universal policy which

The Economic Impact of the Loughor Marine Lake Development Essay

The Economic Impact of the Loughor Marine Lake Development - Essay Example The tidal lake waterfront would create opportunities for leisure activities such as sailing and boating.   Generation of electricity for the use in the development area is also included as a part of the master plan.  Ã‚   The project is expected to act as a catalyst for the economic development of the region benefiting Llanelli and Swansea as well.     The employment opportunities arising out of the project will benefit the community in Swansea and the surrounding areas such as Port Talbot, Neath, Llanelli, parts of Lliw Valley and the District of Dinefwr. The mobility on account of tourism, leisure, and other related activities would create an excellent climate for the business and trade development in the region as a whole in the long term. The long-term jobs created will be in Manufacturing and Commercial sector.   The second major sector will be Services covering retail, wholesale, distribution, personal services, tourism, and leisure.   It is proposed to construct 250,000 Sq. feet area for commercial purposes in the development project. The consortium’s interest in obtaining grants from Europe under the European Regional Development Fund for which tourism is seen as a prime means of economic regeneration.   Weaknesses and shortcomings of the project are also analyzed in this paper.   The study also covers recommendations for a comprehensive strategy to develop the region as an economic hub and a tourism spot of national importance and recommended a program of implementation.   The study analyses and reports the project in terms of its scope, limitations or shortcomings, and arrive at general conclusions and give recommendations for a comprehensive strategy for the development of the project and implementation of the program.   The Master Plan of the Marine Lake Development consists of two independent and related projects. The first one is related to infrastructure development.

World Religion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

World Religion - Essay Example For example, when reading the almanac page about Buddhism, we read that its sacred texts provide â€Å"rules of monastic life† and that it practices meditation (â€Å"Major Non-Christian World Religions†). Just by reading this, we will form our own ideas of what mediation and monasticism is from our limited knowledge and understanding of Buddhism. We have to read and learn about the history of Buddha, the meanings and context of his teachings and how they have been influenced through out its history. Also, just by reading a small paragraph that their belief consists of cycle of rebirth and death, we can’t grasp the full understanding of this belief and what it is trying to say (â€Å"Major Non-Christian World Religions†). With such basic and little knowledge we would be unable to even try to compare it to other religions. When we just read these simple summaries, it makes us believe that religions are boiled down to the few listed practices and beliefs. We make the wrong conclusions and tend to misunderstand the true meaning and their teachings. For example, when reading the summary on Islam, it seems like a list of rigid tasks of fasting, giving charity, and strict rules of conduct (â€Å"Major Non-Christian World Religions†). These few words fail to do justice to the vast and rich history of the religion, its founder, practices, and cultural context. We don’t get an idea of how and why it came to be, what influences it had on the people and how it changed and developed history. Also, when we read the basic concepts and practices of any religion we start making assumptions that its followers worldwide do these same few practices that we have read on a page. For example, when one reads that in Judaism, people observe certain dietary restrictions, celebrate specific holidays like Rosh Hashana and adhere to a â€Å"period of fasting and penitence†, we automatically assume that every single

Video Game Violence Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Video Game Violence - Research Paper Example On the other hand, some video games may have potential benefits to children. The games’ realistic and stimulating character has made it extremely acceptable and trendy to the younger generation. Statistics show that almost 80% of American children, ages 7 to 17 years old, play an average of 8 hours daily. While some games available in the market are suitably wholesome, beneficial and educational for children; some games, particularly those with ultra violent content could be destructive and inappropriate. The intensification of electronic play together with the escalating incidences of youth crimes has led to massive government and police investigations and legislative schemes worldwide (â€Å"School Age: Video Game Addiction†). Majority of conducted studies have been centered on the negative correlation between electronic games and aggressive behavior among the youth; and assessment of strategies aimed at reduction of risks to minors. However, minimal studies have been carried out to prove some probabilities of constructive influences on children’s development (Salonius-Pasternak and Gelfond 6). Despite numerous researches on the impact of violent electronic games on children, there appears to be as much perplexity as ever. Why do video games increase violence and aggression among the youth? How do these games affect children’s behavior? Why do those children already exposed to violence in society choose games of aggression? We may or may not find convincing answers to link video games with violent behavior. Psychoanalysts, educators, scientists, computer technologists, parents and even commoners may give different opinions and through them, we will be able to understand the reasons behind their arguments. This article will analyze the different viewpoints of different observers. Potential benefits and negative impacts will be presented, as well as this author’s personal analysis on the issue: Evidences of exhibited aggressiv e behavior in children and the growing incidence of crimes committed by young gamers are linked with over-exposure to video games; however, the probabilities of video games’ positive influences should not be ignored. Evidences of exhibited aggressive behavior in children and the growing incidence of crimes committed by young gamers are linked with over-exposure to video games; however, the probabilities of video games’ positive influences should not be ignored. In the seventies, modernization and technological innovations introduced electronic game play to society, particularly targeting the interest of the younger generation. Since then, video game play became a major part of children’s daily activities. In the 1980s, classrooms were equipped with computers and later, computers were recognized as providers of knowledge. Studies showed that educational software and games can undeniably have numerous beneficial effects on children’s academic performance (K ent). The beneficial effects electronic play has on children should not be discounted. Video games are educators. The interactive nature of this electronic media can be highly motivational; children become enthusiastically connected; they learn through repetition; and are rewarded for skillful