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Small biography, voyages, motivation, influences.

The personality of Christopher Columbus is shrouded in myth. As noted by Kirkpatrick Sale in The Conquest of Paradise (1990), historians have turned ... more

The personality of Christopher Columbus is shrouded in myth. As noted by Kirkpatrick Sale in The Conquest of Paradise (1990), historians have turned Columbus into a "largerthanlife character" (p. 346). School children today are presented with an image of the man as a national hero beyond reproach. However, as Koning (1991) notes, "the standard textbook image of Columbus is false" (p. 12). In reality, Columbus was seeking personal gain when he set out in search of a westward passage to Asia. Furthermore, he was the first European explorer to exploit the land and labor of the "New World." Many students of history are surprised when they learn that Columbus showed extreme cruelty toward the American Indians, and that he was responsible for setting in motion the chain of events which would severely decrease their population within a short period of time. In the

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Analyzes motivations of explorer (religious, personal, economic, adventure) in first-person accounts of New World voyages.

The motivations of Christopher Columbus and other figures in The Four Voyages of Christopher Columbus, edited by J.M. Cohen, are varied and contradict... more

The motivations of Christopher Columbus and other figures in The Four Voyages of Christopher Columbus, edited by J.M. Cohen, are varied and contradictory. Certainly, those motivations were not purely the result of high religious principles, for the lure of gold, land, slaves, power and prestige also played a major role in driving these men to seek, reach and exploit the New World. The reader must keep in mind that the book is written by men who were likely presenting what they saw as a positive portrait of their activities and intentions. Nevertheless, the full range of their motives comes through. One passage from the account of Columbus's son demonstrates the jumble of motives at work in the hearts and minds of these Europeans in their relations with the natives: On receiving such kindnesses and such samples of gold from

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Examines the conflict between reason and hedonism in literature & philosophy: Euripides, [Epic of Gilgamesh], Plato, Machiavelli, Shakespeare, more.

In Greek mythology, Apollo represents an aspect of the Greek ideal and a characteristic element of Greek civilization--the perpetually vigorous and gr... more

In Greek mythology, Apollo represents an aspect of the Greek ideal and a characteristic element of Greek civilization--the perpetually vigorous and graceful young man, contrasted with his half-brother Dionysus. Dionysus is the wild and enthusiastic zealot, while Apollo is calm and orderly, balancing vigor and reason. The Apollonian/Dionysian dichotomy is found expressed in literature both before the time of the Greek Golden Age and after, suggesting that there is something elementary and even primal in the pairing. Dionysus was the central figure in a major cult of the Greek world, a cult that would have a long-term influence in mythology, religion, and literature. Dionysus was a pan-Hellenic god who was widely celebrated throughout the Archaic period and honored at dramatic contests with tragedies and comedies. His was also

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Reviews the history & role of religion in Austria. Examines the rise of Catholicism from Charlemagne through contemporary times & discusses the changing role of the Catholic church in public affairs.

Religion in Austria Introduction Although most of the nations of Europe contain members of many different religions and sects, some of them are domina... more

Religion in Austria Introduction Although most of the nations of Europe contain members of many different religions and sects, some of them are dominated by one sort of religious practice. In many instances, the religion of the country has been a central element in the development of that country, and in the unfolding of its history. In the case of Austria, that has clearly been the situation. Austria is now, and was during the time of the Habsburgs, a Roman Catholic country. Roman Catholicism has influenced its development until the modern era, and even beyond. The Early History While Austria had an early history of exposure to Christianity

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Argues that in Shakespeare's THE TEMPEST Prospero allows his positive sense of humanity to be rekindled, & in Joseph Conrad's HEART OF DARKNESS Kurtz does not. Thus Prospero may return to civilization while Kurtz dies when he touches it again.

The manner in which Kurtz, from Conrad's Heart of Darkness, and Prospero, from Shakespeare's The Tempest, exert their authority over their respective ... more

The manner in which Kurtz, from Conrad's Heart of Darkness, and Prospero, from Shakespeare's The Tempest, exert their authority over their respective environments is highly influenced by the inner workings of their being -- their perception of their power and their corresponding response to the circumstances. Both men indulge in self-aggrandizement, seduced by their capacity to control people and dictate the turn of events. They claim a god-like authority in their relentless drive towards realizing their individual vision, placing themselves beyond judgment and treating others with contempt. However, while Kurtz is overwhelmed by the ugliness of the human world and sinks deeper and deeper into the darkness of his self-consuming power, Prospero chooses to celebrate the positive aspects and allows his dormant sense of humanity to be

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Discusses anti-democratic factors. Democratic ethos. Issue of national self-determination. Fear of imperialist domination by the Central Powers. Policital process; lack of political participation. Impact of European anarchists. Impetus towards war of policy makers. Attack-based war strategy. Democratic sttes resistance to military action. Democratic nation-state equivocation. Power policitcs. Gamesmanship of Britain and Europe.

One of the most easily made arguments in favor of the view that World War I could have been avoided if all belligerents were democracies is the histor... more

One of the most easily made arguments in favor of the view that World War I could have been avoided if all belligerents were democracies is the historical record: It was not, and they were not, and those facts help explain why the war came about. This was a period in which democracy had not exactly won the war of ideas among Europe's rulers or the institutions of European governance. It has also been said that communism, the antidemocratic ideology that supplanted absolute monarchy in Europe where constitutional democracies did not and that survived the Great War for most of the 20th century, nevertheless itself eventually fell to "the superior strength of a rival body of ideas, free-market democracy, which was powerful enough to hold together the 16 countries of the West's alliance through all the alarm

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Examines causes and consequences. Nationalism and separatism. Class struggle; industrial nations against one another and Imperialist nations against social ferment. Views of historians of the period regarding causes. Role played by Austrian-Hungarian Empire. Role of treay commitments. U.S. neutrality and entrance into the war. Various battles. Treaty of Versailles.

WORLD WAR I: CAUSES AND CONSEQUENCES Introduction. “’Some damned foolish thing in the Balkans,’ Bismarck had predicted, would ignite the n... more

WORLD WAR I: CAUSES AND CONSEQUENCES Introduction. “’Some damned foolish thing in the Balkans,’ Bismarck had predicted, would ignite the next war….War pressed against every frontier. Suddenly dismayed, governments struggled and twisted to fend it off” (Tuchman, 1962, p. 93). But, like a snow avalanche careening down a steep hill, the impetus was impossible to stop and turn back. The war so many had predicted, some had counted on, yet few really wanted, began. “When the war was over the dead per capita were 1 to 28 for France, 1 to 32 for Germany, 1 to 57 for England, and 1 to 107 for Russia” (Tuchman, 1962, 488). By 1918, “the conflagration involved 93% of the world’s population; the countries classified as neutral had a population of 130,000,000 whereas those participating in the war had a c

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The plays of John Ford (‘Tis Pity She’s A Whore), Thomas Heywood (A Woman Killed With Kindness), and John Webster (The Duchess of Malfi) are used to show the evolution of English drama evolved in a similar pattern as the religious and social injunctions of society.

English Drama Introduction The religious and social injunctions during the eras when Tis PityShe's A Whore A Woman Killed By Kindness and The Duchess ... more

English Drama Introduction The religious and social injunctions during the eras when Tis PityShe's A Whore A Woman Killed By Kindness and The Duchess of Malfi wereones that greatly restricted female expression and clearly and rigidlydefined roles for them deemed appropriate by Church and socialinstitutions During Elizabethan England patriarchy reached its pinnacle Men maintained enormous control over women due to religious and socialinjunctions that permitted such control In each of these plays we seethat English Drama evolved to portray women in ways

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A brief biographer of King Henry VIII, of England. Includes aspects of Henry’s youth such as education and physical prowess, his battles with the Roman Catholic Church and France, his marriages, and his later declining years.

The Life of Henry VIIIIntroduction To better understand the life of England's King Henry VIII one ofthe most famous and infamous of monarchs in histor... more

The Life of Henry VIIIIntroduction To better understand the life of England's King Henry VIII one ofthe most famous and infamous of monarchs in history the times into whichhe was born must be understood Like his father Henry VII Henry VIIIreigned during the transition from Medieval England to Renaissance England The advent of the printing press the rise of skepticism the move towardsecularism and unprecedented scientific experiment were responsible forrapidly changing ideas They were also the cause of some of the greatestconflicts

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Considers motivations for war using examples of King David's siege of Jerusalem, the Battle of Marathon between the Greeks and Persians and the Thirty Years War of the 17th century.

Warfare over Time War may very well be one of the most common aspects of civilizationthat has remained firmly in place despite the development of incr... more

Warfare over Time War may very well be one of the most common aspects of civilizationthat has remained firmly in place despite the development of increasinglycomplex societies and cultures over time At issue in this brief essay isa discussion of the ways in which rulers motivated their subjects to engagein warfare over time and an analysis of attitudes toward militaryengagement in different eras The eras chosen for discussion include thetime of King David in ancient Israel the era in the fourth century