Culture and History of Spain Essay

The golden age of Spain does not refer exactly to the economic and military hegemony of Spain, as Spain was on the verge of political, economic, and military collapse during this time. Spain engaged in expansionist policy abroad that had necessitated the government to impose an increased taxation, which leads to the revolts in 1640 first in Catalonia, then in Portugal. From then on, Spain was weakened economically, politically and culturally. Rather, the golden age refer to the flourishing in arts and literature in Spain. The main topics during this period were literature and the arts rather than economic or military victories abroad. The period of the Spanish golden age according to John A. Crow and Patricia Craig as featured by AOL Hometown in their article â€Å"Spain’s Cultural life: Literature and the Fine Arts† was between 1530 and 1680. During this time, theatre works, poetry and novels were very popular, and the most well known was the work of Cervantes entitled Don Quixote published in 1605. (AOL Hometown) Among the most popular names were dramatists like Lope de Vega, Tirso de Molina, and Calderon, which had premiered fine works of Spanish theatre. Spanish Famous artist during this time includes Velasquez, El Greco, Zubaran, Rebera and Morales which were held to be the greatest of their times. The reason behind Spain’s golden age was perhaps the existence of these fine artists whose works captivated even the highest nobility. The golden age of Spain according to history (an article entitled â€Å"Spain†) began with the ascension of Philip II to the Spanish throne. It was during his time that the popularity of arts and literature reached to highest level. However, the consequence of the golden age was the political and economic as well as military decline of Spain both in the home front and in overseas. An article entitled Spain in History (iExplore) pointed out that because of the prominence of art, the Hapsburg monarchy became increasingly less able to deal the empire’s somber problems particularly during the 17th century causing the empire’s gradual economic collapse. Most historians attributed this economic failure to the inability of the monarch to rule the empire because their interest was in the arts rather than in improving the economy. Another consequence of the golden age is the ‘feminization of Spain. Feminization refers to the gender emphasis that proliferated in the Spanish societies during the golden age. Men during this time adopted the customs of women such as mode of dressing and cosmetics. In the summary of Sidney Donnell’s book Feminizing the Enemy featured in the website article LAFAYETE the article pointed out that the gender anxieties during the golden age was related to the emphasis on arts and culture that was prevailing during this period of Spanish history. The Role of Religion in the Rules of the Hapsburg (or Habsburg) Kings During the period of 16th and 17th centuries, Spain was under the rule of the Habsburg dynasty, which was the dominant power in the Central Europe with capital in Vienna, Austria. Spain then was ruled by many kings that brought Spain both success and fall; and that, the â€Å"church enlarged its already dominant position in Spanish life† (High Beam Encyclopedia, par. 27). The Obvious topic during this time was Catholic Faith and Church membership as the reigning Monarchs were committed to impose Catholicism through the empire. The role of religion in the rules of Hapsburg kings according to Victor Perez Diaz (1998) was that the Hapsburg viewed society in the context of teleocratic state, which put society in a secondary position. It means that in view of the Hapsburg Kings, society can be a sphere in which they can generate resources to be use by the ruler to accomplish its mission. The implication of this was that the Hapsburg Kings uses religion or the so- called politics of faith to fulfill their mission. In other words, religion has become a powerful apparatus with which they achieved their aims. According to Diaz, although the Hapsburg kings respected the socioeconomic order, yet they were also devoted to some shared goals that necessitate systematic interventions in the social fabric to reinforce the sovereign’s authority. Thus the Hapsburg, Diaz pointed out, marshaled resources for protecting Catholic faith and shaped the moral character of its subjects, making membership in the church the means to recognition in the political community (Diaz). The reason for this was, the Roman Catholicism became the official state religion in Spain in 1492 after Ferdinand V of Aragon, and Isabella I of Castile married which linked the kingdoms. Because both monarchs were devout Catholics they wanted to impose the purity of the Catholic faith as well as to enhance the royal power. Because of the close relations of the Hapsburg to the Holy Roman Empire they were so dedicated to the Catholic Church prompting them to establish the Inquisitor in order to prosecute, and confiscate property owned by the Moors (Spain Life and Culture). Ferdinand and Isabella imposed religious uniformity through out Spain by aggressive campaign to convert the Moors and the Jews or they face expulsion (Spain Life and Culture). However, the consequence of their emphasis in the purity of Catholic faith, leads to the persecutions of Protestants, which resulted to war with protestant England. This prompted Philip to send a great Spanish Armada against England in 1558 unfortunately, it was defeated, and it marked Spain’s decline of power (Spain). Thus the consequence of the Hapsburg use of religion to enhance their power and to strengthen their rule was costly and it cost the gradual collapse of the Spanish hegemony not only in the home front but also abroad. The Bourbon kings in Spain (efforts to improve Spain) The Spanish Bourbon was one of the most vital royal families in Europe that held thrones in Spain during the 17th century. Philip V of Spain became the first Bourbon ruler of Spain after the death of Charles II (1665-1700). The bourbons ascended to the Spanish thrones during the end of Spain’s hegemonic power with the death of Charles II. In the view of J. Clayborn Laforce, with distressing vulnerability Spain slipped into an embarrassing sequence of decline, which continued until all of Spain’s greatness was gone. However, with the ascension of Philip V, Spain crossed a new threshold marked by the extraordinary progressive participation by government in Spanish economic dealings. The main topic during the Bourbon’s rule was economic recovery, in which the Bourbon monarch had implemented series of economic measures designed to improve the economic condition of Spain. Obviously a learned man, Philip’s knowledge in French mercantilism had helped him in improving the economic condition of Spain. Philip launched a series reform policy and programs for commercial and industrial revival and promotes the production of merchandise of high value that previously had been purchased abroad. The next Bourbon king to inherit the Spanish throne was Charles VII (1759-88) Like Philip; Charles was one of the most enlightened Spanish Monarch, which had contributed to Spain’s short-lived cultural and economic revival. The reason behind all these efforts was that through production of these commodities, the government would minimize its dependency on imported commodities. The third Bourbon Monarch to rule Spain was Ferdinand VII (1784-1833) which perhaps marked the end of the short economic revival started by Philip V and continued by Charles VII. It was during the brief reign of Charles IV, an incompetent Bourbon monarch that the flame of economic revival dies down. The reason for the short live economic revival was the squabble in the royal family that prompted Napoleon of France to invade Spain, and gave the Spanish throne to his brother Joseph Bonaparte. Spain after this was engaged in wars that halted its economic hope of revival. The consequences of disunity in the royal family had not only weakened the economic reforms put in place by Philip V but it also invited napoleon to invade Spain and claimed the Spanish throne for himself. It also led to war against England that further pushed Spain to humiliation and defeat. Indeed the misery of Spain cannot be attributed to the Bourbon rule as they merely inherited a declining kingdom. Had the momentum of economic growth that was laid out by the first two-bourbon monarch, Spain could have recovered from its drooping. Spain’s history was indeed very intriguing and full of difficulties, which are a good source of both learning and inspirations for the student of Spanish history. It features the rise and fall of the empire that had conquered much of the known world through sword and religion, but it had collapsed also because of religion and sword when it wage against protestant England in the name of religion. Work Cited Diaz, V. P. (1998) State and Public sphere in Spain during the ancient Regime Vol. 137 La Force, J. C Royal Textile factories in Spain, 1700-1800 The Journal of Economic History, Vol. 24 No. 3(Sep. , 1964), pp. 337-363 Http://links. jstor. org/sici? sici=0022-0507(196409)24%3A3%3C337%3ARTFIS1%3E2. 0. CO%3B2-N http://www. questia. com/googleScholar. qst;jsessionid=HRpGVQQzlhZJSZhM6QdwhnXtr7jp8dDwrBlY2dyNPJ6GGnyjVrvH! 1976250333? docId=5001368566 Spain http://www. geocities. com/CapitolHill/8823/aboutes. html Spain’s Cultural Life http://www. hometown. aol. com/antmagictg/culture. html Spain History I Explore http://www. iexplore. com/dmap/Spain/History Spain. http://www. geocities. com/CapitolHill/8823/aboutes. html Spain. High Beam Encyclopedia. Retrieved March 7, 2008. http://www. encyclopedia. com/doc/1E1-Spain. html Sidney Donnell will Talk about â€Å"Drag Performance and Hapsburg Spain† today. Lafayete http://www. lafayette. edu/news. php/view/5137/

10 Terms of Gender Identity

10 Terms of Gender Identity 10 Terms of Gender Identity 10 Terms of Gender Identity By Mark Nichol Are you confused about the language of gender identity? As we learned from a recent post about ethnic identity, the best way to learn what words to use to distinguish one or more people by their physical characteristics is to ask them. Unfortunately, this approach is not as easy as it seems. Those who wish to describe ethnic identity or gender identity often have a category, rather than one person, in mind, and any two people with similar characteristics (for example, a pair of American Indians, or two lesbians) are likely to have divergent preferences. Likewise, any effort to obtain sanction for one term or another from an organization claiming to represent people with nonheterosexual gender identities (or people with a certain ethnic identity) will not result in universal acceptance of the term by those it is meant to refer to. Why do we even need distinctive terms to discuss intersecting identities with nebulous boundaries? The answer to this question is another question: How can we hope to communicate about sexuality and gender without a common vocabulary? There is such a vocabulary, but, like humanity, it is necessarily fluid. But here are terms and definitions that many people agree on: 1. Bisexual: A term for a person sexually attracted to people of both the same sex and the opposite sex. 2. Dyke: A term for a woman sexually attracted to other women; some people consider it offensive, although many lesbians have reclaimed the word and self-identify as dykes. 3. Fag: A term for a man sexually attracted to other men; some people may consider it offensive, although many gays have reclaimed the word and self-identify as fags. 4. GLBT: An inclusive initialism for those self-identifying as gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transsexual. A more inclusive and as yet uncommon variant is GLBTQ2IA; the additional elements refer to â€Å"queer, questioning, intersex allies.† 5. Gay: An inclusive term for those attracted to people of the same sex or not exclusively attracted to people of the opposite sex, although it is often used in the phrase â€Å"gays and lesbians,† which places men and women in separate categories, and can thus refer either to both genders or men only. 6. Genderqueer: A term for those who refuse to be confined to a single gender role. 7. Lesbian: A term for a woman sexually attracted to other women. 8. Queer: An inclusive term for those attracted to people of the same sex or not exclusively attracted to people of the opposite sex; some people may consider it offensive, although many who that fall under that definition have reclaimed the word and self-identify as queers. 9. Same-gender loving: A self-evident term used by those dissatisfied by traditional terminology. 10. Transgender: A term for a person who presents as having a gender other than their original one. This usage is not to be confused with transsexual, which refers to someone in or beyond the process of gender reassignment involving physiological changes, or transvestite, a word for someone who whether occasionally or frequently, whether publicly or privately, and for any one of various reasons wears clothing associated with the opposite gender. (Transgender inclusively encompasses these and other terms.) In general usage, it is usually safe to refer to â€Å"gays and lesbians† to refer to the entirety of people whose sexuality is not strictly heterosexual. GLBT is a more inclusive term, though it is often used fallaciously in the phrase â€Å"the GLBT community,† as if such a cohesive entity exists. The connotation of this phrase seems to be that there is such a community, but only in the sense of people united in solidarity for civil rights for anyone falling under the GLBT umbrella. However, the phrase would seem to exclude heterosexual people sympathetic to the civil rights concerns of GLBT people. It’s perhaps best to restrict use of the initialism to usage such as â€Å"GLBT issues.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:70 Idioms with HeartSocial vs. Societal6 Foreign Expressions You Should Know

Free Essays on My Reading Experience

My Reading History Reading is one of my favorite things to do. I am glad I have this wonderful skill. Reading has been one of my favorite hobbies ever since I was little. Before I could read on my own my mom and dad would read to me. They say I always wanted a new and entertaining book read to me In the morning before getting on the bus to go to school, my mom would read books to my siblings and me. I remember her reading Charlotte’s Web and The Trumpet and the Swan. We read in the living room, on the couch, or in our bedrooms. Before bed at night we said our prayers after reading the Bible and Bible stories. When I first started to read, I read Hop on Pop by Dr. Seuss all by myself. I was so proud of myself. My favorite kind of books then was the Bernstein Bears and the Muppets. Listening and following along some books with a tape player always has made reading more eventful too. My books kept me busy on the way to my siblings events. I had a Talk to Me Player with books. I also remember going to story hour at the Jordan Library. Every year in grade school I asked our librarian what books would be good to read. I would always got a long list that I never completed by the end of the school year. I went to the bookstore to buy those books and would end up buying too many as my mom recalls. I could never decide on the books that I wanted to buy. My favorite books in grade school were Ramona and the American Girl Collection series. My Aunt Kim Fairchild, who also taught school, influenced me as well. She brought me books from schools that were not being used. I still receive books and tapes from her during Christmas. As I have gotten older my reading tastes have changed a little. From graphic mysteries to all the magazines I subscribe to, reading has always been a great experience for me. Even those dreaded books in school usually turn out to be better than expected. I have my strengths and weaknesse... Free Essays on My Reading Experience Free Essays on My Reading Experience My Reading History Reading is one of my favorite things to do. I am glad I have this wonderful skill. Reading has been one of my favorite hobbies ever since I was little. Before I could read on my own my mom and dad would read to me. They say I always wanted a new and entertaining book read to me In the morning before getting on the bus to go to school, my mom would read books to my siblings and me. I remember her reading Charlotte’s Web and The Trumpet and the Swan. We read in the living room, on the couch, or in our bedrooms. Before bed at night we said our prayers after reading the Bible and Bible stories. When I first started to read, I read Hop on Pop by Dr. Seuss all by myself. I was so proud of myself. My favorite kind of books then was the Bernstein Bears and the Muppets. Listening and following along some books with a tape player always has made reading more eventful too. My books kept me busy on the way to my siblings events. I had a Talk to Me Player with books. I also remember going to story hour at the Jordan Library. Every year in grade school I asked our librarian what books would be good to read. I would always got a long list that I never completed by the end of the school year. I went to the bookstore to buy those books and would end up buying too many as my mom recalls. I could never decide on the books that I wanted to buy. My favorite books in grade school were Ramona and the American Girl Collection series. My Aunt Kim Fairchild, who also taught school, influenced me as well. She brought me books from schools that were not being used. I still receive books and tapes from her during Christmas. As I have gotten older my reading tastes have changed a little. From graphic mysteries to all the magazines I subscribe to, reading has always been a great experience for me. Even those dreaded books in school usually turn out to be better than expected. I have my strengths and weaknesse...

Characterization of the Automotive Interior Cabin Noise Research Proposal

Characterization of the Automotive Interior Cabin Noise - Research Proposal Example Consequently, interior trims such as the car-seats and roof covering play a very vital role in the observation of interior noise and vibrations specifically in relatively heightened frequencies (>400Hz). This therefore means that the automotive industry has had to focus on the redesigning the interior of this personal cars to make the cars as quiet as possible. The automotive industry has been compelled to enhance their interior trim products with better designs due to eco-friendly factors such as whether these products are recyclable, the fact that the noise and vibrating levels have the possibility of resulting to serious health issues and price of products. However, there is still a lot of research that need to be done in order to get a more profound understanding of the consequences of the interior trim design on the noise and vibrating levels. Once this improved and refined trim designs and concepts are recommended for the automotive industry, this need to enhance their interior trim products with better designs will become even more obligatory. Hence, this research paper is anticipated to deliver a practicable process which can estimate and optimize the interior cabin noise level for dissimilar interior trims and seating arrangement. In carrying out this research we first have to understand the effects of vehicle interior trims in minimizing interior cabin noise. In doing so, we will begin by establishing the noise characteristics. In establishing the noise characteristics of interior design, I will peg my research on a paper published by Jha and Priede which investigated the simplest mechanism of understanding how noise is generated in a car. This noise is majorly caused by the vibration of the cabin walls. While this research was carried out over 30 years ago the findings from this research are still applicable with the design and features of an ordinary modern day vehicle. Jha and Priede carried out experiments of internal noise spectra of a number of vehicles. The internal noise spectra of the vehicles were also done at contrasting speeds. The internal noise spectra was seen to elevate to an all-out level of 20 Hz and later decrease at a constant rate of averagely 25 Db per decade to a level exceeding 1 kHz. Although, the frequency at which the highest level of noise is experienced normally depends on the size of the car, the corresponding interior noise spectra for all personal vehicles as investigated by Jha and Priede are all alike. The rotation of the wheels are one of the major contributors of interior noise and vibrations whereby they result to noise peaks of about 20 Hz which in combination with various harmonics result to a lot of noise and vibrations within the car. The engine is also a major contributor of these noise and vibrations within the car whereby when an engine fires it produces harmonics of a low order that account for a frequency of about 100Hz. The second part of this research will be identifying the role of different trims in absorbing noise and vibrations produced within the cabin. The most commonly used trims are Acoustic Insulation materials. These materials that are applied in the reduction of noise and vibration levels within a personal car have the following mechanism; they first absorb the energy produced which is then transformed into heat energy. This transformed sound energy is reflected away from the vehicle. The acoustic insulation

The changing scenarios of the oil market in the Azerbaijan Republic Essay

The changing scenarios of the oil market in the Azerbaijan Republic - Essay Example I also give thanks to Mr. Aydin M. Gashimov, Stakeholder Investment and Reporting Manager in BP Exploration (Caspian Sea) Limited, who answered all my questions without hesitation. Mr. Iohan Heiberg, Vice-president of Statoil Azerbaijan, and Mr. Redjeb Akhsulu, General Manager of Shell Azerbaijan Exploration and Production B.V. who also contributed with his very useful comments. The recent growing demand for oil around the globe has seen oil prices remain quite unpredictable. Most of the world economies are dependent on oil; hence, any fluctuations in its price have a direct impact on the cost of essential goods and services. Nevertheless, energy prices have been skyrocketing, presenting fresh day-to-day challenges to organizations and compelling them to adjust their strategies accordingly in order to minimize the adverse consequences. The following chapter reviews past works of research conducted by other researchers in order to support the secondary research methodology used in this dissertation. The literature review is divided into four areas of research. The PESTEL [Political, Economic, Sociological, Technological, Environmental and Legal (factors)] model of analysis will be employed in order improve the structure of investigation and highlight pertinent issues. PESTEL is a strategic planning tool that helps a company to view the scope of the market beyond its limits. The analysis is an important reminder to an organization in situations where the organization is focused only on internal matters at the expense of external forces that directly and indirectly affect it and may have profound consequences on it. Managers of organizations have to visualize the factors that have the highest probability of changing and those that affect them most. These factors vary in different environments. In doing the PESTEL analysis, managers have to decide on the various aspects of the model by considering their relative importance. One

History Western Civ Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

History Western Civ - Essay Example News of such atrocities by the Muslims angered the Christian peoples of Europe so that nobles and commoners alike were summoned over for the mission of recovering the Holy Land from Islam. Numerous knights joined the crusades because the popes promised them forgiveness of their sins as a reward for fighting for Christ. In short, Christians considered crusades as holy wars against the enemies of God. However, not all the crusaders had such pure and noble motives for many of them had selfish intents as well. To the landless, the crusades were an opportunity to acquire lands in Asia whereas to the adventurous, the crusades offered excitement. For the greedy, the crusades meant the possibility of rich loot from the East while the ambitious ones chased after glory and monarchical recognition. The Muslims, perceiving their own advantage of defending Islam to be the chief benefit that would eventually influence Islamic nations, regarded wars against European crusaders as jihads or ‘holy wars’, believing that these were means to fight for their god ‘Allah’ against the unbelievers. Crusades were also launched to address the growing suppression in pilgrimages of Christians. Being a pilgrim is an aspect of Christian life which greatly affects the religious as well as the socio-political grounds of living as a Christian at the period Europe was experiencing the height of political turmoil in several respects among its nations. European Christians to this day have adhered to the faith that pilgrimages, like the essence of penance, is able to purify or atone one of all the present iniquities once a passionate journey to Jerusalem is successfully carried out. In the absence of pilgrimage, it would be difficult for Christians to claim authority and possession of a certain region thus, crusade was necessitated to intervene and cease oppression and persecution of Christians by Muslims who took extensive

The Native American Essay Example for Free

The Native American Essay Native Americans are an indigenous people throughout the world, simply misunderstood and ill-treated for centuries (Scheafer, 2012). History tells us, Native Americans were subject to land theft, controlled by others, and resistance to governance. This discrimination goes back to Christopher Columbus. He and his followers showed true hatred toward the Indian Nation. Europeans moved to extermination or genocide trying to distinguish this culture of people. The United States joined in that mission as time moved forward. Indian land would be taken, the people would be made to conform to the law of the white man causing them to build a defense mechanism of avenging their losses. During the nineteenth century the white man government made policy to give fairness to the tribes. This may have worked if it did not interfere with the needs of the non-Indian people. The American government of the white man used the politics and social differences to interfere in the business of the Native American to govern the Indian culture and beliefs. It has taken centuries for the Native American to trust the policy makers because of broken treaties of the past. Native Americans today, live on Indian reservations in 33 states across the country. Just as in the beginning the American Indian is forced to live their lives in a way determined and controlled by the federal government. The Indian Removal Act developed by Andrew Jackson, was intended to remove Indians from their land to make way for cotton crops and other ways of prosperity. The Termination Act of 1953, like many policies the government had control of, was written to benefit the Native American people. Through this act, many social services were available to the American Indian. These services were a direct obligation to be fulfilled by the treaties, not just a special favor. The Termination Act was developed to gradually do away with these services, when the act passed, all services were cut off immediately. The Indian people worked collectively by creating a tribal or reservation government action to politically protest unfair legislation. The Native Americans fought this legislation by forming civil rights groups to take the issues to the Supreme Court in order to be treated fairly and just. The first national organization was organized in 1944 called the NCAI, National Congress of American Indians (Schaefer, 2012). This National organization is one of the most respected civil rights groups in our nation today. NAGPR Act of 1990, Native American Graves and Protection Act was developed to provide protection to the Native American gravesites and cultural issues. The American Indian worked to lobby the government to find a way to protect their sacred ceremonial ground, ancestral gravesites and artifacts. The government enacted this law in 1990. The American Indian Religious Freedom Act of 1978 was written to give the American Indian the right to believe, express, and exercise the traditions of their tribal spirituality. Peyote is part of the religious rituals used by the Indian Nation. From the 1920s through the 1980s Peyote was a prohibited hallucinogenic outlawed by the government. People were prosecuted for the use of peyote. In 1994 Native Americans won the right to possess, transport and use peyote for religious reasons by amending the American Indian Religious Freedom Act. It is hard to believe that despite the work of the past and present generations of the Naive Americans, they still struggle with economic development, employment levels, quality healthcare, and equal education. The needs of others seem to stand in the way of what is right and fair. References University of Phoenix. (2012). Racial and Ethnic Groups, Thirteenth Edition. Retrieved from University of Phoenix, ETH125 website. (n. d. ). Retrieved from https://cr. nps. gov/local-law/fhpl.