Woodstock Research Paper free essay sample

Danielle Krum May 30, 2011 Research Final Woodstock 1969 Every memory of the summer of 1969 is connected to, in one way or another, the historical event, Woodstock. The festival could not have left more of an impact on the â€Å"hippie† generation anymore than it did those three days of music and peace. The generation of the time wanted nothing more than what they got out of Woodstock. Today, people still look back on the festival and think of how well it made history without the expectance of doing so.Woodstock, one of the most important cultural events of the 20th century, combined iconic musical acts with interesting social behavior. In 1969, a group of men set up a music festival, known as Woodstock, which lasted for three, long, peaceful, and music oriented days that involved an abundant amount of sex, drugs, and poor management. â€Å"Many remember Woodstock primarily as a disaster, as it was officially pronounced, a monument to faulty planning, a testament to the limitations and hypocrisies of hippie idealism, a nightmare of absurdities, ironies, and incongruities† (Cooke 177). We will write a custom essay sample on Woodstock Research Paper or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Woodstock was originally planned to be a moneymaking event by John Roberts and Joel Rosenman, Artie Kornfirld, and Michael Lang, but due to the poor planning, the event brought forth no money and a lot of debt. The event took place in Bethel, New York from August 15th to August 17th. â€Å"Attended by 450,000 people, it is remembered as the high point of the ‘peace and love’ ethos of the period, largely because of the disaster that the over-crowding, bad weather, feed shortages, supposed ‘bad acid’ (LSD), and poor facilities presaged was somehow avoided† (Dodgson 523).The percentage of drug induced fans was well over the amount assumed to be present, as was the actual amount of fans. â€Å"Poor planning and happenstance forced them to admit most attendees for free. They were left with a debt of $1. 3 million and a site that cost $100,000 to restore† (Dodgson 523). Woodstock was an event that many wouldn’t have thought to of made history until the actual event happened. The festival is even brought up in history classes during the teaching of the Vietnam War due to the mass amount of fans that were against the war. Many commentators have since claimed that peace and good will arose not in spite of disaster, but because of it. The hunger, rain, mud, and unserviced toilets conspired to create an adversity against which people could unite and bond† (Cooke 178). Most of the fans present expressed how they felt about the war in riots and violence. â€Å"Woodstock Ventures retained its exclusive rights, but the memory of Woodstock Nation belongs to the world; it is irrevocably imbedded in American culture† (Cooke 179). Not only was the war an influence, but the gathering itself influenced the historical outcome. â€Å"The most common feeling among all parties-producers, musicians, audience, town, and nation-was the sense of history in the making. It was the largest group of people ever gathered, and the greatest roster of musicians ever assembled, and it became the defining moment of a generation† (Cooke 178). At the time, teens and young adults were looking for ways to rebel against their religious and strict parents, but in a way that would affect the world in a positive way. Woodstock was, in many ways, a symbolic high point for the 1960s generation, proving that peace and love were possible in the world, if only for a moment† (Berg 863). The war in Vietnam was a huge event that was taking place at the time of Woodstock. Many of the fans that were present, were there to express how the felt about the war. â€Å"The musicians and fans expressed support for social justice and intense opposition to the Vietnam War† (Darity 120). The festival was a way for people to gather and express similar opinions and accept each other.The importance of Woodstock has left a lasting effect on many people from then until now. â€Å"Although in the early 1970s many experts predicted the end of the ‘hippie’ movement, the spirit of Woodstock has both disappeared from the American cultural scene† (Darity 120). The event showed America that as a group, people can bond peacefully and appropriately. â€Å"It wasn’t just the audience of hippies who bonded together in the face of disaster. Community and nation also rushed to their aid. The Red Cross, Girl Scouts, and Boy Scouts all donated food and supplies to the starving hoards.Even local townspeople pardoned the havoc wrought upon their town and made sandwiches for the infiltrators† (Cooke 178). The festival included many artist of the century that weren’t famous at the time, but now can be found in the Rock Hall of Fame. Some of the artists that were present at the festival were, Joan Baez, Blood, Sweat and Tears, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, the Grateful Dead, Arlo Guthrie, Jimi Hendrix, Jefferson Airplane, Janis Joplin, Ravi Shankar, Sly and the Family Stone, and The Who.The music artists from Woodstock not only left an impact on the fans that attended the event, but effects people from this century and earlier too. â€Å"During the 1990s a second generation of musicians and fans maintained the Woodstock spirit. † â€Å"Since 2002, the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival have occurred every June in Mancheste r, Tennessee† (Darity 120). The music of Woodstock is still played on radios in today’s century and will continue to live on. All in all, Woodstock will always be remembered as those â€Å"three days of peace and music. The event brought together people in a way that none could imagine and taught the world that even for a split second we can all work together peacefully. The musical influences still live on today, and will continue to for more generations to come. Woodstock combined music with peace, love and togetherness in just three days and will always be a part of history. Works Cited 1. International Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences. Ed. William A. Darity, Jr.. Vol. 9. 2nd ed. Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA, 2008.

Black Death Essay Topics - Whats Your Best Answer?

Black Death Essay Topics - What's Your Best Answer?The Black Death was a horrible plagues which originated in Central Europe during the fifteenth century. Historians have argued for many years as to why this pandemic swept through Europe and others in this manner, as well as how the disease came to be transported so easily from one country to another. It is believed that with the movement of the Black Death, pestilence was carried from one area to another, with the dead carrying the disease from the past to the present.When writing an essay on this topic, it is necessary for history students to study all the different accounts, though it can become rather tedious. For one thing, there are so many of them to write about and do some research on, as well as writing through many different historical periods. Historians agree that the plague, or 'Black Death' as it is commonly called, took the lives of millions upon millions of people. However, because of the disastrous effects of the dis ease, historians argue for centuries over who was to blame.It's not much of a mystery however why the plague took so many lives; it seems that it was in the minds of the populace that the more people they killed, the better the chances were that they would escape the death of the plague, which would stop their advance. Also, it's been argued that the Black Death was something to be feared and looked upon with dread, since people feared death and sickness more than death and plague. It is argued that this fear of death and illness gave rise to a wave of paranoia that grew out of this fear, which gave rise to events such as the Reformation, the Thirty Years War, the Puritan Reformation, the Great Fire of London, and the English Civil War.What makes writing history essay topics, like this for a history student really difficult is the fact that it is difficult to establish facts when researching this topic. Just because we think a certain event is true, it doesn't mean that factually, i t's absolutely untrue. This is the reason why historians argue for centuries on the events, along with the lives lost and those who have suffered from the plague.Then again, as with all events in history, there are countless books and films that make you question things, and to one extent or another to point out holes in any story. So, when writing an essay on the Black Death, history student must look into any possible flaws and come up with ways to take into account any discrepancy that has been brought up by the creator of the subject material. If this is done, then the student has no problems because at least the essay is honest. Of course, what is dishonest may be entirely in the reader's imagination.Then again, one could always ask the original historian and ask him to explain what is simply not known about the event, and this would probably give them the answer they're looking for. Of course, this may not prove the historian's point, but it could help to balance out the argum ent, and if the original historian himself provides the answer, then the essay is not necessarily crooked. It could also be argued that the original historian was not in any way responsible for the explanation and probably put together the story as he/she saw fit. So it's up to the student to argue for his/her point of view and see if his/her answer goes any further than the original interpretation.Because it is impossible to prove, many believe that the Black Death is a part of our past, and that it is somehow evil. History tells us that the plague was horrible and horrendous, but it's difficult to tell whether it was caused by the Arabs, the Turks, or someone else. In any case, history is written by the victors, so the Black Death was definitely an evil plague that was carried across borders, which unfortunately happened to the best of us.

Definition and Examples of Primary Sources in Research

Definition and Examples of Primary Sources in Research In research  activities,  a primary source refers to information collected firsthand from such sources as historical documents, literary texts, artistic works, experiments, surveys, and interviews. It is also called primary data and is very different than a secondary source. The Library of Congress defines primary sources as actual records that have survived from the past, such as letters, photographs, or articles of clothing, in contrast to secondary sources, which are accounts of the past created by people writing about events sometime after they happened   Examples of Primary Sources [Primary sources] provide the raw data that you use first to test the working hypothesis and then as evidence to support your claim. In history, for example, primary sources include documents from the period or person you are studying, objects, maps, even clothing; in literature or philosophy, your main primary source is usually the text you are studying, and your data are the words on the page. In such fields, you can rarely write a research paper without using primary sources. (Wayne C. Booth et al. The Craft of Research. University of Chicago Press, 2008) Chief Characteristics The chief characteristics of  primary sources are: (1) being present during the experience, event or time and (2) consequently being close in time with the data. This does not mean that data from  primary sources are  always the best data. . . . Data from human sources are subject to many types of distortion because of such factors as selective recall, selective perceptions, and purposeful or nonpurposeful omission or addition of information. Thus data from primary sources are not necessarily accurate data even though they come from firsthand sources. (Natalie L. Sproull,  Handbook of Research Methods: A Guide for Practitioners and Students in the Social Sciences, 2nd ed. Scarecrow Press, 2002) Methods of Collecting Primary Data If the information you need is unavailable or hasnt yet been gathered, youll have to gather it yourself. Four basic methods of collecting primary data are field research, content analysis, survey research, and experiments. Other methods of gathering primary data include historical research, analysis of existing statistics, . . . and various forms of direct observation. (H. Dan OHair et al. Business Communication: A Framework for Success. South-Western, 2001) Secondary Sources and Their Bibliographies By identifying basic facts, such as year of construction, secondary sources can point the researcher to the  best primary sources, such as the right tax books. In addition, a careful reading of the bibliography in a secondary source can reveal important sources the researcher might otherwise have missed. (Alison Hoagland and Gray Fitzsimmons, History.  Recording Historic Structures, 2nd. ed., edited by John A. Burns. Wiley, 2004) Original Sources The distinction also needs to be made between primary and original sources. It is by no means always necessary, and all too often it is not possible, to deal only with original sources. Printed copies of original sources, provided they have been undertaken with scrupulous care (such as the published letters of the Founding Fathers), are usually an acceptable substitute for their handwritten originals. (E. J. Monaghan and D. K. Hartman, Undertaking Historical Research in Literacy, in Handbook of Reading Research, ed. by P. D. Pearson et al. Erlbaum, 2000) Finding and Accessing Primary Sources This one is entirely dependent on the assignment given and your local resources; but when included, always emphasize quality.  . . . Keep in mind that there are many institutions such as the Library of Congress that make primary source material freely available on the Web.  (Joel D. Kitchens, Librarians, Historians, and New Opportunities for Discourse. ABC-CLIO, 2012)

Historical Role Of Slavery Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Historical Role Of Slavery - Essay Example Swift in Gulliver’s Travel describes the human nature in a satirical form. He shows how honesty and on the other hand lying are incorporated into the human nature and how well they fit. Swift does this by taking Gulliver through a self-deception journey and getting to a point of experiencing e depicted authenticity that is straightforward. Swift, therefore, reveals human nature as being faced with issues of telling the truth, lying, hypocrisy and authenticity and reality and illusion (Jan 16). Human nature in Voltaire’s Candide emerges as being ridiculous and depicts that whatever happens is for the best of all the possible worlds. He focuses on the capacity of the human to reason and believes that the only time that humanity can reform is when an individual is able to think by themselves and independent of what others think (Jefferson 146). Voltaire sees the possibility of challenges that face individuals with regard to belief before they can realize that optimism does not provide a realistic basis to enable them to perceive the world. He clearly shows that people must think independently in order to achieve all that they ate capable of achieving (Lowers 44). Shelly in Frankenstein brings out the human nature as being to judge from appearance. The people just see the external features of the creature and from this labels him the monster (Allen 93).They do not see beyond his external deformities even to realize the good aspects that he possesses such as being an eloquent speaker.  

Troubled asset relief program Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Troubled asset relief program - Term Paper Example espread opposition from the public and was quickly billed as ‘the Wall Street bailout.’ There was greater possibility that the implementation of the policy was largely influenced by the US financial sector. Beginning 2005, the housing prices in the US peaked and began to decline. The same trend happened in the value of mortgage-backed securities (MBS). This trend is known as ‘collateralized debt obligation (CDO). The CDO compromised a greater portion of many financial institutions’ asset portfolios. The situation worsened and this lead to the collapse of Lehman Brothers on September 2008. The proximal event led to the introduction of TARP. The Treasury injected approximately $250 billion in TARP program (Cornett, Li and Tehranian 731). The Treasury injected these funds directly into the US banking system through purchasing senior preferred stock and warrants in qualifying financial institutions. In the end, the total available funds were estimated to have amounted to $700 billion. This amount makes TARP the largest program ever promoted by the government of the United States (Garrica, Puddu and Walchli 7). The situation worsened such that on September 2008; Dow Jones Industrial lost 4.4 percent or 504 points. The crisis escalated resulting in more bankruptcies including AIG’s. Hank Paulson, who was the then Treasury Secretary, proposed that TARP be implemented. The objective of the implementation of TARP was to recapitalize the financial institutions with liquidity problems using federal funds. In general, the US Treasury intention was to use TARP in helping banks to improve their balance sheets and increase the robustness of the financial system (Garrica, Puddu and Walchli 1). Paulson introduced legislation to the Congress known as EESA. This legislation was an authorization of $700 billion for the purchase of troubled assets including MBSs from banks through TARP. The announcement of TARP by Paulson on September 19 resulted in many large financial

In What Ways Do Atticus Finch and Robert Ewell Differ and What Do They Have in Common Essay Example for Free

In What Ways Do Atticus Finch and Robert Ewell Differ and What Do They Have in Common Essay Atticus Finch and Robert Ewell are two very different characters, but are similar in some ways. They both live in Maycomb, Alabama, but are respected differently in their communities as Atticus is seen as a brave and courageous man, while Robert Ewell is seen as a drunken coward. Atticus ‘lives on the main residential street in town’, and Robert Ewell lives in ‘what was once a negro cabin’, but it is falling apart. The cabin’s plank walls were supplemented with sheets of corrugated iron, its roof shingled with tin cans hammered flat, so only its general shape suggested its original design: square, with four tiny rooms opening on to a shotgun hall uneasily upon four irregular lumps of limestone. ’ The Ewell’s scavenge a lot in the county dump they live behind to find bits and pieces for their house. Atticus Finch is a lawyer and has fought many battles in the court room, and has mostly won them. He is one of a handful of members in his community who can see the inequality and racism towards black people. Robert Ewell doesn’t have a job, and ‘lives off county cheques, but spends them on green bottle whisky’. He doesn’t even make an effort to try and provide for his family, and is also prejudice and racist. The men’s jobs, or lack of them, reflect their social status in Maycomb. The Ewell’s have lived and behaved in this manner for generations, while the Finches have been successful. Both the men have lost their wives, so have single-handedly raised their children. Atticus sets a good example, and ‘plays with them, reads to them and treats them with courteous detachment’. Atticus also has a maid called Calpurnia, who ‘treats the children like she’s their mother, not their maid’, unlike other maids who favour and are never strict with children. She has been with the family since Jeremy was born. His children are always well kept and polite, and have many friends at school. In contrast, Robert Ewell’s children are dirty, rude and ‘disease ridden’. They all attend school on the first day of every term, but always get sent home for having lice, or being extremely rude to the teacher and fellow classmates. Robert Ewell neglects his children, and it has now become clear that he abuses them, when it is proven that Tom Robinson didn’t harm Mayella Ewell. ‘Nobody is ever sure how many children there are, as there are always several dirty children’s faces peering out the window’. By Harper Lee describing how poor and unfortunate the children are, where they live, and how they behave, shows how neglected they are by their father and the community, and how poverty can seriously affect a family. When the case is first spoken about, people automatically favour Mayella Ewell, due to racism and prejudice, and are rude to Atticus for representing Tom Robinson. He gets called many names such as ‘nigger-lover’, and his children also get a hard time at school, but Atticus continues to defend Tom and ignores the rude remarks and names. By doing so, he still gets basic respect from the people of Maycomb, and still presents himself in a courteous manner. In the trials, he is fair to every person he defends, and always tries his best to make the jury believe that they are not guilty. He also abides by the law, making sure his children attend school; he’s not racist and wanting Jem to speak about the incident where Robert Ewell is murdered, in court. Meanwhile, Robert Ewell is a law breaker, and gets away with it. He lets his children truant from school, and goes out hunting, even though it is illegal in Maycomb. He lies a lot too, like in court he makes up which side Mayella was beat up on, and denies doing it himself. His language in the courtroom is also very bad, as he uses slang and behaves in an uncourteous manner, and his appearance is scruffy, and he doesn’t make an effort to be smart. On the other hand, Atticus looks smart and speaks properly, making sure what he says is true and says it in a clever way, so it means one thing, but implies something else. This is how he proves Tom Robinsons innocence to the spectators, even though the jury think he’s guilty. At the end of the book, Atticus decides to break the law on one occasion, and go along with Heck Tate’s version of the event, as he doesn’t want Jem growing up being told he was let off innocent, as his dad’s a lawyer. It was also easier, as Tom Robinson was dead for no reason, because of Robert Ewell, so it was fair to ‘let the dead bury the dead’. With Atticus being a polite, fair, hardworking and a responsible man, he and Robert Ewell are nothing alike. However, neither fit into their communities perfectly, but none of them are ‘normal’. So, with their being some credible similarities, Robert Ewell is a rude drunk and Atticus is courageous, so therefore Harper Lee has portrayed them to be two different completely characters.

Misperception and Deception in William Shakespeares Twelfth Night Ess

Misperception and Deception in Twelfth Night  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚        Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Twelfth Night is likely one of Shakespeare’s most entertaining and complete comedy. This romance explores a generous wealth of themes and issues. The most recurrent theme is the relationship between misperception and deception. As a result of their environment and immediate circumstances, men are forced into misperceptions. Paradoxically, they are completely trapped by these illusions. Between the bad fortune they encounter and the bad fortune they themselves generate, they become caught between a rock and a hard place; they are victims of deceit as well as their own folly. The relationship between misperception and deception has numerous effects: it gives way to ironic humor; it is used to explore characters and relationships; it develops a strong connection between the main plot (with Viola, Orsino, Olivia, and the others) and the sub-plot (involving Sir Andrew, Sir Toby, Malvolio, and Maria). The following piece from Twelfth Night proves how Shakespeare successfully communicates these elements. The scene involving Viola and Olivia outlines this; the essence of the play. ('I prithee, tell me what thoust think'st of me.') 'That you do not think you are not what you are.' 'If I think so, I think the same of you.' 'Then think you right: I am not what I am.' Through the course of the play much confusion occurs because of misperception and deception as the following brief outline of the plot shows. Towards the end of the play, Viola is blamed for a number of things. She is charged ... ...ne own self be true.' Works Cited and Consulted: Bloom, Harold, ed. William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1987. Grief, Karen. "Plays and Playing in Twelfth Night". Bloom (47-60). Nevo, Ruth. Comic Transformations in Shakespeare. London: Methuen & Co., 1980. Osborne, Laurie E. The Trick of Singularity: Twelfth Night and the Performance Editions. Iowa City: U of Iowa P, 1996. Shakespeare, William. The Arden Edition of the Works of William Shakespeare: Twelfth Night. Ed. J. M. Lothian and T.W. Craik. UK: Methuen & Co., 1975. Thatcher, David. Begging to Differ: Modes of Discrepancy in Shakespeare. New York: Peter Lang, 1999. Vickers, Brian. Appropriating Shakespeare: Contemporary Critical Quarrels. New Haven: Yale U P, 1993 Misperception and Deception in William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night Ess Misperception and Deception in Twelfth Night  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚        Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Twelfth Night is likely one of Shakespeare’s most entertaining and complete comedy. This romance explores a generous wealth of themes and issues. The most recurrent theme is the relationship between misperception and deception. As a result of their environment and immediate circumstances, men are forced into misperceptions. Paradoxically, they are completely trapped by these illusions. Between the bad fortune they encounter and the bad fortune they themselves generate, they become caught between a rock and a hard place; they are victims of deceit as well as their own folly. The relationship between misperception and deception has numerous effects: it gives way to ironic humor; it is used to explore characters and relationships; it develops a strong connection between the main plot (with Viola, Orsino, Olivia, and the others) and the sub-plot (involving Sir Andrew, Sir Toby, Malvolio, and Maria). The following piece from Twelfth Night proves how Shakespeare successfully communicates these elements. The scene involving Viola and Olivia outlines this; the essence of the play. ('I prithee, tell me what thoust think'st of me.') 'That you do not think you are not what you are.' 'If I think so, I think the same of you.' 'Then think you right: I am not what I am.' Through the course of the play much confusion occurs because of misperception and deception as the following brief outline of the plot shows. Towards the end of the play, Viola is blamed for a number of things. She is charged ... ...ne own self be true.' Works Cited and Consulted: Bloom, Harold, ed. William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1987. Grief, Karen. "Plays and Playing in Twelfth Night". Bloom (47-60). Nevo, Ruth. Comic Transformations in Shakespeare. London: Methuen & Co., 1980. Osborne, Laurie E. The Trick of Singularity: Twelfth Night and the Performance Editions. Iowa City: U of Iowa P, 1996. Shakespeare, William. The Arden Edition of the Works of William Shakespeare: Twelfth Night. Ed. J. M. Lothian and T.W. Craik. UK: Methuen & Co., 1975. Thatcher, David. Begging to Differ: Modes of Discrepancy in Shakespeare. New York: Peter Lang, 1999. Vickers, Brian. Appropriating Shakespeare: Contemporary Critical Quarrels. New Haven: Yale U P, 1993