Road to Revolution

The American Revolution was one of the key events that took place in America during the second phase of the eighteenth century. In 1607, the British brought many drastic changes in the American society that interfered with their civilization. During this time, Britain was much preoccupied with advancing its economy. In this regard, Britain enacted colonial policies that would favor its maximum exploitation of its colonies. This paper discusses the road to American Revolution.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Road to Revolution specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The revolution started in 1763 when the ‘French and Indian war’ ended. The British Proclamation of 1763 was meant to help them create governments for the new colonies, forester peace among vanquishers, and facilitate British commercial interests in the colonies (Allison 2-17). The British government had incurred many expenses during the war and i t was keen on regaining its lost resources through taxing its colonial subjects. Accordingly, many taxation measures were implemented in order to generate revenue for the British army in America. The Sugar Act was implemented in 1764 and it was meant to reduce tariffs charged on non-British merchandise sourced from West Indies. It was also supposed to facilitate the collection of those goods. This act was followed by the first Stamp Act, which was implemented from 1765 in order to provide income for the army (Brinkley 23-105). Soon after the enforcement of this act, the Quartering Act was also put in place in 1765, and it was intended to enable the British army to have access to social amenities. More taxes were levied on goods that were imported through the enforcement of the Townshend Act that was introduced in 1767. The British also implemented the Navigation Acts, which further strained the economy of the Americans. The Americans resisted the new taxes imposed on them through va rious methods. For example, they refused to buy goods imported from Britain. The harsh economic policies led to serious economic disillusionment, which sparked off violence in various parts of America. In March 1770, a serious picketing incident in Boston led to the gruesome massacre of five Americans by the British troops. This was followed by the burning and sinking of a British mercantile vessel in Rhode Island in 1772. â€Å"On 16 December 1773, some colonialists destroyed many tons of tea in Boston and the event was termed the Boston Tea Party† (Middlekauff 56-89). In reaction to the spate of violence, the British government immediately responded by imposing more punitive measures on its subjects. In mid 1774, the Boston Port Act was sanctioned and it led to the cordoning of the Boston Port, which later resumed its operations after the compensation of the East Indian Company. â€Å"The British Congress further proclaimed Quartering Act, Administration of Justice Act and Massachusetts Government Act in the same year† (Guevara 78-109).Advertising Looking for essay on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The Americans argued that these Coercive Acts were arbitrary infringement on their prerogatives. Consequently, in late 1774, the colonists organized a demonstration during the First Continental Congress. As the hostility escalated, many colonists engaged in chaotic protests that culminated to American Revolution in 1775. Independence was finally granted to the American colonies in 1776. From 1777, the Americans started making constitutional changes that would enable them develop their country. The struggle for independence was very difficult for the Americans. However, through a concerted effort they managed to dislodge the British from their territory. Works Cited Allison, Robert. The American Revolution: A Concise History, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2011. Print. Brinkley, Alan . American History: A Survey, New York: Glencoe/McGraw-Hil, 2009. Print. Guevara, Che. The Economics of Revolution, New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2009. Print. Middlekauff, Robert. The Glorious Cause: The American Revolution, 1763-1789, New York: Oxford University Press, 2007. Print. This essay on Road to Revolution was written and submitted by user Retr0G1rl to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Chinese Funeral Traditions and Preparation

Chinese Funeral Traditions and Preparation While Chinese funeral traditions vary depending on where the deceased person and his or her family are from, some basic traditions still apply. Funeral Preparation The job of coordinating and preparing  Chinese funerals falls on the children or younger family members of the deceased person. It is part of the Confucian principle of filial piety and devotion to one’s parents. Family members must consult the Chinese Almanac to determine the best date to hold the Chinese funeral ceremony. Funeral homes and local temples help the family prepare the body and coordinate the funeral rites. Announcements of the funeral are sent in the form of invitations. For most Chinese funerals, the invitations are white. If the person was age 80 or older, then the invitations are pink. Living until 80 or beyond is considered a feat worth celebrating and mourners should celebrate the person’s longevity rather than mourn. The invitation includes information about the funeral’s date, time, and location, as well as a small obituary that includes information about the deceased that may include his or her birth date, date of death, age, family members that survived them and sometimes how the person died. The invitation may also include a family tree. A phone call or in-person invitation may precede the paper invitation. Either way, an RSVP is expected. If a guest cannot attend the funeral, the tradition is that he or she sends flowers and a white envelope with money. Chinese Funeral Attire Guests at a Chinese funeral wear somber colors like black. Bright and colorful clothing, especially red, must be avoided as these colors are associated with happiness. White is acceptable and, if the deceased was 80 or above, white with pink or red is acceptable as the event is cause for celebration. The deceased person wears a white robe. The Wake There is often a wake preceding the funeral that  may last several days. Family members are expected to keep an overnight vigil for at least one night in which the person’s picture, flowers, and candles are placed on the body and the family sits near by. During the wake, family and friends bring flowers, which are elaborate wreaths that include banners with couplets written on them, and white envelopes filled with cash. Traditional Chinese funeral flowers are white. The white envelopes are similar to red envelopes that are given at weddings. White is the color reserved for death in Chinese culture. The amount of money put in the envelope varies depending on the relationship to the deceased but must be in odd numbers. The money is meant to help the family pay for the funeral. If the deceased person was employed, his or her company is often expected to send a large flower wreath and a sizable monetary contribution. The Funeral At the funeral, the family will burn joss paper (or spirit paper) to ensure their loved one has a safe journey to the netherworld. Fake paper money and miniature items like cars, houses, and televisions are burned. These items are sometimes associated with the loved ones interests and are believed to follow them into the afterlife. This way they have everything they need when they enter the spirit world.   A eulogy may be given and, if the person was religious, prayers may also be said. The family will distribute to guests red envelopes with a coin inside  to ensure they return home safely. The family may also give guests a piece of candy that must be consumed that day and before going home. A handkerchief may also be given.  The envelope with coin, sweet, and handkerchief should not be taken home.   One final item, a piece of red thread, may be given. The red threads should be taken home and tied to the front doorknobs of the guests’ homes to keep evil spirits away. After the Funeral After the funeral ceremony, a funeral procession to the cemetery or crematorium is held. A hired band resembling a marching band typically leads the procession and  plays loud music to frighten spirits and ghosts. The family wears mourning clothes and  walks behind the band.  Following the family is the hearse or sedan containing the coffin. It is typically adorned with a large portrait of the deceased hanging on the windshield. Friends and associates complete the procession. The size of the procession depends on the wealth of the deceased and his or her family. The sons and daughters wear black and white mourning clothes and walk in the front row of the procession. Daughters-in-law come next and also wear black and white clothes. Grandsons and granddaughters wear blue mourning clothes. Professional mourners who are paid to wail and cry are often hired to fill up the procession. Depending on their personal preference, Chinese are either buried or cremated. At a minimum, families make an annual visit to the gravesite on the Qing Ming or Tomb Sweeping Festival. Mourners will wear a cloth band on their arms to show that they are in a period of mourning. If the deceased is a man, the band goes on the left sleeve. If the deceased is a woman, the band is pinned to the right sleeve. The mourning band is worn for the duration of the mourning period which can last 49 to 100 days. Mourners also wear somber clothes. Bright and colorful clothes are avoided during the mourning period.

Managing bullying and harassment in the workplace Research Paper

Managing bullying and harassment in the workplace - Research Paper Example 2. Discussion and Analysis Let’s give a brief discussion about bullying and harassment. Bullying based on sex, gender, race, ethnicity, color, language, cultural background, socio-economic background, physical impairment, and etcetera, comes under the concept of discrimination. For example, age discrimination includes bullying such as not selecting an old age candidate for a job posting, abusing an old employee, firing or demoting him, not providing him employee incentives, or preferring others to him when it comes to important decision-making and problem-solving. Quid pro quo is the situation in which the person’s employment status is decided based upon his response to the sexual advances by his employer. It can also be described as â€Å"do this and I’ll do that for you†. Reverse quid is the situation in which the employer behaves like â€Å"do this or I’ll do that†. This more generally involves threats and punishments. Hostile environment is the environment that results from offensiveness shown by the victim as a response to unwelcome sexual conduct from the harasser, and this situation starts hindering the victim’s job performance. ... 3. Literature Review Branch, Ramsay and Barker (2013) conducted a research on workplace bullying. They assert that researchers have long been formulating theories and explanations about bullying and harassment at workplace, especially after the emergence of the concept of school bullying. They state that although workplace bullying and harassment have become widely known aspects of organizational cultures, yet organizations face challenges in implementing management strategies to manage these. Workplace bullying and harassment not only affect the victims but also have hazardous impacts upon the bystanders. Hence, it becomes necessary for the organizations to consider all impacts of workplace bullying and harassment in order to work out such strategies that cater with the needs of not only the victims but also the bystanders. Deery, Walsh and Guest (2011) studied the effects of workplace bullying and harassment on job satisfaction. Their research sample consisted of nurses in British hospitals. They compared two types of harassment: insider harassment that came from seniors and co-workers, and outsider harassment that came from patients. They also studied the effect of anti-harassment policies on workplace environment. They concluded that the nature of bullying and harassment changed with the nature of the harasser (insider or outsider); however, anti-harassment policies were found to have a profound impact as they resulted in considerable decrease in the harassment incidents at the workplace. This research helps understand that anti-bullying and anti-harassment policies at the workplace are crucial if the aim is to reduce workplace bullying and harassment. Bentley et al.