A World Affected by Pollution and Global Warming Essay Example for Free

A World Affected by Pollution and Global Warming Essay Roy M. Harrison.(2001) Pollution:Cause, Effects and Control. Royal society of chemistry. This author concentrates mainly chemical and radioactive pollution. The book speaks of the sources of pollutants and their effects on both living and non livings especially human. It also shows how chemical pollution can also cause of water, air and land pollution. Agarwal S.K. Water pollution. APH publishing(Jan.1 2005) The author bases the book on recent views, ideas and contribution of various leading ecologist information of water pollution. It show how to use waste water and its treatments. Irina Gray (2008). Pollution effects on humans, animals, plants and the environment. The writer shows the various types and causes of pollution and its effects on the environment. It shows the effect on human ranging mild discomfort to serious diseases. It also how the effect destroy animal life and the atmosphere. Credit: www.Tropical-Rainforest-Animals.com Margaret A. Wheatley(1996). Social and cultural impact of mercury pollution on Aboriginal people in Canada. Neurotox 17(1), 251-256 The writer explores the link between mercury pollution and social cultural disruption in Canadian aboriginal communities. It shows the difficulties in communication that contribute to the social and cultural impacts and their health effects.Credit: V. Ramanathan and G. Carmichael(2008). Global and regional climate changes due to black carbon.Nature Geoscience 221-221. The writers express how black carbon becomes air pollution and how it affects both the climate and the environment. This book said that the pollution affect different regions and the black carbon in soot is the dominant absorber of visible solar radiation in the atmosphere. Credit: www.nature.com/ngeo/journal/v1/n4/full/ngeo/56.html S.Fred Singer.(1968) Global Effects of environmental pollution. Science 13 vol. 162 no 3859. The author talks the pollution effects on humans, animals, plants and the environment. It expresses the cause of pollution and how it causes the extinction of animals and plants species which is a grave loss for mankind. It shows how the advancement in technology aids the improvement of a well being of mankind but also its consequences. Credit: books.google.com/books Clive Glifford (2006). Planet under pressure:pollution. Rain-tree ISBN-13: 9781844439 744. The book examines how pollution has become a global issue and looks at the debate over possible solution. It shows how pollution whether air, water, radioactive or terrestrial affect the lives of a lot of people causing disease and contributing to the global warming. Credit: www.booksdirect.com.au/books/?isbn=9781844439744 Green StudentU. Pollution. This is a encyclopedia entry which speaks of how toxic chemicals from factories pollute the land, air and water. It explains what pollution is and why there are different types . Of the types, It takes of their sources and how to prevent them. It gives link to environment protection agency website if to be involved in prevention of pollution. It also gives the statistics of the people affected by pollution and other. Credit: www.greenstudentu.com/encyclopedia/pollution

The Entertainment Industrys Standards of Beauty and Impact on Youth Es

The Entertainment Industry's Standards of Beauty and Impact on Youth â€Å"Man, I am hungry. But if I eat, I will never be able to look like that celebrity.† These words could come out of a typical teenager’s mouth. If a teenager sees someone on TV, in a movie, or in a magazine that he or she wishes to look like, he or she may try anything necessary to accomplish it. The standards of beauty set by the entertainment industry today are having a negative effect on today’s youth. Have you ever heard of Calista Flockhart, Lara Flynn Boyle, Jennifer Aniston, or Antonio Sabato Jr.? They are all celebrities that the typical teenager idolizes, but these idolizations are not necessarily a good thing. Unfortunately, they are all setting standards of beauty that are not only unrealistic but could prove to be dangerous when trying to be attained. In recent years, there has been a significant increase in the number of eating disorders, steroid use, and plastic surgery among teenagers. The main reason for this trend is that â€Å"the beauty ideal has shifted towards an increasing emphasis on thinness† (Brown). In the article â€Å"Body Obsessed†, Rebecca Barry says that the world is sending out many mixed messages about being a girl (Barry 112). Today, women in the entertainment industry are put into many different roles, but all of the roles have one thing in common. They all tend to be very beautiful and very thin. In fact, while the average body weight of women has increased, the majority of women on TV and in magazines have remained thin (Brown). This makes many people believe that actresses will try anything to lose weight. The most common ways are by either exercising or by trying one of many different kind... ... in any way, shape, or form define who they are as a person. Our main message to our youth should be: â€Å"Self-esteem and confidence must start from within not from our outward appearance† (Brown). Works Cited Barry, Rebecca. â€Å"Body Obsessed.† Seventeen. July 1995: 112. Infotrac. Online. 24 Oct. 1999 Brown, Crystal C. â€Å"Modern Beauty Standards Unrealistic.† The Capitol Times. Vol. 2 No. 21. Online. 03 Nov. 1999. Available: http://www.capitoltimes.com. McClelland, Susan. â€Å"The Lure of the Body Image: In Their Quest for the Beefcake Look, Some Men Try Extreme Measures.† Maclean’s. 22 Feb. 1999: 38. Infotrac. Online. 18 Oct. 1999. Stevens, Liz. â€Å"Today’s Teen Magazines May be Sending Mixed Messages to Girls.† Knight- Ridder/Tribune News Service. 14 July 1999. Infotrac. Online. 2 Nov. 1999.

Evaluating Term Limits Essay -- U.S. Government

Upon first examination, the idea of implementing term limits in Congress is appealing. In fact, the idea of term limits was initially discussed by our founders, though it was eventually decided that it should not be included in the Constitution (Newton-Small, 2010). The reasons for considering term limits have remained consistent since the beginning of the country, however, and include ensuring legislative turnover, limiting the abuse of the power of seniority, and decreasing the advantages given to incumbents in the campaign process. Interestingly, the states that have adopted term limits have not seen the expected positive outcomes, nor have the opponents seen the dire results that had been predicted. Upon further investigation, the case for term limits is strong as long as it is a nationally based initiative in order to create uniformity and the limits are long enough to increase competence in the job and head off short-term thinking, however without increased voter involveme nt, no reform will solve the current concerns with Congress. There are currently 15 states that have term limits in place for legislators, and among those states, there are seven different versions of term limits (National Conference for State Legislatures, 2009). The differences include the length of time for the limits and whether they are lifetime limits or just consecutive term limits. The difference in the parameters, and the fact that there has been no national reform passed, impacts the effectiveness of the restrictions. For example, consider the fact that congressional privilege and power is often based on seniority. States with current term limits have placed themselves in a weaker position when it comes to power within the legislature... ...tions.gmu.edu/Turnout_2008G.html Morrison, J. (1992). Congressional tenure limited to two consecutive terms? Retrieved from On the Horizon.com: http://horizon.unc.edu/projects/OTH/1-1_poli3.html National Conference for State Legislatures. (2009). The term limited states. Retrieved from NCSL: http://www.ncsl.org/legislatures-elections/legisdata/chart-of-term-limits-states.aspx Newton-Small, J. (2010). Term Limits: No magic pill for Washington's woes. Retrieved from Time.com: http://www.time.com/time/printout/0,8816,1967192,00.html Rasmussen, S. (2011). 71% favor term limits for Congress. Retrieved from Rasmussen Reports: http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/general_politics/september_2011/71_favor_term_limits_for_congress Shenkman, R. (2008). Just How Stupid Are We?: Facing the Truth About the American Voter. New York: Basic Books.

Islam Essay

Field Study Research Karen Edmonds-Leach Professor Jonathan Pedrone REL212: World Religions-Summer September 4, 2011 Islam: Field Study Research After interviewing a member of the Islamic faith, I came to the realization that there are very many misconceptions about the religion of Islam and that these misconceptions are very hurtful, disrespectful, and inhumane. In this paper, I will first discuss several misconceptions that I had about the Islamic faith. I will then analyze how my prior understanding about the religion was altered through interviewing a member of the Islamic faith. Next, I will discuss my beliefs on misconceptions about other people’s religion being common or not. Lastly, I will recommend steps that can be taken to minimize misconceptions people have about religions that are not their own. I had many misconceptions about Islam before speaking with a member of the religion. The first was that Islam oppresses women. When I thought about women in Islam, I thought of the image of a woman wearing a veil, and other heavy, dark clothing, where no skin would be visible, even in the hot summer months. I thought about how women were forced to stay home, and were not allowed to drive vehicles. I also believed that the Muslim’s God, Allah, was not the same as the God in Christianity, and was a false god. I believed that Muslims worshipped Muhammad, and that Muhammad and Allah were the same thing. I did not think that Muslims believed in Jesus Christ. I also thought that Muslim men all married multiple wives. I thought that polygamy was something that was widely practiced in Islam, and was somewhat of a requirement. For those men who married one wife, I believed that they were merely â€Å"Americanized†. Another misconception I had was that all Muslims were Arabs. Not only did I think they were all Arabs, but I thought that being a Muslim and an Arab was the same thing. Lastly, just as the cross is something like a symbol of Christianity, I believed that the crescent and the star was the symbol of Islam. I had all of these misconceptions about Islam, as many other people who practice religions outside of Islam do, but speaking with a Muslim quickly changed my mind about these harsh misconceptions. Each one of my misconceptions about Islam count toward my overall understanding of the religion. My prior understanding was completely altered through my encounter with the Muslim woman I interviewed. I believed it would be a great idea to talk to a woman about how women are suppressed in Islam. I interviewed a friend of mine, named Kiran Masood. She was born and raised in the Islam religion, and continues to practice it today. She informed me that this is not necessarily the case. She stated that some Muslim countries do have laws that oppress women, but this practice does not come from Islam itself. Masood stated, â€Å"countries that have laws against women created these laws themselves. They may say that their basis is from the Qu’ran, but the Qu’ran does not suggest any oppression women† (Masood). Though this is true, there are some social constructions in Islam, where women and men are given different roles and equity. This is something that all religions accept, and is not a surprise to me in Islam. In addition, another common misconception is that a woman can be forced to marry against her will, and this is not the case at all. Masood informed me that â€Å"no one can force a Muslim girl to marry someone she does not want to marry; her parents may suggest she marry a suitable man, but by no means is this girl forced to marry someone that she may not want to marry† (Masood). I was also informed that divorce is not common, and it is used as a last resort. Masood also quickly refuted my second misconception, that Allah is a different God. â€Å"Allah is not a different God; Allah is simply the Arabic word for God† (Masood) which is something that I was not aware of. Allah is the same God worshipped by Muslims, Jews, and Christians. The one difference in Islam and Christianity is that Muslims believe the God is the one and only. The religion does not accept Jesus as God’s son, and believes that He has no human-like attributions. In Christianity, Jesus is accepted as God’s son and was basically God in flesh when He was on earth. Also, Muslims do not worship Muhammad, as I was lead to believe. Muhammad was chosen to deliver messages, but is not the founder of Islam, and Muslims do not worship him, though they do honor him and respect him, as they do Jesus, Moses, Adam, and Noah (the other prophets of the Word). My third misconception, that all Muslim men marry multiple women, also came to be false. Masood informed me that polygamy, marrying multiple spouses, is not encouraged in Islam, and is not mandatory. She stated, â€Å"In the religion of Islam, marrying multiple women is permissible, but is not something that the religion requires† (Masood). If a man decides to marry multiple women, these women cannot be forced into it, meaning if they do not want to marry a man with other wives, then she does not have to. My fourth misconception was that Muslims and Arabs are the same thing. Masood simply told me that the two are different, but I decided to do more research on the subject. There are about 1. 2 billion Muslims in the world. Muslims reside in a variety of places, including Nigeria, the Philippines, and of course, the United States. Muslims also represent many races, cultures, and nationalities. About 18% of Muslims live in the Arab world, primarily in Indonesia (Isseroff). This is far from 100% of Muslims. Lastly, I believed that the crescent and star was the symbol of Islam, which is not the case. In the days of the Prophet Mohammed, Muslims did not have a symbol; instead, they used solid-colored flags. The Turks in fact introduced the crescent as a symbol. It was adopted due to the Ottoman Empire’s conquest of Constantinople. In turn, all of my beliefs about Islam turned out to be false. In fact, some of them turned out to be the complete opposite. I believe that misconceptions about other people’s religion are extremely common. No matter what religion someone practices, they always have certain beliefs about other people’s religions. This is not to say that people disrespect other people’s religions, but they simply have their own beliefs towards them. Most times, we do not know anything about other people’s religions. We are so set in our own mindset that the religion we practice is the only correct religion; that we fail to learn anything about other religions in the world. Because we lack knowledge of other religions, we use stereotypes and misconceptions to justify why we do not agree with the other religions’ practices. Even those who do not practice any religion, I believe they use stereotypes and misconceptions about all religions, because those people are so fixed in their own belief that no religion is true, and that they all are false. It is important for people of all religions to have an understanding of others’ religions, because sometimes, people have a lot more in common than they think they do. For example, I thought that my own religion, Christianity, was completely different from Islam, but in reality, the two religions share many similarities. I was surprised at the information I learned from Kiran Masood, and it was a shock that Islam has a lot of parallels to Christianity. Every religion has certain misconceptions. In this paper, I analyzed the misconceptions of Islam, but Christianity and other religions have misconceptions as well. We always are so quick to judge others that are different from us, but instead we should be interested in learning new things about other religions. The purpose of this is not to persuade someone to convert to a different religion, but to just be enlightened and educated about the different religions that exist in our society. One step that could be taken to minimize misconceptions people have about religions not their own is for people to let their guards down and to be more accepting to people’s differences. Not everyone will have the same beliefs, but instead of stereotyping and discriminating against other religions, we can learn from each other. Just having knowledge of new things is prideful, and is an asset that we all should have. If we take the time to learn about other people’s beliefs, these misconceptions would not exist. We should educate ourselves, instead of jumping to conclusions. One way I like to think about this is that I do not like when people of different religions criticize and stereotype against my own religion, Christianity. I wish that people would not be so quick to speak negatively about Christianity, because most times, they do not know what they are truly talking about. They jump to conclusions, and did not take the time to learn the truth behind Christianity. Because I have such strong feelings about this, I should in turn not treat other religions this way, since I know how it feels. I should take the time to educate myself about different religions. Though it will not cause me to convert from Christianity, just having basic knowledge about other religions can help me make a better judgment on certain topics. No one can make judgments or participate in a debate if they have not done research on the subject. Interviewing my friend Kiran Masood gave me a lot of enlightenment. I learned so much about the religion of Islam that I did not previously know. Though we have known each other for a while, I never thought to learn more about the religion she practices. I found it to be a rewarding experience, and learning about different religions is something that I will continue to practice. It is important for us to understand that we all have differences, whether it is race, culture, ethnic background, economic status, or religion. Amongst all these differences are many similarities between us. Instead of always focusing on the differences that separate us, we should look at the similarities that bring us together. Our differences make us special, and our similarities give us things in common. Learning about people’s differences is important because it is what makes that person unique. Though we all have a variety of differences, one thing we have in common is we all are human beings with feelings and beliefs. We should all value our beliefs, and be open to learning about others’ beliefs as well. References Isseroff, A. (n. d. ). A Concise History of Islam and the Arabs. Middle East: MidEastWeb. Retrieved September 1, 2011, from http://www. mideastweb. org/islamhistory. htm. Fisher, M. P. , & Adler, J. A. (2011). Living Religions (8th ed. ). Upper Saddle River, N. J. : Pearson Prentice Hall.

ISTORICUL HRILOR Essays - Free Essays, Term Papers

ISTORICUL HRILOR Essays - Free Essays, Term Papers ISTORICUL HRILOR Primele hri au fost fcute de babilonieni n jurul anului 2300 .H., fiind realizate pe plci de clei. Hri mai cuprinztoare au fost gsite n China, fiind fcute pe mtase i datnd din sec. II .H. Aptitudinea i nevoia de a cartografia pare a fi universal. Una dintre cele mai interesante tipuri de hri primitive este harta marin din trestie construit de ctre locuitori Insulei Marshall din sudul Oceanului Pacific. Arta cartografierii a avut mari progrese in civilizaiile Maya i Inca, iar incaii, nc din sec. XII d.H., au nceput s realizeze hri ale teritoriilor cucerite. Se presupune c prima hart care a reprezentat lumea cunoscut a fost fcut de filosoful grec Anaximandru, n sec. VI .H. Avea form circular i arta teritoriile cunoscute ale lumii, grupate n jurul Mrii Egee, fiind aflate n mijlocul hrii si nconjurate de ocean. Una dintre cele mai faimoase hri ale timpurilor clasice a fost fcut de ctre geograful grec Eratostene n jurul anului 200 .H. Reprezenta lumea cunoscut de la Anglia, n nord-vest, pn la gura de vrsare a rului Gange, n est, i pn la Libia, n sud. Aceasta hart a fost prima care s aib linii transversale paralele care s arate latitudini egale. Harta a avut, de asemeni, nite meridiane, dar erau neregulat spaiate. n jurul anului 150 d.H., nvatul alexandrian Ptolemeu a publicat hri geografice ale lumii, realizate de el, bineneles. Acestea erau primele hri care s utilizeze proiecie conic precis din punct de vedere matematic, dei deineau mai multe erori, cum ar fi proporii excesive ale teritoriilor din Eurasia. Dup cderea Imperiului Roman, cartografierea n Europa a ncetat; astfel de hri au mai fost fcute de obicei de clugri, care adesea nfiau Terra incorect. Marinarii arabi, totui, au fcut i utilizat hri marine foarte precise n aceeai perioad. Geograful arab al-Idrisi a realizat o hart a lumii n 1154. ncepnd aproximativ din sec. XIII, navigatorii din Marea Mediteranean au fcut hri marine exacte, cu linii care artau trasee ntre porturi importante. Aceste hri erau, de obicei, numite portolano. n sec. XV, copii ale hrilor lui Ptolemeu au fost tiprite n Europa; pentru urmtoarele sute de ani aceste hri au exercitat o mare influen asupra cartografilor europeni. O hart fcut n 1507 de ctre Martin Waldseemller, un cartograf german, a fost probabil prima care s poat folosi numele America, conform noilor teritorii transatlantice descoperite. Harta, tiprit pe 12 coli de hrtie diferite, a fost de asemenea prima care s separe n mod clar America de Sud i Nord de Asia. n 1590, Abraham Ortelius, un cartograf flamand, a publicat primul atlas modern, Orbis Terrarum. Coninea 70 de hri. n sec. XVI, muli ali cartografi au fcut hri n care erau incorporate informaii ct mai multe aduse de ctre navigatori i exploratori. Gerardus Mercatur este cel care, totui, este recunoscut ca cel mai mare cartograf al Erei Descoperirilor. Corectitudinea hrilor aprute mai trziu a fost cu mult sporit datorit determinrilor mai precise ale latitudinii i longitudinii i mulumit mrimii i formei Pmntului. Primele hri care s prezinte variaii ale busolei au fost fcute n prima jumtate a sec. XVII, iar primele hri marine care s arate curenii oceanului au fost realizate n jurul anului 1665. Pn n sec. XVIII, principiile tiinifice ale cartografiei au fost dovedite i majoritatea erorilor remarcabile implicau pri neexplorate ale lumii. Pe la sfritul sec. XVIII, cum fora iniial a explorrii lumii era micorat i naionalismul ncepuse s devin o for puternic, un numr de ri europene au nceput s preia studii topografice naionale detaliate. Completa studiere topografic a Franei a fost publicat in 1793; msura aproximativ 11 metri pe fiecare parte. Marea Britanie, Spania, Austria, Elveia i alte ri au urmat dup Frana. In Statele Unite, studiul geologic a fost organizat in 1879 pentru a face hri topografice la scar mare a ntregii ri. n 1891, Congresul Geografic Internaional a propus cartografierea ntregii lumi pe o scar de 1:1,000,000, o sarcin care nc rmne s fie terminat. n sec. XX, cartografia a suferit o serie de inovaii tehnice majore. Fotografierea aerian a fost developat n timpul primului rzboi mondial i a fost mult utilizat n timpul celui de-al doilea rzboi mondial n cartografie. ncepnd n 1966 cu lansarea satelitului Pageos, i continund

Field Experience Interview Essays

Field Experience Interview Essays Field Experience Interview Essay Field Experience Interview Essay Field Experience Interview Name: Institution: Field Experience Interview : Ryan is currently on medication, due to his condition. He was diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), which makes him very impulsive and hyperactive. Currently, Ryan is receiving special academic services in terms of learning. This is because he has been categorized as a student, in need of unique learning services due to his condition. The services rendered to him aim at improving his concentration, understanding and performance in Mathematics and Languages. Ms. Susan, a special educator for 22 years is assigned to Ryan’s case. She enjoys her work because she gets to help children and their families in dealing with complex conditions. There is a specific process involved when attending to a child with special conditions. Ryan’s case was monitored carefully by his guardians and teachers at school. This was done by observing his behavior socially, physically and academically. The guardians and teachers documented these behaviors and brainstormed on the nature of the problem. This established the consistency and recurrence of the problem. The second phase was the pre-referral process, which involved the evaluation of Ryan’s potential and strengths. According to the Council for Exceptional Children (n.d.), a pre-referral team includes general educators, parents and administrators. After observing Ryan for a while, it was evident that he had a remarkable capability of distinguishing meanings of different kinds of information, through minimal listening. This showed the potential in Ryan to grasp information faster. As a result, teaching him was time saving. The third phase involved discussions between Ryan’s parents and teachers. This was done to establish the suitability of his referral to special education. The condition lowered his concentration in class and as a result, his academic performance was poor. He was also hyperactive and this made him inattentive in class. Members of the referral team included parents and teachers, for both special and general education. All people involved in his academic life of are also members of this team. The fourth phase involved the analysis of methods used previously to help him with his condition. This included the evaluation of special education. Ryan was put on medication after detection of his condition. Since then, he has been receiving dosages of Ritalin to date. Ritalin is a stimulating drug, used to treat conditions of ADHD. After doing an assessment of Ryan’s performance, various methods that had not been employed before were tabled. To improve his performance, Ryan was offered further instructions in Mathematics and Languages assignments to advance his understanding. After all these measures were taken, Ryan’s progress was observed by conducting meetings regularly. This helped the parents to assess the methods used and think of other interventions to help. The collaboration between general and special education worked coherently for Ryan’s benefit, with conditions that affected their performance. Special and general educators held meetings to discuss the progress of children who had disorders like ADH. The main aim of general educators and parents was to outline the problems faced by specific Ryan in a document. This document was then forwarded to special educators for his evaluation, through observing their behaviors. The special educators were handed over with these problems to address because they were more qualified to tackle them. Parents play an important role in the progress of children. They provide special educators with information about their children when they are not in school. They also monitor the progress of a child and give conclusive reports to special educators. One positive aspect resulting from the involvement of parents in special education is that they have been able to engage themselves more in the personal lives of the children, which enhances family relationships. There are many challenges faced by parents in helping their children to deal with this condition. According to Cosmos (n.d.), one challenge faced by parents is the repulsive nature of children with ADHD (Cosmos, n.d.). This makes communication between them difficult because handling them without triggering their emotions is difficult. The IEP is a contract between guardians and school administrations that assesses children and establishes if they require special education. Members that constitute an IEP team include parents or guardians, special and general education teachers and Local Educational Agency (LEA) representatives. The IEP usually sets annual goals that are achieved through making benchmark decisions. An annual goal that came from the IEP was the development of Ryan’s Mathematic and Language skills. The worked samples given aimed at enhancing his understanding through providing him with extra information for better understanding. The tests exposed him to different methods of understanding his studies. The IEP also achieved short-term goals of educating Ryan through giving him short tests in Mathematics to monitor his progress. This improved dialogue between educators and teachers. The role of technology in the process of assessment was very vital. The use of computers to communicate with children helped Ryan to understand concepts efficiently. Technology also helped teachers to pass information in a quick manner. The use of Dynamic Graphics Project (DGP) has improved the means of relaying instructions to children. The project has also enabled children in an inclusive environment to have diverse thoughts. This has improved their understanding of mathematical and language concepts. The DGP advanced Ryan’s interpretation of information through increasing his speed of thinking. There are many challenges faced by special educators. According to Friend (2005), it is important for special educators to all issues facing a child, to avoid hostility (Friend, 2005). Hostility from children with ADHD in terms of learning hinders teachers like Ms Susan from performing their duties well. Uncooperative parents also pose major challenges to teachers. This is because they do not provide relevant information to teachers thus, helping a child is difficult. She advises parents to be more cooperative in providing information concerning a child, who suffers from ADHD. She also encourages them to be patient with their children because ADHD is not an issue that is solved by using medication only. The process of interviewing Ms. Susan was successful. The aim of the interview was to gather information on how special education is administered, and the role played by parents and teachers in it. The description by Ms. Susan was conclusive because it outlined the process of administering special education, giving specific roles of all team members involved. However, it was evident that the process is focused on improving the performance of children in two subjects only. This should not be the case because academic improvement by children should involve all disciplines of study. The actions taken by all team members to improve the performance by children, who have special conditions academically and socially, are efficient. This was evident from the improvement of Ryan’s performance according to Ms. Susan. However, the process could be improved in order to enhance children’s performance in all fields. An example of changes that should be made is shifting focus from Mathematics and English, to all subjects studied for example Science and Social Studies. This will generally improve the academic performance of all children. The role of technology in the process should also be increased. With the rapid changes in technology, it is important to educate children on the use of facilities such as computers. This will help them understand the conditions that they are facing through research. As a result, they will be more open to cooperating with their educators. References Cosmos, C. (n.d.). Abuse of Children with Disabilities. Retrieved April 24, 2009, from the Council for Exceptional Children website:cec.sped.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Searchtemplate=/CM/HTMLDisplay.cfmContentID=1298 Council for Exceptional Children. (n.d.). Giftedness and the Gifted: What’s it all About? Retrieved from cec.sped.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Gifts_and_TalentsTemplate=/TaggedPage/TaggedPageDisplay.cfmTPLID=37ContentID=5628 Friend, M. P. (2005). Special Education: Contemporary Perspectives for School Professionals. Boston: Pearson.

Importance of the Magna Carta to the US Constitution

Importance of the Magna Carta to the US Constitution The Magna Carta, meaning â€Å"Great Charter,† is one of the most influential political documents ever written: it is seen by many modern political scientists as the fundamental document for many of the governing laws of the west, including the United States. Originally issued in 1215 by King John of England as a way of dealing with his own political crisis, the Magna Carta was the first governmental decree establishing the principle that all people- including the king- were equally subject to the law.   Key Document in U.S. Political Foundations In particular, the Magna Carta had a significant impact on the American Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, and the constitutions of various U.S. states. Its influence is also reflected in the beliefs held by eighteenth-century Americans that the Magna Carta affirmed their rights against oppressive rulers. In keeping with colonial Americans general distrust of sovereign authority, most early state constitutions included declarations of rights retained by individual citizens and lists of protections of those citizens from the powers of the state government. Due in part to this conviction to individual liberty first embodied in the Magna Carta, the newly-formed United States also adopted the Bill of Rights. The American Bill of Rights Several of the natural rights and legal protections enumerated in both the state declarations of rights and the United States Bill of Rights descend from rights protected by Magna Carta. A few of these include: Freedom from unlawful searches and seizuresThe right to a speedy trialA right to a jury trial in both criminal and civil casesProtection from loss of life, liberty, or property without due process of law The exact phrase from the 1215 Magna Carta referring to â€Å"due process of law† is in Latin, but there are various translations. The British Library translation reads: â€Å"No free man shall be seized or imprisoned, or stripped of his rights or possessions, or outlawed or exiled, or deprived of his standing in any other way, nor will we proceed with force against him, or send others to do so, except by the lawful judgement of his equals or by the law of the land.† In addition, many broader constitutional principles and doctrines have their roots in America’s eighteenth-century interpretation of the Magna Carta, such as the theory of representative government, the idea of a supreme law, a government based on a clear separation of powers, and the doctrine of judicial review of legislative and executive acts. Journal of the Continental Congress Evidence of the influence of the Magna Carta on the American system of government can be found in several key documents, including the Journal of the Continental Congress, which is the official record kept of the Congresss deliberations between May 10, 1775, and March 2, 1789. In September and October 1774, the delegates to the first Continental Congress drafted a Declaration of Rights and Grievances, in which the colonists demanded the same liberties guaranteed to them under â€Å"the principles of the English constitution, and the several charters or compacts.† They demanded self-government, freedom from taxation without representation, the right to a trial by a jury of their own countrymen, and their enjoyment of â€Å"life, liberty, and property† free from interference from the English crown. The Federalist Papers Written by James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay, and published anonymously between October 1787 and May 1788, the Federalist Papers were a series of eighty-five articles intended to build support for the adoption of the U.S. Constitution. Despite the widespread adoption of declarations of individual rights in state constitutions, several members of the Constitutional Convention generally opposed adding a bill of rights to the federal Constitution. In Federalist No. 84, published during the summer of 1788, Hamilton argued against the inclusion of a bill of rights, stating: â€Å"Here, in strictness, the people surrender nothing; and as they retain everything they have no need of particular reservations.† In the end, however, the Anti-Federalists prevailed and the Bill of Rights- based largely on the Magna Carta- was appended to the Constitution in order to secure its final ratification by the states. The Bill of Rights as Proposed As originally proposed to Congress in 1791, there were twelve amendments to the constitution. These were strongly influenced by the state of Virginia’s Declaration of Rights of 1776, which in turn incorporated a number of the protections of the Magna Carta. As a ratified document, the Bill of Rights included five articles directly reflecting these protections: Protection from unreasonable searches and seizures (4th),  Protection of rights to life, liberty, and property (5th),  Rights of accused persons in criminal cases (6th),  Rights in civil cases (7th), and  Other rights kept by the people (8th).   History of the Magna Carta King John I (also known as John Lackland, 1166–1216) ruled England, Ireland and sometimes Wales and Scotland between 1177–1216. His predecessor and brother Richard I had spent much of the kingdoms wealth on the crusades: and in 1200, John himself had lost lands in Normandy, ending the Andevin Empire. In 1209, after an argument with Pope Innocent III  over who should be the archbishop of Canterbury, John was excommunicated from the church. John needed to pay money to get back in Popes good graces, and he wanted to wage war and get back his lands in Normandy, so as sovereigns were wont to do, he increased already-heavy taxes on his subjects. The English barons fought back, forcing a meeting with the king at Runnymede near Windsor on June 15, 1215. At this meeting, King John was coerced into signing the Great Charter which protected some of their basic rights against royal actions. After some modifications, the charter known as the magna carta libertatum (great charter of liberties) became part of the law of the land of England in 1297 under the reign of Edward I.  Ã‚   Key Provisions of the Magna Carta Following are some of the key items that were included in the 1215 version of the Magna Carta: Habeas corpus, known as the right to due process, said that free men could only be imprisoned and punished after lawful judgment by a jury of their peers.Justice could not be sold, denied, or delayed.Civil lawsuits did not have to be held in the kings court.The Common Council had to approve the amount of money that vassals had to pay instead of having to serve in the military (called scutage) along with any aid that could be requested from them with only three exceptions, but in all cases, the aid had to be reasonable. This basically meant that John could no longer tax without the agreement of his Council.If the King wanted to call the Common Council, he had to give the barons, church officials, landowners, sheriffs, and bailiffs 40 days notice that included a stated purpose for why it was being called.For commoners, all fines had to be reasonable so that their livelihood could not be taken away. Further, any offense that a commoner was said to have committed had to be sworn to by go od men from the neighborhood. Bailiffs and constables could not appropriate peoples possessions.London and other cities were given the right to collect customs.The king could not have a mercenary army. In feudalism, the barons were the army. If the king had his own army, he would have the power to do what he wanted against the barons.Inheritances were guaranteed to individuals with the amount of what today we would call inheritance tax being set in advance.As stated previously, the king himself had to follow the law of the land. Up until the Magna Carta’s creation, British monarchs enjoyed supreme rule. With the Magna Carta, the king, for the first time, was not allowed to be above the law. Instead, he had to respect the rule of law and not abuse his position of power. Location of Documents Today There are four known copies of the Magna Carta in existence today. In 2009, all four copies were granted UN World Heritage status. Of these, two are located at the British Library, one is at Lincoln Cathedral, and the last is at Salisbury Cathedral. Official copies of the Magna Carta were reissued in later years. Four were issued in 1297 which King Edward I of England affixed with a wax seal. One of these is currently located in the United States. Conservation efforts were recently completed to help preserve this key document. It can be seen at the National Archives in Washington, D.C., along with the Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and Bill of Rights.   Updated by Robert Longley Resources and Further Reading Documents from the Continental Congress and the Constitutional Convention, 1774 to 1789. Digital Collections. Library of Congress.The Federalist Papers. Congress.gov.  Howard, A. E. Dick. Magna Carta: Text and Commentary, 2nd ed. Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia, 1998.Linebaugh, Peter. The Magna Carta Manifesto: Liberties and Commons for All. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2009Magna Carta 1215: Transcript in English and Latin. The British Library.  Hamilton, Alexander. Certain General and Miscellaneous Objections to the Constitution Considered and Answered. Federalist Papers 84. New York: McLeans, July 16–August 9, 1788Vincent, Nicholas. The clauses of Magna Carta. The British Library, March 13, 2015.  The Virginia Declaration of Rights. National Archives.