Friday, October 25, 2019

Life of Ludwig van Beethoven Essay -- Ludwig van Beethoven Composers M

Life of Ludwig van Beethoven Ludwig van Beethoven, also known as â€Å" The General of Musicians,† was born on December 16, 1770. However, this date is not exact because it is believed that Beethoven’s father lied about his son’s age in order to portray him as an infant prodigy. As a result, Beethoven is convinced he was born on December 16, 1772 at the Rheingasse home, which belonged to the Fischers, who were close friends of the family (Orga 8). Johann van and Maria Magdalena Beethoven bore five children of which three survived. Ludwig van Beethoven was the first child to survive, probably making him the most cherished especially in his father’s eyes. The other two surviving siblings were Casper and Nikolaus. They were said to have played extremely important roles in Beethoven’s life. Johann van said to be a lesser man than his father Ludwig Louis van Beethoven, who was a trained musician and later appointed Kapellmeister. Many believed he could not compare to his dad because he did not have a high-ranking job, instead his income was based on giving piano, singing, and violin lessons to the public (Kerman 354). Johann wanted his first son to be great, especially in the music field, so he pushed him to learn the piano and violin at a very early age. For instance, Beethoven had his first public appearance at the age of eight on March 26, 1778. He performed at a concert with one of his father’s other pupils. His performance consisted of concertos and trios on the keyboard. Beethoven continued to play at concerts, as well as taking music lessons with instructors other than his father. When visiting the Fischer Family one day Johann proclaimed, â€Å"My son Ludwig is my only comfort now in life. He is improving in his music to such an extent that he is admired by everyone. I foresee that in time he will be a great man in the world† (Orga 29). During this time he also attended elementary school in Bonn, but he did not exceed grade school. Beethoven learned all he could by age ten and from then on he lived off his wits and curiosity (Orga 28). In 1779, Beethoven met his first very important teacher at Bonn by the name of Christian Neefe. Neefe automatically saw Beethoven’s talent and had a strong liking to him from the beginning. Moreover, when he took a short leave of absence from Bonn, he appointed Beethoven, at only eleven years o... ... His funeral was held on the 29th of March and about 15,000 guests attended his burial. The surrounding schools were closed that day in respect of the composer. Also, out of respect the choir sang the Miserere in an arrangement from one of his Equali for trombones. Following the singing, about 200 horse carriages accompanied the coffin on its final journey (Orga 8). To conclude, Beethoven was know as â€Å"The General of Musicians,† â€Å"The Young Genius,† and the most admired composer in the history of western music. His musical ability, his passion, and his harsh losses all helped to contribute to his undying success as a great pianist and composer. Even today his works are still studied and listened to around the world. Works Cited Kerman, Joseph. The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians. Ed. Stanley Sadie. 20 Vols. London: MacMillan Pub. Ltd., 1980. 2: 354-60. Grout, Donald Jay. A History of Western Music. 3rd ed. New York: Cornell UP, 1981. Marek, George R. Beethoven: Biography of a Genius. New York: Funk and Wagnall’s Publishing Company, 1969. Orga, Ates. Beethoven: The Illustrated Lives of the Great Composers. London: Omnibus Press, 1983.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Importance of Theology

Living In this glorious world, I noticed how It revolves around me. As I lay my eyes In this world full of mysteries, questions concerning my life's purpose, the reality, the existence of God, how to achieve true happiness and many more keep on flooding in into my mind. I often ask myself, â€Å"Why do I even exist? † and â€Å"How did I become a part to this world? Since the dawn to elite, the curiosity of humanity is incessantly growing. Questions run In circles Inside our minds. We search and search for the truth. We keep on trying to unravel mysteries.However, there are so many locks and not enough keys. In addition, a question just leads to another question. As you can see, to seek for the truth is to reach the exit of a labyrinth. It may be confusing and difficult. Surely, you will always go around In circles. However, when one incessantly focuses and have a sturdy faith, only then he could reach the end of his street and consequently sink in his mind nothing but the tr uth. Theology helps us find reasons for the truth we believe In. It guides us to know the answers for our questions with confidence yet with modesty.Does God really exist? Inside my head is this question, yearning to have answers using the paths for seeking the truth– by way of reason, science, and faith. Using my eyes of reason and with the help of philosophy, God really do exist. As I grow up, my perspective and understanding of life aid In making me see and understand things and reality much deeper. In my own experience, I cannot see love as well as God. I cannot see wisdom as well as God. And I cannot see happiness as well as God. Nevertheless, everything I have stated has one thing In common. May not see all the love, wisdom and happiness, but we can unequivocally feel them. Scientifically speaking, the existence of God could be elaborated by the second path of truth– by way of science. There Is not enough evidence and power science has. Science cannot explain all the things and phenomenal happenings in our world. Researchers say that God does not exist that there is no proof of Him based on their observations and scientific findings. Science generally contradicts the Bible saying that the Sacred Scriptures written is not true.Lastly, the truth is answerable by way of faith. Possessing the eyes of faith, simply believe that God exists In the midst of my everyday life. Being a Catholic. I have this in my mind and heart– the true meaning, value, beauty and essence of Him in my life. As I journey in seeking the truth, I gain more knowledge and wisdom that help me understand what Fife Is. Truth is a deep kindness that teaches us to be contented in our everyday lives and share with other people comparable happiness. The truth has given me a new perspective in life.Let us not love with words or speech but with actions and truth. Have learned that discovering the truth about me Is a lifetime's work, but it is worth the effort No matter how h ard and painful it may be, at the end of the day it is still worth the try. Tofu Truth is something that one cannot hide. Eve retying happens tort a reason and is an answer for every question. God is always there by my side guiding, watching and helping me to put the puzzle pieces of my life in the correct place. Never lose hope. Have faith. Seek for the truth.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Revisioning the Scholarship Boy

Re-Visioning the Scholarship Boy In â€Å"When We Dean Awaken: Writing as Re-Vision,† Rich describes the dilemma we all face as humans in our search for identity. Are we to allow the forces of the past to define us, or are we to transcend these forces creating a new identity? For Rich her struggle with a male dominated society causes her to redefine herself through writing. As the title of her piece suggests, Rich uses â€Å"writing as Re-vision,† a way to rewrite the past, effectively breaking free of tradition.In â€Å"The Achievement Of Desire,† Rodriguez is faced with a similar crisis of identity, when faced with Hoggart’s concept of the â€Å"scholarship boy†. While this concept seems to represent the hold of authority over Rodriguez, he instead uses it in his search for identity, breaking the hold of authority over him. Rich writes, â€Å"until we understand the assumptions in which we are drenched we cannot know ourselves†¦. †(Ric h 18). In much the same way Rodriguez must understand the assumptions imposed by the concept of the â€Å"scholarship boy† in his quest for self-identity.When examining Rodriguez’s struggle the following questions arise: Has Rodriguez broken free of the academic authorities in his life, which attempt to rigidly define his identity? Is he a â€Å"scholarship boy,† or something more? When contemplating these questions, we come to a surprising result; Rodriguez had used his quest for identity as a catalyst, allowing him to solidify his own philosophy of education. Throughout the achievement of desire Rodriguez uses the concept of the scholarship boy to express his philosophy of education.While at first we see the scholarship boy as a mere caricature, eventually it begins to increase in depth, until finally we realize that Rodriguez is in fact talking about himself. Rodriguez writes: â€Å"In large part, however, the reason he is such a bad student is because he re alizes more often and more acutely than most other students – than Hoggart himself – that education requires radical self-reformation. †(529) In this passage we begin to see pieces of Rodriguez’s philosophy of education. For Rodriguez, a successful education exists as a force of inevitable change.This change often pulls one away from their native culture, integrating them with society. Rodriguez states, â€Å" Radical educationalists meanwhile complain that ghetto schools oppress students by trying to mold them†¦the truer critique would be just the reverse: not that schools change ghetto students too much†¦they change most students barely at all. †(529) For Rodriguez a proper education inevitably â€Å"molds† the student. The emphasis in the American educational system on â€Å"creativity and originality† ultimately hinders the success of the student.Rodriguez furthers his philosophy on education with his views on imitation. For Rodriguez imitation i â€Å"From the story of the scholarship boy there is no specific pedagogy to glean†¦ he makes clear that education is a long unglarorous even demeaning process†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. Great quote to set up another paragraph For rodriguez, education need not be a pleasurable process. While thescholorship boy seems a negative story in reality it is a necessary one in terms of education. For the student of immigrant parents to become educated he must be ripped from his native cultureRodriguez reveals; â€Å"A primary reason for my success in the classroom was that I couldn’t forget that schooling was changing me and separating me from the life I enjoyed before becoming a student. †(516) During the beginning of his life, Rodriguez lives as the â€Å"scholarship boy†. Rodriguez writes, â€Å"I lacked a point of view when I read. Rather I read in order to acquire a point of view. †(527). Furthermore Rodriguez writes â€Å"I knew too much (and not enough) to be able to write anything but sentences that were overly cautious, timid, strained brittle under the heavy weight of footnotes and qualifications.I seemed unable to dare a passionate statement†(531). After these realizations Rodriguez searches for an answer to his shortcomings in academic literature coming face to face with Hoggart’s concept of the â€Å"scholarship boy†. For the first time Rodriguez begins to question himself, framing these inquiries through the concept of the â€Å"scholarship boy† Through questioning himself Rodriguez finally comes to terms with himself allowing a synthesis to occur, applying his skills of abstraction to his problem of identity.Rodriguez writes â€Å"And yet, positively: the ability to consider experience so abstractly allowed me to shape into desire what would otherwise have remained indefinite. †. Rodriguez takes this synthesis further concluding â€Å"If, because of my schooling, I had gr own culturally separated from my parents, my education finally had given me ways of speaking and caring about this fact†(532). Rodriguez goes further to illustrate his transformation, by contrasting his thoughts as a â€Å"scholarship boy† with his thoughts in the present.Rodriguez writes â€Å" Faithfully, I wrote down all that they said. I memorized it: â€Å"The praise of the unlettered by the highly educated is the primary theme of ‘elitist’ literature† But, â€Å"the importance of the praise given the unsolitary, richly passionate and spontaneous life is that it simultaneously reflects the value of a reflective life. †(532). To Rodriguez this quote falls perfectly in line with his own conclusions from his experience, the wisdom of learning to balance the two opposing forces in his life. Yet as a scholarship boy these words mean nothing to him.Rodriguez writes, â€Å"But there was no way for any of it to mean very much to me. I was a sch olarship boy at the time, busily laddering my way up the rungs of education. †(532). Throughout â€Å"Achievement of Desire†, Rodriguez maps his transformation from a â€Å"scholarship boy†, to someone with his own authority. It is possible to see a similar transformation occur for Rich when we examine â€Å"When We Dead Awaken: Writing as Re-Vision†. For Rich the final step of this transformation is through her act of writing about her struggle.Rich writes, â€Å"Moreover if the imagination is to transcend and transform experience it has to question, to challenge, to conceive of alternatives, perhaps to the very life you are living at the moment. †¦. For writing is re-naming. † (Rich 23). It would seem that a final piece of evidence for Rodriguez’s transformation is â€Å"Achievement of Desire† itself. Rodriguez’s ability to write about his struggle allows him to use the transformative power of the imagination, effectively using writing as Re-Vision.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Hess Law of Heat Summation Essay Example

Hess Law of Heat Summation Essay Example Hess Law of Heat Summation Essay Hess Law of Heat Summation Essay Hess  Law  of  Heat  Summation Hess  Law  states  that: The  enthalpy  change  for  any  reaction  depends   on  the  products  and  reactants  and  is  independent   of  the  pathway  or  the  number  of  steps  between   the  reactant  and  product. BASICALLY:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Hess  Law  states  the  heat  evolved  or  absorbed  in     Ã‚  Ã‚  a  chemical  process  is  the  same  whether  the  process     Ã‚  Ã‚  takes  place  in  one  or  in  several  steps     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚ ­Ã‚ ­;This  is  also  known  as  the  law  of  constant  heat  summation. All  it  means  is  that  no  matter  how  many  steps  the  chemical     Ã‚  Ã‚  reaction  proceeds  through,  the  total  heat  evolved  or  absorbed   Ã‚  Ã‚  is  the  added  heat  values  of  each  step  and  will  always  be   Ã‚  Ã‚  a  constant  figure  for  that  process. For  example:     Ã‚  Ã‚  When  phosphoric  acid  (a  tri ­hydrogen  acid)  is  neutralized     Ã‚  Ã‚  with  a  base,  the  hydrogens  are  neutralised  in  3  steps:   Ã‚  Ã‚  STEP  1:  Ã‚  Ã‚  H3P04  +  NaOH  Ã‚ ­;  NaH2PO4  +  H2O  ­gives  X  amount  of  heat     Ã‚  Ã‚  STEP  2:  Ã‚  Ã‚  NaH2PO4  +  NaOH  Ã‚ ­;  Na2HPO4  +  H2O  ­gives  Y  amount  of  heat   Ã‚  Ã‚  STEP  3:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Na2PO4  +  NaOH  Ã‚ ­;  Na3PO4  +H2O  ­gives  Z  amount  of  heat   Ã‚  Ã‚  Therefore,  the  total  heat  ofà ‚  reaction  (  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hrxn)  is  equal  to: There  are  two  (2)  ways  to  calculate  the  heat  of  reaction   using  Hess  Law: 1 ­Ã‚  Ã‚  Equation  Method  (Algebraic  Method) 2 ­Ã‚  Ã‚  Heat  of  Formation  Method  (Summation  Method) Equation  (Algebraic)  Method Strategy:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚ ­add  equations  for  reactions  with  known  enthalpies   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  so  that  their  net  result  is  the  desired  reaction Sample  Problem  1: Use  the  equations  below  to  determine  the  enthalpy  of  reaction for  the  decomposition  of  hydrogen  peroxide: H2O2(l)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  H2O(l)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  +  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1/2  O2(g) The  equations  are: 1 ­Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  H2(g)  Ã‚  Ã‚  +  Ã‚  Ã‚  O2(g)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  H2O2(l)  Ã‚  Ã‚   2 ­Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  H2(g)  Ã‚  Ã‚  +  Ã‚  Ã‚  1/2  O2(g)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  H2O(l) Hf  =  Ã‚ ­188  kJ Hf  =  Ã‚ ­286  kJ Solution: Sample  Problem  2: Use  the  following  equations: 1 ­Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1/2  N2(g)  Ã‚  Ã‚  +  Ã‚  Ã‚  3/2  H2(g)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  NH3(g) 2 ­Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1/2  N2(g)  Ã‚  Ã‚  +  Ã‚  Ã‚  O2(g)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  NO2(g) 3 ­Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  H2(g)  Ã‚  Ã‚  +  Ã‚  Ã‚  1/2  O2(g)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  H2O(g) Hf  =  Ã‚ ­46. 0  kJ Hf  =  +34. 0  kJ Hf  =  Ã‚ ­242. 0  kJ to  calculate  the  enthalpy  of  reaction  for: 4  NH3(g)  Ã‚  Ã‚  +  Ã‚  Ã‚  7  O2(g)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  4  NO2(g)  Ã‚  Ã‚  +  Ã‚  Ã‚  6  H2O(g) Solution: Practice  Problem: Calculate  the  heat  of  reaction  for  the  oxidation of  one  mole  of  ethanol  to  ethanoic  acid: C2H5OH(l)  Ã‚  Ã‚  +  Ã‚  Ã‚  O2(g)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  CH3COOH(l)  Ã‚  Ã‚  +  Ã‚  Ã‚  H2O(l) Use  the  equations  below:  ­Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  C2H5OH(l)  Ã‚  Ã‚  +  Ã‚  Ã‚  3  O2(g)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2  CO2(g)  Ã‚  Ã‚  +  Ã‚  Ã‚  3  H2O(l) 2 ­Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  CH3COOH(l)  Ã‚  Ã‚  +  Ã‚  Ã‚  2  O2(g)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2  CO2(g)  Ã‚  Ã‚  +  Ã‚  Ã‚  2  H2O(l) Hc  =  Ã‚ ­1367  kJ Hc  =  Ã‚ ­874  kJ Enthalpy  of  Formation   (Summation)  Method Standard  Molar  Enthalpy  of  Formation:  (  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  )  ­the  amount  of  ____  (absorbed  or  released)  when  _________  of     a  compound  is  formed  from  its  _________________  in  their   standard  states  ­most  enthalpies  of  formation  are  Ã‚ ­ve  (__________________)? therefore,  most  compounds  are  ___________  stable  than  the   elements  they  are  made  from  ­Ã‚  the  enthalpy  of  formation  of  an  element  in  its  s tandard  state   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  is  _____  because  it  is  usually  its  most  stable  form! Write  the  formation  equations  for: a)  Ã‚  methane  gas: b)  Ã‚  calcium  carbonate: c)  Ã‚  hydrogen  chloride  gas: (Look  at  the  Table! ) How  to  Use  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hf  to  Calculate  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hrxn Recall:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hrxn  = therefore, Hrxn  =  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  (  n  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hf  products)  Ã‚  Ã‚ ­Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  (  n  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hf  reactants) Sample  Problem  1: Using  the  enthalpies  of  formation,   calculate  the  enthalpy  of  reaction  for:  Ã‚  Ã‚     CH4(g)  Ã‚  Ã‚  +  Ã‚  Ã‚  2  O2(g)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  CO2(g)  Ã‚  Ã‚  +  Ã‚  Ã‚  2  H2O(g) Practice  Problem: Use  the  summation  method  to  determine   the  enthalpy  of  reaction  for: 4 NO2(g) + 6 H2O(g) 4  NH3(g)  Ã‚  Ã‚  +  Ã‚  Ã‚  7  O2(g) Homework:  ­Ã‚  p. 247  #13 ­16  ­Ã‚  p. 251  #17 ­20  ­Ã‚  p. 254  #21 ­24  ­Ã‚  the  following  three  questions:   Ã‚  Use  the  summation  method  to  calculate  each   Ã‚  of  the  following:   Ã‚  a)  Ã‚  CO2(g)  Ã‚  +  Ã‚  H2(g)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  CO(g)  Ã‚  +  Ã‚  H2O(g)   Ã‚  b)  Ã‚  C2H5OH(l)  Ã‚  +  Ã‚  3  O2(g)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2  CO2(g)  Ã‚  +  Ã‚  3  H2O(l)   Ã‚  c)  Ã‚  C2H6(g)  Ã‚  +  Ã‚  7/2  O2(g)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2  CO(g)  Ã‚  +  Ã‚  3  H2O(l)

Monday, October 21, 2019

Wealthy Barber Essays - Mutual Fund, Mutualism, Stock Market

Wealthy Barber Essays - Mutual Fund, Mutualism, Stock Market Wealthy Barber Money is easy to make as long as you have a job, however what do you do when you have the money is another question. This is a question I have asked myself ever since I got my first part time job. Many people dont realize that your money can make you more money, through proper investment. Through this strategy you can not only live comfortably now, but you can live a wealthy retirement and enjoy your later years. One of tips which caught my eye the most was the chapter, entitled, Ten Percent Solution. This chapter seemed to make sense to me as I am on a limited budget with a minimum wage job. I am one of the fortunate students how somehow can balance school with a part time job. I do this because it allows me some freedoms while at school, such as eating well, socializing and trips to visit friends. I also seem to have a bit of money left over which I leave sitting in my low interest bank account. It is this money I am hoping to save for when I am done school and to begin my OSAP payments. Until reading the book, The Wealthy Barber, I never really had an idea of what to do with my money. Since I am also one of those students who is lucky enough to have a loan through OSAP, I figured Id better start saving or making money as it is stated. I am currently saving money in a GIC account at a bank which has a mediocre interest rate of approximately 4%. However, if I invest in something such as a mutual fund for long term growth I will get a better interest rate and end up making more money without doing anything. The nice thing about both the GIC and the mutual fund is that they use the compound interest which allows your money to grow at a very rapid rate, as you will slowly start making money on the previous interest deposits as well as your own deposits which you make. However to gain significant interest growth you must have something at a reasonable interest rate. This book has really inspired me to do the research and start doing this. The whole idea of this novel is to save money now and you will live better in the future, such as when we retire. This is a great idea for all people, especially students as we will see better results as we are still young and can use compound interest to our benefit. Many students at all ages dont do this, in fact havent even thought about doing this. It does sound unreasonable and a little out of our league at present times. Especially since we are paying tuition, books and the dreaded OSAP. However, if you think about it maybe its not such a bad idea. Ten percent of most students part time job pay check is only about $30 - $40 a month or $360 or more a year. If a good interest rate of about 15% is found through a mutual fund and this is saved for 40 years or so, there is a really good chance that we will be millionaires when we take it out after 40 years. We may even have more that a million dollars after that because being students at a university we should all receive fairly wel l paying jobs. The more we make the more we will be investing, as the ten percent of our pay check will get bigger. So as we slowly get older our payments towards our future will get a little bigger and then the compound interest will grow on that. One of the biggest tips I found about this whole investment advice was the fact that you should shop around. There are many possibilities out there other than mutual funds. At my age real estate doesnt sound like a good choice, but it shouldnt be ruled out. In my case it would almost be a good idea as I am already married and am looking for a house. Since paying rent and paying a mortgage would almost be the

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Biography of Alexander II, Russias Reformist Tsar

Biography of Alexander II, Russia's Reformist Tsar Alexander II (born Alexander Nikolaevich Romanov; April 29, 1818 – March 13, 1881) was a nineteenth-century Russian emperor. Under his rule, Russia moved towards reform, most notably in the abolition of serfdom. However, his assassination cut these efforts short. Fast Facts: Alexander II Full Name:  Alexander Nikolaevich Romanov Occupation: Emperor of RussiaBorn: April 29, 1818 in Moscow, RussiaDied: March 13, 1881 in Saint Petersburg, RussiaKey Accomplishments: Alexander II earned a reputation for reform and a willingness to bring Russia into the modern world. His greatest legacy was the freeing of Russian serfs in 1861.Quote: The vote, in the hands of an ignorant man, without either property or self respect, will be used to the damage of the people at large; for the rich man, without honor or any kind of patriotism, will purchase it, and with it swamp the rights of a free people.† Early Life Alexander was born in Moscow in 1818 as the first son and heir of Tsar Nicholas I and his wife Charlotte, a Prussian princess. His parents’ marriage was, luckily (and somewhat unusually) for a purely political union, a happy one, and Alexander had six siblings who survived childhood. From birth, Alexander was given the title of Tsesarevich, which was traditionally given to the heir to the Russian throne. (The similar-sounding title tsarevich applied to any sons of a tsar, including non-Russians, and ceased being used by Romanov rulers in 1797). The upbringing and early education of Alexander was not one that seemed conducive to create a great reformer. Indeed, the opposite, if anything, was true. At the time, the court and political atmosphere was intensely conservative under his father’s authoritarian rule. Dissent from any corner, regardless of rank, was severely punishable. Even Alexander, who was the darling of his family and of all Russia, would have had to be careful. Nicholas, however, was nothing if not practical in the upbringing of his successor. He had suffered from a dull, frustrating education as a â€Å"spare† to the throne (his immediate predecessor was not his father, but rather his brother Alexander I) that had left him without any desire to take up the title. He was determined to not let his son suffer the same fate and provided him with tutors that included reformer Mikhail Speransky and romantic poet Vasily Zhukovsky, plus a military instructor, General Karl Merder. This combination led to Alexander being well-prepared and more liberal than his father. At the age of sixteen, Nicholas created a ceremony in which Alexander formally swore allegiance to the autocracy as the successor. Marriage and Early Reign While on tour in Western Europe in 1839, Alexander was in search of a royal wife. His parents preferred Princess Alexandrine of Baden and arranged for the twenty-one-year-old tsesarevich to meet her. The meeting was unimpressive, and Alexander declined to pursue the match. He and his entourage made an unplanned stop at the court of the Grand Duke of Hesse, Ludwig II, where he met and became smitten with the duke’s daughter, Marie. Despite some early objections from his mother and a long engagement because of Marie’s youth (she was only fourteen when they met), Alexander and Marie married on April 28, 1841. Although the protocols of court life did not appeal to Marie, the marriage was a happy one, and Alexander leaned on Marie for support and advice. Their first child, the Grand Duchess Alexandra, was born in August 1842, but died of meningitis at the age of six. In September 1843, the couple had their son and Alexander’s heir, Nicholas, followed in 1845 by Alexander (the future Tsar Alexander III), Vladimir in 1847, and Alexei in 1850. Even after Alexander took mistresses, their relationship remained close. Nicholas I died of pneumonia in 1855, and Alexander II succeeded to the throne at the age of 37. His early reign was dominated by the fallout from the Crimean War and cleaning up overwhelming corruption at home. Thanks to his education and personal leanings, he began pushing forward a more reformist, liberal set of policies than the iron-fisted authoritarianism of his predecessors. Reformer and Liberator Alexander’s signature reform was the liberation of the serfs, which he began working towards almost immediately after coming to the throne. In 1858, he toured the country to encourage the nobility – who were reluctant to give up their reliance on serfs – to back the reform. The Emancipation Reform of 1861 formally abolished serfdom throughout the Russian Empire, giving 22 million serfs the rights of full citizens. His reforms were not limited to this by any means. Alexander ordered the reform of the Russian military, from enforcing conscription for all social classes (not just the peasantry) to improving officer education to creating districts for more efficient administration. An elaborate and detailed bureaucracy worked to reform the judicial system and make the system simpler and more transparent. At the same time, his government created local districts that took on many duties of self-governance. Despite his zeal for reform, Alexander was no democratic ruler. The Moscow Assembly proposed a constitution, and in response, the tsar dissolved the assembly. He fervently believed that diluting the power of the autocracy with representatives of the people would destroy the populace’s quasi-religious view of the tsar as a divinely-ordained, unquestioned ruler. When separatist movements, particularly in Poland and Lithuania, threatened to erupt, he suppressed them harshly, and later in his reign, he began to crack down on liberal teachings at universities. However, he supported efforts in Finland to increase its autonomy. An assassination attempt in April 1866 may have contributed to Alexander’s shift away from his earlier liberal reforms. Assassination and Legacy Alexander was the target of several assassination attempts, including the one in 1866. In April 1879, a would-be assassin named Alexander Soloviev shot at the tsar as he walked; the shooter missed and was sentenced to death. Later that year, other revolutionaries attempted a more elaborate plot, orchestrating a railway explosion – but their information was incorrect and they missed the tsar’s train. In February 1880, the tsar’s enemies came closer than they ever had before to achieving their goal when Stephan Khalturin, from the same radical group that bombed the train, managed to detonate a device in the Winter Palace itself, killing and wounding dozens and causing damage to the palace, but the imperial family was awaiting a late arrival and was not in the dining room. On March 13, 1881, Alexander went, as was his custom, to a military roll call. He rode in a bulletproof carriage gifted to him by Napoleon III, which saved his life during the first attempt: a bomb thrown under the carriage as it passed by. Guards attempted to evacuate Alexander quickly. Another conspirator, a radical revolutionary named Ignacy Hryniewiecki, got close enough to throw a bomb directly at the fleeing emperor’s feet. The bomb horrifically wounded Alexander, as well as others in the vicinity. The dying tsar was brought to the Winter Palace, where he was given his last rites and died minutes later. Alexander left behind a legacy of slow but steady reform and began the modernization of Russia – but his death stopped what would have been one of the biggest reforms: a set of planned changes that Alexander had approved and spoke of as a step towards a true constitution – something Romanov rulers had always resisted. The announcement was set to be made around March 15, 1881. But Alexander’s successor chose instead to retaliate for the assassination with severe setbacks to civil liberties, including arrests of dissenters and anti-Semitic pogroms that would last for the rest of the Romanov era. Sources Montefiore, Simon Sebag. The Romanovs: 1613 – 1918. London, Weidenfeld Nicolson, 2017.Mosse, W.E. â€Å"Alexander II: Emperor of Russia.† Encyclopaedia Britannica, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Alexander-II-emperor-of-RussiaRadzinsky, Edvard. Alexander II: The Last Great Tsar. Simon Schuster, 2005.

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Repot Plan Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Repot Plan - Research Paper Example Ever since then, the company has owned more than 17,000 distribution stores globally with its produce diversity ranging from drip brew coffee, snacks, salads, hot and cold sandwiches, coffee beans, and other hot and cold drinks. Today, Starbucks is facing solid competition from other coffee house organizations and the educational control globally (Schultz & Gordon, 2011). This paper outlines a three year strategic management proposal to Starbuck’s managing board of directors based on the strength, weaknesses, opportunities and the threats of the company and other factors. This proposal wraps more than a few aspects that will significantly contribute to the growth and development of the Starbuck organization. The plan reviews several subjects such as strategic marketing procedures and attainable financial policy. In order for the Company to remain competitive in the world market, the management of the organization has to review several factors in the organization such as manage ment policies, obtainable opportunities, expansion and economic plan strengths, marketing, weaknesses, risks that the organization face in the market with exceptional knowledge of the capability of the strategic management plan. Within the span of three years, Starbucks should build customers confidence on their services and products such as take away services (Bussing-Burks, 2009). Take away services are appropriate and this will enable customer to carry their well packed products. This will make the customers have an option of purchasing Starbucks products because they are consistent and reliable The three year strategy should ensure that the organization remains to be one of the best coffee house companies globally. The managing board of directors should have more than a few mission statements that describe their products, their partners, their customers, and its stores. The managing board of directors should hire a strategic plan consultant and facilitator in order to aid the or ganization with strategic formulation and write the company’s vision and mission statements. Mission and vision statement are appropriate in the development of the three year strategy. The objective of the mission and vision statement is to target the audience and define the business. The descriptions of the company are determined by the mission and the vision statement of an organization (Bussing-Burks, 2009). Therefore, the managing board of directors should change the company’s description in order for the three year strategy to be achievable The business plan of Starbucks should illustrate the industry and the market knowledge as well as the research that will be conducted by the management for the organizational development. One of the major factors that should be considered by the managing board of directors is the industry description and outlook. Industry description and outlook involves the current size and the historic development rate and other factors that have contributed to the growth of the organization. This aspect is significant because it will assist the managing g board of directors to acquire appropriate information about the target market in the next three years. However, for effective success of the strategic management proposal, the managing board of directors should identify the SWOT analysis of Starbucks organization. The purpose of the strategic management is to ensure that in the next thre