This study of the Mexican Revolution debates if the revolutionaries successfully obtained their objectives, or whether the revolution still goes on today.
Abstract This essay examines the purposes of the Mexican Revolution, from its early days as an anti-capitalist demonstration against its government, to the repeated claims by Mexican leaders that the revolution is over, having embraced capitalism whole-heartedly.
From the Paper "In July 1914, General Carranza proclaimed the revolution over. In 1928 Calles proclaimed the revolution "achieved". In 1940 President Camacho said the same thing. There are those who believe the revolution still to be going on; it is only in the last couple of years that the PNR has finally been voted out of power; Mexico, though a "democracy", had effectively been a one party state until very recently."
Abstract The paper examines the film "1492: Conquest of Paradise" in light of the historical telling of the Columbus story. The film's setting, portrayal of character, dialog and violence are assessed against fact. The film is found to overall not be a realistic portrayal of historical fact.
From the Paper "This film depicts the violence of the Spaniards when the first discovered the New World, and shows how cruel man can be to fellow man, in the name of conquest and riches. It depicts Columbus as "also a good deal more convincing as a human being. As played by Gerard Depardieu, he seems huge and shaggy and dogged, just the kind of man who would get an idea in his head and refuse to surrender it" (Ebert).
In the film, director Ridley Scott portrays him as arrogant at times, which an explorer would have to be to lead three tiny ships into the unknown to prove his theories. In the movie he says to Sanchez, the Spanish royal treasurer: "Look out there! What do you see?" Sanchez: "I see clouds ... I see palaces, I see steeples: I see civilization ... and I see spires that reach ... to the sky." Columbus: "All of them created by people like me. No matter how long you live Sanchez, there is something that will never change between us: I did it, you didn't" (1492)."
A descriptive essay showing through fictitious newspaper articles and other media sources the Spanish conquest on Mexico and the character of the local Aztecs.
Abstract The author of this paper uses an original style to produce this essay which brings across the story of Spaniard Hernan Cortez's conquest of Mexico and the local Aztecs with which he fought. By conducting an 'interview' with the Chronicler Juan de Pomar and Hernan Cortez and writing an article about Cortez's success in the Mexican conquest, the paper gives an overall picture of the events of the 1519 era and the culture of the Aztec people.
From the Paper "Montecuhzoma allowed Cortez and his men into Tenochtitlan, which was not his normal policy of caution. Great diplomatic overtures were made on both sides, and at first the two warring parties almost seemed as though they might find peace.
Unfortunately that was not to be. The Spaniards were coarse, ignorant of local customs, and rude. They cared little for protocols and pleasantries. In the end, this disregard for the Aztec culture may have been what created their successful attacks and eventual takeover of Tenochtitlan- while the Aztecs were sacrificing warriors to their gods during battle, the Spaniards were killing them off in large numbers."
Abstract This comparative analysis examines the author's own ethnicity as well as that of Latin America. Discussed are the changes such as socialization, cultural attitudes, laws and customs, which need to be made so women can have more freedom. Essay is based on Silvana Paternostro's " In the Land of God and Man: A Latin Woman's Journey".
From the Paper "Paternostro describes how she was awed by men's power, even their signatures, "about whom I was consumed with curiosity. What they did, how they talked seemed much more alive than what women did" (Paternostro 1999). Men talked of politics and things that seemed so much more important than women's lives. It makes one think of the scene from "Gone With the Wind", when the men retire to the library for cigars and brandy. They close the doors and discuss manly things, while the women tend to womanly things and young girls take naps, far away from the closed doors of the library. And if a female should enter, she might be humored for a moment but was inevitably put in her place. Paternostro described how she too was humored when she dared try to discuss politics with the men, promptly and politely put in her place. She was told, "It's not attractive to be so opinioned" (Paternostro 1999). She said, "My place as a woman was a follower" (Paternostro 1999)."
Abstract The paper summarizes the book "Destiny Betrayed: J.F.K, Cuba, and the Garrison Case" by James DiEugenio, an examination of a New Orleans District Attorney's investigation of the murder of John F. Kennedy when he was president of the United States and his assassination. The writer summarizes the main points of the book and then discusses some of the plot's ideas and underlying meanings.
From the Paper "The book draws on the very real scarring that the American psyche has retained following the assassination of the president. It has been several decades but the nation still winces with pain regarding the cold and tragic event that started out as a wonderful celebration and parade. Those who believe the conspiracy theory rushed the Warren Commission report to the public eye in an attempt to sooth the fear, anger and pain felt. Those who believed the conspiracy theory held on in the hope there would be more arrests and many convictions for the wrong the public was dealt."
Abstract This paper presents a detailed discussion about the United States' sanctions against the nation of Cuba. The writer attempts to present both sides of the controversy regarding the sanctions against Cuba. The writer argues for lifting the sanctions, and then argues for maintaining them. Considerations on both sides include social concerns, military options and financial effects.
From the Paper "For the past four decades the United States have maintained sanctions against Cuba. The economic boycott has hit a standstill while the House and the Senate argue over what should be done about the situation. Travel bans and other sanctions have come under fire recently for several reasons(Leavitt pg 07A). Small steps have been taken to try and appease those who want the sanctions lifted while not going completely against those who want it maintained. The debate has sparked heated arguments on many levels of government in both nations(Leavitt pg 07A)."
Abstract "The Power and the Glory" depicts a period in history when the Mexican government sought to distance itself from and even eliminate altogether the influence of the Catholic Church in Mexico. This paper discusses Greene's standing with the Catholic Church from being known as the "Catholic novelist" to his depiction of his main character in the story - a fallen, alcoholic priest, the father of a child .
From the Paper "Graham Greene's novel The Power and the Glory (1940) is one of his works that the author himself identified as a Catholic story, and it is clearly concerned with issues of Catholicism in both theory and practice. The novel is set in Mexico in the 1930s at a time when the Church was in conflict with the political powers in Mexico. Greene gives his story an allegorical structure, with the two opposing forces represented by the Whiskey Priest and the Lieutenant of Police, neither of whom is ever named beyond this identification with their jobs and roles in life. The metaphorical framework for the novel evokes images of death, leading ultimately to the death of the priest but also suggesting the death of a corrupt religious order."
Abstract This paper examines the issue of poverty in cities following recent mass urbanization. It uses Panama City as an example and looks at the social ramifications of poverty, its effects on the wider population of the city and what the authorities are doing to prevent its spread. The issues of crime, drugs, prostitution and child abuse are discussed.
From the Paper "Just like other capitals and major cities in Latin America and other developing countries, Panama City is the destination for urbanization from the surrounding areas. Forming new communities and enlarging suburban areas, the urban people have added burden to the city sustainable area and deteriorate the whole condition with more social problems as the effect of the urbanization. The poverty level increases as indicated by the number of unemployment, low wages, job cuts, inability to adapt to the fare hike, increasing number of street children from time to time, and the rising social riots and demonstration fashion as well as the crime rate. There is an unbalanced condition caused by social gap, excessive urbanization, poor city planning, corruption, and deteriorating environmental support on the Panama Canal that possibly had caused the poverty."
Abstract This paper examines the tragic film, "The Mission". It provides a synopsis of the movie, which occurs in colonial South America under the rule of Spain and Portugal. The paper describes an era when Jesuit priests traveled form Europe to South America to start Catholic missions.
From the Paper "'The Mission' is a tragic movie that evokes many emotions in its viewers. The events of the movie occur during a period when the Spanish and Portuguese had created a treaty over land in South America. The stories of the South American missions and the Guarani people are told in the movie. The events of the movie occur during the colonial period, a time Jesuit priests traveled form Europe to South America to start missions. The Jesuits? goal was to convert the native Indians from their tribal beliefs to the Catholic traditions. The missions were very successful and flourished. The reason the missions were successful is because the Guarani Indians fled from the jungle to the missions for protection from slave hunters. One particular slave hunter was Rodrigo Mendoza. This movie gave a detailed overview of the life of Rodrigo because he symbolized a cycle of transformation. This transformation was from a slaver hunter to kind Jesuit Priest. The slave hunter Rodrigo undergoes a transformation from the barbaric ways of a slave trader to the peaceful life of a Jesuit priest".
Tags: america, deniero, indians, mission, religion, slaves, south, spain, portugal
Abstract This paper examines the sociological history of Mexican Americans from the annexation of Mexico after the Mexican American War to the present. It analyzes the personal accounts of three Mexican Americans from different time periods, and describes the discrimination Mexican Americans have faced throughout their history. The author states that Mexican Americans have been a valuable asset to American society.
From the Paper "From the time of the annexation of Mexico by the United States until the present day, Mexican Americans have faced severe hardship and discrimination, but their presence in the United States has resulted in a largely positive impact on both the lives of these individuals and the nation as a whole. Many of these individuals came to the United States in search of a better, more prosperous way of life, and a large number of them succeeded in this. At the same time, they have added to the economy and cultural diversity of the United States. The narratives of three typical Mexican Americans living in different time periods, Jes's Garza, Camelia Palafox, and Mar"a Jim"nez show the obstacles typical Mexican Americans have faced and what reward they have received."
Tags: illegal, immigration, international, labor, mexico, migrant, nafta, relations, war
Abstract The paper deals with globalization and the problems it creates for the development of political values and goals in the nation-state. The paper looks in particular at the case of Jamaica which is trying to find a middle path between developing a global character and maintaining some form of national distinction.
From the Paper "The interconnectedness of the world since the early 1990s has been described principally as globalization. The move to what has been called the "global village" has emphasized borderless activity, opening up of markets, sharing of technology, human capital, skills and experience, as well ideas of political development and culture. This is not to say the idea of globalization is new, as from the beginnings of the industrial revolution in the mid 1900s, in European countries and elsewhere, trends and traces of what has now been so termed, popularly, has always been existent, but not until the late 20th century made distinct and given widespread attention."
From the Paper The story told in the novel In the Time of the Butterflies by Julia Alvarez is a true one, based on the Mirabal sisters, well-known in the Dominican republic for their heroic stand against the Trujillo regime and for what happened to them. Alvarez was born in the Dominican Republic, but she never knew the Mirabal sisters, as she explains in the postcript to her book where she notes that she and her family arrived in New York City in 1960 as exiles from their native land because of the Trujillo regime--her father had participated in an underground plot that was discovered by the country's secret police. Three of the four Mirabal sisters had been murdered some four months before that in what was deemed an "accident," though clearly it was not. Alvarez was a young girl at the time but could not get this story out of her mind, and she sought out more information..."
From the Paper "In the novel The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love by Oscar Hijuelos, immigrants from Cuba in the 1940s travel from Havana to New York to perform music in the dance halls of the period while working at whatever jobs they can get during the day. The road taken by these two brothers is one that has been taken by many others, the road to stardom in whatever field has been chosen. These two want to be mambo kings, but just as have thousands before them, they follow in the footsteps of people they admire (in this case Desi Arnaz and Xavier Cugat), they do whatever they can to be heard and seen, they work at menial job while they hone their art, and they make their way to America as the citadel of opportunity for musicians as for others. The book does a better job of creating a sense of what it means to be an immigrant in a strange land than it does with some of the.."
From the Paper Fidel Castro and Gamal Abdel Nasser
On January 8, 1959, Fidel Castro rolled into Havana, Cuba on a U.S.-made Sherman tank to the triumphant welcoming shouts of at least 1 million Cubans, thus beginning a Communist dictatorial regime that has lasted for over 40 years. Castro was born into a large, prosperous farming family on August 13, 1926 or 1927 (CNN.com, 2000). He attended Jesuit schools and studied law. While a student, Castro was also a political activist. And after he received his degree in 1950, he established a private law practice and joined the reformist Cuban People's Party (CNN.com, 2000).
In 1952, Castro's plan to run for a parliamentary seat was foiled when General Batista overthrew the government and canceled the election. After unsuccessfully challenging the regime in court, Castro .."
From the Paper "Except for a few refugees from Haiti and Castro's Cuba, the vast majority of Latino men entering the U.S.-- legally or illegally -- come for economic reasons. They come, perhaps somewhat naively, expecting the streets to be paved with gold, or, at the very least, opportunities galore for making money and either sending it back "home" or enough to bring their families Northward. Latino men flee their countries because of warfare, or rebellion which causes numerous casualties. They also come because of natural disasters- floods, earthquakes, drought, hurricanes, volcano eruptions, etc. They come with one goal: to safeguard themselves and their families and to take advantage of all they have heard about opportunities for them in America."
