Abstract
This paper explains that, being hemmed in by a mountainous hinterland and not having many natural resources, Genoa chose to use sea trade as its vehicle to prosperity. The author points out that it cleverly used its participation in the First Crusade against the Saracens to win trade concessions from the Christian principalities and to dominate the major international trade routes between Europe and the East as a "middle man" in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea areas. The paper relates that its ultimate eclipse as an independent trading nation was due to internal feuding and its prolonged conflict with the other Italian maritime city-states of Venice and Pisa.

Table of Contents
Significance of Genoa's Geography
Relations with Foreign Powers
Early Trading
Genoa's Role in the First Crusade
Trade Routes
Genoese Trade with the Ottomans
Conclusion

From the Paper
"Genoa, therefore, became an important port city mainly as a result of its geography. But while looking to expand its possessions further the city-state faced several constraints. The Alps and Alpennines to the north meant that there was little scope of expansion inland. The area had little mineral resources and limited flat land for agriculture or pasture for animals. Fishing was not a lucrative option due to the sudden drop in the ocean beds from the coastline. Although it had access into Lombardy through a high road, beyond the valleys of Polcevera and Bisagno, lay the greater power of Milan precluding any ambitions of further advancement."

Tags:mediterranean, trade-route, ottoman, christian, resources

Abstract
In this article, the writer looks Greek colonization and the development of the mother city-states in Greece. The writer discusses events that led up to this period of colonization. The writer maintains that this colonization was probably caused by a combination of the decline of urbanization in Greece due to a combination of economic collapse and pressure from northern barbarian migrations. "

From the Paper
"Between the eighth and sixth centuries BC, a large number of cities were founded along the coasts of the Black Seas and the Mediterranean Seas. This was part of a major Greek colonization movement promoted by the mother city-states that already existed in Greece. Much led up to this period of colonization such as events during the Dark Ages. During the period known as the Greek Dark Ages, individuals lived in small tribal units; some sedentary and some agricultural, while others were nomadic. Between 1200 and 1100 BC, it appears many abandoned their cities because of a ferocious invasion of northern Greek barbarians, the Dorians, who had wiped out the Mycenean population."

Tags:ancient, colonization

Abstract
This paper discusses the Greek city-states that existed between the 8th and 5th centuries B.C.E. It describes the political activity and social interaction within them, and how men and women were either granted citizenship within the city-state or were excluded from it. The paper discusses how the concept of these city-states contributed to the current appreciation of democracy which is practiced in many nations today.

From the Paper
"Another significant aspect pertaining to granting political rights to the poor came from the sole rulers or tyrants who seized power for a time in a number of city-states. These tyrants certainly granted citizenship to the working poor as a means of building popular support among the lower classes which lived in their regimes. However, it is also possible that the upper social levels of Greek society became less of a cohesive political group during the 6th and 5th centuries B.C.E. which weakened the opposition to the idea that it was a justified to exclude the working poor from participating in the political body."

Tags:Athens, citizen, politics, polis

Abstract
This paper discusses the fall of the Roman Empire. In order to fully explore the decline and fall of the Roman Empire and how the city-states within the Empire contributed to its downfall, the paper examines the overall scenario of Rome as it related to its early, middle, and later years of existence. The paper contends that the corruption that took place in the city-states related to greed, avarice, and bureaucratic manipulation at the hands of the great landowners and rich merchants. The dissatisfaction and indifference of the citizens of Rome and the influx of Christianity into the Empire were the main catalysts the led to the fall of the great empire.

From the Paper
"As one of the greatest and most influential civilizations of ancient times, the Roman Empire was essentially born in the Eastern Mediterranean and after almost a thousand years of complete power and prosperity, it was in the city of Constantinople, founded by Emperor Constantine, that Rome and its political, social and militaristic systems finally died. The process through which Rome eventually came to an end is quite complex, but its early development had much to do with the genius of the Roman citizen and the Roman senators who gave the empire the framework and structure for its various institutions. But the ideals on which it rested had originated in the Middle East where men learned to believe in and support a single universal society where the government provided the sole means for existence. Of course, the Roman Empire was also the result of the fusion of Roman political development and institutional structure with the Hellenistic system of ancient Greece which preceded it by many centuries."

Tags:constantine, caesar, decius

Abstract
The paper looks at one of the most famous city states of Ancient Greece, Sparta. The paper discusses how Athens and Sparta were two states that represent diametrically opposed concepts of the ancient Greek political state. The paper examines the Spartan lifestyle, its political orientation and why many looked upon this land with both respect and fear.

From the Paper
"The two most famous city states of Ancient Greece are Sparta and Athens. History has not been kind to Sparta; the majority of historical narratives and textbooks refer to this war-state as "brutal", "an armed camp", "culturally stagnant", and other such niceties. The reality of the situation is that Sparta was a complex government system and political entity that used its military strength as the foundation of its power. The reason for the negativity associated with such a powerful city-state is that most historical narratives come from the "knowledge center of Athens", the bitter enemy of Sparta."

Tags:power, military, warrior, society, stability, monarchy

Abstract
This paper discusses Robert Moses and his remarkable ability to garner power and positions for his massive public works projects. It examines his ability to obtain funding and his relationship with government at the city, state, and federal levels. The never-finished Lower Manhattan Expressway is discussed and also the controversy surrounding Moses' approaches.

From the Paper
"One of the most polarizing and controversial figures in American history is urban planner Robert Moses. Jeffrey Pfeffer in his book 'Managing with Power' notes that Moses was included in Life magazine's list of the most influential people in the twentieth century along with Roosevelt Churchill Gandhi and Einstein. Pfeffer states 'I suspect that if I asked you to choose a position in which you could wield enormous power you would probably not pick the job of parks commissioner but Robert ..."

Tags:Robert Moses, New York City, federal, state, local, government, funding, parks, highways, Lower Manhattan Expressway, Jane Jacobs, Caro, power, controversy

Abstract
The paper reviews the literature to determine the impact of the Oklahoma City terrorist attack on emergency responses in the city and state. The paper describes how the police, firefighters, ambulance drivers and other emergency responders went above and beyond the call of duty in their actions, with some of them violating departmental policies and regulations in the process. The paper reveals that the authorities in Oklahoma City chose to reevaluate their policies rather than discipline these individuals who were awarded the city's highest award for honor instead. The paper notes the subsequent changes in federal policies concerning suitable responses to natural and man-made disasters.

Outline:
Review and Discussion
Conclusion

From the Paper
"The first responders on the scene of the terrorist attack on the Alfred P. Murrah Building in Oklahoma City in 1995 found themselves confronted with a scene that nobody could reasonably expect to encounter in America's heartland, and this is apparently the reason this federal building was targeted in the first place. In this regard, Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols, the two individuals charged and convicted of the attack on the Alfred P. Murrah Building in Oklahoma City in 1995, reported that their actions were motivated by the federal government's for its botched handling of the Waco affairs and the general feelings among the right-wing militants at the time that the U.S. federal government was attempting to suppress their activities (Hulnick)."

Tags:procedure, guidelines, police, firefighters, ambulances, ethics

Abstract
In this article, the writer studies 'The Republic' and notes that Plato discusses his belief that there were two kinds of justice: political justice - justice belonging to a group of people operating as a city or state, and individual justice - justice belonging to a particular man. The writer discusses that Plato's strategy in 'The Republic' is to first explain the primary concept of political justice and then to draw an analogous theory of individual justice. The writer concludes that Plato maintains that the just individual goes hand in hand with the just society and if one is convinced that the just society is presented by Plato's Kallipolis, that is how one should live one's just life.

From the Paper
"Every state will require a class of warriors whom Plato calls the guardians. They have a military function. The auxiliaries are responsible for defending the city from invaders, and for keeping the peace at home. They ensure that the producers obey, and enforce the rules of the philosopher-kings. It is essential that guardians develop the right balance between softness and hardiness because they must not be bullies, nor can they be weak and ineffective.
"This leads us to how to properly educate a guardian. Plato states that nature is not sufficient to produce guardians. Nature must be amplified with education."

Tags:justice, political, system, independent

Abstract
This paper examines Aristotle's theory of an ideal state by analyzing the nature of Polis, the city-state and its workings in his book "Politics", a work which actually addresses issue of ethics and morality more than politics as we mean it today. It looks at how Aristotle's ideal state, whatever its specific form of government, maintains its legitimacy by serving the good life for the people as a whole. It shows how Aristotle's description of the state as an association of free men aligns him with democratic theory, though he expresses a distaste for democracy at a certain level and finds that there are certain classes in society that should not be given the right to participate because they are not worthy.

From the Paper
"The city contributes to the possibility of absolute justice, sought by human beings through political interaction in the city. Based on his concept of absolute justice, Aristotle finds that there are three right forms of government--monarchy, aristocracy, and democracy. Each of these can also degenerate into a lesser form: monarchy into tyranny, aristocracy into oligarchy, and democracy into mob-rule. Aristotle can be considered a democratic theorist in several respects. One of his abiding concerns is with the constitution of the state and the agreement it involves between the ruler and the ruled. Aristotle sees the state as a natural development, but he also sees it as a voluntary association of human beings based on the fact that man is a political animal and that people thus come together because of common interest to the degree that it contributes to the good life of each person."

Tags:polis, democracy, government

Abstract
The paper looks at how Lauro Martines provides insight into the life of Savonarola, a zealous religious reformer of the Renaissance, in the book "Fire in the City: Savonarola and the Struggle for the Soul of Renaissance Florence". The paper shows how this work is not only a biography of the friar but is also a biography of the city of Florence and the conflicts between the Italian city-states, the European powers and the powerful political families, and factions within the Roman Catholic Church.

From the Paper
"Understanding the religious fervor of a bygone era can be difficult. However, in the book Fire in the City: Savonarola and the Struggle for the Soul of Renaissance Florence Lauro Martines attempts to provide insight into the life of a zealous religious reformer of the Renaissance. Because of the images we possess of the Renaissance, such as the paintings of God on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel and Michelangelo's statue of "David," it is tempting to think of this era as more religious than our own. However, the Renaissance was marked, despite such iconography, by increasing secularization and focus on the glorification of humanity and the arts, rather than God. Politics as much as piety marked the machinations of the papacy, and in Florence, the infamously wealthy (and corrupt) Medici family controlled political power and stifled republican dissent."

Tags:corruption, immorality, priesthood, vanity, republicanism, fundamentalism