Abstract The paper describes various superstitions associated with baseball via a discussion of W.P. Kinsella's book, "The Iowa Baseball Confederacy". The paper first summarizes Kinsella's book and then goes on to discuss the many superstitions that abound in the game of baseball and explains how the main theme of the "The Iowa Baseball Confederacy" is about these superstitions.
Outline:
Introduction
Baseball and Superstition
From the Paper "The book The Iowa Baseball Confederacy continues the time honored tradition of superstition and myth by telling a fantastical tale of an Iowa exhibition baseball game played from July 4 to August 12, 1908 between the team called the Iowa Baseball Confederacy and the Chicago Cubs----a game that lasts for an incredible 2,614 innings. The author, W.P. Kinsella, tells the tale through Gideon Clarke, the protagonist who learns about the legendary game from his unusual father, Matthew. Matthew explains to Gideon that no record of the marathon-like game exists because of a great flood of biblical proportions that wiped out all evidence of the game. The flood took with it the Iowa Baseball Confederacy, all of which were lost in a crack in time. All knowledge of the game becomes actualized in Gideon's brain after his father commits suicide at County Stadium in Milwaukee by purposely putting his head in the path of a mean foul line drive. This leads Gideon to discover the crack in time, sending him back to July 4, 1908, where each team is preparing to play the big inning. The Chicago Cub players in the book use retired numbers from actual team members, and President Theodore Roosevelt appears as one of the cameo players, as he strikes out waving a big stick. Another well-known player, Leonardo da Vinci, also appears in the game proclaiming that he, not Abner Doubleday, invented the game of baseball. He states, "Unfortunately....I lived in a nation of bocce players. It took 300 years for baseball to become popular. By that time, my name was no longer associated with it" . Another player, Black Angel of Death, a cemetery statue, plays right field and is able to catch fly balls with her sculpted wings and no glove. Some of the stars on the Iowa Confederacy team include, Shoo Fly, Husk, Frank Pierce, Henry Pulvermacher, and Arsenic O'Reilly, while on the Cubs team players include Chance, Joe Tinker, Johnny Evers, and the pitcher Mordecai "Three Finger" Brown Other key characters include an ancient Indian warrior named Drifting Away, whose wife was murdered by White men."
Abstract This three-page undergraduate paper identifies and examines the recurring pattern in John Kennedy Toole's novel, A Confederacy of Dunces, and analyzes how it contributes to the importance of the piece.
Abstract This paper integrates several Civil War topics, including the power dynamics of oligarchies in the antebellum South, the authorship and diffusion of pro-slavery ideology, the development and implications of the plantation slavery economy, and an analysis of different explanations for the collapse of the Confederacy, into the thesis that the South's lack of pragmatism and adaptability brought about its defeat. The writer dissects the discourse of James Henry Hammond and John C. Calhoun and presents pro-slavery ideology as a fundamentally conservative reaction to early capitalism that diffused from a planter elite to the Southern masses through the conflation of the Southern identity with the institution of slavery. The industrial and technological stagnation, aristocratic trends, and dependent nature of the Southern economy are weighed as cogent factors in the failure of Confederate resources. The writer explains, using cognitive dissonance theory, how the conflicting elements of Confederate nationalism, such as scriptural fundamentalism, states' rights theory, and pro-slavery discourse, failed to successfully coexist with the reality of slavery and led to problems with strategy, conscription, enlistment, and solidarity.
Paper Outline
I. Introduction
II. Reactionary, Principled Ideology
III. Socioeconomic Maladjustment
IV. Confederate Defeat by Tradition and Ideology
V. Conclusion
From the Paper "James Henry Hammond, editor of The Southern Times, defended the right to property through scriptural fundamentalism and carried slavery above human criticism by declaring it a biblically sanctioned institution. In order to justify chattel slavery's presuppositions of vindicated human property, proslavery ideology needed to incorporate the priority of slaveholders? right to property over slaves? right to liberty. Hammond provided this by asserting that man's right to "property in man" had been "consecrated" by the Bible. Suggesting a similitude between abolitionism and anti-property radicalism, as did many reactionary Southerners, Hammond anticipated that, after defeating slavery, the property-threatening ideology of antislavery would challenge the capital of the North."
A look at the historical importance of Barbara Graymont's book in understanding the relationship between the Native Americans and the locals in the American Revolution.
Abstract This paper examines how the role of the Iroquois Confederacy in the American Revolution and the fate of native peoples in its wake is a topic often overlooked by historians. In Barbara Graymont's work, "The Iroquois in the American Revolution", Graymont attempts to shed light on the underlying issues of the American Revolution, more specifically, the effect of that conflict on the cultural identity and tribal unity of the Iroquois peoples. It shows how "The Iroquois in the American Revolution" examines the struggle between Britain and the thirteen colonies to attain the loyalty of the Iroquois, as well as the impending disintegration of the long-standing confederacy. This paper critiques Graymont's work by analyzing important factors such as her biases, sources, background, assumptions, and overall knowledge of the topic at hand, as well as to examine alternate viewpoints of the subject and the relevance of this topic to our course.
From the Paper "To successfully analyse and evaluate a historical work such as The Iroquois in the American Revolution, one must first examine the background of the author, in this case, Barbara Graymont, as well as the type and credibility of the sources used to research the topic and construct the work. Barbara Graymont, a white American author, is an associate professor of history in the United States. Graymont is also an honorary member of the Indian Defense League of America, a position which she achieved through acquaintance with and professional ties to many present day Iroquois in America.1 In light of the fact that Graymont has definite ties to native peoples, a reader would expect to see evidence of favouritism and sympathy toward the Natives as well as more strict criticism of the white peoples involved. Such cases are evident throughout the work. For example, in her prologue, Graymont uses the term Visutskie 2 "pawns"2 to describe the utter usage of the Native peoples by both the British and the Americans in their attempts to defeat the other. In another instance, Graymont's table of contents is valuable in determining exactly who and what the book was written for. The table of contents makes it quite obvious to the reader that Graymont is quite intent on educating the reader about Native culture and that each chapter centres around Native peoples and their roles in not only the American Revolution but in everyday life alongside the white settlers. Graymont makes reference to both the British and the Americans using bribery with alcohol and other presents, promises of military protection, and even grants of land taken from the Natives in the first place to try and win the Natives as allies."
Abstract This paper discusses the various advantages and disadvantages which the Union and the Confederacy each had during the Civil War. Throughout this paper, a closer examination will be done on each party's military strength, skill, and economic power.
From the Paper " Upon taking an initial glance at the United States? Civil War, many come to think it was a war which was fought strictly for slavery. Perhaps being the primary reason, it was, however, not the only reason. With Lincoln being elected as president, the Confederates feared he would abolish slavery. On March 4, 1861, Lincoln stated, "I have no purpose directly or indirectly to interfere with the institution of slavery in the States where it exists" (Kiersey). The war was not about slavery, but it offered an easy excuse for those supporting the South (Kiersey). The South's secession was clearly marked when the first shots of the American Civil War were fired at Fort Sumter by the Confederacy on April 6, 1861. ?...the seceding states now have constituted themselves a nation? (Kiersey). Non-slave territories were readily being admitted as states of the Union, causing the South's equality in the US Senate to be ended (New Standard Encyclopedia C-350)."
Tags: civil, confederacy, history, union, usa, war
Abstract The writer asserts that the character of Ignatius is not only the protagonist but also the antagonist of the novel. The paper shows how his fears keep him from reaching outside himself and becoming part of the world that surrounds him.
From the Paper "Mrs. Reilly spent many years with her son as her only focus and she tried to make Ignatius aware of the power of public opinion so that he would consider his behaviors with a concern for actually living in a world of reality. Mrs. Reilly's limited repertoire of skills to that end seem to consist primarily of nagging, begging, and the occasional drama of throwing herself on her knees in an attitude of supplication. Since Ignatius was just as firmly cast in his own mold of total unconcern for public opinion, or even for parental opinion for that matter, he and his mother reached a stalemate and came to a complete impasse in their perceptions."
Abstract This paper will cover the book "Disloyalty in the Confederacy" by Georgia Lee Tatum and seek to understand the main concepts of the history that is described here. By understanding this facet of history, we can better see a different view of the war, as is projected by the views of this author.
Abstract This paper offers an in-depth examination of Jefferson Davis's success as Secretary of War under President Franklin Pierce and as a Senator from Mississippi, protecting slavery. It considers the question of why such a successful politician was a failure as President of the Confederacy. The paper examines a few of his failings as Confederate President, such as the concerns of small farmers and mismanagement of the Confederate Army.
From the Paper "Jefferson Davis has been viewed historically as both a hero for state's rights and a villain for his role as the first and only President of the Confederate States of America. Prior to the Civil War, Davis attended West Point and served as Secretary of War under President Franklin Pierce. Davis also served a term in the Senate during which he opposed secession and attempted to consolidate a position on states rights that preserved the union. Following his resignation from the Senate after Mississippi's secession, Jefferson Davis served as President of the Confederate States of America, his primary role being the administration of the Confederate Army. Perhaps the most interesting thing we can learn about Jefferson Davis is how he was able to be successful as Secretary of War and Senator, but failed as President of the Confederacy. Of course, Jefferson Davis' duties as President of the Confederacy differed greatly from his prior responsibilities, and unfortunately, he simply lacked the capacity to effectively manage the embattled Confederate government."
Abstract This paper examines the Valley Campaigns of the American Civil War. The author argues that the outcome of the campaigns shows that appropriate tactics and quality leadership determined victory in the particular terrain and physical conditions. The Union was victorious due to outstanding leadership and knowledge of the battlefield. The confederacy's defeat is considered in terms of poor leadership and mistreatment of officers toward regular soldiers.
From the Paper "The strategy pitted Grant, Meade and Butler against Lee's Army of Northern Virginia, whereby Franz Sigel would invade the Shenandoah Valley and cut off Lee's supply lines; Sherman to take Georgia and Atlanta; and Nathaniel Banks to capture Mobile, Alabama (Wikipedia 2005). Lee sent Jubal Early to contain the impact of David Hunter's offensive in the Valley and, if possible, to trouble Washington and force Grant to reduce his forces in Petersburg, Virginia. Early managed to traverse the Valley un-opposed, crossed Harpers Ferry and the Potomac River and drove into Maryland. In response, Grant sent troops under Horatio G. Wright and George Crook to handle Early and strengthen the position of Washington (Wikipedia, Feis 1993, Sifakis 2005). "
Abstract The paper relates that the war at Fredericksburg represented a significant change in the overall equation of power between the forces of the Union and those of the Confederacy. The paper explains that the incompetence of General Ambrose E. Burnside proved to be the main cause for the disaster at Fredericksburg. The paper looks at the political pressure that was exercised by President Lincoln, who was pushing towards immediate and efficient results, without considerable regard for the realities on the ground. The paper also notes the confusion of the orders given and the army's inability to adapt to the changing battle conditions.
From the Paper "Firstly, there is the issue of the Unionist Army's reorganization and reorientation after the taking over of the command by General Ambrose E. Burnside. "Burnside's first act catapulted the chiefs of three corps to the level of grand division commanders" (Gallagher, 1995, 3) He would eventually lead an army made up of three Grand Divisions: the Right, the Center and the Left Divisions. (Burnside, 1862) The Sumner Right Division numbered 31,659 soldiers; there were 40,396 soldiers in the Center Grand Division commanded by Joseph Hooker, and 46,897 soldiers in the Left Grand Division of William Franklin."
Abstract The paper explores the strategies that led to the battle of Vicksburg that raged on the Mississippi. The paper relates that the battle for Vicksburg is considered one of the pivotal clashes of the Civil War, mainly because it was such a strategic spot on the river. The paper explains that it also dealt a blow to the Confederacy when it opened up traffic in the Mississippi to Union supplies and troops. The paper concentrates on several aspects of the battle for Vicksburg.
From the Paper "A book called Grant Wins The War: Decision at Vicksburg goes into great detail about the city of Vicksburg, and the fight for the city on the Mississippi River. As far as fortifications against attacks, Vicksburg had a natural advantage; the high ground east of the city was a serious of bluffs, up to 260 feet high. With powerful cannons positioned heavily on those bluffs, it made it very problematic for the northern naval forces to make it past, either from the south or north. In addition to the high bluffs, there was a sharp bend in the river right at that point; "naval guns could not elevate sufficiently to engage batteries along the blufftops," Arnold writes on page 14. The rebels had "two heavy batteries," a four-gun battery on the highest ground, and 50 feet above the river another battery."
Abstract The paper discusses the epic struggle in the US between the Union and the Confederacy that left hundreds of thousands dead, the South devastated and American life changed forever. The paper explores how the Civil War had a profound influence upon life in the South in terms of politics, economics and social values.
From the Paper "The simmering political disagreement regarding the nature of the Union may have remained academic had it not been for slavery, upon which Southern economics, society, and culture were largely based. The South had an agrarian economy, depended upon crop production and cotton for fiscal solvency, and relied upon millions of slaves to tend the fields of Southern plantations. Slaves played a vital role in the Southern economy, for they provided the free labor which enabled Southern planters to prosper."
Abstract The paper discusses how the Civil War greatly altered the lives of tens of thousands of African-American soldiers and their families because of President Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation and his related decision to authorize African Americans to serve in the Union Army. The paper shows how historic events inspired an overwhelming number of former slaves to enlist in order to fight against the Confederacy that had enslaved them and also earn military wages so they could support their families.
From the Paper "In the second chapter of his book, Climbing Up To Glory, Wilbur Jenkins examines how and why initial Northern opposition to African-American participation in the Civil War was related to the respective treatment African-Americans received from the Union and Confederate governments during the fighting. African-Americans eagerly offered to fight for the Union as soon as the war broke out, but authorities in Washington D.C. rejected their offers for political reasons. (Jenkins 29-31)"
Abstract The paper describes Jefferson Davis' background and his positions as U.S. senator, Congressman and President of the Confederacy. The paper looks at a work he authored and goes on to depict how Davis was captured and imprisoned after the surrender of General Lee. The paper discusses his last years and his funeral and provides a quote from a tribute by a Reverend Gallaher.
Outline:
Introduction
Davis: Senator, Congressman and Confederate President
Davis: The Author
Davis: The Surrender
Davis: The Last Years
From the Paper "Jefferson Davis was born on June 3, 1808 in Kentucky in Todd County, formerly Christian County, Kentucky. Davis was educated at Transylvania University in Lexington, Kentucky and attended the U.S. Military Academy graduating in 1828. David fought in the Mexican War at Monterrey and Buena Visa and was wounded. David retired from the army in 1835 due to health problems. In the same year Jefferson Davis married Miss Sallie Taylor whose father was Zachary Taylor however, Sally died only three months following their wedding. (Alward, nd) After Sallie died, David purchased a cotton plantation complete with slaves working the field and was a successful plantation cotton farmer. In 1845, David married again, this time to Miss Varina Howell. (Alward, nd) Davis was both a devoted father and husband."
