Abstract This three page undergraduate paper examines the role of popularsovereignty. The paper focuses on the time of the colonial era in America, when popularsovereignty was considered to be the foundation of political society, for government in Great Britain and her American colonies was based upon representative democracy.
From the Paper "During the colonial era in America, popular sovereignty was considered to be the foundation of political society, for government in Great Britain and her American colonies was based upon representative democracy. Ultimate authority was vested in the monarchy, but the people were represented in Parliament in the mother country and in colonial legislatures in America. Since the founding of the first colonial settlements in Virginia and Massachusetts Bay early in the seventeenth-century, popular sovereignty had always been a fundamental principle of colonial government, but as tensions increased between Great Britain and her colonies, patriot leaders like Thomas Jefferson and Thomas Paine advocated a dramatic expansion of popular sovereignty."
Abstract This paper examines the political history and views of StephenDouglas, among the leading politicians in the nation in the 1850s. The paper points out that, aspiring to the presidency, Douglas had to confront the question of the legality of slavery in the territories. Responding to this issue, Douglas advocated popularsovereignty, letting the voters in each territory decide the question. The paper states that, while the concept seemed simple, the doctrine collapsed in the face of myriad complications, and as it collapsed, Douglas and his presidential hopes faded. The paper concludes that popularsovereignty was theoretically a sound means of allowing territorial populations to organize themselves as either slave or free, but it failed as a political idea because it could not satisfy the demands of the various factions in the dire years leading to the Civil War.
From the Paper "The second blow to Douglas came with the submission of the first state constitution ostensibly reflecting popular sovereignty. A constitutional convention at Lecompton, Kansas, wrote a constitution that was put before Kansas voters. The voters were given an alternative: to vote for a constitution which permitted current residents of Kansas to keep slaves they had brought into the territory, or to vote for a provision which opened the state to unlimited importation to slaves. Voters could not for a state constitution which prohibited slavery. Anti-slavery voters boycotted this referendum, so that the constitution sent to Washington allowed the free importation of slaves into Kansas."
Abstract The paper discusses how Abraham Lincoln was deeply troubled by the existence of slavery in the United States, especially after StephenDouglas managed to have the Kansas-Nebraska Act made into the law of the land. The paper looks at how Lincoln's attitudes toward slavery eventually changed society and finally brought an end to slavery in America in 1862.
From the Paper "In 1854, forty-five year-old Abraham Lincoln was at a point in his life where politics was beginning to lose its luster, due in part to the recent passage by the U.S. Congress of the Kansas-Nebraska Act which "opened lands previously closed to slavery" and held the potential to help spread slavery into states where it was banned. For Lincoln, the passage of this highly-controversial act was immoral. Although Lincoln was not an abolitionist and held the view that slavery was "unassailably protected by the Constitution in states where it already existed," he did hold the opinion that the Founding Fathers had conveniently "put slavery on the way to ultimate extinction" by not allowing it to spread to new territories or states."
This paper discusses the expansion into the western territory beyond the original states and its implications on the pro vs. antislavery debate that led to the Civil War.
Abstract This paper explains that the addition of the western states to the union further complicated the delicate political balance between northern free-states and southern slave-states in the United States Congress. The author points out that one political solution was the doctrine of popularsovereignty, which provided for the settlers of federal territorial lands to decide the status, whether free or slave, under which they would join the Union; popularsovereignty was first invoked in the Compromise of 1850. The paper relates that the Fugitive Slave Act, another part of the 1850 Compromise, which proved less than satisfactory in clarifying issues about the legal implications of western expansion and its relationship with the slavery question, came under consideration of the U.S. Supreme Court when Dred Scott, a slave, who had been purchased by army surgeon John Emerson, a citizen of Missouri, spent time in Illinois and the Wisconsin Territory, where slavery was prohibited.
From the Paper "Regarding the nation's capital, according to the compromise the slave trade would be abolished in the District of Columbia, although slavery would still be permitted. Finally, California would be admitted as a free state. To pacify slave-state politicians, who would have objected to the political imbalance created by adding another free state, the Fugitive Slave Act was passed. Thus, the various doctrines Compromise of 1850 accomplished what it set out to do, to keep the slave/free nation united, but the solution was only temporary and ultimately, cosmetic."
Abstract This paper offers a brief description of why the Texas Constitution of 1876 was enacted. The paper discusses the characteristics and outline of the Constitution, as well as the concepts of popularsovereignty, compact theory, limited government and separation of powers. The paper discusses how critics consider it unwieldy and restrictive and have made several unsuccessful attempts to replace it, yet the document continues to survive.
Outline:
Why the Constitution of 1876 was Enacted
Characteristics & Outline of the Constitution of 1876
The Major Concepts
From the Paper "Texas joined the United States in 1845, following which a new Constitution was drafted that lasted until Texas seceded from the Union in 1861 at the start of the Civil War and adopted a new Constitution which prohibited the freeing of slaves besides requiring the State officials to take a pledge of loyalty to the Confederacy (Dye, 322). After the defeat of the Confederacy in the Civil War, the State adopted a new Constitution in 1866, which abolished slavery and repudiated the right of secession. However, "Radical Reconstructionists" in Washington pressured the Texans to adopt a more activist Constitution that reflected the ideals of the newly dominant Republican Party--to enfranchise blacks and to follow an activist social agenda."
Tags:popular, sovereignty, compact, theory, limited, government
Abstract This paper reviews the implications for state sovereignty of the globalization of trade and finance. The author links, where relevant, free trade negotiations between Australia and the United States.
From the Paper "The globalization of trade and finance is changing international relationships at several levels of interaction. One expects changing relationship in the conduct of commercial activities ...n
Abstract This paper compares several of James Stephens' poems in which animals or mythological creatures are used as the subjects or main characters. The paper discusses the reasons Stephens used animals and their imagery in his poems, suggesting that Stephens used animals in order to comment upon the state of contemporary human life in an indirect fashion.
From the Paper "James Stephens was an Irish novelist and poet. His poems such as "The Ancient Elf," "The Cage," and "Little Things" make use of common everyday creatures, such as rabbits and mice, and also small, familiar mythical figures of Irish legends to comment upon the state of contemporary human life in an indirect fashion. Like elves and rabbits, when viewed with the perspective of a God's eye (or simply the poet's distanced eye) human beings appear similarly contradictory, trapped, or frustrated in their frantic searches for meaning as these physically smaller or fictional beings. Stephens writes with a tone of wit, even whimsy, but beneath the surface of lightness exists a darker view of the dog-eat-dog nature of the mortal world."
Abstract This paper uses Elizabeth Ammons' "Expanding the Canon of American Realism" to examine why Stephen Crane's "Maggie" and Upton Sinclair's "The Jungle" should both be included in the education curricula. The paper suggests that the inclusion of these two works will help teach a multicultural point of view.
From the Paper "In "Expanding the Canon of American Realism", Elizabeth Ammons argues that the canon of American realism needs to reflect its social context of multiculturalism. The canon of realism is defined by teachers who choose what texts they want to teach about, therefore the canon has been composed of works that are considered highly teachable. In that respect, it is subjective and can just as easily be changed according to one teacher's idea of teachability as another's. Elizabeth Ammons takes the..."
Tags: Elizabeth Ammons, Upton Sinclair, The Jungle, Stephen Crane, Maggie, realism, multicultural, Expanding the Canon of American Realism
Abstract This paper examines the economic conditions for Banco Popular De Puerto Rico. The author discusses the market structure, competitors, the impact of entry of new companies and the impact of government regulations. The paper investigates prices, productivity, cost structure, price elasticity of demand and supply and demand analysis.
From the Paper "According to its annual report filed with the U S Securities and Exchange Commission, Popular, Inc. is a publicly traded company. It is a bank holding company registered under the Bank Holding Company Act of ... as amended the B.H.C. Act. The company's principle operating subsidiary is Banco Popular de Puerto Rico. Banco Popular is subject to the supervision and regulation of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. The Corporation was incorporated in under the laws of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. It is the largest ..."
Tags: Economic Forecast Paper, Forecast of economic conditions, Banco Popular De Puerto Rico, Banco Popular North America, parent and subsidiary relationship, market structure, impact of entry of new companies, prices, productivity, cost structure, price elas
Abstract An analysis of the French Revolution illustrates the role of the popular will in dictating its course of action. This paper explains how the Revolution began with the aim of establishing a constitutional monarchy via internal reorganization, but the initial actions of the National Assembly were immediately met with suspicion and criticism, paving the way for the first turning point in the Revolution, which involved division and radicalization of the political culture. It discusses that, as the public became increasingly active and radical, it eventually achieved power over the Convention with the demise of the Girondins, the second major turning point in the French Revolution. After this, the Revolution's focus on preservation of the Republic and underclass concerns was expressed through hysteria and terror. The writer points out that the French Revolution is a clear example of how revolutions are created and sustained by the people. Thus, in any historical analysis of a revolution, a consideration of the public will is an essential component for fully understanding the causes or the course of a revolution.
From the Paper "At the core of a revolution is the mass population that lends credibility to the revolutionary leaders. Thus, the popular will is a key element in understanding the course of any revolution. Specifically, during the French Revolution popular will forced the goals and methods of the National Assembly, which aimed to replace the absolute monarchy with a constitutional monarchy, to turn in many unpredicted directions. In the first major turning point of the revolution, the moderate goals of the National Assembly took a dramatic turn on June 20, 1791 when King Louis XVI fled to Varennes, confirming popular suspicions of an aristocratic plot and producing a radicalization of popular political culture. The popular will reached its pinnacle of power during the second major turning point of the Revolution, the demise of the Girondins. After this, the suspicious popular will was expressed through the ruling Jacobins and the Revolution turned hysteric. Although the popular will was not always sovereign during the French Revolution, the interaction of the public’s will with the governing deputies forced abrupt changes in the direction of the French Revolution and dictated the course it would take."
Abstract The paper discusses the Douglas-Lincoln debates that were a series of political discussions held between Stephen A. Douglas and Abraham Lincoln that marked the middle of the 19th century in America. The subjects discussed were slavery, human rights, the resolutions of the Republican Party and the freedom on individual states to make their own decisions., The paper discusses the views of the contenders and the reasoning behind their thoughts and decisions.
From the Paper "There were several issues that were addressed by the two candidates; however, they were closely connected with the issue of slavery and the rights for blacks and whites in the American states. The discussions on the subject were of high interest for all those involved taking into account the fact that Douglas had been the politician to introduce the Kansas Nebraska Act, a piece of legislation that allowed states to vote on whether they accepted slavery or not on their territory."
Abstract This is a detailed examination of Stephen Ambrose, and Douglas Brinkley's book "Rise to Globalism" that deals with American foreign policy from 1938 through the Clinton administration. The author looks at the different styles of both authors, and the topics they they cover independently in the book and contrast their evaluation of U.S. foreign policy, with three other books that have been written by different historians on the same subject, in order to garner whether or not the information they are presented is accurate.
From the Paper "According to Brinkley, economically the U.S. changed from being self-sufficient to being dependent on other countries for economic success, especially the oil producing nations. In 1973 all of the United States was gripped in an oil crisis causing numerous economic problems and long lines as people waited to get what gas they could. And all of this was not produced by some sort of actual shortage of oiling the earth, but an angry OPEC, which was a group of middle eastern oil tycoons. OPEC put an embargo on the U.S. and thus our global reliance on other countries oil sent us reeling. Before our global expansion no other country had this much control over the U.S. and it's economy."
Abstract The paper explains that Stephen King's abounding popularity has come from his mastery of modern horror fiction, especially in his nonfiction book "Dance Macabre." The paper discusses how Stephen King has managed to adapt an old literary genre - horror and gothic fiction - into a form that modern audiences have appreciated in the millions. The paper reveals that this, more than anything else, accounts for his fame and his longevity in the world of fiction. The paper describes King's background and his literary successes. The paper relates that currently, King is working on expanding his "Dark Tower" series into a Marvel Comic series due to be released in 2007.
From the Paper "Born on September 21, 1947 in Portland Maine, King was raised by his mother--Nellie Pillsbury--after his father abandoned them when he was just two years old; "Ruth raised King and his adopted older brother David by herself, sometimes under great financial strain," (Wikipedia 2006). Nevertheless, King began his writing at a very early age; in fact, he is known to have written short stories on movies that he had seen, and for having sold these stories to fellow students. Once he was caught doing this, his teachers forced him to return the money. Still, already by grade school, King had partially satisfied his own measurement of what it means to be talented; he later wrote, "If you wrote something for which someone sent you a check, if you cashed the check and it didn't bounce, and if you then paid the light bill with the money, I consider you talented," (Wikipedia 2006). Clearly, King was well on his way to becoming a literary talent even by his own judgment."
Abstract This paper explains that Stephen King, who has published hundreds of works which were often made into popular movies, writes what modern society wants to read. The author points out that King's work is significant not because of the genre that he writes in but because of the way he uses that genre to write about real issues and to explore real concerns. The paper relates that the deeper themes show people's desire to understand themselves on a psychological level, recognizing and exploring the good and evil in themselves while ultimately wanting to overcome their own flaws and to choose good over evil.
From the Paper "This leads to a consideration of the types of issues that Stephen King explores in his work. Collings notes the close links between the themes explored and the concerns associated with current life. Collings suggests that "Carrie" and "Rage" both consider flaws in the education system, "Christine" is an exploration of people's love-hate relationship with cars, while "The Shining", "It" and "Rose Madder" deals with the failure of the American family. King himself also seems to recognize that his work deals with current issues, saying that all horror can be considered as serving as a barometer for the things that currently trouble a society. Certainly, considering the issues present in King's work is like compiling a list of the issues that trouble society."
Abstract This book review shows how Stephen J. Pitti's work attempts to address a historical gap in the academic and popular literature of the history of California. His work, "The Devil in Silicon Valley: Northern California, Race, and Mexican Americans," focuses on the economic contributions of Native-Americans, Mexicans and non-white labor in the economic prosperity of California. Although the reviewer states that Pitti's work is grounded in substantial historical documentation, one weakness of the book is perhaps the simplicity of its thesis--that racism justified the subjugation and use of Hispanic and Indian labor.
From the Paper "These non-Anglos enjoyed little financial rewards for the gains they won for the state's Caucasian settlers. The discrepancy of the fortune of whites and non-whites traces back to the earliest missionaries. Then, "the friars undoubtedly resorted to more [and more] brutal tactics to ensure that non-Christians entered their Christian community" of the day (15). Indos, the native people, were viewed as inferior even after they were converts. As white settlements grew more populous in the 1840s, scientific and anthropological justifications of white supremacy took hold. The mixed race Californios were "indolent" and forced the Indian "savages" to work rather than work themselves, and thus were not worthy of the land on which they lived (26)."
Tags: California, Mexican-Americans, Stephen, J., Pitti, The, Devil, in, Silicon, Valley
