battle for the muddy mississippi :: essays research papers

Battle for the Muddy Mississippi "Take Cover!" This phrase was used daily as the citizens of Vicksburg scattered from the raining of mortars by Union guns. Vicksburg, Mississippi is a city in the heartland of the deep South. It sits on high bluffs overlooking the Mississippi River near the mouth of the Yazoo River. Settled in 1790, Vicksburg was and is an important shipping and trading center (Leonard 40). During the Civil War, Vicksburg was a key factor in the control of the entire Mississippi River. After the surrender of Natchez, Baton Rouge, and New Orleans, the Union wanted Vicksburg. The city wouldn't go easy. "Mississippians don't know, and refuse to learn how to surrender†¦"(Ward 420). Confederates fortified it with guns and field artillery to keep the city out of the Union's hands. The Union knew it wasn't going to be easy. In the siege of Vicksburg, Farragut tried to take the city, Grant took over, and he seized the city. General Farragut, a Union general, reaches Vicksburg on May 26, 1862. His ships fired 20 shots and continued down stream. The following day Farragut returned and bombarded the city for 12 hours (Miles 194). The civilians left to live in the country until things calmed down (Foote 395). Van Dorn, leader of defense for Vicksburg, sent the "Arkansas" to Vicksburg. The "Arkansas" destroyed three warships for an estimated loss of $3,000,000 (Foote 386). The ship was later grounded and her own crew destroyed her (Miles 224). The process of trying to run past Vicksburg's guns became too difficult. The Union tried to build canals to bypass the city. Farragut started a canal across a peninsula north of Vicksburg that would return to the river 10 miles past the city but his attempts failed (Miles 202). He finally withdrew from Vicksburg and headed south to Baton Rouge (Miles 229). In October of 1862 the commander of Tennessee was brought in to clear the Confederates off the ir turf. Ulysses S. Grant replaced Farragut to finish what he started. Gen. Pemberton was brought in to lead in Vicksburg's defenses. Gen. Pemberton found many of the defenses inadequate and replaces cannon, rebuilds forts, and placed them in more effective locations (Miles 283). Major Sam Lockett was chief engineer under Pemberton. He worked on the layout of the forts. The main forts protected the entrances of the 6 main roads entering the city.

Case of Speluncean Explorers Essay

After reading the opinions of various judges in the case of The Speluncean Explorers, I found the arguments of Justice Foster well justified. Hence, I agree with him the most. He believes that the four explorers are innocent of any crime and rests his conclusion on two grounds. Firstly, Justice Foster takes the view that positive law cannot be applied to the case. Instead, he states that law of nature should govern the case. Men’s co existence in a society is essential for the application of positive law. I agree with him because in this situation where the co existence of the men is not possible without the taking of life, positive law is not applicable. He believes â€Å"maxim cessante ratione legis, cessat et ipsa lex† which means when the reason for law ceases, the law itself ceases, should be applied to thiscase.I agree with him that the men were not guilty of crime because Roger Whetmore’s life was ended in a â€Å"state of nature† and not in a â€Å"state of civil society†. This is a case where natural law supersedes positive law. He also raised a point regarding the jurisdiction that the state had over these explorers at the time of the murder given that they were miles below the territorial jurisdiction.Also, what the men did was according to the agreement accepted by all of them.I agree with Justice Foster’s question that when the state can sacrifice the lives of ten workers trying to rescue the five explorers in the cave , then why isn’t it justified that one life be sacrificed to save the lives of four. Secondly, he emphasizes and talks about the relevance of the golden rule. The case had been decided without violating the statute â€Å"he who shall willfully take the life of another is a murderer†. However, literal rule cannot always be applied. Justice Foster illustrates cases such as Commonwealth v.Staymore and Fehler v. Neegas to support his argument that applying golden rule often gives a more just result. He raises a point that the above-mentioned statute has never been applied literally by giving an example of the exception of self-defense. I agree with him that statutes must be read between the lines to close the loopholes and give a fair judgment. Also, there was no malicious intention in committing the murder and it was solely for the purpose of survival. An important point to be noticed is the lack of intention to murder and the role of survival. According to Aristotle and Plato’s discourse on law, I also think that the end can justify the means and so to save many people, one man was killed. Therefore, I agree with Justice Foster that the four men are innocent of the crime of murdering Roger Whetmore.

Maya Angelou s I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings - 913 Words

Maya Angelou’s I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings is an autobiography that describes the coming of age of a Southern black girl who overcomes society’s cruelty as she grows up. Taking place in Stamps, Kansas during the 1930s, the autobiography captures Marguerite Ann Johnson’s, or Maya’s, battle of finding herself and coming to terms with who she is while growing up in a time period comprised of oppression and discrimination. Furthermore, Maya endures many childhood hardships due to her race, and she defeats these obstacles with her intelligence and fortitude. Thus, Maya Angelou utilizes her vividly detailed experiences of racism’s impact on her and her resistance to racism to demonstrate the struggle of the Southern black girl who grows up in a society overwhelmed with white superiority. Initially, Maya is already consumed by the white standards of beauty when she is a child because of the white supremacy that surrounds her. Early in the novel, Maya is excited to wear a â€Å"special† Easter dress that would supposedly make her look like the perfect white girls. However, when Easter morning arrives, she realizes that the dress only makes her skin look dirty like mud.† She wishes that she had long, blonde hair, paired with light, blue eyes, instead of her black features. She feels that she is actually white, and a wicked magician suddenly turned her into an â€Å"ugly Negro† (Angelou 1-3). Evidently, the notion of white beauty is integrated into Maya’s mind, making her loathe herselfShow MoreRelatedMaya Angelou s I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings1382 Words   |  6 PagesIn Maya Angelou’s novel I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings the main character Maya Angelou struggles with her identity through out the novel. She first started to questio n her identity after Mr. Freeman raped her. Another time in the novel she questioned her identity was during the barbeque at the bathroom because she did not know which bathroom to use. The last time that she questioned her identity in the novel was when she questioned her sexual identity because she did not know if she was heterosexualRead MorePrejudice in Maya Angelou ´s I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings636 Words   |  3 Pagesin the poem, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, the much loved poet Maya Angelou uses poetic devices like rhyme, alliteration, metaphors and imagery, to encourage African-Americans to find their voice and earn the respect that they deserved. Imagine reaching for the sky, and actually being able to touch it. In the first stanza in the poem, the author compares a free bird to the white population during times of discrimination. In the first two lines, the author says, The free bird leaps / on theRead MoreAnalysis Of Maya Angelou s I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings1575 Words   |  7 Pagesto feel different, and wish they were someone or something â€Å"better†. In Maya Angelou’s autobiography she demonstrates what its like growing up in a racist community and how it feels to be the outcast. Angelou continuously speaks about being someone different her ideal self, something she is completely different from. She feels this way due to the racist society she lives in. In I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings Maya Angelou demonstrates in her autobiography in 1969 that even with love and affectionRead MoreAnalysis Of Maya Angelou s I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings Essay1484 Words   |  6 Pages â€Å"There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.† By Maya Angelou, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. This is the quote my mom has been telling me every day since I was 13 and able to understand it. Maya Angelou wrote this poem in 1969 and it still speaks to millions of people today. Millions of people who have everything to say but never speak. This is just one example, my example on how relatable poems are even if they are hundreds of years old. Being able to relate to a poemRead MoreAnalysis Of Maya Angelou s I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings1219 Words   |  5 PagesLike many African American writers in American history, migration is a defining part of Maya Angelou’s life and character. In her memoir I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Maya thoroughly discusses each of the moves that shape the person she becomes. From St. Louis at seven to a Southern California junkyard at fifteen, Maya’s life is filled with both voluntary and involuntary migrations. Some of these moves are intensely emotionally taxing, while others allow her to grow and flourish. Although herRead MoreMaya Angelou s I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings701 Words   |  3 PagesMaya Angelou: â€Å" I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings† In this poem Maya Angelou talks about the civil rights movement. She also express her personal life of what she went through such as being raped at the age of 6 by her mother’s boyfriend and also becoming mute for 5 years. She also states how she got pregnant and had to raise a child at 16. All these events led up to writing this poem from a caged bird that sings point of view. â€Å"Remembrance† In this poem Maya Angelou express how she was being rapedRead MoreMaya Angelou s I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings1888 Words   |  8 Pages Maya Angelou once said â€Å"We may encounter many defeats but we must not be defeated† and this phrase speaks volume in comparison to Angelou’s life story. She was born Marguerite Ann Johnson on April 4th, 1928, in St. Louis, Missouri. The name Maya was given to her by her older brother, Bailey Jr. Maya Angelou is not only a sister, but also an inspirational role model, a mother, an author, a poet, a civil rights activist, and an actor. In 1969 Angelou’s world renowned book â€Å"I Know Why the Caged BirdRead MoreDisplacement, a Theme in Maya Angelou ´s I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings1603 Words   |  6 Pagesdisplacement leaves a painful hole in ones heart. Whether a person is a male or female, white or black, lives in the North or South, or young or old, displacement takes a toll on their character and personality. M aya Angelou creates a theme of displacement in her novel I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. Angelous novel has been critiqued by many notable scholars for being a classic autobiography. The critics note the importance of the setting to show universal displacement and the use of characterizationRead MoreRhetorical Analysis Of Maya Angelou s I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings 1036 Words   |  5 PagesFily Thiam English 002 Mrs. Vilato 9 April 2015 Rhetorical Analysis on â€Å"Graduation† by Maya Angelou In Graduation, a chapter in her autobiography â€Å"I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings†, Maya Angelou talks vividly about her middle school graduation in the segregated South. Graduation is an important milestone in most people’s life, as they get a degree and move on to their next level, something better and more important, with the hope that they can use their new knowledge to achieve their life goals andRead MoreI Know Why The Caged Bird Sings1445 Words   |  6 PagesPresentation I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings is a self-portraying record of Maya Angelou that shows how cherish for writing and having a solid character can assume a huge part in conquering bigotry and misery. Throughout the story, it is clear that Maya changes from being a setback of bigotry to end up distinctly a young lady with self-nobility and character that helps her to conquer partiality. The setting of I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings concentrates on the issues connected with bigotry that