The Sepoy Mutiny of 1857 Essay Example For Students

The Sepoy Mutiny of 1857 Essay As with any conflict or controversy there are always two sidesto the debate, and the events in India during 1857 are certainly noexception. Given the situation in India during the nineteenth centuryit is hardly surprising that such a polarisation of opinion existsregarding the context of the rebellious events during that year. TheBritish being in control of the subcontinent and their sense ofsuperiority over their Indian subjects, would naturally seek todownplay any acts of rebellion. While the Indian subjects on the otherhand would arguably wish to exaggerate and over emphasise theimportance of these events, as a means of promoting the nationalistcause for self determination. The truth of the events themselves, doesit lie towards the British account or the Indian pro nationalisticside, or could there be a certain amount of truth in both sides of thedebate. Metcalf in his account cites three indisputable factors behindthe outbreak of rebellion in 1857. Primarily he sees `accumulatinggrievances of the Sepoy Army of Bengal’ as the most important factor. The reasons behind this `deterioration of morale’ amongst the army laywith several reasons. Much of the Sepoy army was comprised of`Brahmins and other high caste Hindus’ who assisted in promoting a`focus of sedition’. The `generally poor standard of Britishofficers’, plus the lack of improvement to the overall position ofthose men serving in the army also increased the level of tension. Atthis point it should be remembered that the `Bengal Army differed fromthose of Bengal and Madras’, as the Bombay and Madras armies took nopart in the rebellion of 1857. But the more pronounced military factorwas the lack of British troops in the `Gangetic plain’ meant that manyareas were `virtually denuded of British troops’. These military grievances which although significant were notthemselves enough to incite rebellion, as it took a perceived attackon the Sepoy religious institutions to trigger of the rebellion. Thefirst of these perceived threats was that the British government waspreparing to dismantle the caste system and `convert them forcibly toChristianity’. Although not based on fact the actions of some `piousBritish officers did nothing to dispel’ the rumours to the contrary. Added to this British lethargy was the Brahmins who tended to be`peculiarly watchful for potential threats to their religion andcaste’. Secondly, the introduction in 1857 of the `new Enfield rifle’with its distinct ammunition, which required the bullet to be `bittenbefore loading’. Rumours that the grease used on the bullets waseither from the fat of cattle or pigs, which either proved `sacred toHindus’ or `pollution to Muslims’, was interpreted as attacking at thecore of the Hindu and Muslim religious beliefs. These rumours unlikethose regarding the conversion to Christianity and dismantling of thecaste system, did prove to have a factual basis, as the Britishgovernment `withdrew the objectionable grease’. This belated actionproved futile as the damage had already been done. However this only accounts for the military aspects of theuprising which display the version of events `accepted in officialcircles as basically army mutinies’. This version preferred by theBritish fails to acknowledge the level of `widespread unrest among thecivilian population’, who saw much of the British government’s actionsas amounting to interference and contempt for the `long establishedrules and customs’. Disraeli saw the causes of the uprising as not being the`conduct of men who were †¦ the exponents of general discontent’amongst the Bengal army. For Disraeli the root cause was the overalladministration by the government, which he regarded as having`alienated or alarmed almost every influential class in the country’. Yet other British saw the overall social situation andgovernment administration as having no effect in causing the uprising. For officials like Sir John Lawrence the `immediate cause of therevolt’ was the concerns held by Sepoys over the new ammunition forthe Enfield rifles. However, he sees this as just the triggerincident, with the root cause being the long term reduction indiscipline in the army and the poor standard of officers in command. The British standpoint is to regard the events of 1857 as amutiny. This is correct as there was a mutiny by sections of themilitary, yet this fails to include the sections of the civilianpopulation who also engaged in civil unrest. For most of the Britishwriters and observers of the events, they are agreed in calling it amutiny because of the failings of the army, in terms of discipline andcommand. The term mutiny also conjures up images of relatively small,disorganised and not very widespread activities of disobediencetowards British authority. This is a more accurate description of theevents given that the `whole of India did not participate in therebellion’. Added to this the `large bodies of Punjabi Sikh troopswho served under British command’ and some `of the Indian princes’it seems hard to justify the term used by the Indian nationalists todescribe the events of 1857. Although not accepted by all Indian historians, the traditionalIndian nationalist view of the events of 1857 are that it was not asthe British believe, a series of isolated and uncoordinated mutinies. Canterbury EssayThese racially based beliefs in superiority and inferiority werethe basis, for the supporters of such beliefs, in the reason behindthe British victory in 1857, as the `white race was dominant becauseit was more advanced and adaptable’. The moves by the British towardsacknowledging the various racial groups in India and therefore thequalities of each was an area which having been neglected before themutiny became an area of keen interest. The `martial races became aconcern immediately after the outbreak of the Sepoy Rebellion’. TheBritish administration the `Peel Commission concluded †¦ had beenunaware of the true martial attributes possessed by various Indianethnic groups’. The willingness of the British to admit to the beneficialqualities of certain ethnic groups showed that, although they did notregard such groups as being anywhere near the equal of the white race. They could be categorised as being the superior members of an inferiorrace. The findings of the inquiry saw the British place certainracial groups out of favour, while providing greater acceptance ofothers. The Brahmins were characterised as `scheming and dishonest’, andit was the `high caste Hindus of Oudh and neighbouring areas †¦adjudged responsible for the undermining of discipline of the sepoysof the Native Army’. While others like the `Guhkas, Sikhs, Marathasand Rajputs †¦ understood the meaning of honour, and duty’, thereforethe British administrators saw these races as being `India’s trulymartial peoples’. The recruitment into the army of members of thesesocial groups was made government policy and `a series of handbooks onthe martial races produced for the benefit of recruiting officers’. Aside from the overall deterioration in relations between theBritish and their Indian subjects after the rebellion, there was alsoan impact on the Indians themselves. With the Muslims losing much ofthe influence and power they held before the rebellion, and theHindus filling the vacuum left by the Muslims. While the Britishattitude changed radically towards the Indians the `most bitter andwidespread hostility was reserved for the Muslim community’. They wereblamed by the British for much of the rebellious activity, which theBritish saw as an attempt to `restore the authority of the Moghulemperor’. Because `Muslims stood prejudiced against western education’they `had to remain in the background for some time’, while the Hinduswho were more favourable in the adoption of this western style ofeducation and learning English benefited under the government. Anexample which shows how the Muslims declined so heavily and the Hindusbenefited after the mutiny, is in the case of `judicial positionsopen to Indians’. `Although Muslims comprised only 12 per cent of thepopulation in the North Western Provinces, they held 72 per cent ofpositions’ prior to 1857. The post 1857 effects saw thisdisproportionate share of judicial position diminish to a situationwhere in `1886 they could claim only 9 posts out of a totalof 284?. This situation of a Muslim decline in influence had long termeffects on the Muslim community right up until the early part of thetwentieth century. As each side of the debate is so fixed in their opinion on thissubject that no consensus ever seems likely to be reached. For theIndians the events assist in enhancing the nationalist theme ofridding the sub-continent of the British. To the nationalists theevents of 1857 are the first step in a process that took ninety yearsto achieve the goal of an India ruled by Indians. However the evidenceof the events clearly comes down on the side of the British opinion. The events were not a war of independence but a military andcivilian mutiny. Given that the `entire south of India took no part in therebellion’ it seems impossible to justify the claim that the eventswere a war of independence. Added to this, the assistanceprovided by certain elements of Indian society to the British furtherreduces the nationalist claims. The lack of central co-ordinationamongst the rebels hardly inspires confidence in them engaging in aconflict to gain independence. Clearly the debate comes closer to theBritish viewpoint of 1857 being a year of mutinies in the Indiansub-continent, and not the first attempts by the Indians to seekindependence.

Why I Chose to Attend a Women’s College

Though college admissions have become increasingly competitive, not all colleges are seeing an increase in applications.Last year, we wrote an article on Why Women Colleges Are Losing Funding to bring to our readers attention that not all colleges are thriving in a world where getting a college degree is more and more important. While women colleges may not be as popular as they used to be, there are a few colleges that still stand out. We asked one of our s attending a womens college why she decided to apply and enroll in one:Jodis StoryThe idea of attending a women’s college may not be attractive to many young girls applying to college for many different reasons. Two of the biggest reasons I’ve heard why many girls do not want to attend a women’s college is that there is lack of male presence on campus, and that attending a women’s college must come with a great deal of drama. As a current student of a women’s college (Smith), I can assure you tha t none of these reasons have ever been an issue during my time in college.The idea that going to a women’s college must be boring because there are no boys around is untrue. Going to a women’s college is just as fun as going to a coed college, and in my opinion is even more fun. The great thing about a women’s college is that students do not feel as though males dominate the classroom or are favored over female students, which is quite empowering.Thinking that there is more drama at women’s college than at a coed college is also false, in fact I have found there is less drama. Most students attending a women’s college aren’t focused on guys but are focused on their studies, which leaves little room for drama with other girls.The best aspects about attending a women’s college is the women empowerment on campus. Women are able to dominate inside and outside the classroom, and are free to express their beliefs without having to think abo ut what their male counterparts will say about them. Because women dominate in the classroom, we receive an education where we feel as though we are equal men, which is important in a male dominant society. What’s great about a women’s college is that women are able to take classes that would be otherwise dominated by men, such as classes in the STEM field. I chose to attend a Women’s college because I feel as though I would be around a college of women always looking to empower each other. I have also found that I have come to value the friendships I have made with other girls, and that by attending a women’s college I am more prepared to take on a male dominated society.

The Disappearance of Miranda Gaddis

The Disappearance of Miranda Gaddis Miranda was born November 18, 1988, in Oregon City. She attended Gardner Middle School  and dreamed of becoming a model one day. Miranda belonged to a dance team and was described by friends as being outgoing, funny, and very loving. In 1995, Miranda’s natural father was found guilty of abuse and sent to prison. A boyfriend of her mother later abused Miranda and was convicted and sent to prison. She spent a short time in a foster home because of the abuse. Despite her troubles, Miranda seemed well balanced and enjoyed her family, which included her older sister Maryssa, younger sister Miriah, and younger brother Jason. It is not surprising that Ashley Hope and Miranda Gaddis were friends. They were on the same dance team at school, lived in the same apartment building, and even resembled each other. They also shared similar pasts of having been sexually abused as young children. The apartment complex that Ashley and Miranda lived in was built in the late 1990s. It provided affordable housing for single mothers and lower-income working families, as well as the mentally ill. It had a high occupancy rate and was filled with children. Families would come and go, and children learned to make friends quickly with the new residents that moved in. It was near the edge of the complex, where Ward Weaver and his family, decided to rent a home. The Weavers had a young daughter close to Ashley and Miranda’s age, and it was not long before the three became friends. Ashley and Miranda spent time at their new friends house, sometimes staying overnight at slumber parties. Miranda, unlike Ashley, did not stay at the Weaver house for extended periods of time. She had other interest and friends that kept her busy in other activities. On Jan. 9, 2002, Ashley disappeared on her way to school. The police interviewed Miranda  and other friends of Ashley’s. As information filtered in, the authorities began to suspect that Ward Weaver was involved in her disappearance, but no arrest was made. Miranda was very involved in her friends investigation, offering the police personal information that Ashley had shared with her. Miranda knew the trouble that Ashley had experienced during her extended stays at the Weaver home. Ashley confided in her that Ward Weaver was violent and raped her while on a vacation in California. Miranda, who was not timid with her opinions, warned friends to stay away from the Weaver’s home because she felt Ward Weaver was dangerous. Some theorize that Weaver blamed Miranda for his daughter being ostracized at school, and in the neighborhood where they lived. Two months went by, and Ashley Pond was still missing. Life for Miranda was beginning to return to normal. On March 8, 2002, the day started out like most school days at Miranda’s house. Her mother, Michelle, left at around 7:30 a.m., for work. It is assumed that Miranda left to go to her bus stop at her normal time, around 8 a.m. She walked the same path that Ashley did on the day she disappeared – right near the door of Will Weaver’s house. Around 1:20 p.m., Michelle Gaddis received a call from her oldest daughter, informing her that Miranda was not at school and that none of her friends had seen her all day. The school confirmed her fears, reporting that she was absent in all her classes. Michelle immediately went to the police to report that her daughter was missing. Now haunted by two disappearances, the police and the FBI went on a round-the-clock investigation in hopes of locating Miranda Gaddis. The residents of Oregon City feared that a child abductor was busy deciding who his next victim would be. The missing girls mothers were convinced that the person responsible, knew both girls. The police focused on this theory as well  and returned to question many of the same people they interviewed just two months before  when Ashley disappeared. Some of the information they received, pointed to Ward Weaver, just as in the case with Ashley Pond, but still, no arrest was made. A Break in the Case A cry of rape by Ward Weavers sons girlfriend  brought an end to the police search of Ashley Pond and Miranda Gaddis. The woman, half nude, ran from the Weaver home, screaming that Ward Weaver had tried to rape her. Weavers  son followed up with calls to the police, saying his father admitted that he killed Ashley Pond. These accusations allowed the police to search Ward Weavers property. On the weekend of August 24-25, the bodies of Ashley Pond and Miranda Gaddis  were found on the property of Ward Weavers rental home. Ashleys body was discovered inside a barrel, in a hole, under a concrete slab that had been poured soon after she was reported missing. Mirandas remains were found in a shed on the same property. An autopsy confirmed the identity of both girls. Ward Weaver Is Arrested On October 4, 2002, Ward Weaver was indicted for the murder of Ashley Pond, 12, and Miranda Gaddis, 13, as well as other counts in an unrelated case, which including sex abuse, attempted rape, aggravated murder and abuse of a corpse, all of which he plead not guilty. On September 22, 2004, ​Ward Weaver plead guilty to killing two of his daughters friends then hiding their bodies on his property. He received two life sentences for the deaths of Ashley Pond and Miranda Gaddis. See Also:Ward Weaver lll: A Life of BrutalityProfile of Ashley Pond

The outsiders 3

The outsiders 3 Critical Review "The Outsiders" by S.E. Hinton S.E. Hinton wrote this novel while she was in high school, at the young age of sixteen. It was completed in 1967. She has written other novels such as That Was Then This is Now, Rumble Fish, and Taming the Star Runner.The novel, The Outsiders, was written about living in the sixties amid gang rivalries. It is told through the personal thoughts of Ponyboy, a fourteen-year-old who belongs to a gang known as the Greasers, who despise the upper-class Socs (pronounced SO-ches), the West Side Rich Kids. Hinton does an excellent job of describing mild-mannered gang members, society war, and living with violence. Once I began to read this book, it became difficult to put it down.The Outsiders, basically, is about the tough, hard life of Pony Curtis, who lives only with his two brothers, Sodapop and Darry. Their parents were killed in an auto wreck that left Pony in trust of his brothers and fellow gang members.Hinton Ampner

Answer questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 5

Answer questions - Essay Example Another assumption that will be considered is the time taken. Driving to and fro work takes a lot of time and effort than being a telecommuter. There are several valid reasons that would prompt one to consider the telecommuting offer. One of the reasons is reduction in expenditure. The telecommuter job will help in reduction of vehicle associated costs like fuel and maintenance costs. Consequently, one will have an increased amount of money for expenditure at home. The second reason is convenience. The telecommuter job will be convenient in terms of time taken and effort. The time taken to drive to work and effort used will be reduced. Thirdly, the job will reduce the risks associated with driving to work like accidents and insurance. While the current job is a race against time, the telecommuter job will be less of a burden. Fourthly, the telecommuter job will reduce the time taken to access the job location and also drive back home. This will increase the time that one can dedicate to the care of the baby. This in turn reduces the costs of childcare. Fifthly, the job reduces the distance that one has to commute to and fro work. The telecommuter job will result into pay reduction, which will affect the money available for expenditure. Secondly, it will reduce the comfort that one enjoyed as they drive to and fro work. Thirdly, the telecommuting job may not be luxurious as the current job and may have a lot of hardships. With lack of experience in the job, one is likely to face many problems. Fourthly, there may be no guarantee of how safe one will be on the job. Telecommuting may be an unstable job and may not guarantee job tenure. Fifthly, the telecommuting job may not offer the chance to grow career wise and one may stagnate in one job. As per my decision, I would prefer to remain in my current job rather than taking up the telecommuting job. The

Methodology Review Form Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Methodology Review Form - Research Paper Example This is a defining trait of a crisis for other authors (Hoff, 2001; Boi, 2005; Laws, Prideaux & Chon, 2007), but apparently not for Fink, whose definition focuses on the impacts rather than the causes of the crisis situation. In many instances, crises are so characterised not because they are unforeseen, but that they are foreseen (or at least foreseeable) and are historically and statistically deemed so unlikely to happen that precautionary and preventive measures against them are overlooked (Loveridge, 2009; Daft & Marcic, 2011). In defining the research problem, it became apparent that the threat of impending crises (i.e., crises that are unlikely but may eventually happen) face all organisations, whatever their objectives or scope of operations, in varied ways as to threaten their continue existence. Consequently, some form of crisis management is needed by all organisations in order to contain the effects of crisis incidents. In defining a manageable research problem, therefore, it become necessary to delimit the particular crises and the organisations whose crisis management responses are to be assessed, in order for this research to arrive at meaningful, properly contextualised, findings. In the course of the literature review, the necessity for the enhancement of crisis planning, prevention, assessment, and mitigation for the oil and gas industry

The Stone Carvers Essay Example for Free

The Stone Carvers Essay The Stone Carvers is a book of obsessions. Each one of the characters has their own obsessions that at one point they believe to be a natural and helpful to their lives. However each of the characters in The Stone Carvers learns that these obsessions with perfection, love, adventure, or anything end without them being able to be satisfied and on many occasions without achieving what they were obsessing over. The author Jane Urquhart made a compelling story on the nature obsession and the effects of obsession over any matter. The characters of the novel were fixated on a large range of ideas; they were obsessed with ideas from love to architecture and because of the diversity that Jane has shown that obsession of any form will always end without resolve. The conclusion about obsession can be grasped through the various trials that each character of the story is placed under. In The Stone Carvers Urquhart is able to show that obsession can never lead to a successful happiness, through a few powerful ideas; when someone is fixated on an idea the task may not be able to be completed, a person’s obsession can be counterproductive to their cause, and fixating on one thing can cause the person to lose track of the rest of their life. When someone is fixated on one task or idea their obsession may not ever be complete in their eyes. In Klara’s love affair with Eamon, Klara is obsessed with staying with and caring for Eamon. When Klara was not with Eamon she was thinking of him; â€Å"All the rest of the day she was thinking of the moments when Eamon’s arm was on her shoulder or his hands were in her hair.† (pg. 121) This obsession of love seems like a natural and healthy idea to have however Klara’s work begins to be influenced by their love and she begins to be jealous of anyone with a relationship with Eamon. Klara becomes particularly upset at one point she exclaimed â€Å"I saw you laughing, Eamon, with your friends outside the brewery. I think you’d forgotten me altogether, that’s what I think.† (pg. 117) Klara’s obsession with Eamon was never able to be complete because she would never be able to complete her storybook obsession of loving him and him loving her. Her obsession eventually led to an extended period of grieving her lost lover. Sometimes an obsession with something can actually blind the obsessed person into actually being counterproductive to their goals. In a minor case in The Stone Carvers Refuto, who broke down because he held himself responsible for his brother’s death, ran from his family to not bear with the pain of reuniting with them. Refuto’s reasoning for not going back to his family was that: â€Å"I could not put the burden of a killer on their shoulders.† (pg. 211) Refuto was obsessed with keeping his name clean and his family safe. When he ran away from home however his family was left to fend for themselves and live without his support. When he and Tilman had become friends was the only time that he realized he had been hurting his friends with his own obsession. When Refuto did get over his obsession and went home, his wife and he talked at length about the family and how they were able to get along for so long without him. Refuto said that â€Å"I was gone but Tilman told me to come back.† (pg. 215) Since his departure Refuto was able to â€Å"clear my head in four directions at once.† (pg. 215) This fixation on Refuto’s name had kept him away from his family but finally he was able to go back and correct what his obsession did to him. His obsession had blinded him to the harm that his actions had caused to his family. Instead of helping keep his family safe he was only harming it and only once he accepted that he had an unhealthy obsession was he able to return to his life with his family. When someone is fixated on an idea they tend to lose focus on other important aspects of their lives. In The Stone Carvers an example of this would be in Tilman and Klara’s mother, Helga. Helga had recently mourned what she thought was her son’s death and became obsessed, as soon as Tilman came home, with controlling where Tilman went and how he would live. Tilman however â€Å"responded neither to her questions nor her attempts at incarceration and intimidation but looked at her with confusion on his perfect face.† (pg. 63) Helga became so hysterically obsessed with keeping him with her that eventually she chained Tilman to the house however â€Å"Helga would never recover – not from his imprisonment and not from his escape.†(pg. 67) Tilman screamed and refused to eat while he was chained and his mother only then realized that she had made a mistake in obsessing over keeping Tilman caged. She pushed Tilman away with her passions for keeping him with her. The Stone Carvers shows that someone who is obsessed with an idea or task is more prone to making mistakes or causing a problem in a related aspect of their life. Throughout the book Jane was able to show her views on obsessions in persuasive undertones and themes throughout the entire novel. Jane was able to show that no matter how justified a fixation may seem the outcome is always negative. Throughout the novel the theme of obsession can be seen from the minor characters all the way to the major events of the story. Jane makes her case with many examples of the ways obsession can lead to the destruction of a person. She does this through showing that when someone has an obsession they might never be able to complete, a person’s obsession could be counterproductive to their cause, and fixating on one idea can cause the person to lose track of the important parts in their life. The persuasive undertones in the story are able to clearly convey the message of obsession being something that only harms the obsessed person. Walter Allward once said â€Å"I have been eating and sleeping stone for so long it has become an obsession with me. And incidentally, a nightmare.† (pg. VI) The inspiration for such a great novel and theme can be found in this quote because the amount of emotion that went into Walter’s work on the Vimy Ridge Memorial but also the tragic way Walter was unable to be truly happy after his most amazing creation. Works Cited