Internalization

Definition: Internalization is a process through which we come to identify parts of our culture as parts of ourselves, especially in relation to norms and values. This is a crucial process in maintaining social systems because it leads people to regulate their own behavior in accordance with accepted forms rather than having to be monitored and corrected by external authorities.

The Effects Of Black Children On Poverty And The Low...

â€Å"America is failing its young Black boys† (Prager, 2011, p.1). It is a bold statement about the conditions of Black children in America. This research paper addresses the low likelihood that poor Black children may overcome poverty because of conditions such as negative environment, poverty stressors (e.g., crime, violence, health issues), and parental influence. It is a controversial issue as studies suggest parental behaviors as well as community and school involvement can help poor Black children out of poverty, yet other studies suggest stressors such as emotional and health issues or participating in welfare systems as a result of poverty will heavily impact if not deter future success. Despite programs instituted to fight the war on poverty, the issue remains prevalent and studies, e.g., impact of welfare reform, continue to provide relevant information on the impact of poverty. The research for this paper focuses on Black children living in poverty and the lo w likelihood they will overcome poverty. The research is valuable because â€Å"Black and Hispanic children were more than twice as likely to live in poverty in 2007 as non-Hispanic white and Asian children.† (Moore, Redd, Burkhauser, Mbwana Collins, 2009, p. 2). It is absolutely unacceptable for a country as great as the United States to experience poverty and extreme poverty in some areas and further for there to be a clear indication that there is a higher likelihood of children living in poverty basedShow MoreRelatedImproving The Standard And Effectiveness Of Education5219 Words   |  21 Pagesof education in impoverished neighborhoods. A lot of studies have aimed to ascertain the benefits that various safety network programs have for at-risk children living in poverty stricken areas of the country. This paper seeks to highlight the host of elements that have a positive bearing on the academic outcome of children belonging to the poverty stricken counties in the state of Ohio. The research will employ a qual itative method design and involve using semi-structured interviews, observationsRead MoreThe Disparities Among Minority Inmates in the American Prison System1787 Words   |  8 Pages122 Dr. Beckwith-Howard March 18, 2013 Is the system rigged for the majority, or for those that break the law? Why are minorities more likely to be incarcerated? Is it because of the lack of education and parental support, living in poverty, socially and behaviorally challenged? Race-based differences in individual treatment are some of the most difficult challenges in American society today and these are particularly apparent in the arena of criminal justice. Racial disparityRead MoreAfrican American Families And Its Position On Marriage2228 Words   |  9 Pagesspecifically, we examine poverty, the economy and cultural influences have had a significant impact on the African American family and its position on marriage. Poverty, as discussed in my Principles of Sociology class (SOC 202), has been a debated phenomenon for years; it is hard to tell how it began. No one can pinpoint the cause of poverty, but it can continue for generations without the proper guidance of how to get out of it. In his excerpt, Johnson (2014) says that â€Å"poverty exists because the economicRead MorePoverty Around the World2206 Words   |  9 PagesOutline Thesis: Every person around the world should be concerned with poverty. It is not just one person or one nation’s problem. The effects of poverty have a tendency to burden generation after generation thus causing a domino effect with the aim of many other issues around the world. The concern of poverty consequently produces problems for everyone, which is why we all should take part in eradicating poverty. I. Poverty has a direct impact on the economy. A. Bankruptcies increased 36.4% overRead MoreChild Poverty10142 Words   |  41 PagesPrinceton University Child Poverty Can Be Reduced Author(s): Robert D. Plotnick Source: The Future of Children, Vol. 7, No. 2, Children and Poverty (Summer - Autumn, 1997), pp. 72-87 Published by: Princeton University Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1602388 . Accessed: 16/05/2013 10:19 Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms Conditions of Use, available at . http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp . JSTOR is a not-for-profit service thatRead MoreHousing and Difference in Cape Town, South Africa Essay1970 Words   |  8 Pages- Introduction In the 1990s, Housing program in South Africa in general, and in Cape Town in particular, was still influenced by earlier housing policies and constrained by the pattern of low-income urban settlement inherited from the apartheid era, the governments’ approach has undermined the ability of a part of the households to utilize the kinds of urban housing which is promised by this policy .the article studied here â€Å"Housing and difference in Cape Town, South Africa† study the reasons behindRead MoreThe United States Of America Essay2398 Words   |  10 Pagesgroups. A social construct, race has been used to justify the systematic discrimination and mistreatment of those deemed to be other. While modern American s claim that there is a colorblind society, where the people of the United States have overcome their racist roots this is simply not the case. Since the end of slavery and reconstruction, there has been a new era of racial discrimination and oppression that is e nacted through the criminal justice system. To explore the issues of racism inRead MorePrison Pipeline : Rhetoric Or Reality? Essay2182 Words   |  9 Pagespipeline’s features are unequally distributed in students of color, in particularly low-income black youth, who reside in these environments are more likely to be affected. While the pipeline metaphor oversimplifies the process it serves as a device that the public resonates with. It allows the public to associate excessive harsh school punishment and neglecting the needs of the students all allowing an increase in the likelihood that a student will go to prison. The metaphor provides political mobilizationRead MoreSubstance Abuse15082 Words   |  61 PagesVENEREAL DISEASE COULD BE CONTROLLED * Attend special clinics set up to provide treatment at the first suggestion of any infection, treatment may be more effective if detected at an early stage. * Trace all the sexual contacts and inform them of the likelihood of infection. This will help to minimise the spread of the infection. * Early treatment as we have seen is essential both to prevent serious damage to the patient and to reduce the chances of spreading the disease. * Infections in most cases isRead MoreDiscuss the Importance of Non Verbal Communication to Education24125 Words   |  97 PagesInternational Fund for Agricultural Development Enabling poor rural people to overcome poverty * Rural Poverty Portal * Contact us * Employment scam * Site map * Copyright * Subscribe * What s new * Accessibility ------------------------------------------------- Top of Form Search Bottom of Form * Home * About * Operations * Development effectiveness * Evaluation * From the field * Partners * Topics * Newsroom * Events

Tourism and Environment Sustainable Tourism

Question: Discuss about the Tourism and Environment for Sustainable Tourism. Answer: Introduction: The topic of the essay is Ecological Foot-Print of Tourism." Sun, (2014) accused tourism as it has a potential contribution to the climate change. It often distorts the ecosystem of a tourist spot and its surrounding. The study will analyze the reason for which it is accused as unsustainable. It will also describe the contributing factors of tourism towards climate change. Apart from that, the study will also describe the ways through which the tourism sector can reduce ecological footprint. Tourism claimed to be unsustainable Strain on water resources Fresh water is one of the most crucial natural resources. Tourism industries mostly overuse water resources for using in their hotels, golf courses, swimming pools and personal use of the tourists. In case of Australian tourism industry, maximum of water is used by irrigation of the hotel for building summerhouse, garden and golf course (Filimonau et al., 2013). Therefore, the agricultural sectors are facing problems in farming their land. Unsustainable exploitation and unlimited construction lead to severe environmental issues. Recreational activities customized for the tourists also have great impact on environment. A great number of boat trips also emit carbon, which can destroy the life of marine animal. Apart from that, most of water pipe lines of Australia, which is meant of villagers, are now used by hotels. Therefore, it is creating water crisis for the villagers (Eijgelaar Peeters, 2014). Land degradation Important land resources include fertile soil, minerals, wetland, forests minerals and fossil fuels. Increasing construction and recreational activities have created huge pressure on these land resources and even on scenic landscapes (Waligo et al., 2013). Direct impact on land resources is caused due to use of land in terms of accommodation and infrastructural provision by tourism sectors (Sun, 2014). Tourism sector also creates negative impact on forest due to deforestation towards building new summerhouse and hotels. Degradation in landscapes causes steep imbalance in rain cycle, which results in climate change (Tang, 2015). Air pollution Increase in air transport leads to increased level of air travel in tourism industry by 60% (Gssling, 2015). It is highly responsible for increasing emission of carbon footprint. Air pollution comes from excessive tourist transport and increasing use of heater and air condition. It leads to acid rain photochemical pollution and global warming (Lozano-Oyola et al., 2012). Ways for tourism business to reduce ecological footprint Tourism industry can reduce its ecological footprint through several ways. Therefore, this industry should adopt those ways for reducing its severe impact on environment. Eco-Resort Tourism industry can use eco-resort for their guest in term of their accommodation. According to Castellani and Sala, (2012), eco-resorts are the lodging facility, which reduces the emission of carbon footprint. On the other hand, York et al., (2015) opined that the tourism business should follow the practice of green living. Dependency on natural resources would lead the hotels to use renewable energy for improving environmental impact. Grey water recycling and the use of non-disposable dishes for the tourists can also reduce the impact of ecological footprint on the environment (Cerutti et al., 2016). Apart from that, fresh air exchange system implemented in eco-resort can reduce the use of air condition and reduce the impact of carbon footprint (Jamal Camargo, 2014). Support for natural attraction According to Schaller, (2016), support for natural attraction would lead the tourism business to customize all the amenities towards natural resources. On the other hand, Ozturk et al., (2016) opined that support for natural attraction would also create huge number of green tourist, who will in turn reduce carbon footprint. The hotels should provide authentic cultural experience to the customers through natural resources (Bramwell Lane, 2013). The hotel should keep a scope for their guest towards volunteering with environmental conservation (Becken, 2013). Providing local food to the guest may also be natural thumbs up. It reduces pollution caused from transportation of food from another place (Hall et al., 2013). Eco-friendly vehicle According to Schaller, (2014), eco-friendly vehicles reduce the emission of CO2, which reduce negative impact of environment. On the other hand, Andersson Lundberg, (2013) opined that eco-friendly vehicles consume less petroleum than other vehicles and use renewable energy source as its fuel. The tourism sector should use eco-friendly cars that the tourists use during their travelling time (Munday et al., 2013). Increasing usage of green car by tourism sector will reduce ecological footprint to a larger extent. Ways of individual tourist to reduce ecological foot print Tourists can also reduce ecological footprint by their individual initiatives during their travelling time. Some of ways are described here: Save Water Many tourists take unlimited shower while go in washroom, which can waste water and thereby create water strain. The tourists should take shorter shower for saving water. They should turn off the tap while brushing teeth or shaving. It would also reduce unnecessary use of water and create balance in water consumption. Save Energy The tourists should leave the hotel room by turning off TV, heat/AC and turn off the lights. It will in turn reduce ecological footprint (Bramwell Lane, 2012). Apart from that, the tourists can also leave a Do Not Disturb sign in front of the door. It would keep the housekeeping away from every day cleaning of the room, which will save harsh chemical cleaning supplies. It would also reduce the electricity of vacuuming (Lee, 2013). Reusing Materials Reusing materials can reduce the emission of ecological footprint towards an unlimited extent (Gibson et al., 2012). The tourists should use the BPA-freewater bottle, which can be refilled. It will definitely minimize the impact on landscape resulting from wastage (Juvan Dolnicar, 2014). Apart from that, the tourists can also reuse their towels and bed sheets through washing it daily instead of changing it daily. Conclusion While concluding the study, it can be said ecological footprint of tourism is the negative impact, which it creates on environment. Tourism sectors overuse water for its hotels, swimming pools and golf courses. Extreme usages of boat trip also destroy marine life, which have direct impact on climate change. Apart from that, tourism sector also leads to deforestation for building new hotels and summerhouses. Deforestation in turn create steep imbalance in rain cycle. Tourism sectors can reduce ecological footprint through building eco-resorts and implementing greenery within hotels. On the other hand, individual tourist can also reduce ecological foot print through saving energy and reusing materials. References Andersson, T. D., Lundberg, E. (2013). Commensurability and sustainability: Triple impact assessments of a tourism event.Tourism Management,37, 99-109. Becken, S. (2013). A review of tourism and climate change as an evolving knowledge domain.Tourism Management Perspectives,6, 53-62. Bramwell, B., Lane, B. (2012). Towards innovation in sustainable tourism research?.Journal of Sustainable Tourism,20(1), 1-7. Bramwell, B., Lane, B. (2013). Getting from here to there: Systems change, behavioural change and sustainable tourism.Journal of Sustainable Tourism,21(1), 1-4. Castellani, V., Sala, S. (2012). Ecological Footprint and Life Cycle Assessment in the sustainability assessment of tourism activities.Ecological Indicators,16, 135-147. Cerutti, A. K., Beccaro, G. L., Bruun, S., Donno, D., Bonvegna, L., Bounous, G. (2016). Assessment methods for sustainable tourism declarations: The case of holiday farms.Journal of Cleaner Production,111, 511-519. Eijgelaar, E., Peeters, P. (2014). The global footprint of tourism.The Wiley Blackwell Companion to Tourism, 454-465. Filimonau, V., Dickinson, J., Robbins, D., Reddy, M. V. (2013). The role of indirectgreenhouse gas emissions in tourism: Assessing the hidden carbon impacts from a holiday package tour.Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice,54, 78-91. Gibson, H. J., Kaplanidou, K., Kang, S. J. (2012). Small-scale event sport tourism: A case study in sustainable tourism.Sport Management Review,15(2), 160-170. Gssling, S. (2015). New performance indicators for water management in tourism.Tourism Management,46, 233-244. Hall, C. M., Scott, D., Gssling, S. (2013). The primacy of climate change for sustainable international tourism.Sustainable Development,21(2), 112-121. Jamal, T., Camargo, B. A. (2014). Sustainable tourism, justice and an ethic of care: Toward the just destination.Journal of Sustainable Tourism,22(1), 11-30. Juvan, E., Dolnicar, S. (2014). Can tourists easily choose a low carbon footprint vacation?.Journal of Sustainable Tourism,22(2), 175-194. Lee, T. H. (2013). Influence analysis of community resident support for sustainable tourism development.Tourism Management,34, 37-46. Lozano-Oyola, M., Blancas, F. J., Gonzlez, M., Caballero, R. (2012). Sustainable tourism indicators as planning tools in cultural destinations.Ecological Indicators,18, 659-675. Munday, M., Turner, K., Jones, C. (2013). Accounting for the carbon associated with regional tourism consumption.Tourism Management,36, 35-44. Ozturk, I., Al-Mulali, U., Saboori, B. (2016). Investigating the environmental Kuznets curve hypothesis: the role of tourism and ecological footprint.Environmental Science and Pollution Research,23(2), 1916-1928. Schaller, H. (2014). The Footprint of Tourism: Ecological sensitivity and hiking trail assessment at.Environmental Management,71(4), 305-320. Schaller, H. J. (2016). The Footprint of Tourism: Ecological sensitivity and hiking trail assessment at selected protected areas in Iceland and Hokkaido. Sun, Y. Y. (2014). A framework to account for the tourism carbon footprint at island destinations.Tourism Management,45, 16-27. Tang, Z. (2015). An integrated approach to evaluating the coupling coordination between tourism and the environment.Tourism Management,46, 11-19. Waligo, V. M., Clarke, J., Hawkins, R. (2013). Implementing sustainable tourism: A multi-stakeholder involvement management framework.Tourism Management,36, 342-353. York, R., Rosa, E. A., Dietz, T. (2015). A tale of contrasting trends: Three measures of the ecological footprint in China, India, Japan, and the United States, 1961-2003.Journal of World-Systems Research,15(2), pp. 134-146.

Katniss Everdeen Speech in Hunger Games Essay Example

Katniss Everdeen Speech in Hunger Games Paper What they want is for me to truly take on the role they designed for me. The symbol of the revolution. The Mockingjay. It isnt enough, what Ive done in the past, defying the Capitol in the Games, providing a rallying point. I must now become the actual leader, the face, the voice, the embodiment of the revolution. The person who the districts?†most of which are now openly at war with the capitol?†can count on to blaze the path to victory. I wont have to do it alone. They have the whole team of eople to make me over, dress me, write my speeches, orchestrate my appearances?† as if that doesnt sound horribly familiar?†and all I have to do is play my part. I begin to fully understand the lengths to which people have gone to protect me. What I mean to the rebels. My ongoing struggle against the Capitol, which has so often felt like a solitary Journey, has not been undertaken alone. I have had thousands upon thousands of people from the districts at my side. I was their Mockingjay long before I accepted the role. The bird, the pin, the song, the berries, the watch, the cracker, the dress that burst into flames. I am the mocking]ay. The one that survived despite the Capitols plans. The symbol of the rebellion. My name is katniss everdeen. I am seventeen years old. My home is district 12. There is no district 12. I am the mocking]ay. I brought down the capitol. President Snow hates me. He killed my sister. Now I kill him, and then the hunger games will be over. We will write a custom essay sample on Katniss Everdeen Speech in Hunger Games specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Katniss Everdeen Speech in Hunger Games specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Katniss Everdeen Speech in Hunger Games specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer

Battle of Austerlitz in the Napoleonic Wars

Battle of Austerlitz in the Napoleonic Wars The Battle of Austerlitz was fought December 2, 1805, and was the deciding engagement of the War of the Third Coalition (1805) during the Napoleonic Wars (1803 to 1815). Having crushed an Austrian army at Ulm earlier that fall, Napoleon drove east and captured Vienna. Eager for battle, he pursued the Austrians northeast from their capital. Reinforced by the Russians, the Austrians gave battle near Austerlitz in early December. The resulting battle is often considered Napoleons finest victory and saw the combined Austro-Russian army driven from the field. In the wake of the battle, the Austrian Empire signed the Treaty of Pressburg and left the conflict. Armies Commanders France Napoleon65,000 to 75,000 men Russia Austria Tsar Alexander IEmperor Francis II73,000 to 85,000 men A New War Though fighting in Europe had ended with the Treaty of Amiens in March 1802, many of the signatories remained unhappy with its terms. Increasing tensions saw Britain declare war on France on May 18, 1803. This saw Napoleon revive plans for a cross-channel invasion and he began concentrating forces around Boulogne. Following the French execution of  Louis Antoine, Duke of Enghien, in March 1804, many of the powers in Europe became increasingly concerned over French intentions. Later that year, Sweden signed an agreement with Britain opening the door to what would become the Third Coalition. Mounting a relentless diplomatic campaign, Prime Minister William Pitt concluded an alliance with Russia in early 1805. This came about despite British concern over Russias growing influence in the Baltic. A few months later, Britain and Russia were joined by Austria, which having been twice defeated by the French in recent years, sought to exact revenge. Napoleon Responds With threats emerging from Russia and Austria, Napoleon abandoned his ambitions to invade Britain during the summer of 1805  and turned to deal with these new adversaries. Moving with speed and efficiency, 200,000 French troops departed their camps near Boulogne and began crossing the Rhine along a 160-mile front on September 25. Responding to the threat, Austrian General Karl Mack concentrated his army at the fortress of Ulm in Bavaria. Conducting a brilliant campaign of maneuver, Napoleon swung north and descended on the Austrian rear. After winning a series of battles, Napoleon captured Mack and 23,000 men at Ulm on October 20. Though the victory was dampened by Vice Admiral Lord Horatio Nelsons triumph at Trafalgar the next day, the Ulm Campaign effectively opened the way to Vienna which fell to French forces in November. To the northeast, a Russian field army under General Mikhail Illarionovich Golenischev-Kutusov had gathered and absorbed many of the remaining Austrian units. Moving towards the enemy, Napoleon sought to bring them to battle before his lines of communication were severed or Prussia entered the conflict. Allied Plans On December 1, the Russian and Austrian leadership met to decide their next move. While Tsar Alexander I wished to attack the French, Austrian Emperor Francis II and Kutuzov preferred to take a more defensive approach. Under pressure from their senior commanders, it was finally decided that an attack would be made against the French right (southern) flank which would open a path to Vienna. Moving forward, they adopted a plan devised by Austrian Chief of Staff Franz von Weyrother which called for four columns to assault the French right. The Allied plan played directly into Napoleons hands. Anticipating that they would strike at his right, he thinned it to make it more alluring. Believing that this assault would weaken the Allied center, he planned on a massive counterattack in this area to shatter their lines, while Marshal Louis-Nicolas Davouts III Corps came up from Vienna to support the right. Positioning Marshal Jean Lanness V Corps near Santon Hill at the northern end of the line, Napoleon placed General Claude Legrands men at the southern end, with Marshal Jean-de-Dieu Soults IV Corps in the center. Fighting Begins Around 8:00 AM on December 2, the first Allied columns began hitting the French right near the village of Telnitz. Taking the village, they threw the French back across Goldbach Stream. Regrouping, the French effort was reinvigorated by the arrival of Davouts corps. Moving to the attack, they recaptured Telnitz but were driven out by Allied cavalry. Further Allied attacks from the village were halted by French artillery. Slightly to the north, the next Allied column hit Sokolnitz and was repulsed by its defenders. Bringing in artillery, General Count Louis de Langà ©ron commenced a bombardment and his men succeeded in taking the village, while a third column assaulted the towns castle. Storming forward, the French managed to retake to the village but soon lost it again. Fighting around Sokolnitz continued to rage throughout the day. One Sharp Blow Around 8:45 AM, believing that the Allied center had been sufficiently weakened, Napoleon summoned Soult to discuss an attack on the enemy lines atop Pratzen Heights. Stating that One sharp blow and the war is over, he ordered the assault to move forward at 9:00 AM. Advancing through the morning fog, General Louis de Saint-Hilaires division attacked up the heights. Reinforced with elements from their second and fourth columns, the Allies met the French assault and mounted a fierce defense.  This initial French effort was thrown back after bitter fighting. Charging again, Saint-Hilaires men finally succeeded in capturing the heights at bayonet point. Fighting in the Center To their north, General Dominique Vandammes advanced his division against Starà © Vinohrady (Old Vineyards). Employing a variety of infantry tactics, the division shattered the defenders and claimed the area. Moving his command post to St. Anthonys Chapel on the Pratzen Heights, Napoleon ordered Marshal Jean-Baptiste Bernadottes I Corps into the battle on Vandammes left. As the battle raged, the Allies decided to strike Vandammes position with the Russian Imperial Guards cavalry. Storming forward, they had some success before Napoleon committed his own Heavy Guards cavalry to the fray. As the horsemen battled, General Jean-Baptiste Drouets division deployed on the flank of the fighting. In addition to providing refuge for the French cavalry, fire from his men and the Guards horse artillery forced the Russians to retreat from the area. In the North At the northern end of the battlefield, fighting began as Prince Liechtenstein led Allied cavalry against General Franà §ois Kellermanns light cavalry. Under heavy pressure, Kellermann fell back behind General  Marie-Franà §ois Auguste de Caffarellis division of Lannes corps which blocked the Austrian advance. After the arrival of two additional mounted divisions allowed the French to finish off the cavalry, Lannes moved forward against Prince Pyotr Bagrations Russian infantry. After engaging in a hard fight, Lannes forced the Russians to retreat from the battlefield. Completing the Triumph To complete the victory, Napoleon turned south where fighting was still raging around Telnitz and Sokolnitz. In an effort to drive the enemy from the field, he directed Saint-Hilaires division and part of Davouts corps to launch a two-pronged attack on Sokolnitz. Enveloping the Allied position, the assault crushed the defenders and forced them to retreat. As their lines began to collapse all along the front, Allied troops started to flee the field. In an attempt to slow the French pursuit General Michael von Kienmayer directed some of his cavalry to form a rearguard.  Mounting a desperate defense, they helped cover the Allied withdrawal. Aftermath One of Napoleons greatest victories, Austerlitz effectively ended the War of the Third Coalition. Two days later, with their territory overrun and their armies destroyed, Austria made peace through the Treaty of Pressburg. In addition to territorial concessions, the Austrians were required to pay a war indemnity of 40 million francs. The remains of the Russian army withdrew east, while Napoleons forces went into camp in southern Germany. Having taken much of Germany, Napoleon abolished the Holy Roman Empire and established the Confederation of the Rhine as a buffer state between France and Prussia. French losses at Austerlitz numbered 1,305 killed, 6,940 wounded, and 573 captured. Allied casualties were massive and included 15,000 killed and wounded, as well as 12,000 captured.

The Ransom of Atahualpa

The Ransom of Atahualpa On November 16, 1532, Atahualpa, Lord of the Inca Empire, agreed to meet with a handful of bedraggled foreigners who had intruded upon his realm. These foreigners were some 160 Spanish conquistadors under the command of Francisco Pizarro and they treacherously attacked and captured the young Inca Emperor. Atahualpa offered to bring his captors a fortune in ransom and he did so: the amount of treasure was staggering. The Spanish, nervous about reports of Inca generals in the area, executed Atahualpa anyway in 1533. Atahualpa and Pizarro Francisco Pizarro and his band of Spaniards had been exploring the western coast of South America for two years: they were following reports of a powerful, wealthy empire high in the frosty Andes Mountains. They moved inland and made their way to the town of Cajamarca in November of 1532. They were fortunate: Atahualpa, Emperor of the Inca was there. He had just defeated his brother Huscar in a civil war over who would rule the kingdom. When a band of 160 foreigners showed up on his doorstep, Atahualpa was not afraid: he was surrounded by an army of thousands of men, most of them war veterans, who were fiercely loyal to him. The Battle of Cajamarca The Spanish conquistadors were aware of Atahualpas massive army - just as they were aware of the massive quantities of gold and silver carried by Atahualpa and the Inca nobles. In Mexico, Hernn Cortes had found riches by capturing Aztec Emperor Montezuma: Pizarro decided to try the same tactic. He hid his cavalrymen and artillerymen around the square in Cajamarca. Pizarro sent Father Vicente de Valverde to meet the Inca: the friar showed the Inca a breviary. The Inca glanced through it and, unimpressed, threw it down. The Spanish used this supposed sacrilege as an excuse to attack. Suddenly the square was filled with heavily armed Spaniards on foot and horseback, massacring native nobility and warriors to the thunder of cannon fire. Atahualpa Captive Atahualpa was captured and thousands of his men were murdered. Among the dead were civilians, soldiers and important members of the Inca aristocracy. The Spanish, practically invulnerable in their heavy steel armor, did not suffer a single casualty. The horsemen proved particularly effective, running down terrified natives as they fled the carnage. Atahualpa was placed under heavy guard in the Temple of the Sun, where he finally met Pizarro. The Emperor was allowed to speak with some of his subjects, but every word was translated for the Spanish by a native interpreter. Atahualpa’s Ransom It didn’t take long for Atahualpa to realize that the Spanish were there for gold and silver: the Spanish had wasted no time in looting corpses and the temples of Cajamarca. Atahualpa was made to understand that he would be freed if he paid enough. He offered to fill a room with gold and then twice over with silver. The room was 22 feet long by 17 feet wide (6.7 meters by 5.17 meters) and the Emperor offered to fill it to a height of about 8 feet (2.45m). The Spanish were stunned and quickly accepted the offer, even instructing a notary to make it official. Atahualpa sent out word to bring gold and silver to Cajamarca and before long, native porters were bringing a fortune to the town from all corners of the empire and laying it at the feet of the invaders. The Empire in Turmoil Meanwhile, the Inca Empire was thrown into turmoil by the capture of their Emperor. To the Inca, the Emperor was semi-divine and no one dared risk an attack to rescue him. Atahualpa had recently defeated his brother, Huscar, in a civil war over the throne. Huascar was alive but captive: Atahualpa feared he would escape and rise again because Atahualpa was a prisoner, so he ordered Huascars death. Atahualpa had three massive armies in the field under his top generals: Quisquis, Chalcuchima and Rumià ±ahui. These generals were aware that Atahualpa had been captured and decided against an attack. Chalcuchima was eventually tricked and captured by Hernando Pizarro, whereas the other two generals would fight against the Spanish in the months that followed. The Death of Atahualpa In early 1533, rumors began flying around the Spanish camp about Rumià ±ahui, greatest of the Inca generals. None of the Spaniards knew exactly where Rumià ±ahui was and they greatly feared the massive army he led. According to the rumors, Rumià ±ahui had decided to free the Inca and was moving into position to attack. Pizarro sent out riders in every direction. These men found no sign of a large army, but still the rumors persisted. Panicked, the Spanish decided that Atahualpa had become a liability. They hastily tried him for treason – for allegedly telling Rumià ±ahui to rebel – and found him guilty. Atahualpa, last free Emperor of the Inca, was executed by garrote on July 26, 1533. The Inca’s Treasure Atahualpa had kept his promise and filled the room with gold and silver. The treasure brought to Cajamarca was staggering. Priceless works of art in gold, silver and ceramic were brought, along with tons of precious metals in jewelry and temple decorations. Greedy Spaniards smashed priceless objects to pieces so that the room would fill up more slowly. All of this treasure was melted down, forged into 22 karat gold and counted. Atahualpa’s ransom added up to over 13,000 pounds of gold and twice that much silver. After the â€Å"royal fifth† was taken out (the King of Spain imposed a 20% tax on conquest loot), this treasure was divided up among the original 160 men according to a complicated arrangement involving footmen, horsemen and officers. The lowliest of the soldiers received 45 pounds of gold and 90 pounds of silver: at today’s rate the gold alone is worth over a half million dollars. Francisco Pizarro received roughly 14 times the amount of a common soldie r, plus substantial â€Å"gifts† such as Atahualpa’s throne, which was made of 15 karat gold and weighed 183 pounds. The Lost Gold of Atahualpa Legend has it that the Spanish conquistadors did not get their greedy hands on all of Atahualpa’s ransom. Some people believe, based on somewhat sketchy historical documents, that a group of natives was on its way to Cajamarca with a load of Inca gold and silver for Atahualpa’s ransom when they received word that the Emperor had been murdered. The Inca general in charge of transporting the treasure decided to hide it and left it in an unmarked cave in the mountains. Supposedly it was found 50 years later by a Spaniard named Valverde, but then was lost again until an adventurer named Barth Blake found it in 1886: he later died suspiciously. No one has seen it since. Is there a lost Inca treasure in the Andes, the final installment of Atahualpa’s Ransom? Source    Hemming, John. The Conquest of the Inca London: Pan Books, 2004 (original 1970).

Activity Based Costing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Activity Based Costing - Essay Example Conventional costing methods have caused problems in their implementation in most companies. This is because of the constant change in technological advancement which requires the use of modern methods of costing. The use of the ABC system creates difficulties in the separation and allocation of some overhead costs on a product unit. For instance, the Chief Executive Officer’s salary does not provide the management with the appropriate reports on costs. The ABC method allocates business cost on a proportionate basis to products or based on assumptions (Lawrence, 2004). This makes inaccurate reports on costs to be generated to the management. Some of the traditional methods of costing ensure accuracy of information which can lead to a competitive advantage. ABC is a costly method as compared to the traditional methods, but it is the most efficient. In planning implementation of ABC method, it is important to identify key purposes of the information that the method will provide. A well designed ABC method can form the basis of improved budgeting and capacity of resource planning (Lawrence, 2004). Organizations need to understand their cost structures and have a cost management system that supports the understanding. Effective management of both ABC and the conventional methods may have greater profitability to the