The Gold Rush of California :: The California Gold Rush

In the United States, there would be a new overhaul to its identity. By 1848, businesses would eventually see a new and prosperous way to make money. The U.S. also began to see a few cultures begin to spark and the attitudes of people would change, especially their views about taking risks. This overhaul is known as the Gold Rush of California. The Gold Rush made an impact on American society through diversity and people.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The traditional beginning of the Gold Rush was the story of James Marshall. Marshall was instructed by John Sutter, a business man, to find an area to build a sawmill. Marshall, traveled with a few workers, it took him a while to find the right spot because: "nothing but a mule could climb the hills; and when I would find a spot where the hills were not steep, there was no timber to be had" (Holliday 56). Marshall had finally found an area where he could build a sawmill, and managed to get his team through the steep hills of California. One morning he came upon an area of the camp to check the status of the camp. When he was observing the water flow, he noticed something really shiny. Marshall picked up the gold pieces, assuming that this was a fluke, but as the day grew older, he found a few more pieces of gold. Then there was that famous quote that people tend to still say today: "Boys, by God I believe I have found a gold mine. (Holliday 58)†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This story was taken in to account as the first story to hit the globe about gold being found in California. Actually, there is another story. This one is about a Mexican, who found gold in the hills of California, long before news had spread about gold being found by James Marshall. His name was Francisco Lopez. He was traveling in the San Fernando Valley, in 1842, during the time California was still a territory. Lopez was taking a rest, when he found a few pieces of gold, as he continued to dig, he found more gold. Ironically enough, the gold mines that Lopez had discovered were in the south of California towards Los Angeles and the gold that was found by Marshall was in the north towards present-day San Francisco. Also the mines that were used to dig up the gold found by Lopez were rarely used during the great Gold Rush in the north, despite a rush The Gold Rush of California :: The California Gold Rush In the United States, there would be a new overhaul to its identity. By 1848, businesses would eventually see a new and prosperous way to make money. The U.S. also began to see a few cultures begin to spark and the attitudes of people would change, especially their views about taking risks. This overhaul is known as the Gold Rush of California. The Gold Rush made an impact on American society through diversity and people.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The traditional beginning of the Gold Rush was the story of James Marshall. Marshall was instructed by John Sutter, a business man, to find an area to build a sawmill. Marshall, traveled with a few workers, it took him a while to find the right spot because: "nothing but a mule could climb the hills; and when I would find a spot where the hills were not steep, there was no timber to be had" (Holliday 56). Marshall had finally found an area where he could build a sawmill, and managed to get his team through the steep hills of California. One morning he came upon an area of the camp to check the status of the camp. When he was observing the water flow, he noticed something really shiny. Marshall picked up the gold pieces, assuming that this was a fluke, but as the day grew older, he found a few more pieces of gold. Then there was that famous quote that people tend to still say today: "Boys, by God I believe I have found a gold mine. (Holliday 58)†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This story was taken in to account as the first story to hit the globe about gold being found in California. Actually, there is another story. This one is about a Mexican, who found gold in the hills of California, long before news had spread about gold being found by James Marshall. His name was Francisco Lopez. He was traveling in the San Fernando Valley, in 1842, during the time California was still a territory. Lopez was taking a rest, when he found a few pieces of gold, as he continued to dig, he found more gold. Ironically enough, the gold mines that Lopez had discovered were in the south of California towards Los Angeles and the gold that was found by Marshall was in the north towards present-day San Francisco. Also the mines that were used to dig up the gold found by Lopez were rarely used during the great Gold Rush in the north, despite a rush

Toni Morrison’s Beloved

Throughout Toni Morrison’s novel Beloved, there are many obvious themes and symbols. The story deals with slavery and the effects that the horrifying treatment of the slaves has on a community. Another major theme, apparent throughout the story, is the supernatural. The notion of haunting is very evident since the characters are not only haunted by Beloved at 124, but are also haunted by their past. The story of Beloved is not only about freeing oneself of a ghost, but also about releasing one’s hold on what happened in the past. Sethe is the most severely haunted throughout the book, both by her past and by Beloved. Her past haunts her with what happened to her and what she did. She was beaten so badly that her back has a permanent blossoming scar, one that she calls â€Å"A chokecherry tree. Trunk, branches, and even leaves. Tiny little chokecherry leaves. But that was eighteen years ago. Could have cherries too now for all I know† (pg 16). The great significance of the scar on her back is that it is just one more thing she cannot see, but knows it is always there, similar to her past. Also, the line â€Å"Could have cherries too now for all I know† shows that she understands how she is not only stuck with her past, but that it is growing and affecting her in many different ways. The story revolves around the haunting of 124. Beloved's presence is apparent to Sethe, Baby Suggs and Denver, and they live with it for some time. It is not until the day that Paul D steps into the house that things change. He wastes little time in antagonizing the spirit to leave. God damn it! Hush up! †¦ Leave the place alone! Get the Hell out! † (18). The spirit leaves, much to Paul D's delight. This may have occurred because Paul D is not only a figure from Sethe's past, but is also the first man to enter 124. Beloved is able to play off of Sethe's own haunting, that of her past, to get what she wants. Sethe's judgment was blurred as she focused primarily on the daughter she had murdered years ago. Beloved made ridiculous demands. Anything she wanted she got, and whe n Sethe ran out of things to give her, Beloved invented desire† (pg 240). Sethe wound up quitting her job, completely neglecting Denver, and completely neglecting herself as she dwindled away. Beloved, and her past, drained Sethe with their constant nagging. There is also significance to the word choices of the characters when talking of the past. It is clear they will never forget their past and what had happened to them. So rather than forget, they â€Å"disremember. † They push it to he back of their mind where they won't think about it, but it is always there, waiting for them to â€Å"rememory† it. This shows how they will always be haunted by their past. Through the addition of a supernatural dimension in Beloved, Morrison pushes the limits of usual interpretation. The characters settle into believing the supernatural is normal. To them ghosts and premonitions is a way to understand the world around them and through this, Morrison is able to draw a comparis on to one’s past and a troublesome ghost. ? Toni Morrison’s Beloved In Toni Morrison's Beloved, Denver is introduced to us as somewhat of a simple child, unnaturally reliant on her mother and unusually immature for a girl of eighteen years. Nevertheless, as the novel progresses, she undergoes a great amount of learning and personal growth. However, Denver's procurement of knowledge is not attained through her experiences with formal education at Lady Jones' school, rather, Denver learns through life's challenges. It is Denver's eventual entrance into the world of knowledge and maturity that saves Sethe's life and rids 124 of Beloved's vengeful spirit. Denver's initial experiences with the conventional education of Lady Jones' school are very positive. She finds herself intrigued by learning and looks forward to the two hours she spends every afternoon with Lady Jones. However, Denver extracts more from schooling than just book knowledge. She begins to realize that she can be independent from Sethe and looks forward to school because she does everything â€Å"on her own and [she] was pleased and surprised by the pleasure and surprise it created in her mother and her brothers† (102). This newfound learning is something that Denver can cherish as her own, thus acting as the impetus of Denver's self-confidence. However, Denver's love for learning does not last long. Although in the beginning, â€Å"she was so happy she didn't even know she was being avoided by her classmates,† (102) her oblivion does not last forever. Denver finds out the truth about Sethe's murderous past, and, as Morrison writes, â€Å"she never went back† (102). Her conventional education is swiftly and effectively squelched. Instead of trying to overcome this severe loss in her life, Denver reacts to it by drawing back from the world around her. She is not mature enough to face her troubles and instead she walks â€Å"in a silence too solid for penetration† (103), thus extending her loss of an education to a loss of contact with the outside world. Denver's obvious failure to conquer her adversities in life show us that her conventional schooling has failed to educate her in the ways of the world. Even though it appears that Denver's education will never progress past the elementary level she reaches in Lady Jones' school, she eventually does experience a great amount of growth after the arrival of Beloved. When Beloved first enters 124, Denver is nothing short of obsessed with her. She craves Beloved's attention and companionship and childishly seeks out her approval. But as the novel progresses, â€Å"the job she started out with, protecting Beloved from Sethe, changed to protecting her mother from Beloved† (243). Denver, with the newfound responsibility of acting as the caretaker of 124 and Sethe, rises to the occasion. â€Å"Denver knew it was on her. She would have to leave the yard; step off the edge of the world† (243). Morrison's use of the phrase â€Å"off the edge of the world† tells us that Denver's actions are monumental for her. She â€Å"served them both. Washing, cooking, forcing, cajoling her mother to eat a little now and then, providing sweet things for Beloved as often as she could to calm her down† (250). Denver's acceptance of her responsibilities signifies an unprecedented amount of growth. She is educated through her experiences, rather than through traditional learning. It is Denver's search for her internal strength that leads to the eventual exorcism of Beloved and the restoration of Sethe's psyche. She is able to overcome the challenges life throws her way and succeeds in saving her life as well as her mother's. Denver's education is unattainable from traditional learning. She thrives in the face of adversity, showing us that she learns best from experience rather than study. Although it takes the actions of a malicious spirit to awaken Denver to her responsibilities in life, her pivotal growth signifies the great power in learning through experience. Denver's unconventional education proves to be much more worthy than her traditional education, especially for the life that she must lead. The stark difference between Denver's original self and the woman she becomes as she emerges in Beloved as the savior of both Sethe and 124 shows us just how truly and deeply one can be altered by learning.

Battle of Thermopylae in the Persian Wars

The Battle of Thermopylae is believed to have been fought in August 480 BC, during the Persian Wars (499 BC-449 BC). Having been turned back at Marathon in 490 BC, Persian forces returned to Greece ten years later to avenge their defeat and conquer the peninsula. Responding, an alliance of Greek city-states, led by Athens and Sparta, assembled a fleet and an army to oppose the invaders. While the former engaged the Persians at Artemisium, the latter assumed a defensive position at the narrow Pass of Thermopylae. At Thermopylae, the Greeks blocked the pass and beat back Persian assaults for two days. On the third, the Persians were able to flank the Greek position after being a shown a mountain path by a Trachinian traitor named Ephialtes. While the bulk of the Greek army retreated, a force of 300 Spartans led by Leonidas I as well as 400 Thebans and 700 Thespians remained to cover the withdrawal. Attacked by the Persians, the Spartans and Thespians famously fought to the death. Advancing south after their victory, the Persians captured Athens before being defeated at Salamis that September. Background Having been turned back by the Greeks in 490 BC at the Battle of Marathon, the Persians elected to begin preparing a larger expedition to subjugate Greece. Initially planned by Emperor Darius I, the mission fell to his son Xerxes when he died in 486. Intended as a full-scale invasion, the task of assembling the necessary troops and supplies consumed several years. Marching from Asia Minor, Xerxes intended to bridge the Hellespont and advance on Greece through Thrace. The army was to be supported by a large fleet which would move along the coast. As a previous Persian fleet had been wrecked off Mount Athos, Xerxes intended to build a canal across the mountains isthmus. Learning of Persian intentions, the Greek city-states began making preparations for war. Though possessing a weak army, Athens commenced building a large fleet of triremes under the guidance of Themistocles. In 481, Xerxes demanded tribute from the Greeks in an effort to avoid war. This was refused and the Greeks met that fall to form an alliance of the city-states under the leadership of Athens and Sparta. United, this congress would have the power to dispatch troops to defend the region. Greek Plans With war nearing, the Greek congress met again in the spring of 480. In the discussions, the Thessalians recommended establishing a defensive position at the Vale of Tempe to block the Persians advance. This was vetoed after Alexander I of Macedon informed the group that the position could be flanked through the Sarantoporo Pass. Receiving news that Xerxes had crossed the Hellespont, a second strategy was put forward by Themistocles which called for making at stand at the pass of Thermopylae. A narrow passage, with a cliff on one side and the sea on the other, the pass was the gateway to southern Greece. Battle of Thermopylae Conflict: Persian Wars (499-449 BC)Dates: 480 BCArmies Commanders:PersiansXerxesMardoniusapprox. 70,000GreeksLeonidas IDemophilusThemistoclesapprox. 5,200-11,200 menCasualties:Greeks: approx. 4,000 (Herodotus)Persians: approx. 20,000 (Herodotus) The Greeks Move This approach was agreed to as it would negate the Persians overwhelming numerical superiority and the Greek fleet could provide support in the Straits of Artemisium. In August, word reached the Greeks that the Persian army was nearing. The timing proved problematic for the Spartans as it coincided with the feast of Carneia and the Olympic truce. Though the de facto leaders of the alliance, the Spartans were prohibited from engaging in military activity during these celebrations. Meeting, the leaders of Sparta decided that the situation was significantly urgent to dispatch troops under one of their kings, Leonidas. Moving north with 300 men from the royal guard, Leonidas gathered additional troops en route to Thermopylae. Arriving, he elected to establish a position at the middle gate where the pass was the narrowest and the Phocians had previously built a wall. Alerted that a mountain trail existed that could flank the position, Leonidas dispatched 1,000 Phocians to guard it. In mid-August, the Persian army was sighted across the Malian Gulf. Sending an emissary to negotiate with the Greeks, Xerxes offered freedom and better land in return for their obedience (Map). Fighting at the Pass Refusing this offer, the Greeks were then ordered to lay down their weapons. To this Leonidas reputedly replied, Come and get them. This reply made battle inevitable, though Xerxes took no action for four days. The constricted topography of Thermopylae was ideal for a defensive stand by the armored Greek hoplites as they could not be flanked and the more lightly armed Persians would be forced into a frontal assault. On the morning of the fifth day, Xerxes sent troops against Leonidas position with the goal of capturing the Allied army. Approaching, they had little choice but to attack the Greeks. Fighting in a tight phalanx in front of the Phocian wall, the Greeks inflicted massive losses on the attackers. As the Persians kept coming, Leonidas rotated units through the front to prevent fatigue. With the failure of the first assaults, Xerxes ordered an attack by his elite Immortals later in the day. Surging forward, they fared no better and were unable to move the Greeks. The next day, believing that the Greeks had been significantly weakened by their exertions, Xerxes attacked again. As on the first day, these efforts were turned back with heavy casualties. A Traitor Turns the Tide As a the second day was coming to a close, a Trachinian traitor named Ephialtes arrived in Xerxes camp and informed the Persian leader about the mountain trail around the pass. Taking advantage of this information, Xerxes ordered Hydarnes to take a large force, including the Immortals, on a flanking march over the trail. At daybreak on the third day, the Phocians guarding the path were stunned to see the advancing Persians. Attempting to make a stand, they formed on a nearby hill but were bypassed by Hydarnes. Alerted to the betrayal by a Phocian runner, Leonidas called a council of war. While most favored an immediate retreat, Leonidas decided to stay at the pass with his 300 Spartans. They were joined by 400 Thebans and 700 Thespians, while the remainder of the army fell back. While there are many theories regarding Leonidas choice, including the idea that Spartans never retreated, it was most likely a strategic decision as a rearguard was necessary to prevent the Persian cavalry from running down the retreating army. As the morning progressed, Xerxes began another frontal assault on the pass. Pushing forward, the Greeks met this attack at a wider point in the pass with the goal of inflicting maximum losses on the enemy. Fighting to the last, the battle saw Leonidas killed and the two sides struggle for his body. Increasingly overwhelmed, the surviving Greeks fell back behind the wall and made a last stand on a small hill. While the Thebans ultimately surrendered, the other Greeks fought to the death. With the elimination of Leonidas remaining force, the Persians claimed the pass and opened the road into southern Greece. Aftermath Casualties for the Battle of Thermopylae are not known with any certainty, but may have been as high as 20,000 for the Persians and around 2,000-4,000 for the Greeks. With the defeat on land, the Greek fleet withdrew south after the Battle of Artemisium. As the Persians advanced south, capturing Athens, the remaining Greek troops began fortifying the Isthmus of Corinth with the fleet in support. In September, Themistocles succeeded in winning a critical naval victory at the Battle of Salamis which forced the bulk of Persian troops to withdraw back to Asia. The invasion was brought to an end the following year after the Greek victory at the Battle of Plataea. One of the most famous battles of this time period, the story of Thermopylae has been recounted in numerous books and films through the years.