Pacific Northwest History Essay Example for Free

Pacific Northwest History Essay This paper will present, and ultimately prove that the Pacific Northwest of the United States has undergone economic, racial, environmental, and political changes due to events such as World War II, the emigration of people from the Midwestern U. S. , etc. The Pacific Northwest of the United States has for generations been a land that provided the substances that the rest of the country needed in order to survive and thrive. From the times of the earliest explorers to the region, throughout the 1800s, the economy of this region relied on the production of raw materials and natural products, such as lumber, produce, fresh fish, and the like, leading experts on the area to refer to the Northwest as â€Å"the hinterland† of the U. S. (Schwantes). This economic model changed drastically with the outbreak of World War II, which led to the Northwest becoming a center of aircraft production, shipbuilding, and other industries related to the war effort, but different from the traditional products that came from the region. Forces at work in the Region to Cause or Fuel a Changing Economy Having the luxury of viewing the history of the Pacific Northwest in retrospect over the past century or so, speaking in general terms, there were several major forces at work which ultimately caused, or fueled a changing economy. While these forces are explained in greater detail in subsequent sections of this paper, they warrant identification and a brief explanation at this point to set the stage for the research that follows. In no particular order, the forces that facilitated the changing economy of the Pacific Northwest are as follows: ENVIRONMENTAL- The eventual industrial development of the Northwest changed the environment, depleting many natural resources, such as the timber, precious metals, and fish that helped the people of the Northwest to provide for them and export these natural products worldwide. However, once these resources were exhausted, the region was forced to turn to manufacturing of durable goods to sustain themselves, such as the many products the region turned out in support of the campaigns of World War II. ETHNIC- Events that transpired during the World War II area changed the racial composition of the Pacific Northwest, with its effects being felt even today. To be more specific, when the United States was forced into World War II as a result of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the fighting was focused mostly on the Pacific Ocean area, which made the Northwest highly important logistically for the American troops, and launched a massive war industry, including aircrafts, ships, and soldier supplies. What this industrialization did for the region was to draw people from the rural areas to live in cities, making the region more urban than rural, and likewise attracting minorities from other parts of the nation, changing the ethnic composition of the region as a whole. Additionally, the movement of Americans from the â€Å"dustbowl† of the Midwest to the lush and fertile lands of the Northwest brought new cultures, traditions and hard working people to the region. POLITICAL- Because of the move of many people from a rural to an urban environment, and the increased presence of minorities and the Americans who came from the Midwest, the attitudes and value systems of the region changed, as reflected in voting patterns and political attitudes which now focused on urban issues such as poverty, crime, and social programs, whereas the previous rural way of life focused more on environmental concerns and the like. ECONOMIC- The proliferation of industry in the Pacific Northwest, beginning in the era of World War II, changed the economy from a natural/agricultural one to a largely industrial one. These changes were not all generated from within; rather, they often took place as a result of forces beyond the Northwest. Those forces are identified and discussed in the next portion of the research.

Unique Design of the Vietnam War Memorial Essay -- American America Hi

Unique Design of the Vietnam War Memorial At the age of twenty one, a female undergraduate at Yale University named Maya Lin submitted her design for the Vietnam Memorial. Her idea for the memorial was extremely unique and controversial. After long discussions by a panel, it was chosen for construction. The design that she submitted was one that was very different in comparison to other memorials, and it was one that has a tendency to leave a lot of questions on the minds of the visitors. On the face of the memorial there is a list of all those who died or are missing in the order by which they were lost. It could seem to some one who did not understand the incident that the monument honors only those lost, but that is incorrect. Maya Lin ¹s design formed into the most unique memorial structure of its kind, which honors all who served in the Vietnam War (Colliers 23: 137). The official name given to the monument was the Vietnam Veterans memorial. In this name alone it is clear that it was not erected for the sole purpose of honoring only those who were lost in the conflict. The term KIA was the abbreviation used for those people who were killed in action, and these people represent 47,000 of the 58,000 names on the wall. The other 11,000 were soldiers who died from crashes, snake bites, illnesses, and other non-combat related deaths (Olson 227). There is no distinction made between the two groups on the monument. The structure is a v-shaped polished granite slab that unlike other monuments has no message of honor or patriotism. All of those subjects are left to the thoughts of the beholder. People often find therapy in locating the name of a companion or a loved one. The Vietnam Veterans Memori... ... NAMES OF THOSE WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES AND OF THOSE WHO REMAIN MISSING ARE INSCRIBED IN THE ORDER THEY WERE TAKEN FROM US ². The Vietnam Veterans Memorial is also unique in the sense that is honors all who fought, as most monuments honor only those who died. From this one could imply that the veterans were not sufficiently honored by the people of America. (Colliers 139-140) It is clear that the erection of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial was a wonderful addition to the Washington Mall of monuments. There is some disagreement as to the exact meaning of the monument, but that is because in was designed for that very purpose. Maya Lin was quoted to say that she wanted a  ³quiet place, meant for personal reflection and private reckoning ² (Colliers 139) That was exactly what she gave to the country in her unique interpretation of what the monument should be.

Is the Crucible a Dystopia?

In Arthur Miller’s playwright, The Crucible, the reader is exposed to different examples of what could be considered a dystopian society. A dystopia is a society characterized by human misery and unhappiness. The characteristics of a dystopian society in com/the-crucible-by-arthur-miller/">The Crucible include religious control and this playwright contains a dystopian protagonist.Throughout The Crucible, the townspeople in Salem, Massachusetts are living in a theocratic government. A theocratic government is a government subject to religious authority. In Miller’s playwright the court is often affiliated with the church, therefore the characters can be prosecuted if they are thought to be associated with the Devil. Reverend John Hale believes that â€Å"the Devil is precise† and that â€Å"the marks of his presence are definite as stone.† This statement shows the paranoia of the townspeople and how they thought any wrong doing or any unanswered act was the work of the Devil.The Crucible shares characterization tropes with the dystopia genre such as a dystopian protagonist. John Proctor is a classic Arthur Miller hero, a man who struggles with the incompatibility of his actions with his self-image. He is a member of the Salem society who constantly feels trapped by the sin he has committed. Proctor also believes that the church of Salem is corrupt in the way they trial someone to committing witchcraft. When Reverend Hale comes to question Proctor, Proctor tells him that the accusations are complete nonsense and Hale fires back by stating that all the people he has questioned have confessed to witchcraft.Proctor then questions Reverend Hale by asking â€Å"why not, if they must hang for denyin’ it? There are them that will swear to anything before they’ll hang; have you never thought of that?† Reverend Hale gives Proctor his assurance that he has thought of that before but he has a hard time believing that someone would lie in the name of God. Throughout the story John Proctor does his best to bring the truth upfront in the court of Salem, however, in the end he is not believed.Moreover, The Crucible isn’t considered to be a dystopia. The play does share some characteristics of a dystopia but it does not fit the requirement of taking place in the future. The way Arthur Miller frames 1692 Salem,  Massachusetts as a dystopia is by showing the reader that the townspeople are living under a theocratic government where the only answer to questionable events is witchcraft. Not only can religious oppression and â€Å"naming names† lead to a dystopia-like environment in this play, but the fact that the citizens live in fear of being persecuted also leads to a dystopian society. For this is the true point of The Crucible; to show the reader of the dystopian characteristics this play comprises of and that not only the future can be interpreted as a dystopia but that the people of the pa st, and even the present, can be living in a dystopian society.

Community Hazard Analysis Free Essay Example, 2000 words

Hazard Mitigation The basic purpose of hazard mitigation plan is to minimize community vulnerability to the natural hazards. The plan focuses on the natural hazard to the extent to which it poses a threat to a community. Generally a hazard mitigation plan comprises of four components (Godschalk, Beatley, Berke, Brower, & Kaiser, 1999): 1. Assessment of natural hazards 2. Vulnerability analysis of natural hazards 3. Strategy for minimizing vulnerability 4. Monitoring and evaluation of the plan 1. Hazard Assessment for Durham County, North Carolina The hazard assessment process involves the identification of the hazards that the community faces and analysis of magnitude, impact and likelihood of its occurrence in the community area. Thus it entails the assessment of: (1) type of hazard, (2) frequency and strength of hazard, (3) probability of occurrence, (4) impact on community (North Carolina Divison of Emergency Management). The hazard assessment of Durham County, North Carolina includes: Hazard Identification The identified natural hazards that pose threat to Durham County, North Carolina include (Schell, 2006): 1. Thunderstorms The most common natural hazard throughout North Carolina is thunderstorms. According to the reports of National Climatic Data Center it has been reported that between years 1950-2011 there were about 124 thunderstorms in the region out of which 92 hail and about 7 lightning events were reported for the Durham County. 2.We will write a custom essay sample on Community Hazard Analysis or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/pageorder now Flooding In the past a few areas of Durham County have been impacted by floods. However according to the reports of the National Climatic data Centre the statistics show that the Durham County and its Municipality have been impacted by nearly 36 floods in the years 1950-2011. 3. Severe Winter Storm Severe winter storms can pose devastating weather conditions in terms of heavy snow, freezing rain, blizzards, extreme cold and ice pellets. In the Durham county and its municipality it has been reported that 42 snow and ice events occurred from year 1950-2011. 4. Hurricanes North Carolina is frequently impacted by hurricanes and has experienced the fourth largest hurricane in the 20th century. As it’s positioned along Atlantic Ocean and at the edge of the Gulf Stream thus the frequency of impact is more. Similarly the occurrence rate for Durham County is similar due to its geographic location thus making it vulnerable to the hurricanes. 5. Tornadoes The occurrence of tornadoes in the North Carolina is reported throughout the year where majority of tornadoes occurring in the spring.