Female Circumcision Essays (1133 words) - , Term Papers

Female Circumcision Female circumcision, better known as Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), is an ugly monster finally rearing its head from out of the depths of time. It can attack a girl at any age, with a little prompting from her society, and the aid of an unsuspecting human wielding a knife. Usually, it is performed from a few days after birth to puberty, but in some regions, the torture can be put off until just before marriage or the seventh month of pregnancy (Samad, 52). Women that have gone beyond the primary level of education are much less likely to fall victim to the tradition ("Men's...", 34). The average victim is illiterate and living in a poverty-stricken community where people face hunger, bad health, over-working, and unclean water ("Female...", 1714). This, however, is not always the case. As one can see in the following story of Soraya Mire, social classes create no real barriers. Soraya Mire, a 13-year-old from Mogadishu, Somolia, never knew what would happen to her the day her mother called her out of her room to go buy her some gifts. When asked why, her mother replied, "I just want to show you how much I love you." As Soraya got into the car, she wondered where the armed guards were. Being the daughter of a Somolian general, she was always escorted by guards. Despite her mother's promise of gifts, they did not stop at a store, but at a doctor's home. "This is your special day," Soraya's mother said. "Now you are to become a woman, an important woman." She was ushered into the house and strapped down to an operating table. A local anesthetic was given but it barely blunted the pain as the doctor performed the circumcision. Soraya was sent home an hour later. Soraya broke from her culture's confining bonds at the age of 18 by running away from an abusive arranged marriage. -2- In Switzerland, she was put in a hospital emergency room with severe menstrual cramps because of the operation. Seven months later, the doctor performed reconstructive surgery on her. Now in the U.S., Soraya is a leading spokeswoman against FGM (Bell, 58). In addition to being active in the fight against FGM, she is an American filmmaker. She has come a long way. Being well educated about the facts of FGM also brings to light the ugly truth. "It is happening on American soil," insists Soraya. Mutilations are occurring every day among innigrants and refugees in the U.S. (Brownlee, 57). Immigrants have also brought the horrifying practice to Europe, Australia, and Canada (McCarthy, 14). Normally, it is practiced in North and Central Africa ("Men's...", 34), the Middle East, and Muslim populations of Indonesia and Malaysia ("Female...", 1714). Although it seems to have taken root in Muslim and African Christian religions, there is no Koranic or Biblical backing for FGM ("Men's...", 34). Many times female circumcision is treated as a religion in itself. It can be a sacred ritual meant to be kept secret forever. As a woman told poet Mariama Barrie, "You are about to enter Society {sic}, and you must never reveal the ritual that is about to take place." (Barrie, 54). The ritualistic version of FGM is much more barbaric than the sterile doctor's world that Soraya Mire passed through. Mariama Barrie had to endure the most severe form of FGM at the tender age of ten. Mariama's torture is known as infibulation. There is also excision and sunna. Infibulation consists of the removal of the entire clitoris, the whole of the labia minora and up to 2/3 of the labia majora. The sides of the vulva are sewn or held together by long thorns. A small opening the size of the tip of a matchstick is left for the -3- passage of menstrual blood and urine. Excision is a clitoridectomy and sometimes the removal of the labia minora; Sunna is the only type that can truthfully be called circumcision. It is a subtotal clitoridectomy ("Female...", 1714). To put this in perspective, infibulation would be like cutting off a man's penis completely, cutting the testicles to the groin, and making a hole in them to have the semen siphoned out (McCarthy, 14). But still, it can get worse. The instruments that can be used to perform the operation are usually crude and dirty. They can include kitchen knives, razor blades, scissors, broken glass, and in some regions, the teeth of the midwife. Because of this, there are many dangers threatening the victim. The most immediate danger is

The Grapes Of Wrath Essays - Dust Bowl, U.S. Route 66, Great Plains

The Grapes Of Wrath Essays - Dust Bowl, U.S. Route 66, Great Plains The Grapes of Wrath If you consider Ma Joad concrete then consider Pa limestone... The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck, shows a whole family and their struggles. The grapes of Wrath is modeled after a biblical reference to the Israelites, god?s chosen people. They also left their land, Egypt, and wandered into the desert for many years,searching in vain for a promised land, the land of milk and honey. A lot like the Israelites, many farmers in the middle of the country began migrating to California. The Joads I believe had no choice but to leave the dust bowl to find work. They also had to cross the desert and lost the life of Grandma Joad in the process. During the depression the Joads? farm was foreclosed. Them and all around them were driven from their land. The depression caused all to be extremely poor. If this hadn?t been the case the migrants would have all made it to the west coast a lot easier. The country set itself up during the depression in a way that caused only a vicious circle. The country was in a rut and held itself there. Steinbeck was trying to capture an average depression swept family. In this search he created the Joads. Banks began to foreclose on farms and people became homeless. The losses of everything they owned caused people to have no choice. The only way was to leave. They were driven from their land. A difficult struggle lied ahead for the people. They left with everything they owned. There was so little, they strapped it onto, usually to a rundown old pick-up truck. With Steinbeck trying to show the real life issues intermitanly introduced all the political aspects and outlooks of the depression. He would, in odd chapters, show the aspects that lay for everyone, not just the Joads. Stein beck often showed the prejudice and hatred for the migrants. Somewhere around the middle of the book an ?okie? family stops at a roadside 66 truck stop. They are hoping to buy some bread with the mere money they have rationed. The waitress is very bitter and tries to get rid of the man. She turns down his needs for a half a loaf of bread. her boss turns and reprimands her. The man is sold a small amount of bread for his money. The man turns to see his little boys gazing at the candy case. It eats at his stomach to know that he can?t afford to buy his boys candy. The man timidly asks if t! he candy is penny candy. The waitress replies no. The man aches. The waitress turns and states that it?s two for a penny. Smiling as they head down the road the waitress feels good about herself as the candies were a nickel a piece. The depression and all the migrant brought a lot of spite and anger. But in a few cases it also caused people to draw up a kinder side of the waitress Mae, was shown by Steinbeck. Probably the biggest act of kindness Steinbeck shows is in the end of the novel. The biggest symbols found by myself lead to the loss. Rose of Sharon Joad loses her baby before she delivers. Afterwards, as were very familiar with comes great flooding. This is where Steinbeck shows the coming generosity. Rose of Sharon breast feeds a starving stranger, saving a life. The effect on people because of the depression is shown by Steinbeck. He shows the kindness and the bitterness that came to our country. The effect comes from death and poverty just the same as any time period but the cause was much stronger- the depression.

CRJS300 U5IP Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

CRJS300 U5IP - Research Paper Example This case relates to the U.S juvenile justice system. There are legal provisions enshrined in our constitution’s rights in form of Miranda, warning (Nissen, 2007) which bestow some rights to juveniles during their arrest by articulating their rights and privileges. When a child is referred or arrested to the juvenile court system, various processes and procedures take place before the case is determined and heard before the juvenile court. As an attorney specialized in the matters of the juvenile court, I will ensure that I achieve the best possible outcome for Mrs. I’s teenager but by first letting, the due processes of law court take place. A police apprehends the minor: Juvenile court matters come to the courts system when a police officer apprehends a juvenile for violating a school official, guardian, parent, or statute. Given Mrs., I’s minor stole the car; I would recommend the officer to take the minor into custody to avoid mob justice. Intake: The juvenile court’s intake office determines whether further due process is necessary by evaluating the case to determine if there is sufficient evidence to continue with the case, the minor should be sent to a social service agency, or should the case be determined in the juvenile court system. Given the circumstances surrounding the case, evidence for prosecution of the minor is in the public domain, I would thus; recommend for a hearing in court. Detention: If there is insufficient evidence, gathered by the intake officer, the minor may be released to the guardian, parent or detained in a minor correctional center pending the court’s decision (Patterns and Trends in Juvenile Crime and Juvenile Justice, 2012). However, if the intake person finds the hearing of the case is not necessary, an arrangement can be organized to have minor assisted by mental health facilities, school counselors, or youth service agencies. Since the evidence to

Were the Puritans Puritanical (Carl Degler) Essay

Were the Puritans Puritanical (Carl Degler) - Essay Example believed it would anger God if one dressed differently to their station in life; it would be like lying to God to dress extravagantly when one was a member of a lower class. Many of the people who were in the upper-class of Puritans could and would wear gold, silver, and lace. Whilst this is true, most of the other restrictions on dress were to preserve the modesty of the wearer, although it was not as dull, plain and conservative as the stereotype. Women were expected to cover their head and most of their body. As previously mentioned, the Puritans placed a great value on the pure things in life, and part of this belief was an understanding of the Bible as more-or-less literal. In this case, they believed that man should not have too much fun, enjoyment or laughter in this life in case it hinder his ability to experience these things in the next, and sex was part of this. Sex was part of this, but it did not mean that sex was banned in society. The Puritans knew that people of both genders have sexual desires, and they also knew that these needed to be fulfilled. All the Puritans asked was that sexual intercourse be undertaken prayerfully with recognition that it is God that has bestowed these pleasures on them. However, it is worth noting that they did believe in having sex with respect and not enjoying it to excess. The central view of human nature in the Puritan faith is that it is prone to sin and this is an inescapable factor of life. Everything that comes from the body is sinful or disgusting. They believed that because of this tendency to sin, they must be controlled by a strong hand that helped them to curtail these sinful lusts and become more like God and live a purer life. The reason that they broke off from the English church is that they believed that this was corrupt, and they needed to escape this to try and counterbalance some of the things that human nature provoked. In life, the Puritans were expected to avoid sin as much as possible and

Historiography Paper II Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Historiography Paper II - Essay Example Following the end of World War Two, the US still faced a real threat from the USSR; this is where the foreign policy came in. Leading US politicians, statesmen and agencies designed a foreign policy that would cushion the country from negative ramifications brought about by its rapid rise as a global power. Specifically, the policy aimed at winning as many â€Å"friends† as possible and alienating hard-line anti-American nations. The Good Neighbor Policy, which the United States employed in its dealings with Latin American countries2. This policy was the embodiment of the objective of US policy at that time: to stem negative historical reactions to American interventions and promote cohesion between the United States and other countries. Over the course of global war, American policy went from benevolence (through grants and loans) and mild aggression to open intimidation and â€Å"bullying.† As it amassed more power, the US discarded the good neighbor approach in Latin America and engaged in explicit and blatant acts of aggression by sponsoring coups and armed rebellions in Latin American countries like Nicaragua, Panama, Chile, and Cuba. US policy went from maintaining world peace through peaceful interventions to sparking conflicts using armed interventions that embodi ed the â€Å"new† America3. Domestic influences had a significant influence on US international policy. Isolationist factions maintained that countries and regimes that openly and strongly opposed US policy should be maligned and marooned so that they would adhere to the ‘rules.† It is during this time that the United States started employing sanctions as a tool for exercising its military and economic influence4. It is safe to say that isolationist views were the architects of America’s high affinity for sanctions from the 1960s onwards. The international views held that America should embrace all countries regardless of their affiliations and ideologies. The

Definition Of The Four Factors Of Production Commerce Essay

Definition Of The Four Factors Of Production Commerce Essay Natural Resources sometimes called land consists of all the gifts of nature. This includes mineral deposits, water, arable land, vegetation, natural forests, marine resources, the atmosphere, sunshine and animal life. They are a fixed supply. If we want more of them, their availability cannot be increased. It is possible to exploit some of the resources, for example, minerals. Once the minerals are used, they cannot be replaced. Labour is defined as the exercise of human mental and physical effort in the production of goods and services, where humans are rewarded in the form of an income. The quality of labour is depends on the size of the population and the portion that is able and willing to work. The quality of labour, which is described by the skill, knowledge and health of the workers, is important. Capital is made up of manufactured resources, such as machines, tools and buildings which are used in the production of other goods and services. It is those tangible things that are used to produce other things. These resources do not have an unlimited life. Entrepreneurship is the availability of natural resources, labour and capital is not sufficient to ensure economic success. These factors of production have to be organised by people who see opportunity and are willing to take risks to producing the goods, believing that they will be sold. These people are called entrepreneurs. They are the driving force behind the production. They are the innovators, the initiators, who take initiative. They believe that their ideas will make a profit. 2.1 The Four Factors of Production in the Economy 2.1.1 Natural Resources To improve the use natural resources we can implement regulations to protect the natural resources like forests which will increase tourism; encourage farming to grow vegetables and fruit; the investment to improve the technology to mine minerals; and find ways to improve the usage of our natural resources. 2.1.2 Labour The labour regulations restrict entrepreneurship, enable government sponsor, enable employment, regulate minimum wage, maintain standards of working conditions, and ensure safety conditions. 2.1.3 Capital We can encourage foreign investment, investments in infrastructure to enhance production easier, for example road maintenance and encourage of loans for new businesses. 2.1.4 Entrepreneurship To encourage entrepreneurship the change can start in schools whereby economics can be introduced as part of the curriculum, encourage businesses to have open days for students to learn how the business works, develop and have tools that enhance entrepreneurship. 2.2 The Four Factors of Production in our Organisation 2.2.1 Natural Resources For the organisation, there are no natural resources that are used. 2.2.2 Labour Employing individuals who have the qualifications, the mental effort, knowledge and brain power, to fit the organisations culture and values will enhance the business. Training will empower and enhance the employees to do their job effectively. BankSeta assists in improving and up-skilling employees in the financial sector. It is important to taking care of the well-being of the employees for example, having a canteen for employees where the food is easily accessible and safe and time to go and buy lunch and to ensure employees get the relevant training so that they are efficient in their job. There are two types of physical energies in the organisation Sales and Admin. Sales bring in the business so the Admin can do their job. The organisation is reliant on clients for the business to grow. Admin run the day-to-day admin and they are dependant on the external energy. 2.2.3 Capital In the previous premises, the parking was not easily accessible, the building could not accommodate all the employees, there were not enough working stations and the technology was not up to standard. In the new building the technology and software have been upgraded. The organisation needs to ensure that the systems are suitable for the Banking sector. Suitable working stations are installed, which will enhance the well-being and working environment of the employees. The building and meeting rooms have been built to enhance the clientele and interaction with clients. The building projects the organisations values and culture. The organisations brand and reputation has been built on RMB and it continues to build its reputation through its client services. 2.2.4 Entrepreneurship The organisation encourages innovations. There is an innovations blog where employees can submit their ideas to management where all ideas are taking in consideration. The organisation is flat structured and open plan Managers are open to their employees and provide constant feedback. Employees are empowered and encouraged to take control of their own development. Employees live and believe in the organisations values and culture. The organisation is developing self sustaining systems. The organisation is current implementing the care and growth model which is focused on caring and growing the employees as individuals. 3. The South Africa Foreign Trade (Imports and Exports) In this section of the assignment, I refer to the Trade Report October 2009 submitted. The basic indicators section indicates the trade per capita which is the estimated trade of goods and services over the last three years based on the population. The GDP is measured in nominal terms and with market exchange rates. The trade-to-GDP ratio is the estimated trade of goods and services over the last three years based on the GDP. The real GDP are exports and import of goods and services of data at constant prices. The ranks in the world trade of merchandise and services are defined as members as individual traders and as one trader. In my opinion the percentage drop from 2007-2008 was from the Wall Street financial fall in 2008, which affected the percentage drop from 2007-2008 of exporting of goods and services. As we had the FICA and KYC regulations in place, this protected us. The percentage drop from 2007-2008 of importing of goods and services, in my opinion, reflected the fact that the importers were being cautious and they were concerned that the locals wouldnt ha ve the funds to buy goods and services. Consumer spending per household decreased. The merchandise trade is broken up into three sections Agricultural products, Fuels and mining product and Manufactures. In my opinion the percentage drop from 2007-2008 of merchandise exports was caused by the financial fall of Wall Street. The merchandise imports percentage from 2007-2008 stayed constant. For South Africa, I feel that we have not been as affected as much as other countries. The country felt the recession in 2009. Exporting and Importing of: Agriculture which consists of raw materials and foods such as vegetables, fruit, maize, sugar. In my opinion we export the best grade of our food and sell the rest to the locals. This increases the production of GDP and the economy. We should increase our export of agriculture. We import fewer foods and products into the country. Fuels and mining products which consists of other minerals, fuel and ores and non-ferrous metals. In my opinion we should not export that much. This should decrease. We should rather increase our skills and knowledge so that we can export the end product. This would increase our GDP and the economy. For example, gold: we export most of our raw gold and import the end product because we do not have the skills and knowledge to make the jewellery. The constant decrease and increase of fuel prices affects the economy and people spend. The percentage of imports, in my opinion, is acceptable as this keeps the balance of the economic production levels. Manufactures which refers to steel, iron, chemicals, other semi-manufactures, machinery, transport equipment, textiles, clothing and other consumer goods. In my opinion the percentage of exports should decrease as the country should use these materials to build the economy of the country. In building the status of our country, this would increase our economic growth. For example, building houses. The exporting keeps our foreign exchange inline with other countries. If the exporting decreases, the importing will decrease. In some instances, it is better to import the parts to be assembled locally than to import the end product. For example, in the Operations, Implementation Management and Sustainability, the lecturer gave an example of a company who saved on overall costs by importing the parts and assembling it locally instead of importing the end product. South Africa has very innovative people and we should start believing in what we have. When government or investors do not see th e potential of the innovative ideas, the innovators end up selling their ideas to other countries and end up importing the end product. We should spend more time in investing in these innovative ideas as this will increase our economic growth. Commercial Services Trade, which refers to construction, finance, computer, insurance, communication, cultural and recreational services, information, other businesses, royalties and other fees. In my opinion the percentage of exports and imports indicates that there is a lack of interest, interaction and investment in South Africa from other countries. Transportation in my opinion the percentage of exports is acceptable. The percentage of imports indicates that we lack the skills and knowledge to sustain our transportation. Travel the percentage of exports indicates that locals prefer to travel to other countries instead of our own. We should improve our tourism locally to encourage the locals and foreigners to explore South Africa. This country has so much to offer. Other commercial services in my opinion the percentage is acceptable. We are losing people who have the skills and knowledge in industries like medicine, engineering, technology and construction to other countries. We should be retaining these skills to build a better country. We should be investing in developing in our people, empowering them so that they have pride in themselves and are proud of their country, so they can make it a better place to live. 4. The Banking Sector, Organisation, Department and I The organisation forms part of the banking sector. The banking sector is linked to economic growth through enhancing the access to financial services, and increasing competitiveness of domestic financial markets both of which reduce the costs of financing. The basic role that the banking sector plays in the process of transferring savings to borrowers is risk sharing, providing liquidity, information and improving efficiency. If the financial markets are well developed, they improve the availability of funds to support borrowers and channel the funds to where the rates of returns are higher. Positive effects like this can increase the economic growth by larger capital accumulation with lower cost of financing and increased efficiency. But in some countries, the financial markets are not developed and market failures exist everywhere. By improving the access to financial services and the efficiency of financial go-between, which can reduce the cost of financing the banking sector, stimulates capital accumulation and economic growth. The role of money replaced the barter system. Each person could trade whatever he or she produced for one common thing. Money means a set of common prices can be established. Money is a medium of exchange between individuals and a way to distribute the ownership in society. It is generally accepted as payment for goods and services and repayment of debts. Money is used for everyday spending and saving for the future. Saving money for future use is to ensure that the values of the savings do not decrease but increase overtime by through investments and earning of interest. Money helps our economy to work more smoothly, it has three key roles: A medium of exchange A unit of account or a standard of value A store of value for future use The characteristics of money: Durable Not easily produced by people Relatively scarce Not too scarce Easily transported Divisible The organisation needs to ensure that their products are inline with their competitors and maintain the supply of money and borrowing from clients. The Learning Solutions (LS) Department is in the process of becoming a self-sustaining system. We are working well together and have the same focus and goals. At our yearly meeting, we discuss the past year what we have accomplished, what obstacles we came across, how we can improve, what changes we would like to see and what our focus and goals will be for the coming year. We had looked at the functions of the Human Resources (HR) department and determined that there were common areas and functions that the HR department had. The LS department was a closed system and had no interconnections with them. The HR department have three subsystems namely, People Development, Administration and New Recruits. The overlapping of work areas are the new recruits and the people development. Changes needed to be made. The changes that HR department made: Administration is an open and closed system, they have confidential information that should not be shared with other employees (salaries and medical aid) and the employees submit general administration / queries New Recruits is an open and closed system, they too have confidential information that should not be shared with other employees (agreements between the Bank and employee) and information about the new recruits will be shared with the LS department People Development is an open and closed system, they have a good relationship with all the managers and know where employee development is required and this information will be shared with the LS department The changes that the LS department made: Develop a open relationship with the New Recruits team Develop a open relationship with the People Development team In making these changes we are enabling the growth of knowledge and empowerment in the employees. The employees are enabled to be efficient at their job. In being efficient and knowledgeable, they will enhance the growth of our clients and their investments which will assist the growth of the economy. Each individual contributes to the economy. How can I contribute to the economy? I need to understand my financial status and increase my wealth. I need to determine what money I save and invest for the future and invest in my country. I need to sustain my knowledge and personal growth. I need to be aware of the countrys financial status. I need to balance my needs with the available resources. 5. Inflation Consumer Habits and Behaviour The definition of inflation is the rise in prices of goods and services in an economy over a period of time. When price levels rise, the unit of currency buys fewer goods and services. It is an erosion of the purchasing power of money. Inflation occurs when the price increase of goods and services are recorded over a period of time. The general price level is measured by the Consumer Price Index. As the price levels rise, the consumer habits and behaviour are affected. Consumer behaviour is the study of when, why, how and where people do or do not buy goods and services. It is about understanding the consumers buying decision-making process in an attempt to understand peoples wants. Habitual patterns of spending that consumers have over a period of time are the best thing that can happen to a brand. For this to happen there are two conditions that need to satisfy the consumer the brand in question must fall into a product category that elicits a low level of involvement from the consumer when considering purchasing the product and the consumer becomes a satisfied customer when buying the product the brand should deliver on what was promised. For the brand to be a part of the consumers habit, the critical requirement is the delivery of value on the first purchase. Inflation occurs when the demand for goods and services increase and the supply remains unchanged or the increase of cost of production which pushes up the price level. How does this affect the consumer? It is dependant on the affordability of the consumer. For example, in the beginning of the year 2008 I bought 6 chocolate muffins at Woolworths for R10.99. In 2009, the costs had increased to R24.99 for the same product. Due to the price increase, I no longer buy the chocolate muffins. 6. Microeconomics and Macroeconomics Microeconomics is the study of how household and organisations make decision to allocate limited resources. It examines the behaviour affect of the supply and demand of the goods and services which determines the prices which in turn determine the supply and demand of the goods and services. Macroeconomics deals with the performance, structure and behaviour of the entire world. It looks at indicators such as GDP, unemployment rates, price indexes to understand the whole economy functions. If the micro and macro economical performance was sustainably improved, the changes to the consumer behaviour would be: For Micro: Our environment would be more stable There would be overall well-being and enjoyment in individuals, less stress Depending on the individuals mindset, there would be more investment and spending The wealth of individuals would grow Decrease in crime Decrease in immigration of individuals Increase of skilled individuals Downfall is that there would be overspending and more debt For Macro: The economy would be more liquid There would be a growth in external investors The country would be more productive and innovative Increase of tourism Increase of entrepreneurship and resources Increase of the well being of the country Decrease of poverty 7. Conclusion Each one of us on an individual level has an affect on the economy, which affects the organisation, which affects the country. If the organisation wants to grow they need to have good leadership skills and delivery of goods and services. In my opinion the improvement of the economy starts with oneself. I have a good understanding of my own finances and how I can increase my wealth. I have realised that I need to improve my understanding of my organisation and how it affects the economy of the country. I need to improve my understanding of the economy of the country.

The American Civil War Essay -- History Historical Civil War Essays

The American Civil War In May of 1861 five states in the upper south United States seceded from the Union and joined the seven states already seceded and created the Confederate States of America. This was the beginning of the Civil War; it was the Union against the Confederates. Many People believed that the war would be over quickly they thought it was more of an uprising then a full on war. Nobody expected it to last four years and take so many lives. The Civil War was a serious test for the new democracy of the United States, it tested the strength of the government and all of the people involved. This would be a defining moment for the United States.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One of the reasons for the south secession was the fact that the north was going to abolish slavery and the south still strongly believed in slavery. It was a very strong part of there work force, most of the income was from agriculture and the slaves worked the fields for the farmers. Then in early 1863 Lincoln passd the Emacipation Proclamation this stated that all slaves in the south were free and were welcome in the north. The north hope this would bring African American workers north and they would fight the war with the north. Another leading cause of the war was the election of president Lincoln he won the election but did not get a single electoral vote from the south. Lincoln was a strong abolishionist and he thought that if slavery was going to stay it should not be allowed in any new states joining the union. This angered the south and they felt that they had not been fairly represented in the election. This fueled many in the south to question if they should stay with the north. There were many important battles in the war but the first was the first battle at Bull Run. The Union sent a group of volunteer soldiers and they were not ready to fight them lacking training and they were disorderly on the battlefield. The confederate?s army was better prepared for the battle and they had a constant flow of troops coming in so they forced the Union soldiers to retreat. There were nearly 5,000 casualties, this showed that this was going to be long and drawn out. Many civilians came out to watch this battle because they thought that it would be a good form of entertainment, they soon learned that this was not true and that this war would be a bloody one. The Union also learned that th... ... was on of the most important points in American history is proved that our government was strong and here to stay. Through out the entire war congress and the other branches continued to function with out problems. They showed that even under dire circumstances like war in your back yard the American people can be strong. Many people today still honor the soldiers who lost there lives by holding civil war reninactments and the sites of famous battles. The largest one is when they reninact Gettysburg they do it every summer and include more then 3,000 people. When the Union won the war it proved a point, it showed that a sound government and solid leadership is best. The entire time the American people stood behind President Lincoln and General Grant. The confederates didn?t have a full government established and they had problems getting descions made and problems solved quickly. America is now a stronger nation because of this war with its self. Works Cited: ?Civil War? www.civilwar.com Online Google 14 Jan. 2005. ?Civil War? www.civil-war.net Online Google 14 Jan. 2005. Keith D. Dickinson ?The Civil War for Dummies.? New York: For Dummies press. March 2001