Literature of Colonial America :: essays research papers

The writings of this period are accounts of European explorers, traders, and settlers describing their adventures. Various different things were going on in America at this time, and everyone’s aspect of how things happened is what the writings are about. In order to understand and engulf these pieces of literature, the reader needs to understand how people were living, and what was going on in America. The English- speaking man and the Indians had widely differing cultures that very much clashed and caused upsetting problems. There were also many different people settling in America with a different attitude on religion. Various different things contributed to the thoughts put into words, which make up the works of the Colonial Period literature. Columbus’s Letter Describing His First Voyage is an important piece of writing that is a part of history. It was Columbus’s voyage that had united Europe and America. He discovered so much territory that was unknown to the Europeans, and to have a written account of his journey is an amazing part of history. It is an informing piece of writing to read in order to understand the way Christopher Columbus is known to have discovered the Americas. The published works of Captain John Smith tells us the story of how Jamestown, Virginia was established. John Smith told about his encounters with the Virginia Indians, and also of himself being captured. That is where the myths of John Smith’s tale of Pocahontas came about. It may or may not be true, but maybe that is the fantasy that brings this writing to life. True or untrue, it is a long-lived legend that everyone will hear about during the course of his or her lifetime. To be able to read it allows someone to imagine in their own fantasy the things he is describing in words. It is an enjoyable writing to read, and I believe everyone should read it at least once. There are two women writers from the Colonial Period who have forever imprinted their names in the era of literature: Mary Rowlandson and Anne Bradstreet. Anne Bradstreet, to begin, was the first notable poet in American literature. Her works were published without her consent, and have been studied and critiqued ever since. In her poems she expresses her thoughts on the pleasures of God, life, and especially family. There are two poems of hers that I really enjoyed reading: To My Dear and Loving Husband and In Reference To Her Children.

The Eight Miracle Signs in John

The Eight Miracle Signs in John Jesus performed eight particular miracles in the Gospel of John that revealed His deity. These miracles are unique to study because they all serve towards showing us that Jesus is Divine. They also show different aspects of Jesus’ divinity. Seemingly these miracles were purposeful in their intent towards showing those present with Jesus, and millions that have followed, aspects of Jesus’ power and mission. These miracles serve as a witness to all of us of Jesus’ authority. They also provide comfort when we reflect on the fact that nature, spirit and life all are in His control and hand.Jesus turned the water into wine in John 2:1-11. This was the first visible manifestation of God in Christ. It is interesting that it happened at a wedding. Jesus shows that life with Him happens in our normal day to day activities. It was not performed in a temple or tabernacle, but rather among friends. It was Mary the mother of Jesus who encourage d the miracle to happen. This might show us that God uses our relationships to pull out of us the treasures God puts in us. This miracle shows us that Jesus has power over creation. He takes water and makes it wine. It obeys Him.The water itself is under the control of Christ. One can not help but reflect in the fact that Jesus was present in creation. [1] This miracle is reminiscent of the creation story. In the beginning God moved over the deep. He created out of water. Jesus now initiates His ministry with a miracle with water. The second sign miracle was the healing of the nobleman’s son in John 4:46-54. A man came and called out to Jesus while He was in Cana of Galilee. The man had a son that was sick. This man obviously loved His son. The nobleman asked Jesus to speak a word of healing.The nobleman had enough faith that he felt like a visit was unnecessary. This miracle proved Christ’s authority over space. Space did not limit Jesus. He has all power in heaven an d earth. As it was on that day, it is now. Christ reaches anywhere. The third sign miracle concerns the healing of a lame man in John 5:1-9. The lame man had been unable to pursue healing or help for years. Jesus came by on the Sabbath and asked if the man wanted to made whole. Jesus then told the man to rise and pick his bed up and walk. Under the healing authority of Jesus, the man did.The religious people were furious. The Sabbath had been violated by this lame man picking up his bed! This miracle might represent Jesus divine authority in a few way. Maybe it hints that Jesus is primary over religion and tradition. It definitely shows that Jesus has power over time. Christ knows when and what to do. God knows when to move. The fourth sign in the feeding of the five-thousand in John 6:1-14. A massive group traveled to hear Jesus speak. They walked just to hear Him. The problem is that there was no food for all of these people.The disciple Andrew found a young boy’s lunch and brought it to Jesus. Jesus blessed it and broke it and started to pass it out. Everyone ate. There were even leftovers. This miracle shows that Jesus has power to provide. Even in the food arena. Dr. Towns mentions that it shows that God uses what we give Him and does His work to provide. [2] God has all power and He can provide anything we need. This miracle speaks deeper to the events to come when Christ will be blessed, broken and then passed out to feed the souls of men. The fifth sign comes when Jesus walks on the water in John 6:15-21.There had been a wonderful day of miracles and words from Jesus, but now it is night and Christ has told His disciples to go to the other side of the lake by boat. Huge winds and waves came against the boat in the middle of the night. Jesus, however was walking on the water when the disciples spotted Him. Jesus calmed everything and took them immediately to the other side. This miracle shows God’s power of natural laws. The winds and stor ms obey His voice. The water held Jesus like a sidewalk holds us. All because He has all power. He also caused the entire ship to be transported to the other side.Jesus has all power over natural laws. The sixth miracle sign is the healing of the blind man in John 9:1-12. Jesus and the disciples were walking and passed a blind man. This man, the writer tells us, was blind from birth. In fact, there is some perplexing on behalf of the disciples on wether this is the man’s fault or his parent’s due to sin. Jesus makes clay and tells the man to wash his eyes and the man is healed. This miracle shows God’s power over physical laws. Jesus has all power over physical laws. He heals the blind man’s old eyes much like He made the first man’s eyes.Adam was made from the dust and now Christ makes this man’s eyes â€Å"new† by using dust, spit and authority with power. It shows Christ’s power then and now. The seventh sign miracle was Laz arus being raised from the dead in John 11:1-44. Lazarus was a friend and had been dead for four days. Jesus seemed to purposefully wait until the time of Lazarus’ death and burial. Many of Jesus friends are there. Mary and Martha have partial faith. One believes Jesus could have changed it if He had arrived earlier, and the other believes Jesus can perform it at the Resurrection.Jesus, however, shows that He has power now. All things are under His control. He shows them that He is able, presently, to perform what they wish He could have done in the past and hope He can do in the future. This miracle shows the power of Christ over death. He has power over death itself and the grave. This sign shows that Jesus has the power to give life as a gift. [3] The eighth sign miracle was the amazing catch of fish in John 21:1-11. After Jesus’ resurrection He visited the shore while the disciples were fishing. They had been having trouble all night and had not been able to catch anything.Jesus advised the disciples to try the other side of the boat. The result was a miraculous catch of fish. This miracle showed complete power. It showed that all of the other miracles were fulfilled and found in Jesus. This miracle showed that He was over all things. This is also the miracle that follows the resurrection of Jesus. This miracle was proof, then and now, that Jesus had risen with full power. He shows power over death and nature. He is truly the Son of God. All of these show that Christ has all power. He holds all things and all things are for Him.Jesus deity is proven by the resurrection, but these sign miracles reveal different aspects of His deity. Because of this He can identify with us and provide for us. When we trust in Him it is not our life but His life through us. [4] These precious truths and stories bolster our faith in Christ. Jesus has power over creation. We serve a God that calms storms with His voice. Sicknesses and diseases listen to His will. Time can not change Him or stop Him. Jesus is not limited by space. He can provide anything we need. And the final enemy death was overcome by our Savior. All things are His and we are in His hand.Bibliography John 1:3 Towns, Elmer. The Gospel of John: Believe and Live. (Ed. Mel and Ed Hindson Couch. Chattanooga: AMG Publishers), 2002. Morris, Leon. Jesus is the Christ. (Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company: Grand Rapids, 1989). 40 Towns, Elmer. Theology for Today. (Cengage Learning: 2008). 244 ———————– [1] John 1:3 [2] Towns, Elmer. The Gospel of John: Believe and Live. (Ed. Mel and Ed Hindson Couch. Chattanooga: AMG Publishers), 2002. [3] Morris, Leon. Jesus is the Christ. (Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company: Grand Rapids, 1989). 40 [4] Towns, Elmer. Theology for Today. (Cengage Learning: 2008). 244

Economic Effect of Tariffs Why Governments Impose Them

Tariffs—taxes or duties placed on an imported good by a domestic government—are usually levied as a percentage of the declared value of the good, similar to a sales tax. Unlike a sales tax, tariff rates are often different for every good and tariffs do not apply to domestically produced goods. Impact on the Economy Except in all but the rarest of instances, tariffs hurt the country that imposes them, as their costs outweigh their benefits. Tariffs are a boon to domestic producers who now face reduced competition in their home market. The reduced competition causes prices to rise. The sales of domestic producers should also rise, all else being equal. The increased production and price causes domestic producers to hire more workers which causes consumer spending to rise. The tariffs also increase government revenues that can be used to the benefit of the economy. There are costs to tariffs, however. Now the price of the good with the tariff has increased, the consumer is forced to either buy less of this good or less of some other good. The price increase can be thought of as a reduction in consumer income. Since consumers are purchasing less, domestic producers in other industries are selling less, causing a decline in the economy. Generally, the benefit caused by the increased domestic production in the tariff-protected industry plus the increased government revenues does not offset the losses the increased prices cause consumers and the costs of imposing and collecting the tariff. We havent even considered the possibility that other countries might put tariffs on our goods in retaliation, which we know would be costly to us. Even if they do not, the tariff is still costly to the economy. Adam Smiths The Wealth of Nations showed how international trade increases the wealth of an economy. Any mechanism designed to slow international trade will have the effect of reducing economic growth. For these reasons, economic theory teaches us that tariffs will be harmful to the country imposing them. Thats how it should work in theory. How does it work in practice? Empirical Evidence An essay on Free Trade at The Concise Encyclopedia of Economics looks at the issue of international trade policy. In the essay, Alan Blinder states that one study estimated that in 1984 U.S. consumers paid $42,000 annually for each textile job that was preserved by import quotas, a sum that greatly exceeded the average earnings of a textile worker. That same study estimated that restricting foreign imports cost $105,000 annually for each automobile workers job that was saved, $420,000 for each job in TV manufacturing, and $750,000 for every job saved in the steel industry.In the year 2000, President Bush raised tariffs on imported steel goods between 8 and 30 percent. The Mackinac Center for Public Policy cites a study which indicates that the tariff will reduce U.S. national income by between 0.5 to 1.4 billion dollars. The study estimates that less than 10,000 jobs in the steel industry will be saved by the measure at a cost of over $400,000 per job saved. For every job saved by th is measure, 8 will be lost.The cost of protecting these jobs is not unique to the steel industry or to the United States. The National Center For Policy Analysis estimates that in 1994 tariffs cost the U.S. economy 32.3 billion dollars or $170,000 for every job saved. Tariffs in Europe cost European consumers $70,000 per job saved while Japanese consumers lost $600,000 per job saved through Japanese tariffs. Study after study has shown that tariffs, whether they be one tariff or hundreds, are bad for the economy. If tariffs do not help the economy, why would a politician enact one? After all, politicians are reelected at a greater rate when the economy is doing well, so you would think it would be in their self-interest to prevent tariffs. Effects and Examples Recall that tariffs are not harmful to everyone, and they have a distributive effect. Some people and industries gain when the tariff is enacted and others lose. The way gains and losses are distributed is absolutely crucial in understanding why tariffs along with many other policies are enacted. To understand the logic behind the policies we need to understand The Logic of Collective Action. Take the example of tariffs placed on imported Canadian softwood lumber. Well suppose the measure saves 5,000 jobs, at the cost of $200,000 per job, or a cost of 1 billion dollars to the economy. This cost is distributed through the economy and represents just a few dollars to every person living in America. It is obvious to see that its not worth the time and effort for any American to educate himself about the issue, solicit donations for the cause and lobby Congress to gain a few dollars. However, the benefit to the American softwood lumber industry is quite large. The ten-thousand lumber workers will lobby Congress to protect their jobs along with the lumber companies that will gain hundreds of thousands of dollars by having the measure enacted. Since the people who gain from the measure have an incentive to lobby for the measure, while the people who lose have no incentive to spend the time and money to lobby against the issue, the tariff will be passed although it may, in total , have negative consequences for the economy. The gains from tariff policies are a lot more visible than the losses. You can see the sawmills which would be closed down if the industry is not protected by tariffs. You can meet the workers whose jobs will be lost if tariffs are not enacted by the government. Since the costs of the policies are distributed far and wide, you cannot put a face on the cost of poor economic policy. Although 8 workers might lose their job for every job saved by a softwood lumber tariff, you will never meet one of these workers, because it is impossible to pinpoint exactly which workers would have been able to keep their jobs if the tariff was not enacted. If a worker loses his job because the performance of the economy is poor, you cannot say if a reduction in lumber tariffs would have saved his job. The nightly news would never show a picture of a California farm worker and state that he lost his job because of tariffs designed to help the lumber industry in Maine. The link between the two is impossib le to see. The link between lumber workers and lumber tariffs is much more visible and thus will garner much more attention. The gains from a tariff are clearly visible but the costs are hidden, it will often appear that tariffs do not have a cost. By understanding this we can understand why so many government policies are enacted which harm the economy.