Sexual Health Information In Education Health And Social Care Essay

To discourse the modern-day positions in public wellness issues, like sexual wellness, by looking the argument sing the McKeown thesis from a critical angle, To critically analyze the â€Å" National scheme for sexual wellness and HIV † paper, which was published in 2001, by the Department of Health of the UK authorities, To measure the study of the â€Å" National scheme of sexual wellness and HIV programme † in the United Kingdom.Sexual wellness and public wellnessHarmonizing to â€Å" Choosing Health † , the national wellness scheme of the UK, â€Å" wellness and instruction go hand-in-hand † ( p.55 ) and I could non hold more. The term â€Å" sexual wellness † refers to a formatted, based on cognition, attitude and personal belief about sex, sexual individuality and sexual relationships. If the individual achieves this, he/she will be able to do picks that will be safe for his/her wellness. In add-on, instruction ‘s intent is to do the pupils become witting of their accomplishments, involvements and demands and to supply them with all the indispensable cognition that will fix them and assist them throughout the class of their lives. It is noted in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of the Child that sex instruction is a right to immature people. Sexual a ctivity instruction is the chief manner kids and immature people learn to protect themselves from maltreatment, unplanned and unwanted gestations, sexually transmitted diseases and HIV/AIDS. â€Å" Sexually familial infections, by their nature, affect persons, who are portion of partnerships and larger sexual webs, and in bend populations † ( Low N. , Broutet N. , Adu-Sarkodie Y. , Barton P. , Hossain M. , Hawkes S. , 2006, page 1 ) . Sexual wellness, as a public wellness issue, is still considered a tabu by a big proportion of the populace and it ‘s my personal belief that some faiths struggle to keep this position. It is besides thought to be one of the chief sectors in wellness, where inequalities thrive. Bettering sexual wellness is presently being given considerable accent in authorities policy ( Thurston M. , Alexander D. , 2006 ) . It hence becomes apparent that sexual wellness is a really important issue in public wellness and its handling demands careful consideration and forceful cognition. The lessons from past errors and public wellness history are of great significance.The McKeown thesis and modern-day public wellnessOne of the most problematic topics for public wellness practicians, epidemiologists and human ecology experts is the McKeown thesis. The doctor and demographic historian Thomas McKeown published, in 1955, an article discoursing the evidences of population augmentation in eighteenth century. That article is considered a landmark for public wellness practicians and research workers. Though his purpose was to deflate the claims made by the advocates of curative medical specialty ( Harris, 2002 ) , McKeown ‘s work gave rise to a twine of arguments and farther research in a broad scope of topics comparative to public wellness. Additionally, by exhaustively analysing the existent grounds that cause mortality rates to worsen, we can analyze closely what causes populations to turn either healthy or ailing. Consequently, decisions can be drawn sing modern-day wellness policies, concerns and precedences. In his research, McKeown observed assorted facets which referred to the population growing and concluded that dramatic decreases in mortality over the past 2 centuries were due to improved socioeconomic conditions instead than to medical or public wellness intercessions. He pointed out significantly the upgrading of nutrition, as a factor of great importance for the diminution of mortality. The controversial thesis drew attending from the scientific community chiefly for negative belittling. The chief unfavorable judgments of McKeown ‘s thesis are expressed by those who believe that a great part of his decisions were biased. He is considered to hold ignored a serious figure of factors, like alterations in the virulency of infective beings, betterments in personal and domestic hygiene, medical intercession and the good effects of the healthful revolution of the 2nd half of the nineteenth century ( Harris, 2002 ) . McKeown ‘s thesis is besides believed to be oppugning the effectivity of inoculation and quarantine ( Colgrove J, 2002 ) . Alternatively, he overplayed the betterment in overall criterions of life, giving peculiar accent on diet and nutritionary position, as a consequence of improved economic conditions ( Colgrove J, 2002 ) . In her commentary on the McKeown argument, Emily Grundy ( 2004 ) profiles in a point description the grounds that the thesis received this unfavorable judgment. These five points can be summed up to the followers: backward extrapolation, overemphasis on the function of TB and therefore exaggerating the function of switching life criterions and nutrition, unrecognised medical intercessions, ambiguity sing the preciseness of the increasing criterions of life in the 18th-19th century and the association between nutrition and hazard of decease from the prevalent infective diseases and in the terminal self-partiality on the function of medical specialty and the best deployment of resources in McKeown ‘s clip ( Grundy, 2004 ) . In add-on to this sentiment, Szreter ( 2002 ) criticizes McKeown for non stressing the societal doctrine and practical political relations as a portion of the public wellness motion in the nineteenth century. Szreter besides sits opposite McKeown ‘s thesis that public wellness is non placed in a societal intercession context. Szreter ‘s thesis besides suggests that McKeown had about casual and surely biased sentiments, which resulted in the practical dismantling of the public wellness sector the last 2 decennaries of the twentieth century. Furthermore, he suggests that McKeown â€Å" had allowed his a priori premises about the limited value of medical intercession and the demand for societal reform to predetermine his analytic classs, therefore biasing his reading of grounds † ( Colgrove, 2002, page 728 ) . As the McKeown thesis was under fire for its unidimensional attack, a worthy figure of following researches gave a holistic attack on what affected life anticipation in Britain since the eighteenth century as reported in Harris ‘ research ( 2002 ) . The consequences were of great importance and value for the public wellness community. The inoculation and vaccination led to crisp decrease in the incidence of smallpox mortality, as suggested by Razzell and Mercer ( cited in Harris B. , 2002 ) . Besides, harmonizing to Dobson ‘s research ( cited in Harris B. , 2002 ) the draining of fens in Essex, Kent and Sussex helped the decline of malaria deceases. Furthermore, Jones and Falkus and Porter and Landers ( cited in Harris B. , 2002 ) pointed out a scope of ecological sweetenings in southern England and in London. Additionally, Daunton ‘s research proposal ( cited in Harris B. , 2002 ) was that the debut of wallpaper and linoleum in propertyless places was a positive interpolation on the decrease of TB. Furthermore, Cronje ( cited in Harris B. , 2002 ) suggested there was important indicant that the betterment of lodging ( new edifices, decrease of inordinate overcrowding, increased authorities ordinance ) resulted in better sanitation and H2O supply. As sanely Harris ( 2002 ) points out, all the above mentioned factors should be included along with nutrition, which needs to be regarded as one of a battery of factors, frequently interacting, which played a cardinal function in Britain ‘s mortality passage. Harris ‘ poised and composed sentiment meets my ideas on the topic. Nutrition is one of the factors, non the chief, non the least, but one of them surely. Furthermore, as Grundy E. , 2004, points out McKeown ‘s overemphasis on the function of TB is misdirecting. Contemporary public wellness has to confront a series of challenges, all of them important sing the population ‘s wellness, globally and locally. One of these challenges is sexually familial diseases, including HIV/AIDS. Unfortunately, sexually transmitted diseases have come to be really common worldwide and statistics are let downing. Chlamydia is diagnosed in younger ages than a few old ages ago and HIV can infect immature people at an increased rate ( Health Canada, Laboratory Centre for Disease Control, 1999, p.1 ) . At a conference in London in 2008, as Helen MacDonald studies for BMJ, Gareth Thomas ( Development curate of the UK ) said that â€Å" the world is that the spread of HIV is set to gyrate o ut of control unless we act now. Five people are infected with HIV every minute † . Furthermore, Khumalo Nonkosi ( South African AIDS militant and president of the Treatment Action Campaign ) noted that certain societal factors discourage people utilizing preventative methods in sexual intercourse and that where literacy and instruction are in low degrees, the apprehension of HIV, safe sex pattern and behavioral alterations towards sexual wellness are hard ( MacDonald H. , 2008 ) . Sexually transmitted diseases and HIV/AIDS, as a public wellness issue, concerns developed and developing states, all age groups, all races, both genders. Unfortunately, some sexually transmitted diseases can take to tragic consequences, for illustration chlamydia can do sterility if left untreated, and HIV/AIDS remains to day of the month a chronic unwellness, taking 1000000s to decease and no intervention has been found yet. Having said these, taking into consideration the lessons derived from McKeown ‘s argument, I strongly believe that if a public wellness practician focuses on the job of sexually transmitted diseases demands to look at the topic spherically. It is indispensable to avoid opinionated, prejudiced and hence biased methods and positions on the topic. In modern-day public wellness the McKeown ‘s argument can be utile as an illustration to avoid whilst carry oning a research. Being as less biased as possible surely gets valuable accurate consequences, which can be utilized in the development of a strategic program or a run and sets the research safely off from narrow minded patterns. At the same clip, being able to analyze a public wellness issue with a clear position can offer simple and effectual solutions and it can besides play a critical function in the public wellness experts ‘ prioritisation. Furthermore, McKeown presented deceptively the improved life criterions as the ground of mortality diminution in the eighteenth century in the United Kingdom, giving a cause to other scientists to look into farther and conclude that human action was the chief overall ground for the alteration of the wellness position in the peculiar period. I consider this to be one of the most of import parts of the McKeown argument, for the ground that it can be used in modern-day public wellness issues as a taking principle. If human action and engagement is absent, sing sexually transmitted diseases, there is non much we can make to forestall and undertake this public wellness issue. The World Health Organisation published in 2008 its concluding study on societal determiners of wellness. The study includes a chart ( see below, chart 1 ) that identifies the factors that contribute in a individual ‘s wellness province. Some of the factors reported in the chart are instruction, unemployment, s ingle life style factors, cultural and environmental conditions. It can be clearly observed that human action and engagement are identified as factors which determine the individual ‘s wellness. Chart 1: Social determiners of wellness ( W.H.O. , 2008 ) As a concluding point, harmonizing to Simon Szreter ( 2002, page 722 ) â€Å" the field of public wellness is a expansive societal intercession † . In my sentiment, this intercession can be expansive merely if it is non biased, societal if it is organized in the community for the community and intercession merely if it is based on true and earnest scientific discipline.â€Å" The National Strategy of sexual wellness and HIV programme †Having exhaustively examined McKeown ‘s thesis and the argument on it, I plan to measure the â€Å" National scheme of sexual wellness and HIV † programme, giving peculiar consideration on the facet of sexual wellness information and its publicity. The programme was published in July 2001 by the Department of Health in the United Kingdom. As it is declared in the paper â€Å" if the scheme succeeds it will hold contributed to cut downing wellness inequalities † ( page 4 ) .DescriptionThe â€Å" National Strategy of sex ual wellness and HIV programme † was the really first national scheme of England. It has been described as proposition of â€Å" a comprehensive and holistic theoretical account for covering with an increasing public wellness job † ( Adler W.M. , French P. , McNab A. , Smith C. , Wellsteed S. , 2002, page 83 ) . It is believed that England is confronting a sexual wellness crisis ( Power L. , 2004 ) . Harmonizing to the paper, England has one of the lowest rates of HIV in Western Europe. However, when this intercession was conducted ( 2001 ) , the prevalence was lifting quickly, about duplicating its rate. The figures taken from the Health Protection Agency show that in 2001, the informations sing work forces show that 3,123 new instances of HIV were diagnosed. In 2007 4,887 new instances were diagnosed. As for the AIDS patients, there was no important difference between the two figures. Harmonizing to the statistics, in the period between 1999 and 2002, HIV rates ascended by about 20 % every twelvemonth. Furthermore, a 3rd of HIV-positive individuals were incognizant of their wellness status ( Power L. , 2004 ) . As Power L. , 2004, suggests â€Å" sexually familial infections are at their highest degrees since records began. The state has the worst sexual wellness in western Europe † ( page 108 ) . The intercession sets as a mark to cut down HIV infections by a one-fourth in six old ages. Clearly the mark was non achieved. The intercession relies a batch on the providing of information, instead than advancing wellness seeking behavior. Information about sexual wellness has undistinguished effectivity without integrating in instruction. Education is the lone manner to undertake inequalities, because it ‘s the lone manner for everyone to have all the necessities. Technology, for illustration, has greater handiness in higher societal categories. I believe that this is the chief defect of this intercession and I will lucubrate my sentiment below.Deductions of societal inequalityThe determiners of wellness and wellness inequalities are multifaceted and wellness attention can non sometimes command them. I will show a brief image of the state of affairs in the UK, taking to show via statistics and present informations the societal inequality which is a important job in the subdivision of sexual wellness. Deductions of societal inequality are clearly seeable in the statistics, since specific groups are at greater hazard. Statisticss suggest that there are important groups that are high hazard for HIV transmittal. African communities have been overly affected. A systematic spread of HIV and gonorrhea among the male homosexual community is besides observed ( Dodds P.J. , Nardone A. , Mercey E.D. , Johnson M.A. , 2000 ) . Injecting drug misusers hold a notable rate of infection. Additionally, Blanc AK. , 2001, suggests that adult females are in greater danger to be infected on history of power inequalities based on gender. As the World Health Organisation describes the state of affairs â€Å" a married adult female contracts HIV because social criterions promote her hubby ‘s promiscuousness while at the same time forestalling her from take a firm standing on rubber usage † ( hypertext transfer protocol: //www.who.int/entity/gender/en ) . What ‘s more, â€Å" public and political attending on HIV has focused chiefly on the demonisation of peculiar groups, such as refuge searchers and other immigrant communities, and the usage of this stigmatised issue to fuel frights and biass about in-migration † ( Power L. , 2004, page 108 ) . In the survey of Simkhada, P. , new wave Teijlingen, E. , Yakubu, B. , Mandava, L. , Bhattacharya, S. , Eboh, W. , Pitchforth, E. , 2005, for the NHS of Scotland, there is strong grounds that intercessions aimed at bettering sexual wellness in immature people from BME communities have non been studied really good in the UK. It is besides noted that information based intercessions were less effectual than skill based programmes and that holding a theoretical footing seemed to lend positively to the intercession ‘s effectivity. Taking a expression at other states ‘ scheme, the USA can be a utile illustration, sing their policy to undertake deductions of societal inequality in sexual wellness publicity. Numerous runs are taking topographic point in the USA, in an effort to make all people, from all backgrounds and all life styles and raise consciousness and concern. The groups identified as marks are: Cheery African Americans, black churches and church members, African American young person and households, American Indians, Alaska natives, native Hawaiian communities, Asiatic and Pacific Islander communities, HIV negative homosexual work forces, HIV positive people, political leaders, Latinos and Latinos under 25, adult females, young person, cheery work forces, overseas telegram and telecommunications industry and general populace ( information obtained from hypertext transfer protocol: //www.cdcnpin.org/scripts/campaign/index.asp ) . All these runs aim to specific groups, in add-on to the general pop ulace. This can guarantee that the message can make all people, no exclusions. This is a point that I believe the â€Å" National Strategy of sexual wellness and HIV programme † should hold taken into careful consideration. BBC reported that Professor Sir Michael Marmot, president of the Scientific Reference Group of Health Inequalities, in an interview on BBC Radio 4 ‘s Today programme in 2005 said that in order to cover with wellness inequalities efficaciously the authorities needs to concentrate on â€Å" the fortunes in which people live and work and the ways we raise our kids, the criterions of instruction † . BBC besides cited wellness inequalities expert, Professor Danny Dorling ‘s words, that the authorities â€Å" without undertaking wealth inequalities, which are widening, it is non traveling to be able to undertake wellness inequalities † . It is evident that intercessions which set as their mark to undertake wellness inequalities must concentrate closely in social facets, like instruction and socioeconomic position. These informations seem to be ignored from the policy in reappraisal, in malice of the mention on page 55 of â€Å" Choosing Health † .Theoretical and ideological justification of intercessionsSearching for a definition for â€Å" intercessions † on the cyberspace, I came across the definition that the NHS gives. It suggests that intercessions are types of activity that aid to cut down people ‘s hazard of developing a disease or status or aid to advance or keep a wellness life style. It is safe to state to that intercession can be an active step to cut down the prevalence of HIV, to advance sexual wellness wonts and to develop a wellness seeking behavior. The NHS web site gives illustrations of intercessions, such as the providing of advice, services and support. However, this is more likely a apparent definition. From a more political and ideological point of position, intercession is a planned scheme that has to function a set of ends, which is assessed in proportion to the political orientation followed by the authorities. Furthermore, on page 7 of the National scheme it is reported that England has low HIV prevalence rates, compared to some Western European states. This point is used as an alibi for the rise in freshly diagnosed infections and in the same paragraph it is noted that it is of great importance to move quickly via â€Å" wellness publicity, needle exchange strategies and other injury minimization enterprises, testing of blood and clinical intercessions, the handiness of open-access GUM clinics and careful surveillance and analysis of tendencies † ( page 7 ) . I agree with all these steps ; nevertheless I believe that instruction should besides be mentioned and included actively in any intercession and policy for sexual wellness. The NHS is clearly driven by a set of beliefs: free market economic sciences, competition as a mechanism for bettering quality and patient pick ( Gillies AC, 2003 ) . Given that these are the beliefs followed by the NHS, it is no admiration that the sexual wellness publicity relies, falsely in my sentiment, at a broad extent to personal pick. Gillies A.C. , ( 2003 ) gives a touchable position on the topic proposing that â€Å" the world of wellness attention is that it represents a monolithic figure of single interactions between people, that people respond to as persons. Whilst it may be necessary for determination shapers to look at things from the macro degree, losing sight of the micro degree will ensue in bad determinations † . An interesting thought of intercession can be found in Rose ( 1992 ) , who suggests that we are all responsible for all. When it comes to intercessions sing sexual wellness publicity, Low N. et Al, 2006, illustrate that intercessions in sexual wellness issues should hold the undermentioned degrees: The single degree ( the patient ‘s symptoms are managed with antibiotics and his/her spouse gets intervention every bit good ) The degree of partnership ( prenatal pox testing benefits the female parent and her babe ) The degree of populations ( inoculation of all adolescent misss against Human Papilloma Virus might halt them developing cervical malignant neoplastic disease, geting virus from, or conveying it to, a new sexual spouse and finally cut down transmittal of carcinogenic virus strains in the population ) Structural, legal and policy intercessions ( Torahs against favoritism, programmes taking to cut down gender-based inequalities, policies to better instruction ) . Low N. et Al, 2006, besides propose that â€Å" an intermediate degree of intercession that recognises the importance of mother-child or sexual partnerships, and therefore webs † ( page 3 ) should be regarded indispensable.Influence of different socio-political and economic contexts where the intercession operatesThe intercession sagely points out that it needs to better outreach services for people with undiagnosed HIV peculiarly in targeted groups. This is a step pointed directly to cut down wellness inequalities sing the entree of medical attention in specific groups. The intercession involves aggregate media via runs of enlightening character. As celebrated above, this is an elliptic point of the intercession, as the literature suggests that intercessions sing sexual wellness should be skill based. However, it is positively noted that the intercession ‘s run information are grounds based ( Yzer, 2000 ) . The intercession suggests the following groups as peculiarly vulnerable and/or in the demand of peculiar entree demands: immature people, and particularly those in, or go forthing attention ; black and minority cultural groups ; homosexual and bisexual work forces ; shooting drug misusers ; grownups and kids populating with HIV and other people affected by HIV ; sex workers ; and captives and people in young person piquing constitutions. It excludes people with disablements without supplying grounds to back up this determination. It besides targets adult females of certain civilizations as in demand to go cognizant of the dangers carried in female venereal mutilation. Inexplicably, the intercession does non mention to male Circumcision, though medical grounds support that it can be unsafe for the male ‘s wellness ( Men ‘s Health Forum ) . The scheme identifies as common barriers the stigma, favoritism, poorness and societal exclusion, linguistic communication, entree jobs, low consciousness and concerns about confidentiality. It does non place as a common barrier the deficiency of instruction and related accomplishments development. When discoursing and be aftering the publicity of sexual wellness it is critical to considerate the possible influence of different socio-political and economic contexts where the intercession operates. Sexual activity is a topic of delicate nature. Even nowadays it is considered as a tabu subject, even for treatment. What the intercession failed to look at was that sexual wellness and its publicity is non easy and it can non be done by supplying cusps to the people. School environment, spiritual beliefs and of class the parents are non even mentioned as a path of acquiring through the message to the kids and adolescents. The intercession merely relies on the each-time judgement of every school to supply the manner and the sum of information it considers appropriate to the pupils. In add-on to that, people with experience on sexually transmitted diseases and HIV are non brought in to give their positions and personal narratives and the intercession does non give the indispensable gui delines and the critical information that pupils must acquire. Even so, information is non by itself Panacea. Children and adolescents must develop accomplishments and wonts towards wellness seeking behavior. Several surveies support this enterprise. Health publicity messages can be more successfully communicated and understood by the mark audience â€Å" when representatives of the affected groups are actively involved in run design and airing ( Pickett J. , Lesondak L. , Gratzer B. , Anderson L.L. , 2006 ) . Peer-education programmes besides proved to be effectual, chiefly because immature people officially began to learn their equals how to utilize linguistic communication and accomplishments associated with the discourse on hazardous sexual behavior ( Shoveller A.J. , Johnson J.L. , 2006 ) . Furthermore the intervention of patients at their first visit can be helpful in avoiding loss to follow-up and it can show a alone chance for â€Å" instruction, advice on sexual behavior, publicity or proviso of rubbers, and spouse presentment † ( Low N. , Broutet N. , Adu-Sarkodie Y. , Barton P. , Hossain M. , Hawkes S. , 2006, page 5 ) . Another survey showed that â€Å" educational attempts can hold a positive consequence on cut downing unsafe sexual and even drug usage patterns. This determination provides justification for larger school-based undertakings † ( Brown L.K. , Fritz G.K. , 1988, page 311 ) . The same survey besides suggests that â€Å" loosely based intercessions, in which the instruction is integrated into a assortment of state of affairss and repeated in multiple signifiers, are more likely to alter sexual behavior than brief, encapsulated presentations † and that â€Å" parental engagement with the AIDS course of study may increase its effectivity † ( ibid ) . The survey of Thomas P.R. , Davis J.S. , Du P. , Coles F.B. , 2006, investigated the perceptual experiences sing sexual wellness and its publicity of a big community sing high morbidity due to sexually familial diseases. The statement â€Å" at that place needs to be more unfastened treatment in our community about the hazards and job of sexually transmitted diseases † received the higher rate in importance degree. However, the perceptual experiences proposing that â€Å" most people know plenty about how to protect themselves against sexually transmitted diseases † and â€Å" merely individual single people need instruction about sexually transmitted diseases † received a high rate as good. 53 % of the participants expressed credence of sexual wellness publicity by the usage of hoardings, whilst 96 % believe that it is acceptable to back sexual wellness in high schools. The intercession fails to place another job ; that parents are disinclined for their kids to have information about sex and sexual wellness because of the domination of the stereotype that states â€Å" if you promote sexual wellness, you besides promote sex † . My personal sentiment is that the challenge the NHS had to face was to alter this stereotype into â€Å" advancing sexual wellness, promotes wellness † , but alternatively avoided any effectual return of extremist steps. Though the debut and presentation of the intercession appears effectual, but at the terminal of the twenty-four hours, alternatively of aiming the positive results on the population ‘s wellness position, it measures figures and statistics and merely marks Numberss. Consequently, one can state that the intercession has no frontward planning in head, but merely the tax write-off of the statistic figures, even temporarily.DecisionThe intercession is, in my personal sentiment and opinion, unaw are of indispensable foundations of wellness publicity and bar. It does non exhaustively analyze the tracts and the picks of an effectual intercession and merely follows already tested but already failed steps. In decision, Gillies AC. ( 2003 ) states that a good health care system would supply you with entree to care when you need it. A better system would forestall you from holding that demand if possible by maintaining you healthy. I believe that this should be the very foundation on which the NHS and the wellness systems as a whole must follow, particularly sing issues so complex and multifaceted as sexually transmitted diseases and HIV/AIDS.â€Å" The national scheme for sexual wellness and HIV † paperAt this portion of the undertaking I will show a critical analysis of â€Å" The national scheme for sexual wellness and HIV † paper, which was foremost published in 2001 by the Department of Health of the UK authorities. The reappraisal will be an appraising description of the paper, taking to place the strengths and failings of the paper and its effects on national and international, if existing, public wellness policies.Critical reappraisalAs stated in the preface of the paper, written by Yvette Cooper, England has one of the lowest rates of HIV in Western Europe. This is believed to be a consequence of a controlling direction of the HIV menace every bit shortly as it emerged, along with policies promoting and actuating contraceptive method, attending to GUM clinics and needle exchange. However, patients of HIV are increasing, and so are incidences of Sexually Transmitted Infections and unplanned gestations. To be more specific, the UK retains the highest adolescent birth rate in Western Europe. This paper, published in 2001, is the first of all time national scheme for sexual wellness and HIV in the whole of UK. These two facts ca n't be but correlated. The UK authorities decided to carry on a completed targeted scheme, nearing the topic spherically ( or at least seeking to make so ) about decennaries after the HIV, STIs and unplanned/teen gestations were an run-of-the-mill developed universe phenomenon, merely alerted by the lifting prevalence of STIs and HIV. Subsequently this scheme is certainly non preventative. As stated in the paper, the scheme aims to modernize sexual wellness and HIV services in the UK. The purposes of the scheme are summarized in five points and can be abstracted in two parts: the decrease and the betterment. The decrease of the transmitta l of HIV and STIs, the prevalence of undiagnosed HIV and STIs instances, the unintended gestation rates and eventually the stigma associated with HIV and STIs. The betterment concerns the wellness and societal attention for people populating with HIV. This follows to proposals related with the providing of information, effectual local bar, the development of managed webs for HIV and sexual wellness services and a figure of other targeted steps. Nonetheless, an attack on a public wellness affair based on marks is non ever an option, non an easy and non a wise one either. As Hunter and Fairfield ( 1997 ) point out sagely marks possess many possible booby traps which can confuse the unwary. Puting marks is comparatively easy but their execution may be well more hard, peculiarly if a naA?ve theoretical account of the policy procedure as rational and additive is adopted. Those responsible for puting marks need to give equal attending to the execution procedure and guarantee that the need ed accomplishments and resources are in topographic point to let the marks to stand a opportunity of success. A positive point of the paper is that it perceives sexual wellness as an of import portion of physical and mental wellness. This means that the scheme aims to follow a holistic attack on the affair, which is the lone manner to confront the jobs and deductions efficaciously and in long footings in the public wellness field and particularly the sexual wellness field. It besides ascertains that sexual wellness jobs have grown in recent old ages but fails to place the grounds for this. Harmonizing to Simkhada et Al. ( 2005 ) , the increasing prevalence of STIs is due to biological, societal and psychological factors, with the chief factor being the hapless wellness seeking behavior. It is ill-defined throughout the paper if the scheme has taken in head the lessons of the yesteryear. It is besides quoted in the paper that if the scheme succeeds it will hold contributed to cut downing wellness inequalities. Traveling through the proposals of the scheme, I could nail few steps that have straight way to the wellness inequalities, most of them general and unoriginal. The paper fails to stress on the demand to drop generic attacks. Information demand to be promoted in different ways, depending on the mark audience. In order to alter adolescent sexual life style and behaviour a multidisciplinary attack, utilizing policy authorizations, direct intercession, media, function modeling and societal support is indispensable. In add-on, â€Å" consistent, uninterrupted messages through multiple channels ( school, place, community and media ) and by multiple agents ( parents, equals, and wellness and instruction professionals ) need to be provided † ( Allensworth D.D. , Symons C.W. , 1989, page 59 ) . In add-on to that, the paper compares the UK with other Western Europe states that have similar jobs sing the sexual wellness issue in a manner that appears to be warranting the authorities actions. It merely refers to states with similar or worse statistics than England and remains soundless about other states that have managed to construct bar schemes. A good illustration of successful HIV bar plan is Germany ( Rosenbrock R, 2007 ) . When it comes to the designation of the inequalities in sexual wellness, the paper points out that adult females, cheery work forces, adolescents, immature grownups and black and minority groups are on the less favorable place. It ‘s a constructive portion of the paper that it states the obvious correlativity between sexual ailment wellness, poorness and societal exclusion and the fluctuation of the quality of the proviso of sexual wellness services ( including the scope and entree ) . The paper besides considers the hold in assignments in GUM clinics, the inaccessibility and obsolesces of information and the hard entree in rural countries as of import factors, which is of import and important, particularly when managing sexual wellness issues. It is appraisable the National Strategy for sexual wellness and HIV includes instruction as a chief participant in the modulating of a healthy sexual behavior. It besides refers to the intolerance of favoritism. I believe this to be one of the chief illustrations of the holistic attack the paper aims to follow. Another illustration for this is the engagement of the mass media, with the launch of major telecasting and newspaper advertisement runs, with a warning character about the dangers of sexually transmitted diseases and unintended gestations. An of import observation about the paper is the mention in female Circumcision, which is normally executed for cultural-religious grounds. The paper faces this fact professionally, demoing concern and involvement in protecting all people and supplying equality in all civilizations, without being disrespectful. However, as cited by the Men ‘s Health Forum â€Å" the scheme fails to advert the issue of male Circumcision for non-medical grounds and the deficiency of grounds to demo that Circumcision in these fortunes in any manner benefits the wellness of work forces and male childs. [ .. ] The remotion of the prepuce is unneeded and unadvisable. This information should be provided in a manner that recognises spiritual and cultural esthesias refering this issue † ( page 10, paragraph 12.1 ) . Bearing in head that helplines are a utile tool in supplying information, the paper does non promote their publicity in countries with STD morbidity, as suggested by research ( Emma Freuda, Susan Perez, Kim Harrison, Elizabeth Swanson Hollinger, and Ana Hernandez, 2006 ) . A blurry point in the paper is the failure to acknowledge the diverseness within the homosexual community and the incompatibility of the homosexual community across the state. The paper succeeds in observing the interaction of gender and civilization within peculiar cultural groups, but fails to see that the group of white work forces is non homogeneous.Decisionâ€Å" The National Strategy for sexual wellness and HIV † paper is a by and large well-written policy, which at a first reading does non affect you, nor lets you down. However, traveling exhaustively through the paper it ‘s easy to nail many mistakes or deficits. When covering with such important issues sing public wellness, such as sexual wellness, a well-written policy is non a solution. There are many unequal and deficient points analyzed in the paper and other with much room for betterment. Though it is a recent paper at some points it appears out of day of the month, unaware of modern forms in sexual behavior. In my sentiment, the paper fails to propose effectual steps and relies on the single behavior, irrespective that it ‘s sing public wellness itself. It should besides g ive greater significance in the importance of instruction. As research suggests â€Å" instruction is an of import constituent in sexually familial diseases control in striplings. The end of instruction is to increase adolescent self-efficiency in practising STD bar and risk-reduction. A comprehensive attack including quality, theory-based instruction, accessible and effectual wellness clinics, and improved societal and economic conditions has the most promise of commanding STDs in striplings † ( Yarber W.L. , Parrillo A.V. , 1992, page 331 ) .Shutting remarksLooking back on the work produced for this assignment, of import decisions can be drawn from a personal point of position and a series of of import lessons can be noted from the scientist ‘s point of position. I will seek to exemplify these via an overall reappraisal of the faculty, its larning results and the part of the assignment. Discoursing the McKeown argument, as portion of this undertaking, was a first measure in larning to analyse critically constructs and thoughts sing public wellness issues and acquiring familiar with the composing look of this analysis. It was besides an first-class illustration on how being biased can ensue in inaccurate and useless consequences and programmes, every bit good as how easy can a questionable research cause biased critic. It besides contributed on the larning results of the faculty. This is because by taking a critical position on current public issues, like AIDS for illustration, in the visible radiation of the historical position helped the elevation of consciousness sing the many factors a public wellness practician should ever see. The faculty, through analysing modern-day informations and discoursing exhaustively and extensively current issues about wellness policies and patterns, like for illustration the â€Å" Choosing Health † paper, set me into a batch of believing on the importance of public wellness in important current issues which are related with the wellbeing of the population and even of the humanity as a sum. Learning to critically analyse intercessions and their results is a really of import tool for a public wellness practician, and I consider that I have gained important cognition from the faculty and the undertaking for this topic. Bing able to really look between the lines, acknowledging the exaggeration frequently found in documents and chair objectively is a virtuousness for a public wellness practician. In add-on to that, holding to critically reexamine an intercession was a really utile experience I might state, because it gave me the opportunity to methodically read and analyse sentiments and informations and to organize my ain sentiment by reading the responses, some negative, some positive, sing the intercession I examined. As one of the expected acquisition results, I consider that the synthesis of grounds from public wellness policy intercessions was achieved by the 2nd portion of the assignment. The 2nd portion of this larning result has to make with developing our ain alternate policy by giving greater significance to the tackle of inequalities in wellness. This was besides documented, with the 2nd portion of the assignment and with critical conversations in the schoolroom sing wellness inequalities and the importance of extinguishing them. It is besides of great significance that I was given the opportunity to organize the manner that socioeconomic, political and environmen tal factors are related with public wellness and the manner that at specific state of affairss this relation could besides propose a correlativity. Another of import larning result of the faculty and the assignment procedure was that I became witting about public wellness policies and patterns on a wider degree than I was. Comparing informations on a national and international degree can turn out to be a really utile tool for every public wellness practician. For illustration, comparing the information of a state with high prevalence of chlamydia, with the informations of a state with low prevalence of chlamydia can take to hypotheses and farther researches and scientific inquiries can be formulated. For my undertaking I studied exhaustively sexual wellness issues, as I believe it is a public wellness country of great importance, because it is met in national and international degree, in developed and developing states, in personal and planetary involvement. Working on the undertaking has besides given me strong grounds and led me to the realisation that mass media carry a prima function presents and should be carefully taken into consideration when practicing and advancing public wellness. This point has besides derived from the faculty, and it was really one of the constructs that stood out for me. Merely by taking a expression around you realise that there are wellness advancing runs about everyplace. However, non all of them acquire attending, some of them fail echoing to acquire through to their mark group and some of them acquire attending for all the incorrect grounds. The usage of mass media must be done in a productive and effectual manner, utilizing original and in-depth thoughts with updated positions on the affair. This construct is a great lesson for my hereafter pattern. As for my hereafter pattern specifically, since my first grade was psychological science, I plan to unite public wellness with psychological science. The faculty and the assignment provided me information and cognition on how these two Fieldss can be combined. For illustration, if there is a demand for public wellness intercession sing a state of affairs that affects kids, psychological science can propose how to manage the state of affairs, but merely with the aid of public wellness the state of affairs will be resolved or limited. Traveling through the survey required for the appraisal of the assignment, I developed a sense of scientific position on informations and research. It has besides helped me simplify the processs of seeking, happening, analysing and interpret informations, every bit good as placing them as relevant or irrelevant to my survey frame.

American Intellectual History

The nations of the world are shaped by a plethora of events and ideas. Just as any human being is a product of circumstances and ideas that he encounters similarly is the case of nations. The intellectuals of a nation are like potters shaping the destiny of the multitudes that inhabit their lands. They themselves are products of ideas of intellectuals before them and in turn leave their imprints on the sand of times and are a source of inspiration for others. The tumultuous changes that were taking place in the era that Bellamy inhabited animates and is a source of inspiration for his literary works .American polity and social order were undergoing constant change . The old order which was representative of slavery, denigration of women and industrial capitalism was being replaced by a new social order . American society was witnessing a spurt in problems and hence we see that epoch witness a multitude of reformers. The novel looking backward is an identifying hallmark of the writer Edward Bellamy. Initially it generated little interest later on it catapulted to being the bestseller of its time. The social inequities of the nineteenth century always haunted Edward.Even as a young lad of 18 his soul was stirred by the problems that the social machinery of the ancient industrial system was creating . There have been many writers trying the genre of utopian writings like Thomas Moore, David Hume but few have shown so much commitment to the ideals of the utopian society as Edward Bellamy. Human beings have always been anticipating the prospects of a perfect future as the present condition of society is unjust. It is an escape from the contemporary society were corruption was rife poverty slavery child labor was the order of the day.The future of America is depicted as society where the difference between the rich and the poor is mitigated as there is equal distribution of wealth. The industries are not controlled by a few men of eminence but they are in the hands o f the nation. The writer’s preoccupation with nationalism makes him envisage the state machinery as he savior of mankind. The unpretentious style and the use of commonplace language and immaculate images of the utopian society are some of the aspects of the novel which are responsible for its popularity.The plot and the story of the novel seems to be unique as it seems to be an implementation of the ideals of Christianity and secular thought in a future time. Writer’s mind is like cauldron where ideas and thoughts prevalent in the society make unique dish. The ideas and the thought process of any individuals are shaped by the people around him and the movements that are invigorating the minds of writers, philosophers and intellectual. Similarly Edward Bellamy’s philosophical ideas are shaped by those of predecessor.Orestes Brownson was an important influence on him as the novel gives a political and a religious solution to the ills of society. He was primarily t hought to be a religious thinker whose world view encapsulates the political system of the American society . Democracy needs to follow the guidelines of the catholic creed so as to restrict individualism which threatens to undermine the bonds of communities. American nation evolved as result of the simultaneous influence religious and secular ideas.He had fears that the individual pride is constantly becoming emboldened and the loftier virtues of love and the concern for fellow human being is lost in the urge betterment of ones life. According to Brownson â€Å"A republic can stand only as it rests upon the virtues of the people; and these not the mere natural virtues of worldly prudence and social decency, but those loftier virtues which are possible to human nature only as elevated above itself by the infused habit of supernatural grace.† (â€Å"Brownson's Works, 10:17-37)The utopia of Bellamy presents a perfect picture of a strong nation in which the individual‘s b aser self like an unrelenting quest for material wellbeing is subsumed in the collective effort or maintaining that perfect elysian state. He was constantly preoccupied with the idea of nation as solutions to the problems of society. A strong nation with its individuals trained like a disciplined military is presented as a solution for the problems of his contemporary society.Strikes were a big issue in the Edwards contemporary society and it finds a solution in his utopian novel where everybody is prosperous due to the fact that selfishness is replaced by brotherly concern. These moral high grounds have their root in Christianity which is adhered to by both Orestes and Bellamy . The future of America is safely ensconced in Catholicism. The influence of the idea of nation was imported from Europe. The crystallization of the ideas of a nation took place during civil wars in America.Emerson a liberal and a strong proponent of individual rights started laying more emphasis on standing up for the nation’s freedom and sovereignty as the civil wars were threatening the existence of America. Brownson was a disillusioned by the liberal ideas o f individual aspiration and became a staunch proponent of conservatism which believes in preserving order . Society’s wellbeing is given preference over individuals hope and aspiration.Looking back has protagonist who has slept more than 100 years and he opens his eyes into a perfect society which is made economically viable as the state is given full control of the industries . Brownson can be best described as a religious political conservatism. Julian west questions are answered by Dr leetes His explanations express the vision of the writer and the influence of Orestes Brownson is evident in the fact there is emphasis on strengthening of nation as the reason for fact that now the workers are no more going on a strike;â€Å"The nation, that is to say, organized as the one great business corporation in which all other corporations were absorbed; it became the one capitalist in the place of all other capitalists, the sole employer, the final monopoly in which all previous and lesser monopolies were swallowed up, a monopoly in the profits and economies of which all citizens shared† (Bellamy 24-47) Brownson participated in the brook farm and it reflects the age old aspiration of practically putting ones ideas to a test . The same can be said about Looking back .Edward Bellamy is trying to show that how his political religious and economic ideas can be practically implemented in a society. Brownson was born in the transitional phase and they formed a reform party which instead of relegating the church to the background was thought to be the machinery through which social reform could be brought about. The instability in the times of these writers is reflected in the fact that the intellectuals are constantly experimenting with different modes of Christianity . He stated his pastoral caree r as Universalist then moved to Unitarianism.Finally he espoused Catholicism He is opposed to Brownsons stand point that human beings are essentially sinful . One of the reasons of writing looking back is the belief that innate goodness of man is a corollary of formation of a perfect state of being . Bellamy is a believer in the dissociation of personality for there is no sameness between our present and past personalities but only a graduated differentiation. † (Morgan, 56) Memory is not a sufficient qualifier for identity . We are constantly in flux adorning one personality after another .According to Bellamy it is the core of the being which is responsible for stringing together the different identities . Julian West’s hypnotic sleep is an example of dissociation of personality which is constant preoccupation of Edward. I sat up thus in bed staring about, without being able to regain the clue as to who he was. Brownsons saw individuality as the root cause of disinteg ration of society. There is similar charge against Bellamy that individual identity was sacrificed for the attainment of the perfect state.There is compartmentalization of the individual the bad aspects like greed, competition, and amassing wealth in the hands of few is banished and the superior self which is reflection of the pristine image of God is allowed to reign. The end result of this enterprise is an era of tranquility. Social problems are completely routed from the face of the earth Man and society is perfectly matched in that millennium of utopian society. The fear of poverty has been vanquished as all the industries were in the hands of the state and thus there was no class conflict.The strong robust state and Christian socialism are reminiscent of the Brownsonian influence on Edward Bellamy. Origin of species by Charles Darwin was published in 1859and it heralded an era of skepticism and transformed the perspective of the way we look at life. According to Vergilius Ferm: â€Å"Truly, the year 1859, in which appeared Charles Darwin’s The Origin of Species, marks a turning point in Western thought† (1936, p. 307). God was banished from the world view of man . There is complete paradigm shift from the philosophy of man’s purposeful existence to his being on this cosmos as result of chance and subsequent selection .The creed of competing with one another for resources as the ultimate goal makes man an equivalent to animals and the most interesting aspect of the theory of natural selection is that it justifies greed as natural and a beneficial prospect because it leads to the selection of the fittest individuals. Bellamy was a staunch critique of Charles Darwin’s theory and its implication on the social ethics of industrial capitalism . His novel Looking Back provides an alternative to this rat race of outpacing each other with an impulse for self sacrifice and unselfishness.Struggle for survival has no place in the society d epicted in the novel as the inequalities are removed . The state controls all the industries. It is surprising that both these intellectuals who are preaching completely different dogmas are proposing that evolution is the process to reach the culmination of human prowess. Bellamy writes his utopia where evolution is employed to reach that perfect Elysian state. Looking back provides an insight into that perfect state that is achievable only when brotherly loves and unselfishness becomes a creed.Chaos brutality and lack of human concern is substituted by love and generosity. Many social Darwinists like Graham Sumner criticize the utopian model as laid back attitude and wishful thinking by saying it is the greatest folly of which a man can be capable to sit down with a slate and pencil to plan out a new social world Bellamy constantly uses the notion of a nation as an alternative to the industrial competition of his times. Then the national party arose to carry it out by political me thods.â€Å"Indeed, it could not well have had any other name, for its purpose was to realize the idea of the nation with a grandeur and completeness never before conceived, touching tree whose leaves are its people, fed from its veins, and feeding it in turn. † (Bellamy, 183) He deliberately uses the metaphor of plant to describe nature as the leaves of a tree are symbolic of the members of society who are living in a peaceful coexistence. The general health and wellbeing of the members of society is dependent on the heath of the trunk which is the supporting system.The metaphor of a tree is very often used in bible and it is vey often used at the critical juncture of man’s destiny. Adam lost his ethereal existence because he ate from the forbidden tree. The novel derives its motivation from the doctrine of Christian socialism. Therefore the metaphors and the language reflect the theological preoccupation of the author. There is a deliberate of the Darwinian metaphor of an animal . The very existence of one another is dependent on elimination of the animal of lesser prowess. The revolution that is presented in the utopia is a bloodless one.The foremost objection to the utopian ideal of equality is that it will produce in activity in the members of such a society as concept of competing with one another is lost is . Dr leetes answer to Julian West settles this question that the urge to work remains as result of the fact that the imaginations of the people is fired by passion for humanity and service to nation . It doesn’t mean that Bellamy is not influenced by Darwin’s theory of natural selection but the whole edifice of the Darwinian module is modified .There is evolution in the society Women are exonerated of their household duties They are also assigned jobs but the working hours are less as they have to perform the task of building the character of the future generation . There is no exploitation of women and they receive equal remuneration. One of the offshoots of natural selection is sexual selection but in the utopia of Bellamy the economic basis of anything has no meaning. Therefore marriages take place due to love for each other not because of economic standing of the individuals.The discovery of utopia of novel begins with the protagonist query about the industrial problem plaguing America. The answer to this question reveals the amount of the influence of the Darwinian concept of evolution . Dr Leete explains that this pathological condition was resolved by industrial evolution. Origins of species laid the foundation of biological evolution of man but it brought about revolution in almost all walks of life . These concept are both repudiated and incorporated in the novel but the concept of evolution undergoes refinement as it is cast in the theological mould.The model of biological evolution provided a justification for the superiority of the white race . Strangely enough Bellamy who is at loggerhea d with the concept of evolution of species is in complete sync with idea that the racial superiority of the west is a result of the survival of the fittest. The law of necessity is replaced by laws of morality . Many intellectuals were profoundly affected by the postulates of Darwin . But it is misleading to believe that he is social Darwinist in fact he was a critic if Darwin’s postulates in origin of species .He has used the model of Darwinian evolution and reshaped it with love as the underlying force for achieving perfection. William Graham Sumner started his career as clergymen and returned as professor of political and social sciences . He believed in the persistence of inequalities in societies as material progress is dependent upon open competition . He saw government as a necessary evil as it defends us from the different vices prevalent in our society. It curbs individuals’ liberty and freedom He was a social Darwinist and was critical of Bellamy‘s impr actical plans.â€Å"The history of the human race is one long story of attempts by certain persons and classes to obtain control of the power of the State so as to win earthly gratifications at the expense of others†(Sumner . n. p) The nation replaces the industrial capitalism of the contemporary times in the Bellamy’s utopia . Sumner believed in giving maximum freedom to the industrial capitalism of his times whereas Looking back provides a replacement of this system as it is thought to be the root cause of all the evils of society . The social condition of the impoverished working class didn’t need any reformers as it was natural.He was against any kind of government intervention to alleviate the condition of the suffering masses . He is a believer in the fact that material success is indicative of a persons capabilities. (Boland. n. p) As far as this is concerned they are at opposing end. Bellamy is for reforms and equal opportunity and pay for all the member s of society . William Sumner was against the occupation of Spain by the Americans and this idea finds a echo in the novel as was he was against the occupation of Spain by the Americans and this idea finds a echo in the novel. Dr Leete denounces the act of aggrandizementâ€Å"Are they France, England, Germany, or hunger, cold, and nakedness? In your day governments were accustomed, on the slightest international misunderstanding, to seize upon the bodies of citizens and deliver them over by hundreds of thousands to death and mutilation, wasting their treasures the while like water. † The American society was facing a lot of upheavals and industrial revolution brought urbanization and a variety of problems . The publishing of Darwin’s origin of species had raised many uncomfortable questions and many movements arose to establish the kingdom of God upon earth .These movements also brought changes in the established religions and creeds. Solomon Washington Gladden sermons can be seen as the earliest example of The social gospel movement . It tried address the problems of the slums of Ohio and brought the workers of 1877 strike to a peaceful negotiation. The proponents of this movement believed in a confluence of Christian dogma with politics . They predicted a brighter picture of tomorrow. Looking back seems to be presenting the same kind of mixture of morality and politics and a prospect of a perfect future.Like the social gospel movement the novel gives a concrete shape to the hope of a better tomorrow. The concept of brotherly love and helping the poor is not an anathema to the Christian doctrine but rather it was revived as the Victorian society was facing excess of moral violation of individuals in industrial capitalism . Bellamys combination of socialism and religiosity can be as seen an offshoot of the social gospel reform movement as any individual is a product of its time . The thought process of literary artists are shaped by the distillat ion of ideas his period.The thought process of an individual is not shaped in vacuum . They are either a result of the reaction of doctrines that are prevalent in that period or an influence of other contemporary writers and philosophers. Genius don’t produce ides out of blue but it unique process of synthesis of ideas floating through that particular age . Early century and the great depression saw different intellectuals trying to lay the principles on which the society could get rid of its problem and the kingdom of god was to be established which would transcend competitive and exploitative industrialism of the contemporary American society.Looking is an endeavor on part of Bellamy to show that such ideas are viable and practical. It is practical guide to establishment of a society based on the postulate of the egalitarian principles o social Christianity. The social reform movements from 1820 to 1860 show a distrust of establishes social systems. The gospel reform moveme nt saw that for the first time the various denomination of the church came together in a joint venture to eradicate the problems of society . This dream of unification of various sects of Christianity is realize in the novel Looking back .Julian asks Mr Barton about the reason of disappearance of various sects The answer was that passionate impulse of brotherly love was responsible for the founding of a nobler social order as the root cause of this unification Crisis in the American society was seen as initiative to accomplish the necessary changes . The whole novel can be seen as an attempt to forsee and how to practically implement those changes in society. The turn of the century saw massive problems like unemployment, abuse of corporate powers, poverty, crime, and corruption, influx of immigrants, child labor and massive depression.These problems gave rise to a reform movement which was termed as the progressive movement. Progressive movement was a natural succession to the prog ressive movement. The youth of middle class rose to the occasion with a firm faith in fact that every problem has a solution. These problems can be put to end by the educated class . Education and specially women education received special stress . Consequently women rights were promoted and they started entering the job market as clerks and did other menial duties . Edward Bellamy in his novels gave women a lot of rights by the contemporary standards.They received equal pay despite the fact that they were working for fewer hours . Another hallmark of this period is the demand of voting rights by women. The social order of Bellamy’s utopian world assigns equal but different roles to women. The feminist of the contemporary period like Charlotte Perkins Gilman agree with is assessment. The whole progressive movement resolved around that man has a inherent quality in him to improve his lot . It was rejection of the social Darwinism. The other problem that the progressives tried to address was the end of slavery .The abolitionist movement tried to eradicate this problem . The utopian model stresses equality as the focal point and it is achieved through the equal pay for all the individuals. It is very important to note that the progressive movement is accused of not addressing the problems of racial discrimination And Bellamy was under the influence of Herbert Spencer who saw the whites as superior race as result of it being the fittest and the most ablest race . The progressive s believed that the state can play a pivotal role in solving the numerous problems that the American society is experiencing .The authors are sensitive to trails and the tribulations of society and hence this is exactly the reason hat the fiction is trying to present a solution which is representative of the progressive ideology that state can help in the establishment of the heavenly state . The novel also presents the idea of the unification of the various denominations of Christi anity and it is reflection of the fact that various creeds of Christianity rose under this reform movement to address the problems that was destroying the moral fabric of the society.Frederick Winslow Taylor can be best described as synthesizer of the thoughts of his times and he gave a solution to the problem of optimizing the productivity of the workers. There was almost a mechanical stress on using scientific precision to improve the skills needed to perform a task in the industry . Years of apprentice ship is replaced by this mechanical process. This has a fleeting similarity to the Edwardian concept of building an army of workers. The dramatic improvement in the productivity was result of his innovation in the field of industrial engineering . He is accused of dehumanizing the modern industries .There needs a change in the attitude of the workers to optimize the industrial production according to him change â€Å"consists of the complete revolution in the mental attitude and t he habits of all those engaged in the management, as well of the workmen†(Taylor . pg131) Bellamy’s utopia presents the concept that the productivity is going to increase as result of passion for nation. Edward Bellamy has been unnecessarily been accused of being influenced by the Marxist concept of utopian world and he was for quite sometimes rolling the idea of the perfect state of life in his mind .It was published 40 years before the it . The author himself had a disliking for the class conflict and a Godless society In one of his public lectures he gave vent to his urge to write about his passion for heavenly existence â€Å"It is an undiscovered country, no community of men has ever essayed its elysian climes, no human foot step has ever trod its shores. The faith of humanity points to its existence. But I know that it exists, and we must find it. †¦ † (Taken from Bellamy’s 2nd lyceum address of 1872). He gave a concrete shape to all his ideas o f an ideal society in his novel â€Å"looking backward†.The impact of the novel on the minds of men can be gauge from the fact that this novel gave rise to a nationalist movement . Columbia university requested philosopher John Dewey historian Charles Beard and editor of The Atlantic monthly Edward Week to prepare a list of writers who exercised a huge influence on society Edward Bellamy’s Looking back came second on all the three list and it was preceded by Marx’s Das capital. The novel brought about a change in the thinking of men in all walks of life . The ideas in the novel acted as spring board for other writers to develop and broaden the horizon of human intellect.The idea that social injustice is caused by human struggle for physical as well as economic need for a better status launched Veblen's provocative and creative career. Allen white the renowned American News Paper editor himself admitted to being shaped by the intellectual outpourings of this nove l. â€Å"He feels indebted to the thrill that he encountered while reading the novel when he was young and the change of heart from the being a conservative to being open minded about the various problems plaguing the contemporary society. He also acknowledges the fact that many youngsters of his time had a similar experience .It was the talk of the town The list of individuals effect by Bellamy’s monumental work Looking backwards is endless . It not only affected the individual members of society but also infused fresh blood into the intellectual thought process of his times . The ideas of social injustice derived from a race for economic betterment came into the forefront. He is a writer who inspires people and draws lines on which others can move forward on their intellectual journey. The novel is a presentation of social and economic order which is given serious consideration by experts in the respective fields.The economist H. Stanley Jevons says: â€Å"I have gained m ore from Bellamy than from any single author. He deserves more attention from economists than he has received. The economic system he outlines does stand a rigid examination for workability in its essential features in his treatise. † The novel presents economic equality in the co-operative commonwealth Despite the fact that the novel deals with utopia it has been not whisked away to be a wishful thinking but has been put to a practical implication The nationalist movement started with the formation of the first nationalist club of Boston in 1888 .The chief characteristics of this movement were unselfishness and it invigorates an enthusiasm for humanity. The individuals of society don’t compete with each other rather they co-operated with each others. It adopted a tolerant attitude towards people who would be critical of this movement. Patriotism was a highly cherished ideal of this movement . Social reforms had to taken up by a nation so as to reap its harvest. Works C ited Auerbach Am Lit Hist. (1994); â€Å"The Nation Organized†: Utopian Impotence in Edward Bellamy's Looking Backward. Retrieved March 17, 2008 from: http://alh. oxfordjournals. org/cgi/reprint/6/1/24Boland joseph(1995)U. S political thought . retrieved http://www. uoregon. edu/~jboland/lect_12. html Richard A. Spurgeon (1997). The Religious Ethics of Edward Bellamy and Jonathan Edwards. Journal of Utopian Studies. Vol 8. Retrieved March 17, 2008 from: http://www. questia. com/googleScholar. qst? docId=5000543586 Bellamy, Edward. (2000) Looking Backward. Applewood books. ISBN-10: 155709506X Native Americanism† (Brownson's Works, 10:17-37). retrieved Sumner, William Graham. Essays of William Graham Sumner. Ed. Albert G. Keller and Maurice R. Davie. Vol. 1. New Haven: Yale UP, 1934 retrievedhttp://www. encyclopedia. com/doc/1G1-56061945. html Wilmot Chester,the struggle for Europe 1954 pg 477 SCOTT McLEMEE â€Å"Back to the Future† December 24, 2000. Retrieved Mar ch 17, 2008 from: http://www. nytimes. com/books/00/12/24/bookend/bookend. html Vergillus, Ferm, (1936), First Adventures in Philosophy (New York: Charles Scribner & Sons). Retrieved March 17, 2008 from: http://www. apologeticspress. org/rr/reprints/Impact-of-Evolutionary-Philosop. pdf W. Taylor, Frederick Scientific Management, pg 131. Retrieved March 17, 2008 from: http://www. skymark. com/resources/leaders/taylor. asp

Verb Tenses and Forms on SAT Writing

Verb Tenses and Forms on SAT Writing SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Get excited for this article all about verbs!!! Tenses!! Gerunds!! Infinitives!! In my next article, I may write about not overusing exclamation points!!! Extreme punctuation aside, knowing when to use different verb tenses and forms will be extremely beneficial to you on the SAT Writing section, since these concepts are tested repeatedly on the SAT. There’s a lot of information in this article, but I promise that it’s all valuable and knowing it will help you maximize your SAT score. In this post, I’ll do the following: Define the verb tenses and forms that are tested on the SAT. Provide information about when to use different verb tenses. Detail how to construct verbs in different tenses. Explain and demonstrate how verbs are tested on the SAT. Provide practice questions to test you on what you’ve learned. Verb Tenses You Need To Know While you don’t need to know the names of verb tenses for the SAT, you do need to know when and how to properly use different verb tenses. We'll go through them one at a time. Present Function The present tense is the verb tense you use when for discussingthings that are currently happening or for statements of fact. Examples of verbs in the present tense are "runs," "plays," and "talk." Also, the present progressive is considered a form of the present tense. The present progressive is formed with the present tense of â€Å"to be† + the gerund (â€Å"ing†) form of the word. Examples of presentprogressive verbs are "am talking," "is explaining," and "are jumping." Typically, words like â€Å"currently† andâ€Å"now† indicate that you should use the present tense of a verb. Here's an example sentence for you: Currently, I am writing this amazing article. Construction Let's conjugate a verb in the present tense. This is the conjugation of the verb "walk". Singular Plural I walk We walk You walk You walk He/She/It Walks They walk The present tense is not specifically tested on the SAT Writing section, but you do need to know how to properly conjugate verbs in the present tense for subject-verb agreement questions. Simple Past Function Generally, any sentence that describes a completed action should contain a verb in the past tense. Construction Typically the simple past tense of a verb is formed by adding â€Å"ed† to the verb. The past tense of â€Å"destroy† is â€Å"destroyed†. The past tense of â€Å"talk† is â€Å"talked† and the past tense of â€Å"explain† is â€Å"explained.† Check out this example sentence: Yesterday, George watched seven hours of Netflix. Many verbs are irregular and do not follow this construction. For example, "buy" becomes "bought" in the past tense, "come" becomes "came," and "grow" becomes "grew." However, the SAT will not specifically test you on irregular verbs. Good stuff Present Perfect Function Use the present perfect tense for actions that began in the past but are still continuing in the present. Construction The present perfect is formed with has/have + the past participle. For regular verbs, the past participle is formed by adding "ed" to the verb. Examples of present perfect verbs include "has talked", "have done", and "has brought". Here is an example sentence with a verb in the present perfect tense. For the past seven hours, George has watched Netflix. As in this example, the words â€Å"for† and â€Å"since† often indicate that the present perfect tense is needed. Be aware, however, thatthere are other instances when context determines that you should use the present perfect tense. Past Perfect Function When a sentence describes two completed actions, the past perfect is used for the action that came first. Construction The past perfect tense is formed with had + the past participle. Examples of past perfect verbs include "had talked," "had danced," and "had grown." Look at this sentence that correctly uses the past perfect tense: By the time his mom came home from work, George had watched seven hours of Netflix. The seven hours of watching werecompleted before George'smom came home, so we use the past perfect for the verb "to watch." The action that comes firstshould be in the past perfect tense. Conditional Function The conditional tense is used to describe things that could occur or things that haven't yet occurred from the perspective of the past. Construction The conditional tense is formed with "would" + the verb. Examples of verbs in the conditional tense are "would talk," "would sing," and "would write." Future Function The future tense is used to describe things that have not yet occurred or could occur in the future. Construction The future tense is formed with "will" + the verb. Examples of verbs in the future tense are "will talk," "will sing," and "will write." Gerunds and Infinitives Gerund and Infinitive Function Both gerunds and infinitives are verbs that act like nouns. While gerunds and infinitives can often be used interchangeably, certain idiomatic expressions require you to use one or the other. Gerund Construction Gerunds are formed by adding "ing" to a verb. Examples of gerunds include "running," "jumping," and "singing." Infinitive Construction Infinitives are formed by adding "to" + the verb. Examples of infinitives include "to play," "to run," and "to jump." How Are Verb Tenses and Forms Tested on the SAT? Now that you're familiar with the different verb tenses and forms, we can discuss how theyare tested on the SAT. Consistency Most of the verb questions in the SAT Writing section have to do with consistency. The basic consistency rule regarding verbs is that verbs should remain consistent in tense or form throughout a sentence. Sentences that start in the past should stay in the past and sentences that start in the present should stay in the present. Check out this incorrect sentence that does not follow the consistency rule: Jerome attends study hall and played the violin. The verb "attends" is in the present tense and "played" is in the past. The verb tenses should be consistent. Here is a correct version of the sentence: Jerome attends study hall and plays the violin. We could have corrected the sentence by changing "attends" to "attended". The important thing to remember is that the verb tenses should be consistent. Sometimes, however, you can have a shift in tense and the sentence can still be correct. This kind of construction is only possible if the verbs are in different clauses. Take a look at these examples: Jeremiah bought a Lexus and impresses his peers. Jeremiah bought a Lexus because he wants to impress his peers. The first sentence is incorrect since "bought" and "impresses" are in different tenses but the same clause. The second sentence, on the other hand, is correct. The tense shift takes place in a different clause and the two verbs are occurring at different times: Jeremiah bought the car in the past, but he still wants to impress people in the present. Strategy If a verb is underlined in either the sentence improvement or identify the error subsection, make sure the verb follows consistency rules. If there are multiple verbs in the sentence, identify the tenses to make sure they're consistent. If there's a shift from past to present or vice versa, determine if the variation is acceptable given the context of the sentence. Here's an actual SAT Writing question that tests verb tense consistency. Real SAT Example Try to answer the following question from a real SAT. Explanation: The verb â€Å"has been† is part of the underlined phrase. Whenever you see a verb underlined, check for verb tense andsubject-verb agreement errors. â€Å"Has been† is in the present perfect tense. However, we know that the sentence should be in the past due to the verb â€Å"was† in the sentence. The verb tenses should be consistent. Also, the present perfect is used for something that is still going on, and, based on the context of the sentence, we know that we’re dealing with a completed action. Similarly, because there is not a sequence of completed actions, we know that we shouldn’t use the past perfect tense, "had been". After eliminating wrong choices, we’re left with C and D. Due to parallel structure rules, the infinitive â€Å"to conceive† should be used to be parallel with â€Å"to espouse† on the other side of the conjunction. The answer is D. On the SAT Writing section Let's take a look at another common type of verb form question on the SAT. Gerund Vs. Infinitive On the SAT, gerunds will be switched with infinitives. While both gerunds and infinitives are verbs that function as nouns, certain idiomatic expressions require you to use either a gerund or an infinitive. Typically, you have to rely on knowing what sounds right to determine whether to use a gerund or an infinitive. Here is an example of ansentence with an error: Luis has decided playing football next year. To fix the error, you have to know that the verb "decide"requires an infinitive to follow it. This is the corrected version of the same sentence: Luis decided to play football next year. How do you figure out gerund vs. infinitive questions on the SAT? Strategy Review the list of idioms with gerunds and infinitives. In sentences with a gerund or infinitive underlined, replace one with the other to determine what sounds better. Use this strategy and your knowledge of gerunds and infinitives to answer this actual SAT question. Real SAT Example Where is the error in the following sentence? Is there an error? Explanation: I hope your ear for what sounds right helped you figure this one out. There is a gerund, â€Å"working†, underlined. Replace the gerund with an infinitive to determine what sounds better. Would you say â€Å"they had an inability working together† or â€Å"they had an inability to work together†? The latter is correct, and the infinitive form should be used. The answer is C. Let's move onto some of the other commonly misused verb forms. Simple Past Vs. Present Perfect On the SAT, a verb will occasionallybe in the simple past tense when it should be in the present perfect and vice versa. As noted earlier, the past tense is used for completed actions. The present perfect is used for actions that began in the past and are still going on. Here is an example sentence with this sort of verb tense error: For the past month, I wrote articles for PrepScholar. The action, writing, started a month ago and is still going on. Therefore, you should use the present perfect tense. This is the corrected sentence: For the past month, I have written articles for PrepScholar. Will make you holler! I have a few tips to help you figure out whether to use the past or present present perfect on the SAT Writing section. Strategy For both past and present perfect tenses, determine the function of the verb based on the context of the sentence. Use your knowledge of how the tenses should be used to determine if the given tense is being used correctly. Keep in mind that words like â€Å"for† and â€Å"since† often indicate that the present perfect is required. Simple Past Vs. Past Perfect The simple past is for completed actions and the past perfect describes the first of two completed actions or events. On the SAT, occasionally, a verb will be in the simple past when it should be in the past perfect and vice versa. This is an example of an incorrect sentence: I never saw such a disgusting meal until I went to Applebee's. Because the â€Å"never seeing† happened before going to Applebee’s, the verb should be in the past perfect tense. This is the corrected version of the sentence: I had never seen such a disgusting meal until I went to Applebee's. The following advice will help you when you encounter a simple past vs. past perfect question on the SAT. Strategy Any time a simple past tense verb or past perfect verb is underlined, make sure the verb is being used correctly. The phrase â€Å"by the time† will often indicate that the past perfect is needed. Check out this past vs. past perfect question from the SAT. Real SAT Example Try to correctly answer this past vs. past perfect question that appeared on the identify the error subsection. Explanation: Let’s look at the underlined verb â€Å"had been†. It’s in the past perfect tense. Should it be? Well, the two actions, sharing the Nobel Prize and being the first woman to win, happened simultaneously. The past perfect should only be used for an action that is completed before another completed action. Therefore, the simple past should be used instead of the past perfect. The answer is C. The verb should be â€Å"was†. Would Vs. Will On rare occasions, "would" and "will" will be switched with one another. Generally, you only have to remember that "would" should be used with sentences in the past tense and "will" should be used with sentences in the present or future tense. Here is an example of an incorrect sentence: Bill Clinton, who will become president in 1992, was born in Hope, Arkansas. Because the sentence is in the past, as indicated by a date in the past, you need to use â€Å"would† instead of â€Å"will†. This is the corrected version: Bill Clinton, who would become president in 1992, was born in Hope, Arkansas. Strategy Any time that â€Å"would† or â€Å"will† is underlined, make sure that â€Å"would† is used for sentences in the past, and â€Å"will† is used for sentences in the present/future. Let's take a look at more verb questions from the SAT Writing section. More Real SAT Examples Try to correctly answer this identify the error question. Explanation: On first glance, nothing may seem incorrect. However, the phrase â€Å"twenty-five years after† indicates that the action is already completed. The event happened twenty-five years ago. The past tense should be used for completed actions. The verb â€Å"stimulate† is in the present tense and should be changed to â€Å"stimulated†. The answer is B. Here's another example question for you. Explanation:When you see a verb underlined, make sure it’s in the proper tense. The phrase â€Å"during the last fifty years† indicates that something started in the past and is still going on. What verb tense should we use in this situation? We should use the present perfect tense. â€Å"Come† is in the present tense. Also, the verb â€Å"have seemed† is a clue that â€Å"come† should be in the present perfect tense. In this situation, the tenses should be consistent. Therefore, â€Å"come† should be â€Å"have come†. The answer is B. Here are some more general tips for verb questions on SAT Writing. General Strategies for Verb Questions #1: If a Verb is Underlined, Check for Proper Tense and Form Whether on the sentence improvement or identify the error subsection, if a verb is part of an underlined phrase, there is a possible verb form error. #2: Look for Words/Phrases That Indicate Which Verb Tense Should Be Used Often, words or phrases elsewhere in the sentence will let you know what tense to use. If a date in the past is referenced, you should probably use a form of the past tense. If the word â€Å"since† is written, there should probably be a present perfect verb. Context clues are placed within a sentence to indicate the proper verb tense. Also, the other verbs in the sentence can indicate which tense to use. Remember consistency rules. #3: Replace Gerunds with Infinitives and Vice Versa If there is a sentence with a gerund or infinitive underlined, replace it with the other to determine which would work best in the given sentence. Rely on your ear and knowledge of idiomatic expressions for gerund/infinitive questions. I created some realistic practice questions to test you on what you've learned. Additional Practice Utilize your verb knowledge to answer the following SAT Writing practice questions. 1. When Toni Braxton performed (A) at the casino in Arizona (B), she sold (C) out the venue and had been given (D) a standing ovation. No error. (E) 2. Until (A) recently, people talk (B) to each other instead (C) of relying on texting and e-mail to communicate (D) with their peers. No error. (E) 3. For the past five years, Josh has been listening toTupacShakur. A. has been listening B. listens C. is listening D. will be listening E. listened 4. When (A) Mariah Carey released (B) her first album in 1990, (C) no one knew that she will (D) win 5 Grammy Awards and sell more than 60 million albums. No error. (E) Answers: 1. D, 2. B, 3. A, 4. D What's Next? Now that you'vethoroughly reviewed verb questions, check out this article on the complete parts of speech for SAT Writing. For an in-depth post about questions related to specific parts of speech, read this one on adjectives and adverbs. For those of you who are aiming for perfection, learn how to get a perfect score on SAT Writing. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points? Check out our best-in-class online SAT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your SAT score by 160 points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes what you study to your strengths and weaknesses. If you liked this Writing and grammar lesson, you'll love our program.Along with more detailed lessons, you'll get thousands ofpractice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We'll also give you a step-by-step program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. Check out our 5-day free trial:

Venezuelas Revolution for Independence from Spain

Venezuelas Revolution for Independence from Spain Venezuela was a leader in Latin Americas Independence movement. Led by visionary radicals such as Simà ³n Bolà ­var and Francisco de Miranda, Venezuela was the first of the South American Republics to formally break away from Spain. The decade or so that followed was extremely bloody, with unspeakable atrocities on both sides and several important battles, but in the end, the patriots prevailed, finally securing Venezuelan independence in 1821. Venezuela Under the Spanish Under the Spanish colonial system, Venezuela was a bit of a backwater. It was part of the Viceroyalty of New Granada, ruled by a Viceroy in Bogota (present-day Colombia). The economy was mostly agricultural and a handful of extremely wealthy families had complete control over the region. In the years leading up to independence, the Creoles (those born in Venezuela of European descent) began to resent Spain for high taxes, limited opportunities, and mismanagement of the colony. By 1800, people were talking openly about independence, albeit in secret. 1806: Miranda Invades Venezuela Francisco de Miranda was a Venezuelan soldier who had gone to Europe and had become a General during the French Revolution. A fascinating man, he was friends with Alexander Hamilton and other important international figures and even was the lover of Catherine the Great of Russia for a while. All throughout his many adventures in Europe, he dreamed of freedom for his homeland. In 1806 he was able to scrape together a small mercenary force in the USA and Caribbean and launched an invasion of Venezuela. He held the town of Coro for about two weeks before Spanish forces drove him out. Although the invasion was a fiasco, he had proven to many that independence was not an impossible dream. April 19, 1810: Venezuela Declares Independence By early 1810, Venezuela was ready for independence. Ferdinand VII, the  heir to the Spanish crown, was a prisoner of Napoleon of France, who became the de facto (if indirect) ruler of Spain. Even those Creoles who supported Spain in the New World were appalled. On April 19, 1810, Venezuelan Creole patriots held a meeting in Caracas where they declared a provisional independence: they would rule themselves until such time as the Spanish monarchy was restored. For those who truly wanted independence, such as young Simà ³n Bolà ­var, it was a half-victory, but still better than no victory at all. The First Venezuelan Republic The resulting government became known as the First Venezuelan Republic. Radicals within the government, such as Simà ³n Bolà ­var, Josà © Fà ©lix Ribas, and Francisco de Miranda pushed for unconditional independence and on July 5, 1811, the congress approved it, making Venezuela the first South American nation to formally sever all ties with Spain. Spanish and royalist forces attacked, however, and a devastating earthquake leveled Caracas on March 26, 1812. Between the royalists and the earthquake, the young Republic was doomed. By July of 1812, leaders such as Bolà ­var had gone into exile and Miranda was in the hands of the Spanish. The Admirable Campaign By October of 1812, Bolà ­var was ready to rejoin the fight. He went to Colombia, where he was given a commission as an officer and a small force. He was told to harass the Spanish along the Magdalena River. Before long, Bolà ­var had driven the Spanish out of the region and amassed a large army, Impressed, the civilian leaders in Cartagena gave him permission to liberate western Venezuela. Bolà ­var did so and then promptly marched on Caracas, which he took back in August of 1813, a year after the fall of the first Venezuelan Republic and three months since he had left Colombia. This remarkable military feat is known as the Admirable Campaign for Bolà ­vars great skill in executing it. The  Second Venezuelan Republic Bolivar quickly established an independent government known as the Second Venezuelan Republic. He had outsmarted the Spanish during the Admirable Campaign, but he had not defeated them, and there were still large Spanish and royalist armies in Venezuela. Bolivar and other generals such as Santiago Marià ±o and  Manuel Piar  fought them bravely, but in the  end,  the royalists were too much for them. The most feared royalist force was the Infernal Legion of tough-as-nails plainsmen led by cunning Spaniard Tomas Taita  Boves, who cruelly executed prisoners and pillaged towns that had formerly been held by the patriots. The Second Venezuelan Republic fell in mid-1814 and Bolà ­var once again went into exile. The Years of War, 1814-1819 During the period from 1814 to 1819, Venezuela was devastated by roving  royalist  and patriot armies that fought one another and occasionally amongst themselves. Patriot leaders such as Manuel Piar, Josà © Antonio  Pez,  and Simà ³n Bolivar did not necessarily acknowledge one anothers authority, leading to a lack of a coherent battle plan to  free Venezuela. In 1817, Bolà ­var had  Piar  arrested and executed, putting the other warlords on notice that he would deal with them harshly as well. After that, the others generally accepted Bolà ­vars leadership. Still, the nation was in ruins and there was a military stalemate between the patriots and royalists. Bolà ­var Crosses the Andes and the Battle of Boyaca In early 1819, Bolà ­var was cornered in western Venezuela with his army. He was not powerful enough to knock out the Spanish armies, but they were not strong enough to defeat him, either. He made a daring move: he  crossed the frosty Andes  with his army, losing half of it in the process, and arrived in New Granada (Colombia) in July of 1819. New Granada had been relatively untouched by the war, so Bolà ­var was able to quickly recruit a new army from willing volunteers. He made a speedy march on Bogota, where the Spanish Viceroy hastily sent out a force to delay him. At the  Battle of Boyaca  on August 7, Bolà ­var scored a decisive victory, crushing the Spanish army. He marched unopposed into Bogota, and the volunteers and resources he found there allowed him to recruit and equip a much larger army, and he once again marched on Venezuela. The Battle of Carabobo Alarmed Spanish officers in Venezuela called for a cease-fire, which was agreed to and lasted until April of 1821. Patriot warlords back in Venezuela, such as Marià ±o and Pez, finally smelled victory and began to close in on Caracas. Spanish General Miguel de la Torre combined his armies and met the combined forces of Bolà ­var and Pez at the Battle of Carabobo on June 24, 1821. The resulting patriot victory secured Venezuelas independence, as the Spanish decided they could never pacify and re-take the region. After the Battle of Carabobo With the Spanish finally driven off, Venezuela began putting itself back together. Bolà ­var had formed the Republic of Gran Colombia, which included present-day Venezuela, Colombia,  Ecuador, and Panama. The republic lasted until about  1830  when it fell apart into Colombia,  Venezuela, and Ecuador (Panama was part of Colombia at the time). General Pez was the main leader behind Venezuelas break from Gran Colombia. Today, Venezuela celebrates  two independence days: April 19, when Caracas patriots first declared a provisional independence, and July 5, when they formally severed all ties with Spain. Venezuela celebrates its  independence day  (an official holiday) with parades,  speeches,  and parties. In 1874, Venezuelan President  Antonio Guzmn Blanco  announced his plans to turn the Holy Trinity Church of Caracas into a national Pantheon to house the bones of the most illustrious heroes of Venezuela. The remains of numerous heroes of Independence are housed there, including those of Simà ³n Bolà ­var, Josà © Antonio Pez, Carlos Soublette, and Rafael Urdaneta. Sources Harvey, Robert. Liberators: Latin Americas Struggle for Independence. 1st edition, Harry N. Abrams, September 1, 2000. Herring, Hubert.  A History of Latin America From the Beginnings to the  Present.  New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1962 Lynch, John.  The Spanish American Revolutions 1808-1826  New York: W. W. Norton Company, 1986. Lynch, John.  Simon Bolivar: A Life. New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 2006. Santos Molano, Enrique.  Colombia dà ­a a dà ­a: una cronologà ­a de 15,000 aà ±os.  Bogota: Planeta, 2009. Scheina, Robert L.  Latin Americas Wars, Volume 1: The Age of the Caudillo 1791-1899  Washington, D.C.: Brasseys Inc., 2003.

Why gas prices are so high in America Speech or Presentation

Why gas prices are so high in America - Speech or Presentation Example The rising fuel cost has compelled people to drive less. The rise in the prices of gas has resulted in a change in the American life style. (Keen and Overberg) The price rise resulted in a trade deficit in the country as it rose to 15 percent in January 2011. (U.S. trade deficit rose 15% in January on higher oil prices) Texas the second largest state in US experienced a steady rise in the gas prices. The latest data available shows that in the year 2011 the oil price in the state of Texas showed a slow but decreasing trend, where the retail gasoline price has changed from $3.727 per gallon on the 23rd of May 2011 to $3.589 per gallon on 6th June 2011. But considering the same month last year that is in 2010, the gas price has increased by 0.976 dollar per gallon. Houston the largest city of Texas has also experienced an escalation in the price of gas by 1.023 per gallon in 2011 from that of the previous year. (Retail Gasoline Historical prices)