Saturday, January 25, 2020
Sexual Harassment in the Workplace: Issues in the UK and US
Sexual Harassment in the Workplace: Issues in the UK and US Why it Remains a Pervasive Issue in the United States and the European Union            Unsolicited sexual harassment, especially toward women, has been a serious and harrowing issue all around the world for centuries. Title VII of the Civil Rights Acts of 1964 in the United States defines sexual harassment as unwelcome advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of sexual nature that create offensive or hostile environments (1964, 3). This includes any instance of verbal harassment, molestation, rape, etc. that violate the victim’s dignity while creating a hostile, humiliating, or degrading environment (European Institute for Gender Equality). Sexual harassment has taken many shapes and forms throughout history but one fact remains, women are exploited and discredited while their harassers are more than often unaffected. Women have not been properly represented and advocated for within their respective countries and their voices have been silenced. They have not had a platform to advocate for themselves as well as others because most of the time, their accusations are ignored, discredited, and they are forced to hide their pain and suffering. Both the United States and the European Union have laws and legislature in place that prohibit institutions, like schools and workplaces, from having any gender discrimination and encourage the protection of women’s rights. Additionally, countries in the EU have ratified convention such as the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). However, these measures have been ineffective because there is a severe lack of regulation of these laws and conventions and no monitoring of how they are being implemented. Sexual harassment rates rise steadily in both these regions as over sixty percent of women in the US and EU have been sexually harassed in their lifetime (Clarke 2007, 1) and something must be done about it. Thankfully, testimonies, particularly from the past few years, have sparked the creation of movements that shed light on the horrifying instances of sexual harassment of women around the world and expose the individuals behind such abominable acts. Widespread movements, such as #MeToo and Time’s Up have given victims a community to heal and a voice through which they can combat sexual harassment both in and out of the workplace. There would not be a need for movements like these if harassment and assault were not a prominent issue. Sexual harassment remains a pervasive issue in both the United states and the European Union because, even with conventions, laws, and legislature in place, the lack of regulation, limited monitoring of implementation, and an absence of national recognition leave victims alone in their fight.            Sexual harassment comes in many different forms and comprehending them is the first step toward understanding the magnitude of this issue. By comparing how both the United States and the European Union define sexual harassment, we can begin to analyze the inner workings of each country in regard to sexual harassment. Cases of sexual harassment are always unsolicited and unwelcome according to the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Moreover, the European Institute for Gender Equality defines sexual harassment as a form of gender based violence including acts of unwanted physical, verbal, and non-verbal conduct, which have the grounds or effect of violating the victim’s dignity while creating a hostile or degrading environment (EIGE 1). A key word used in the definition of both the US and the EU is unwelcome. The word unwelcome emphasizes the victims’ discomfort and feelings of entrapment. However, it is not the same as involuntary because a victim may have agreed to certain things before realizing it was offensive or potentially dangerous. The main difference between these two interpretations is their focus. The US centralizes on the act of sexual harassment while the EU concentrates on the results.            Additionally, there are two main distinctions of sexual harassment that apply to both the EU and the US. The first is the private sphere. This level details sexual abuse in the home or private life of an individual. A study conducted by Quinnipiac University revealed that fifteen percent of women who have been sexually harassed and/or abused said it happened at home. (Frederick, 2) People often forget that some instances of harassment occur within the victims’ homes because most cases of sexual assault occur in the second sphere, the public sphere. This form involves instances of verbal harassment, sexual advances, molestation, rape, etc. that occur in the general community (RAINN). Also included in the public sphere is sexual harassment in the workplace. United States law recognizes two kinds of sexual harassment within the workplace, quid pro quo sexual harassment and hostile work environment. Quid pro quo involves an employee that has to tolerate and endure sexual harassment in exchange for employment, a promotion, a raise, etc. Hostile work environment, as defined by US law, is an offensive work environment that hinders an employee’s performance as a result of sexual harassment in the workplace (Title VII). On the other hand, the EU does not recognize different forms of sexual harassment in the workplace and uses a general definition. This is a huge part of the problem because the lack of distinction and recognition generates apathy and people forget that sexual harassment in the workplace is an entirely different issue on its own.            The impact of sexual harassment on survivors is severe and can range from depression and anxiety to post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Victims can grow to fear physical and sexual conduct and avoid leaving their homes (Thomas, 143). According to Equal Rights Advocates, a women’s law center in the US, one in four women, between the ages of 18 and 35, have been sexually harassed in the workplace. This is only a statistic those who have reported sexual assault and, sadly, many women hide their pain and suffering out of fear. Additionally, this ratio gets slimmer as the women get older. The likelihood of women experiencing sexual harassment in or out of the workplace gets higher the older they are. If a study were conducted on women ages 18 to 75, the ratio would be closer to one in two women. 95 percent of these women suffer from debilitating stress reactions including anxiety, headaches, sleep disorders, weight loss or gain, depression, and fear of physical/sexual contact, as mentioned earlier (Equal Rights Advocates).            Furthermore, the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) concluded that around 90 million women in all EU Member States have experienced at least one form of sexual harassment since the age of 15. That means that almost 60 percent of women have been sexually harassed. These statistics prove that having ratified a convention such as CEDAW has little to no effect on harassment and assault if there is no implementation and hard-set guidelines. Sexual harassment has a disheartening effect that hinders women from asserting themselves within the workplace. Among men, it reinforces the stereotypical view of women as objects. Extreme sexual harassment creates hostile or intimidating work environments that cause women to quit their jobs and look for another one or it discourages them from seeking jobs altogether. Women are too afraid to speak out about the issues theyre facing because they do not want to lose their jobs but if it gets too intense they feel as there is no other option but to quit. For most of American and European history, women quietly endured mistreatment and harassment in the workplace, with little to no protection or way out. By the 1920s, working women were advised to quit their jobs if they cannot handle sexual advances (Hill, 2). These traumatized women, some of which are single mothers, lose their source of income because their voices are silenced and they cannot advocate for their rights. Moreover, sexual harassment at work can have major consequences not only for the victim but for other working women who witness it. Like the harassed individuals, women try not to draw too much attention to themselves to avoid being sexually harassed as well. This hinders them from performing their best because they do not want to stand out, even if it means sacrificing potential promotions, raises, acknowledgements, etc. (Webb, 52) These women are exploited and mistreated because they have no one to fight for them as laws against sexual harassment both in the US and the EU are not adequately enforced.            The Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) is an international treaty that was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1979. It outlines discrimination against women and calls for national action to end gender based discrimination, harassment, and violence. Additionally, it requires States Parties to legislate provisions, programs, policies, and strategies which prohibit sexual harassment in all spheres. The United States was one of the first signatories on the convention but still has not ratified it. The US claims there are laws and regulations already in place that achieve what CEDAW means to accomplish, one of them being Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. It aims to eradicate sexual harassment in schools and workplaces. The goal of the Sexual Harassment Policy, which is in effect at all schools and workplaces, is to provide an environment free of sexual harassment, intimidation, and exploitation. However, it has not worked effectively as sexual assault and harassment rates are steadily increasing. On the other hand, countries in the European Union, such as France and the United Kingdom, have signed and ratified CEDAW. After ratifying the convention, member states are required to meet a series of conditions to end discrimination of women in all forms. This includes assimilating gender equality into their legal system, abolishing discriminatory laws and adopting appropriate ones, establishing public institutions, etc.            To monitor the implementation of CEDAW, the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women was set in place by the UN. It is comprised of 23 independent experts from around the world that conduct observations and propose recommendations to state parties. However, these observations are few and far apart and the recommendations are not heavily enforced. The committee also requests that reports be sent in every few years from all member states that have ratified CEDAW yet many do not comply. If a country does not send in general reports of how gender equality and anti-sexual harassment laws are being enforced, the UN does not take any action. These countries are still considered to have ratified the convention even if they are not adhering to the guidelines set forth by the UN. I wanted to evaluate whether there is a correlation between the rates of sexual harassment and ratification of CEDAW. I concluded that there is no correlation between the two because the United States and countries in the European Union have the same rates of sexual harassment and assault. On average, over sixty percent of women in the US and EU reported they have been sexually harassed in their lifetime and sexual harassment rates have been steadily increasing in both these regions (Clarke 2007, 1). This all leads back to the lack of appropriate application and reinforcement, for both CEDAW and other legislature like Title VII, that leaves victims and survivors of sexual assault unprotected while the perpetrators get away with their crimes. Furthermore, the unwillingness of national governments to properly implement and fully adhere to regulations concerning sexual harassment in the workplace causes this issue to remain pervasive.            Sexual harassment in the workplace is nothing new and has been an agonizing issue for centuries, but it has seen a massive wave of attention and recognition recently as celebrities, citizens, coworkers, and others use their platforms to advocate for the rights of women around the world. The prevalence of workplace harassment led to the creation of groundbreaking anti-sexual assault and women’s empowerment movements such as #MeToo and Time’s Up. These movements, like many others, would not be necessary if sexual harassment were not an issue or if it were properly addressed by national governments and institutions. Celebrities have stepped up and accused Hollywood producers, directors, and actors who have taken advantage of their positions and sexual harassed women, such as Harvey Weinstein, Louis C. K., and Kevin Spacey. Countless women have spoken out about harassers, specifically Harvey Weinstein whose scandals triggered a series of allegations against similarly powerful men around the world (Rodino-Colocino, 97). These events provoked the creation of the #MeToo movement, a stand against sexual harassment, specifically in the workplace. It started in the United States on social media as a hashtag under which women would share testimonies about their personal experiences with sexual assault, harassment, and rape in the workplace or a professional setting. It provides a community of healing and lets victims and survivors know that they are not alone in their pain. Celebrities are looked up to and their seemingly perfect lives are envied. The #MeToo movement is extremely powerful and shift our view of Hollywood’s elites. Their courage to openly and so vulnerably share their experiences with the world gives women hope. Through their stories, we can also see that fame and fortune does not grant you a perfect life. Celebrities go through pain, discomfort, and fear just like anyone else and this shows women that they can let their voice be heard as well. Victims in European Union countries have found their voice just as Americans through many powerful women’s declarations. The movement went viral in October of 2017 and exposed the widespread prevalence of sexual harassment. Since then, #MeToo has spread to over 200 countries and women in every community, big or small have the courage to speak out and advocate for their own rights (Edge, 22).            In response to the #MeToo movement and the Harvey Weinstein scandal, the Time’s Up movement was founded in January 2018 by Hollywood celebrities. Additionally, many A-listers have assisted in the creation of the Time’s Up Legal Defense Fund. The fund provides legal support, defense, and advising to victims of sexual harassment, assault, or abuse in the workplace. As of February 2018, Time’s Up has raised 20 million dollars for its legal defense fund. It has also gained over 200 volunteer lawyers who are going to work directly with victims to ensure their rights are protected (Chu 2018, 16). When you visit the Time’s Up website, the first thing you see is a quote that reads, â€Å"The clock has run out on sexual assault, harassment, and inequality in the workplace. It is time to do something about it.†This perfectly exemplifies the goal of the movement. The time is up on silencing women and protecting abusers. It is time to make a change and take matters into our own hands since governments refuse to acknowledge the severity of sexual harassment and do something about it (Time’s Up Now). However, the #MeToo and Time’s Up movements have caught plenty of negative backlash. Many men and, surprisingly, even women argue that these movements are unnecessary. Their claims range from attention seeking to pushing an extremist liberal agenda. The individuals who push back are not educated on the goals these movements. Many individuals have claimed that #MeToo and Time’s Up are only ways for women to get more attention and fame by falsely accusing others. People in opposition claim that since there is no proof of the assaults, other than women’s testimonies, how can they believe them? Additionally, men argue that accusations make male workers and executives have to avoid women in the workplace completely. They claim there is no communication between males and females unless it is directly related to work and this can hurt their work performance (Rodino-Colocino, 98). Nevertheless, the opposition to the movement has only given women a bigger reason to fight for their rights and protection. There will always be antagonists but victims and supporters are doing their part to lift their voices, especially for women who are teared down and silenced.            Additionally, the #MeToo and Time’s Up movements have made their way across the pond, literally. What started in the United States has made an impact all over the globe as more than 200 countries have been actively raising awareness and implementing the goals of these movements into their own communities (Edge, 22). The celebrities that have shown their support for the cause, such as Angelina Jolie, Natalie Portman, Justin Timberlake, Sebastian Stan, and many others, have utilized their platforms to advocate for an issue that is not only current in the United States but it applies all over the world including Europe. The global reach of these movements is massive and shows that women refuse to be silenced and cast aside, rather we will unite our voices and speak out for those who cannot. An example of the expansive influence of Time’s Up and #MeToo is the creation of British versions of them. British media and the entertainment industry have had a surge of simmering issues that leave women feeling hopeful of meaningful change. European celebrities, including Kierra Knightley, Emma Watson, and Daisy Ridley, are speaking out and demanding action. By the end of January, the British Time’s Up initiative had gained the support of over 50 internationally acclaimed women (Chu 2018, 16).They are uniting under this cause and increasingly raising their voices in a post Harvey Weinstein age. Various celebrities have reflected the support of Americans by wearing all black to the BAFTA ceremony much like celebrities who wore all black to the Oscars and the Golden Globes.These effects are mirrored in various countries in the EU and the resulting awareness is causing a change of drastic proportions. These movements have been able to achieve what national governments and legislature have failed to do. They have given all women a hopeful voice and have protected and defended them in the face of injustice and sexual harassment.            I believe that there are many changes that could be implemented in both the United States and the European Union to lower the rates of sexual harassment in the workplace and, eventually, eradicate it. First, the United States should recognize the flaws and failures of its laws to fully protect women and eradicate sexual harassment in all spheres. They should take necessary measures to ratify CEDAW and enact legislative provisions that ensure the safety of women in and out of workplaces. There should also be proper punishment measures set forth for the perpetrators, such as termination of employment and prison sentences where necessary. Too many harassers get away with their crimes and they must be stopped. I believe that the US should also allocate funds to organizations, foundations, and movements like Time’s Up and #MeToo that properly identify harassers and provide defense for the victims of sexual assault. Next, countries in the European Union that have ratified CEDAW should regulate and measure the extent of implementations within their respective governments and institutions. I believe that EU countries would also benefit from recognizing various forms of sexual harassment rather than relying on a general definition. Additionally, the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women under CEDAW should recruit more members to monitor application of the convention into law. They could also revoke the member states’ benefits of ratification. If they have not made an effort to implement policies and no change is detected, they should not be able to say they ratified the convention.            In conclusion, the prevalence and pervasiveness of sexual harassment in both the United States can be attributed to their lack of regulation of these laws and conventions and the absence of implementation monitoring. Even so, the creation of movements such as Time’s Up and #MeToo have aided in representing for the victims of sexual assault and giving them a voice to speak out about their experiences. The lack of adequate representation and advocacy in the US left women no choice but to speak out for themselves and help others victims and survivors who have been silences. Their stand was inspiring and other countries like the United Kingdom, France, etc. mirrored their movements and efforts (Chu 2018, 16). This has been bringing about the change that governments failed to. Through the strength and global reach of these movement and fund the rates of sexual harassment and assault can be significantly lowered. Additionally, the US and the EU would benefit from implementing appropriate regulations to conventions, updating and revising current law and legislature, setting adequate punishment measures for perpetrators, and nationally recognizing sexual harassment in and out of the workplace. References Chu, Henry. â€Å"Time’s Up Movement Ripples across Pond.†Variety. 339(1):16. 2018. Clarke, Linda. 2007. †Sexual Harassment Law in the United States, the United Kingdom and the European Union: Discriminatory Wrongs and Dignitary Harms†in Common Law World Review, Vol. 36. Edge, Abigail. The #MeToo Movement: Sexual Misconduct Charges Force Industry to Confront Itself†in The Quill. pp. 22. 2018. European Parliament. â€Å"How Could CEDAW be Implemented in the EU Legal Framework?†in Directorate-General for Internal Policies, Citizens’ Rights and Constitutional Affairs. Frederick, Bob. 2016. The Victims of Sexual Harassment in America. Connecticut: Quinnipiac University. Latcheva, Rossalina. 2017. Sexual Harassment in the European Union: A Pervasive but Still Hidden Form of Gender-Based Violence†in Journal of Interpersonal Violence. Vienna: European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights. Rodino-Colocino, Michelle. â€Å"#MeToo: Countering Cruelty with Empathy in Communication & Critical/Cultural Studies, pp. 96-100. 2018. Swift, Evangeline W. Sexual Harassment in the Federal Workplace: Trends, Progress, Continuing Challenges. Pennsylvania: DIANE Publishing. 1996. Thomas, Alison M. Politics, Policies and Practice: Assessing the Impact of Sexual Harassment Policies in UK Universities†in British Journal of Sociology of Education. 2004. Webb, Susan L. Step Forward: Sexual Harassment in the Workplace. MasterMedia Publishing Corporation. 1991. Zippel, Kathrin S. The Politics of Sexual Harassment: A Comparative Study of the United States, the European Union, and Germany. Cambridge, UK; New York: Cambridge University Press, 2006.
Friday, January 17, 2020
Chris Peterson at DSS Consulting Essay
This case discussed the events that occurred during a change in DSS Consulting’s organizational structure. Three retired school district administrators established DSS Consulting during the late 1990’s. The company offered administrative support to small school districts located within the mid-west and mountain west region. They specialized in handling the negotiating of labor agreements as well as implementation of permanent system solutions designed to enable those organizations to run efficiently. The firm experienced a significant degree of success during their early years, which was primarily attributed to the founder’s personal relationships within each school district that utilized their services. The demand for the services offered by DSS grew quickly given the changing dynamic of challenges faced by each district. Some of those challenges related to reductions in budgets and subsequent reduction of administrative staff. The firm structured themselves to accommodate the change in services needs of their customers. As a result, DSS designed an organizational structure that consisted of the four areas of specialization: Procurement and Systems, Information Technology, Contract Negotiation and Facilities Planning. By the mid-2000’s, DSS experienced some significant changes in their organizational structure and their customer base. It was during this time that the founders of the company reduced the amount of time they were spending in client engagement and relying upon the expertise of the management teams for each specialized area. As a result, a gap was created surfacing the need for a strategy for attracting and retaining new business. This would require adapting their service offerings to meet the demands of rapidly changing market base. These factors led to a halt in the firm’s growth and forced the company to redefine the organizational structure to remain a competitor. The key issues of this case involved successfully redesigning the firm’s strategy, implementation of those changes while maintaining their level of success. The firm would need to realign their management structure and create functional teams to design, develop and implement product offerings that would appeal to an expanded market (i.e. larger school districts). A major consideration for the firm was how to achieve this goal and maintain the level of commitment from employee’s as change in any form can be a daunting task. A new management structure was determined and Meg Cooke was appointed the Chief Operating Officer of DSS. Ms. Cooke and the Board of Directors made the decision to adopt a new structure that created cross-functional teams each assigned to a specific region for which they would design and create products for customers specific to their region that could potentially be marketed to additional regions with similar demands. Based on my review of the case, the major issues identified can be categorized as communication, leadership, organizational culture and organizational change. Communication The manner in which the new strategy was communicated at all levels of the organization appeared to lack a clear concise message which defined the redesigned strategy, new organizational structure and a detailed implementation plan to achieve the desired results. The communication of these changes wasn’t handled in the most efficient manner and subsequently not received by all employees in a favourable manner. Study results that have been published by the University of Pittsburgh’s Katz Business School have indicated that effective communication skills have become one of the most important factors when recruiter’s are screening candidates for potential managerial positions. Both Ms. Cooke and Ms. Peterson failed to communicate in all phases of the organizational change. Although it appeared that Ms. Cooke met regularly with other department leaders, she and Ms. Peterson never had regularly scheduled planning meetings or informal weekly check-ins to ensure that sh e and her team were on target for successfully delivering the team’s objectives. Although, Ms. Peterson communicated and fostered open, collaborative conversations with her team, she failed to communicate with her manager to ensure that she understood expectations for herself as the leader and for her team. Successful communication is only achieved when the sender and receiver of information have the same understanding of the information presented. (See Figure 1) For example, when Chris Peterson was assigned to lead her team in delivering new products that would appeal to larger districts within and outside of her designated region. She received the message as â€Å" create/design new product offerings that would appeal to districts within the southwest region. Leadership The style of leadership varies with every individual. It has been stated that today’s successful leaders have created in their organizations an atmosphere where every employee believes in management, their strategy and the importance of their individual contributions in achieving the organizations goal. Blake Mouton’s Managerial Grid is a model using in identifying leadership style that is based on the concept that there are two behavioural dimensions: concern for people which can be defined as the degree to which leaders are aware of and consider the needs of their staff, their skill sets and development potential when making decisions about specific tasks to be completed. The second dimension is concern for production and is defined as the degree to which leaders place importance on objectives, efficiency and production specifically what it takes to meet the desired result. Based on these definitions, I would classify Ms. Cooke’s driving leadership behaviour dimension to be in the latter category of concern for production and Ms. Peterson’s as concern for people. It was evident that Ms. Cooke’s leadership style resulted in a disorganized and poorly motivated organization. Her lack of leadership to Ms. Peterson resulted in the team being led in the direction of focusing their efforts on a project that would not be approved. Ms. Peterson clearly valued the skills of each team member as well as taking extensive steps to ensure that a collaborative, innovative environment existed for her team to design and develop a new product offering for the districts in the southwest region that would meet their needs. Organizational Culture and Organizational Change The culture that exists within any organization plays a vital role in the behaviour and actions of employees. Organizational culture as defined McLean and Marshall is a collection of traditions, values, policies, beliefs and attitudes that constitute a pervasive context for everything we do and think in an organization. Based on this definition, DSS’s original organizational structure could be classified as so-called Power Culture (Handy, 1993). This culture is typical for small entrepreneurial organizations similar to DSS, where the founders had a strong influence and played a central role in managing the company and securing contracts from their school district contacts. These types of cultures rely heavily on trust, personal communication and empathy. The structure is very informal and there are few rules and guidelines in this culture. However, the changes implemented at DSS to redefine their strategy forced a culture change as well. The organizational structure changed from functional to a more structured matrix type. The appointment of the COO position shifted the organizational culture from the personal interactive environment to one of project and task oriented nature. This shift made implementation of the new strategy increasingly more difficult as this was new to everyone at all levels of the organization.
Thursday, January 9, 2020
French Indian War - French Indian War Aftermath
Previous: 1760-1763 - The Closing Campaigns | French Indian War/Seven Years War: Overview The Treaty of Paris Having abandoned Prussia, clearing the way to make a separate peace with France and Spain, the British entered into peace talks in 1762. After winning stunning victories around the globe, they vigorously debated which captured territories to keep as part of the negotiating process. This debate essentially distilled to an argument for keeping either Canada or islands in the West Indies. While the former was infinitely larger and provided security for Britains existing North American colonies, the latter produced sugar and other valuable trade commodities. Left with little to trade except Minorca, the French foreign minister, the Duc de Choiseul, found an unexpected ally in the head of the British government, Lord Bute. Believing that some territory had to be returned in order to restore a degree of balance of power, he did not press to complete the British victory at the negotiating table. By November 1762, Britain and France, with Spain also participating, completed work on a peace agreement dubbed the Treaty of Paris. As part of the agreement, the French ceded all of Canada to Britain and relinquished all claims to territory east of the Mississippi River except New Orleans. In addition, British subjects were guaranteed navigation rights over the length of the river. French fishing rights on the Grand Banks were confirmed and they were allowed to retain the two small islands of St. Pierre and Miquelon as commercial bases. To the south, the British maintained possession of St. Vincent, Dominica, Tobago, and Grenada, but returned Guadeloupe and Martinique to France. In Africa, Gorà ©e was restored to France, but Senegal was kept by the British. On the Indian Subcontinent, France was permitted to re-establish bases that had been founded before 1749, but for trading purposes only. In exchange, the British regained their trading posts in Sumatra. Also, the British agreed to allow former French subjects to continue practicing Roman Catholicism. A late entry into the war, Spain fared badly on the battlefield and in negotiations. Forced to cede their gains in Portugal, they were locked out of the Grand Banks fisheries. In addition, they were forced trade all of Florida to Britain for the return of Havana and the Philippines. This gave Britain control of the North American coast from Newfoundland to New Orleans. The Spanish were also required to acquiesce to a British commercial presence in Belize. As compensation for entering the war, France transferred Louisiana to Spain under the 1762 Treaty of Fontainebleau. The Treaty of Hubertusburg Hard pressed in the wars final years, Frederick the Great and Prussia saw fortune shine on them when Russia exited the war following Empress Elizabeths death in early 1762. Able to concentrate his few remaining resources against Austria, he won battles at Burkersdorf and Freiburg. Cut off from British financial resources, Frederick accepted Austrian entreaties to begin peace talks in November 1762. These talks ultimately produced the Treaty of Hubertusburg which was signed on February 15, 1763. The terms of the treaty were an effective return to status quo ante bellum. As a result, Prussia retained the wealthy province of Silesia which it had gained by the1748 Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle and which had been a flashpoint for the current conflict. Though battered by the war, the result led to a newfound respect for Prussia and an acceptance of the nation as one of the great powers of Europe. The Road to Revolution Debate over the Treaty of Paris began in Parliament on December 9, 1762. Though not required for approval, Bute felt it a prudent political move as the treatys terms had unleashed a great deal of public outcry. The opposition to the treaty was led by his predecessors William Pitt and the Duke of Newcastle who felt that the terms were far too lenient and who criticized the governments abandonment of Prussia. Despite the vocal protest, the treaty passed the House of Commons by a vote of 319-64. As a result, the final document was officially signed on February 10, 1763. While triumphant, the war had badly stressed Britains finances plunging the nation into debt. In an effort to alleviate these financial burdens, the government in London began exploring various options for raising revenues and underwriting the cost of colonial defense. Among those pursued were a variety of proclamations and taxes for the North American colonies. Though a wave of goodwill for Britain existed in the colonies in the wake of the victory, it was quickly extinguished that fall with the Proclamation of 1763 which forbade American colonists from settling west of the Appalachian Mountains. This was intended to stabilize relations with the Native American population, most of which had sided with France in the recent conflict, as well as reduce the cost of colonial defense. In America, the proclamation was met with outrage as many colonists had either purchased land west of the mountains or had received land grants for services rendered during the war. This initial anger was escalated by a series of new taxes including the Sugar Act (1764), Currency Act (1765), Stamp Act (1765), Townshend Acts (1767), and Tea Act (1773). Lacking a voice in Parliament, the colonists claimed taxation without representation, and protests and boycotts swept through the colonies. This widespread anger, coupled with a rise in liberalism and republicanism, placed the American colonies on the road to the American Revolution. Previous: 1760-1763 - The Closing Campaigns | French Indian War/Seven Years War: Overview
Wednesday, January 1, 2020
The Scarlet Letter By Nathaniel Hawthorne - 1220 Words
The novel The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, many of the main characters suffer from toils of sin. Especially Arthur Dimmesdale, the local puritan clergyman who has committed adultery and can t admit to the people of the town in Boston what he has done. He lived under a strict society where the system and all of its components were based on God. He suffers from this because he values the Puritan way. Arthur Dimmesdale does not come out for many reasons and that isn t right, which makes him a coward throughout the novel. The first of my many reasons why Arthur Dimmesdale can be characterized as a coward because he lets his mistress Hester Prynne take all the blame. â€Å"Be not silent from any mistaken pity and tenderness for him;†¦show more content†¦Its makes him even more of a coward because he gives advice to others about taking full responsibility for their sin, but he doesn t even listen to himself. His spirit lacked the strength that could have borne up, as t hine has been, beneath a burden like thy scarlet letter (page 178 paragraph 4). In this scene Roger Chillingworth tries to make Hester recognize Dimmesdale s hypocrisy but she denies it. He says that Dimmesdale can preach a good sermon about the consequences of sin, but he can t deal with them himself. It s true what Chillingworth says about Dimmesdale yet it is ironic because he is a reverend he is supposed to follow the Puritan lifestyle strictly however, he does not. He becomes more beaten as he keeps hiding the truth while he doesn t accept his punishment that he deserves. Dimmesdale’s struggle is dark and his penance is horrifying as he tries to unravel his mystery. His cowardness is taking over him and is making him conduct actions that are painful for him. â€Å"His inward trouble drove him to practices, more in accordance with the old, corrupted faith of Rome, than with the better light of the church in which he had been born and bred. In Mr. Dimmesdale’s sec ret closet, under lock and key, there was a bloody scourge. Oftentimes, this Protestant and Puritan divine had plied it on his own shoulders; laughing bitterly at himself the while, and smiting so much the more
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