Thursday, April 30, 2020

Western Countries Influence on China in the 19th Century Essay Example

Western Countries Influence on China in the 19th Century Essay For quite a long period of time, China has had the largest economy in the world. Concepts such as use of money and development of merchant class were introduced by the ancient China. The Chinese exhibited a false sense of superiority as they believed that they had nothing to gain by trading with other countries. The country was locked to external trade and it was not until after the Opium War that the country was forcefully opened to the world, which carried both positive and negative effects (Rawski, Para. 2). In the time of cold war, the literature which talked about China’s development focused on two major issues, one was that the involvement in international trade was less likely to be helpful in search of economic development for poor countries. The second was that the culture and social structure of China was a great impediment to its development. It was believed that substantial development in the country would only arise after major and dramatic changes were carried out to the social structure and individual behavior (Overholt. 22). According to Rawski (Para. 8), the 19th century was in the Qing Period of the Canton trade and the balance of payment was in favor of Chinese as the silver flowed into the country. It was at this period that the British discovered a favorable market for opium in China as it shipped opium from India. This new discovery made the silver flow to reverse as outflow of silver increased. The balance of payment was no longer favorable as the trend decreased money supply in the economy. The resultant effect was a downward pressure on general prices of goods and services that led to economic problems. The Qing court wanted to stop the outflow of silver and Commissioner Lin was sent to Canton in the efforts to stop the trade of opium. He confiscated property that belonged to the British traders and destroyed this business. When the traders complained to their government, the British government responded with military pressure which led to the opium war and unequal treaties system. We will write a custom essay sample on Western Countries Influence on China in the 19th Century specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Western Countries Influence on China in the 19th Century specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Western Countries Influence on China in the 19th Century specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The British soldiers easily outgunned the Qing forces as they had superior weapons. The Qing then surrendered in the year 1842 and the treaty of Nanking was signed. It allowed unrestricted European access to Chinese ports and the island of Hong Kong was ceded to Great Britain. During the war, farm areas were destroyed, and millions of lives were lost that made China’s income to fall. Another war that emerged between the British and the Chinese led to grievous losses and British warships obtained unlimited access to all rivers in China provided they were navigable. All official Chinese documents were to be written in English (U.S. Department of State, Para. 10a). The system of unequal treaties had economic impact on China and it also infringed on their political sovereignty. It led to the imposition of a free trade regime that allowed unlimited trade in all goods and services which eventually was obliged to allow foreign investment and foreign trade as well. The fact that China was large and far from the coast, was a reason that the foreign trade was not a large component of the economy. However, with the coming of new technology which involved rail road and telegraph, the Chinese were eager to utilize these opportunities. New commodities were thus adopted and organizational innovations implemented. In 1860s, the Qing dynasty initiated several institutional reforms in order to deal with the problem of modernization (Gibson 59). The Chinese had a vague concept of European countries and it was not until the opium war that they tried to understand the west in form of their ideologies, social and political structures. Technology was thus introduced into the country as much as democracy and capitalism were recognized by the citizens. They realized that by being locked to other countries, they were left ignorant of significant concepts and ideologies from other countries. The need to conquer the west made them interested in understanding the west in form of their economic structures and political structures. It was certain that the defeat in the opium war was due to the better technology; lethal western weapons, and strong ships. It was then that reform was underway in China (Beeching 47). Economic Reforms In the early 19th century, China was completely closed and isolated itself from other countries in the world. Foreign trade was limited in the city of Canton and it was not until the opium war that led to the signing of Nanjing treaty, that China’s ports were opened and western merchants found their way into the Chinese market. The effect on Chinese economy was significant as they had least expected it. The effect of opening up of China did not have just the negative effects but it also had good and positive effects on the economy and social relationships which existed in the people of Qing Dynasty. Among the negative effects that we shall look in details are internal struggles, increase in the rate of crime, economic downfall in the city of Canton and the increase in the economic welfare at the cities of Shanghai and Hong Kong (Chesneaux, Marianne Maie-Claire 7). Chinese local industries were affected by cheaper western machine made products. This created so much pressure on the local industries as they had to adapt and reform in order to compete with the western merchants. The defeat of China in the opium war was enough to convince the Chinese that they were no longer the ‘Heavenly Middle Kingdom’ that they always thought they were. They were thus awakened and exposed to the reality of progress (Gibson 32). Chinese were used to being self reliant as they had a self sufficient domestic trade. This was occasioned to a large extent by the fact that it has an immense home trade. It has a vast land that their internal trade is sufficient to perform commercial operations. In opening up, China was able to compare itself with other nations internationally and thus realized that it was no longer on top of the world. Chinese thus developed a sense of purpose and a desire to improve their economy; it was a period of awakening the giant (Chesneaux, Marianne Maie-Claire 53). Various economic repercussions were obtained after the opening of China. The flourishing of foreign trade was evident as China increased its export from 7.5 million kilograms of tea in 1843 to 42 million kilograms in 1855. The export of silk also increased significantly. The demand of tea and silk led to the expansion of tea and silk producing regions as they greatly benefited from foreign trade. Another economic effect was a monetary crisis which resulted from the increased volumes of trade activities. There was a reduction in the Spanish silver dollar and it appreciated so much that it was abolished and the Mexican dollar introduced. These problems were enhanced by internal monetary crises that were instigated mainly by poor administration. The copper cash that prevailed in China depreciated significantly as a result of inadequate supply of copper. This devastated Chinese financial system and in 1853, the country had to result to paper money (Beeching 67). There was a significant effect on the textile industry. Prior to the Opium War, the Chinese made cloths by hand. This industry was almost eliminated as open system led to the importation of cheaper machine-made cloths and other products. The native textile industries had to adapt by lowering their charges, though this was detrimental to the textile workers. Their wages were reduced as the textile industries looked for ways of reducing their operation costs and led to lowering the living standards of these workers (Beeching 63). The old Chinese self-sufficient economy was changing under pressure. China’s social-economical development was affected by western capitalistic societies. This however did not lead to the formation of capitalistic China but rather made it to a semi-colonial semi-feudal state. The Chinese industries had been exposed to the outside states but at a time when they had not anticipated it. They were thus less prepared and less equipped to compete with these international industries. The opening up of China meant that the people who used to transport goods to Canton (mostly the Hakkas) were left without jobs. The majority of trade shifted from Canton to Shanghai as Shanghai had been opened for foreign trade. The Hakkas were considered to be ethnic minorities by the natives of Canton which led to a competition between the two clans in form of farming and economy. This led to wars between the two clans and as a result, hundred of thousands of lives were lost and the effect was quite significant to the China’s economy. The population which had made the country prosperous was being threatened by this internal wars and struggles (Chung, Para. 4). China was no more affected as a series of natural disasters also stroke the country. The Huang He River had burst its banks and flooded a vast portion of land in the year 1851. In 1855, the river flooded again and the fertile and among the most productive province of Jiangsu was in ruins as farmland was destroyed and loss of lives intensified. The Qing government could not afford to provide adequate aid to the survivors as funds had been drained during the opium war and against the Taipings rebellion. The government was also busy in negotiating for military aid with the European powers. The Qing government also faced contempt from the Nian movement which had just begun. The government was thus placed in a very unstable situation by all these occurrences and frustrations (Chung, Para. 5). According to Chung (Para. 7), the Muslim rebellions that tried to enhance equal rights among the Muslims and the non-Muslims, the Taipings rebellion, and other groups that were opposed to the Qing government failed to strike a solution to the prevailing social and economic crisis, as millions of people died. The much relied agricultural industry was severely affected by these rebellions as the countryside was ruined in these battles and countless people lost their lives. This led the Qing government to increase its dependence on the European Imperial forces and subsequent purchase of modern weapons. These internal conflicts made it hard for the Qing government to concentrate its military powers and it thus lost external wars: the Second Opium War (1856-1860) and Sino-Japanese War (1894-1895). The effect was an occupation of Beijing by an international force and the agreement of the Boxer Protocol (1901) which was done under humiliating terms. The government was to indemnify the European powers for the losses that they had suffered. The Qing court resisted reforms and revolutionaries and reformers advocated for overthrow of the Qing dynasty in order to form a republic. The Qing government was eventually weakened by the numerous rebellions as they tried to pursue economic stability as the economic crisis had worsened by the end of 19th century to a national status (Chung, Para. 10). The Rise of China’s Economy The growth and the sudden rise of China is one of the greatest economic successes in the world. With economic reforms in China which started in the year 1979, to 2008 China’s economy is believed to have grown 14-fold in real terms. This has led to the raising of hundreds of millions of people out of extreme poverty. On per capita basis, China is relatively poor though it is currently the world’s second largest economy. This has led to increase in economic ties between China and the U.S. China is still marked with low-cost labor and as such, most U.S. companies operate in China so as to benefit from the vast and booming Chinese Market and low cost of operations as a result of taking advantage of the low cost labor in their export-oriented manufacturing (Rawski, Para. 7). The basic improvements seem to have originated from four modernization strategies in Agriculture, industry, science and technology, and National Defense. This meant that rural electrification had to be initiated, a total industrial automation, a focus on a new outlook of the economy, and an enhanced national security and strength on defense. Mechanization in agriculture and subsequent use of irrigation, led to the modification of the industry so as to enhance production, better farming methods were also encouraged (Rawski, Para. 9). The Chinese social and cultural structure had been thought that it was a major constraint to economic growth and development. The rapid improvement in economic conditions of the Chinese is a clear indication that the social and cultural structures might be conducive to growth. There are certain elements of Chinese culture that generate an enterprising spirit which is not found in most cultures in poor countries. One would pose to wonder why this enterprising spirit didn’t have major effects in the 19th century as it had after the minor reforms in 1978 which initiated explosive growth. China used improvements in the heavy industry and infrastructure. Development of modern highways, and compounding of Petrochemical, steel and other industries ensured that the economic capacity of the nation was improved. This rapid growth was also initiated by the use of cheap labor which was used extensively in manufacture and subsequent export of low-end products (Overholt 23). The Implications The opening up of China and the subsequent catastrophic occurrences had negative impacts on the economic well being of China. The Western countries undermined China’s self sufficient economy, the rural homestead industries were as much adversely affected as the development that occurred in the urban market economy. On the other hand, it opened the nation to compare its progress with other nations as well. Technology was imported from the western countries and all this worked to enable the nation develop unbiased opinions on the working of international economies. The Chinese government established commercial and modern enterprises as a result of stimulation from the western capitalism. Many of the established enterprises went bankrupt as a result of poor administration, but the established modern industries thrived which enhanced the social-economic development of China. The modern industries stimulated the growth of Chinese capitalism and formed a basis which has marked a tre mendous improvement of the Chinese economy (Chesneaux, Marianne Maie-Claire 48). It is a wonder that a nation that could barely feed its citizens is an industrial giant with the leading capacity in steel production, aluminum, cement and coal. The U.S. had been the world’s leading auto market but in January 2009, China had turned the tables. It had also been named the top producer of merchant ships in the year 2007. It is clear that the western influence had negative impacts to China at first but today China has all to gain. The exposure to the western markets at such a critical time gave the nation a clear understanding of improved technology and the workings of international markets and economies. China thus used its capacities and its capabilities so as enable it obtain control in this international market. When we compare China to North Korea, a country that was free from western influence, then we can confidently say that Western Influence was what was needed to awaken the sleeping giant in China (Overholt 29). According to the U.S. Department of State (Para. 20b), in the Mid-19th century, the western countries focused the capitalist diplomacy on Korea. The policy which was adopted by the Leaders made the region to be termed as Hermit Kingdom. Korea remained independent until late 19th century when China wanted to block the influence Japan had on Korean Peninsula and the pressure by the Russians. This led to the afore-mentioned Sino-Japanese war in which Japan emerged victorious. Korea was thus annexed as part of the Japan Empire which had strong colonial administration and control and it was not until the end of World War II in 1945 that Japan surrendered. This led to the division of Korea, where the United States administered the southern part and the U.S.S.R. took over the northern side. North Korea attacked South Korea in 1950 and the United Nations sent troops to support South Korea. China Supported North Korea until an armistice agreement was signed in 1953. North Korea is governed by a centralized government under the Communist Korean Worker’s Party (KWP). Minor parties do exist but under limited power and scope of authority. It has a record of wide violations of human rights as the government has total control on all issues in the state. The media is controlled by the government that it is not a wonder that ‘North Korea was ranked second to last on the World Press Freedom Index’ (U.S. Department of State, Para. 23b). North Korea spends quite a substantial proportion of its income on military, but the nation has not yet become self-sufficient in food production. Technological links were disrupted and affected with the collapse of communism in the former Soviet Union in 1989. The GDP of the nation has stagnated for quite a while and it is far much below China in economic development and in the living standards of its nationals (U.S. Department of State, Para. 18b). Conclusion The Chinese people were against the opening of China by the Opium War, but the control of China and influence by the Western countries made China a semi-feudal semi-colonial state. It was not until then that technology found its way into China and the Chinese were quick to use it to their advantaged. The shameful defeat in the Opium War made the Chinese vow to strengthen their country in order to prevent a repeat of the same. This has inspired the nation to the current situation of growth and influence in the world. In fact China is very reluctant to succumb to international pressure as it is on its way to gain the title the world’s economic giant. Works Cited Beeching, J. The Chinese Opium Wars. London: Hutchinson Co (Publishers) Ltd, 1975. A well detailed book about China and free trade. It has vital information regarding the growth of the opium trade and consequential Opium Wars between China and the West. It is recommended in understanding the Chinese history and the relation with the West. Chesneaux Jean, Bastid Marianne, and Bergere Maie-Claire. China from the Opium Wars to the 1911 Revolution, New York: Patheon, 1976. The authors of this book concentrates on changes that were prevalent in China in the 19th-century up to the 20th- century. The book narrates major events that took place in china, which includes the rebellions and movements which were introduced. It is a rich source to explain the emergence of an indigenous capitalist class in China. Chung, Rabin, Economic Factors in Chinese Rebellions of the 19th Century. November 2005, 20 May 2010. http://www.zum.de/whkmla/sp/0708/habin/habin3.html. This is an electronic academic source presented in a history class in Korean Minjok Leadership Academy. It has a good history overview of the rebellions and various strains that China underwent. It also gives the economic effects of these rebellions. Gibson, Michael, China Opium Wars to Revolution. London: Wayland Publishers, 1975. This is a 96 pages book that gives China’s history. It shows a traditional China and China in revolution. The writer narrates events that led to Opium Wars, repercussions and effects after the Opium wars. Overholt, W. H., â€Å"China in the Global Financial Crisis: Rising Influence, Rising Challenges.† The Washington Quarterly 33.1 (January 2010): 21-34. It is an article which featured in the journal of international affairs: Washington Quarterly. The author of this article writes about the financial crisis, challenges and influence that the crisis had on China and its outer relations. He concentrates on changes that have been witnessed in China, and how the changes enabled the country deal with the global financial challenges. Rawski, T. Economic Influence in China’s Relations with the West. 2 March 2008. 19 May 2010. http://www.fpri.org/footnotes/1309.200808.rawski.economicinfluencechinawest.html. This is a rich article from an online journal, where the author of the article, clearly and distinctly gives the economic history of China. The reader obtains substantial information regarding the same since the Ming Period to the current reform era. U.S. Department of State, Background Note: China. 30 October 2009. 19 May 2010. http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/18902.htm. The U.S Department of State in this article features the people of China, history, government, political conditions, economy, defense, foreign relations and background notes about China. U.S. Department of State, Official Name: Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea. 9 March 2010. 19 May 2010. http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2792.htm. This article gives the history, government, political, economic, defense, foreign relations, business and other background notes of North Korea. It is a sufficient source to give an outline of North Korea’s Economic conditions.

Friday, April 10, 2020

Writing a College Application Essay

Writing a College Application EssayWriting a College Application Essay is one of the most important parts of applying to a college. It will help you get through the college entrance examination process. A college essay that is poorly written can hurt your chances of getting into a college or university.Your college application essay should be well researched. When writing a college application essay, you should make sure that the information provided is accurate and correct. Keep in mind that your essay should not include exaggerations or falsehoods. This can cause problems later on in the admissions process. You also do not want to read an essay that is confusing or hard to understand.You need to make a good first impression when writing your college application essay. A good college essay starts with an introduction. The introduction should be brief and informative. It should be written in an easy and conversational tone. The introduction can even be an outline of your college expe rience. This will help your application stand out and be given more attention.The essay should be about your strengths and weaknesses. How you can show your strengths and your weaknesses. This will help your college admission committee see that you are interesting, intelligent, and have interesting ideas. Do not try to build your essay around something unrelated to the college you are applying to. Writing it such that it reads like a resume will not help you get into the college you are applying to.Write your college application essay as if you were giving a presentation. Be knowledgeable of your topic and do not omit or mislead. Do not copy and paste other people's work either. You should write a college application essay that is as original as possible. Read your College Application Essay often to make sure that you are writing it correctly. You should also review it every year to make sure that you do not miss any information.Sample College Application Essay Templates is availabl e online. These templates contain examples and practice questions for College Application Essay. They will help you perfect your college application essay. You can read through them once and then have a copy and continue practicing. Another option is to buy sample college application essays from many websites. If you find a site with a large number of sample essays, you can download and edit the ones you like.Writing a College Application Essay can be quite daunting at first. You need to remember that the college application essay is a job interview. You will need to prove that you have the ability to perform your job duties if you are selected to go to college. Make sure that you are prepared to answer all the questions. You also need to use your time wisely.

Saturday, March 21, 2020

In the Art Institute of Chicago

In the Art Institute of Chicago, there is a painting that stands out in my mind. It is the painting La Grande Jette by George Seuret. The painting features Parisians enjoying a Sunday by the Seine, a river near Neuilly. Many of the Parisians that are pictured are very well to do. Proven by the various activities and dress shown in this painting. As I look at this painting I view this painting I see ladies wearing nipped in corseted waists and bustles. Some of the activities to be viewed are boating and fishing. Other then well to do impictured in this piece there is a mixture of the social classes. Take for example the oarsman who seems to sit harmoniously with the middle to upper class lady and dandy next to him. Impicutred as well are prostitutes, who use the sport of fishing to hide their main reason for being there, which is to catch the soldiers who are standing on the bank as well. Off to the bottom right of this picture is a monkey attached to a leash. The leash h!eld by a l ady, who is part of the upper class stature. Kept as pets, Capuchio monkeys were all the rage in the day of Seuret. Although some skeptics say Seuret uses the monkey to licentiousness, and maybe even a coded message of hypocrisy that was a feature of French society in the 1880s. Seuret explored and used geometric landscapes in this piece. Many of the figures in La Grande Jatte are pictured in profile. This maybe a glimpse as to the influence of Ancient Egyptian Art, which during this period in time Seuret was studying. Having made many sketches from the Ancient Egyptian reliefs on his many visits to the Louve in Paris. La Grande Jatte was painted from 1884 all the way up till 1886. This two year masterpiece of Seurets is an Oil on Canvas, and is 81x 120(205x304cm). It is currently displayed in The Art Institute of Chicago. It is hard for some to believe that a man not quite thirty coul...

Wednesday, March 4, 2020

Mosquito Control With Birds and Other Natural Predators

Mosquito Control With Birds and Other Natural Predators When the topic of  mosquito control is discussed, thrown into the mix is usually a fervent argument for installing purple martin houses and bat houses. Stores that cater to bird enthusiasts often tout the purple martin houses as the best solution for keeping your yard mosquito free. Bats, which may not be the most beloved of mammals, are defended with the claim that they consume hundreds of mosquitoes per hour. The truth of the matter is that neither purple martins nor bats provide any significant measure of mosquito control. While both eat mosquitoes, the insect makes up a very tiny portion of their diets. Other animals might have an upper hand on mosquito control, particularly in the fish, other insect, and amphibian classes. Mosquito Munchies For bats and birds, mosquitoes are more like a passing snack. Multiple studies of wild bats have consistently shown that mosquitoes consist of less than 1 percent of their diet. In purple martins, the percentage of mosquitoes in their diet is slightly higher- about 3 percent, at most. The reason is simple. The payoff is small. A bird or a bat that feeds on insects must invest considerable energy in flying around and must catch the bugs in mid-air. Birds and bats are usually seeking the biggest caloric bang for their buck. Given the choice between a mosquito morsel, a hardy beetle, or a mouthful of moth, the mosquito hardly makes the top-10 list. An Efficient Mosquito Natural Predator Gambusia affinis, also known as the mosquitofish, is an American fish that is utilized by some mosquito control districts across the country as a very effective predator of mosquito larvae. As far as natural predators go, the mosquitofish is by far the most efficient natural predator of mosquitoes. The mosquitofish is a voracious predator. In certain studies, mosquitofish have been shown to consume up to 167 percent of their body weight in invertebrate prey, including mosquito larvae, per day. Mosquitofish, as well as small predatory fish such as guppies, can be quite useful in the reduction of mosquito larvae given the right conditions. Other Mosquito Consumers The closely related  dragonflies and damselflies  are natural predators of mosquitoes but do not consume enough mosquitoes to cause a significant impact on the wild mosquito population. Dragonflies are often referred to as mosquito hawks for an unsubstantiated claim of being able to kill thousands of mosquitoes. One thing that does make the dragonfly a better predator than most is that, in the aquatic larval stage, one of their food sources is mosquito larvae. Dragonfly larvae can sometimes live up to six years in this stage. During this phase of life, dragonflies do the most damage to mosquito populations. Frogs, toads, and their young tadpoles are often touted as excellent for mosquito control. In reality, while they do consume their fair share, it is not enough to seriously put a dent in vast mosquito populations. When frogs and toads do consume mosquitoes, it is usually after they have transformed from tadpole to adult.

Monday, February 17, 2020

Character Comparison Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Character Comparison - Term Paper Example George Gibbs is the son of the Gibb couple whose father is a doctor and who has one sister, Rebecca. He excels in the field of sports specifically basketball and he dreams of studying at the State Agricultural School. His plan changes when he started a relationship with Emily Webb and married her. Emily Webb is George’s neighbor and later his wife. She is good in school and also a good daughter and sister of Wally. After marrying George, she dies of child birth. The lives that Emily and George lived exemplify normal lives devoid of too much excitement or important events, although in this case this is the perfect manner that the writer can point out the importance of appreciating everyday life. In relation to the main focus of the play, the stage manager is the bearer of the important quotations in the play which connects the audience to the author. Wilder uses methods within the play that can be considered unique but due to the fact that not many author uses the discussion of the play as part of the play itself as what the stage manager and the actors acting as part of the audience are doing, the people who are watching the play are clearly guided toward the main point of the whole plot. Without the said technique, the audience can miss the point of the play. Another method Wilder used is symbols. Throughout the play there are different symbols that can be found. The time capsule represents the importance of history and the past to humanity. Another is the symbolism of monotonous activities in the town through the activities of the milkman and the newspaper boy. Another focus of the play is the journey of George and Emily. Through the course of the plot they develop and grow. There are important quotations presented in the play that described the growth of the two characters and the different personalities in the plot. The first quote expressed â€Å"So†¦This is the way we were: in our growing up and

Monday, February 3, 2020

Hypothesis and Research Design Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Hypothesis and Design - Research Paper Example According to findings, it is found that, ethical and moral decisions reached upon by software developers during software development, has an influence on how things and businesses in particular, are done and how people`s lifestyles adapt to this technological development (Salehnia, 2006). Studies concerning the ethical standards in view of the use of computers and its software, centers on critical issues such as; hacking, privacy, copyright protection, and piracy among other issues related to compute use and software. However, studies indicate that, there is little that research indicating if software developers experience ethical and moral decisions opportunities. Because of this, researchers have developed theories that may help in predicting and explaining ethical and moral behaviors. The theories put forward by researchers, as virtue ethics help social scientist and researchers in categorizing the human behavior basing on ethical and moral judgments. In some instances, an ethical theory like, ethics position theory, is used to categorize human behavior in a number of groups, which includes exceptionism, situationism, subjectivism and absolutism. Through this examination of software developers by applying the ethical position theory, was facilitated. This related to the decisions that software developers make during the process of software development, and a few hypothesis relating to it emerged, which guided further research in the area to unveil various issues. Concerning the above introductory discussion it essential to understand issues about ethics and morality in software development, with a user’s perspective. To tackle the issues well, it is critical to understand some factors involved, which is ethics, morality and software development, so that a good basis is formed to unveil the discussion critically. To begin with, software development is the process through which, individuals, a team or accompany invents and then implements the grant plan that helps to create a new software program (Quigley, 2008). The same process is applied in creating a new variety software. In the software development, many steps get involved to achieve the target plan. First, an understanding has to be made about what is needed, in terms of the purpose for developing the software. Secondly, the plan is then developed to create the software required to meet the purpose perceived, this done by writing the code and the bug test prior launching. The process of software development may involve one or many programmers, depending on the complexity of the software require achieving perceived results. At the initial stages, a research is mandatory to gain an understanding of the type of software that the market requires. The research is used to establish the real purpose of the software in meeting the market needs, in line with the overall goals set. On the other hand, ethics is perceived as the study of concept value in terms of right, good, wrong, or bad, as applied to actions concerning a group’s norms and regulations or rules. Basing on ethics and computer systems it is found that, computer software systems lie squarely in the heart of decision-making. This includes issues like data storage and manipulation, and data availability. Concerning the ubiquity of software systems in every area of private

Sunday, January 26, 2020

The Music Era Of Baroque

The Music Era Of Baroque In Western music, the period that extends from 1600 to 1750 is known as the Baroque era. Characteristics of Baroque music are complexity, emotional, overly ornamented and embellished. Usually Baroque music was homophonic in texture, one melody with a single high voice or instrument, combined with bass chords or accompaniment. This basso continuo is a notable feature of this period. The bass lines are performed by bass voices or instruments such as cellos or bassoons. In Baroque music, the continuo is also performed by an organ or harpsichord. Composers of this era developed the method of writing music in clearly defined major and minor modes. Rhythm became fixed and continual. There was a distinction between free, improvisatory style and order, control and system. There was an emphasis on emotional expression. By acting on emotion they believed that music should move the listener. Word painting without words became one of the most basic emotional elements of Baroque music. Opera was developed to meet this general desire for personal emotions. Introduced in Florence, Italy around 1600, opera quickly expanded all over Europe. It became the most glamorous and probably the most adventurous and influential artistic genre of the Baroque era (Listen pg154). The opera is drama presented in music, with characters singing instead of speaking. It is a combination of several arts, including music, poetry, drama, acting, scene design, set and costume design and choreography. Opera seria, or serious opera, was the predominant type of Italian Baroque opera. Opera seria plots were based on ancient Greek history and tragic historical events. They were designed to stir up powerful emotions, such as passion, rage, grief, and triumph (Listen pg155). This style allowed virtuoso singers to express their thoughts and feelings through their singing. Opera seria singers were solo soprano or mezzo-soprano, which included castrati, young boys who were castrated to preserve their voices in the soprano range. The acts of an opera seria consist primarily of alternating recitatives and arias. Recitative comes from the Italian word reciting and is a type of vocal music that is tailored to the rhythms of speech. The primary purpose is to present information and advance the plot. Most accompaniments in a recitative are kept to a minimum, usually just the cello and harpsichord playing a basso continuo. The second form, accompanied recitative, used a full orchestra for tense dramatic situations. An aria is a melodic or lyrical piece for a solo voice with an instrumental accompaniment. Arias are usually very complex, vocally demanding and are one of the most powerful ingredients in opera. Here the singer-actor expresses their thoughts and feelings instead of reacting moment by moment as in a recitative. The most frequently used form for the Baroque Italian opera was the da capo form, A B A. The aria begins with composition A, moves through B, and repeats the words and music of A in a da capo or from the head form. The composers wrote part A and B, but allowed the singers to improvise and enhance the music with runs and cadences to create an powerful enhanced effect the second time around (Listen pg157). At the height of the Baroque period, the most successful opera composer was George Frederic Handel. Handel was born in Germany in 1685. Unlike other musicians of the time, Handel was not born into a family of musicians, his father was a barber-surgeon. Handel began his career studying law, but soon realized his talent for music and joined the orchestra at Hamburg, Germany. He became an accomplished organist and violinist. He briefly held a position as a court musician with the elector of Hanover, but longed for a career in London. After leaving Hanover, Handel arrived in London and found his passion for Italian operas. For thirty-one years, he wrote and produced 40 Italian operas including Giulio Cesare (Julius Caesar). Fisher, Burton D. A History of Opera: Milestones and Metamorphoses. Coral Gables, FL: Opera Journeys Publishing, 2003. Print. Kerman, Joseph, and Gary Tomlinson and Vivian Kerman. Listen. 6th ed. Boston, New York: Bedford / St. Martins, 2008. Print. Discuss the Classical Era symphony genre and the composer Franz Joseph Haydn and his Symphony No. 95 in C Minor. (Suggested minimum length 750 words) Use Chapter 12 as a guide for formulating The musical style that followed the Baroque era is known today as the Classical style. The eighteenth- century movement known as the Enlightenment brought about challenges and changes in thought and behavior. During this period, the Age of Enlightenment created a widespread love of music among the middle class. This growing interest affected the manner of presentation with public concerts becoming the focus of compositions. This period gave rise to a new musical style, symphonies that enabled composers to tell musical stories. A symphony is a large body of work with four sections called movements. The movements are opening, slow, minuet (with trio), and closing. This classical style of music emphasizes melody and harmony over polyphony. The first movement of a symphony has a structure called sonata form. It is the emotional core of the whole work (Listen pg 183). The sonata form is based on themes presented in a three-part structure. Exposition, the first part, exposes the listener to the two melodies of the symphony. Then a new section is presented, development, which develops the two themes, varying them, making intriguing musical associations. Finally, in the recapitulation, the first theme is reintroduced in the same order as the beginning, but with minor changes. The second movement is a contrast to the first. No standardized form for slow movements. Minuet or classical dance form was used to compose a third movement in a symphony. The classical era focused on a single stylized dance and introduced it into many different genres. It also carried over some of the Baroque musical forms within it, especially dances such as the minuets. Franz Joseph Haydn was born in Austria in 1732. Unlike other musicians, Haydn did not come from a family of professional musicians. His father was an Austrian village wheelwright and amateur musician. Haydn had a spectacular singing voice, and at the age of eight, was selected to go to Vienna and join the choir of St. Stephens Cathedral. After years as a freelance musician, Haydn was given the job of Kapellmeister by Prince Paul Anton Esterhà ¡zy. The prince was a passonate lover of music and gave him daily access to a small orchestra. Haydn composed 104 symphonies, 83 string quartets, and over 20 operas. Later in life, Haydn wrote twelve symphonies for concerts performed in London, named the London Symphonies. Haydns Symphony No. 95 in C minor(1791) is the third of this famous twelve and the only one written in a minor key. Symphony No. 95 in C Minor has the standard four movement musical form. The opening movement is the classic fast tempo sonata form. The movement begins with a somber exposition of theme one in the minor mode, then moves on to theme two in the major mode. The lively and sizable development alternates from theme one, theme two and back to one. The recapitulation returns to theme one in the minor mode, but changes to the major mode for theme two. In the second movement, Haydn uses his favorite variation form of |: a :||: b :|, in a lyrical, lighthearted tune of only strings. Variation one begins with cello solo, then violins, followed by variation two, in the minor mode, which end with the wind instruments playing forte. This transitions to variation three in the major mode using the strings and winds. The second movement ends with the coda of strings and wind solos. Haydns Symphony No. 95 in C Minor third movement is in minuet (with trio) form. The movement is energetic and teeming with musical humor. It is in the A B A theme pattern: minuet, trio, minuet. Then phrase a begins quietly in the minor mode, then repeats in the major mode, followed by b. Phrase a is repeated back in the minor mode, with an abrupt pause and fermata, (longer than the usual note length). Then a return to the minor mode, repeating b, a ending the first minuet. The contrasting trio begins in the major key introducing phrase c, with a cello solo at a slower tempo throughout. It continues repeating phrases c, then d, c, d and c. The minuet returns quietly, formal and unchanged. Haydn closes the symphony on a bright note by setting the Finale in C major. Haydn is the composer who did more than any other to create the Classical style of music, which emphasizes melody and harmony over polyphony.