Discuss the Effect of Islam upon West Africa Essay Example for Free

Discuss the Effect of Islam upon West Africa Essay Change Over Time Essay Assignment #1The camel, with its ability to travel long distances without water and carry heavy loads, facilitated trans-Saharan communication. During the seventh and eighth centuries CE, Islamic conquerors had added North Africa to the dar al-Islam. By the end of the eighth century CE, Muslim merchants had crossed the Sahara and initiated commercial relations with Sub-Saharan West Africa and by the beginning of the second millennium, Islam had become entrenched in West African life. Islam dramatically changed West Africa culturally, politically, and economically in the time period between 1000 CE and 1750 CE, but many staples of West African society remained the same. Economically, Islam ushered a new era of economic prosperity into West Africa. The adoption of Islam by West African states provided them with common ground upon which states such as Mali greatly expanded their gold trade to encompass Arab and Mediterranean nations. Established Muslim trade routes facilitated the huge increase in the volume of African trade. Commercial cities sprung up across West Africa, with commerce increasing Timbuktus population to 100,000. In the twelfth century, Muslim merchants introduced cotton, rice, and citrus fruits to West Africa; by the sixteenth century cotton was the main textile produced in West Africa. European demand for cotton textiles ensured that West Africa would remain economically prosperous. Islamic merchants expanded the African slave trade to a continental level, providing Europeans with a framework upon which to build the catastrophic Atlantic slave trade, replacing small scale tribal slavery with huge state economies built entirely around capturing slaves and selling them to foreign nations. However, despite these huge changes in economic methods and volume, West African states relied heavily upon trade as the principle form of economic support throughout periods of Islamic influence. The increase in trade with Islamic merchants between 1000 and 1750 led to the permeation of Islamic culture among West African peoples. Islamic rulers built large mosques and universities where people could learn about Islam, as well as other areas of knowledge. These universities spread literacy within West African society. Islam was generally tolerant of traditional values, such as polygamy. This allowed it greater popularity than  Christianity, and decreased resistance to conversion. Islam was not forced upon citizens by their kings, but rather was voluntarily encouraged. Despite this, many people adopted Islam, especially those who interacted with Muslim merchants. However, many of those who adopted Islam did not adopt Islam in its original form, but rather combined it with traditional religious beliefs to create a syncretic religion. There was much social turmoil among purists, such as the Fulani, and those who practiced syncretic Islam. Despite the large Islamic influence in the area, many chose not to adopt a syncretic faith and rather kept their traditional beliefs. The integration of Islamic culture into West Africa, as well as the economic prosperity that Islamic trade brought West Africa, led to the creation of large centralized states. As opposed to the small kingdoms, such as the kingdom of Ghana, that the first Islamic merchants encountered in West Africa, by the fifteenth century two large centralized empires had emerged. Islamic influence played a large part in the creation of these large empires. Firstly, the revenue created by integration of West Africa into Islamic trade allowed West African rulers to create and support large standing armies. These armies ensured that these empires could protect their peoples and sources of income, as well as exert their influence. Secondly, Islamic law, known as Sharia, introduced to West Africa allowed for unified rule. Previously, varying tribal laws had caused disorder and fragmentation, as well as discontent. Islamic law facilitated and demanded the creation of large centralized empires. However, Islam itself did not necessarily become the exclusive religion of these empires; many, indeed most, citizens of these empires clung to and practiced their traditional pagan religious beliefs. Following the collapse of these two empires, West African political structure returned to the small regional kingdoms that had been West African norm before Muslim merchants crossed the Sahara. Overall, the Islam greatly, sometimes even completely, changed cultural, political, and economic environments in West Africa between 1000 CE and 1750 CE. Examples of this change include the introduction of centralized kingdoms, trans-Saharan trade, and Muslim values. Despite this great change, many elements of West African society, such as popular religion, dependence  on trade, and basic values remained the same despite Islamic influence up through 1750 CE. Near the end of that period, Africa began to be colonized by European nations, and fell under European influence.

Free Capital Punishment Essays: Mandatory Death Penalty for Nitwits :: Argumentative Persuasive Topics

Mandatory Death Penalty for Nitwits    When I was in high school, my friend Mike and I earned extra money working after school and on weekends at a drugstore located at the north end of our town. Before we started working in the retail business, we both had a fairly high opinion of humanity. That is to say, we thought that the average person wouldn't try to cheat us, would be at least marginally polite, and would be smart enough to avoid walking in front of a bus.    As it turned out, we were wrong.    When we stepped behind the counter of that drugstore, we had to remove the rose-colored glasses and reexamine our cherished ideas about humanity. We found that there were many, many rude people out there and that quite a few would cheat us if they were given half a chance. We also found the average person was much less intelligent than we had thought. On Labor Day, 1995, I started a list of all the irritating and stupid things that people did while we were at work. After a while, other employees began to contribute to the list, although I compiled about 75% of the complaints. By the time I left at the end of May 1996, the list had 567 items on it, and we were referring to some of the customers by number.    In particular, I remember 337, an older lady who came in early every Saturday morning to buy a candy bar. Sadly, 337 never had the requisite fifty cents, and as she was rummaging through her purse looking for spare change (which sometimes took as long as ten minutes), impatient customers would line up behind her. Finally, she would storm off in a huff.    Incredibly, 337 would return several times over the course of the day and attempt to purchase the candy bar again. Once more would come the agonizing search through her purse, but (surprisingly enough) the change at the bottom had not bred over the course of the day, and over and over she was forced to leave in defeat and shame.    Number 337 was hardly unique, or even unusual. Every shift that I worked, I was forced to deal with people nearly as clueless as she was. Mike and I were inevitably led to the conclusion that stupidity should be painful; we thought that if stupidity were painful, people would go to great lengths to educate themselves.

Of Mice and Men Essay

The Great Depression took place in the United States in the 1930s. Northern California, Salinas Valley was affected by the Great Depression. Many farmers lost their properties and were forced to find other work. Banks were forced to foreclose on mortgages’ and had to collect debts. Hundreds of thousands of farmers packed up their families and few belongings, and headed for California. The Great Depression left many people in poverty and caused them to face unpleasant events. This is how life was like for the characters in Steinbeck’s novel Of Mice and Men. Mostly all the characters in this novel suffered from loneliness. Some of the men desired to come together in a way that would allow them to be like brothers to one another. Given the harsh, lonely conditions under which the men live, it is no surprise that they idealize friendship between other men in such a way. In the novel Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck uses characterization of dialogue and actions to show that everyone is lonely in some way even if they are surrounded by others. John Steinbeck uses characterization to show that loneliness causes people to reveal their feelings through dialogue. When Curley’s wife walks into the farm, she sees Lennie and begins to talk to him. He tries to avoid her and she says â€Å"‘I never get to talk to nobody. I get awful lonely’† (86). Curley’s wife has no one to talk to, and even Lennie tries to avoid her. Her words reveal that she is very lonely and even though there are so many people around her, nobody wants to talk to her. These words are significant because it shows how lonely she really is and how everyone tries to keep away from her because they know she causes drama and that she is married to Curley. George and Lennie also experience loneliness that they show through dialogue. As George and Lennie walk to the ranch together, George says, ‘â€Å"Guys like us, that work on ranches, are the loneliness guys in the world. They got no family and they don’t belong to no place†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ (121). In addition, George and Lennie have no real home. They work the season, and then move on. They have no family, no relatives, and no ties except to each other. George’s words reveal that the life style of migrant workers such as themselves gives the way to a lonely life. This dialogue is significant because it shows how George and Lennie are lonely and that even though they travel and meet new people they still possess some kind of loneliness. Even though George was surrounded by many of the men, he sat quietly by himself at on the table all alone. â€Å"George cut the cards and began turning them over, looking at each one and throwing it down in a pile† (27). George is occupying his time by sitting alone at the table and organizing cards. George’s actions show that he is lonely and has nothing better to do then organize a deck of cards. His actions are significant because it reveals how George is lonely and how he spends his time by himself organizing cards. Also, when Crooks experiences loneliness he occupies himself with books. Even though Crooks is surrounded by so many men, he often feels lonely, but he tries to convince himself that he is not lonely. ‘â€Å" S’pose you had to sit out here an’ read books. ’ Sure you could play horseshoes till it got dark, but then you got to read books. ’ Books ani’t no good. ’ A guy needs somebody to be near him†¦ he goes nuts if he ain’t got nobody†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ (72). Crooks is very lonely and he wishes that he could have someone to talk to, but he tries to be busy by playing horseshoes and reading books. His actions show that he is extremely lonely, and that he occupies himself with little things to keep himself from suffering. Crook’s actions are significant because loneliness cause people to spend their time by themselves. In the novel Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck uses characterization of dialogue and actions to reveal that one can be surrounded by a group and still be lonely. The use of dialogue proves that the characters are lonely even though they are working closely together. Also, through the characterization of actions the author reveals that most of the men are lonely and that the men occupy themselves even though they are with a group of people. John Steinbeck’s theme applies to the entire would because it proves that loneliness affects everyone at one time or another. It changes the way a person thinks and behaves. When people feel lonely their actions and way of life are affected. Nobody can run away from loneliness even if they live with a group of people. It’s a trait that no one can get rid of.

Analysis Of The Poem The Waste Land - 891 Words

The first lines of T.S. Eliot’s poem, The Waste Land, proclaim, â€Å"April is the cruelest month, breeding Lilacs out of the dead land, mixing Memory and desire, stirring Dull roots with spring rain† (lines 1-4). 1-4) This stanzaese ilines invokes a strange mix of hopeful images, layered with words of despair.veiled beneath words of despair . Many would agree there is a clear feeling of hopelessness throughout the poem; however, through poetic allusions to redemption, glimpses of optimism are seen in Eliot’s work, suggesting all may not be lost. His references to the redeeming hellfire of â€Å"Dante’s Divine Comedy,† and transformation through tragedy in â€Å"The Story of Tereus and Philomela,† show that Eliot perhaps holds onto a glimmer of hope for society’s despondent state.fordespondent state . Eliot calls to our attention the degradation of society using the theme of lust throughout The Waste Land. In â€Å"A Game of Chess† and again in â€Å"The Fire Sermon,† he describes how sex has become an act devoid of meaning and emotion. The speakers in these sections show how society has separated sex and love, stripping it of its significance. However, in â€Å"What the Thunder Said†, Eliot points the way to redemption. He quotes Dante stating, â€Å"Poi s’ascose nel foco che gli affina† (line 427) which translates to, â€Å"Then he hid himself in the fire that refines them.† The purifying fire he speaks of comes from Canto 26 of Dante’s â€Å"Purgatorio†. In this passage, Dante is traveling through terrace sevenShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of The Poem The Waste Land Essay1714 Words   |  7 PagesEnvoking T.S. Eliot’s poem â€Å"The Waste Land†, the â€Å"Valley of Ashes† depicted in The Great Gatsby ser ves a multitude of symbolic functions. It primarily provides significant contrast to East and West Egg. This contrast is not simplistic, as Fitzgerald guides the reader into understanding that the areas are inextricably linked in terms of the American dream and moral corruption. Furthermore, the Valley of Ashes is a physical manifestation of the theme of death and mortality constantly being threadedRead MoreAnalysis Of Eliot s Poem The Waste Land 1401 Words   |  6 Pagesboth the United States and England, is the twentieth century s touchstone author. Thomas had a problem with religion, as noted by his poem â€Å"Journey of the Magi,† and eventually converted from Anglicanism (â€Å"T. S. Eliot: His Religion, His Poetry, His Roles†). First published in 1922, T.S. Eliot s poem The Waste Land is a major work of modern literature. His poem is written in the aftermath of the First World War, and it describes the disorganization and collapse of the society. One major the me thatRead MoreAnalysis Of The Poem The Waste Land By T.s. Eliot819 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"The Waste land,† by T.S. Eliot, is a complex masterpiece with many incredible symbolic relationships occurs throughout the entirety of the poem. Eliot uses reliable comparisons between life and death, to depict how the seasons change within a given year. His simple yet extreme changes and exaggerations of ever so slight changes between months can help explain the tightly knitted connection we have, and what links the earth and seasons together. At times, the earth can be dismal, harsh and even consideredRead MoreAnalysis of The Waste Land by T. S. Eliot1571 Words   |  7 PagesEliot’s â€Å"heap of broken images† eagerly embraces its fragmented and alienated (post)modern counterpart. The message this phrase bears, resonates throughout the entire poem: from its title, â€Å"The Waste Land†, to its final mantra â€Å"Shantih shantih shantih†. All words, phrases and sentences (or just simply images) which make up this poem seem to, in Levi-Strauss’ words, â€Å"be a valeur symbolique zero [and the signifier] can take on any value required †, meaning that the images Eliot uses do not have oneRead MoreI Am A New Writer1406 Words   |  6 Pages but about to convincing essays with strong evidence and analysis. I finally understood the title of this class – Intro to Writing and Rhetoric. I started to doubt my question that whether I am a new writer, because this class redefined my understanding of the term â€Å"writing† and â€Å"writer†. The reading material â€Å"The Waste Land† is different from anything I read previously. I’ve read poems for few times before, and the importance of the poem seemed to be overwhelming to me. The first thing I did wasRead MoreAnalysis of the Symbolic Journey in Weirs Way Back and Eliots Waste Land963 Words   |  4 PagesAn Analysis of the Symbolic Journey in Weirs Way Back and Eliots Waste Land Aside from the obvious symbols of water and fire, birth and purification, in T. S. Eliots The Waste Land, there is the overall symbol of journey first implied in the opening stanza: Marie, hold on tight. And down we went. Peter Weirs film The Way Back may also be described as a work at the center of which is a symbolic journey. While Weirs film recounts the survival of a group of escapees from the Soviet GulagRead MoreEssay about Modernism in T.s. Eliotss the Wasteland885 Words   |  4 Pagescontaining complex, and often contradictory, allusions, multiple points of view and other poetic devices that broke from the forms in Victorian and Romantic writing, as can be seen in T.S. Eliots The Waste Land (Levanson). The varied perspectives or lack of a central, continuous speaker uproots The Waste Land from previous forms of poetry; however, it is not simply for the sake of being avant-garde, but to espouse the modernist philosophy, which posits the absence of an Absolute and requires the interpretationRead More Waste Land Essay: Journey Through The Waste Land1542 Words   |  7 Pages  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   T. S. Eliot drafted The Waste Land during a trip to Lausanne, Switzerland to consult a psychologist for what he described as mild case of nerves. He sent the manuscript to Ezra Pound for editing assistance. Between them the draft was extensively edited and published in 1922. As a modernist poet, Eliot struggled to remove the voice of the author from his work but the work is still a reflection of the author’s interpretation. He paints the picture as he sees it for the readers to view and interpretRead MoreThe Waste Land By. Elliot1775 Words   |  8 PagesIn the Waste Land are seve ral themes, techniques, allusions, and characters that have been stated clearly by T.S. Elliot. However, the poem has also been interpreted differently and similar in certain aspects in the Waste Land by critics such as Cleanth Brooks, Jr. â€Å"The Waste Land: An Analysis†, F.R. Leavis â€Å"[The significance of the Modern Waste Land]†, Robert Langbaum â€Å"The Walking Dead† and Maud Ellmann â€Å"A Sphinx without a Secret.† From these critics is the ability to find key evidences on how eachRead MoreThe Waste Land By Eliot1870 Words   |  8 PagesThe Waste Land, less clear that what we hear is the voice of someone.’ Discuss. In this essay, I am going to argue that in T. S. Eliot’s The Waste Land, we do hear many voices, but they are not the voice of an identifiable person, and that is entirely clear. Furthermore, it is not problematic that the reader is unable to identify a single speaker, as the distance that is created between the poem and the reader is a stylistic choice made by the poet. One of the sole functions of The Waste Land is