Stephen Decatur, Naval Hero of the War of 1812

Stephen Decatur, Naval Hero of the War of 1812 Stephen Decatur (Jan. 5, 1779–March 22, 1820) was a U.S. naval officer who became famous for his exploits during the  Tripoli War. He later served as a heroic commander in the  War of 1812. He was killed in a duel by a fellow officer whose court-martial he had participated in years before. Fast Facts: Stephen Decatur Known For: Naval exploits during the Tripoli War and War of 1812Born: Jan. 5, 1779 in Sinepuxent, MarylandParents: Stephen Decatur Sr., Anne PineDied: March 22, 1820 in Bladensburg, MarylandSpouse: Susan WheelerNotable Quote: â€Å"Our country! In her intercourse with foreign nations may she always be in the right; but our country, right or wrong!† Born at Sinepuxent, Maryland, on January 5, 1779, Stephen Decatur was the son of Captain Stephen Decatur, Sr. and his wife Anne. A naval officer during the American Revolution, Decatur, Sr. had his son educated the Episcopal Academy in Philadelphia. Graduating, young Stephen enrolled at the University of Pennsylvania and was a classmate of future naval officers Charles Stewart and Richard Somers. At the age of 17, he secured employment with the firm of Gurney and Smith and aided in securing timber for the keel of the frigate USS United States (44 guns). Early Career Wishing to follow his father in the naval service, Decatur received the aid of Commodore John Barry in obtaining a midshipmans warrant. Entering the service on April 30, 1798, Decatur was assigned to United States with Barry as his commanding officer. He sailed aboard the frigate during the Quasi-War and saw action in the Caribbean as United States captured several French privateers. Demonstrating his skill as a gifted sailor and leader, Decatur received a promotion to lieutenant in 1799. At the end of the conflict in 1800, the U.S. Navy was downsized by Congress with many officers discharged from the service. First Barbary War One of thirty-six lieutenants retained by the U.S. Navy, Decatur was assigned to the frigate USS Essex (36) as first lieutenant in 1801. Part of Commodore Richard Dales squadron, Essex sailed to the Mediterranean to deal with those Barbary states that were preying upon American shipping. After subsequent service aboard USS New York (36), Decatur returned the US and took command of the new brig USS Argus (20). Sailing across the Atlantic to Gibraltar, he turned the ship over to Lieutenant Isaac Hull and was given command of the 12-gun schooner USS Enterprise (14). Burning Philadelphia On December 23, 1803, Enterprise and the frigate USS Constitution (44) captured the Tripolitan ketch Mastico after a sharp fight. Renamed Intrepid, the ketch was given to Decatur for use in a daring raid to destroy the frigate USS Philadelphia (36) which had run aground and been captured in Tripoli harbor on October. At 7:00 PM on February 16, 1804, Intrepid, disguised as a Maltese merchant ship and flying British colors, entered Tripoli harbor. Claiming that they had lost their anchors in a storm, Decatur asked permission to tie up alongside the captured frigate. As the two ships touched, Decatur stormed aboard Philadelphia with sixty men. Fighting with swords and pikes, they took control of the ship and began preparations to burn it. With combustibles in place, Philadelphia was set on fire. Waiting until he was sure the fire had taken hold, Decatur was the last to leave the burning ship. Escaping the scene in Intrepid, Decatur and his men successfully evaded fire from the harbors defenses and reached the open sea. When he heard of Decaturs achievement, Vice Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson called it the most bold and daring act of the age. In recognition for his successful raid, Decatur was promoted to captain, making him, at age twenty-five, the youngest to hold the rank. For the remainder of the war, he commanded the frigates Constitution and Congress (38) before returning home at its conclusion in 1805. Three years later he served as part of the court martial that tried Commodore James Barron for his role in the Chesapeake-Leopard Affair. In 1810, he was given command of United States, then in ordinary at Washington DC. Sailing south to Norfolk, Decatur oversaw the refitting of the ship. War of 1812 Begins While in Norfolk, Decatur encountered Captain John S. Garden of the new frigate HMS Macedonian. During a meeting between the two, Garden wagered Decatur a beaver hat that Macedonian would defeat United States should the two ever meet in battle. When war with Britain was declared two years later, United States sailed to join Commodore John Rodgers squadron at New York. Putting to sea, the squadron cruised the east coast until August 1812, when it put into Boston. Returning to sea on October 8, Rodgers led his ships in search of British vessels. Victory Over Macedonian Three days after departing Boston, Decatur and United States were detached from the squadron. Sailing east, Decatur spotted a British frigate on October 28, approximately 500 miles south of the Azores. As United States closed to engage, the enemy ship was identified as HMS Macedonian (38). Opening fire at 9:20 AM, Decatur masterfully outmaneuvered his adversary and methodically pummeled the British ship, ultimately forcing its surrender. Taking possession of Macedonian, Decatur found that his guns had inflicted 104 casualties, while United States had only suffered 12. After two weeks of repairs to Macedonian, Decatur and his prize sailed for New York, arriving to a massive victory celebration on December 4, 1812. Refitting his ships, Decatur put to sea on May 24, 1813, with United States, Macedonian, and the sloop Hornet (20). Unable to escape the blockade, they were forced into New London, CT by a strong British squadron on June 1. Trapped in port, Decatur and the crew of United States transferred to the frigate USS President (44) at New York in early 1814. On January 14, 1815, Decatur attempted to slip through the British blockade of New York. Loss of President After running aground and damaging the ships hull leaving New York, Decatur elected to return to port for repairs. As President sailed home, it was attacked by the British frigates HMS Endymion (40), HMS Majestic (58), HMS Pomone (44), and HMS Tenedos (38). Unable to escape due the damaged condition of his ship, Decatur prepared for battle. In a three-hour fight, President succeeded in disabling Endymion but was forced to surrender after sustaining heavy casualties by the other three frigates. Taken prisoner, Decatur and his men were transported to Bermuda where all learned that the war had technically ended in late December. Decatur returned to the United States aboard HMS Narcissus (32) the following month. Later Life As one of the US Navys great heroes, Decatur was immediately given command of a squadron with orders to suppress the Barbary pirates which had become active again during the War of 1812. Sailing to the Mediterranean, his ships captured the Algerian frigate Mashouda and swiftly compelled the Dey of Algiers to make peace. Using a similar style of gunboat diplomacy, Decatur was able to compel the other Barbary states to make peace on terms advantageous to the United States. In 1816, Decatur was named to the Board of Naval Commissioners in Washington D.C. Taking up his post, he had a home designed for him and his wife, Susan, by famed architect Benjamin Henry Latrobe. Death by Duel Four years later, Decatur was challenged to a duel by Commodore James Barron for comments he had made regarding the latters conduct during the 1807 Chesapeake-Leopard Affair. Meeting outside the city at Bladensburg Dueling Field on March 22, 1820, the two squared off with Captain Jesse Elliott and Commodore William Bainbridge as their seconds. An expert shot, Decatur only intended to wound Barron. As the two fired, Decatur severely wounded Barron in the hip, however he himself was fatally shot in the abdomen. He died later that day at his house in Lafayette Square. Over 10,000 attended Decaturs funeral including the President, Supreme Court, and the majority of Congress. Legacy Stephen Decatur was one of the first national heroes after the American Revolution. His name and legacy, like those of David Farragut, Matthew Perry, and  John Paul Jones, became identified with the U.S. Navy.

Economic freedom Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Economic freedom - Essay Example The essay "Economic freedom" concerns the concept that called economic freedom. Studies have shown that human beings operate more efficiently when not under pressure. Freedom allows individuals to practice and fully exploit their creativity. Sociologists have linked human freedom to human creativity and have found it to be working hand in hand. The Sociologists argue that it allows for greater risks taking that would generate better ways of doing business. Economic freedom has three classical viewpoints, institutions, political and indices of economic freedom. This paper presents a discussion on economic freedom. For there to be a smooth flow of trade between parties, there are institutions of economic freedom set to achieve it. The first is the observance of the rule of law. In the application of the law, all parties are equal, and none is superior. The rule of law has obligations that ensure equality of individual in spite of any form of difference between them. Observance of the l aw protects traders from unfair completion. In law, two kinds of parties exist, the one with power and the other one who is governed. Both parties should act in a manner that is required of them and feel protected by the law. In as much as there is the observance of equality, it is not logical for every party to earn the same income. Equality comes in the sense of treatment of one another and not in the distribution of private resources. It is illogical for the government to redistribute earned resources. from citizens in the name of equality (Asafu-Adjaye 78). The next institution is a clear outline for the rights to own private property. A free market allows for the right for people to control their property and benefit from them. In addition to this, the individuals have a right to transfer their property at their own will. Therefore, an individual cannot be prevented from doing whatever he or she likes with the property. With this kind of system, traders are motivated to pursue their goals and continue adding value to their property. The traders are confident that they are capable of transferring their income anytime without the fear of having to leave anything behind when they opt to leave. Studies show that areas with well-defined property rules have a faster economic growth as compared to the areas without. Most research argues that this property rule is the main reason for poverty in third world countries since they do not have well spelt out systems. The third is the freedom of contract, which refers to the right of choosing whom to trade with, or not. The individual parties choose the form of contracts to get into and establish an agreement. However, once establishing the contract they both have to fulfill the terms and conditions and see it through whether one realizes that he will incur losses. In as much as most of the contracts are fair, some are not especially when the parties are unequal. An example is in the case of workers and employers when negotiating a number of working hours. The employer would be looking at maximizing the hours while the worker will be looking at minimizing it. However, since the employer has an upper hand, he tends to win the negotiation (Noyes 43). Economical freedom has come hand in hand with political freedom. Since the market is free, it has prevented politics to dominate trade. This has reduced the threat of suffering because of a political affiliation. It is a point worth noting that economical freedom has grown with the coming of political freedom.

Social Class Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Social Class - Essay Example These classes are â€Å"distinguished by inequalities in such areas as power, authority, wealth, working and living conditions, life-styles, life-span, education, religion, and culture† (Cody). How one’s socio-economic status, with which he is born with, affects his life chances is going to be discussed in this paper. Let’s first talk about healthcare. One who is born with high social status is given all the rights by the society to enjoy good health care facilities. He has enough money to go to expensive doctors or even visit physicians abroad. He has all the resources with which he can afford expensive medicines, and also can hire servants who bring the medicine placed on a tray to be put into his mouth. When a wealthy man goes to a hospital, he immediately gets an appointment with the highly professional provider. On the other hand, when a person belonging to a lower class, or even a middle class, gets sick, he is not able to afford to go to a doctor and buy c ostly medicines. If at all he manages to reach the hospital, he has to wait in long queues to get an appointment to get him examined. The doctor will not talk to him humanely. This way, the upper class enjoys greater longevity than the lower class. The middle class is not affected much in case of longevity. Hence, the amount of money a person has in his pocket decides what kind of and how much health care he will receive. This is the class discrimination that has deepened its roots into our society and no matter how much we get educated, we will always fall prey to this cruel discrimination. As far as family life is concerned, it is affected negatively in lower classes. This is because poor people are more stressed out because of poor financial conditions. They do not have high paying jobs, and thus they hardly make both ends meet. They cannot think of any luxury other than earning bread and butter. The family life is disturbed and the children do not get enough attention from their parents. Despite being the richest country, Americans rank highest in child poverty rates. They are stricken with insufficient nutrition along with unemployment and housing that is overcrowded (Arloc). Poor class manifests in physical, emotional and social ways. McLoyd suggests that impoverished children have social, emotional and behavioral problems due to poor health and serious mental health problems stemming from the persistent poverty level in which they live. Aber and Bennett concluded that serious health problems come along with the territory such as preventable diseases like Influenza, Measles, Malnutrition and AIDS due to lack of proper education and poor or no health care at all. On the other hand, the rich people have all the facilities and luxuries with which they can make their lives easier and their children happier. They can always spend lots of money on vacations, movies, games, picnics, and so on. The education and the political system is also dependent upon the so cial class. Lower social classes do not have the funding to support their children financially so that they are able to get good education. So they lag behind. This ends in their not getting good jobs, thus they add to the overall poverty. The high social classes can afford good schools and colleges, and can even send their children abroad for higher education. Thus, education sector is controlled by those high in power and wealth. Moreover, upper class is also able to vote more and choose their political leaders. Lower classes either

Federal Reserve and the Great Recession Research Paper

Federal Reserve and the Great Recession - Research Paper Example One of the major causes of the Great Recession was the bursting of the housing bubble. Being a regulator of the monetary system, the Federal Reserve could have seen a crisis coming. The major cause of the housing bubble bursting was that the Fed opted to expand their monetary policy; though the regulation was effectively done, this policy was a contributor to the problem. The Federal Reserve might have bowed to the pressure from the government to have the implementation of the housing policy be implemented. It happened that the dot-com crash was followed by a substantial increase in the printing press that resulted in an increase in the monetary base. Additionally, there was a great cut in the federal funds by Greenspan (from 5.6% in 2001 to 1% in 2003). These factors contributed to an increase in the housing among other investments that utilize huge amounts of capital. The Fed could have intervened at this point and develop a regulatory mechanism to prevent the situation from escala ting to the financial crisis and ultimately the Great Recession. The Federal Reserve failed to develop adequate measures that would deal with the insolvency. Two institutions at the center of the Great Recession, Lehman Brothers, and Washington Mutual became insolvent resulting in their collapse. The Fed made a miscalculated attempt to go ahead and support these institutions instead of giving them a chance to fail, the outcome would have been an increase in the amount of savings as well as investments.

Iago Essay -- essays research papers

Iago, More than Just a Villain Iago, the evil villain of Shakespeare's Othello, is more than just a villain. In many ways he is the most intelligent and appealing character in the play. Iago shows superiority over the rest of the characters in the play. He has the ability to manipulate the characters in the play, therefore controlling the play with every sequence of events. His intelligence shines through his ability to deceive, his ability to strategize, and his ability to twist the truth. Iago is appealing to the characters of the pay because he gives them what they want. Iago is appealing to the reader as well. His character is totally unconflicted about being evil, making him known to some authors as the villain of all villains. Iago is, in many ways, the most intelligent and appealing character in the play. Iago has a sophisticated way of deceiving the characters of the play, making him a very intelligent person. Early in the play Othello introduces Iago to the Duke of Venice as, â€Å"My ancient / A man he is of honesty and trust† (!. iii. 284-85). This is but one of the times in the play that Iago is referred to as honest and true. Throughout the play Iago is considered to be honest, but is actuality the villain. In order to maintain this false image one has to have a beguiling character. After Othello and his lieutenant, Michael Cassio, return from the war against the Ottomans, there is a celebration. At this celebration Iago puts his manipulation to work. He knows that Othello and Desdemona’s love for each other is very true, but he tells Rodrigo that Desdemona had love for Cassio: â€Å"With as little a web as this will I ensnare as great a fly as Cassio. / Ay, smile upon her, do†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (II. I. 164-65). This quote shows that Iago deceives Roderigo into believi ng that Desdemona loves Cassio, when in Roderigo’s eyes it is virtually impossible. Iago basically controls Rodrigo because Iago deceives him into believing that he can have Desdemona, by both Cassio and Othello. Iago uses his strategically apt abilities to come up with a very intelligent system that will eventually destroy Othello. After Iago and Rodrigo find out about Othello and Desdemona’s marriage, Iago manipulates Rodrigo into making him angry, because Rodrigo has feelings for Desdemona. Iago and Roderigo go to Brabantio’s abode to enrage him by telling him about Othello and Desdemona: â€Å"Call up her ... ...sio is in fact in love with Desdemona, and that Cassio is in fact doing dishonesty to Othello. Othello does get discouraged by this advice given by Iago, and eventually does confront Desdemona. The quote specifically displays how Iago can make Cassio seem evil to Othello. Iago persuades Othello into believing him, which creates a way for Iago to work around the truth. Iago completely changes the appearance of Cassio, therefore making Iago extremely intelligent and far superior. Iago’s magnificent intelligence and superiority make him a very intriguing character. Iago is not just any villain that comes into a town, with a black cape and knife that scares everyone, he destroys and â€Å"kills† by using creative tactics that could only be thought of by someone who is brilliant. He deceives, strategizes, and twists the truth with amazing ease. Iago maintains his on point intelligence by staying completely unconflicted about being evil. Iago is completely committed as he states, â€Å"[He will] turn her virtue into pitch, / And†¦ make the net / That shall enmesh them all† (II. Ii. 366-368). Iago is considered a cross between God and the Devil, as shown in the, â€Å"Divinity of Hell!† (!!. ii. 356)

Analysis of Coming Home Again Essay

The world is becoming smaller day by day, connecting millions if not all within the frame of internet and telecommunication. Hence, traveling abroad or immigration to a foreign land is quite common nowadays. Of course, the decision to move to a new country entails many benefits; however, it is not without problems. One such negative after-effect would be the possible family feud that arises from the clash between family members, mainly that of parents and children, often sparked by provision of new education. Language plays a part in family dispute. As the first generation immigrants, parents are usually confined by their teachings in the language and cultural lessons of their mother country while the offspring are ready to make transition to their newly-adopted home. Problems often arise in most mundane circumstances such as calling the bank, buying clothes, and more. Chang Rae Lee narrates about a personal experience of encountering a bitter argument with his mother as he â€Å"was getting more and more impatient with the difficulty she encountered in doing everyday things†. Although a very trivial matter, the mother can’t make a phone call because of the language barrier. When the son was asked to make a phone call for his mother, the author felt that his mother’s life was â€Å"so small to him†, thus creating a disorder between the two. Language is a way to connect and even divide the family members. Often when families immigrate to a foreign country, the roles of the parents and the offspring switch. Already accustomed to their home country’s culture and values, parents become unfamiliar with the new lifestyle and environment, thus losing responsibility of daily tasks and circumstances. On the other hand, children have the opportunity to adjust themselves to new perceptions and settings, granting them the responsibility to take care of trivial matters. Such reversal of roles that create dysfunctional unnatural circumstances causes the spark of family feud. Wounded and entangled, family feud caused by education is not easily curable. However, Chang Rae Lee, though he experienced a hard time with his mother because of his adoption of American education, recover his bondage with his mother because of his efforts to help her cope with her incoming death, allowing him to gain true understanding of his mother’s sentiments toward him. Through realization of love and sacrifice, the author is able to overcome the family.

The Industrial Revolution Could Never Have Happened

Without the worker, the industrial revolution could never have happened. Mass immigration supplied the workers, changing technologies threatened them, and the government regulated the balance between the worker and the industry. The time between 1865 and 1900 were hard for many workers, but their struggle fuelled the industrial revolution in America. Between the years 1865 and 1915, more than twenty-five million immigrants came from south-east Europe. Immigrants came for many reasons, including religious persecution, the need for work, and political freedom. With the new developing factories and build projects, employers welcomed the immigrants. Immigrants could be hired off as unskilled labor, often for less than established immigrants and second generation immigrants that came in the years before. With all the immigration that took place at the time, there was always a replacement for your job. If a worker was dissatisfied with their pay, they could be dismissed and easily replaced with either a new immigrant or someone who was willing to work for less. In the beginning of the nineteenth century, the average pay for an American industrial factory worker was between four-hundred and five-hundred dollars. Much of the work that the workers did was dangerous. Death on the job was not uncommon, and if a worker was maimed or injured on the job, until government regulation after 1892, they would receive no compensation. One of the primary reasons that caused the workers toShow MoreRelatedThe Decline Of The Industrial Revolution1646 Words   |  7 Pageschanged the way americans lived their day to day life.All of these revolutionary changes that impacted millions of people s lives are thanks to the industrial revolution. This enormous movement known as the industrial revolution first started out in Great Britain later on spreading to the western world in the following decade. 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