Battle of Long Island in the American Revolution

Battle of Long Island in the American Revolution The Battle of Long Island was fought August 27-30, 1776 during the American Revolution (1775-1783). Following his successful capture of Boston in March 1776, General George Washington began shifting his troops south to New York City. Correctly believing the city to be the next British target, he set about preparing for its defense. This work had commenced in February under the guidance of  Major General Charles Lee and continued under the supervision of Brigadier General William Alexander, Lord Stirling in March. Despite the efforts, a lack of manpower meant that the planned fortifications were not complete by late spring. These included a variety of redoubts, bastions, and Fort Stirling overlooking the East River. Reaching the city, Washington established his headquarters in the former home of Archibald Kennedy on Broadway near Bowling Green and began devising a plan to hold the city. As he lacked naval forces, this task proved difficult as New Yorks rivers and waters would permit the British to outflank any American positions. Realizing this, Lee lobbied Washington to abandon the city. Though he listened to Lees arguments, Washington decided to remain at New York as he felt the city possessed significant political importance. Armies Commanders Americans General George Washingtonapprox. 10,000 men British General William Howeapprox. 20,000 men Washingtons Plan To defend the city, Washington divided his army into five divisions, with three at the south end of Manhattan, one at Fort Washington (northern Manhattan), and one on Long Island. The troops on Long Island were led by Major General Nathanael Greene. A capable commander, Greene was struck down by with fever in the days before the battle and command devolved to Major General Israel Putnam. As these troops moved into position, they continued work on the citys fortifications. On Brooklyn Heights, a large complex of redoubts and entrenchments took shape that included the original Fort Stirling and ultimately mounted 36 guns. Elsewhere, hulks were sunk to deter the British from entering the East River. In June the decision was made to construct Fort Washington at the northern end of Manhattan and Fort Lee across in New Jersey to prevent passage up the Hudson River. Howes Plan On July 2, the British, led by General William Howe and his brother Vice Admiral Richard Howe, began arriving and made camp on Staten Island. Additional ships arrived throughout the month adding to the size of the British force. During this time, the Howes attempted to negotiate with Washington but their offers were consistently rebuffed. Leading a total of 32,000 men, Howe prepared his plans for taking New York while his brothers ships secured control of the waterways around the city. On August 22, he moved around 15,000 men across the Narrows and landed them at Gravesend Bay. Meeting no resistance, British forces, led by Lieutenant General Lord Charles Cornwallis, advanced to Flatbush and made camp. Moving to block the British advance, Putnams men deployed onto a ridge known as the Heights of Guan. This ridge was cut by four passes at Gowanus Road, Flatbush Road, Bedford Pass, and Jamaica Pass. Advancing, Howe feinted towards Flatbush and Bedford Passes causing Putnam to reinforce these positions. Washington and Putnam hoped to entice the British into mounting costly direct assaults on the heights before pulling their men back into the fortifications on Brooklyn Heights. As the British scouted the American position, they learned from local Loyalists that Jamaica Pass was only defended by five militiamen. This information was passed to Lieutenant General Henry Clinton who devised an attack plan using this route. The British Attack As Howe discussed their next steps, Clinton had his plan for moving through Jamaica Pass at night and flanking the Americans put forward. Seeing an opportunity to crush the enemy, Howe approved the operation. To hold the Americans in place while this flank attack was developing, a secondary attack would be launched near Gowanus by Major General James Grant. Approving this plan, Howe set it in motion for the night of August 26/27. Moving through Jamaica Pass undetected, Howes men fell upon Putnams left wing the following morning. Breaking under British fire, American forces began retreating toward the fortifications on Brooklyn Heights (Map). On the far right of the American line, Stirlings brigade defended against Grants frontal assault. Advancing slowly to pin Stirling in place, Grants troops took heavy fire from the Americans. Still not fully grasping the situation, Putnam ordered Stirling to remain in position despite the approach of Howes columns. Seeing disaster looming, Washington crossed to Brooklyn with reinforcements and took direct control of the situation. His arrival was too late to save Stirlings brigade. Caught in a vise and fighting desperately against overwhelming odds, Stirling was slowly forced back.   As the bulk of his men withdrew, Stirling led a force Maryland troops in rearguard action that saw them delay the British before being captured. Their sacrifice allowed the remainder of Putnams men to escape back to Brooklyn Heights. Within the American position at Brooklyn, Washington possessed around 9,500 men. While he knew that the city could not be held without the heights, he was also aware that Admiral Howes warships could cut his lines of retreat to Manhattan. Approaching the American position, Major General Howe elected to begin building siege lines rather than directly assaulting the fortifications. On August 29, Washington realized the true danger of the situation and ordered a withdrawal to Manhattan. This was conducted during the night with Colonel John Glovers regiment of Marblehead sailors and fisherman manning the boats. Aftermath The defeat at Long Island cost Washington 312 killed, 1,407 wounded, and 1,186 captured. Among those captured were Lord Stirling and Brigadier General John Sullivan. British losses were a relatively light 392 killed and wounded. A disaster for American fortunes in New York, the defeat at Long Island was the first in a string of reverses which culminated in the British capture of the city and surrounding area. Badly defeated, Washington was forced retreat across New Jersey that fall, finally escaping into Pennsylvania. American fortunes finally changed for the better that Christmas when Washington won a needed victory at the Battle of Trenton.

Explicate descartes inference from sence exprience to the existence of Assignment

Explicate descartes inference from sence exprience to the existence of material substance - Assignment Example His original plan was to depict vast understanding of cerebral science from a legitimate source overlooking any theories of the body. Under compatibility, Descartes split the globe into two distinct material substances (mind and body) with science focusing on body and religion on mind/soul. Naturally, the rationality of a philosophy lies on elements such as the source of knowledge and correlation between the key subjects (Cunning, 1). Descartes understood how the foundation of his foundation was important and started by questioning the beliefs of people caused by their senses. Definitely, this is like questioning the existence of everything include the people themselves, their bodies etc. However, his aim did not lean on going against the existence of everything; the objective was making it known that relying on our senses to prove the existence of material substances is a belief open to extended doubt. This cancels out the notion of using senses to rationalize scientific knowledge; moreover, existence of anything else besides us is questionable. The summary implication is people are sure of the existence of external material substances but the senses are not the real source of this knowledge; the mind is key aspect. As a way of opening people’s mind to doubt, Descartes applies three comparable notions; the deceiving God, the dream and the evil demon arguments (Cunning, 1). The general concept in his three arguments is that people’s perception of objects is not direct but on the images formed in their minds by the different material substances. Depending on sense as the proprietor of existence is not rational because it leans more on mental images creating uncertainty on the nature of the external world and direct contact with material substances different from mental pictures of them. Dreams, a deceiving God and an evil demon do only form

Peer review for assignments about (Peripheral Nerve Stimulation by MR Assignment

Peer review for assignments about (Peripheral Nerve Stimulation by MR gradient coils) - Assignment Example Overview of the article Bottger’s paper, ‘Peripheral nerve stimulation by MR gradient coils,’ is organized into subsections with a well-outlined abstract and a conclusion. The abstract outlines the paper’s objective of discussing and understanding Peripheral nerve stimulation that results from application of MR gradient coils in imaging. The abstract also outlines the paper’s key contents such as occurrence of peripheral nerve stimulation, methods for reducing the occurrence, appropriate PNS thresholds that the body can sustain involved risks in the technology, and effects of the technology’s use. The author describes magnetic resonance as a powerful and significant tool for imaging and that can obtain high-level resolution without using ionizing radiation. The tool also helps in investigating organ function, to investigate vivo chemistry and to visualize the brain. The author also establishes the need for care in application of the technology because while high resolution images requires high strength pulse and powerful static magnetic fields, these increase chances of peripheral nerve stimulation and also risks care personnel within the imaging facility. The paper also seeks to define peripheral nerve stimulation, identify its causes and where it occurs, and discusses threshold values for imaging and strategies for reducing effects of peripheral nerve stimulation. Commendations The abstract offers a comprehensive overview of the paper and succeeds in communicating the article’s objective. It develops suspense by exploration of content headline but not actual information, a feature that can motivate a reader into the article. The author also uses simple and precise headings that are outlined conspicuously. Another outstanding element of the article is its attained credibility through reliance and acknowledgement of its sources of information. Reliability of offered information is another feature of the article be cause of consistency of offered information to other sources. Its argument that peripheral nerve stimulation causes pain, for example, is consistent with the observation that the technology may have irritable effects such as twitching of muscles on patients (Rummeny and Reimer 2009, p. 33). Schultz also supports the author’s position on causes of the stimulation, varying magnetic fields (2013, p. 4). Application of diagrams and tables also enhances the article’s ability to communicate to the audience. Affirmations A number of concerns, despite the positive attributes, however arise from the article’s content with respect to its aims and headings. Some of the article’s content is not consistent with its headings. The author does not seem to define PNS while the heading, ‘what is PNS?’ suggest the need for the definition. The audience anticipates an explicit or inferred definition but none appears. Like in the abstract, a definition of PNS is n ecessary to make the title relevant. The same concern arises with respect to the heading, ‘what are the causes of PNS’ because no explicit causes, except involved mechanism towards the stimulation, are offered. One of the possible responses would â€Å"changes at the neuromuscular junction or muscle level† (Tranquilli, Thurmon and Grimm 2013, p. 429). Significant inconsistency also exists between the abstract and headings, which communicates the author’

Incarceration Rates in Juvenile Offenders Essay

Incarceration Rates in Juvenile Offenders - Essay Example are all strongly linked to the drug business. The Juvenile Justice System is the legal system responsible for looking after cases involving the minors. The system came into being in 1899 in the US policy so that the young people can understand the effects of their actions, and comprehend the irreversible reality of committing a criminal act. The other reason that the Juvenile Justice System was formed was because of the peril youth faced in the adult prison. Young offenders were at a great risk of being molested at the hands of adult criminals and committing suicide. Those children who end up in adult institutions, however, have it worst of all. Children in any adult institution are more vulnerable and more likely to be exploited as the Amnesty report says that they are eight times more likely to commit suicide, five times more likely to be raped, and thrice more likely to be crushed by workers than are kids in juvenile confinements. (Amnesty, 1998) America's juvenile justice system is there to keep its nationals safe and guiding delinquent youth on the right track. Fulfilling these two major responsibilities has put the policymakers and public in general, in a tight spot; as in which of the two aims should receive the most weightage, and thus, funding. (Juvenile Justice) In a stark contrast to the bas... (Mears 2006).The 1990s saw legislatures across the country enact laws under which an increasing number of delinquents could be tried in criminal courts and sent to prison. In almost every state of the US, youths aged 13 or 14 (or less) can be prosecuted and punished as adults for a broad range of offenses, even including nonviolent crimes. Even within the juvenile system, punishments have grown progressively crueler. Amnesty's findings say that there are 200,000 children per year are prosecuted in general criminal courts, and approximately 7,000 of those children locked up in jails before trial. Over 11,000 delinquents are presently being imprisoned in adult correctional facilities (Amnesty International 1998). State Level Variation Though an exponential increase in juvenile incarcerations, little thought has been given to the inter-state variations. According to Mears in his Prison Journal (2006) these are four possible reasons: First, expenditure in juvenile incarceration would be greater where symbolic intimidations to social order are pretty high. Second, it would be more in those states where crime rate, especially juvenile violent crime, is high. Third, juvenile incarceration would imitate those deemed appropriate for adult offenders; so the states with higher adult incarceration rates may incarcerate more juveniles. Finally, if the juvenile incarcerations are culturally accepted then it would lead to higher rates of juvenile incarceration. Public Opinion Matters This trend can be attributed to the public concern about the threat of youth after highly publicized crimes such as school shootings etc. But the fact is that the assorted opinion surveys which have

Wiccan Religion Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Wiccan Religion - Research Paper Example Some of the Basic Tenets/Principles of the Wiccan Religion Are;1. The Wiccan holidays are based on the phases of the moon and earth’s rotation. Apart from the monthly esbats, there are eight primary sabbats in the Wiccan religion.2. The environment should be taken care of and honored. As such, it is the Wiccan follower’s personal responsibility to conserve the environment and promote ecological balance since the environment is divine.3. The divine power in the Wiccan religion contains both the male and female aspects. Hence, both genders are held to be equal. Therefore, the Wiccans honor or worship both the male god and the female goddess.  4. The Wiccan religion has no central authority figure. They believe that all people/ members are sacred and can communicate with the gods. In other religions, only the priests or pastors are honored to communicate with the gods.5. Each and every person must take responsibility for his/her actions. Hence, they should readily accept the outcomes of their actions.Beliefs Concerning Life and DeathAccording to the Wicca religion, material life begins in the womb. Next, they believe that in life, they should strive to live peacefully by not intentionally causing any harm to others. What a person does in his/her life will be repaid thrice in the afterlife. This implies that they believe in karma. The Wicca religion believes that there is an afterlife after death. When a person dies, he /she transitions into a different life where he/she will be reincarnated back in different forms.

Micheal jackson Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Micheal jackson - Essay Example Some of his commonly known music videos include Beat It, Thriller, Scream, Black or White and Billie Jean which were considered to be advocating for racial integration in the American society (Fisher, 23). He emerged with a number of dance moves such as the robot and moonwalk to which people knew him best and became part of his thrilling performance whenever he was on stage. The curtain finally went down in his life in June 25, 2009 in Holmby Hills, Los Angeles, California, in the United States aged fifty when he died. The life as well as the music career of Michael Jackson is filled with numerous remarkable events and he made a great contribution to the music industry that has long lived beyond his death. He is therefore worth writing about owing to the fact that very few music artistic have achieved what Michael was able to achieve in his entire music career. Many people all over the world have something to remember about this popular pop artist who inspired them in life. He had a great influence on other genre of music such as hip hop, post-disco, contemporary R&B, pop, and rock by being the role model to the artists who performed such genres (Danesi,57). Despite the fact that pop culture has been witnessed in a number of departments and areas of life, music has registered the most remarkable application of this culture and it is mainly attributable to the King of Pop; Michael Jackson. His biography clearly demonstrated the formation as well as the establishment of this form of culture that has become a way of life in various parts of the world to date. In June 1975, the Jackson 5 made a historic signing with Epic Records which is a subsidiary of CBS Records. The move necessitated a change in their name from The Jackson 5 to The Jacksons. It was at that time that another Jackson known as Randy formally joined the band. The Jacksons continued to tour internationally, and released six more albums

Inheriting My Culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Inheriting My Culture - Essay Example I remember very well it was on the 24th of August 2009, a Thursday afternoon when I received a call from my mother. Little did I know that this would be the call that would change my attitude towards the culture of my people. I was with my friends shooting pool at the campus lounge. She told me that my grandfather who we nicknamed â€Å"Pa† had asked for me to go visit him in hospital. At the time he was eighty years old and had been diagnosed earlier in the year with throat cancer. By the time the cancer was caught it had grown so much that the doctors said he had a maximum of eight months to leave. So after being given the news by my mother I left my friends and decided to go see him. On reaching the hospital I found my mum and my extended family waiting in the hall way with most of them soaked in tears. Instantly I assumed the inevitable had happened and I also broke down into tears. When my mother saw me she told me that my grandfather was still alive but the doctors had informed them that he only had a few hours of life. I went to the cancer ward and entered his room. When he heard the door he immediately asked;† Chang is that you?† and I answered while crying; â€Å"yes grandfather†. He turned his head with a lot of effort after noticing I was crying and stretched out his hand towards me and told me that there was no need for crying because he was going to a better place. I went closer to him and held his hand. He told me that there was not much time left and that he had something to important to tell me. He pointed at the closet and told me to go pick a brown leather bag. I did as he instructed and brought it to him. He asked me to open th e bag and after opening the bag I saw two sets of painting brushes and some ink. This is where he informed me that we come from a family of brush painters and that the art was handed down from father to son for hundreds of years. He then told me that since my father was not alive and I was the oldest male child in our family that it was my turn to continue the family culture and that I should also hand it down to my siblings in future. He started coughing heavily and managed to utter â€Å"do not forget your roots Chang† before the doctors and nurses came in and asked me to go outside. I went to the hall way and five minutes later the doctor came to where we had sat in the waiting hall while nodding his head. Everyone broke into tears as we found out â€Å"Pa â€Å"had passed on. According to our culture, if an elderly person dies, a wake should be held for at least three days then the body is cremated. Due to financial constraints, the family decided to hold a wake for my grandfather one week after we had raised money to clear the enormous hospital bill. I decided to research on the tools my grandfather left me in order for me to paint a picture within that one week for it to be displayed during the wake in memory of my late grandfather. After doing a lot of research in the library about the painting brushes my grandfather left me I discovered that I come from a generation of remarkable painters. I discovered that our family was specifically renowned for a type of painting known as Chinese brush painting. This is a type of art painting in China where once a paint brush strokes the Painting paper with painting ink, it is neither corrected nor is it improved (Cherrett, 2). No sketch or model whatsoever is used in the course of brush painting. From the