A single decision set the course for of significant repercussions felt in to the present day. It beganins in the colonial days whenre the British fought to seize Ireland and subjugate their people. British dominance evoked the cultural belief that Ireland was inferior both as a society and in the morality of their beings. The British viewed conceptualized the Irish as aliens of a different world; such as, accusing them ofas wife swapping, being alcoholics, and acting with violent tendencies. Illustrations were drawn of the Irish portraying them with an ‘ape-like image’ to strengthen the evolutionary racist claims that the Irish people were inferior to other races, withholding these beliefs upon generations. A new outlook of race was developed through British actions, essentially creating a course of subjecting others differences as property to walk over and substantiate their authority. These cultural views migrated to North America, implementing the aspect of control into their economy in the 18th and 19th century when cheap labor and resources were demanded. Indentured European servants, Native Americans and Africans supplied this labor; although, all of which were not initially enduring slavery. As North America formed a capitalistic institution, the opposition of dominance remained from the previous inclinations. Due to obstacles enslaving indentured white servants and Native Americans, Africans were easy to target because of their physical features and
Documentary: Racism – A History: The Colour of Money provides a powerful illustration of the historical origins and basis of institutionalized racism. The six short episodes explore and chronicle centuries of European attitudes and practices regarding race and the transatlantic slave trade of Africans. It underscores how economics served as the driving force behind slavery. The documentary highlights that although slavery existed for several centuries prior to the slave trade, the concept of racism is rooted in the enslavement and exploitation of Africans for labor and capital gain. The documentary describes how the British’s development of the transatlantic slave trade for colonial America served as the catalyst for racism, not the reverse. As Professor James Walvin, Professor of History Emeritus at the University of York explained in the documentary, “the British don 't become slave traders and slavers because they are racist; they became racist because they use slaves for great profit in the Americas and devise a set of attitudes towards black people that justifies what they’ve done. The real engine behind the slave system is economics.” It exposes that the concepts and practices associated with racism resulted from those who sought financial profit. The British efforts to justify and sanction slavery and the exploitation of Africans for colonial work and expanded wealth created a hierarchy of races.
Gish Jen’s “Who’s Irish” tells the story of a sixty-eight-year-old Chinese immigrant and her struggle to accept other cultures different from her own. The protagonist has been living in the United States for a while but she is still critical of other cultures and ethnicities, such as her son-in-law’s Irish family and the American values in which her daughter insists on applying while raising the protagonist’s granddaughter. The main character finds it very hard to accept the American way of disciplining and decides to implement her own measures when babysitting her granddaughter Sophie. When the main character’s daughter finds out that she has been spanking Sophie she asks her mother to move out of the house and breaks any further contact
The book, “The Irish Way” by James R. Barrett is a masterpiece written to describe the life of Irish immigrants who went to start new lives in America after conditions at home became un-accommodative. Widespread insecurity, callous English colonizers and the ghost of great famine still lingering on and on in their lives, made this ethnic group be convinced that home was longer a home anymore. They descended in United States of America in large numbers. James R. Barrett in his book notes that these people were the first group of immigrants to settle in America. According to him, there were a number of several ethnic groups that have arrived in America. It was, however, the mass exodus of Irish people during and after the great
A typical colonial planter’s views on equality were inconsistent because he resented the crown's rule over the plantations, believed in his racial superiority over slaves, and considered women to hold no representation(TS). A colonial planter resented Europe’s rule over plantations(E). Great Britain considered plantations as corporations, and enacted laws in which a planter could not interfere with their legislative power(SE). The crowns subjugation over a planter caused him to feel enraged, because although he was contributing to the investment of the mother country he was being treated unfairly(A). In addition to Britain’s harsh force over plantations, a planter also favored racial superiority over slaves(TS). A planter supported white
1. The Scotch-Irish were staunch libertarians, and acted upon their feelings. Sex ways and dress ways had close ties to each other in the backcountry. To talk about sex and sexual behavior was also acceptable in this culture. The dress women and men wore was meant to arouse the opposite sex. Anglican missionary Charles Woodmason wrote, “They draw their shift as tight as possible round their Breasts, and slender waists (for they are generally very finely shaped) and draw their Petticoat close t their Hips to show the fineness of their limbs– … –indeed nakedness is not censurable without ceremony.” Woodmason was appalled at how these women carried themselves, but to the women, they were sexy. Men even dressed in ways to show off
The shift from indentured servitude to racial slavery in the British North American colonies didn 't occur all at once. Instead, the transition was much more uneven, spreading across different colonies at different times, and triggered by various unique historical incidents. However, two themes show up consistently in the transition from indentured servitude to race-based slavery. First, as more and more indentured servants became free, the wealthy planter class began to perceive these newly freed men as a threat. Indentured servants acquired land at the end of their term, and were able to compete economically with their former masters. To quell this economic threat, the wealthy class began to prefer a system of lifelong servitude, e.g. slavery.
Even though the Irish and African Americans were full citizens, the color of their skin and their background determined whether they were fit to become a proper citizen. Irish became viewed as workers who would complete the more dangerous task with no hesitation. Although the Irish completed these task, it was only for the profit, the Irish were not seen as “real” people but as objects that can be utilized to complete task no American male could accomplish. African Americans became viewed as savages who could not work proper jobs due to the typical stereotype of how African Americans were viewed during the
Psychologist Ph.D. Diana Baumrind studied specific techniques of parenting at length and came to the conclusion that “spirited give and take within the home… may teach the child how to express aggression in self-serving and prosocial causes,” however, Sophie’s household has not quite mastered this “give and take”. Gish Jen’s “Who’s Irish?” highlights the adverse effects of early exposure to conflicting parenting styles through a detailed narrative of the daily life of a young girl named Sophie and her mother, father, and grandmother. The interpersonal relationship between Sophie and each of these parental figures embody three different parenting techniques: authoritarian, indulgent, and authoritative. Rising tensions between the techniques give rise to Sophie's confusion and eventual rebellion against her home life, which Gish Jen masterfully displays through her changing actions and, even, her physical appearance.
Violence, terror, suffering and death. The conflict that has been burning in Northern Ireland seems to be an unstoppable battle and it has flooded over the land of Northern Ireland. The struggle for power and the persistence of greed have fueled the raging fires of the opposing groups. The conflict in Northern Ireland has been discussed continually over the past few decades. Ever since the beginning of the “Troubles,” organizations have been scavenging to find a plan that will cease the violence. Throughout my research for this project, the questions of what are the main sources of conflict in Northern Ireland and why have they continued today guided me to many fascinating pieces of evidence that
In “Who’s Irish”, Gish Jen demonstrates a family that has Chinese root and American culture at the same time. The main character is a fierce grandmother who lives in with her daughter’s family, and then ironically forced to move out because of her improper behavior during she raises her granddaughter. The author uses some unpleasant language and contents to describe the situation, which are effectively demonstrate how difficult and how struggle for people who lives in the gap between two different cultures. I can’t say who is right or who is wrong, but feel sorry for the grandmother.
Nearly every aspect of American history involves white supremacy. Upon the discovery of the Americas, the Europeans believed they entered into a land inhabited by savages (Boyer 20). According to President Jackson, the mistreatment of the Indians was to “kill the Indian, but save the man” (Williams) in order to purify America. They were forced to adapt to the dominate society or be killed. According to Wiethaus, “the Trail of Tears is a story of tragedy far overshadows the longer term economic consequences of Indian land for the United States economy and the disruption of individual lives for those dispossessed of their homes” (29). The Columbian Exchange involved the slavery of Africans which later became an issue during the 1800’s once the colonies formed into states. African-Americans did not receive emancipation until after the civil war. Before then, slavery was at the heart of the Commercial Revolution which set the stage for the modern era of economic growth (Wright 14). During the 1800’s, states became divided upon the issue of being a Slave or Free State. After the Civil War, Johnson approved of the emancipation of slaves (Boyer 497). However, during the Reconstruction, “black codes” were constructed to prevent African-American to be considered worthy citizens. Many Acts were passed to give them equality, but they still received inhuman treatment (Boyer 509-511). It took years of marches, protest, and riots
William Butler Yeats is one of the most esteemed poets in 20th century literature and is well known for his Irish poetry. While Yeats was born in Ireland, he spent most of his adolescent years in London with his family. It wasn’t until he was a teenager that he later moved back to Ireland. He attended the Metropolitan School of Art in Dublin and joined the Theosophical Society soon after moving back. He was surrounded by Irish influences most of his life, but it was his commitment to those influences and his heritage that truly affected his poetry. William Butler Yeats’s poetry exemplifies how an author’s Irish identity can help create and influence his work.
James Joyce wrote Dubliners to portray Dublin at the turn of the early 20th century. In Dubliners, faith and reason are represented using dark images and symbols. James Joyce uses these symbols to show the negative side of Dublin. In “The Sisters,” “The Boarding House,” and “The Dead” dark is expressed in many ways. James Joyce uses the light and dark form of symbolism in his imagination to make his stories come to life.
The exploitation of Black labor was accomplished by treating Black people as objects of property, thus, race and property were conflated by establishing a form of property contingent on race only. Id. at 1716. Similarly, the conquest, removal, and extermination of Native American life and culture were ratified by conferring and acknowledging the property rights of whites in Native American land. Id. Only white possession and occupation of land was validated and therefore privileged as a basis for property rights. Id. Slavery as a system of property facilitated the merger of white identity and property. Id. at 1721. Because the system of slavery was contingent on and conflated with racial identity, it became crucial to be "white," to be identified as white, to have the property of being white. Id.Whiteness was the characteristic, the attribute, the property of free
The white men’s power changed lives, families, counties, and a continent, because of the belief of superiority over others. Throughout centuries people divided themselves into different individuals through their race and skin color. In the late 1800s, Europeans had the urge to relentlessly define Africans as barbarians and a lower class citizens (Lange). Europe was going through major economic changes at this moment in history. The industrial revolution allowed more goods to be made for cheap and enriched the European countries. However, the main source was slowing declining in Europe – natural resources. The Europeans found a way to refill their resources and state their actions as a way of promising improvement. France, British,