Wednesday, March 18, 2020

The Tales of the Medieval Knights Courage, Chivalry and Convictions

The Tales of the Medieval Knights Courage, Chivalry and Convictions Fighting a dragon, saving the princess and going for another quest – this is how most people, who have only heard about knights from the tales of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, imagine a Medieval knight. However, the reality was far more complicated than that. With an impeccably virtuous lifestyle imposed on them by the Christian Church, Medieval knights were the representation of the qualities that would later on be turned into a cult, with the image of a knight becoming a role model for the entire male population.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Tales of the Medieval Knights: Courage, Chivalry and Convictions specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More As history says, the origin of knighthood was far too ancient to be jeopardized by the morals and principles of the Dark Ages. Created at the dawn of the Roman and Byzantine Empires reign and known as Bucellarii (Abels, n. d., para. 6), knighthood se emed a very fortunate substitute for a regular army for the kings of Britain in XIII–XIV centuries, which is why it was supported by all means possible. Thus, the premises for the evolution of a unique culture that was fully independent from the influence of the Middle Ages morals and standards were being born. In many senses, knighthood shaped the moral standards of the Middle Ages. The principles that Medieval knights considered their code of conduct were quite simple and could, probably, even fit the modern idea of a courageous and chivalrous person. The following character traits were traditionally considered essential for the Medieval knights; anyone who acted otherwise was to be shunned till the end of his days. Chivalry presupposed a gentleman-like attitude towards women, without the least bit of chauvinist condescendence, which would become a norm several centuries later and, thus, set the progress backwards, throwing the relationships between the two genders several centuries back). Courage meant the absolute recklessness, i.e., going beyond one’s instincts of self-preservation. A rather doubtful concept in the present-day world, in the Medieval Era, the given idea correlated with the principle of devotion and, therefore, was rather legitimate. Mercy involved sympathy towards the enemy, who was defeated, and sparing his life. Even after disarming his arch nemesis, a knight would never kill him as long as the former remained defenseless. The principles of fair fight were coined by none other than Medieval knights.Advertising Looking for essay on british literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Piety was encouraged by the Church, since knighthood was based on Christian virtues and, therefore, ruled by the Christian principles. Devotion should also be named among the key qualities; knights were expected not only to serve, but also to trust their lord completely. Nobility made knights protected the weak and fought for the defenseless. Faith presupposed that knights could not allow giving up on their convictions even when facing death. Respecting and honoring of women was the duty of every knight. In addition, knights were to adhere to the principles of justice. Eschewing unfairness was the ultimate goal of knights. Finally, unselfishness was another prominent feature of a Medieval knight – no knight would ever accept a monetary reward.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Tales of the Medieval Knights: Courage, Chivalry and Convictions specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Leaving a major cultural heritage, knights became a staple of noble and chivalrous men with impeccable behavior and devotion that could withstand the threats of an enemy, tempting yet dubious rewards and the test of time. No matter how flawed and violent the Medieval society was, knights, guided by the church, man aged to contribute to making this society a little more humane. Much to their credit, they seem to have succeeded. Reference List Abels, R. (n. d.). Feudalism. 28 Oct. 2013. Retrieved from https://www.usna.edu/homepage.php

Monday, March 2, 2020

How Eli Whitney Invented the Cottin Gin

How Eli Whitney Invented the Cottin Gin Eli Whitney was the inventor of the cotton gin and a pioneer in the mass production of cotton. Whitney was born in Westboro, Massachusetts on December 8, 1765, and died on January 8, 1825. He graduated from Yale College in 1792. By April 1793, Whitney had designed and constructed the cotton gin, a machine that automated the separation of cottonseed from the short-staple cotton fiber. Advantages of Eli Whitneys Cotton Gin Eli Whitneys invention of the cotton gin revolutionized the cotton industry in the United States. Prior to his invention, farming cotton required hundreds of man-hours to separate the cottonseed from the raw cotton fibers. Simple seed-removing devices have been around for centuries, however, Eli Whitneys invention automated the seed separation process. His machine could generate up to fifty pounds of cleaned cotton daily, making cotton production profitable for the southern states. Eli Whitney Business Woes Eli Whitney failed to profit from his invention because limitations of his machine appeared and his 1794 patent for the cotton gin could not be upheld in court until 1807. Whitney could not stop others from copying and selling his cotton gin design. Eli Whitney and his business partner Phineas Miller had decided to get into the ginning business themselves. They manufactured as many cotton gins as possible and installed them throughout Georgia and the southern states. They charged farmers an unusual fee for doing the ginning for them, two-fifths of the profits paid in cotton itself. Copies of the Cotton Gin And here, all their troubles began. Farmers throughout Georgia resented having to go to Eli Whitneys cotton gins where they had to pay what they regarded as an exorbitant tax. Instead planters began making their own versions of Eli Whitneys gin and claiming they were new inventions. Phineas Miller brought costly suits against the owners of these pirated versions but because of a loophole in the wording of the 1793 patent act, they were unable to win any suits until 1800, when the law was changed. Struggling to make a profit and mired in legal battles, the partners finally agreed to license gins at a reasonable price. In 1802, South Carolina agreed to purchase Eli Whitneys patent right for $50,000 but delayed in paying it. The partners also arranged to sell the patent rights to North Carolina and Tennessee. By the time even the Georgia courts recognized the wrongs done to Eli Whitney, only one year of his patent remained. In 1808 and again in 1812 he humbly petitioned Congress for a renewal of his patent. Eli Whitney - Other inventions In 1798, Eli Whitney invented a way to manufacture muskets by machine so that the parts were interchangeable. Ironically, it was as a manufacturer of muskets that Whitney finally became rich. The cotton gin is a device for removing the seeds from cotton fiber. Simple devices for that purpose have been around for centuries, an East Indian machine called a charka was used to separate the seeds from the lint when the fiber was pulled through a set of rollers. The charka was designed to work with long-staple cotton, but American cotton is a short-staple cotton. The cottonseed in Colonial America was removed by hand, usually the work of slaves. Eli Whitneys Cotton Gin Eli Whitneys machine was the first to clean short-staple cotton. His cotton engine consisted of spiked teeth mounted on a boxed revolving cylinder which, when turned by a crank, pulled the cotton fiber through small slotted openings so as to separate the seeds from the lint a rotating brush, operated via a belt and pulleys, removed the fibrous lint from the projecting spikes. The gins later became horse-drawn and water-powered gins and cotton production increased, along with lowered costs. Cotton soon became the number one selling textile. Demand For Cotton Grows After the invention of the cotton gin, the yield of raw cotton doubled each decade after 1800. Demand was fueled by other inventions of the Industrial Revolution, such as the machines to spin and weave it and the steamboat to transport it. By mid-century America was growing three-quarters of the worlds supply of cotton, most of it shipped to England or New England where it was manufactured into cloth. During this time tobacco fell in value, rice exports at best stayed steady, and sugar began to thrive, but only in Louisiana. At mid-century the South provided three-fifths of Americas exports, most of it in cotton. Modern Cotton Gins More recently devices for removing trash, drying, moisturizing, fractioning fiber, sorting, cleaning, and baling in 218-kg (480-lb) bundles have been added to modern cotton gins. Using electric power and air-blast or suction techniques, highly automated gins can produce 14 metric tons (15 U.S. tons) of cleaned cotton an hour.