Friday, July 16, 2010

The Boston Tea Party Essay Sample

The Boston Tea Party is now one of the biggest, breaking news in the times of the Colonies in Boston. I’ll tell you a brief story of what has happened just 2 days ago. The Boston Tea Party “so they call it” has just happened at the Boston harbor. What made this happen? Well I’ll tell you high taxes in the colonies is what caused this history making riot called the Boston tea party.

In November of 1973 The colonist are mad with the very high taxes. A group of colonist called sons of liberty, which are men that go out and threaten the tax collectors that something will happen to them if they dare make people pay taxes. Now the whole reason the taxes got started was because of the French and Indian war that the colonist didn’t even have a single thing to do with. Now colonist has to pay double taxes to pay off the debt of Britain. I guess the colonist have had it with the taxes that we are already paying to clear war debts and other British expenses.

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Our life-changing event begins December 16, 1973 in the middle of the night, the Boston tea party. The ships were docked with the crew still aboard (the ships have been docked up for weeks because of the strong threats by the sons of liberty) was ambushed with so called “Indians” which we did not find out till now were the sons of liberty and other colonist, now as I said before the only reason for this to happen was because of the high taxes in the colonies to pay off debts that the British had started. The colonist AKA Indians dumped 90,000 pounds of tea overboard into the Boston harbor that was stored in three very large ships docked to the Boston tea party. Now as for me I'd say that was the biggest cup of tea the Boston harbor ever had.

Now us here at the press are taking the patriot side and we are saying that they had all the Right in the world to dump all of that tea. They were defending us in the right of taxation because we did not start the war they did. Since they taxed us with the acts such as The Sugar Act or The Stamp Act we use the method of using boycott or the famous slogan NO TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION. But now we can not buy tea without paying off all of the debts for the tea. And now we are getting in the war with the British. But what ever it takes we will get our freedom, justice, and LIBER-TEA.

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Thursday, July 15, 2010

Essay on Bob Marley the Legend

Essay on Bob Marley the Legend

During the 1960’s, reggae music was created by combining the characteristics of the North American rock and African Jamaican music. This new style known as reggae had very much in common with rhythm and blues, though the textbook America’s Musical Landscape the author Jean Ferris states that, “the polyrythms are more complex, the bass lines are stronger, and the tempos more relaxed” (Ferris p. 207). The music of reggae gives a very soulful and religious feel to its listeners. Reggae music is closely related to the religious movement Rastafarianism, and so much of this genre of music has religious connotations explaining the singers beliefs and views on situations from a Rastafarian perspective (Bradbury p.2).

Though the reggae music had been popular in other parts of the world in 1960, especially England, it didn’t become popular music in the United States until a legendary performer named Bob Marley came onto the reggae musical scene. Bob Marley is without a doubt the king of reggae music and when you think of reggae Marley is probably associated. His words of wisdom reached to many people who were in a difficult situation; no matter what the problem maybe there is a Bob Marley song that can in some way or another relate. Marley grew up in the ghetto of Kingston, Jamaica known as Trenchtown. It was here that he went through his struggles with poverty, hunger, and the everyday struggles of being a poor black child in a poor third world country. Marley dropped out of school at the age of 15 to make money as a welder, and he spent all of his free time with his best friend Bunny perfecting his vocal skill (Miller p.1). In 1962 musical friends Bob Marley, the Bunny, Peter McIntosh, and Junior Braithwaite started a reggae band the Wailing Wailers. Within their first year their first single “Simmer Down” was a number one hit in Jamaica and was putting the young men on a path to stardom. Though the band did not remain together after Bob Marley got married in 1966. The other members of the band all went on to have successful careers as solo artists of reggae music, but none of them turned out to be as great as Bop Marley. Bob Marley changed his style of reggae, after his marriage and involvement in the Rastafarian movement, to send a more spiritual and social message to its listeners. Bob Marley formed his new band Bob Marley and the Wailers featuring a female trio of vocal harmony including his wife Rita, Marcia Griffith, and Judy Mowatt. The new group was set on spreading the message of “One love, one world” (Miller p.1).

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The Rastifarian religious movement was based on the blending of the purest forms of both Judaism and Christianity. Though they differed very much from Christians, for they worshipped and prayed to Jehovah, their god. This religious form rejects the Babylonian hypocrisy of the modern church (Bradbury p.1). Their religion reflects the social and geographical environment in which they live. The use of marijuana is used as a sacrament and aid to achieve logical meditation in their religion. The Rasta leaders regarded marijuana as “wisdomweed” and urged that it be smoked as a religious right. They allege that marijuana was found growing on the grave of King Solomon and they cite biblical passages, Psalms 104:14, to attest its sacramental propeties, “He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man, that he may bring forth food out of the earth” (Bradbury p.3). This is very important because Bob Marley was obviously under the influence of marijuana during most of his writing and performances. Thus, this drug had an impact on the way that Bob Marley performed, wrote, and lived his life. Though the drug marijuana was very important to the Rastafarian religion they looked down on other things such as alcohol, tobacco, all meat, and seafood (Bradbury p.3). They truly did not see anything wrong with the use of a drug that is illegal not only in their country, but in ours. Much of Bob Marley’s work has to do with his opinion of the drug.

I am going to compare and contrast three of Bob Marley’s most famous and listened to works. The songs “No woman no cry”, “Get up, Stand up”, and “Jammin” all are on a collection of Bob Marley’s greatest hits album Legend. The album which came out after his death has sold more than ten million copies and the United States and around twenty million throughout the rest of the world (BobMarley.com/ lyrics p.1). The greatest hits album combines the best songs from the twelve albums he made as a musician in his short, but successful life. The three songs that I am comparing all have very different meanings and are suppose to make you feel the situation as well as hear about it. They all involve the members of Bob Marley and the Wailers which was Marley’s second band. They all also involve different rhythms and beats to which the vocals are played.

The first song “No Woman no cry” was originally recorded for the 1974 release “Natty Dread”. The song is a deep reminiscence of Bob Marley’s impoverished life in Trenchtown (Miller p.3). The song was dedicated to his brethren and friend known as Tarter. Had it not been for Tarter’s household kitchen, Bob Marley would have gone without food on occasion; starved. Tarter is referred to in the song as one of the “good friends we have had, oh one of the good friends we’ve lost along the way” and in the next verse he says, “in this bright future you can’t forget your past”. Bob Marley is acknowledging the things that his friend Tarter did for him in the past and how even though he is now a star he will not forget what got him here. The man Georgie who he talks about in the song, “and then Georgie would make the fire light”, is also a real person to whom Marley is giving his respects. The man Georgie would make a fire so that Bob and his friends could play into the night and he to would feed the children. Marley goes on to the chorus “ev’rything’s gonna be alright” which they say is talking to the people of Trenchtown and how problems in life will work themselves out just as it did for him, with the help of everyone around them (Miller p.3). The song has a polyphonic texture and is very relaxed, and it is also very sad and uplifting at the same time.

The second song “Get up, Stand up” is also one of Marley’s greatest songs and in terms of his Rastafarian beliefs it is probably his most important and influnetial songs. The song was performed with former band member Peter McIntosh, known in the reggae world as Peter Tosh. The song first appeared on their album “Burnin” and is known as the Rasta anthem throughout much of the world. The chorus repeats the verse “get up, stand up, stand up for your right, get up, stand up, don’t give up the fight” His first line says “preacher man don’t tell me heaven is under the earth, I know you don’t even know what life is worth”. Bob Marley is stating here that heaven is not in the earth, but that heaven is being on earth and the time we get to spend on earth is what heaven is all about. Bob Marley says that “die and go to heaven in Jesus name, Lord we know when we understand almighty God is a living man”. I believe that this means that he feels that God is in every person who walks the earth and that everyone is god on a planet that is heaven. The entire song is about Bob Marley’s feelings of religion and how they can apply they apply to “one love, one world”. This song was writen in a polyphonic texture as well but it does not have the same relaxed rhythm that “no woman no cry” has, instead it is more in a chant form with a strong beat.

The third and final song “Jammin” was called “an anthem for Bob’s righteous journey of uniting sufferahs through the power of music” (Miller p.4). This song is the signature song of Bob Marley, it shows the feel good, happy sounds of reggae music. He talks about getting over an obsticle or problem by “jammin” and having fun, dancing with someone that he has fallen in love with. His lyrics want you to show you that he feels invisible when he is with the woman, “ain’t no rules, ain’t no vow” and “no bullet can stop us now”. This piece as well as the others is in a polyphonic texture that is very upbeat and a feel good song to listen to. Bob Marley wrote this song after meeting his wife Rita Anderson for the very first time and he wrote the song about her before they were married, but he says that he knew someday she would be his wife (Miller p.4).

The reggae music of today and tomorrow has its inspiration in the legendary music and life of Bob Marley. He helped to develop reggae music to the mainstream United States and throughout the world, he helped to further develop the Rastafarian religious movement and he spoke his words of peace and wisdom to all. Bob Marley was a man who had a very important message to make the world through his music and unfortunately he died at the early age of 36 and we did not fully get to appreciate all that he did for the music industry and the listeners of his music. Remember Bob Marley by he felt about humanity “One love, One World”.

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Tuesday, July 13, 2010

James Madison Essay Example

James Madison was called the great little Madison by his friends.Perhaps it was because he weighed less than one hundred pounds and was very short. But it was probably because this man did more to create the constitution than any other American. Madison came from Virginia and had written a constitution for the state. When Madison saw the problems that the United States had under the Articles of Confederation, he began to study other types of governments.

He believed a strong central government was needed to prevent like Shays rebellion. In 1787 Madison became a delegate to the constitutional convention. Before going to the convention, he had written his own plan for a constitution. His plan was known as the Virginia plan. It included checks and balances, separation of powers, and sharing power between state and federal governments. Most of Madison's ideas became part of the constitution.

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To convince delegates to sign the constitution, Madison made more than one hundred speeches. To get states to ratify the constitution, he wrote the federalist papers with Alexander Hamilton and John Jay. The federalist papers were put into a book. It is one of the most important books ever written about government. After the nations constitution was ratified in 1788, Madison wrote the bill of rights. His work became the first ten amendments to the constitution.

Madison kept a journal in which he wrote down everything that was said each say at the constitutional convention. Since all meetings were held in secrecy, it is from Madison's journal that we know what happened there. Madison went on to become the fourth president of the united states. But he is best known as the father of the constitution because of all he did to create good laws for the united states.


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Monday, July 12, 2010

General Benedict Arnold Essay

Benedict Arnold Essay

The Battle of Saratoga was a major battle in the American Revolution; it helped persuade the French into signing a Treaty with the United States that helped turn the tides on the British. Major General Horatio Gates was the commander of the Army of the North. His English counterpart was General John Burgoyne. The open-field battle style considerable favored the British troops of Burgoyne. The American’s had their backs against the wall; they were almost out of options, until their savior literally rode in on horseback. This man was General Benedict Arnold. He rode in from Freeman’s Farm where Gates, Arnold’s superior, had taken his authority away because of Arnold’s “insubordination”. Arnold thought nothing of Major Gates’orders to stay at Freeman’s Farm and rode off with no sign of slowing. “ No Man will keep me in my tent this day!”
Arnold said.

Unlike Gates, Benedict Arnold liked to lead and command his men on the front lines. Arnold personally led the charge on Breymann’s redoubt during the Battle of Saratoga, however Arnold was wounded during the final assault in his left knee. While the American troops surrounded and captured Breymann’s forces, Arnold laid in pain on the battlefield. Gates took the credit for the victory at Saratoga and didn’t mention Arnold in his reenactment to General Washington. This made Arnold question the respectability of the American forces.

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The events of the two years previous to Saratoga were very influential to Benedict Arnold. During that time Benedict Arnold and George Washington were planning a double-pronged attack and invasion of Canada, this would be accomplished by taking out Montreal and Quebec. The idea was that the British commander in Canada, Sir Guy Carleton, could only defend one of the cities during a simultaneous attack, which would leave an unprotected city to fall to the Americans. Montreal would have to be sieged by moving northward through Lake Champlain, then into the waters of the St. Lawrence River opposite Montreal. The route toward Quebec was far more complex. A force would have to be guided along the raging Kennebec River, into the highland mountains of Maine, over three lakes to the Dead River, then onto the Chaudiиre River, and on into the St. Lawrence River opposite Quebec. During Washington’s meetings with Arnold, he was examined Benedict very carefully, and he liked what he saw. In Washington’s mind there wasn’t a better man for the job than Arnold, to lead the charge into Quebec. Arnold was given independent command from Washington to lead troops through Maine and attack Quebec. The other man that would complete the two-punch attack on Canada was General Richard Montgomery, who would lead his troops to capture Montreal and then ultimately to Quebec to assist Arnold. While Montgomery’s advancement toward Montreal was taking place, Arnold was en route to Quebec. Arnold’s men were constantly flirting with disaster. All sorts of problems plagued Arnold’s men; from contaminated food and water, which led to sickness and death, to the winter months that brought snow and cold, which in turn produced frostbite. Hunger and fatigue was another problem that the troops had to overcome, for this, Arnold went ahead of his troops to find food. Arnold sent back a herd of cattle, which the troops greatly appreciated. On Nov. 13, 1775 Montgomery captured Montreal. Montgomery’s successful troops joined Arnold’s on December 2, 1775. He brought 300 men and, most importantly, a large supply of British winter clothing to comfort Arnold’s cold troops.

The troops were united under the two generals and together they would lead the siege on Quebec. The attack was set for December 31, 1775. During the march on Quebec Montgomery, Arnold, and their men were attacked not only with musket fire, but also with cannonshot. Arnold knew that if was to be successful in defeating the British, stationed in Quebec, he would have to destroy the cannon that was set-up on the barricade ahead of them. Almost to the barricade, Arnold got shot with a piece of a bullet in his left leg. Injured, he encouraged his men to finish the attack and take the city. Unfortunately despite all their efforts, Arnold and Montgomery were defeated. However, from January to May of 1776, Arnold led a series of charges on Quebec and eventually besieged the city.

Arnold had many conflicts with Congress in his lifetime. He continually battled with members that did not like him for various reasons. The first instance where Congress snubbed Arnold was when he was the next brigadier in line to be promoted to major general in the military custom of seniority. But Congress decided to change the rules and they didn’t promote Arnold. Instead the promoted five other men who were inferior to Arnold when it came to military intelligence. Congress had made Arnold look like a fool, and he resented it. In one instance, Arnold had put a request into Congress for reimbursement for supplies that he bought with his own money during his march to Quebec. But Congress wasn’t going to pay a large sum of money unless he could prove that he indeed had spent the money. Arnold did not keep records of what he spent because he was too involved with the march itself. He felt that, yet again, his government had let him down.

The money was one thing that bothered Arnold, but what he was really concerned about was his seniority. Congress continually refused to restore it, until finally on July 11, Benedict Arnold submitted his resignation from the military. Arnold, although he did resign, offered up his services to the military if he was needed.

The final event that caused Arnold to turn on America was his court martialing in 1779-1780. He was tried on several misdemeanor charges. On December 25, 1779 hearings opened for the court martial case of Benedict Arnold. Arnold was eventually censured from the American Army.

Even before all this began, in May of 1779, with the encouragement of his wife, Peggy, Arnold began negotiations to join the British army. Peggy was very pro-British, prior to her marriage to Arnold she had a relationship with John Andre. John Andre and Sir Henry Clinton approved Arnold’s request to join the British. John and Benedict continually communicated for over a year and a half using cipher and using pseudonyms. Arnold was now a “Hero for Sale”. Arnold agreed with Andre on a pay of Ј20,000 for the surrender of West Point to the British. Arnold had rejoined the army with the consent of George Washington himself and he stationed Arnold at West Point and gave him control of it as well. The two men finally met in secrecy along the banks of the Hudson River on September 21-22, 1780. After the plan for the surrender of West Point was complete, Andre and Arnold went their separate ways. Arnold went to King’s Ferry, while Andrй was to return to White Plains, New York. Andrй disguised himself as a civilian and took route along the West Bank of the Hudson River moving south. However, he made a wrong decision when he came upon a fork in the road and chose the wrong path of travel. Had he chosen the other path he may not have been captured, instead he came face to face with thugs.
John Paulding, Isaac Van Wart, and David Williams were three bandits who stopped John Andre and stripped searched him in hope of finding money. Instead they found the secret plans of West Point given to him by Benedict Arnold. The three turned

him over to Colonel Jameson. Arnold at that time was home waiting for George Washington to join him for breakfast. Jameson had sent a message stating to Arnold that “John Anderson” (who was John Andre) had been captured and that he held vital information about West Point that was in Arnold’s pen. Jameson thought that someone had forged Arnold’s name. This message, to Arnold, served as a savior because if Washington had read this message before Arnold, he undoubtedly would have realized that Benedict Arnold was a traitor. Arnold armed himself with two pistols and left for the Sir Henry Clinton’s headquarters in New York aboard the boat “The Vulture”.

The Americans hung John Andre on October 2, 1780. He was considered to be the “Eye for the Eye”. The second eye was the fact that they lost Benedict Arnold to the British. Benedict Arnold had caused the British to lose a fine general in John Andre and he proved to be very futile in his military career as a Britain.

Following Cornwallis’s surrender at Yorktown in October of 1781, Arnold and his wife Peggy moved to England. There their lives were rather simple. However in the latter parts of his life Benedict suffered greatly from ill health; Asthma and Gout plagued him. Finally on June 14, 1801, Benedict Arnold’s suffering came to an end. He was buried in the crypt of St. Mary’s in Battersea.

Benedict Arnold was considered a military genius; he was able to bring his troops from near defeat to victory. He was highly regarded not only by his cronies but also was highly respected by his adversaries. Arnold was probably the only man to be respected by both the British and Americans prior to 1779. Benedict Arnold was one of the best Generals that had served in the American Army. But by 1779 and 1780 he was seen as the most controversial figure in the Colonies. Today, some people view Arnold as one of the most diabolical men to ever live; others view him as a generally good man that just took one wrong turn that tainted his whole career. The majority of the people in the U.S view him as a traitor of the American public and of their trust. If the British had won the war he would be looked down upon with even more contempt than he is today. However, if Benedict Arnold had died, in his prime, on the battlefield of Saratoga, he would be viewed much differently all over the world, possibly as the greatest general that even lived.


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Sunday, July 11, 2010

Essay on Agriculture: The Base of civilization

Essay on Agriculture: The Base of civilization

Agriculture is a major part of our lifestyle today. Without it, we probably would not have many of the features available to us today. Agriculture is the basis of all civilization, the basis of writing, of cities and towns, of our governing systems, of our technology, of almost everything we have.

Humans started off with a nomadic lifestyle. Humans, or homo sapiens, used to follow around animals, wherever they went, to hunt them. If the animals moved, the humans followed. No one had ever thought of growing their own food, until one day someone probably accidently left some seeds of a fruit they were eating on the ground, which grew. Homo sapiens with their creative brains figured out that the seeds make the food grow.

Over hundreds of years of trial and error with the human’s new-found food source, they began to realize things like plants need water to grow, plants only grow in certain seasons, etc. Humans then realized they needed to grow crops near a river, where all the fertile soil is, thus creating agriculture.

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Once man figured out how to grow his own food, he could grow it in surplus amounts. Other humans saw this, and gave what they could offer to the farmer for food, thus creating trade. When everyone started trading, they moved in closer to the farmer. The farmer lived next to the river, for the rich soil, and everyone else around him. This created cities and towns. Of course, these cities and towns got very big, having mass amounts of people living near each other at the same time. It is a natural tendency for humans to get irritable with each other, when living so close. So, someone had to step in and make up a set of rules for everyone, thus creating a system of government.

Since the farmers supplied the food for everyone, they no longer spent all of their time hunting. Therefore humans have more time to experiment and toy around with things. One of these humans eventually became a blacksmith like figure, another became a tanner, another became a carpenter and so forth. Each one of these groups of people could then perfect their art. The longer the carpenter built, the better he got, the more he could make. Since everyone was trading so much, they needed a way to record everything. The government needed a solid way to keep the laws recorded also. So, writing was invented. With the invention of writing, government, cities and towns and trade, cities became larger, and started making surplus amounts of food, and other goods. With this happening, the people could then trade with other civilizations. When they did this, a theory called “Cultural Diffusion” happened. Cultural diffusion is basically when one group of people watch another and see things they like, and try to mimic those things. Therefore the best of both cultures is shared. With all of these events happening, humans were able to make more and more technological advances.

Through all of this, it led us to where we are today. That just goes to show how much we take our world for granted. So, without agriculture we do not have trade, cities and towns, government, or even writing. Think about that the next time you eat your veggies…


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Saturday, July 10, 2010

Essay on Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War

Through the reading of this book, it discusses transformation between Civil War brought to the character of the United States and the way Abraham Lincoln carried his weight, just to be heard.

The time Civil War transformed a Union of states into a single Nation, Professor McPherson points out in the pieces in his essay. Lincoln, spoke of the American “nation” rather than of a “union” in order to invoke a new birth of American Freedom and nationhood. Lincoln used his words to change the time for the slaves, trying to free them instead of harvesting the land for another man. The change of American from a union of states to a nation was accompanied by a change in the concept of liberty on which the nation was founded. This involved emancipation, which made a change in the abolition of slavery, and the application to all people of the principle in the Declaration of Independence that “all men are created equal”.

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Before the emancipation, liberty was understood in a negative way which involved individual freedom, McPherson explain how government regulation and freedom from interference with private property. Including the Civil War, the change of liberty allowed the government to force a positive stand in promoting the freedom of humans and human good. The course of slavery was left, but the concept of the governments role in creating positive concept of liberty has continued through it’s time.
Throughout the essay, Lincoln vision new ideals. In certain parts McPherson, backtrack on issues that was part of modern revision who claim that the Civil War failed.

A second reconstruction provided necessary in the mid-20th Century to realize fully on the aims.

Following his first essay, the argues of Lincoln became convincing that the Civil War did change the Unite States from a slaveholding republic, like Nebraska when they move in the Free Soldiers to oppose slaves, it became a free one. Politically, everything move from the south to the north.

Earlier New England, blacks improved, although equality was still very far. In England they spread out and defeated the plantation economy, in the south prevailing was weakened.

McPherson stated “negative liberty – freedom from government oppression – to one of the position liberty – the right for protective – guaranteed by the Federal government.


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Friday, July 9, 2010

The Story of Tamar Essay

The Story of Tamar Essay

The story of Tamar takes place in the book of Genesis. Tamar is a young Canaanite woman who is chosen by Judah to marry his son. She obeys and marries Er, and The Lord was not happy with Judah’s son, so he dies at the hand of the Lord. Then, Judah had Tamar marry his next eldest son whom the Lord also killed.

Throughout both of these marriages Tamar did not conceive, leaving Judah with no heir. After all of this, Tamar was told to wait for the youngest son to grow older as to marry him, so she could give Judah and is family an heir. She was in a different part of the land, dressed as a harlot, conceived out of wedlock, and became pregnant with Judah’s child. Judah, upon finding out she was pregnant, not knowing with his child, sentenced Tamar to death. When he found out it was his child, she was pardoned.

How is Tamar portrayed in this story? Upon first reading the story it is easy to conclude that she is a villain, a woman who disobeyed her father-in-law, and showed herself to be a prostitute. She can also be seen as a strong woman who rebelled against her father-in-law’s wishes, and took a stand for what she believed in, proving that she could not be controlled. This raises the question; was Tamar a heroin or a villain?

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Tamar silently takes a stand, because she refuses to give Judah an heir through his third child, therefore she goes right to the source. Woman are not viewed as evil for taking a stand, they are representing Christ by being independent, and they look to stories such as the story of Tamar, and they know that women are capable of making their own decisions, and being bold, as well as speaking their minds. Women like Tamar demonstrate that they cannot be controlled and still glorify the Lord.

According to Don Benjamin, there are several factors that play into the story of Tamar that can portray her as a heroin. The clothing that she wore, as well as the circumstances she was facing played a part in the way she is viewed. The way she handled the situation was mature, but also vengeful.

The basis of her heroism lies in the fact that she rebelled. She never was given a choice when it came to who she was to wed, or if she would conceive. Her first husband was taken from her by the Lord, and she was unable to conceive. Instead of letting her be a widow, not realizing that maybe she didn’t want marriage, Judah quickly passes her off to his next son, who is also killed, not providing Judah with an heir. Judah in his greed demands that she wait. Tamar does not want marriage, but she does want to honor her husband by bearing a child.

Tamar realizes the wrong Judah has done to her, and decides on revenge. She will provide him with an heir. She dresses as a harlot, or prostitute. Judah, who has just learned of his wife’s death, is desperate for a woman’s companionship. He approaches Tamar with a selfish attitude, commanding intercourse, and proceeds to have his way.

With this action Judah shows himself to be a demanding immoral person. He has not abided by the grieving process, and in turn degraded the death of his wife by not mourning. Many say he got what he deserved.

Tamar is the heroin because she abides by the “eye for an eye” principle. Judah has wronged her, now she will shame him. She successfully accomplishes this task because Judah, when learning she has conceived out of wedlock orders her to be killed. Tamar then tells him that the child is indeed his, whereas he pardons her death. Tamar has achieved her goal, which is justice. She now no longer has to marry the youngest son, and Judah has his heir. It is said that the punishment should fit the crime, and indeed it did. Judah did not take Tamar’s feelings into consideration at all, and therefore felt a portion of the humiliation he had projected to his daughter-in-law.

Once you begin analyzing all of the aspects surrounding this story, you almost begin to feel sympathy for Tamar, who is forced into these two unsuccessful marriages only to face yet another potentially unsuccessful marriage. She then stepped up, and accomplished all of her goals, and is a strong example of independence.

The other debate surrounds the clothing she was wearing. It all generates around the belief of the culture she was representing. She could definitely have been wearing a harlot’s outfit, which could have been inviting, keeping her identity unknown, or she could have been wearing the clothes of a priest, in which case Judah was in the wrong.

It is most likely that she was wearing the garments of a harlot. There are several indications of this. First, it was common to see prostitutes outside of town, drawing their income from foreigners, and secondly she was alone sitting idly which suggests she is waiting for a male. In any case, she was dressed to tempt Judah, and he fell for it, after losing his wife it appears he is looking for “comfort.”

Men engaging in prostitution acts are generally looked down upon, and it is an event that is usually kept silent. Judah committed his daughter-in-law over and over again to his sons selfishly, against her will. In return she humiliated him by not only conceiving his child, but also making it known he had engaged in sexual intercourse with his daughter-in-law, thinking it was a prostitute. He had been ashamed of her enough to put her to death, but then, was his punishment even enough to constitute the act? Many believe Tamar could have caused a lot more harm than she actually did.

There are several theories, including that in actuality Tamar is a harlot, lured by the annual sheep shearing, but this is most likely not the case. Judah used poor judgment in terms of committing an unwilling woman to his sons repeatedly, then impregnating her out of lust. Tamar simply acted out against him.

Tamar demonstrates negative as well as positive images within this story. She shows a conniving side, which is slightly manipulative, but in the end serves justice. She follows through with her actions, and takes full responsibility for her part in the story. She shows confidence as well as determination. She is an example to all women showing them to stand up for themselves if they have received an injustice. It is okay to fight back even when the stakes are high. She took an extreme chance knowing that she could be put to death, and chose to do what she believed to be the right thing anyway. She is the perfect example of hope and courage. Many women today see her as an example and leader. This high standing citizen, Judah, gives in to his weakness and is brought down by a woman, and at the time that was very humiliating. An eye for an eye and in a time when women were looked down upon, Tamar accomplished this giving hope to all. She truly was a heroin.


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