Money - I Want It :: Free Essay Writer

Money - I Want It I cannot wait to finish college and begin baking my economic cake. Everyday you here about someone making it big in the stock market, some one winning the lotto jackpot or some idiot cleaning out some other idiot in court. There is only one thing that those people have that I want, and it’s money. I’ve learned at a very early age the value of the â€Å"all mighty buck†. I grew up in a poor single mother home, and when I saw all the kids with cool toys, and I had squat, I realized that if I want something I have to get it for myself. I had my first job at age five, but I also had the toys I wanted too. The world revolves around money, just a pure and simple fact. There is plenty of money out there and I want more than my share of it. If money was a drug then call me a junky, I’m addicted to money like a welfare cheat is addicted to crack. I’ve also learned at an early age that you’re not going to make any money with out a college education. In high school I never planned on going to college because my parents didn’t have money, and after high school I had to fend for myself. I bounced around from low paying job to low paying job. At age 19 I got a dishwashing job at this figure skating camp that was owned by the same people who owned the hockey rink where I played at for the last 9 years. The only reason I got the job was because the staff knew me from the other rink and had basically watched me grow up, I was there so often. It was a seasonal job just for the summer. In that summer I learned about hard work and what kind of stuff it takes to be a hard worker. I worked so hard there, the boss gave me more and more hours until I was full time. By the end of that summer I was considered one of the hardest workers there. Well out of everyone in the kitchen staff, I was the only one offered another job at ice rink. Sure it was only for a snack bar attendant, but at least it was a little more money and responsibility .

Riding a Bike vs Driving a Car

Brian Morris Dr. Bunnell 11/25/2012 Revised Draft Compare/Contrast Essay Young children always hit that age where all they want to do is learn how to ride a bike; well for the most part young children. They pray for a new bicycle for Christmas and the day hits them like homework on a school night, that they most likely forgot about. Many have the audacity to try to learn without training wheels, but usually fail. Over time they start to realize there are bigger and better things in life such as learning how to drive a car. They constantly beg their parents to let them practice driving or to get their hands on a pair of new car keys.Both learning how to drive a car and learning how to ride a bicycle surprisingly have many differences as well as similarities. Learning how to ride a bike starting off to some may seem easy, but is generally difficult to most. Learning this is one of the most popular as well as important tasks to growing up. One's body is simply not used to the gravitatio nal pull and balance when their feet begin liftoff, ending at the landing zone of the foot pedals. Most require the assistance of training wheels to begin practice of riding a bike. With these, there is a total of four wheels, making little to no individual balancing skill.Training wheels also help people learn to control their pedaling speed, movement, and turning. Once training wheels are taken off, the true test to be passed is about to begin. These next few steps to riding a bike with perfection are much different than learning how to drive a car. Stumbling and falling over is a constant problem when starting to ride a bike. On the other hand, a person cant fall over when driving in a car! With practice, learning to ride in a straight line eventually is a â€Å"piece of cake†. Next is learning how to turn while pedaling forward. The trick is not to lean one's entire body while turning.This will simply makes people lose their balance and therefore, fall. Again, practice is key to be able to turn correctly with a stabilized balance. Finally, braking is the final thing to learn. This is the simplest, and can be done with little practice. Brakes are located by the handlebars on a bicycle, while the brakes are located by the feet when driving. Some people say learning to sync one's feet to use the brakes in a car is like learning how to write with another hand. When one can fully ride a bicycle, there are huge advantages and differences over driving a car.First, people can get fit from riding a bicycle around! Sitting in a car seat instead of pedaling with legs is not going to help someone lose weight. Yet another difference between the two is cars release pollutants into the atmosphere, while bicycles release 100% clean energy. Teenagers go crazy the day they hear, â€Å"Congratulations, you passed your drivers exam†. To be able to hear those magic words, it takes true time and dedication. The day a teenager obtains their learners permit, their w orld changes. They start obsessing about learning how to drive but there are abilities that need to be learned.First, they must learn how to properly use the gas and brake pedals. This may be one of the easiest to some, but the hardest to others. A common error is confusing the brake between the gas which can be extremely drastic. Next, they must learn how to turn, and to be able to understand their surroundings. Drivers need to know much more about their surroundings, than bicyclists in general. There are literally hundreds of street signs that must be interpreted to get a drivers license. On the contrary, there are little to no street signs used for bicyclists, except in some areas.Finally, practicing to drive in a variety of weather conditions are the final skill that must be achieved to be a good driver. Snow and rain are the major weather types that make driving, as well as bicycling difficult. Driving a car legally is a privilege and truly has distinct differences. One major d ifference between riding a bike and driving a car, is that when driving, there is a lot more practice involved. There are also no licenses or permits for riding a bicycle. Using a bicycle as a form of transportation is much cheaper, being that the average bicycle is $40-$1000, while the average car generally ranges from $750-$25,000.Another difference is that in driving, there are many more aspects to take into consideration that require attention. On the other hand, there are multiple similarities between driving a car and riding a bike. The main one is that with time and dedication, both of these abilities can be achieved. Also, major coordination as well as focus is necessary to be able to do either tasks. Finally, there needs to be a form of assisting, such as parents or a friend to teach someone how or to practice driving/riding a bike. How can these two topics relate to an adults life?Both of these also are a great form of transportation that have been used for years and many more to come. Drivers need to be wary about bicyclists, and vice versa. Cars as well as bicycles also need to be properly checked often on their tire pressure, and even brake lines. Driving on a flat tire or having worn out brake lines can be quite the unexpected occurrence. In conclusion, learning how to ride a bike and learning how to drive a car both have similarities while being two completely different skills. Riding a bike and driving a car are two forms of transportation although one is faster than the other.They both require a large amount of hand-eye coordination although bicycling requires more balance. Learning how to ride a bike is a milestone in a young child's life, while learning how to drive a car is a milestone in a teenager's life. A big part of learning how to ride a bike and learning how to drive a car is putting in the time and effort and getting enough practice. Without practice and determination, the skills needed for both activities would not be adequate enou gh for safe travel. Whether similar or different, learning how to ride a bike and learning how to drive a car are both essential lessons in one's life.

The Winter War

The Winter War was fought between Finland and the Soviet Union. Soviet forces began the war on November 30, 1939, and it was concluded on March 12, 1940, with the Peace of Moscow. Causes of the War Following the Soviet invasion of Poland in the fall of 1939, they turned their attention north to Finland. In November the Soviet Union demanded that the Finns move the border back 25km from Leningrad and grant them a 30-year lease on the Hanko Peninsula for construction of a naval base. In exchange, the Soviets offered a large tract of the Karelian wilderness. Termed as exchanging two pounds of dirt for one pound of gold by the Finns, the offer was flatly refused. Not to be denied, the Soviets began massing approximately 1 million men along the Finnish border. On November 26, 1939, the Soviets faked the Finnish shelling of the Russian town of Mainila. In the aftermath of the shelling, they demanded that the Finns apologize and withdraw their forces 25km from the border. Denying responsibility, the Finns refused. Four days later, 450,000 Soviet troops crossed the border. They were met by the small Finnish army which initially numbered only 180,000. The Finns were badly outnumbered in all areas during the conflict with the Soviets also possessing superiority in armor (6,541 to 30) and aircraft (3,800 to 130). Course of the War Led by Marshal Carl Gustav Mannerheim, Finnish forces manned the Mannerheim Line across the Karelian Isthmus. Anchored on the Gulf of Finland and Lake Lagoda, this fortified line saw some of the heaviest fighting of the conflict. To the north Finnish troops moved to intercept the invaders. Soviet forces were overseen by the skilled Marshal Kirill Meretskov but suffered heavily at lower command levels from Josef Stalins purges of the Red Army in 1937. Advancing, the Soviets had not anticipated meeting heavy resistance and lacked winter supplies and equipment. Generally attacking in regimental strength, the Soviets in their dark uniforms presented easy targets for Finnish machine gunners and snipers. One Finn, Corporal Simo Hà ¤yhà ¤, recorded over 500 kills as a sniper. Utilizing local knowledge, white camouflage, and skis, Finnish troops were able to inflict staggering casualties on the Soviets. Their preferred method was the use of motti tactics which called for fast-moving light infantry to swiftly encircle and destroy isolated enemy units. As the Finns lacked armor, they developed specialized infantry tactics for dealing with Soviet tanks. Utilizing four-man teams, the Finns would jam the tracks of enemy tanks with a log to stop it and then use Molotov Cocktails to detonate its fuel tank. Over 2,000 Soviet tanks were destroyed using this method. After effectively halting the Soviets during December, the Finns won a stunning victory on the Raate Road near Suomussalmi in early January 1940. Isolating the Soviet 44th Infantry Division (25,000 men), the Finnish 9th Division, under Colonel Hjalmar Siilasvuo, was able to break the enemy column into small pockets that were then destroyed. Over 17,500 were killed in exchange for around 250 Finns. The Tide Turns Angered by Meretskovs failure to break the Mannerheim Line or achieve success elsewhere, Stalin replaced him with Marshall Semyon Timoshenko on January 7. Building up Soviet forces, Timonshenko launched a massive offensive on February 1, attacking the Mannerheim Line and around Hatjalahti and Muolaa Lake. For five days the Finns beat back the Soviets inflicting horrifying casualties. On the sixth, Timonshenko began assaults in West Karelia which met a similar fate. On February 11, the Soviets finally achieved success when they penetrated the Mannerheim Line in several places. With his armys ammunition supply nearly exhausted, Mannerheim withdrew his men to new defensive positions on the 14th. Some hope did arrive when the Allies, then fighting World War II, offered to send 135,000 men to aid the Finns. The catch in the Allies offer was that they requested that their men be allowed to cross Norway and Sweden to reach Finland. This would have allowed them to occupy the Swedish iron ore fields that were supplying Nazi Germany. Upon hearing of the plan Adolf Hitler stated that should Allied troops enter Sweden, Germany would invade. The Peace Treaty The situation continued to worsen through February with the Finns falling back towards Viipuri on the 26th. On March 2, the Allies officially requested transit rights from Norway and Sweden. Under threat from Germany, both countries denied the request. Also, Sweden continued to refuse to intervene directly in the conflict. With all hope of substantial outside assistance lost and the Soviets on the outskirts of Viipuri, Finland dispatched a party to Moscow on March 6 to begin peace negotiations. Finland had been under pressure from both Sweden and Germany for nearly a month to seek an end to the conflict, as neither nation wished to see a Soviet takeover. After several days of talks, a treaty was completed on March 12 which ended the fighting. By the terms of the Peace of Moscow, Finland ceded all of Finnish Karelia, part of Salla, the Kalastajansaarento Peninsula, four small islands in the Baltic, and was forced to grant a lease of the Hanko Peninsula. Included in the ceded areas was Finlands second-largest city (Viipuri), most of its industrialized territory, and 12 percent of its population. Those living in the affected areas were permitted to move to Finland or remain and become Soviet citizens. The Winter War proved a costly victory for the Soviets. In the fighting, they lost approximately 126,875 dead or missing, 264,908 wounded, and 5,600 captured. In addition, they lost around 2,268 tanks and armored cars. Casualties for the Finns numbered around 26,662 dead and 39,886 wounded. The Soviets poor performance in the Winter War led Hitler to believe that Stalins military could be quickly defeated if attacked. He attempted to put this to the test when German forces launched Operation Barbarossa in 1941. The Finns renewed their conflict with the Soviets in June 1941, with their forces operating in conjunction with, but not allied to, the Germans. Selected Sources: Battles of the Winter WarTelegrams from the Winter War

Money Is A Big Part Of Life - 952 Words

Rommy Morel Mr. Moore English Period 1 2/26/15 Money is a big part of life. However, people tend to have a misconception that money contributes to happiness. It is not possible to â€Å"buy happiness. Conversely, everyone should be aware that it is friendships, good health, and family that truly brings one happiness to which a person aspires. In the book The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the concept of money being able to buy happiness is a widespread theme. Money is unable to create a sense of contentment in many of the characters in the novel. Therefor money can not buy happiness. Our lives seem to be in a race to earn money. The usual: finish high school, go to college get a degree, get a job, earn money and be happy. We†¦show more content†¦Due to Daisy s love for money, Gatsby would have extravagant parties and lure her with his mansion in order to fulfill his dream of impressing Daisy and restoring the connection and times they had. However Gatsby’s true happiness was left in North Dakota before striving for wealth. At the end of the book Nick points this out by reflecting on Gatsby s life.â€Å"He did not know that it was already behind him, somewhere back in that vast obscurity beyond the city, where the dark fields of the republic rolled on under the night (Fitzgerald, 149). At the time Daisy was married to Tom. Originally she did not truly love Tom but married him anyway because of his wealth. Like in their case, money does not ensure a blissful relationship. The kind of relationship a person has with their significant other has a much deeper impact on the person’s emotional state. Where a healthy and joyous relationship can keep you happy even with less money in your pockets, a relationship with lack of love and understanding will fail to make you happy even with a lot of money in the bank. This is mainly the reason Tom and Daisy never truly loved each other. Tom and Daisy have a complex yet seemingly effortless marriage. While Tom is a tough and boring guy, Daisy is quite the opposite. She is always cheery and feminine. They are affluent and have many luxurious things. They don t really show love for one another. They were careless people, Tom and Daisy they

The Movie Girl, Interrupted By Susanna Kaysen - 981 Words

The movie, â€Å"Girl, Interrupted† by Susanna Kaysen, offers an individual perspective on what it is like to live in a mental institution. As a troubled teenager, Susanna was diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder, in which she disagreed with. Susanna parents and a family friend recommended her to admit herself into a mental hospital named Claymoore because she had overdosed on aspirin and vodka. Within, the 18 months that Susanna stayed in the mental hospital she came across many individuals that she had a connection with and considered them to be her friends, particularly a girl named Lisa. Lisa had a very negative personality and can be manipulative. Once, Susanna began to make friends in the ward, she started to get comfortable, and accustomed to the lifestyle of the institution. Throughout, the movie individuals will have an outlook on how social control of deviance, medicalization of deviance, the idea of total institutions and demedicalization come into play in mental institutions. In the movie, â€Å"Girl Interrupted† the patients lifestyles would be consider as the idea of social contract. Social contract is when individuals give up personal freedoms and obey by the rules of conduct in order for them to live in a safe community and build great companionship. There are several forms of social control, such as formal and informal. Formal social controls include hospitalization in a rehabilitation facility or mental institution and exclusion from institutions. InformalShow MoreRelated Borderline Personality Disorder in Girl Interrupted Essay614 Words   |  3 Pagesin â€Å"Girl Interrupted†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The movie, â€Å"Girl Interrupted,†is about a teenage girl named Susanna Kaysen who has been diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder. People with Borderline Personality Disorder â€Å"are often emotionally unstable, impulsive, unpredictable, irritable, and anxious. They also are prone to boredom. Their behavior is similar to that of individuals with schizotypal personality disorder but they are not as consistently withdrawn and bizarre† (Santrock, 2003). In â€Å"Girl Interrupted†Read MoreGirl Interuppted2146 Words   |  9 PagesGirl Interrupted: Susanna Kaysen’s Mental Illness Katie Casebeer Margaret Gibson Amancio Lopes Molly Rather Boston College PY230 The film, Girl, Interrupted, is based on the life and memoir of Susanna Kaysen. During the late 1960’s Susanna Kaysen, attempted suicide and checked herself into a mental health hospital for two years. This movie adaptation weaves together the intricacies of Susanna’s personal life, the pressures of a changing society and the unexpected friendships she formedRead MoreThe Movie Girl, Interrupted Essay939 Words   |  4 PagesPsychological Disorders Girl, Interrupted The movie â€Å"Girl, Interrupted† is based on a memoir written by Susanna Kaysen, who is also the main person depicted in the movie. The movie takes place in a mental institution during the 1960’s. There are several disorders portrayed in the movie. Since the time period is about 50 years ago, some of the disorders were treated much differently than we would treat them today. Susanna was taken to a psychiatrist after taking a bottle of aspirin with aRead MoreBasic Theories and Techniques of Abnormal Psychology1743 Words   |  7 Pages In understanding this field better, a case study is the approach I will evaluate to see the various theories of abnormal psychology, and the identification models in action. The movie girl interrupted (1999) is a good illustration of the study of behavioral and cognitive personal approach to psychotherapy (Kaysen, 1994). The film is about cases of mental health, and is shot from the institutions that deal with the cases of mental illness. The period of the film setting is the years of 60s.Read MoreMovie Review: Girl, Interrupted835 Words   |  4 PagesThe movie Girl, Interrupted is based on the book Girl, Interrupted, by Susanna Kaysen. I would like to say that it is loosely based because although the actress, Winona Ryder, does portray Kaysen’s borderline personality, it seems that Angelina Jolie, who is Lisa Rowe in the movie, steals the spotlight. Girl, Interrupted is about a young girl who is put into the mental ward after an attempted suicide which she claims she was basically trying to leave a lot of stress she had from various experiencesRead MoreDamned If I Don t : Women s Struggle For Gender Equality1586 Words   |  7 Pagesand even took on a football player boyfriend despite her attraction to females. This was a setback in Molly’s life because it caused her to conform to the rules of society, rather than breaking away and acting how she wanted. When Molly was a young girl she once said, â€Å"A nurse, I wasn’t gonna be no nurse. If I was gonna be something I was gonna be the doctor.† After being told that only boys could be doctors (Brown 21). This example shows the drive in Molly and how she was not going to back downRead MoreThe Movie Girl, Interrupted1281 Words   |  6 PagesThe movie Girl, Interrupted focuses on the character Susanna Kaysen along with other girls who have an array of men tal disorders. These women all reside at the Claymoore Mental Health Facility. For instance, Daisy was sexually abused by her father and has serious eating issues, also known as a compulsive eating disorder. Daisy binges on rotisserie chicken from her father’s shop, in the privacy of here room. She feels uncomfortable eating in front of others. Lisa, who seems to be the leader of theRead MoreBorderline Personality Disorder1206 Words   |  5 Pageswide range of people and they do not discriminate. This is shown in the movie, â€Å"Girl, Interrupted,† which was directed by James Mangold. The movie is based on the memoir by Susanna Kaysen. Susanna Kaysen was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder and spent a period of eighteen months in a psychiatric facility. The movie is based in a mental hospital, in the east, during the 1960s. After the main character, Susanna, attempts suicide, she admits herself into a psychiatric hospital. It isRead MoreIn The Movie â€Å"Girl, Interrupted†, A Recent High-School1468 Words   |  6 PagesIn the movie â€Å"Girl, Interrupted†, a recent high-school graduate named Susanna Kaysen, is diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder and admitted into a women’s psychiatric hospital after attempting to commit suicide. When she arrives, she meets several other girls including a young woman named Lisa. Susanna is intrigued by Lisa’s antics. In addition to Lisa, there is also Polly, a seemingly sweet girl with self-inflicted burns to her body and face. Her roommate, Georgina, who is a pathologicalRead MoreAbnormal Psychology Film Project-Girl Interrupted1894 Words   |  8 PagesFilm Project-Girl Interrupted (Borderline Personality disorder) Borderline Personality disorder-a Personality disorder, which is under the large umbrella of Metal disorders. According to medicine.net, BPD is a serious mental illness characterized by pervasive instability in moods, interpersonal relationships, self-image, and behavior. This instability often disrupts family and work life, long-term planning, and the individuals sense of self-identity. However, according to Susanna Kaysen, doesn’t everyone

All About Argentina Free Essays

Argentina, country in South America east of Chile and west of the Atlantic Ocean. The area of the country is 2,780,400 sq km. The Argentine government, however, claims a total area of 2,808,602 sq km including the British-administered Falkland Islands, or Islas Malvinas, and other sparsely settled southern Atlantic islands. We will write a custom essay sample on All About Argentina or any similar topic only for you Order Now The capital and largest city is Buenos Aires. The population is 35,797,981 million. Largely urban and of European origin. Spanish is the official language. Roman Catholics make up more than 92 percent of the population. Judaism, Protestantsim, and a number of other Christian and non-Christian religions are practiced. By law, the president and the vice-president must be Roman Catholic. Physical Geography The Andes Mountains line Argentina’s western edge, forming the boundary with Chile. The highest peak, Aconcagua, stands 6960 m. Gently rolling plains extend eastward from the base of the Andes and descend gradually to sea level. The Pampas, treeless plains that include the most productive agricultural sections of the country, occupy much of this region. Patagonia, south of the Pampas, is dry and desolate. At the southern tip of Argentina lie the islands of Tierra del Fuego. Climate Argentina has a temperate climate, except for a small tropical area in the northeast and a subtropical region in the north. The higher Andes and Patagonia are cold, while in most coastal areas temperatures are moderated by the ocean. Rainfall is high in the north, and quite low in the south. Argentina’s main natural resource has been the agricultural land of the Pampas. Productive offshore deposits of petroleum and natural gas are also important. Education and Culture Primary education is free and compulsory from ages 6 to 14. In 1996, 5.3 million pupils attended primary schools; 2.6 million attended secondary and vocational schools. Enrollment in higher education institutions was 1.1 million in 1994. Argentina†s literacy rate of 96 percent is one of the highest in Latin America. Argentina has rich literary and musical traditions. The tango, a widely popular ballroom dance, originated here. Economy Argentina ranks among world leaders in the production of grain and cattle. Wheat is the most important crop, and wool is a major export. Coal and petroleum production, once relatively small-scale, has increased significantly in recent years. The unit of currency is the nuevo peso argentino (1 peso equals U.S.$1; 1996). Government Executive power is held by a president elected to no more than two consecutive four-year terms. The National Congress consists of the 257-member House of Deputies and the 72-member Senate. Deputies are elected directly to four-year terms, and each of the country’s 23 provinces elects three senators to six-year terms. In each province, the largest nongoverning party chooses one of the three senators. History Along with numerous nomadic tribespeople, two main indigenous groups existed in Argentina before the European arrival. In the northwest, near Bolivia and the Andes, was a people known as the Diaguita, while further south and to the east were the Guarani. Together the Diaguita and the Guarani constitute the origins of permanent agricultural civilization in Argentina, both developing the cultivation of maize. The Diaguita are also remembered for having successfully prevented the powerful Inca from expanding their empire into Argentina from what is now Bolivia. It was perhaps a legacy of this successful resistance that enabled the native peoples of Argentina to carry on a prolonged campaign against colonization and rule by the Spanish. The first Spaniard to land in Argentina, Juan de Solis, was killed in 1516, and several attempts to found Buenos Aires were stymied by the local inhabitants. Inland cities were more successful, and it wasn’t until the late 16th century that Buenos Aires was securely established. Despite its military success, indigenous resistance was inexorably weakened by the introduction of diseases from Europe. Even after the native threat became minimal, however, Argentina was still mostly neglected by Spain, which was more interested in developing Lima and the riches of Peru. Buenos Aires was forbidden to trade with foreign countries, and the city became a smuggler’s haunt. The restrictive trade policy probably did little to endear Spain to the colonists. The British attacked Buenos Aires in 1806 and 1807, as Spain’s had come under the control of Napoleonic France. The colony managed to repulse Britain’s attacks without any assistance from their mother country, an act of strength that no doubt helped to foster the region’s growing sense of independence. When the French captured Spain’s King Ferdinand VII, Argentina fell completely under the rule of the local viceroyalty, which was highly unpopular. The locals rebelled against the viceroyalty and declared their allegiance to the captive king. By 1816, the deep division between Argentina and its mother country had become quite apparent, and a party of separatists decided to declare the country’s independence. One of the new patriots, Jose de San Martin, crossed the Andes and captured Lima. Along with Simon Bolivar, Martin is credited with breaking the shackle of Spanish rule in South America. Early independence in Argentina was marked by an often bitter struggle between two political groups: the Unitarists and the Federalists. The Unitarists wanted a strong central government, while the Federalists wanted local control. How to cite All About Argentina, Papers

Caravans Of Gold Essay Example For Students

Caravans Of Gold Essay MIGHTY PEOPLE OF COLOR:An Essay on â€Å"Caravans of Gold† and â€Å"Africa: A History Denied†A powerful and peaceful land of trade and scholarship was established in Africa long before European ships even landed there. ereat African Empires flourished from the wealth of Africa’s natural resources that marked its rich and lavish history. Though Europeans and Arabs, people who most benefited from the wealth of Africa, denied Africa its legacy, the magnificence of people of color is embedded in the history of powerful empires such as Ghana, Mali, Songhai, Cairo, and Zimbabwe. The gold deposits of West Africa brought great wealth to the surrounding people from which great empires emerged. The first of the three most powerful successive empires of West Africa is Ghana. By the 11th century, the armies of Ghana made master trade routes extending from modern-day Morocco in the north to the coastal forests of West Africa in the South. Though the gold deposits brought much wealth to Ghana, the Niger River served as a source of fish, which was also a valuable medium of trade. Soon Arabs and Muslims began to exploit these trade routes. Late in the 11th century, a militant Muslim group destroyed Ghana but the Susu people regained power during the 12th century. The people of Mali conquered them, in turn, in about 1240. Mali, the second and most extensive of the three successive empires of West Africa, rose to dominance in the 13th and 14th centuries. The Mali Empire was one of the largest trading post of the world with its roots in the gold of West Africa. There was a complete sense of safety, stability, and prosperity in the Mali Empire. Tombouctou, a city in the Mali Empire, came to be a center of African scholarship as well as a famed market town which attracted traders from as far as across the Sahara Desert. There were many judges, doctors, and â€Å"learned† people who resided in Tombouctou. Madagesh was another famous trade post of Mali. When word got out about the wealth of Africa, maps were drawn up depicting the wealthy lands of Mali and its emperor. The Mali Empire served as a model of statecraft for later kingdoms long after its decline in the 15th and 16th centuries. Songhai, the third of the Great West African Empires, was centered on the largest bend of the Niger River and reached its zenith in the 15th and 16th centuries. The people of Songhai were fishing and trading people who dominated petty adjacent states but was overshadowed by the affluence of the Mali Empire to the west. Under the Sunni dynasty, Songhai expansion incorporated the eastern part of Mali into its empire in 1471. The Sunni dynasty was then succeeded by the Askia dynasty that made Tombouctou once again a thriving cultural center. In 1591, an assault by Moroccan forces equipped with firearms crumbled the Songhai Empire, which never recovered. Another magnificent empire of Africans was Old Cairo. The origins of Old Cairo can be traced back to the Egyptian capital of Memphis near the head of the Nile River delta. The location of Old Cairo has commanded political power ever since its establishment. The Mamelukes established their capital in Cairo in the 13th century, and the city became renowned for its spending on scholarship and architecture through Africa, Asia, and Europe. Old Cairo was the center of international trade from the coasts of the Atlantic to East China. Early Europeans looked to cities such as Cairo for Renaissance art work and even changed their currency to gold coins, mimicking the currency of the Africans. Cairo was noted as â€Å"the metropolis of the universe.† Cairo declined after the mid 14th century when an epidemic of Bubonic Plague, also known as the Black death, struck the city; decimating its population. This disease was believed to have been brought to Africa by Europeans. .uff9ecc8a3937c8e596e7e1b0a8259a64 , .uff9ecc8a3937c8e596e7e1b0a8259a64 .postImageUrl , .uff9ecc8a3937c8e596e7e1b0a8259a64 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .uff9ecc8a3937c8e596e7e1b0a8259a64 , .uff9ecc8a3937c8e596e7e1b0a8259a64:hover , .uff9ecc8a3937c8e596e7e1b0a8259a64:visited , .uff9ecc8a3937c8e596e7e1b0a8259a64:active { border:0!important; } .uff9ecc8a3937c8e596e7e1b0a8259a64 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .uff9ecc8a3937c8e596e7e1b0a8259a64 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .uff9ecc8a3937c8e596e7e1b0a8259a64:active , .uff9ecc8a3937c8e596e7e1b0a8259a64:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .uff9ecc8a3937c8e596e7e1b0a8259a64 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .uff9ecc8a3937c8e596e7e1b0a8259a64 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .uff9ecc8a3937c8e596e7e1b0a8259a64 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .uff9ecc8a3937c8e596e7e1b0a8259a64 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .uff9ecc8a3937c8e596e7e1b0a8259a64:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .uff9ecc8a3937c8e596e7e1b0a8259a64 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .uff9ecc8a3937c8e596e7e1b0a8259a64 .uff9ecc8a3937c8e596e7e1b0a8259a64-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .uff9ecc8a3937c8e596e7e1b0a8259a64:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Cyber-Crime is a Serious Problem EssaySwahili cities were built all along the East Coast of Africa down to an enormous gold deposit in present-day Zimbabwe, known then as the Mwene Mutapa Empire which arose in the 14th century. Remains of these cities and buildings magnify the intelligence of the Africans long before slaves were appropriated. Houses had indoor sanitation and walls of stone. Zimbabwe, which means â€Å"great house of stone†, takes its name from these cities. When the well-designed homes of the Swahili domestic architecture were built, there were houses hardly anywhere else in the world. Great Zimbabwe was constructed devoted people to honor their kin g and provider. The source of the wealth of this kingdom was, of course, gold and also cattle, which were traded with Arabs and Indians. Arab traders and African merchants came together here in great cathedrals for calls of cathedrals. These cathedrals are compared to the most expansive and majestic cathedrals of Europe. One of the great Zimbabwean cities was Kilwa, which was ravaged by Portuguese expeditionists who stole the wealth of the city in 1400. The Dutch, English, and French then followed in taking the wealth of the Africans. It is clearly seen that the history of the Africans is perhaps the greatest history of wealth and intelligence of any group of people in the medieval time period. Why then would a history so rich in culture and knowledge be denied to its descendants? Why is it so deeply embedded in our society that Africans are people without history? Europeans robbed, killed, and appropriated Africans from their own stable societies for personal use and wealth and brought them against their will to a land much, much more primitive than their own. This is how my people got to America where the majority population is of European or Caucasian decent. To allow such a lavish and illustrious history to be taught here, the majority would have to admit that their very own institutions implemented in our past and present society are the same institutions that interrupted, destroyed, and massacred the societies of intelligent Africans. Racism, greed, and selfishness imparted into the minds of these Europeans as they sailed to the coasts of Africa and saw the flourishing African kingdoms. And because their minds could not comprehend the language or understand the culture, their first thought was to oppress the people and suppress the great work they had done. Some whites go as far as to make themselves believe that there was a â€Å"lost white tribe† that built the great cities where ruins now lay. It is the same elements mentioned previously (racism, greed, and selfishness) that are the reasons why African history is still denied to our society. Now that I have knowledge of great kingdoms my ancestors came from, I can have confidence in knowing that I am the descendant of astronomers, doctors, architects, mathematicians, philosophers, kings, and queens. I can now relay the knowledge that I have acquired to another who has not learned of the great things Africans have done. Being denied the history of my ancestors makes me aware of the extent to which some have gone to erase the achievements of mighty people of color. History Reports