The Three Major Correctional Reformers - 1008 Words

Of the three major correctional reformers, I believe that Cesare Beccaria accomplished the most for corrections. Cesare Beccaria emphasized that the use of punishment for crimes was used solely for the purpose of protecting society and preventing crime. This is extremely important, because in the past, individuals were using punishment as a means of revenge, but Cesare changed this idea. Cesare’s ideas eventually led to creation of classical criminology, and this alone helped to pave the road to ending unjustifiable punishments and inhumane treatment. Classical criminology contained six principles, and all of these principles emphasized the importance of using punishment to promote deterrence and prevention. Within these principles Cesare explains that prevention is more important than anything. This idea led to major reforms, including getting secret accusations and torturing of individuals abolished. That was not all, however, Cesare saw that the accused were not being given the benefit of the doubt, hence the torturing of individuals to get confessions that may or may not be true. He decided that the accused should have the right to a speedy trial, also humane treatment before the trial, and finally, the right to bring forward any evidence they may have on their behalf. This ultimately gave the accused a voice that they never had. Today, we see the idea of a speedy trial within our Constitution, along with other laws promoting fairness for those who have been accused.Show MoreRelatedPublic Health Issues Are Concerns On How To P rotect The1749 Words   |  7 Pagesthe victim. For the criminal justice executives, the importance of a crime is evaluated considerable on the appearances of the criminal as the harm is cause to the victim. By estimating the interpersonal aggression and the importance of an incident, three features of the criminal becomes important. First, is the purpose of the criminal, second, how dangerous the behavior was that led to the injury, and third, the offender s past record of offending. The third feature is very important because the offendersRead MorePrison Was A Serious Punishment For Crime1598 Words   |  7 PagesThey were dark, dirty, overcrowded, and unhygienic. There was no separation for prisoners when they were locked up so this meant that men, women and children, plus dangerous criminals, debtors and the clinically insane could all be together. British reformer John Howard toured Europe to observe prison conditions. His book, the State of the Prisons in England and Wales, influenced the passage of a law that led to the construction of the first British Prisons designed partly for reform. These prisons wereRead MoreCalifornia Prison System: Significant Budgetary Change and the Results of Those Changes2178 Words   |  9 PagesReforming Californias Youth and Adult Correctional System contained in excess of 200 recommendations for overhauling Californias prison system. According to the review panel report, the prison culture in Californias prison system is dysfunctional and such that serves to protect prison workers who abuse inmates. The report is stated to have openly criticized the CCPOAs power over the system, stating that the agreement between the state and the California Correctional Peace Officers Association clearlyRead MoreThe Department of Corrections Essay2847 Words   |  12 Pagesafter Egyptian influence. Next came the opening of New Yorks Sing Sing prison for women in 1839. Eight years later, in 1847, education programs were started at Sing Sing. In 1848 a three-member Board of Inspectors was started to be in charge of state prisons. In 1851 the Child Savers, a group of reformers that believed city children would be saved if they were sent to live with farm families, opened the New York Juvenile Asylum. New York then established the nations first institutionRead MoreMaconochies Gentlemen2326 Words   |  10 PagesExperiment† of Maconochie’s Gentlemen, written by Norval Morris (Morris, 2002). I will then provide a critical analysis of Maconochie and the Norfolk Island Prison reform story to current correctional practices. Summary In part 3, Morris (2002, p.171) discusses why prison conditions matter and why penal reformers, including himself, have devoted their lives and travelled thousands of miles to other countries in search of answers to questions that would improve prison correction from what is corruptRead More Preventing Juvenile Delinquency Essay2173 Words   |  9 Pagesthe juvenile justice reformers sought to make a change to the objectives of the juvenile justice system, including the ‘rights of youth.’ â€Å"In earlier years, child offenders above the age of seven were treated and incarcerated like adult offenders† (Bartollas Miller, 2008, p.5). The treatment of youths had created distaste among the reformers towards jail terms for juveniles; they desired a system to be more compliance with the â€Å"due process of law.† Furthermore, the reformer was seeking to convertRead MoreThe Prison System And The Education Of Our Children1811 Words   |  8 Pagessentenc e. This the main purpose of prisons, but in actuality, for over eighty years, the prison system has become increasingly worse. The likelihood of a prisoner returning to jail is a very alarming statistic. According to the Bureau of Justice, three out four prisoners will return to the jail within five years of being released. This disheartening statistic raises the question then, what are the prisons doing wrong? The main purpose of prisons is not to keep inmates there for their whole life,Read MoreHistory And Evolution Of The Penal System2201 Words   |  9 Pagesturn into more progressive ideologies. A more humanitarian approach was taken up in dealing with the issue of correctional facilities under the watch of a man named John Howard, the first English prison reformer and a group of Quakers; followers of a Christian movement founded in the 1650s by a man named George Fox. Following this next step in the evolution of prison life in the correctional facilities of the United Kingdom, jailers were also appointed by the state to ensure that the mistreatment ofRead MoreIncarceration Of The United States Prisons 3165 Words   |  13 Pagesdesigned to house fewer inmates but are now packed to their limits. This â€Å"mass- incarceration era† as many scholars and commentators of the Criminal Justice System call it, is a result of several key issues that have created an environment within the correctional system that forces many inmates to serve longer prison sentences while increasing recidivism rates. Current federal and state sentencing policies have resulted in historically high rates of offender recidivism and the highest incarceration ratesRead More Gender Politics in the Criminal Justice System Essay4043 Words   |  17 Pageswhat is wrong with society that it does not liberate women from the constraints of these roles to play a more important part in public society? These exact issues are what I will be dealing with in regards to Virginia Woolf and her feminist book, Three Guineas, a little bit later in my paper. However, before I begin to discuss the ways in which the different waves of feminism have influenced the criminal justice system I feel that I should first address the question, what is feminism? Feminism

Conquest of Mexico Essay - 6049 Words

Conquest of Mexico In 1519 Hernà ¡n Cortà ©s led a couple hundred other Spaniards inland to the impressive Empire of the Mexica ruled by the Great Montezuma. Many historians today tell how quickly and almost effortlessly these Spaniards conquered the Empire. They paint an image of ignorant, helpless Indians practically giving up their land out of fear of this group because certainly the Spaniards must be gods since they have powerful weapons and strange animals. We know neither Cortà ©s nor any of his men were gods, of course, but what was it that allowed Cortà ©s to prevail over the inhabitants of the land? The First Expeditions To begin, in 1517 Francisco Hernà ¡ndez de Cà ³rdova, Bernal Dà ­az del Castillo, and some other gentlemen†¦show more content†¦(Dà ­az) Through the interpreters, Grijalva expressed to the Indians that they had journeyed from distant lands and were subjects of the Emperor Don Carlos and they, too, should become servants of the same. Incredulous, the Indians replied that they already had their own chief and, since the Spaniards had only just arrived they knew nothing of them so would not bow down to this new chief. They also informed Grijalva and his men, that they had 24 thousand warriors from neighboring provinces standing at the ready should Grijalva decided to attack. The next day, peace was negotiated and gifts were exchanged. Grijalvas party gifted beads of Jadeite that were precious to the Indians. In return, they received gifts of gold and jewels. These gifts were not of great value because the gold was of poor quality, but the Indians did inform Grijalva that further on, in the direction of the sunset, there was plenty of gold, and they said ‘Colua, Colua, Mà ©jico, Mà ©jico. (Dà ­az pg. 22 3) After trading more of the green beads for gold, Grijalvas party returned at once to the anchored ships; preparing to set sail immediately due to a northerly gale. (Dà ­az) Keeping on course, the ships encountered a strange episode when they arrived at the mouth of a great river. A great number of Indians lined the shores and each carried a lance with a colorful banner attached. They waved and beckoned to the passing ships as ifShow MoreRelated Conquest of Mexico Essay5987 Words   |  24 Pages Conquest of Mexico nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;In 1519 Hernà ¡n Cortà ©s led a couple hundred other Spaniards inland to the impressive Empire of the Mexica ruled by the Great Montezuma. Many historians today tell how quickly and almost effortlessly these Spaniards conquered the Empire. They paint an image of ignorant, helpless Indians practically giving up their land out of fear of this group because certainly the Spaniards must be gods since they have powerful weapons and strange animals. We knowRead MoreSpain s Conquest Of Mexico1698 Words   |  7 PagesMy name is Marco Valencia; formerly one of Hernan Cortes` conquistadors. I am writing this memoir about Spain s conquest of Mexico. The Spanish conquistador that overthrew the Aztec Empire was Cortes. Cortes was a genius man; he knew that he needed to create allies with those who didn’t like the Aztecs in order to defeat them, and so he did. Not only that but Cortes used Christianity to his advantage, the Aztecs believed that Cortes was some s ort of a god and that he was there to rule over the AztecRead MoreThe Broken Spears: the Aztec Account of the Conquest of Mexico1413 Words   |  6 PagesInformation Conveyance While most of what has happened historically is clouded by speculation and wonder, some events have been well-documented. The Conquest of the Americas by the Spanish was an event in which many aspects were recorded, which has helped historians tremendously. The Broken Spears is a historical outlook on the Spanish Conquest of the Americas that includes several different texts written by many different indigenous people. Numerous texts are written in such a way that show theRead MoreAnalysis Of Bernal Diazs Seven Myths Of The Spanish Conquest829 Words   |  4 Pagesand confrontations between the Mexicas, the Spanish, and other native peoples. The theme of miscommunication presented by Hernan Cortes is supported by Bernal Diaz’s account in Seven Myths of the Spanish Conquest. It is worth mentioning the fact that Bernal Diaz describes Spaniards going into Mexico under Hernan Cortes. The narrator describes these events as an eyewitness, who saw what happened and attempted to reve al the truth to others who were not present. At the same time, the narrator is biasRead MoreEffects Of Spanish Conquest1298 Words   |  6 Pagestwenty million prior to Spanish conquest (Marr and Kiracoffe 2000). These civilizations were also onlookers to one of the worst demographic tragedies in history seeing population losses of almost ninety percent, down to one million occupants a century after conquest (Marr and Kiracoffe 2000). These demographic tragedies were in the form of epidemics of both New and Old World origin and as a result of and major contributing factors to the success of the Spanish Conquest of the region. As the SpaniardsRead MoreAztecs And Incas : Similarities And Differences1422 Words   |  6 PagesThe Aztecs and Incas: Similarities and Differences The Aztecs were warrior people who lived in the Valley of Mexico, with the capital at Tenochtitlan, during the 1400s. Under their authoritarian state, the Aztecs worshipped their patron god, Huitzilopochtli, among other deities. Despite their warrior tactics and developed belief system, the Spaniards conquered them in 1519. The Incas (or Inkas) were the people who lived throughout the Andes Mountains from southern Peru to central Chile. With a societyRead MoreThe Spanish Conquest1711 Words   |  7 PagesAlthough some may consider the fall of the Nahua and Inca empires an encounter of the Spanish, the meeting of the two cultures was a conquest because the Spanish brutally defeated and took over the indigenous cultures with the help of many advantages. There are three major factors which contributed to the successful conquest between the Spanish and the Nahuas, also known as the Aztecs, and Incas.   First, the Spanish leaders had experience in forming alliances with indigenous peo ple.   Second, theRead MoreThe Colonization Of New Mexico830 Words   |  4 PagesConquest is defined as the control of a place or people by use of force. Colonization occurs when more species populate an area. After the Mexican American war the Mexican border went up in San Ysidro California creating disagreement between territories. Conquest produced local, regional, and national patterns of change and development. The conquest of New Mexico and the Unites Sates Southwest now had distinguishable contradictions and tensions. In 1519 Spanish arrived in Mexico and further foughtRead MoreEssay about History At Its Best1616 Words   |  7 Pagesa view of the modern era in their own individual ways. Olaudah Equianos account of his life as a slave is directed at the problem of slavery. Stuart B. Schwartz Victors and Vanquished, provides a collection of personal accounts about the conquest of Mexico under the command of Hernando Cortes. Lastly, Rousseaus, A Social Contract, expounds upon the problems that occur in modern government, and preaches that a more natural form of government would better suit societys needs. All of theseRead MoreMalintzins Choices Essay704 Words   |  3 Pagesemperor Montezuma. Camilla Townsend uses the story of Malintzin to display the conquest of Mexico in a different aspect and first person point of view. It is crucial to focus on translators when it comes to understanding the conquest of Mexico. It shows how much of a cultural difference and language barrier there was between these two sides. Without translators the Spanish would never have been able to conquer Mexico and survive against the natives. They would have had a much harder time trying

Coveys 7 Habits Becoming Highly Effective

Question: Discuss about the Coveys 7 Habits for Becoming Highly Effective. Answer: Introduction The aim of this paper is to offer insights and become engaged in my personal as well as professional life. The paper is based upon Coveys book 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. It is a reflective piece of writing that shall help me in becoming more effective in daily life. This report accounts for the seven habits created that would help me strive. Habits and How to Create Them Concepts Personality and character may sound similar but both have different meanings. The main difference is that personality refers to the traits an individual is born with. However, character refers to the individuals integrity and helps in depicting the moral values. Primary greatness deals with inside of a persons character. Secondary greatness comes from awards, wealth, fame and success (Covey). Paradigm shift refers to the fundamental change in approaches or underlying assumptions (Covey). In his book, Covey presents the ideas about enhancing personal and professional success. The paradigm shift relates to Coveys concepts as he states that the things we see is shaped by our attitudes and perceptions. We need to allow ourselves to see the world in a new light (Ditzler). I have experienced a paradigm shift in my life by taking the responsibility of my own actions. Previously I believed that whatever I do, I shall get what is in my fate. But I experienced a paradigm shift and realized that my efforts play a significant role in shaping up. Habits Covey defines habit as an intersection of knowledge, skill and desire. There are seven elements that are necessary to be achieved such as being proactive, beginning with end in mind, putting first things first, thinking win-win, seeking first to understand than being understood, synergizing and sharpening the saw (Covey). Out of the seven elements, I think it would be reasonable to start between now and Mid-June is being proactive. Being proactive implies to simply taking initiative and choosing the ability to response. Balance and circle of influence Effectiveness Covey defines effectiveness based on seven habits that includes being proactive, beginning with the end in mind, putting things first, thinking to win-win, seeking first to understand that to be understood, synergizing, and shaping the saw. These habits are based on certain principles and ensure effectiveness in personal and professional life when inculcated (Covey). Balance P/PC balance refers to production/ production balance. This P/PC equation has been used to describe the effectiveness of a production process. People think that the key to effectiveness is to produce more. However, real effectiveness comes from two things what is actually produced and the thing that produces it (Covey). E.g. In my work place, the managers are always focused on Production (achieving targets) neglecting the Production Capacity (employees) , that leads to increasing employees stress levels and overall decline in productivity. Habit 1 Be Proactive: Reactive vs. Proactive Covey describes a reactive person as someone who does not take control of his life and blames others for their choices and behaviour. They always find an excuse and are affected by the external environment. Proactive people on the other hand are conscious of their external environment and make choices accordingly. They take full responsibility for their actions or behaviour. These people are does not blame others and find way to overcome challenges (Rao). E.g. Once I got poor grades in exams and I blamed my teachers for that. However, the more proactive approach would be to accept my own fault for not preparing for the exam and taking measures to improve scores for the next exam. Your Circle of Influence Circle of influence refers to those things that are in our control whereas things that we cannot control come under the circle of concern (Dahlgaard). Fig.: (Coveys Circle of Influence and Concern) Development or Reinforcement Actions I would like to admit that I have been a reactive person all my life; however, I have fully understood the limitations that being a reactive person has to face and would like to bring positive changes in my life become a proactive individual (Covey). Steps to become proactive Taking control of circumstances rather than blaming others Setting short term and long term goals and developing skills to achieve them Creating opportunity rather waiting for them Making conscious choices and taking full responsibility for the outcomes (Rao). Habit 2: Begin with the End in Mind By being with the end in the mind Covey implies that in order to be truly effective in reaching your goals people need to understand what they wants to achieve and devote their time and energy on achieving those final goals. Further, Covey also points out that if you do not have your end objective in mind then you are allowing external forces and circumstances to shape your destiny (Covey). Most of the time I begin my projects and tasks with end in mind, however, for long terms projects or goals I tend to procrastinate and does not follow any specific plan of action. However, by inculcating this habit would be useful for me in my life. For instance, I find it difficult to concentrate on long-term goals such as learning new technical skills. I get distracted after taking the initiative, however if I develop proper action plan and focus on results (benefits), I would be able to achieve my goals (Hewitt). Development Actions Description Impact Resources Preparing personal statements I will reassess my priorities and make plan for myself (Hewitt) My personal statements would assist me in staying focused and provide me with the directions for achieving personal goals. Reading autobiographical books of successful person would help me understand how to stay focused (Ciarrochi and Mayer). Visualizing expected outcome I will put myself in situations that distract me from achieving my goals and visualize myself where I does not get distracted. Visualizing myself in desired situations would motivate me to stay focused and strive for my end goals. Just a little bit of imagination and self-discipline would help me to stay on the right path (Starr et al.). Table 1- Habit 2: Begin with the End in Mind Habit 3: Put First Things First. Urgent Not Urgent Important Q1: Quadrant of necessity Exams tomorrow Project due today Family member gets injured Q2: Quadrant of personal leadership Relationships Exams scheduled in a week Exercise Not Important Q3: Quadrant of deception Peer pressure Distractions at work Phone calls, emails Q4: Quadrant of waste Watching too much TV Playing too much PC games Mall marathons (Haimes). (Source: as created by author) Out of these four quadrants, I tend to operate most at Quadrant 3 while I operate least at Quadrant 4. Further I spend 40% of my time on Q3 activities, 30% on Q1 activities, 20% on Q2 and remaining 10% on Q4 activities. In order to reinforce Habit three I have to undertake following activities: Prioritizing my tasks or activities Organizing myself based on identified priorities Self discipline and motivation (Hewitt) By following these steps I would be able to able to spend most of my time in Q2. Although, Q1 activities are urgent and demand immediate attention, however, working on Q2 is the key to personal time management. Q2 activities are high importance activities and when performed regularly would result in decrease in Q1 activities and enable me stay focused on achieving my end objectives (Handel and Steckler). Emotional Bank Account According to Covey, an emotional bank account is the account of truth and safe we feel with another person. My emotional bank account level is high. My experience has been positive as I am myself with others. I am honest that helps people maintain a solid level of trust on me. For example, my team members have faith in me as I give them honest opinions about their work (Atwater and Waldman). Habit 4: Think Win-Win A win-win is a frame of mind and heart seeking mutual benefit in all interactions. I fail to resolve conflict as often I fail to be sympathetic towards situations. I have a task-oriented nature and likely to take risks to accomplish a task. I need to be emotionally intelligent to resolve conflict in a win-win manner (Murphy). The table below shows the action or activity that I could do for developing new paradigm for enhancing myself. Development Actions Description Impact Resources Self-evaluation and generating feedback I shall ask other people to provide me feedback and rationale after the parties are done explaining. I need to conduct a self-evaluation where I would have the courage to look at myself with honesty (Hewitt). Establishing a strong rapport in my professional life. It shall provide better understanding of the grievances of involved parties in personal life. I need self-evaluative tools that are available online as it would help me assessing strengths and weaknesses (Ciarrochi and Mayer). Table 2- Habit 4: Think Win-Win Seek First to Understand Listening is an important skill for communication and connection. I undertook a quiz to evaluate my listening skills. According to the score interpretation, I possess good listening skills. People can approach me if they want someone to listen as I give full attention to them. I do not interrupt the people too much or talk too much about myself while they are talking. Development Actions Description Impact Resources Correct use of body language I need to use more gestures and make the speaker feel valued by nodding occasionally, smiling and using other facial expressions. I must also have an inviting posture and encourage the speaker to continue speaking. The gestures and actions shall enable and encourage the speaker to communicate effectively. The speaker shall not hesitate if I use empathetic gestures. The speaker shall be ensured that I am listening that would make him contented (Ciarrochi and Mayer). Read books and watch videos about how to become a better listener (Ciarrochi and Mayer). Table 2- Seek First to Understand Habit 6 Synergize In my opinion, synergy is the cooperation between two people who fruitfully benefit each other. It differs from the Coveys definition as for him it is the whole that is greater than sum of parts. To put it clearly, he considers two heads better than one. When working in a team, I assure that the deadlines are met because I believe in punctuality and discipline. I have a kinaesthetic learning style as I find it beneficial to carry out physical activities than listening to lectures or watching demonstrations (Lengel and Kuczala). Development Actions Description Impact Resources Greater initiative I shall involve in discussions and activities. It shall be beneficial for me and the group as there will be more creative ideas present for every issue. The encouragement by mentor shall help me in developing synergy (Weiten and Lloyd). Table 3- Habit 6 Synergize Habit 7 Sharpening the Saw According to Covey, sharpening the saw is the single most powerful weapon that deals with enhancing own performance. I need to focus on physical, mental, social and spiritual well-being for sharpening my saw. Goals Physical- My first goal is to get onto a healthy nutrition plan that would help me in gaining physical well-being. I need to pick up a healthy diet with a balance of nutritional elements. Also, I need to get in the best shape of myself. I shall develop exercising habits on a regular basis that would help me keep fit and brain active (Eichten). Mental- I need to feel positive and good. My goal is also to reduce anxiety and depression. Social/ Emotional- I must engage in conversations and turn as an extrovert. I must help people in needs without expecting things in return (Hewitt). Spiritual- I shall increase my spiritual well being and commit good deeds under all circumstances. My goal is to pick up and memorize a life verse (Bennett). Objectives Physical- I need to reduce my fats by 10% in one month and increase muscles that would help me stay active. I need to increase my concentration level by 20% in one month my practicing meditation. Mental- I need to devote at least an hour in a day in a hobby that makes me feel positive. I must not sleep less than seven hours in a day (Bennett). Social/ Emotional- I shall increase my social engagement by 10% in one month. I shall increase my emotional consciousness by 5% regularly. Spiritual- I intend to serve regularly at the church. I shall increase my knowledge about all religions and study ten pages regularly (Bennett). Conclusion Every small thing matters in my life. I do not hesitate to accept my shortcomings and make the best of life I can. My mission is to be happy and I have accepted the fact that everything is going to be good in the end. Hard work pays off. I shall never stop working hard despite its results. References Atwater, Leanne E and David A Waldman.Leadership, Feedback, And The Open Communication Gap. New York: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 2012. Print. Bennett, Pastor William.Better Life Now. New York: Xlibris Corporation, 2013. Print. Ciarrochi, Joseph and John D Mayer.Applying Emotional Intelligence. New York: Psychology Press, 2013. Print. Covey, Stephen R. The 7 habits of highly effective families. St. Martin's Press, 2014. Covey, Stephen R. The 8th habit: From effectiveness to greatness. Simon and Schuster, 2013. Covey, Stephen R.The Seven Habits Of Highly Effective People. New York: Simon and Schuster, 2014. Print. Dahlgaard-Park, Su Mi. "Core valuesthe entrance to human satisfaction and commitment." Total Quality Management Business Excellence 23.2 (2012): 125-140. Ditzler, Jinny. "Personal Transformation: Anything Is Possible".Huffington Post India. N.p., 2012. Web. 28 July 2016. Eichten, Chuck.The Book Of Better. New York: Three Rivers Press, 2011. Print. Haimes, Yacov Y. Risk modeling, assessment, and management. John Wiley Sons, 2015. Handel, Daniel A., and Nicole A. Steckler. "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Rounding." Journal of graduate education 5.4 (2013): 705-706. Hewitt, William W.Self-Hypnosis For A Better Life. St. Paul, Minn.: Llewellyn Publications, 2012. Print. Lengel, Traci and Mike Kuczala.The Kinesthetic Classroom. Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Corwin, 2011. Print. Murphy, Jim.Managing Conflict At Work. Burr Ridge, Ill.: Business One Irwin/Mirror Press, 2012. Print. Rao, Harika. "Workers Can't Find Jobs, Jobs Can't Find Workers: Solving the Talent Paradox." Journal for Leadership and Instruction 14.2 (2015): 12-17. Starr, Kevin D., Heiko Petersen, and Margret Bauer. "Control loop performance monitoringABBs experience over two decades." (2016). Weiten, Wayne and Margaret A Lloyd.Psychology Applied To Modern Life. Pacific Grove, Calif.: Brooks/Cole Pub. Co., 2012. Print.

Japanese Recession Essays - Pamphlets, American Revolution

Japanese Recession Thomas Paine Thomas Paine For many years Thomas Paine was the epitome of American histories greatest drawback. In American history there is always that one detail that doesn't make it into popular curriculum. Whether it be the point of view from the loosing side of a war, to the secret dalliances of a popular politician, to the truth of a times social opinion- the American student is taught only so much. The most proper, popular material makes it in; along with any major facts too commonly known to ignore. Anything else is liable to fall to the wayside without enough support from historians or academia. There is always room for the improvement of materials taught; so said, it would seem there is much more to know about Thomas Paine then is currently taught. Within the last twenty years there has been a resurgence of interest in both Thomas Paine and his work. The new social consciousness is more in tune with his writings, and his underdog status appeals to many. His blunt style of speech has earn ed him admiration in many corners; in fact one of President Ronald Regan's more clever speech writers took to adding exerpts from Paines' writings into the President's major addresses. Paine has lately been heralded as ?Americas' first modern intellectual?, and is the subject of numerous books which have come out within the last four years. Common knowledge of Paine includes his birth in 1737 in Thetford, England, his writing of the Common Sense pamphlet in 1776, and his involvement in the American Revolution. Less common knowledge is his other writings: The Crisis, Rights of War and The Age of Reason; along with his role in the French Revolution. Even further down the path into the obscure is his brief French citizenship, his time in a French prison, and the short period of fourteen months which elapsed between his arrival in the Americas, and the publication of Common Sense. Paine is nothing if not the son of both perseverance and necessity. His financial woes are the stuff on whi ch young loan sharks are weaned. He grew up the soon of a poor corset maker, and knew only poverty most of his life. His employment track is littered with miss-starts in many fields, including stints as a teacher, a seaman, a tobacco shop owner and at various times a excise man. None of these were to be successful positions for Paine, giving him the start of a grudge towards England and its economy. After surviving one wife and separating from another, Paine was near his perceived end. Yet on the recommendation of a new acquaintance from America he decided to head west to the colonies, in hope of escaping the misery he'd endured in England. With nothing to his name but letters of recommendation (from the American whom he'd met in London), he arrived in Philadelphia, America in 1774. This American happened to be none other then Benjamin Franklin, and the prominence of Paines' recommender gained him the position of editor of the newly founded Pennsylvanian Magazine. Here, Paine establ ished himself as a radical thinker, a person unafraid to enter into the independence furor. Remembering the hardships he had faced in England, Paine became he ideal American patriot. In 1776 Paine published the Common Sense pamphlet without signing his name to it. Demanding independence from England and the establishment of a strong American union, the pamphlet found overwhelming support and approval with American colonists. With the revelation of its' author the pamphlet continued its' wave of success, drawing commendation from George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. In one of the most perfectly timed releases in history, Common Sense was unleashed to a public hungry for direction, and touched upon a raw nerve the size of a revolution. Paine quickly followed up in December of that year with the first in a series of pamphlets entitled The Crisis. It began, ?These are the times that try men's souls...Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered.? These lines were read aloud to Washing ton's' men as they lay shivering in the winter cold. From that point on Paine looked to figure prominently in the American revolution. Thomas Paine served in the