The Decline of the Dutch Republic in 1650 to 1713 Essay Example

The Decline of the Dutch Republic in 1650 to 1713 Paper The Decline of the Dutch Republic in 1650 to 1713 The Dutch Republic, in 1650, was an intimidating power; the Dutch Republic boasted dominant commercial, financial, and naval power. The Dutch Republic accredited much of their power to their most power province, Holland. Holland, dominated by Amsterdam, was a leading trading center in Europe. Although The Dutch Republic enjoyed a domineering power before 1650, the Peace of Utrecht brought about the decline of the Dutch Republic, due to a series of European wars, internal disunity and conflict, and a loss of trade dominance and economic prosperity. The Dutch Republic was the center of multiple European wars, that contributed to its decline. The Treaty of Dover, of 1670, promised a war on the Dutch Republic, in which France and England would join forces to bring about the downfall of the Dutch Republic. In a Resolution of the Amsterdam City Council, in 1671, it was noted that the monarchs waging war against the Dutch Republic were solely interested in taking parts of the Dutch Republic for their own kingdoms. In a letter from the Dutch ambassador to England in 1672, Konrad Van Beuningen reported that the onslaught of war from France and England could deteriorate the commerce of the Dutch Republic. The citizens of the Dutch Republic suffered socially from the wars that the Dutch Republic fought. We will write a custom essay sample on The Decline of the Dutch Republic in 1650 to 1713 specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The Decline of the Dutch Republic in 1650 to 1713 specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The Decline of the Dutch Republic in 1650 to 1713 specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer In a letter about the Dutch reaction to losses suffered in the war. An English resident in the Dutch Republic notes that the enormous draw of males to fight the war is taking a toll on the citizens of the Dutch Republic. The losses suffered from the wars with France and England brought on the deterioration of the Dutch Republic, through their economic and internal struggles. The Dutch Republics decline was, in part, caused by the economic declination; which was catalyzed by the wars France and England waged on the Dutch Republic. Although Sir George Downing, the English ambassador to the Dutch Republic in 1664, may have been exaggerating the shattered state of the Dutch Republic, in a letter to the English government, Downing described the Dutch Republic as being shattered and a divided thing that depends on the previously wealthy province of Holland. The national debt of the Dutch Republic in 1688 increased immensely, so that in 1713 the national debt of the Dutch Republic more than tripled. The national debt in 1688 was a result of the war against England and France and the Dutch Republic never recovered due to the wars the Dutch were forced to fight against France. Although the debt was so immense, that every province of the Dutch Republic felt it, the few wealthy citizens of Amsterdam remained virtually untouched and stayed the wealthiest citizens of the Dutch Republic. The heavy class distinctions of the Dutch Republic during 1650 to 1713 contributed to the growing unease within the provinces. The disunity and conflict within the Dutch Republic contributed to its overall decline as a major power during 1650 to 1713. In a government report of the Dutch Republic in 1683 reports on the fact that the different provinces of the Dutch Republic cannot agree on how to oppose the attacks of Louis XIV in the war against France and England. Although the government report on the Dutch Republic seems unbiased and is therefore to be trusted, the political pamphlet published in Amsterdam, 1683 is to be regarded as slightly exaggerated. The pamphlet describes the wealth citizens of Amsterdam with some bitterness. The pamphlet is sympathetic to the struggling citizens of the Dutch provinces and describes them as the only source of wealth in the Dutch Republic. The political pamphlet illustrates the disunion within the Dutch Republic as a result of economic hardships brought about by the wars the provinces participate in; the very wars that affected the once great trade power that the Dutch Republic was. The decline of the Dutch Republic was caused by the economic hardships prompted by the wars the Dutch Republic was forced to defend itself against. The trade competition caused by the English East India Company was reported to be the real cause of the war between England and the Dutch Republic by Marquis de Pomponne, the French ambassador to the Dutch Republic, in a report to the French government in the early 1680s. In the map of the Dutch Republic and Rival States in the Late Seventeenth Century, the map shows the numerous naval battles the Dutch Republic was fighting against England. As a result of the naval battles fought, the Dutch Republic suffered great losses from their trading. There was an estimated 2,000 to 2,700 Dutch shops seized by the English during the Three Anglo-Dutch Wars in 1652 to 1674. To make up for the lost revenues that resulted from a massive number of Dutch trading ships seized, the Dutch Republic planted heavy taxes on merchants. In an anonymous pamphlet published in the province of Holland in 1669 an unnamed citizen of the Dutch Republic notes that the heavy taxes set of the merchants are a burdensome addition to the losses they are already suffering from the naval battles the Dutch Republic is involved in. Although the writer of the pamphlet is clearly biased towards the merchants, the pamphlet is to be regarded as true because the writer, most likely a merchant, experienced the burden of the taxes first hand. The wars waged against England did not solve the trade problem as illustrated in a letter to the directors of the Dutch East India Company in 1705 from a Dutch colonial administrator. The letter reports that the East Indian trade is not earning any profits because of the competition with other countries. The Dutch Republic was previously an intimidating and dominating power in Europe. Its decline was caused mainly by the many wars it was forced to defend itself against. The wars the Dutch Republic fought caused great economic losses. The wars touched the Dutch Republics trading ships and caused further disunion within the provinces. The decline of the Dutch Republic was caused by a series of European wars, internal conflict, and a loss of trade dominance and economic abundance.

George A. Custer - American Indian Wars

George A. Custer - American Indian Wars George Custer - Early Life: The son of Emanuel Henry Custer and Marie Ward Kirkpatrick, George Armstrong Custer was born at New Rumley, OH on December 5, 1839. A large family, the Custers had five children of their own as well as several from Maries earlier marriage. At a young age, George was sent to live with his half-sister and brother-in-law in Monroe, MI. While living there, he attended McNeely Normal School and did menial jobs around the campus to help pay for his room and board. After graduating in 1856, he returned to Ohio and taught school. George Custer - West Point: Deciding that teaching did not suit him, Custer enrolled at the US Military Academy. A weak student, his time at West Point was plagued by near expulsion each term for excessive demerits. These were usually earned through his penchant for pulling pranks on fellow cadets. Graduating in June 1861, Custer finished last in his class. While such a performance normally would have landed him an obscure posting and a short career, Custer benefited from the outbreak of the Civil War and the US Armys desperate need for trained officers. Commissioned a second lieutenant, Custer was assigned to the 2nd US Cavalry. George Custer - Civil War: Reporting for duty, he saw service at the First Battle of Bull Run (July 21, 1861) where he acted as a runner between General Winfield Scott and Major General Irvin McDowell. After the battle, Custer was reassigned to the 5th Cavalry and was sent south to participate in Major General George McClellans Peninsula Campaign. On May 24, 1862, Custer convinced a colonel to allow him to attack a Confederate position across the Chickahominy River with four companies of Michigan infantry. The attack was a success and 50 Confederates were captured. Impressed, McClellan took Custer onto his staff as an aide-de-camp. While serving on McClellans staff, Custer developed his love of publicity and began working to attract attention to himself. Following McClellans removal from command in the fall of 1862, Custer joined the staff Major General Alfred Pleasonton, who was then commanding a cavalry division. Quickly becoming his commanders protà ©gà ©, Custer became enamored with flashy uniforms and was schooled in military politics. In May 1863, Pleasonton was promoted to command the Cavalry Corps of the Army of the Potomac. Though many of his men were alienated by Custers showy ways, they were impressed by his coolness under fire. After distinguishing himself as bold and aggressive commander at Brandy Station and Aldie, Pleasonton promoted him to brevet brigadier general despite his lack of command experience. With this promotion, Custer was assigned to lead a brigade of Michigan cavalry in the division of Brigadier General Judson Kilpatrick. After fighting the Confederate cavalry at Hanover and Hunterstown, Custer and his brigade, which he nicknamed the Wolverines, played a key role in the cavalry battle east of Gettysburg on July 3. As Union troops south of the town were repulsing Longstreets Assault (Picketts Charge), Custer was fighting with Brigadier General David Greggs division against Major General J.E.B. Stuarts Confederate cavalry. Personally leading his regiments into the fray on several occasions, Custer had two horses shot out from under him. The climax of the fight came when Custer led a mounted charge of the 1st Michigan which stopped the Confederate attack. His triumph as Gettysburg marked the high point of his career. The following winter, Custer married Elizabeth Clift Bacon on February 9, 1864. In the spring, Custer retained his command after the Cavalry Corps was reorganized by its new commander Major General Philip Sheridan. Participating in Lt. General Ulysses S. Grants Overland Campaign, Custer saw action at the Wilderness, Yellow Tavern, and Trevilian Station. In August, he traveled west with Sheridan as part of the forces sent to deal with Lt. General Jubal Early in the Shenandoah Valley. After pursuing Earlys forces after the victory at Opequon, he was promoted to divisional command. In this role he aided in destroying Earlys army at Cedar Creek that October. Returning to Petersburg after the campaign in the Valley, Custers division saw action at Waynesboro, Dinwiddie Court House, and Five Forks. After this final battle, it pursued General Robert E. Lees retreating Army of Northern Virginia after Petersburg fell on April 2/3, 1865. Blocking Lees retreat from Appomattox, Custers men were the first to receive a flag of truce from the Confederates. Custer was present at Lees surrender on April 9, and was given the table on which it was signed in recognition of his gallantry. George Custer - Indian Wars: After the war, Custer reverted back to the rank of captain and briefly considered leaving the military. He was offered the position of adjutant general in the Mexican army of Benito Jurez, who was then battling Emperor Maximilian, but was blocked from accepting it by the State Department. An advocate of President Andrew Johnsons reconstruction policy, he was criticized by hardliners who believed he was attempting to curry favor with the goal of receiving a promotion. In 1866, he turned down the colonelcy of the all-black 10th Cavalry (Buffalo Soldiers) in favor of the lieutenant colonelcy of the 7th Cavalry. In addition, he was given the brevet rank of major general at the behest of Sheridan. After serving in Major General Winfield Scott Hancocks 1867 campaign against the Cheyenne, Custer was suspended for a year for leaving his post to see his wife. Returning to the regiment in 1868, Custer won the Battle of Washita River against Black Kettle and the Cheyenne that November. George Custer - Battle of the Little Bighorn: Six years later, in 1874, the Custer and the 7th Cavalry scouted the Black Hills of South Dakota and confirmed the discovery of gold at French Creek. This announcement touched off the Black Hills gold rush and further heightened tensions with the Lakota Sioux and Cheyenne. In an effort to secure the hills, Custer was dispatched as part of a larger force with orders to round up the remaining Indians in the area and relocate them to reservations. Departing Ft. Lincoln, ND with Brigadier General Alfred Terry and a large force of infantry, the column moved west with the goal of linking up with forces coming from the west and south under Colonel John Gibbon and Brigadier General George Crook. Encountering the Sioux and Cheyenne at the Battle of the Rosebud on June 17, 1876, Crooks column was delayed. Gibbon, Terry, and Custer met later that month and, based on a large Indian trail, decided to have Custer circle around the Indians while the other two approached with the main force. After refusing reinforcements, including Gatling guns, Custer and the approximately 650 men of the 7th Cavalry moved out. On June 25, Custers scouts reported sighting the large camp (900-1,800 warriors) of Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse along the Little Bighorn River. Concerned that the Sioux and Cheyenne might escape, Custer recklessly decided to attack the camp with only the men on hand. Dividing his force, he ordered Major Marcus Reno to take one battalion and attack from the south, while he took another and circled around to the north end of the camp. Captain Frederick Benteen was sent southwest with a blocking force to prevent any escape. Charging up the valley, Renos attack was stopped and he was forced to retreat, with Benteens arrival saving his force. To the north, Custer too was stopped and superior numbers forced him to retreat. With his line broken, the retreat became disorganized and his entire 208-man force was killed while making their last stand. Selected Sources PBS: George A. CusterCuster in the Civil WarBattle of the Little Bighorn

ARTICLE CRITIQUE - Applied Research Methods class for Public Admin

CRITIQUE - Applied Research Methods class for Public Admin - Article Example The results achieved gave evidence that a joint effort between experts and the community in the project brought forth 8efficiency in the technical arena. The article sheds light on the advantages gained when a community is involved in searching for solutions to particular problems rather than the technical aspect of using questionnaires (Hindy, & Rongfang, 2005). What is the argument of the article? In most cases, administration has frequently believed that decision making can only be achieved through expertise language. The involvement of the public is viewed to lack procedure and cannot deliver the expected results in the cause of problem definition. As a result, some of the community members believe that they should not take part in developing policies that can be implemented in resolving issues at stake. This assumption has limited the chances that a government can offer its citizens. The community is never given opportunity to participate in the crucial stages of defining problems but brought to center stage when policies derived are refined. The article highlights the importance of incorporating the locals at the early stages in problem definition to the final stage when policies are derived. The problem defined in the case study was transit problems. From the initial stage, the input of the citizens towards solutions that could be implemented to resolve transportation issues in the government. Regardless of language limitation faced, communal groups were reached not through questionnaires but by an interactive approach. They were allowed to communicate through their native language to give ideas that could be implemented to solve transportation problems. The technical team was also involved in the process of defining the problem as well as deriving policies. The findings of the author were very encouraging. The positive response of the community in defining the