The irony in An Indians Looking-Glass for the White Man Essay

The irony in An Indians Looking-Glass for the White Man - Essay Example   The paper tells that William Apess was a Native American who accepted the Christian faith. He continued to labor among the Native American Indians as a Christian minister and advocated human rights in his sermons and writings. The period in which he wrote marked an age of cruel slavery and anti-miscegenation laws which prohibited the intermarriage between Whites and Colored people. Apess uses the notable technique of irony in which he would expose the hypocrisy of the Whites employing their own religious doctrines and ideologies.  The superficiality of the White man's doctrine is a point of argument in Apess' work. Apess observes that one "may learn how deep (the White man's) principles are...I should say they were skin deep." The foundation of the White man's objection to the non-Whites enjoyment of their inalienable human rights is based on the skin tone. Skin pigmentation or exterior is not of value in any substantial and profound argument for what lies on the inside forms t he core and matters most. In his day, Apess would have been familiar with the Great Chain of Being philosophy which privileges the Whites at the head of the human races and relegates the Other to occupy lower tiers. Whites used this concept to justify their subhuman treatment of other races. The irony of using skin color as a means to exalt oneself and debase another reveals the truth of the proverb, 'All that glitters is not gold.' In time, the surface of any object is defaced and gradually stripped away. External appearances deceive however, only nature is real and enduring. Apess reiterates: "I am not talking about the skin, but about principles." Apess makes a stirring appeal to the tenets of Christianity, the so-called White man's religion. White men would use their religion to validate conquest, segregation, and the institution of slavery, however, Apess wields the Holy Bible, the book which instructs Christians in defence of human rights, equality, justice and brotherhood. The Christian Bible quotes that "God is no respecter of persons"-"Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, with all thy mind, and with all thy strength-Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." "By this shall all men know that they are my disciples, if ye have love one to another." "Let us not love in word but in deed." Repeatedly Apess preaches to the people who should be acquainted with their own doctrines of love. Apess concept of God differs from the White man's God. Judging from the professing Christians' cruelty, greed, and antagonism, the Apess shows that according to the white man's principles, the Christian God wou ld have to be an unfair and hateful deity who would favor a cross section of people and belittle others. True religion in Apess' eyes is an inclusive religion. One which inspires love and compassion. Apess laments that in 'Christian America' there remains active practice of cruelty, systematic oppression, inhumanity and hostility. Apess argues that a Christian should never be a slave-owner for doing so puts at detriment his own soul and contravenes the founding principles of his faith. He urges the equality and brotherhood of Negroes and Whites according to the Christian doctrines and wonders at White Christian hypocrisy. To add force to his arguments, he quotes numerous scriptural texts from the Bible from Matthew, John and Romans. To hate and propagate division is not only unchristian but also unethical. God's unconditional and impartial love is a perfect example of the love that man must have for his fellow. Greed, selfishness and prejudice are the true motivators of discriminati on that have poisoned the heart, turning it from human compassion. Vices such as sloth, greed and materialism are other adverse effects of the White

Storm of Steel by Ernst Junger Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Storm of Steel by Ernst Junger - Essay Example However, what could have been the most significant change in European warfare in those times? Junger’s accounts are extremely straight forward and he makes no effort in downplaying the extremity of the situation; â€Å"Bloody scraps of cloth and flesh had been left on bushes around the crater – a strange and dreadful sight that that put me in mind of the butcher – bird that spikes its prey on bushes.† (Page 23) One can easily notice the fact that the book involves a lot of manual work when it came to fighting. Shelling, that is tear gas was a common way of making the enemy retreat. It can be stated that there was minimal use of technology, the biggest one being guns and bullets. Even though the Industrial Revolution took place in the 18th century, it had a rather late impact on the European warfare. There was little or less impact in World War I for them, however, towards the 20th century and when World War II took place, some big changes were observed. Nu clear powers came into being when the world witnessed the bombings of 1945. The storm of steel clearly gives away tactics of that time. It is quite obvious that only the general who is the head of a particular army made plans and the rest of them just followed or executed it. However, this single minded approach is not very useful if we pay a little attention. In the late 19th century, people started believing that the risk or fate of an entire nation in a war could not be left upon one person’s hand; hence the general started being advised when it came to making plans regarding battles. Also till World War I generals would be present in the scene of action. This routine was changed when strategies were allotted into categories which were separated geographically. This meant that at no single time, the strategies could be gone into the hands of the enemy at once. These accounts of Junger can be easily used to analyze the European tactics and warfare in those days. In the very beginning of the book, Junger introduces the reader to the introduction he got when he was fist deployed, a place called Champagne. As soon as the soldiers reached their place, they were attacked with what Junger describes as â€Å"curious fluttering and whooshing sound†¦followed by a sudden violent explosion† (Page 6). The attack was also made by shelling which has been frequently in the past and remains to be commonly used today as well. As the book moves forward, we learn the use of trenches. Trenches play a significant part in the book, as it is a great defensive strategy. World War I has played a significant role in developing the European countries in matter of tactics and warfare. The biggest change that one saw in the warfare was the decrease in the usage of trenches. They were greatly used in the World War I as per the narrations of Ernst Jugner, but just as the world has witnessed a revolution in every aspect of life, technological advancements also came and s wept everyone off their feet. Trenches required hard work and a lot of labor, also, with the new machines and equipment, crossing trenches became no problem at all. As a result, when the trenches stopped providing the basic need of security and shield, they were stopped being used as a whole. After World War I, there was a rather definite change in European warfare. In terms of

Double Indemnity And Touch Of Evil Film Studies Essay

Double Indemnity And Touch Of Evil Film Studies Essay Film in popular culture was under scrutiny from cultural theorists during the 1930s and 1940s. It was suggested that film lacked originality and authenticity because of the way in which organisations, such as Hollywood, were producing art by using generic formulas (Grant, 2007:5). This repetition of conventions, characters and settings was typical of the Hollywood genre system (Palmer, 1994:1). This system enabled Hollywood to make films cheaply and competitively, which was criticised further by cultural theorists because the organisation was mainly motivated by profit (Grant, 2007:7). Genre films were at the forefront of the American ideal as films were an important feature of American culture. They represented an expression of the spirit of the time and worked as an inexpensive form of entertainment (Grant, 2007:5). The generic formulas were liked and accepted which was beneficial for both consumer and institution as the Hollywood studio could cater to a large audience (Palmer, 1994:2). However, the poor economic conditions of America in the 1930s meant that cinemas had to entice their audience with a more modern form of storytelling and representation (Palmer, 1994:3). Whilst the typical Hollywood film had to follow certain principles of narrative, the film noir was able to push the boundary of conventional storytelling. The visual stylisation, storyline and dark themes describe the essence of the noir film. These conventions will be discussed with examples from Billy Wilders Double Indemnity (1944) at the beginning of the noir period and Orson Welles Touch of Evil (1958) towards the end. The distinct elements that form the noir were largely due to the contributions of those in film production. During the early 1930s directors, actors and cinematographers who were involved in German expressionist cinema moved to Hollywood (Grant, 2007:25). The stylistic qualities of noirs were heavily influenced by expressionism; German silent films were admired by the Hollywood film industry (Silver, 2004:11). The artistic roots in German expressionism are portrayed in the use of common stylistic conventions such as chiaroscuro lighting, distorted camera angles and the use of symbolic designs (Silver, 2004:11). The most visible feature of the noir style is low-key lighting; cinematographers manipulated contrasts of light and shade between day exteriors and realistic night scenes through the use of curtains or venetian blinds (Silver, 2004:16). Dramatic use of lighting was used to create tension and confirm beliefs that the noir world was uncomfortable and corrupt. In Double Indemnity the establishing scene already implies this as Walter Neff begins to confess his crimes, while his face is in shade suggesting that he is ashamed. A less apparent feature, though crucial in terms of its expressionist value, was the use of distorted camera angles. Each camera angle was used specifically to create a dramatic and symbolic meaning. Low angles were pivotal in creating the feeling of claustrophobia and paranoia, for example when ceilings of interior settings were visible in the frame (Silver, 2004:16). Double Indemnity continues to provoke uneasy feelings with low angled shots in the initial scene suggesting that Neff is trapped with no other option but to confess. The use of high angles creates disequilibrium, for example when a city street is visible far below out of a window (Silver, 2004:16). This type of feeling is also expressed by dimly lit alleyways and shadowy pedestrians in the urban landscape (Silver, 2004:16). The noir style frequently makes use of shadow and unbalanced compositions (Telotte, 1989:17). Off-angle compositions of characters in the frame were used to create the suggestion of an unstable world (Spicer, 2002:47). In Touch of Evil, Spicer (2002:62) suggests that Orson Welles is able to draw the audience into a state of confusion by not including any stabilising balance of scenes. Touch of Evil was produced after the film noir description was established which suggests that the noir features in this film were used more deliberately. The expressionist style had been developed by using scenes of limitless darkness to create a sense of claustrophobia and agoraphobia (Spicer, 2002:61). Welles primarily uses night scenes, which allows characters and shadows to merge together creating a sinister atmosphere. Vargas is unsuccessfully attacked with acid by a shadowy figure. Hank Quinlans own corruption is symbolised in Touch of Evil as he falls to his death into floating waste (Silver, 2004:169). Similarly, visual symbolism is used in Double Indemnity as Wilder carefully constructs a mise-en-scà ¨ne to provoke meaning that may not always be obvious. The character of Phyllis Dietrichson is given primary importance both in style when she makes spectacular entrances and in the narrative when she manipulates those close to her. Both Double Indemnity and Touch of Evil share similarities in their visual styles which are heavily influenced by German expressionism. The expressionist style also influences the narrative and themes of noirs. Some of the themes that are expressed in the films are developed through the narrative. Noir stories challenge the conventional linear narrative of other Hollywood films and explicitly state points of view (Telotte, 1989:3). Strategies used are the voice-over, the third person flashback style, and the subjective camera technique (Telotte, 1989:12). The voice-over narrative technique enables the audience to experience situations through the protagonist. The first person narration allows the audience to identify with the character or narrator even if they are morally wrong (Silver, 2004:20). Telotte (1989:16) suggests that the I whose most basic purpose is to provide us with a privileged and personal eye on the world. Flashbacks are used to introduce the past which is presented from the narrators point of view (Silver, 2004:16). This is clear during Double Indemnity as Neff takes the role of narrator in flashbacks through to the present day. The first person voice-over is used as he retells the crime story on the Dictaphone but third person is used in the flashback scenes. Telotte (1989:45) suggests that Dictaphone narration is used to avoid speaking directly, which conforms to the noir ideology of tricks, lies and communication difficulties. There is frequent use of the subjective camera in noirs which emphasises points of view (Telotte, 1989:17). Welles uses this technique in Touch of Evil in confrontation during interrogations between Quinlan and Vargas where the audience is constantly deciding who is the dominant figure. Noir films were generally marketed as detective, thrillers or crime melodramas. Audiences were unaware that they were watching anything that was different from the Hollywood genre system. It was only the French critics who coined this term as the films dark qualities went unnoticed by audience and industry (Palmer, 1994:6). However, these films followed the crime detective formula as most, including Double Indemnity and Touch of Evil, were based on crime fiction novels. Double Indemnity was an innovative film and perhaps therefore a more authentic film noir. By comparison, Touch of Evil was rewritten into a much darker version that deliberately played on the noir styles. Silver (2004:15) states that noir relies on the element of style not just the content and that narratives are complex and not just icons. Literature of the time contained existentialism and psychological matters that promoted the importance of the past reflecting on present actions. This was particularly meaningful given the circumstances of America during the World War and the Depression (Silver, 2004:15). Grant (2007:26) suggests that noirs depict a sense of post-war disillusionment and was a delayed reaction to the enforced optimism of popular culture during the Depression and war years. The intended purpose of Hollywood narratives was to confirm the beliefs and values of the audience. Hollywood took a conservative stance within society both socially and politically. Films had to follow censorship regulations where certain principles had to be followed such as poetic justice, unsuccessful villains and restricted sexual liaisons (Palmer, 1994:4). Film noirs, for the most part, complied with these regulations given that they were unnoticeably different. However, they did touch on certain non-traditional themes such as sexual and criminal violations (Palmer, 1994:9). The French critic Nino Frank (cited in Palmer, 1994:8) described noir having rendered obsolete the traditional detective film because noirs focussed on the psychology of the characters rather than the actual crime and criminal. According to Silver (2004:15), important themes in film noir were classified as the haunted past and the fatalistic nightmare. The haunted past suggests the protagonists escape from a traumatic incident as in Touch of Evil or, crimes committed out of passion as in Double Indemnity. Past and present circumstances are mixed within the narrative; the past is real and inescapable and the protagonist has to confront it to seek redemption. This is featured in both Double Indemnity and Touch of Evil. The second theme is the fatalistic nightmare which is based on causality where present events lead to an inevitable conclusion. Good intentions of characters can be overridden when certain factors are taken into consideration. Double Indemnity uses chance and opportunity to commit crime, whereas the structure of society affects situations in Touch of Evil. Confusion was another theme in noir. It gives a sense of ambiguity to the narrative and a sense of nightmare to the atmosphere. This is conveyed in Touch of Evil when Susan Vargas is resting in the motel and a group of Mexican youths take over which leaves the audience questioning what happened exactly. Noirs present a bleak vision of contemporary life that was populated by criminals and immoral people; all of which opposed the American ideal (Palmer, 1994:6). The protagonists are mostly male and reflect the disruption to the traditional male role that was caused by the war and post-war readjustments thereafter. Females were characterised as both domestic and bland or as femme fatales. Male powerlessness is demonstrated next to the femme fatale which was a common feeling in post-war society (Grant, 2007:26). However, post-feminist critics suggest that Phyllis Dietrichson in Double Indemnity was a strong woman in a male-dominated world where she had to use any kind of weapon, including sexuality, to become an equal (Silver, 2004:16). But ultimately, the femme fatale corrupts the protagonist. The themes in Touch of Evil also promote the sense of corruption: drug dealing, sex trade and gambling. Touch of evil represents the conflict between true justice and the prevailing norms of justice. It has a theme of good versus evil where the moral Vargas can progress through the noir world of corrupt police officers such as Quinlan (Conard, 2006:43). Unlike Neff in Double Indemnity, Quinlan is deeply flawed already. Noirs involve moral decision making, the ethics of knowing what is morally right but finding alternatives more attractive. For example, in Double Indemnity a manipulated insurance salesman plots with a married woman to murder her husband to gain financial rewards (Conard, 2006:42). Double Indemnity contains adultery, cold-blooded killing, insurance fraud and criminal activity that are blamed on a female, which went against the contemporary censorship rules of the time. However, Neff and Dietrichsons inescapable fatality that draws them into crime seems to agree with those rules (Palmer, 1994:9). This is proven as Neff begins his narrations suggesting that crime does not pay (Double Indemnity, 2005): Yes, I killed him. I killed him for money and for a woman. I didnt get the money and I didnt get the woman. Pretty isnt it? The noir categorisation occurred because of the interaction between style, narrative and theme attributions. Noirs were able to branch away from the standard Hollywood product in such a way that it still catered to a large audience but unknowingly contained influences from European cinema. The impact that German expressionism had on Hollywood was remarkable and it is clear that the expressionistic style influenced many subsequent films. Double Indemnity, the earlier film, was a good example of innovative style both in appearance and narrative and was extremely influential. Touch of Evil was made towards the end of the noir period and deliberately used noir features but to an excessive degree. Noirs were considered to be a new type of detective crime thriller that subtly changed from the standard Hollywood genre film. They were still able to maintain the industrys principles by allowing a moral outcome but incorporating a more complex body to the story. These themes reflected the feelings of the American people towards their own society which made the films acceptable. The audiences need for a new way of expressing the story was met by a different, experimental narrative technique which heightened the impact of the dark qualities in the themes. These influences together with the dramatic, expressionist style established the film noir and give it a unique element in Hollywood.

Vying For A Title :: essays research papers

Vying for a Title   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The contenders have been primped and manicured by their masters and are ready to be placed on display. The subjects with the wealthiest owners attend top-notch obedience schools where they are trained in the art of acting and appearing in a way uncharacteristic to their nature. They are rewarded with special treats when they work hard during training. The skills learned in these unique schools are not useful anywhere else, but in the competitions are judged and often given a champion prize. The contestants are paraded in, coached by their owners. Each standing tall with her head raised and nose up. Most are showing their teeth as if to be smiling or happy. Truthfully, they are showing the judges the straightness and whiteness of their teeth. Both the long-haired and short-haired have had chemicals applied to them to make certain every hair lays perfectly. The outward appearances of the participators are close to flawless. If any flaws are detected in the preparation they are quickly covered up. Trainers and owners see imperfections as point deductions. Those are deductions they can’t afford when a title and thousands of dollars are on the line. A woman moves from one contestant to the next testing them. To the last in the line of female competitors the question is asked, â€Å"If you could change the world, what would you change?† Too confidently the girl replied, â€Å"I would end world hunger and poverty.† When all she really aspires to do is win this contest and the next. This is what pageantry is about. Parents who subject their children to beauty pageants teach their children that winning these contests will bring them happiness. Is being deemed the best at being fake really anything to be happy about? Too many mommies and daddies believe so. Do the pageant parents have their own dreams about their daughters being Miss Americas? Do the participants really compete in beauty contests to better themselves or their futures? Do they have a driving force from behind the stage? Will these parents go to any extent to mold their daughters into something that might win a few of these superficial contests? â€Å"†¦Didn't the Ramseys think that putting JonBenet in all those beauty pageants, looking so seductive, was inappropriate. The child was 5. All the pictures we saw were of her looking 25 and slinking and winking.† (Schwartz) â€Å"Mrs. Ramsey said that was just the public's problem and if they thought a 5-year-old trying to look more sexy than Madonna was a bit twisted - well that just shows what twisted people we have in this country.

Haptic Technology †Feeling the Future Essay

What is haptic technology? It’s the technology relating to or based on the sense of touch. We see it every day with our touch screen phones. It is needed to interact with your phone, computer, keyboard, mouse, car, gaming system and more! It can also be used in medicine, robotics, art, design, electronics, toys, and more! Where is the technology feeling to go? What is haptic feedback? What is haptic feedback? Haptic feedback the shake of your gaming console’s remote, the vibration of your phone, clicking of the keyboard and mouse. the interaction of touch and response (Figure 1). How does this correlate with human memory?   Memory has several categories. There is long-term memory, short-term and sensory memory. Each one plays an important part of overall memory. â€Å"They all cooperate in the process of memorization, and can be seen as three necessary steps in forming a lasting memory† (Mastin, 2012). Haptic technology uses sensory memory. What is sensory memory?   According to Mastin, sensory memory is the shortest-term element of memory. â€Å"It is the ability to retain impressions of sensory information after the original stimuli have ended. It acts as a kind of buffer for stimuli received through the five senses of sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch† (Mastin, 2012). Touch is the key word in haptic technology. How will this technology change the way we interact with computer? The interactions of computer and humans are known as human-computer-interface (HCI). Human-computer-interface (HCI) developers and engineers goals are to improve the user’s overall experience. This can be accomplished by creating a lasting memory for the end user and a good feeling of using the technology known as haptic technology. What is HCI? HCI is the study on how to better improve the interaction between human and computers. For example – Human Machine Symbiosis Laboratory – Department of Biomedical Informatics – Arizona State University conducted a study on the Psychology of Haptics, Haptic User Interfaces and Human Motion Analysis. Their main goal for the haptic user interface study is to design effective and efficient interfaces; in psychology of haptics study they focused on the role of haptic modality in formation and retention of memory and categorization; and in the human motion study they concentrated on gesture analysis. Human computer interaction (HCI) has emerged as a focal area of both computer science research and development, and of applied social, behavioral and psychological research† (Kahol, 2010). The research team in Arizona State University focused on memory and categorization controlled experiments using mechanisms of haptic memory and categorization. They also explored whether individuals who were blind and sighted can abstract a haptic prototype from a study set; the nature of haptic space through multidimensional scaling; and haptics in early detection of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The Arizona State University research team are concerned with design, development and testing of tactile and force feedback devices and its associated software(s). â€Å"These devices have widespread applications such as surgical simulations, medical and procedural training, scientific visualizations, assistive and rehabilitative devices for individuals who have physical or neurological disorders and assistive devices for individuals who are blind† (Kathol, 2010). The human motion research field is guided towards understanding human motion through gesture analysis. The research team from Arizona State University has developed novel gesture segmentation and gesture recognition tools for understanding and modeling human motion. They plan to develop scalable gesture segmentation and gesture recognition tools. They plan to apply the models to generic human motion as well as specialized human motion as in dance and in various scenarios such as surveillance, human computer interfaces and 3D Dance motion. Once these devices are implemented, they must remain consistent. Why you ask? Image a medical procedural being done on you. The doctor is located in different part of the world and is using new technology which allows him to operate remotely, but wait. The controls he is using are not consistent with the standard controls accepted in the USA. Will you risk your life on this doctors questionable HCI? I know I wouldn’t. Designing the right HCI is key to any successful implementation of new technology. What are some design factors to consider in the implementation of HCI and where does the future of HCI feel to go? Figure 2 – User-Centric Design (SAP, 2013) One possible design process we can use is UCD. What is is UCD? User-centered design (UCD) is a design methodology and process that focuses on the needs of end users, limitations of end users, preferences of end users, and business objectives (USABILITY, 2013). The UCD has several components: plan, research, design, adapt, and measure (Figure 2). â€Å"Plan – In the Plan phase, the team determines all of the UCD activities and ensures that the necessary resources are available. Research – Before you can design a product, it is imperative that you have a clear understanding of the users’ goals and tasks, the market needs, and related work. Design – In the design phase, you define your system from the users’ perspective. Initially, this phase takes the form of use cases and an object action model, which describes the tasks that the system will support. From these tasks you create UI designs, beginning with rough sketches and ending with detailed UI design specifications. Adapt – The adapt phase acknowledges that even the best conceived designs often need to be adapted when development begins coding. This adaptation can occur as a result of unforeseen limitations in the target technology, new requirements, or missing functionality in the initial design. Measure – When the product is released, it is possible to measure its usability quantitatively. These tests measure a product’s effectiveness, efficiency, and satisfaction† (SAP, 2013) HCI FUTURE Microsoft researchers wrote Being Human – Human Computer Interaction in the Year 2020. In the paper they state: â€Å"HCI needs to extend its methods and approaches so as to focus more clearly on human values. This will require a more sensitive view about the role, function and consequences of design, just as it will force HCI to be more inventive. HCI will need to form new partnerships with other disciplines, too, and for this to happen HCI practitioners will need to be sympathetic to the tools and techniques of other trades. Finally, HCI will need to re-examine and reflect on its basic terms and concepts. Outdated notions of the ‘user’, the ‘computer’ and ‘interaction’ are hardly sufficient to encompass all that HCI will need to attend to† (Microsoft, 2008).

Positve And Negative Emotions

The Broaden- and- build theory created by Barbara Fredrickson (2001) describes how positive emotions open up our thinking and actions to new possibilities, and how this expansion can help build physical, psychological, and social resources that promote well-being (Baumgardner, 2009). In correlation as suggested by Fredrickson (2001), positive emotions include joy, interest, contentment, pride and love. They all provide the ability to broaden one’s momentary thought-action repertoires and help build their personal resources (Baumgardner, 2009).The benefits of positive emotions are more general and long-term rather than the short-term effects possessed by negative emotions. Men and women have different ways of expressing the same emotion. Hence, when a woman is sad, they tend to show depression for their sadness, whereas men tend to show anger when dealing with sadness. They both feel the same way, but show it differently. When women are angry their feeling gets expressed throug h words and sadness. As opposed to men their sadness is shown with anger and resentfulness. Men and women do not feel differently with a negative emotion, but simply react differently to the emotion.Research shows that men tend to use the left side (reasoning) of their brain more than women. Women use both the left and the right (emotional) sides of their brain. This provides women the ability to understand people and express their emotions more effectively (Brenda, 2013). The research found is mixed regarding the emotional differences between the sexes. Strong evidence has been found that there are differences in the way men and women detect, process, and express emotion. Other studies show that men and women share more emotional similarities than differences (Thompson, 2013).

vasco de gama essays

vasco de gama essays All throughout time Religion has been a significant aspect of all cultures. Religion has been the motivation for many great things, and for many more not so great things. Religions spread and brought in new believers and others converted from one religion to another. For most religions, spreading the word of God is undertaken by missionaries. This also goes for Christianity. The role of the Christian missionary was to spread the word of God to all. The motivation of spreading the word of God was a very large part of western exploration. In addition to spreading the word of God, the accumulation of wealth and thus power were also great factors in motivating people to explore the western world. Portugal took the initiative of western exploration after they successfully expelled the Muslims from the country of Portugal. The power created by such a successful expulsion of outsiders and the religious fervor of missionarys encouraged the rulers of Portugal to seek conquests in Africa. The Portugese rulers were drawn to the possibility of causing harm to the Muslim world and a hunger for wealth(Stearns 34). In 1498, Vasco Da Gama, a mariner from Portugese, left Portugal and set sail for Calicut, India. He was asked why he did so and replied Christians and spices. The mass conversion of people to the religion of Roman Catholicism and the accumulation of spices, fine textiles, and other Asian goods were what drove him to Calicut, India. Vasco Da Gamas desire for Christians and spices was typical for most explorers of the time. Either people went to convert the masses or to find riches or even both(Stearns 150). Not all countries were interested in the spreading of Roman Catholicism as other countries were. The English and Protestant Dutch had little interest in gaining converts to Christianity. Yet the spread of Roman Catholicism was a essential part of the worldwide operation of the Portu...