Ulysses S. Grant :: Biography Biographies Essays

Ulysses S. Grant Ulysses Simpson Grant, (1822-1885), American general and 18th President of the United States. Grant, the most capable of the Union generals during the Civil War, was a master strategist. He won the first major Union victories. President Abraham Lincoln staunchly defended him against critics and promoted him to command all Union forces. Grant accepted Gen. Robert E. Lee's surrender at Appomattox Court House. However, Grant had no disposition for political leadership, and as president (1869-1877) he scarcely attempted to control events. He made injudicious appointments to public office, and official corruption tainted his administration, although Grant himself was not involved in the peculations. Grant was born in Point Pleasant, Ohio, on April 27, 1822, and baptized Hiram Ulysses. The eldest son of Jesse Root Grant and Hannah Simpson Grant, he came from a family that, he proudly declared, had been American "for generations, in all its branches, direct and collateral." In 1823 his father moved his tanning business to Georgetown, Ohio, where "Lyss" spent his boyhood. His education at a grammar school in Georgetown, at Maysville Seminary in Maysville, Ky., and at the Presbyterian Academy of Ripley, Ohio, was superficial and repetitious, and the boy showed no scholarly bent. He became noted, however, for his sturdy self-reliance and for his ability to ride and control even the wildest horses. MILITARY LIFE In 1839, Jesse Grant secured for his son an appointment to the U. S. Military Academy. When he arrived at West Point he learned that he was on the muster roll as Ulysses Simpson Grant, through an error of the congressman who had nominated him. Finding it impossible to change this official listing, Grant accepted the inevitable and dropped Hiram from his name. "A military life had no charms for me," Grant said later, and his only purpose at the academy was "to get through the course, secure a detail for a few years as assistant professor of mathematics at the Academy, and afterwards obtain a permanent position as professor at some respectable college." Understandably, his West Point record was not spectacular. In 1843 he graduated in the middle of his class (21st in a class of 39), was commissioned brevet 2d lieutenant, assigned to the 4th U. S. Infantry, and sent to Jefferson Barracks, near St. Louis, Mo. There he began to learn his army duties and, even more important, met his future wife, Julia Dent, sister of a West Point classmate. Ulysses S. Grant :: Biography Biographies Essays Ulysses S. Grant Ulysses Simpson Grant, (1822-1885), American general and 18th President of the United States. Grant, the most capable of the Union generals during the Civil War, was a master strategist. He won the first major Union victories. President Abraham Lincoln staunchly defended him against critics and promoted him to command all Union forces. Grant accepted Gen. Robert E. Lee's surrender at Appomattox Court House. However, Grant had no disposition for political leadership, and as president (1869-1877) he scarcely attempted to control events. He made injudicious appointments to public office, and official corruption tainted his administration, although Grant himself was not involved in the peculations. Grant was born in Point Pleasant, Ohio, on April 27, 1822, and baptized Hiram Ulysses. The eldest son of Jesse Root Grant and Hannah Simpson Grant, he came from a family that, he proudly declared, had been American "for generations, in all its branches, direct and collateral." In 1823 his father moved his tanning business to Georgetown, Ohio, where "Lyss" spent his boyhood. His education at a grammar school in Georgetown, at Maysville Seminary in Maysville, Ky., and at the Presbyterian Academy of Ripley, Ohio, was superficial and repetitious, and the boy showed no scholarly bent. He became noted, however, for his sturdy self-reliance and for his ability to ride and control even the wildest horses. MILITARY LIFE In 1839, Jesse Grant secured for his son an appointment to the U. S. Military Academy. When he arrived at West Point he learned that he was on the muster roll as Ulysses Simpson Grant, through an error of the congressman who had nominated him. Finding it impossible to change this official listing, Grant accepted the inevitable and dropped Hiram from his name. "A military life had no charms for me," Grant said later, and his only purpose at the academy was "to get through the course, secure a detail for a few years as assistant professor of mathematics at the Academy, and afterwards obtain a permanent position as professor at some respectable college." Understandably, his West Point record was not spectacular. In 1843 he graduated in the middle of his class (21st in a class of 39), was commissioned brevet 2d lieutenant, assigned to the 4th U. S. Infantry, and sent to Jefferson Barracks, near St. Louis, Mo. There he began to learn his army duties and, even more important, met his future wife, Julia Dent, sister of a West Point classmate.

Analyzing “Little Red Riding Hood”

Analyzing â€Å"Little Red Riding Hood† Tammy J. Cooper ENG 125 Instructor Adenekan 3 March 2013 Analyzing â€Å"Little Red Riding Hood† In life, at one time or another we have had a moment that we have so innocently put ourselves in the path of harm or danger, just as the young woman in the short story â€Å"Little Red Riding Hood† (Perrault, 1697). We all need to beware of our surrounding, to be very careful about talking to strangers. For danger, violence, and even death can come disguised in familiar things as the theme in â€Å"Little Red Riding Hood† suggests.There are several literary elements that contribute to the theme of the story of â€Å"Little Red Riding Hood†. I will analyze these elements as I have interpreted them. Perrault uses omniscient point of view to tell this story. This is observed in the first sentence of the first paragraph, â€Å"Once upon a time there lived in a certain village a little country girl, the prettiest creat ure who was ever seen† (as cited in Clugston, 2010, section 4. 1, para. 1).Omniscient point of view simply means that the reader is privy to every characters inner thoughts and feelings; in addition it allows the reader to go in and out of each character thoughts throughout the story. In this short story the reader gets the thoughts and feelings of both Little Red and the wolf. The tone of â€Å"Little Red Riding Hood† is a message to teach the danger in talking to or trusting strangers. For many strangers cannot and should not be trusted. That evil does exist and it has many faces, even familiar faces.The setting of this story is a medieval village on the edge of a large dark forest. Which today could be a lovely suburb on the edge of a huge unfriendly dark city? This story has five characters in it; however, the story focuses on the young woman wearing a red-hooded cape, the wolf, and their encounter, â€Å"As she was going through the wood, she met with a wolf, who had a very great mind to eat her up, but he dared not, because of some woodcutters working nearby in the forest. He asked her where she was going. The poor child, who did ot know that it was dangerous to stay and talk to a wolf, said to him, â€Å"I am going to see my grandmother and carry her a cake and a little pot of butter from my mother† (as cited in Clugston, 2010, section 4. 1, para. 4). In reading â€Å"Little Red Riding Hood†, my interpretation of the symbolism is based on things in the 21st century. In my mind, I see Red not as a little girl but as a young woman just coming of age. She is very beautiful and quite desirable. The wolf is not a four-legged animal but a two-legged man with bad morals and evil thoughts.There are various kinds of wolves. There are those who are charming, quiet, polite, unassuming, complacent, and sweet who pursue young woman at home and in the street. And unfortunately, it is these gentle wolves who are the most dangerous ones of a ll. Whereas, Red still thinks with a pure, loving, and trusting heart and mind as do many young females do today? In addition, where it say the wolf eats Red, â€Å"And, saying these words, this wicked wolf fell upon Little Red Riding Hood, and ate her all up (as cited in Clugston, 2010, section 4. 1, para. 27).The wolf does not actually eat Red but rapes and violates her stealing her innocence from her forever. The plot of the story contributes to the theme of the story by telling us of the dangers of talking to strangers. We all need to beware of our surroundings and to be so very careful in speaking to strangers, for danger, violence, loss of innocence, and even death can come disguised in things and people that are very familiar to us. References Clugston, R. W. , (2010). Journey into Literature. Retrieved from: http://content. ashford. edu/books/AUENG125. 10. 2? sections=sec4. 1

Western Lowland Gorilla Facts

The western lowland gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) is one of two subspecies of western gorillas The other subspecies is the Cross River gorilla. Of the two subspecies, the western lowland gorilla is more numerous. Its also the only subspecies of gorilla kept in zoos, with few exceptions. Fast Facts: Western Lowland Gorilla Scientific Name: Gorilla gorilla gorillaDistinguishing Features: Relatively small gorilla with dark brownish black hair and large skull. Mature males have white hair on their backs.Average Size: 68 to 227 kg (150 to 500 lb); males about twice the size of femalesDiet: HerbivorousLife Span: 35 yearsHabitat: Western sub-Saharan AfricaConservation Status: Critically EndangeredKingdom: AnimaliaPhylum: ChordataClass: MammaliaOrder: PrimatesFamily: HominidaeFun Fact: The western lowland gorilla is the only subspecies kept in zoos, with very rare exceptions. Description Gorillas are the largest apes, but western lowland gorillas are the smallest gorillas. Males are considerably larger than females. An adult male weighs between 136 and 227 kg (300 to 500 lbs) and stands up to 1.8 m (6 ft) tall. Females weigh between 68 and 90 kg (150 to 200 lb) and stand around 1.4 m (4.5 ft) tall. The western lowland gorilla has a larger, wider skull than a mountain gorilla and dark brownish black hair. Young gorillas have a small white rump patch until they are about four years old. Mature males are called silverback males because they have a saddle of white hair across their backs and extending onto the rump and thighs. Western lowland gorillas, like other primates, have unique fingerprints and nose prints. Distribution As their common name suggests, western lowland gorillas live in western Africa at low elevations ranging from sea level to 1300 meters. They inhabit rain forests and forested areas of swamps, rivers, and fields. Most of the population lives in the Republic of the Congo. The gorillas also occur in Cameroon, Angola, Congo, Gabon, Central African Republic, and Equatorial Guinea. Gorilla species distribution. Fobos92 Diet and Predators Western lowland gorillas are herbivores. They preferentially select fruit that is high in sugar and fiber. However, when fruit is scarce, they eat leaves, shoots, herbs, and bark. An adult gorilla eats about 18 kg (40 lb) of food per day. The gorillas only natural predator is the leopard. Otherwise, only humans hunt gorillas. Social Structure The gorillas live in groups of one to 30 gorillas, usually averaging between 4 and 8 members. One or more adult males lead the group. A group stays within a home range of 8 to 45 square kilometers. Western lowland gorillas are not territorial and their ranges overlap. The lead silverback organizes eating, resting, and traveling. While a male may make an aggressive display when challenged, gorillas are generally nonaggressive. Females engage in sexual behavior even when they are non-fertile to compete with other females. Young gorillas spend their time playing, much like human children. Reproduction and Life Cycle The reproductive rate of western lowland gorillas is very low. In part, this is because females dont reach sexual maturity until age 8 or 9 and dont reproduce when caring for young. As in humans, gorilla gestation lasts about nine months. A female gives birth to one infant. An infant rides on its mothers back and depends on her until it is about five years old. Occasionally, a male commits infanticide to gain a opportunity to mate with its mother. In the wild, a western lowland gorilla may live 35 years. Females care for young until they are around five years of age. Willis Chung / Getty Images Conservation Status and Threats The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists the western gorilla as critically endangered, which is the last category before global extinction in the wild. Only about 250 to 300 of the Cross River gorilla species are believed to remain, while estimates place the number of western lowland gorillas around 300,000 in 2018. While this may seem like a relatively large number of gorillas, the population size continues to dwindle and the animals face serious threats. Challenges facing the western lowland gorilla include deforestation; loss of habitat to human encroachment for settlements, farming, and grazing; climate change; slow reproductive rate coupled with infertility; and poaching for trophies, folk medicine, and bushmeat. Disease may pose an even greater threat to gorillas than other factors. Western lowland gorillas are one of the zoonotic origin of HIV/AIDs, which infects gorillas in a similar fashion as it does humans. Gorillas suffered over 90% mortality from an Ebola epizootic in 2003 to 2004 that killed two-thirds of the species population. Gorillas are also infected with malaria. While the outlook for wild western lowland gorillas appears grim, the species acts as a seed disperser, making it key to the survival of many other species in its habitat. Worldwide, zoos maintain a population of about 550 western lowland gorillas. Sources Darc, Mirela; Ayouba, Ahidjo; Esteban, Amandine; Learn, Gerald H.; Bouà ©, Vanina; Liegeois, Florian; Etienne, Lucie; Tagg, Nikki; Leendertz, Fabian H. (2015). Origin of the HIV-1 group O epidemic in western lowland gorillas. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 112 (11): E1343–E1352. doi:10.1073/pnas.1502022112Haurez, B.; Petre, C. Doucet, J. (2013). Impacts of logging and hunting on western lowland gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) populations and consequences for forest regeneration. A review. Biotechnologie, Agronomie, Socià ©tà © et Environnement. 17 (2): 364–372.Mace, G.M. (1990). Birth Sex Ratio and Infant Mortality Rates in Captive Western Lowland Gorillas. Folia Primatologica. 55 (3–4): 156. doi:10.1159/000156511Maisels, F., Strindberg, S., Breuer, T., Greer, D., Jeffery, K. Stokes, E.  (2018).  Gorilla gorilla ssp. gorilla  (amended version of 2016 assessment).  The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species  2018: e.T9406A136251508.   doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-2.RLTS.T9406A136251508.enRogers, M. Elizabeth; Abernethy, Kate; Bermejo, Magdalena; Cipolletta, Chloe; Doran, Diane; Mcfarland, Kelley; Nishihara, Tomoaki; Remis, Melissa; Tutin, Caroline E.G. (2004). Western gorilla diet: A synthesis from six sites. American Journal of Primatology. 64 (2): 173–192. doi:10.1002/ajp.20071