CSS Virginia (USS Merrimack) in the Civil War

CSS Virginia (USS Merrimack) in the Civil War CSS Virginia was the first ironclad warship constructed by the Confederate States Navy during  Civil War (1861-1865). Following the outbreak of the conflict in April 1861, the US Navy found that one of its largest facilities, the Norfolk (Gosport) Navy Yard, was now behind enemy lines. While attempts were made to remove as many ships and as much material as possible, circumstances prevented the yards commander, Commodore Charles Stuart McCauley, from saving everything. As Union forces began to evacuate, the decision was made to burn the yard and destroy the remaining ships. USS Merrimack Among the ships burned or scuttled were the ships-of-the-line USS Pennsylvania (120 guns), USS Delaware (74), and USS Columbus (90), the frigates USS United States (44 ), USS Raritan (50), and USS Columbia (50), as well as several sloops-of-war and smaller vessels. One of the most modern vessels that was lost was the relatively new steam frigate USS Merrimack (40 guns). Commissioned in 1856, Merrimack had served as flagship of the Pacific Squadron for three years before arriving at Norfolk in 1860. Attempts were made to remove Merrimack before the Confederates captured the yard. While Chief Engineer Benjamin F. Isherwood succeeded in getting the frigates boilers lit, efforts had to be abandoned when it was found that the Confederates had blocked the channel between Craney Island and Sewells Point. With no other option remaining, the ship was burned on April 20. Taking possession of the yard, Confederate officials later examined the wreck of Merrimack and found that it had only burned to the waterline and most of its machinery remained intact. Origins With the Union blockade of the Confederacy tightening, Confederate Secretary of the Navy Stephen Mallory began searching for ways in which his small force could challenge the enemy. One avenue that he elected to investigate was the development of ironclad, armored warships. The first of these, the French La Gloire (44) and British HMS Warrior (40 guns), had appeared in the last year and built upon lessons learned with armored floating batteries during the Crimean War (1853-1856). Consulting John M. Brooke, John L. Porter, and William P. Williamson, Mallory began pushing the ironclad program forward but found that the South lacked the industrial capacity to build the needed steam engines in a timely manner. Upon learning this, Williamson suggested using the engines and remains of the former Merrimack. Porter soon submitted revised plans to Mallory that based the new ship around Merrimacks power plant. CSS Virginia - Specifications: Nation: Confederate States of AmericaType: IroncladShipyard: Norfolk (Gosport) Navy YardOrdered: July 11, 1861Completed: March 7, 1862Commissioned: February 17, 1862Fate: Burned, May 11, 1862Displacement: 4,100 tonsLength: 275 ft.Beam: 51 ft.Draft: 21 ft.Speed: 5-6 knotsComplement: 320 menArmament: 2 Ãâ€" 7-in. Brooke rifles, 2 Ãâ€" 6.4-in. Brooke rifles, 6 Ãâ€" 9-in. Dahlgren smoothbores, 2 Ãâ€" 12-pdr howitzers Design Construction Approved on July 11, 1861, work soon began at Norfolk on CSS Virginia under the guidance of Brooke and Porter. Moving from preliminary sketches to advanced plans, both men envisioned the new ship as a casemate ironclad. Workers soon cut down the burned timbers of Merrimack to below the waterline and commenced construction of a new deck and the armored casemate. For protection, Virginias casemate was built of layers of oak and pine to a two-foot thickness before being covered by four inches of iron plate. Brooke and Porter designed the ships casemate to have angled sides to aid in deflecting enemy shot. The ship possessed a mixed armament consisting of two 7-in. Brooke rifles, two 6.4-in. Brooke rifles, six 9-in. Dahlgren smoothbores, as well as two 12-pdr howitzers. While the bulk of the guns were mounted in the ships broadside, the two 7-in. Brooke rifles were mounted on pivots at the bow and stern and could traverse to fire from multiple gun ports. In creating the ship, the designers concluded that its guns would be unable to penetrate the armor of another ironclad. As a result, they had Virginia fitted with a large ram on the bow. Battle of Hampton Roads Work on CSS Virginia progressed in early 1862, and its executive officer, Lieutenant Catesby ap Roger Jones, oversaw fitting out the ship. Though construction was ongoing, Virginia was commissioned on February 17 with Flag Officer Franklin Buchanan in command. Eager to test the new ironclad, Buchanan sailed on March 8 to attack Union warships in Hampton Roads despite the fact that workmen were still on board. The tenders CSS Raleigh (1) and Beaufort (1) accompanied Buchanan. Though a formidable vessel, Virginias size and balky engines made it difficult to maneuver and complete circle required a mile of space and forty-five minutes. Steaming down the Elizabeth River, Virginia found five warships of the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron anchored in Hampton Roads near the protective guns of Fortress Monroe. Joined by three gunboats from the James River Squadron, Buchanan singled out the sloop of war USS Cumberland (24) and charged forward. Though initially unsure what to make of the strange new ship, Union sailors aboard the frigate USS Congress (44) opened fire as Virginia passed. Rapid Success Returning fire, Buchanans guns inflicted significant damage on Congress. Engaging Cumberland, Virginia pounded the wooden ship as the Union shells bounced off its armor. After crossing Cumberlands bow and raking it with fire, Buchanan rammed it in an effort to save gunpowder. Piercing the Union ships side, part of Virginias ram detached as it was withdrawn. With Cumberland sinking, Virginia turned its attention to Congress which had grounded in an attempt to close with the Confederate ironclad. Engaging the frigate from a distance, Buchanan compelled it to strike its colors after an hour of fighting. Ordering his tenders forward to receive the ships surrender, Buchanan was angered when Union troops ashore, not understanding the situation, opened fire. Returning fire from Virginias deck with a carbine, he was wounded in the thigh by a Union bullet. In retaliation, Buchanan ordered Congress be shelled with incendiary hot shot. Catching on fire, Congress burned throughout the rest of the day exploded that night. Pressing his attack, Buchanan attempted to move against the steam frigate USS Minnesota (50), but was unable to inflict any damage as the Union ship fled into shallow water and ran aground. Meeting USS Monitor Withdrawing due to darkness, Virginia had won a stunning victory, but had taken damage amounting to two guns disabled, its ram lost, several armored plates damaged, and its smoke stack riddled. As temporary repairs were made during the night, command devolved to Jones. In Hampton Roads, the situation of the Union fleet improved dramatically that night with the arrival of the new turret ironclad USS Monitor from New York. Taking a defensive position to protect Minnesota and the frigate USS St. Lawrence (44), the ironclad awaited Virginias return. Steaming back to Hampton Roads in the morning, Jones anticipated an easy victory and initially ignored the strange-looking Monitor. Moving to engage, the two ships soon opened the first battle between ironclad warships. Pounding each other for over four hours, neither was able to inflict significant damage on the other. Though the Union ships heavier guns were able to crack Virginias armor, the Confederates scored a hit on their adversarys pilot house temporarily blinding Monitors captain, Lieutenant John L. Worden. Taking command, Lieutenant Samuel D. Greene drew the ship away, leading Jones to believe that he had won. Unable to reach Minnesota, and with his ship damaged, Jones began moving towards Norfolk. At this time, Monitor returned to the fight. Seeing Virginia retreating and with orders to protect Minnesota, Greene elected not to pursue. Later Career Following the Battle of Hampton Roads, Virginia made several attempts to lure Monitor into battle. These failed as the Union ship was under strict orders not to engage as its presence alone ensured that the blockade remained in place. Serving with the James River Squadron, Virginia faced a crisis with Norfolk fell to Union troops on May 10. Due to its deep draft, the ship could not move up the James River to safety. When efforts to lighten the ship failed to significantly reduce its draft, the decision was made to destroy it to prevent capture. Stripped of its guns, Virginia was set on fire off Craney Island early on May 11. The ship exploded when the flames reached its magazines.

Cause and Effect Essay Example Great Depression

Cause and Effect Essay Example Great Depression Cause and effect essays  are popular ways of helping students understand the relationship between various events. They’re extremely popular in history classes, although students are certainly going to encounter them in English and writing classes as well. English and writing classes are often geared towards helping students be better at critical thinking in general, and cause and effect essays can serve as excellent critical thinking exercises in general. Cause and effect essay outline is a five-paragraph essay with an introduction paragraph, three body paragraphs, and a conclusion paragraph. 50 WINNING CAUSE AND EFFECT ESSAY TOPICS If you are looking for cause and effect essay examples here is a great one below Cause and Effect Essay Example: GREAT DEPRESSION The World Great Depression hit the global economy from the late 1920s through the period in 1930s. The depression had enormous market implications: social, economic and political. In order to understand the implications of the global depression crisis, it is imperative to review the crisis causes. This essay reviews on the economic and political causes of  the crisis and their subsequent implications. Economically, the crisis onset was in 1929 characterized by the Wall Street collapse. At this time, the economy purchasing power was failing as money supply decreased. Initially, there was speculation on the eminent Wall Street collapse. At this time, the USA government resulted to financial measures aimed at reducing this influence. In this case, the federal government sought to reduce money supply in the economy through increased interest rates. This aimed at establishing avenues to reduce the increased money supply in the market. However, this process failed in the long run as the money supply continuously fell (Rosen, 2005). The Federal Reserve Bank, the central bank in America failed to institute mechanisms to reduce this crisis. Consequently, this led to the  reduced  money supply in the economy resulting in  the great depression. Reduced money supply in the market reduced the economy’s ability to purchase products. Politically, Rosen (2005) stated that the protectionism approach and regulations played a significant role in the emergence and escalation of the global recession crisis. In this regard, global economies such as European  markets developed strategies to regulate against increased importation into the markets. This sought to remedy the European market overproduction rates. Similarly, in order to protect the American multinational companies; the government in 1930 instituted the Smoot-Hawley Tariff. The tariff instituted high taxation rates for imports in the Unites States. In this regard, the strategy sought to limit importation into the economy. This was a strategy to mitigate against the increased overproduction in the economy. As such, the government sought to establish the structure  through which to reduce on the implications of increased overproduction in the economy. However, although this reduced instances of over production in the economy, it led to reduced international trade. Consequently, this reduced foreign exchange in the global markets. This trend was not only in the USA  but also in countries across the global economy. Increased tariffs and importation restrictions resulted to reduced international trade. As a result, economies were subjected to decreased foreign exchange. This implicated on the overall currency purchasing powers in the economy as currencies lost their value in the global market. International trade plays a significant role in enhancing increased currency purchasing through the development of balanced and favorable terms of trade. Through the establishment of favorable terms of trade, economies currencies increase their purchasing power enhancing increased spending and consumption levels in an economy. Reduction on the trade resulted in  reduced spending further reducing money supply in the market, thus propagating the global Great Depression crisis. The reduction in the  importation  and international trade rates resulted in  increased unemployment rates. The international trade distribution channels proved increased employment opportunities. Therefore, its collapse led to increased unemployment. Further, the trade allowed for increased government revenues through levied taxes and tariffs. To this effect, its reduction resulted to decreased government revenues. A combination of these factors reduced earnings and government spending in the economy. Consequently, the reduced international trade perpetuated reduced money supply in the global market. The global depression crisis emergence was because of reduced money supply in the market. An additional cause for the escalation of the global recession crisis was the existence of small and numerous banks. In this regard, the banks lacked enough capital and funds to support their systems. To this effect, the collapse of Wall Street resulted in an  increased lack of confidence in  the banking industry. As a result, there emerged the cash rush. This was a process through which banking customers sought to withdraw their funds and have them in liquid cash. Due to the advance and defaulted loans, the banking industry was unable to avail all the required funds. This led to the eventual collapse of the banking industry. The banking industry is an imperative component in the global market success and functioning. Therefore, the collapse of the banking industry led to the eventual collapse of the entire global economy as the banking services that enhanced transaction success no longer functions (Rosen, 2005). Consequently, the global market failed to result in the great recession. Moreover, the global depression crisis emergence can be hedged on the political systems and obligations imposed on nations after World War I. After the war, the USA emerged as a major power due to its late entry into the war. As a result, it advanced loans and funds towards the reconstruction of global nations such as Germany. On the other hand, Germany was burdened with increased loans repayment as damages for the war. This culminated in the banking industry overspending and due to inflation, the banks considerably raised their lending rates leading to global market supply deficiency. HOW TO WRITE A CAUSE AND EFFECT ESSAY If you need assistance with cause and effect essay writing, feel free to contact our friendly support team or place an order and we will gladly help you.

Law for Non-Lawyers Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Law for Non-Lawyers - Case Study Example Thereafter, Billy is under the influence of Alcohol, and he slaps the nurse when he is denied permission to see the wife in the hospital. Under these circumstances, the crown court has to put into consideration the various fields of law that Billy fails to adhere to; for instance, the Family Law- under the domestic violence, the criminal law- Assault on a public servant (Nurse) (Ferraro and Boychuck 209). Further insights into this situation is the place where the crime occurred, there is the presence of Children aged 5 and 8. Based on family laws, it is apparent that domestic violence propagates perilous effects on children because, at this ages children are at a critical stage of growth and development and exposure to domestic violence may change their perception and strategies to use in making decisions (Ferraro and Boychuck 209). Finally, the Crown Court may file a case against Billy on attempted murder on Hilda in using a chair leg to hit his wife. Using some peer reviewed journ als, secondary sources, publications, and statutes, the paper shall analyze a justified decision that the Crown Court may take concerning Billy’s situation (Asmus 115–158). According to Dr. Badawi & Jamal (1971), the both civilization and Christianity values the wellbeing of women and restores their rights. Therefore, a woman is a companion to the husband but not a legal obligation to him. In the first case, Billy assaults his wife by hitting her with a chair leg harming her. This is against the laws defined under section 47 on offences Against the Person Act 1861. Based on the offences Against the Person Act 1861, Billy’s act of assault falls under the intent of causing resulting to bodily harm or wounding (Asmus 115–158). In view of both the Crown Court sections, the court has every right to file a case against the assaults committed by Billy on Hilda and the nurse. However, the Crown Court will only open a case against Billy if Hilda accepts to file a case against Billy for the injuries sustained. For this reason, any course of action by the crown court is dependent on the Hilda’s decision, and the testimony that the children may provide to the Court on what they saw. They are the eyewitnesses on the circumstances surrounding the guilty consciousness of Billy (Asmus 115–158). Therefore, if Hilda takes a decision of opening a case against her husband, then, these puts the Crown into a better position of prosecuting Billy and justifies the issues surrounding the violence Act against Hilda. Hilda is a victim of violence to her husband the moment her rights are violated by Billy. It is very apparent that, Billy intended to cause violence because at the time of the crime, he was in his right frame of mind. Under the Family Violence Act, domestic violence is any form of mistreatment caused to a family member. The form of violence may involve children, close/elderly relatives, but violence occurs between spouses (Asmus 115 –158). Based on all these facts and the course of action taken by Hilda, Crown Court prosecutor may consider sentencing Billy for approximately 4 – 5 years. Considering the case, or rather, this incidence occurred in May 2004, a man

Human resource development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Human resource development - Essay Example ACC, a Danish company, experimented with a new type of training that was designed to create adult learning associated with the production of a learning organization Initially, the attitudes about the project were quite favourable, however upon launch, participants chosen for the activity found it to be without much merit. This was due to poor communication about the nature of the project, less autonomy and shared decision-making, and the fact that the organisation remained static and would not be changing. This project recommends that there be a new system of training for creating a positive attitude for a learning organisation that include better preliminary communications and also with margin for organisational flexibility. Article overview The article selected for review, â€Å"The learning organization: an undelivered promise†, highlights the activities associated with a year-long training seminar targeting professional employees at a Danish organisation known as Administr ative Case Consideration (ACC). The purpose of the study was to identify the different training methods used to foster a new collaborative learning organisation in which managers could develop new skills as knowledge managers dedicated to promoting learning across the entire staff. The goal was to change employees whilst the organisation, itself, as well as its internal policies and processes, remained static and unchanging. The study’s methodology consisted of professionals being grouped into four work teams, with each portion of training for each team carried out over a three month period. Teams rotated throughout the entire year until the entire organisation had been through the programme. Direct observation by the researcher occurred, therefore validating results significantly as the researcher was able to both participate and interview those involved in the training sessions. Pre- and post-interviews were delivered to the training members to identify whether their attitu des about the training has changed after their three month session was completed. There were four models used in the training, including quality, communications, and generic principles associated with total quality management. The article informs the reader by identifying that such structures are oftentimes socially driven with frustrations caused by limited new skills development. It shows that adult learning is sometimes complex with radical social structures guiding its development and effectiveness, even when social dimensions are not the goal of creating a learning organisation. The advantages of this training were closer interpersonal relationships with colleagues, more so than embracing of the learning organisation concepts. Andragogic approach This study was andragogic in design as it facilitated learning with adult participants. In many ways, it was self-directing, oriented to provide meaningful insight surrounding current problems and tasks associated with ACC, and based o n trust and collaboration. These are necessary to facilitate andragogic learning effectively (Guldem 2009). Since the study did not involve youths, it was not pedagogic in nature and the basis of learning was geared around the elements of adult management and leadership necessary to achieve the goal of promoting a learning organisation. The learning was supposed to be intrinsically motivated, as the preliminary interviews had identified that the majority of participants were initially excited and interested about joining the training structure. However, considerable frustrations occurred in this andragogic effort that will be identified. The model of training used The model used was unique to the environment and activities associated with ACC, however were loosely based on John Dewey’s theory of learning. In this theory, the professionals â€Å"require a preparation to enable them to sense uncertain situations and act upon them by way of inquiry†

Organizational Culture, Business Strategy and HR Practices affect diverse teams‘ performance Essay Example for Free

Organizational Culture, Business Strategy and HR Practices affect diverse teams‘ performance Essay The Later Findings: Organizational Culture, Business Strategy and HR Practices affect diverse teams‘ performance Effects of Organizational Culture and Business Strategies Effects of Organizational Culture and Business Strategies Diverse groups show a higher level of performance in a people-oriented culture Educationally diverse groups perform better within a growth-oriented business strategy Educationally diverse groups perform worse within a stability-oriented business strategy Growth-oriented cultures need creativity and innovation, this is provided through a diverse group Diverse work teams need an appropriate work environment (innovative, creative, group ID) Effects of HR Practices Members of diverse groups are generally rewarded higher in stock options within a diversity-oriented HR environment Companies, which manage diversity well are well managed overall Good diversity management is provided through a strong support from the CEO The Expanded, Nuanced Leadership Role 2050 non-whites will be the majority in the USA Specific and practical recommendations for leaders of diverse teams: 1. Be attuned to issues of social category diversity and identity groups Reflecting about the own social identity, about the one of others and the associated reactions to it 2. Keep refining and developing your own emotional and social intelligence Becoming more aware of the own strength and weaknesses, be aware of the own mood and how to manage it. A high level of self-awareness and flexibility are vital for social intelligence. Be aware about your own verbal and non-verbal language and try to manage them well. Be able to adapt to different cultures and gain crucial knowledge about them. 3. Focus on the diversity values of the team, early and often A good performance is provided through an early alignment of vision and values. 4. Create a strong team identity or brand Team leaders need to build the team’s identity and connection to the organization. Shorthand identification, which can be repeated and demonstrated until it becomes accepted and well known. 5. Hone your skills at having tough conversations See conflict as creative tension that can build positive results. 6. Focus on building organizational culture and human resource practices that are needed to translate diversity into positive results Ensure that a suitable work environment, business strategy and HR practices are in place for diverse teams.

An Annotation of T.S. Eliots The Waste Land, Part 4, Death By Water Es

An Annotation of T.S. Eliot's The Waste Land, Part 4, Death By Water Each of us has our own personal wasteland. The wasteland may manifest itself in many things; school, loss of love, loneliness, work, fear or doubt. In any case, a wasteland is a part of us that is clearly missing something and causes a distinct lack of completeness and a sense of uncertainty about our future. T.S. Eliot manages to capture the essence of that dry and forsaken feeling in his five-part poem entitled, The Wasteland. Using five different sections, Eliot ties weaves together an enchanting story that was influenced by the book by Jessie L. Weston entitled From Ritual to Romance. Her book tells the ancient myth of the Fisher King, who lived as the impotent King of the Wasteland. The myth introduces a figure called the "Deliverer" who is also known as the Phlebas the Phoenician Sailor, who must sacrifice his life to save that of the dying Fisher King in hopes of restoring the dry and fertile land once again. Although based off of an ancient myth, the poem is drenched with Bib lical references and symbolic characters that offer connections to the life and death of Christ leading any reader to believe that Phlebas has every right to represent the person of Christ. Section four of the poem contains a problem that must be solved before the end of the work. Section IV entitled Death by Water holds the death of the figure that represents the "Deliverer" of Christ. A mere ten lines in length so much depends upon the interpretation of that death. Two strong interpretations can be made from the lines, however they leave the reader with the very same question to ponder. The conclusion that the two interpretations share is the idea and existence of life afte... ...ce of the wasteland. Humans running back and forth, never really accomplishing anything because they sense no greater purpose of meaning; they live in a dry, weary, compromised world†¦much like the life Eliot describes in part five where peoples faces "sneer and snarl (344)." The entire poem the wasteland is a searching, a struggle for the truth, for salvation of the dry, arid, and deserted time Eliot is living in. Eliot recognizes that there needs to be some sort of a renewal, a salvation that is offered to all. He establishes the first part of that renewal in Part 4 with the death of Phlebas. Whether we look at Phlebas as Christ and his sacrifice for the world, or we see Phlebas as a mere mortal, we see that in order to bring peace, re-birth, and renewal, death must precede that new beginning. Work Cited "Consider." Webster's Collegiate Dictionary. 1995.

In songs of innocence and experience William Blake reveals the contrary states of human existence

William Blake was a madman. This is what many people believed and still do today. After all he claimed to have visions of angels and he thought himself to be a prophet. However, could someone so mad make poems full of ingenious sense? Is it possible for someone who was happily married with such creativity and artistic talent to be crazy? To determine whether Blake's sanity stayed firmly with him throughout his life, we can study his background and analyse the deeper meanings lodged within his poetry, in 17 of his poems from Songs of Innocence and Experience. ‘Without contraries is no progression', Blake summed up in this one quotation what he was trying to say in all of his poems; that opposites: ‘Attraction, Repulsion, Reason, Energy, Love, Hate' are partners in the structure of ‘Human Existence' hence the title ‘The marriage of Heaven and hell'. Blake's background plays a large part in why he was the way he was, so it is important to cover his background as well and not just what he managed to put in the form of a poem on paper. So, Blake had little money and certainly lived a poverty stricken life throughout his childhood (him and his other brother and sister). The impression is given through research of the illustrious writer's background, that he was religious from a very young age as he was born in 1757 which was still, of course, a very religious time and at the age of just 4 he claimed to have received a vision of God's head in a window. Blake only had a sister called Catherine after his brother, Richard Blake, died in infancy in 1762 and John Blake also died in infancy; until Robert Blake was born (who later went on to die at the age of 21) in 1767 which is also when William's father had recognised what a talent he had for drawing and so Blake was sent to a drawing school. Wanting a good income for his son, Blake's father arranged for Blake to be an apprentice to an engraver, called Basire. He spent 7 years there learning the arts of: engraving, etching, stippling and copying. When he was twenty one he became a professional engraver and met his future wife, Catherine Boucher. He stayed with her for the rest of his life. His other achievements apart from his poems were his paintings, poetical and political sketches, books and engrave. This picture was painted by Blake in 1805 with water colours as well as pen. It is called, ‘The River of life' and shows the experienced and innocent swimming and wading through the river of life. Also the golden sunset on the horizon appears to be the destination and it is like a guiding light, offering hope and almost suggesting it is heaven as Blake was very religious and it does lie at the end of the river. The two tall figures at either side of the picture are holding pipes and playing a tune on them which goes back to Blake's poem, in Songs of Innocence ‘Introduction'. The ‘Introduction' to Songs of Innocence is showing how Innocence needs Experience and is led by experience. Introduction Piping down the valleys wild Piping songs of pleasant glee On a cloud I saw a child. And he laughing said to me. Pipe a song about a Lamb: So I piped with merry chear, Piper pipe that song again — So I piped, he wept to hear. Drop thy pipe thy happy pipe Sing thy songs of happy chear, So I sung the same again while he wept with joy to hear. Piper sit thee down and write In a book that all may read — So he vanish'd from my sight, And I pluck'd a hollow reed. And I made a rural pen, And I stain'd the water clear, And I wrote my happy songs Every child may joy to hear The repetition of pipe and piper gives the poem an uplifting feel because of the imagery that it provokes in your mind (a tune being piped). This kind of youthful happy imagery is used in many of the poems to put across the carefree, naà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ve days that come with childhood. However the piper, being older, represents experience or so you would think and yet it is the little boy who cries to hear the song; if the boy is innocent and has no experience how could he know sadness that comes with experience. Blake was right that you need opposites because after all you cannot balance anything if it is one sided; hence the irony of the boy having experience and innocence. I think that Blake has chosen to make the Songs of Innocence poems happier on a whole because he had such an unhappy childhood as many of his brothers died then and re-wrote the jolly childhood that he missed out on. I also think that the Songs of Experience poems are less pleasant because Blake stated to see the world in an abstract way and was less naà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ve when he was older and he noticed more of the bad things in the world for example, in his descriptive poem of London where he spent lot of time (as well as in the countryside). London was also the subject of a poem by William Wordsworth but it portrayed a contrasting view to Blake's, many say this was because Blake became bitter. London I wander through each chartered street Near where the chartered Thames does flow, And mark in every face I meet Marks of weakness, marks of woe. In every cry of every man, In every infant's cry of fear, In every voice, in every ban, The mind-forged manacles I hear – How the chimney-sweeper's cry Every black'ning church appals, And the hapless soldier's sigh Runs in blood down palace walls; But most through midnight streets I hear How youthful harlot's curse Blasts the new-born infant's tear, And blights with plagues the marriage-hearse. This poem portrays a very sinister London which he appears to have experienced in detail as he says in the 1st line ‘each chartered street †¦..where the chartered Thames does flow', implying that he has been down the same streets many times before being that chartered means somewhere that has already been discovered or found. The repetition of ‘every' in the 2nd stanza, ‘In every cry of every man, In every infant's cry of fear, In every voice, in every ban,' emphasizes the monotonous, repetition in every one of his days. As he is talking about ‘mind-forged manacles' as well, it is like he is saying that no-one escapes as even the innocent are touched by experience; for example, ‘In every infant's cry of fear' Blake could hear experience trapping them. The world was far from perfect in Blake's day and still is today, but that didn't stop Blake; in a perfect world, people would be able to do anything and not be restricted by rules of law or physics, which is what Blake wanted; this was because Blake was a Romanticist. Romanticism characterized many works of literature, paintings, music, architecture, criticism in Western civilization over a period from the late 18th to the mid-19th century. Romanticism is often seen as the rejection of the rules of order, calm, harmony, balance, idealization, and rationality that epitomised Classicism in general. This is why he was opposed to the enlightenment period and the reason and illusory science that came with it. In Songs of Innocence, Blake endeavoured to make the world a better and happier place in his eyes by giving a distinctive naà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ve view to the poems. The poems were striking in the 18th century and even more so today, but Blake in his time was seen as a unique thinker because he could look at the world differently to everyone almost in an abstract way which appealled to citezens of London and England (although mainly the radical thinkers he surrounded himself with e.g. Thomas Paine who he also wrote some political sketches with). Songs of Innocence and Experience are some of his most infuencial linguistic works of art, how ever it was the poem ‘London' which influenced L.S. Lowry to draw his infamous match stick people outside of a industrial building all walking around and that was written over 100 years prior.