Franklin Delano Roosevelt FDR :: Biography Biographies Bio

Franklin Delano Roosevelt In March 1933 Franklin Delano Roosevelt became the 32nd president of the United States. During his presidency he was the only president in America's history to hold office for four terms. He led America during the Great Depression and World War II. Franklin Roosevelt was head of the powerful Democratic Party which controlled American politics for thirty years. Roosevelt was a controversial leader in his time, some people admired him and others despised him, but today he is considered to be one of the greatest American presidents. Franklin Roosevelt was born on January 30, 1882 in Hyde Park, New York. Franklin's father, James Roosevelt, married Sara Delano (Franklin's mother) in 1880 several years after his first wife had died. Sara had been only 26 at the time of the marriage while James had been 52. They had a happy marriage until James died in 1900. Franklin was treated as an only child when he was born because his half brother was an adult by then. His parents sheltered and spoiled young Franklin. His parents kept him in dresses and long curls until he was five years old. During the summers Franklin went with his parents to Europe, the seaside of New England, or to the Campobello Island off the Coast of New Brunswick. Since he spent many summers by the sea Franklin Roosevelt developed an interest in sailing. Franklin Roosevelt was home schooled by governesses and tutors until he was fourteen years old. He then attended Groton School in Massachusetts between 1896 and 1900. Franklin's academic record was average and he did not excel at sports either. Some of his class mates called him the "feather duster" because he seemed priggish but that was mostly due to the sheltered life he had led. Franklin then went on to attend Harvard until 1904. His academic record was again average but he finished his B.A. in three years. During his fourth year at Harvard he was editor of the college newspaper, Crimson. Franklin was never very motivated about school. Franklin soon became engaged to Eleanor Roosevelt, a fifth cousin who was once removed. They married on March 17, 1905 despite Sara Delano's objections. They had five children, one girl and four boys. All four of the boys would later serve as officers in World War II. They were all also decorated for bravery. Eleanor Roosevelt discovered in 1918 that Franklin was having an affair with her social secretary, Lucy Mercer.

Macbeth: The Struggle Against Evil Essay

Thesis Statement: In Shakespeare’s Macbeth, the character Macbeth constantly battles against his evil nature. As the play progresses, Macbeth seems to have become a completely evil tyrant, but he never fully ends his struggle against evil. Introduction I. Macbeth: a noble and virtuous character II. Struggle with temptation and evil A. Witches B. Himself C. Lady Macbeth III. Murder of Duncan A. Before the murder B. Effects of the murder IV. Murder of Banquo V. Murder of Macduff’s family VI. Lasting nobility and signs of conscience Conclusion William Shakespeare’s primary source for Macbeth was Holinshed’s History of Scotland. The fictional character, Macbeth, is based mainly on the actual Macbeth who Holinshed writes about. This Scottish play is, â€Å"Shakespeare’s chief tragic gift to the world at large† (Jonson, Beaumont, Fletcher 279). Although it is his shortest play, it is often considered to be his best. In it he depicts the â€Å"corruption of a soul† in a way that both excites us, yet at the same time brings fear to us (Jonson, Beaumont, Fletcher 279). He is a character with whom, we are strangely able to identify, and whose destruction we cannot watch without feelings of fright and pity (Alden 276). It is a play, which becomes the personal tragedy of Macbeth, a noble character whose flaws cause his downfall. In Shakespeare’s Macbeth, the character Macbeth constantly battles against his evil nature. As the play progresses, Macbeth seems to have become a completely evil tyrant, but he never fully ends his struggle against evil. Initially, Macbeth is portrayed as a brave, noble, and loyal man. He is well known and praised by many, including Duncan, the King of Scotland, who praises him for his loyalty and successes in battle. Macbeth seems to be the quintessence of nobility. Walter Curry states, â€Å"He knows what it is to be actively loyal to king and country, to accept duty, to promote justice, amity, and piety† (112). Before meeting the witches, he seems to have a â€Å"definite disposition†, to be resolute in his choices, and free from ambiguity (Curry 104). According to Raymond Alden, â€Å"The principle point is that Macbeth is presented to us at the outset in a nobly attractive form and is actually, in some sense, a good man† (276). When he meets the witches, they help instill evil thoughts into his mind. They see, â€Å"what passions drive him and what dark desires await their fostering† (Curry 116). He struggles with these evil thoughts which are already rooted within him. His real temptation begins after hearing Johnson 2 the witches’ predictions saying that he will become king. Curry says that the witches’ prophecy, â€Å"arouses his passions and inflames his imagination to the extent that nothing is but what is not† (78). Realizing his flaws in character and that he wants the kingdom, they feed his strong sense of ambition and self-love. Curry explains that the witches, â€Å"symbolize a secret world of evil spirits that with satanic cunning lie in wait for human souls, conquering the unguarded heart and rejoicing in hurling their victim to the dust of misery and sin†(57). Their purpose is, â€Å"to stimulate Macbeth’s imagination to the point of grasping some underlying emotional, moral, or intellectual content† (Curry 55). Through their temptation, the witches are able to confuse and corrupt his judgement so that he is lead towards choosing the means to reach his desired goal, to become king. After the first appearance of the witches, Macbeth’s pride and ambition begin to overcome him. Evil thoughts of how he could obtain the crown run through his mind. He really begins to go through an internal struggle against evil. Curry says that he is too concerned not with, â€Å"attaining the ultimate good, but of flattering his inordinate love of self† (113). He is incapable of using correct judgement and making a reasonable decision. He knows that to become king, he will have to commit murder. He is very sensible and thinks about what the consequences of his actions would be. He still has a strong sense of conscience; although, his ambition is beginning to overtake him. Alden observes that Macbeth’s evil thoughts are, â€Å"in the making, instead of ready made; and they struggle against that sense of their vileness which we have already observed† (277). Duncan is a good and virtuous king; he is also Macbeth’s cousin. The power of his ambition is demonstrated when he says, â€Å"I have no spur / to prick the sides of Johnson 3 my intent but / vaulting ambition, which oerleaps itself / and falls on th’ other† (1.7.25-28). â€Å"Vaulting ambition† is his chief character flaw and his only reason to kill the king. Edward Dowden points out that, â€Å"Shakespeare does not believe in any sudden transformation of a noble and loyal soul into that of a traitor and murderer† (223). Macbeth’s conscience still bothers him, even though he knows what course of action he should take. After much contemplation, he resolves not to kill Duncan, but his decision doesn’t last long. Evil thoughts overcome him. Lady Macbeth is also seen as an evil with which he struggles against. She understands Macbeth very well and knows exactly how to manipulate him. She knows that he is a good man. This is demonstrated to us when she says, â€Å"Yet I do fear thy nature; / It is too full o’ th’ milk of human kindness / To catch the nearest way. Thou wouldst be great, / Art not without ambition, but without / the illness should attend it† ( 1.5.16-20). She also knows that he will probably not go through with his plans without her pressuring and influencing him to go through with them. She decides that she must rid of anything that interferes with him becoming king. Macbeth tells her that he has decided not to kill the king and she becomes infuriated. She knows that he is a very proud man, so by questioning his manhood she is able to convince him to kill the king. According to Curry, â€Å"He dares do all that may become a man. And it is precisely this established foundation of his self-esteem that Lady Macbeth assaults. She charges him with unmasculine weakness and contemptible cowardice† (118). She is a very influential force upon him and holds much power. Macbeth succumbs to the temptation and evil of his wife. Even though he has given into the temptation and evil, he continues to have a strong sense of conscience and fears the evil act which he is soon going to commit. Johnson 4 Macbeth goes through a major struggle with his guilt and conscience when he commits his first murder, the murder of Duncan. Wilson Knight observes that, â€Å"He himself is hopelessly at a loss, and has little idea as to why he is going to murder Duncan† (121). Macbeth is nervous and feels very guilty about murdering him. He feels so guilty that he even becomes delusional and starts imagining things. His regretting conscience and struggle against evil is demonstrated to us when directly after murdering him, he hears voices saying, â€Å"Glamis hath murdered sleep, and therefore Cawdor / Shall sleep no more: Macbeth shall sleep no more† (2.2.41-42). He is very remorseful and doesn’t want to think about the evil act which he has just committed. His remorse and conscience is shown after killing Duncan when he says, â€Å"This is a sorry sight† (2.2.20). He is very rattled and on edge because of his sins. Beginning after the first murder, there is a dramatic change in the Macbeth’s character. Curry says, â€Å"It is a profound alteration in the state of his personality, an astounding dislocation of the very center of being, which fixes itself immediately in a habit inclining to further crime† (104). After murdering Duncan, it’s as if the good in him begins to diminish. He starts to lose some of his conscience and begins transforming into an almost evil character. Curry quotes Thomas Aquinas in saying, â€Å"when man through one sinful act loses honor, charity, or shame, or anything else that withdraws him from evil, he thereby falls into another sin, the first being the accidental cause of the second† (119). He becomes less concerned with conscience, and more concerned with completing what he has already begun: â€Å"I am in blood stepped so far that, should I wade no more, returning were as tedious as go o’er† (3.5.37- ). He feels like it is too late for him to turn back now, and that he has nothing left to lose at this point. Johnson 5 It becomes easier for Macbeth to commit the second and third murders. A â€Å"train† of sins and crimes follow the first crime he commits (Curry 120). The second murder is the murder of Banquo. Banquo was one of his close colleagues but his, â€Å"wracking passions, frayed nerves, and inordinate apprehension of the imagination,† have led him to believe that Banquo’s knowledge Could be a possible threat to him (Curry 127). He built it up in his mind that Banquo was the main source of all his problems and a very significant threat to his kingdom. Thinking that doing evil will be easier if he does it quickly, he says, â€Å"The very firstlings of my heart shall be / The firstlings of my hand† (4.1.147-148). Taking this irrational course of action leads to the third murder that Macbeth commits, the murder of Macduff’s family. Macduff is one of the main people who oppose Macbeth and pose a major threat. Without any rational reason, and in a rage of anger, he surprises Macduff’s castle and kills everyone in his family. By this time it seems as if so many of his sins have built up, and that almost all of the goodness which he initially had has left him. He remains an almost completely evil tyrant. Although finally, it seems like there is no goodness and nobility remaining in him, there is. Macbeth never fully allows himself to become entirely evil. There are still lasting signs of conscience and virtue shown in his character. Curry explains, † Macbeth remains essentially human and his conscience continues to witness the diminution of his being. There is still left necessarily some natural good in him; sin cannot completely deprive him of his rational nature, which is the root of his inescapable inclination to virtue†(133). Even when Macbeth is about to die, he demonstrates nobility by not killing himself or giving up. He also did not want to kill Macduff because he felt guilty about spilling so much of his blood already. This shows his Johnson 6 lasting conscience and virtue. Thomas Aquinas is quoted as stating that, â€Å"no human being can become completely evil† (Curry 89). Initially, it is easy to see all of Macbeth’s good virtues, but later after he has committed all of his evil acts, it becomes very difficult. It’s almost as if the evil takes over and becomes second nature to him, but not quite. Doing the evil acts is always difficult for him, and through it all he is able to maintain his conscience and some virtues. He never becomes completely evil because of his conscience, which causes a great deal of mental suffering. The good in him is never fully destroyed, and we hold admiration for him even up to the time of his death: â€Å"Macbeth’s language is the grave utterance of the very heart, conscience-sick, even to the last faintings of moral death† (Jonson, Beaumont, Fletcher 230). Works Cited Alden, Raymond. Shakespeare. New York: Duffield, 1922. Curry, Walter C. Shakespeare’s Philosophical Patterns. Ann Arbor: LSU UP, 1959. Dowden, Edward. Shakespeare: A Critical Study of His Mind and Art. New York: Harper, 1880. Jonson, Ben, Beaumont, and Fletcher. Shakespeare. Liverpool: Howell, 1874. Knight, Wilson. The Wheel of Fire: Interpretations of Shakespearean Tragedy. New York: Meridian, 1957. Shakespeare, William. Macbeth. Literature, Timeless Voices, Timeless Themes: The British Tradition. Ed. Ellen Bowler et al. Saddle River, New Jers4ey: Prentice, 1999. 272-361.

Sigificance Of The Apollo 11 Mission - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 6 Words: 1773 Downloads: 1 Date added: 2019/08/15 Category Statistics Essay Level High school Tags: Apollo 11 Essay Did you like this example? Apollo 11On May 25, 1961, John F. Kennedy set the goal of landing the first men on the moon. This began project Apollo. The men who served on the project were brave, determined men. The project faced many obstacles including Apollo 1, where every soul was lost. But through all the challenges, mistakes were learned from, making the Apollo 11 mission successful. The men on Apollo 11, Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins, are examples of true American heroes; alongside the rest of the astronauts. Mission goals  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Apollo 11 was to be the first manned mission to the moon. This, however, was not their only objective. In addition, they would perform scientific exploration, transmit radio waves to earth, place seismic monitors, and collect lunar rock samples (Apollo 11 mission overview). Indeed this mission would not only be a great success, but it would also pave the way for future space travel and more moon landings. The Previous Missions  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Sigificance Of The Apollo 11 Mission" essay for you Create order Apollo 1 was supposed to be the first manned Apollo mission. However, on January 27, 1967, during a preflight test, a fire broke out in the command module. This killed the entire crew (Apollo Missions).   The cause of the casualties was later determined to be from a faulty door that trapped the crew.   Even though this was a tragic accident it possibly saved many future lives. After NASA found the problem, they were able to fix it so it wouldnt happen again.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Apollo 7 was a test of the command module and the service module (Apollo Missions). The crew launched from Kennedy Space Center on October 11, 1968, and they returned on October 22, 1968. The tests ran as planned, except for a few minor bumps. Shortly after takeoff, one of the crew members developed a cold, and the rest of the crew soon caught the cold. This caused some concern with wearing helmets during reentry because the pressure of sneezing might blow out their eardrums.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Apollo 8 was a test of the communication and path correction systems (Apollo Missions). Apollo 8s other objective was to orbit the moon. On the morning of December 21, 1968, Apollo 8 launched. On December 24,   Apollo 8 allowed the first humans to see the dark side of the moon. Then on December 27, Apollo 8 reentered the Earths Atmosphere and was picked up by the USS Yorktown.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Apollo 9 had the final test mission. Its task was to test the lunar lander. To do this, they would maneuver it in space and redock to the command module (Apollo Missions). On March 3, 1969, Apollo 9 launched from Kennedy Space Center.   Schweickart, the crews lunar module pilot, was supposed to have an   EVA, leave the spacecraft to test the external rescue techniques. This was canceled though due to nausea. This luckily was the only dilemma the crew faced on the mission.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Apollo 10 was the last mission before Apollo 11. On May 18, 1969, Apollo 10 launched. The goal was to fully simulate the Apollo 11 mission except for the actual landing (Apollo Missions). Instead of landing they started the decent, but before they touched down, they fired the return rockets and docked to the command module. Scary Moments  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     For Apollo 11, everything went smoothly until the actual landing came. As soon as the lunar lander separated from the command module the problems came. When the LM separated, communications immediately got fuzzy and at times went out. But that wasnt the only problem, during the decent an alarm went off.   The alarm was basically saying that the computer had too much to do, so it would shut down and restart. Back on the ground,   Houston was scrambling to figure the alarm out.   Houston said to go on, but this wasnt the last of their problems (Pyle).   As Armstrong and Aldrin got closer, they realized they had overshot the landing zone and the area around them was full of craters.   Realizing this, Armstrong leveled off and searched for a level place to land.   Armstrong located a level patch, but their fuel was running short. At about 100 ft off the ground,   Houston radioed that they had 60 seconds of fuel left, and abortion was considered.   At about 10 ft they were down to 30 seconds, but finally, the Eagle landed. Even though they had landed their troubles didnt stop. Houston detected a high amount of pressure in the left fuel line. It seemed as though the coldness of the   lunar landscape had seeped in and made an ice blockage (Pyle). As Houston considered what to do, the heat from the engine melted the ice and the problem was solved.   After 3 hours of post landing checks, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin were ready to set foot on the moon. They started to depressurize the module.   When the pressure monitor read 0, they tried to open the door.   For some reason the door wouldnt open. The pressure in the cabin was still too much to open.   Aldrin resorted to peeling the door back. Finally they could leave, however as Armstrong was climbing out his backpack snapped off the engine arming switch.   This was fixed by Armstrong who used a ballpoint pen to flip the lever.Accomplishments  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Apollo 11 was obviously the first mission to land on the moon, but that wasnt all they did. While they were there, they collected soil and rock samples.   They also took color photos and planted the American flag. During the 2 ?   hours they were there, they conducted experiments too. These included experiments on the soil, the surface, and the solar winds (Apollo 11). The Astronauts  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Neil A. Armstrong was born on August 5, 1930. At the age of 2,   he developed a fascination with flying after his father took him to the national flying competition in Cincinnati. It grew even more after his first flight (Biographies of the Apollo 11 Astronauts).  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   He received a scholarship from the Navy and enrolled at Purdue University. In 1950 he got called into active service, and he became an aviator flying missions off of the USS Essex. After the war, Neil became a test pilot and engineer for the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, for 15 years.   Then in 1962, Neil became an astronaut during the second round of the NASA selection process. His first space flight was Gemini 8, the missions leading up to Apollo.   During the mission,   they were supposed to link up to the previous mission.   The link up went okay.   But after the two ships linked, they started to roll out of control. He saved the flight by unlinking and using the retro rockets to correct their course ( biographies of the Apollo 11 Astronauts).  Ã‚   Due to these incidents where he showed leadership, he was chosen to be the commander of Apollo 11 and the first man on the moon. After Neil landed back on Earth,   he was greeted with ticker tape parades a nd the Medal of Freedom, the highest award a civilian can receive.   After he left NASA,   he became a professor of Aerospace Engineering at the University of Cincinnati.   Then unfortunately on August 25, 2012, he died of complications from a cardiovascular bypass surgery.   Edwin (Buzz) E. Aldrin was born on January 20, 1930. He Attended the US Military Academy at West Point, and he entered the airforce. He was sent to Korea where he flew F-68s (biographies of the Apollo Astronauts).   Then during 1963,   he was selected in the third round pick to become an astronaut. His first mission was on Gemini 12, it was a four day and fifty-nine revolution flight.   He was a key member of the Gemini project because he helped to solve the problem of linking up in space.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Buzz Aldrin was the lunar lander pilot for the Apollo 11 flight. He was the second man on the moon.   Buzz stepped foot on the moons surface 20 minutes after Neil Armstrong. After he left NASA, he returned to the air force for one more year before retiring.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Michael Collins was born on October 30, 1930, in Rome, Italy. Prior to joining NASA, he was a test and fighter pilot at   Edwards Air Force Base, California. He was then selected during the third round of the NASA astronaut selection process.   He piloted the 10 Gemini mission, and he became the third American to perform a space walk (Biographies of the Apollo 11 Astronauts). On the Apollo 11 flight,   he was the command module pilot.   His role would be to remain with the command module in lunar orbit.   In 1970,   he left NASA and became Assistant Secretary of State of Public Affairs.   Later he joined the Smithsonian Institute as the Director of the Air and Space Museum (Biographies of the Apollo 11 Astronauts). Today he is an aerospace consultant and writer.   He has written several books about his experiences and space.   The Legacy  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In 2009, the National Air and Space Museum held a gala in honor of the 40th anniversary of Apollo 11. The speakers included every Apollo 11 astronaut (Redd).   Later when the astronauts offered autographs, the line stretched across the entire museum floor.   President George Bush announced that in honor of the 40th anniversary the U.S.A would go back to the moon; unfortunately we have not yet realized that promise.   Sadly 3 years later Neil Armstrong passed away. Now with the 50th anniversary, semicentennial, approaching in 2019, many special events will take place. The US Mint is preparing a special 50th anniversary coin to mark the occasion.   The National Air and Space Museum is redoing its moon exhibit in honor of this anniversary (Redd). In addition,   for the first time since 1971,   the Columbia Spacecraft, the triangular part that sat atop the command module, is going on tour with stops in Houston, St. Lewis, Pittsburgh, and Seattle. CONCLUSION This year, the remaining astronauts, Buzz and Michael, will turn 88. As astronauts age and pass away,   we must keep their memory and legacy alive. What they did, not only made America the leader in space, but united the world and connected nations. Today there is an International Space Station, where many countries live and work together.   What they did on the moon not only was a great accomplishment, but fulfilled dreams. They helped us find out more about who we are, our place in the universe.   They lead the way for millions who looked up to them and wanted to be just like them, inspiring many to shoot for their stars and be determined to reach their goals. Indeed they were just men and they didnt do it all on their own, but they were brave, determined,   and courageous. They didnt do it for the fame and rewards.  Ã‚   They had a dream and were gutsy enough to get in a rocket, launch themselves up into space, and land on the moon, with no guarantee of being able to mak e it back alive.   These astronauts were heroes who made this country and world proud.   The Apollo 11 mission was the crown jewel of the Space Race and will always be remembered throughout history.