Sam Houston Summary Essay Example for Free

Sam Houston Summary Essay Sam Houston had to face many obstacles since he was a little boy. He had very little education; however he educated himself with many readings from his father’s library. Houston served as governor for Tennessee and Texas. He also served as a United States senator for thirteen years. . He befriended General Andrew Jackson and remarried three times. Houston was made the first president of the Republic of Texas in 1836 and was re-elected in 1841. He gave many speeches throughout the years. Houston died on July 26, 1863, in Huntsville, Texas. Sam Houston, fifth child of Samuel Houston and Elizabeth Paxton Houston, was born on March 2, 1793. His father, Samuel Houston, a member of the revolutionary member, went bankrupt in 1806 and had no other option but to sell the Timber Ridge and move west to Tennessee. His father died the same year! A year later, Sam Houston, his mother, and his eight siblings resided south of Knoxville in Maryville, Tennessee. At the age of fourteen, Sam Houston had little education but spent a large amount of time reading books in his late father’s library. He also spent a great amount of time clearing land and developing a farm. The family decided that he would work as a clerk in a store because in his brother’s eyes he wasn’t doing anything worthwhile. Sam showed no interest in this job which resulted in his disappearance from the job and home. He crossed the Tennessee River with the Cherokee Indians. Houston joined a band of approximately three hundred Cherokees led by Chief Oo-loo-te-ka. The chief liked Sam greatly that he soon adopted him and gave him the name â€Å"Colonnen†. Colonnen refers to â€Å"The Raven† which is a symbol of good luck to the Indians. He went into debt due to bringing gifts home to his Indian friends each time he went to visit his family. At the age of nineteen, Houston had to find a way to get out of debt and decided to become a teacher. He charged the students a higher rate than usual which only took six months to pay off his debts. At the beginning it was just a way to make money but he soon realized that he had a strong interest in teaching. The War of 1812 had begun shortly after Houston began teaching. His career ended really soon. â€Å"Euclid soon defeated him and ended whatever thoughts he may have had of a permanent careers as a teacher. Houston was not amongst the early volunteers of the war; however he decided to enroll in a local academy to further his education in math. On March 24, 2013, Sam decided to enlist in the United States Army. Within a few weeks of training he became a sergeant. Nine months later, Sam was promoted to third lieutenant. Early in the 1814, Houston came under command of General Andrew Jackson. He became really good friends with Jackson for approximately thirty years. During the war, Houston was wounded and General Jackson ordered him to stay out the rest of the battle. The Indians refused to surrender. Houston volunteered to lead the attack; however his men hesitated to go forth, Houston ran forward and the Indians ended up shooting him twice in the right shoulder. Jackson ordered the Cherokees to complete the battles which forced the Indians to sign the Treaty of Fort Jackson. This treaty consisted of giving up their claims to more than three-fifths of Alabama. Sam Houston was treated at one of their hospitals in eastern Tennessee and then transported back to Maryville. After the treatment he was assigned to the Southern Division of the United States Army. He was on light duty in the adjutant general’s office. On October 28, 1817 Houston was appointed federal subjacent to the Cherokees. At the age of twenty-five, on March 1, 1818 he resigned from the army and as Indian subagent too. Three months later, Sam Houston returned to Nashville to begin the study of law with Judge James Trimble. It only took Houston six months to learn and pass the bar examination. He then moved to Lebanon and opened a law office. In 1819, Houston was elected attorney general, and he then returned to Nashville. He was very successful and knowledgeable but he was not satisfied with the pay. He resigned in1820 in private practice in Nashville. â€Å"In 1823 he ran for the United States House of Representatives from the ninth Tennessee District. † (pg 15) Houston’s second term ended on March 1827, he went back to Tennessee to run for governor. He put himself in the public’s eyes by attending political rallies and any events that included the voters. â€Å"In early September he defeated Cannon by more than 11,000 votes in a total of more than 75,000 and won the governorship. † (19) In 1824 Sam Houston was introduced to a woman named Eliza Allen. She was only twenty and Sam Houston was thirty-five at the time. He asked her father for his permission to marry his daughter. Her father gave him permission to wed his daughter. She did not love Sam; however her family pretty much pressured her into marrying Houston only because he was a successful man. She followed their command and accepted his proposal in October 1828. They exchanged wedding vows on January 22, 1829 at the Allen’s home. Unfortunately, three months after the marriage his wife left him and went back home to her family. She refused to be with him and on April 16th Houston resigned as governor of Tennessee. It is still unknown why she left Houston, although she was pressured into marrying Houston. Sam and his companion, H.Haralson, journeyed down the Cucumber River to Ohio on April 23, 1829. He ended up in Arkansas with his Cherokee friends. His companion continued to travel leaving Houston behind with his adopted father and friends. Sam Houston soon discovered that the Cherokee nation had to move out of Arkansas and into east-central Oklahoma. The Cherokees were worried that the whites were going to take their current land again. Houston became their advisor and a listener to the Cherokee tribe. â€Å"Houston departed to Washington to inform President Jackson that several Indian agents should be removed and the Treaty of 1828 honored. He traveled to Washington D. C. to inform how the Cherokees received unbroken promises and that they rather have money verses gold. Sam Houston wed another woman, Tiana, while still married to Eliza. It wasn’t a big deal because she was considered Indian and his other wife was Cherokee. Within time he got a weakness for alcohol. It started interfering with his everyday live, was turned down when he campaigned for a position on the Cherokee council, and he also hit his adoptive father. Soon after, his mother fell ill and was rushed back to her home in Tennessee where she died in September 1831. A month later he traveled back to the Cherokee nation. In April he was arrested and punished for striking congressman, Stanbery, with his cane. He was found guilty and received a reprimand. In October 1832, Houston started preparing for his trip to Texas; however his wife refused to go. Houston left her some of his possessions and then divorced her. Sam Houston set up headquarters in San Felipe and began to plan a defensive strategy against the Mexicans. The volunteer soldiers under Stephen Austin battled and successfully took San Antonio, killed Milam, and forcing General Cos to surrender. The soldiers believed that the war was over; however Houston was not convinced that it was over. He made a public announcement that Texas was in need of 5,000 trained men by March 1, 1836. While Houston and the men prepared for the war they were approached by Fannin and the two leaders that won at war in San Antonio. Fannin, Johnson, and Grant came in making promises to the soldiers causing thousands to leave Houston and to join their militia. Sam Houston continued to lead approximately sixty to seventy men. On January 20, Houston traveled to San Felipe to meet with Governor Smith. Houston spent the rest of February with the Cherokees and Indians in the northeast. After arriving at the convention site, Washington-on-the-Brazos, he received news that Santa Anna’s army had attacked Texas and â€Å"besieged† the Alamo and the remaining soldiers. The declaration of independence was adopted on March 2nd. Two days later, Houston had become â€Å"commander in chief of the land forces of the Texian army both Regulars, Volunteers, and Militia, while in actual service. † On March 11th, Houston reached Gonzalez and found 374 volunteers that were led by Edward Burleson. While preparing the men for war Houston received news that Santa Anna’s army had â€Å"taken† the Alamo and attacked and burned all of its defenders. Houston ordered Fannin and his army to retreat to Victoria. They were captured and murdered by the Santa Anna’s army. On April 20th, the battle began between Santa Anna and Houston’s soldiers. Unfortunately, Houston was injured during the battle. Houston’s army men had captured and killed many men causing Santa Anna to offer a peace treaty. Houston refused until both government leaders were present. Fortunately, Houston’s approach succeeded. Sam Houston and Eliza’s divorce was not final until 1837. Houston served as president for two years, December 1836 to December 1838. He was reelected in September 1840. In 1836, a small group of soldiers were attacked by the Mexican General Santa Anna. Houston’s army won the battle against the Mexican forces at San Jacinto and gained independence for Texas, opened up a law office, and promoted a land development after his term expired. He traveled to Mobile, Alabama to interest a wealthy merchant, William Bledsoe, in the Sabine City project. While visiting the Bledsoe estate Houston met Margaret Lea. They were married in Marion, Alabama, on May 9, 1840. They had eight children. Margaret convinced Houston to stop drinking and attend church. Houston continued to work towards annexation with the United States. He used the United States and Great Britain hatred to one another in hopes to make each country want to snatch up Texas so that the other country could not. With high hopes of joining with the United States, the United States still was unwillingly to annex Texas. In 1845, Texas became part of the United States. â€Å"Houston’s joyous moment at the approach of annexation was tempered by the death of Andrew Jackson on June 8, 1845. The family rushed to the Hermitage but arrived a few hours late. They attended the funeral and were guests at the Donelson plantation for several weeks. † (139) Meanwhile, Mexico was at war with Texas for ten years. Houston remained in Washington to work in support of the war. Houston left Washington in the spring of 1847 because his wife had surgery due to breast cancer. â€Å"Houston traded Raven Hill for land within a few miles of Huntsville and planned to build a home for his family. He remained in Texas for the rest of the year, keeping abreast of the war news as General Winfield’s Scott’s army took Mexico City. † (147) In January 1847, Sam Houston obtained a new six year senate term. Houston became a presidential candidate but Houston’s mind and heart was with his family. In 1852, Franklin Pierce was elected; however if Houston put in the effort he could have won. January 15, 1853, he was elected to a new six-year term as Senate. In October 1853, Houston’s family moved to Independence, a city fifty miles to the southwest, while leasing out his home in Huntsville. In 1859, Sam Houston appeared to be leaning toward retirement. Houston invited the public to vote in his favor; however he did not campaign. â€Å"Texans who wanted his leadership had drawn him into the contest, and they did the campaigning. Houston became the only man in the United States to serve as governor of two states. He promised funds for railroads, schools, river improvements, and a protector of Texas if Mexico should try to battle again. Houston was all about the people he served and not the political party. Some petitioned for him to run for president, but he refused to participate in the national convention. When Abraham Lincoln was elected president of the United States, Houston warned Texans that the civil war was going to happen if Lincoln violated the Constitution. The Texas convention removed Houston from office and replaced him with Lieutenant Governor Edward Clark. This resulted because Houston refused to take oath to loyalty to the newly formed Confederate States of America. He wanted to avoid war at all cost and declined Lincoln’s offer to use the federal troops to keep him in office and Texas in the Union. After leaving the Governor’s mansion, he continued to support Texas. Sam Jr. joined the Confederate Army, against his father’s advice, was wounded at the battle of Shiloh. He was reunited with his family but on crutches. Houston moved his family to Huntsville because United States â€Å"took† Galveston and â€Å"destroyed the Houston’s family’s main source of income. † (197) In the winter of 1863, Houston fell ill. He developed an awful cough and was diagnosed with pneumonia. His wife stayed by his side and heard his very last words before his death, â€Å"Texas†¦Texas†¦Margaret. † Texas and his family were very important to Sam Houston. Sam Houston, one of the most important political figures to Texas. Houston served as governor for Tennessee and Texas. He also served as a United States senator for thirteen years. . He befriended General Andrew Jackson. He remarried three times; however he had eight children with his third wife. Houston was made the first president of the Republic of Texas in 1836 and was re-elected in 1841. He gave many speeches throughout the years. He led a successful battle for Texas Independence. On July 26, 1863, Houston died of pneumonia in their â€Å"Steamboat House. † He will always be remembered!

The Character of the Hero and His Detective Skills in Stories of Sherlo

The Character of the Hero and His Detective Skills in Stories of Sherlock Holmes Sherlock Holmes is a well-known and loved detective who features in sixty-eight of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's famous detective stories. Written in the early 19c and set in London, the adventures of Holmes and his companion Dr Watson (with whom shared a flat with during some of the tales) are ingeniously written. Conan Doyle was born in 1859 in Edinburgh, Scotland; he went to Stonyhurst School and did a degree in medicine at Edinburgh University. He began writing during the time he was in medical practice using it as a way to pass the time he had free during his work. However his writing soon took over from medicine and he became famous for it. Conan Doyle was influenced by Edgar Allan Poe who similarly to Conan Doyle created a detective with odd habits and amazing powers of deduction, which are two of the recognisable characteristics of Sherlock Holmes. In all of his many adventures Holmes uses interesting and unusual detective skills including disguise ('A Scandal In bohemia') (this is the story of a King from Germany who was involved with a woman by the name of Irene Adler she has in her possession a picture of herself and the King which she is planning to reveal before the king planned wedding to a Princess daughter to another king, Holmes plans to retrieve it and return it to the King.) and very good powers of observation ('The Speckled Band') (a story of a family Named Roylott . One of the daughters of Dr. Roylott had suffered from a suspicious death the previous year prior to her forthcoming wedding when she had been found dying by her sister she had given her last words of "it was the band, the Speckled band." Her s... ...ite different as Holmes gets a result from sitting in Dr. Roylotts house all night he sends the snake through the vent just as Holmes had anticipated and prepared for meaning he was ready to attack when it emerged. He swiped at the snake and sent it back into the Dr's room causing it to kill him. This was a positive result for Holmes as he had prevented a young woman from being killed. Personally I prefer different elements in each story. I like the tension and drama that is shown throughout "The Speckled Band" but I like the way also that there is a lot of wit and intelligence in " a Scandal In Bohemia" with people scheming and plotting there is a lot of planning but it does not have the dark qualities of "The Speckled Band". I think these are two very different stories and although they have similar structures the eventual outcome is very different.

Literary Criticism- Brave New World by Aldous Huxley Essay

A Utopia is a world that is completely controlled by the government. The government controls every aspect of life in a utopia, and therefore everyone is always happy. In the novel â€Å"Brave New World† by Aldous Huxley the setting is a utopia. In this world people are constantly happy, babies are cloned, and, ‘everyone belongs to everyone else.’ The criticism which I chose was written by Margaret Cheney Dawson, on February 7th, 1932. The argument that Margaret makes is that Brave New World is a, â€Å"lugubrious and heavy-handed piece of propaganda.† The critic is saying that through the book Brave New World, Aldous Huxley is promoting, and trying to sell a utopian government. I agree with this statement because throughout the book there are examples that prove that Aldous Huxley thinks that a utopian world is a good idea, also through his writing Huxley is implying that a utopian world is the only way humanity can survive. The most obvious way that Huxley promotes a utopia in his novel, is through the words of a character. When the Savage, John, is talking to the World Controller, Mustapha Mond about the â€Å"brave new world† which they live in Mond says, â€Å"They like it.It’s light, it’s childishly simple. No strain on the mindor the muscles. Seven and a half hours of mild unexhaust-ing labor, and then the soma ration and games andunrestricted copulation and the feelies. What more can  they ask for?† (Huxley 204). I think that the words of this statement by Mond is a very big statement because Huxley is coming out and flatly saying that there is not one bad  thing about a utopian world. He says that it satisfies everyone’s needs, and that no one is ever unhappy because they do not have a reason to be unhappy. I also think that Huxley is trying to make the statement even stronger because the character who said it, Mustapha Mond, is the most important person in the utopian world. He is a ruler with much knowledge. The other proof that this book is propaganda is isolationism, not fitting in, and not being the same as everyone else. These are some of the problems that we experience and struggle with in our lives. Huxley sees this and tries to sell us the idea of a utopian world by showing that sameness is good, and difference is not good. In the book two characters feel isolated, and different then the rest, Bernard Marx, and John the Savage. Bernard’s isolationism is shown when Bernard does not experience â€Å"the coming† and the solidarity service while everyone else does. â€Å"He was miserably isolated now as he had been when the service began- more isolated by reason of his unreplenished emptiness, his dead satiety. Separate and unatoned, while the others were being fused into the Greater Being.† (Huxley 76-77). Through this I believe that Huxley is saying that being different, and feeling different is not a good thing. Although this is a very strong message that Huxley conveys, there is one that is much stronger. John’s struggles are much greater because he is much different from the rest of society. At the end of the novel john commits suicide by hanging himself, â€Å"Slowly, very slowly, like two unhurried compass needles, the feet turned towards the right; north, north-east, east, south-east, south, south-south-west, then paused, and after a few seconds, turned as unhurriedly back towards the left. South-south-west, south, south-east, east†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Huxley 237). This quote is explaining how john is hanging, after he committed suicide. This form of propaganda is very strong because the reader starts to contemplate whether diversity and difference in the world really is such a good thing. Through these two quotes Huxley is also trying to prove to us that sameness is good because everyone is happy, this is why this book is propaganda. I do agree with the critics argument that Brave New World is a heavy handed piece of propaganda because we see examples throughout the book that Aldous Huxley thinks that a utopian government is the ideal way of living. Also  Huxley implies that sameness is desired rather then being unique and different. I think that Margaret Cheney Dawson hits the jackpot with her thesis which states that Brave New world is a heavy handed piece of propaganda. I totally agree with her, and through the examples my beliefs were only reinforced.

Bog Child Essay - 3458 Words

Bog Child Essay Set on the border of Northern Ireland in the early 1980s, Siobhan Dowd’sBog Child explores the human side of political conflict, particularly the Northern Irish conflict known as the Troubles. As the novel begins, Fergus McCann and his Uncle Tally cross the border into Southern Ireland to pilfer peat from a bog. While digging, Fergus uncovers the body of a child. At first he assumes she was murdered by the Provisional Irish Republican Army, known as the Provos, a paramilitary group fighting for Irish unity. When police come to examine the body, they realize the girl died long before the Troubles began, probably during the Iron Age. The bog preserved her body, and she is now a major archaeological find. Her body is found so†¦show more content†¦Meanwhile, Mel’s parallel story, Boss Shaughn is murdered. Rur, Boss Shaughn’s son, takes over. Mel is in love with Rur, a tender young man who immediately becomes a much more humane leader than his father was. The famine continues, so Rur returns each family’s tribute so the people will have food until summer. Even after this merciful measure, food remains scarce, and children die. Neighbors mutter, superstitiously blaming both the murder and the bad weather on Mel and her dwarfism. Mel understands this is not true; nevertheless, she offers herself up as a scapegoat. She knows her neighbors will kill her, but she also knows her death will reunite her community and perhaps save the lives of Rur and her family. She all ows herself to be taken to the bog and murdered. Fergus continues carrying packages across the border for Michael Rafters, but he worries about the loss of life that may come with his actions. When Joey goes on with his hunger strike, Fergus tries to back out of his deal with Michael. Michael threatens the life of Owain, a soldier for the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) who guards the border crossing. Fergus has often chatted with Owain, and he knows Owain is a decent person even though he is a soldier. Fergus decides to continue carrying theShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of The Poem Bog Child By Siobhan Dowd1588 Words   |  7 PagesBog Child Essay by Ruby La Rocca Question 1: Discuss how Siobhan Dowd’s purpose informs the construction of characters and settings in Bog Child Bog Child (2008) by Siobhan Dowd, is a historical romance novel set along the border of North-South Ireland in 1981. The text is established during ‘The Troubles’, a conflict aimed at ending the British rule over Northern Ireland, where the British troops deployed to restore order became targets of the IRA (Irish Republican Army). It follows the mainRead MoreEssay about Emily Dickinsons Use of Humor and Irony1306 Words   |  6 PagesEmily Dickinsons Use of Humor and Irony While much of Emily Dickinsons poetry has been described as sad or morose, the poetess did use humor and irony in many of her poems. This essay will address the humor and/ or irony found in five of Dickinsons poems: Faith is a Fine Invention, Im Nobody! Who are you?, Some keep the Sabbath Going to Church and Success Is Counted Sweetest. The attempt will be made to show how Dickinson used humor and / or irony for the dual purposes of comic reliefRead MoreThe Open Window Analysis751 Words   |  4 PagesH. Munro (Saki) (1870-1916). The story is about an extended family including Framton as the major character. He is a young boy who is supposed to undergo a nerve cure and experiencing health problems living with a complicated family. Vividly this essay has a lot of humor and high levels of literacy. In a nutshell the â€Å"open window† by H. H. Munro is a descriptive layout on how literary skills and profession has been applied vastly to establish a profound creativity. This story is attributed and asRead MoreLeaving The Comforts Of The First World By Jessica Alexander974 Words   |  4 Pagesher by the NGO. She felt so guilty and upset about having all the commodities she could ever need and want while the people she helped in Africa were still suffering. Whereas in Sierra Leone, Jessica learned about the struggles and horrors former child soldiers experienced when they were active recruits. And she finally concluded her travels by aiding the earthquake relief efforts in Haiti. Throughout the novel, Jessica Alexander returns home from her work and encounters the negativities of theRead MoreCaliban in William Shakespeare ´s The Tempest: The Victim Undercover as a Villain525 Words   |  3 PagesIn the play, The Tempest, by William Shakespeare, Caliban is an important character. Caliban is a character who plays as a victim to be pitied, as well as a villain to watch out for. In this essay, I will show clearly how Caliban is a victim and villain by exploring his relationship with Prospero, Miranda, and the island. Caliban has been a victim of mistreatment for many reasons. Him and Miranda definitely do not have a good relationship, in fact Miranda absolutely hates him and she is frightenedRead MoreComparsion of the Thematic of Violence in Earlier and later Heaney2476 Words   |  10 Pagesworks of Heaney as in this we see many references to the troubles. In 1975 still in the midst of the problems Heaney published North, which was a much more indept analysis on the conflict. Both these publishcations will be examined as part of this essay to look at â€Å"theamatic of violence of Heaney’s work in early and later years. We see violence cut across Heaneys pastoral passions and makes him speak out as a citizen of Northern Ireland. Very similar to the First World War poets, who were torn fromRead MoreOur Secret by Susan Griffin Essay1009 Words   |  5 Pagestwentieth century and in particular the era of the Second World War as a basis for her study. The essay discusses a number of peopl e but they all tie in to Heinrich Himmler. He is the extreme case, he who can be linked directly to every single death in the concentration camps. Griffin seeks to examine Himmler because if she can discern a monster like Himmler than everyone else simply falls into place. The essay also tries to deduce why something like the Holocaust, although never mentioned directly, canRead More European Colonization in Shakespeares The Tempest Essay1279 Words   |  6 Pagesunderstandably a cause of the ridiculous monsters deep resentment toward his overlord, and it is with some justification that the spawn of Sycorax invokes natures wrath upon his tormentor, as in his curse, all the infections that the sun sucks up/From bogs, fens, flats on Prospero fall... (II, ii., ll.1-2). Caliban himself embodies many of the characteristics that civilized Europeans came to associate with the primitive natives of the New World. As in the Elizabethan stereotype, Caliban is withoutRead MoreThe And The Babylonian Essay1568 Words   |  7 PagesLucas Morgan Mr. Hare Book Essay Despite the fact that of however constrained degree, this unobtrusive book indicates not just the fascinating way of the revelations made generally years in the region of Jraq, additionally the significance of the occupants of the Babylonian plain. Prior to the revelation of the Assyro-BabyIonian engravings, the name Sumerian was for all intents and purposes obscure. Right now no history of the Euphrates valley can be composed without giving them a huge placeRead More Albee and Williams Use of Virility in Their Plays Essay2023 Words   |  9 Pagespresented as vivid and virile. Both playwrights suggest that physical and sexual dominance over women leads to an improved perception and status of men. George’s power over Martha is not evident until the end of the play when he ‘kills’ their child. George says, ‘We got a telegram; there was a car accident, and he’s dead. POUF!’ Followed by Martha’s reply ‘(A howl†¦ weakens into a moan) NOOOOOOoooooo’. By killing their son he kills the illusion which gives Martha her maternal role, and she effectively