Decolonization in West Africa Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Decolonization in West Africa - Essay Example The integration of nationalism was critical to the expression of hatred or dislike, as well as hostility against the foreign rule. It was vital to express these hostilities by individuals’ conscious of their national hood. The rise and development of African Nationalism were because of the internal and external factors. The internal factors were prevalent in Africa, thus massive or enormous contribution to the growth of patriotism in Africa. Some of these factors include colonial exploitation, roles of the African elites, the creation of imperialism, starring role of ex-soldiers, the influence of WACU, and formation or generation of civil entities.On the other hand, certain external factors such as the starring influence of Pan-African institutions, the US influence, implications of the UN, and effects of the WWII on African ex-soldiers did play critical roles in the rapid growth of African patriotism. These factors were essential in ensuring that African Nationalism was adequ ate in influencing the journey of African nations toward the achievement or realization of independence against the foreign or colonial rule. There were three critical approaches toward achievement of independence. That is through the integration of peaceful approach, war, and revolution. These approaches were vital in gaining independence from the colonial rule. In the first approach, a peaceful approach focused on the integration of peaceful protests, which were slow and steady toward winning the race to create change or realize independence.

Declaration of the Rights of Men and of Citizens Essay Example for Free

Declaration of the Rights of Men and of Citizens Essay The Declaration of The Rights of Man and of Citizens begins with a clear stipulation of intrinsic freedom and equality in every man. Equality, therefore, seems to be an appropriate place to begin. The Declaration defines our equality in relation to our rights, such that we are all born with the same entitlements and among them the right to perpetuate such rights throughout our lives. Each and every one of us is entitled to the expression of the will of a community (which, according to Rousseau, is the collective will of the constituent individuals). In a similar light, the law is to regard each individual without bias; performing its duty of punishment or protection as justice sees fit. The sixth section of the declaration states that: All being equal in its sight, are equally eligible to all honours, places and employments, according to their different abilities, without any other distinction than that created by their virtues and talents. Effectually, this levels the metaphorical playing field, rightly empowers the skilful and the able while ensuring men are distinguished not by the colour of their skin, nor by their religion and neither by their wealth but by their merits and abilities. Unfortunately that has never been so. There are a plethora of sordid historical examples that contravene section VI. The apartheid, holocaust and slave trade are amongst the many historical events that have grossly violated the former section. Nepotism, racism, sexism and segregation still ail society and contribute to its atrophic senescence. One audacious claim is that every man is innocent, until proven guilty by the law. The present Catholic Church disagrees, believing than everyone is born  with the burden of original sin. It is not the only body that believes in immediate guilt, many states (including China) adopt a judicial system, which operates on a contrary principle: that every man is guilty until proven innocent by the law. UNRESTRAINED COMMUNICATION Each individual is entitled to his own opinions, their expression and their communication (regardless of content and context). The Declaration explicitly iterates that this is a mans most precious right and can only be annulled when it threatens the public order. The law establishes the threat. How exactly can you abuse the right of free speech? Who has the right to decide when freedom of speech is abused? A state may act unjustly towards the expression of politically or religiously sensitive opinions, as they may rouse widespread criticism and lead to an imbalance of governing power and authority. However, is it within the laws rights to place the right to freedom of speech below its own interests? Such controversy is faced in places such as China and Russia. However, the uproar provoked by Julian Assange and Edward Snowden prove that the West cannot lay claims to an unmarred reputation of moral conduct. Individual intrinsic equality is never defined with autonomy, since it is always bordered by the canons of the law. The Declaration seems to state that the power of the law transcends the rights of man, as it may decide what is within and excluded from such rights. It is given the power to distinguish and determine. LAW The Declaration defines the primary duty of the law as an expression of the will of the community and that the law should only [prohibit actions that are hurtful to society]. It decrees, what is not prohibited by the law, should not be hindered and the law ought to impose no other penalties but  such as are absolutely and evidently necessary. The law is detailed as the decision-making faculty in society, it has the power to imprison, accuse, arrest, apprehend and (the two most important powers) to determine the extent at which one man may secure the liberal exercise of his own rights and to establish when public order is breached or threatened. So who deems what is absolutely and evidently necessary? Who holds the reins to the law? Shouldnt the law be separate from the normal man, should it not occupy a different order of sovereignty? What gives another man the power to wield the scales of the law, is he superior to any other man that he may decide his counterparts fate? Who has the prerogative to empower another man with the sword and shield of the law? According to the declaration, all citizens have a right†¦either personally, or by their representatives, in its formation. So the populace, by right, has power over the law, which in turn, by right, has power over the populace. Ideally, this ascertains the equality of power. A cyclic system where the law changes with the people and adjusts itself accordingly as the essence of man itself changes; where any change in the attitudes of the people is reflected in a change in the law. Equilibrium is, therefore, maintained and this allows elasticity and exposes duality in the expression of power. This is by no means a moral system. By this definition, the law is as fickle as man and serves as an inadequate canon, an imitation canon to reassure us that we are a moral and just society. Though the Declaration implores the equal distribution of law, all being equal in its sight, it has managed to allow the atrocities committed in the past. The witch hunts, slave trade, oppression of women, exploitation of children and the inquisition are merely a few events where the latter section of the clause ([the law] should be the same to all) has been unpardonably violated. Is this the fault of the people? No, the fault lies with the educated  lawmakers, the representatives. REPRESENTATIVE The Declaration mentions lawmakers (or representatives) and their sole duty to express the will of the citizen. They are effectively the mouthpiece of the populace and are crucial for succinct communication between power and the people. In modern society, this role is prevalent in the majority of democratic states in the form of: Members of Parliament in the UK, Senators in the US and LegCo members in Hong Kong. Unfortunately, the representative role can be held responsible for neglecting its duties and promulgating laws in favour of the upper echelons of society throughout history. The Church is one of the main perpetrators, abusing its influence and power to serve its own needs or requirements. It can be held directly responsible for the frenzied witch-hunts, the inquisition and the violent reformation, which are some of the darkest events in history. Wealthy plantation owners all over the world perpetuated the slave trade, since their operations were extremely labour intensive and extensively profit orientated. Plantations could not profit if workers were to be paid and treated fairly; therefore requiring underpaid and exploitable workers. Since the role of a representative is conventionally a caste specific role, it is nearly impossible for a member of the people to ascend to this position. Therefore the role of a lawmaker is somewhat disconnected from the people and is, perhaps, inadvertently stifling the voice of the people. The representative has, of course, the same (equal) rights of the people and therefore is entitled to ambition. Though their duty is to represent and express the will of the people, it is rather understandably second only to their personal desires and demands. Self-satisfaction is ingrained within every single complex organism on this planet, so it is only natural to pursue your own interests and seek your own ends. However, those with power (and above all representatives and lawmakers) have  the means to meet their ends. The mere possession of power is corruptive and addictive. Those in the upper classes of society will, at the very least, strive to remain in the rung they nestle in; fearing a relegation to a lower status. Many will desire to advance and climb further from the people and manipulate the resources available to them in order to do so. Yet, it is the privileged that possess such resources or have access to certain opportunities that allow them to advance and the unprivileged that dont, thereby consolidating caste preservation and setting the cyclic nature of disparity in place. This is where the voice of the people is lost in transmission. This is evident in the American taxation scheme, where the wealthy benefit from certain policies that permits income to be classified otherwise and thereby avoiding the maximum rate of taxation. The Republican Party immortalizes these policies, as it contributes to their socio-economic preservation. What seems not to be apparent is that there is no need to abuse power. The correct expression of power and fair distribution can only bring about what the Declaration suggests: a level playing field. It would encourage a Darwinian model of progression, where the socio-economic advance and preservation of an individual is reliant on performance, ability, talent, skill and virtue. COMMON CONTRIBUTION It is necessary, according to the declaration, for a common contribution. This is for the support of the public force, and for defraying the other expenses of government. The declaration states that this common contribution ought to be divided equally amongst all according to their abilities. The former of the statements still rings true today and is the only thing reputed to be certain (apart from death). The latter stipulation, regrettably, has not. Internationally most citizens are taxed on their income, on the goods they  purchase and the money they inherit. Yet no system of taxation is truly fair, as the law affords disproportionate contribution and means of evading certain taxation. This is most evident in America, where many high net worth investors pay a smaller percentage of their income than their middle class, working counterparts. This is achieved through exploiting the capital gains tax and the carried interest tax. As a result of such exploitation, Warren Buffet only paid a combined tax rate of 17.4% in 2010, where less affluent Americans contributed up to 45% of their income to the government. The declaration stipulates that common contribution should be divided equally among members of the community according to their abilities. A merit and ability based taxation scheme is fair and just. So how should a population be taxed (if they are to be taxed on ability)? Taxing on the basis of income seems not to work. Perhaps the rate of tax should be varied by age or perhaps determined by occupation (seeing as occupation is decided by ability). A problem that arises is that this would discourage hard work and penalize success. Thus resulting in a population hesitant to use their abilities and work to their full capacity.

Gender Differences :: essays papers

Gender Differences I was surprised finding out that the topic for our paper was about our feelings of belonging to the other gender. I think the title of the book "Men are From Mars, Women are From Venus" by John Gray applies to how different men and women are in their attitudes, feelings and lifestyles. This experience for me will be enjoyable for me since I have never thought what it would be like to be a female and also to hopefully give me a better insight on a few questions that have interest me about women since I was a little kid. Both, men and women, are constantly concerned about looking "good" even though they are physically different. In order to look appealing to others, men are supposed to be big, strong, and athletic, whereas women are supposed to be thin, pretty, and big-breasted. I often wonder why we put so much emphasis on the way a person looks. I think females feel more of the pressures of looking "good". In the past, I've talked to some of my girlfriends and they told me that the pressure and competition they are faced with is stressful and painful. I told them that I am not too critical when checking out girls and when it comes to seeing other males bigger or stronger than myself, that I don't feel too much pressure of trying to look better than them. I am rather more concerned of my own health and ways to improve it. I was really surprised when they told me that other girls are the ones who usually criticize or pressure them. When I was aware of this, I did notice, at times, while walking around casually with my girl friends, when they weren't looking appropriate, would get stares, hisses or comments from other females. I was even surprised when I heard my girlfriends talking about other girls right in front of me, even though most of these time s I didn't notice anything wrong or different about the other girls they were talking about. From this observation, I think the pressure of always looking good would be greater if I was to be a female. I would always try to look good and to please others. Girls, I think, are faced with enormous pressures to look good. Television, for example, almost never features old,

Absolutism in 17th Century Europe

Absolutism in Europe changed the role of nobility completely in every country. For example, in France, nobles lost a lot of their power due to Louis XIV and his predecessors; also, in Eastern Europe, rulers such as Frederick William of Prussia changed the status of the nobility with his polices. In France, starting with Henry IV, the status of nobility started to fall when Henry started the idea of â€Å"nobles of the robe† in which middle class citizens could buy nobility from the king. This diluted the nobles, which weakened their power and hurt them considerably.Louis XIII and his son continued this and took more of their power away as well. Cardinal Richelieu started the intendant system, which recruited members of the middle class t watch the nobles and report back to the king. This took away power from the nobles to have less influence in the government of France. Continuing the intendant system, Louis XIV had also built the palace of Versailles and forced the nobles to move in. This caused the nobles to fight for the attention of the king and they focused less on the issues of France.Also, living in the palace of the king, one could always watch the nobles to make sure they weren't planning, for example, an uprising. In conclusion, French kings took steps to ensure absolute power and took away the power of the nobles. In Eastern Europe, however, the nobility was dealt with in a different way. For example, in Prussia, nobles gave power to Frederick William for a few reasons: one, to stop Swedish and Polish influence; second, to stop the invasion of Tartars from Russia.For this decision, nobles lost political power in Prussia, but in 1653, Frederick William gave them more power in something else, controlling serfs: he allowed a hereditary subjugation of the serfs in order to appease the Junkers, or noble class. While Frederick William was in power, he believed in a strong, standing army. He increased military spending through taxation, which was twi ce the amount of Louis XIV. He forced the Prussian nobility to pay the taxes by having soldiers act as tax collectors and policemen.This effectively decreased the power of the nobility by seizing power for the king. In conclusion, Frederick William took away power from the nobles, while also giving them power over other areas, such as serfdom. Absolutism in Europe differed from East to West. How the power of the nobles was affected depended on the king and the area of the country, such as Louis XIV of France or Frederick William of Prussia. Each king had their own ways of effectively limiting the political power of the nobles.

Biology Coursework: Effect of Sugar Solution on Potato Chips Essay

Planning Before planning the experiment, I will research osmosis, so that I can make predictions. This will help me to discover how to make this investigation fair and safe. Planning ahead will help me find out the order in which to carry out the experiment. This should lead me to good results at the end of the experiment. Hypothesis Osmosis is the passage of water from a region of high water concentration through a semi-permeable membrane to a region of low water concentration. When a potato is placed in water, the cells will expand by gaining weight depending on the concentration levels of the solution. When the concentration of the water is lower, more water molecules are allowed to pass through the potato cell. This causes the potato to gain weight and expand. If the concentration levels of the solution are higher, the cells will lose water and cause the potato to lose weight and therefore shrink. Prediction I predict that when the lower the concentration of sugar solution in the water, the more the potato will expand by osmosis. When the concentration of water is identical to the concentration of the potato cell, there will be no increase or decrease in weight. This is because the amount going into the cell will be the same as the amount going out. As soon as the water concentration becomes higher, the cells will shrink because more water will be leaving the cell than entering it. In distilled water alone, I predict that the water in the potato will be more concentrated. Because of this, the water should transfer from the solution to the potato, and the potato will gain weight. In the 0.2 molar solutions, the substances will be very similar in concentration. There should be little change to the size and weight of the potato. When the potato is placed in 0.4 molar solutions, the substances will still be very similar but the concentration of the water solution should be slightly greater to that of the potato. This will cause the potato to shrink slightly. As the molar solutions get higher, the water will transfer more and more from the potato to the water solution, therefore decreasing its size and weight. The most extreme shrinking should occur when the potato is placed in 1.0 molar solution, as here the difference in the water concentration is at its largest. Safety I will be using a very sharp knife, which could injure someone if it is not handled properly. And I will also be careful that the solutions do not get into my body internally as I am not fully aware of the damage it could cause. Method I will cut chips from the same potato because different potatoes may act differently and affect the results. I will cut them 15mm long exactly with square ends 5mm wide and 2mm thick. I will use a chopping and knife for this. They all need to be exactly the same size to ensure that it is a fair test. I will weigh the chips to ensure that they are the same size and weight. This will also give us a measurement to compare them to afterwards. I will use three identical potato chips in each solution. This is because the experiment may not go to plan. If we have three chips, an average can be taken at the end of the experiment to obtain more accurate results. The three potatoes will be placed in 6 different solutions, 1.0 being the strongest and distilled water being the weakest. The solutions I will use are as follows: 0.0 (Distilled water) 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 The boiling tubes will be placed in a rack with an equal amount of molar solution. This is because identical solutions are needed for it to be a fair test. The potatoes will be covered with the solutions, if not the water will not be able to pass in and out and the potatoes would dry out. The solutions will all need to be the same temperature and the chips will need to remain in the test tube for the same length of time. The length of time I have chosen to keep the potatoes in the solution is 5 minutes. This should be enough time for the osmosis to take affect. When the potatoes are removed from the solution, the osmosis stops. I will then dry the potatoes using a paper towel being careful so that none of the potatoes fall apart. I will place them into sets of three depending on when which solution they were placed in and weigh and measure them. To get the most accurate results, I will take the average reading of the three pieces. I will then analyse my results and see if they match my prediction.

New SAT vs Old SAT Changes You Must Know

New SAT vs Old SAT Changes You Must Know SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips In 2016, the SAT changed drastically from the old SAT. In terms of content, no other SAT changes in the past few decades have been this dramatic. If you're familiar with the old SAT, here's what you must know to do well on the current version of the SAT. In this article, I'll summarize the largest, must-know changes of the SAT. But for those of you who are serious about taking the test, it'll be well worth your time to read some of our more in-depth SAT guides. After all, a few minutes of reading through our expert guides is nothing compared to the sweet payoff of a high SAT score andan acceptance to the college of your dreams! How to Study for the New 2016 SAT- This guide starts with a detailed comparison of the current and old versions of the SAT, and then fleshes out a full SAT study plan. We also have individual section guides for SAT vocabularyand theSAT Reading Section. Finally, don't miss our in-depth new SAT vs old SAT comparison. New 2016 SAT: What's a Good Score?- Before you take the SAT, it's a smart idea to figure out what a good score is, both in general and for you specifically. This guide explains what a good SAT score is based on percentiles and your own college preferences. The Main Differences Between the New SAT and Old SAT The current version of the SAT is pretty different from the old version of the SAT. Below, I go over the major changes made to the overall SAT and to each section. General Changes to the SAT We'll start generally. This chart offers a broad overview of the biggest differences between the two versions of the SAT: Old SAT New SAT Administration 2005-January 2016 March 2016-present Score Range 600-2400 400-1600 Length of Test 3 hours 45 minutes 3 hours (w/out Essay)3 hours 50 minutes (w/ Essay) Total # of Questions/Tasks 171 154 (155 w/ Essay) Sections Critical Reading Writing + Essay Mathematics Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (EBRW) Math Essay (Optional) Guessing Penalty Minus 1/4 point per incorrect answer None 75th %ile Score (Good)* 1720 1190-1200 50th %ile Score (Average)* 1480 1050-1060 25th %ile Score (Poor)* 1260 910-920 *All percentiles for the new SAT come from the College Board's 2017 percentiles, and all percentiles for the old SAT come from the College Board's 2015 percentiles. As you can see, the current SAT is slightly longer than the old SAT if you opt to take the Essay, but significantly shorter if you don't take the Essay. It also combines your Reading and Writing section scores into a single Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (EBRW) score. Perhaps the biggest change most students know about is the score range: on the old SAT the max score was2400, but on the current SATthe max score is just1600. Finally, there is no longer a score penalty for incorrect answers on the SAT. Therefore,it's best to answer allSAT questions, even if you have to guess on some of them. Now that you've seen the overall changes, let's look at the differences on each section of the test. SAT Reading Changes The SAT Reading section has undergone some massive changes since early 2016. Here are some of the biggest differences to note: Old SAT Reading New SAT Reading Section Name Critical Reading Reading Scoring 200-800 (separate from Writing score) 10-40 test score, which is then combined with Writing to get Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (EBRW) score on a scale of 200-800 # of Sections 3 1 Order on Test Random 1st # of Questions 24, 24, 19 (in random order)Total: 67 52 Total Time 25 minutes, 25 minutes, 20 minutes (in random order)Total: 70 minutes 65 minutes Time per Question 63 seconds 75 seconds Content Tested High-level vocab in isolation, Sentence Completions, passage-based questions All passage-based questions, medium-level vocab in context, evidence support, data interpretation Subscores None Words in ContextCommand of EvidenceAnalysis in History/Social StudiesAnalysis in Science Overall, you now have fewer questions on SAT Reading and more time per question. The biggest change to be aware of, though, is that SAT Reading is now entirely passage-based. All questions, even vocabulary ones, are based on passages, so it's imperative to havea solid passage-reading strategyto use on test day. In terms of content, you'll still see vocab questions, but these are more focused on medium-level vocab words and your ability to figure out their meanings in context.In addition, you need to be able to identify specific areas in passages you found your answers in. SAT Writing Changes SAT Writing has undergone some noticeable changes since the test's redesign in early 2016. Here are the most important ones to note: Old SAT Writing New SAT Writing Section Name Writing Writing and Language Scoring 200-800(separate from Reading score) 10-40 test score, which is then combined with Reading to get Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (EBRW) score on a scale of 200-800 # of Sections 3 (one essay and two multiple-choice sections) 1 (essay = separate section) Order on Test Random 2nd # of Questions 35, 14 (in random order)Total: 49 44 Total Time 25 minutes, 10 minutes (in random order)Total: 35 minutes 35 minutes Time per Question 43 seconds 48 seconds Content Tested Improving Sentences, Identifying Sentence Errors, Improving Paragraphs, grammar rules in isolation All passage-based questions, grammar and punctuation, logic and expression of ideas Subscores None Expression of IdeasStandard English ConventionsWords in ContextCommand of EvidenceAnalysis in History/Social StudiesAnalysis in Science As the chart shows, the SAT Writing section is no longer scored on its own butin conjunction with SAT Reading(to give you a combined Evidence-Based Reading and Writing score). Additionally, the Essay is now a separate (optional) section and is not considered part of the Writing section. You also now have fewer Writing questions, giving you slightly more time per question. In regard to content changes, all questions are now based on passages (like the Reading section), and there is a bigger emphasis on sentence style, logic/flow, and punctuation. SAT Math Changes Though the SAT Math section has changed the least of all SAT sections, it still looks quite different now than it used to before the redesign. Here are the major differences between the current SAT Math section and the old SAT Math section: Old SAT Math New SAT Math Section Name Mathematics Math Scoring 200-800 200-800 # of Sections 3 2(No Calculator Test and Calculator Test) Order on Test Random 3rd =No Calculator Test4th = Calculator Test Calculator Permitted? Yes Yes, but only on Calculator Test (not on No Calculator Test) # of Questions 20, 18, 16 (in random order)Total: 5444 multiple choice, 10 grid-ins No Calculator Test: 20Calculator Test: 38Total: 5845 multiple choice, 13 grid-ins Total Time 25 minutes, 25 minutes, 20 minutes (in random order)Total: 70 minutes No Calculator Test: 25 minutesCalculator Test: 55 minutesTotal: 80 minutes Time per Question 75 or 83 seconds (depending on section) No Calculator Test: 75 secondsCalculator Test: 87 seconds Content Tested Arithmetic, numbers and operations, algebra, functions, geometry, some data analysis Arithmetic, algebra, functions, advanced algebra, data analysis, word problems; 10% = geometry, trigonometry, complex numbers Subscores None Heart of AlgebraPassport to Advanced MathProblem Solving and Data Analysis You now get more time on SAT Math and four more questions in total. The section is also divided into two subsections: a No Calculator test (on which you may not use a calculator) and a Calculator test (on which you may use a calculator). Content-wise, you're still being tested on many of the same fundamental topics, including algebra, functions, and arithmetic. However, there is now less emphasis on geometry and more emphasis on data analysis, graphs, and word problems. Moreover, the old SAT Math section did not test any trig whatsoever, whereas the current SAT has at least a few questions on trig. SAT Essay Changes Finally, we get to the SAT Essay section. Here are the biggest changes to know: Old SAT Essay New SAT Essay Section Name Essay Essay Optional? No Yes Scoring 2-12 (based on two scores by two readers, each on a scale of 1-6) One score for each dimension on a scale of 2-8 (based on two scores by two readers, each on a scale of 1-4) Dimensions None Reading,Analysis,Writing # of Sections 1 1 Order on Test 1st 5th (if taking SAT with Essay) # of Prompts 1 1 Total Time 25 minutes 50 minutes Essay Prompt Answer a theoretical prompt by citing your own evidence Analyze a passage and the author's argument by citing evidence from the passage As you likely already know, the Essay section is optional with the current SAT, while before it was a mandatory section (and part of Writing). Essay scoring has also changed dramatically: test takers now get three scores, each on a scale of 2-8 (so a perfect Essay score would be 8|8|8). Before you had to provide your own evidence and answer a theoretical prompt, but now you must read a short passage and analyze the author's argument using textual evidence. Note that you are not expected to insert your personal viewpoint into your essay. New SAT vs Old SAT: 1-Sentence Summary For those of you who are interested in a summary of big-picture changes, here it is: the current SAT is a lot more like the ACT in that it tests more skills considered relevant to college success and relies less on trying to trick you. What's Next? Got more questions about how the current and old SATs differ from one another?Then check out our detailed examination of all changes between the two. In addition,our guide to the new SAT formatgives you tips on how to prep for the current version of the test. Not sure what SAT score to aim for on test day?Get a step-by-step guide on how to find your goal score based on the schools you're applying to. Looking for a detailed SAT resource to help you study for the test?Our ultimate SAT study guide contains links to our very best SAT articles and guides. And the best part is it'sfree! Want to learn more about the SAT but tired of reading blog articles? Then you'll love our free, SAT prep livestreams. Designed and led by PrepScholar SAT experts, these live video events are a great resource for students and parents looking to learn more about the SAT and SAT prep. Click on the button below to register for one of our livestreams today!

The Importance of Ones Name Essay

The Importance of Ones Name Essay The Importance of Ones Name Essay Argumentative essay on The Importance of ones Name: When a child is born, the parents name him or her as per their wish. They could name him or her in accordance to their cultural practices, events, names of dead relatives, materials and tools used, animals among others. Names always play critical roles in people’s lives. Different names may to mean different things. Names may be similar but have different meanings while others may be different but have the same meanings. Virtually everything that is in existence has a name attached to it. Such names are always used when referring to these things to bring to memory the thing in question. Every name has some sense of power associated with it. Such powers may have influences on the life of any individual possessing those names. Therefore, naming of a newborn child or an adult depends on several factors such as cultural beliefs, practices, customs, and the environment. It is an indisputable fact that human beings have been responsible for naming everything, whether alive or dead, moving, static, plants, animals or microorganisms. For instance, : Sandra Cisneros, in her essay My name notes that a name can mean hope, many letters, sadness waiting (pg. 190) The naming in such cases has been as distinctly precise as none of the organisms named share the same names. In cases where they might share such names, there has always been a clear and precise way that conventionally applies in differentiating the two organisms. Under such situations, different methods are put into consideration. These methods of differentiation of names majorly depend upon the parental hierarchy of such organisms. Consequently, human beings also accord a lot of credit to the power of naming. However, the decision on which name to give to someone is not an easy task. People are named with regard to a number of factors. Some people may name their children after some renowned people. These people may be influential in the society or may have some adorable characteristics that the parents may want their children to adopt. Another factor that may define naming may be a remarkable or memorable occurrence. For instance: Lini S. Kadaba, in her essay, What‘s in a Name? Shows how Christopher Angelo Annas of South Philadelphia was named after his grandfather, Annas. The grandfather, initially named Papanastasiou but later changed the name to Annas on arrival to America. The grandchild later changed his name to Christopher Angelo Anastasiou, back to the original meaning. He claims that Annas, the name adopted by his grandfather sounded like part of anatomy (pg. 175). Under such situations, the namin g instills the spirit, ability, as well as the power of memory of such occurrences and one can change it later in life. Naming could also be done due to phenomena linked to some sort of victory. Under such conditions, it is immensely easy to memorize all the events that transpired in such an occurrence, thereby instilling the sense of identification with the occurrence even if it took place a long time ago. Under such conditions, a parent may decide to name his or her daughter following such victorious events in order that it remains indelible in the memory of the parent. A good example of a name that best suits such occurrences is Victor; for a boy, or Victoria; for a girl or a woman. Other people may absolutely refuse change their names, while others may opt to change their names if need arises. Some of these memories heavily rely upon the past, and may have strong basis on some issues that put someone in some essence of slavery. For example, most African Americans for a long time did not prefer American names thus opted for African or Muslim names due to the memories of slavery. Lini S. Kadaba in her essay reveals how Kunte Kinte, a young slave refused to change his name even after getting a thorough whipping since he thought doing so would enslave him even more and more. Later, he changed his name to Richard Kenyada basing his argument on cultural, ethnic, and even social heritage (pp. 176). In English, the name Lucky may mean a victory that someone achieves because of chance. On the other hand, the name Lucky may entails sad memories in cases where the person with such a name was the only survivor of a tragic accident. Under such situations, such a name when used brings in the sense of sad memories. The name Hope, on the other side, may also mean either a positive thing or a negative thing. This name may mean different contrasting things in relation to the language in use. For example, in Latin the name Hope may mean sadness, or waiting. The use of names may also play a significant role in associating us with our friends, families, as well as, societies as noted by Liny S. Kadiba in the essay (pp. 175). Names connects us with family and influence others perception of us and can change someone’s life. A good proportion of names that we use bear the responsibility of shaping the perception of people towards us. In this sense, it is true that names are ideally the best identification marks for every individual in any social setup. Some parents may name their children after their grandparents or after some prominent persons in the society. This helps in identifying such children with the adorable qualities that such prominent persons possess, thus, it may happen that the child may be lucky to possess such qualities as he or she grows up. Naming could also be due to someone’s heritage, culture, or spiritual linkage. Lini S. Kadaba continues to illustrate in her essay how Jane Komarov, changed her name to Jane Komarow as she claims that the sounding of the name connects her with a richer heritage. She does not care whether the name means a mosquito, as she believes she is not a mosquito in real sense (pp 175). Name could also mean spiritual events or personalities. For instance, Omi Yori in Yoruba is a spiritual leader as indicated by Lini S. Kadaba (pp176). Consequently, the American name Smith means someone who works with metal (pp177). However, even though names associates someone with the family or society, none of the parents may be in need of naming a child after someone who bears bad characters in the society, for instance, a renowned witch, thief, or a serial criminal. This is due to the fear of the power in naming. Thus, every name bears its own powers that can heavily affect the life of an individual, thus making such a person to change his life in correspondence to the power associated with such a name. Therefore, it implies that when someone takes another person’s name, it is somehow closer to taking away the latter’s soul. In such cases, people always avoid identifying themselves with such bad names as they can bear some bad omen to an individual. In conclusion, it is true that names play a major role in the lives of people in the society. Different names mean different things. The major role of naming is to accord some sort of identification to the thing in question. People accord different names to themselves or to their children with regard to a number of factors, such as cultures, occurrences, or naming after some prominent persons or dead relatives in the society. 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