Zebulon Pike and His Expeditions to the West

Zebulon Pike and His Expeditions to the West The soldier and explorer Zebulon Pike is remembered for two expeditions he led to explore territory acquired by the United States in the Louisiana Purchase. It is often assumed he climbed Pikes Peak, the Colorado mountain named for him. He did not reach the peaks summit, though he did explore in its vicinity on one of his expeditions. In some ways, Pikes western voyages are second only to Lewis and Clark. Yet his efforts have always been overshadowed by nagging questions about the motivations for his journeys. What was he trying to accomplish by trekking around in the previously unexplored West? Was he a spy? Did he have secret orders to provoke a war with Spain? Was he simply an adventurous Army officer seeking adventure while filling in the map? Or was he actually intent on trying to expand the limits of his nations boundaries? Mission to Explore Western Territories Zebulon Pike was born in New Jersey on January 5, 1779, the son of an officer in the U.S. Army. When he was a teenager Zebulon Pike entered the army as a cadet, and when he was 20 years old he was given an officers commission as a lieutenant. Pike was posted at several outposts on the western frontier. And in 1805 the commander of the U.S. Army, General James Wilkinson, gave Pike the assignment of traveling northward up the Mississippi River from St. Louis to find the rivers source. It would later be revealed that General Wilkinson harbored dubious loyalties. Wilkinson was commanding the U.S. Army. Yet he was also secretly receiving payments from Spain, which at the time had vast holdings along the southwest frontier. The first expedition on which Wilkinson dispatched Pike, to find the source of the Mississippi River in 1805, may have had an ulterior motive. It is suspected that Wilkinson may have been hoping to provoke a conflict with Britain, which at the time controlled Canada. Pikes First Western Expedition Pike, leading a party of 20 soldiers, left St. Louis in August 1805. He traveled into present-day Minnesota, spending a winter among the Sioux. Pike arranged a treaty with the Sioux and mapped much of the region. When winter arrived, he pressed forward with a few men and determined that Lake Leech was the source of the great river. He was wrong, Lake Itasca is the actual source of the Mississippi. There were suspicions that Wilkinson didnt really care what the real source of the river was, as his real interest was to sent a probe northward to see how the British would react. After Pike returned to St. Louis in 1806, General Wilkinson had another assignment for him. Pikes Second Western Expedition The second expedition led by Zebulon Pike remains puzzling after more than two centuries. Pike was sent westward, again by General Wilkinson, and the purpose of the expedition remains mysterious. The ostensible reason Wilkinson sent Pike into the West was to explore the sources of the Red River and the Arkansas River. And, as the United States had recently acquired the Louisiana Purchase from France, Pike was apparently supposed to explore and report on the lands in the southwestern portion of the purchase. Pike began his mission by acquiring supplies in St. Louis, and word of his upcoming expedition leaked out. A detachment of Spanish troops was assigned to shadow Pike as he moved westward, and perhaps even stop him from traveling. After leaving St. Louis on July 15, 1806, with Spanish cavalry apparently shadowing him from a distance, Pike traveled to the area of present-day Pueblo, Colorado. He tried and failed to climb the mountain that would later be named for him, Pikes Peak. Zebulon Pike Headed for Spanish Territory Pike, after exploring in the mountains, turned southward and led his men toward Spanish territory. A detachment of Spanish troops found Pike and his men living in a crude fort they had built of cottonwood trees on the banks of the Rio Grande. When challenged by the Spanish soldiers, Pike explained that he believed he was camping along the Red River, within territory belonging to the United States. The Spanish assured him he was on the Rio Grande. Pike lowered the American flag flying over the fort. At that point, the Spanish invited Pike to accompany them to Mexico, and Pike and his men were escorted to Santa Fe. Pike was questioned by the Spanish. He stuck to his story that he believed he had been exploring within American territory. Pike was treated well by the Spanish, who transported him and his men onward to Chihuahua and eventually released them to return to the United States. In the summer of 1807, the Spanish escorted him to Louisiana, where he was released, safely back on American soil. Zebulon Pike Returned to American Under a Cloud of Suspicion By the time Zebulon Pike returned to the United States, things had changed dramatically. An alleged plot devised by Aaron Burr to seize American territory and set up a separate nation in the Southwest had been uncovered. Burr, the former vice-president, and killer of Alexander Hamilton had been charged with treason. Also implicated in the alleged plot was General James Wilkinson, the man who had sent Zebulon Pike on his expeditions. To the public and many in the government, it appeared that Pike may have played some  shadowy role in the Burr conspiracy. Was Pike really a spy for Wilkinson and Burr? Was he trying to provoke the Spanish in some way? Or was he secretly cooperating with the Spanish in some plot against his own country? Instead of returning as a heroic explorer, Pike was forced to clear his name. After he proclaimed his innocence, government officials concluded that Pike had acted loyally. He resumed his military career and even wrote a book based on his explorations. As for Aaron Burr, he was charged with treason but acquitted at a trail at which General Wilkinson testified. Zebulon Pike Became a War Hero Zebulon Pike was promoted to major in 1808. With the outbreak of the War of 1812, Pike was promoted to general. General Zebulon Pike commanded American troops attacking York (now Toronto), Canada in the spring of 1813. Pike was leading the assault on the heavily defended town and the withdrawing British blew up a powder magazine during their retreat. Pike was struck by a piece of stone which broke his back. He was carried to an American ship, where he died on April 27, 1813. His troops had succeeded in capturing the town, and a captured British flag was placed under his head just before he died. The Legacy of Zebulon Pike Considering his heroic actions in the War of 1812, Zebulon Pike was remembered as a military hero. And in the 1850s settlers and prospectors in Colorado began calling the mountain he encountered Pikes Peak, a name which stuck. Yet the questions about his expeditions still remain. There are numerous theories about why Pike was sent into the West, and whether his explorations were really missions of espionage.

MGMGT 4440 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

MGMGT 4440 - Essay Example To achieve such cultural change, leadership of the organization therefore has to play important role in identifying and exploring the gaps which need to be filled in order to comprehensively revamp the culture of the organization and achieve the desired level of performance. HR is another important organizational arm which can help develop such an environment and achieve the required level of cultural change so that the organizations can become more responsive and conducive for the tapping the untapped potential of the organization. (Daniels and Daniels) This paper will therefore aim to explore and discuss some of the key aspects of performance management including role of culture in achieving high level performance, whether organizations can actually change their culture to achieve such objectives, the role of leader and the HRM function within the organization. Impact of culture on performance Before discussing the impact of culture on performance, it is important to understand the overall concept of performance management and how it fits together with organizational culture. Performance management is often considered as a process of achieving the organizational goals and objectives efficiently and effectively. Performance management therefore not only includes the management of the results but also the behaviors of the employees as behavior can have significant impact on the performance. It is argued that culture can significantly impact the organizational performance however, it is important to explore as to which elements of the culture exactly can influence the performance of the organization. (Lee and Yu). It is further argued that organizational performance is linked with good cultures and good cultures in return are focused on achieving excellence, profitability, strong team orientation as well as honesty and will to succeed. These characteristics form the part of the good culture which invariably fosters creativity and innovation within the employees and the organizations to make them more productive and performance oriented. Since culture of an organization outlines its overall values and belief systems therefore the underlying performance of the firms are also directed at ensuring that such values and belief systems are complied with. Organizations having performance oriented values tend to perform better than the organizations which are not focused on achieving excellence in performance. Further, through careful cultural engineering, organizations can actually achieve the significant improvement in their overall performance because cultural shift provides new means of achieving the required excellence. Can the culture of an organization be changed to increase performance? The process of cultural engineering is considered as one of the methods through which organizations basically attempt to change the culture and redirect it towards the achievement of excellence performance. For example, a shift towards more open culture may allow employees to become more creative and express their opinions more frequently. This openness of the culture therefore can offer a unique and diverse perspective on its core strengths and how a change in the organizational culture can effectively ensure performance. Apple Inc was

Managing Professional Development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Managing Professional Development - Essay Example When my applications work out in my favor, then I become grateful for my learning and am encouraged to learn some more. With learning should come reflection. According to Osterman (1990), â€Å"reflection is the essential part of the learning process because it results in making sense of or extracting meaning from the experience†. One should not just go through life as if everything comes as second nature. We need to think critically if what we are doing is truly meaningful and relevant or if we are just wasting our time on something insignificant. I constantly seek knowledge through work activities, workshops, lectures, various experiences, mentoring and training. Making sense of problems and searching for patterns to figure out solutions are completed by reviewing feedback I gather not only from research but from people around me. When I am deep in thought, I reflect on the tools I have – my ideas, opinions, experiences – everything from my own perspective, and try to identify the thinking processes I engaged in. If I allow myself to be analytical, I would put my personal perspectives on an objective frame of mind and critique it, rotate the ideas in my head inside-out to see if there are strong possibilities for solutions. I might even find new information there, when some old ideas are merged. I try to also become an instrument of learning for others when I share my experiences with them. I cannot see myself teaching them, as I know I have still a lot to learn, however when I share my experiences, I know they learn from me too. Now that I had to live independently away from the accessible guidance and support of my parents, I learned to... The purpose of this essay was to provide the reader with the opinions of the researcher on the topic of self-management and professional development. Undergoing the assignments for this course have been very enlightening for the researcher. The researcher can conclude that the exercises that were done have been essential in his journey in personal and professional development. The four-stage cycle of self- assessment, planning, doing and reviewing that was discussed in the essay is an effective way to truly stop and reflect on where one is at, where he is going and what he should do to get there. The researcher also states that he has learned many things about himself while doing several assignments of the course. Some of which the researcher had already knew, but needed to hear it from an objective source. It was summed up that the researcher knows how to extent his self-awareness now and states that the most amazing isue is that there is still more to discover about himself. The re searcher then mentiones that after completeing the course of self-development, he is going to continue growing and learning. To conclude, the essay expresses the opinion that the experiences and people that the researcher encounter all contribute to his journey and it is really up to him to see them as opportunities or threats. The researcher chooses to be more positive and embrace new learning that he can derive from such people and experiences as well as his own efforts to improve himself in all areas of his development.

GENETICS AND GENE MUTATION Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

GENETICS AND GENE MUTATION - Coursework Example What meaning do these mRNA codons have for protein synthesis? Explanation: mRNA is essential in protein synthesis because it transports genetic information from the DNA contained in the nucleus to its place in the ribosome. In short, mRNA contains the genetic information needed to make proteins during transcription. The protein molecule that results from the process therefore has genetic information identical to the original genetic material of the individual (Clark, Protein Synthesis, 2007). Did the two mutations result in a change in the final proteins? If so, describe the change. Response/ explanation: All mutations will definitely result in the production of different final proteins, such as the changes caused by the three mutations in the diagram above. Specifically, the two genetic mutations above were significant. In the first mutation, the mutation coded for ILE when in fact MET should be the normal initiation code. The second mutation coded for ASP and PRO instead of HIS and ARG when the gene is normal. However, the third mutation is not that significant since UAA is also a termination codon just like UGA. Such mutations that result in significant changes in proteins may actually manifest as physiological problems in the individual later on (Clark, DNA Mutations, 2007). In general, why might a change in amino acid sequence affect protein function? Explanation: Protein function may be affected even by slight changes in amino acid sequence. This happens in protein synthesis. These changes may manifest as genetic disorders in the individual or even death (Clark, DNA Mutations, 2007). Part II Punnett Square a. Chances (%) for healthy child, not a carrier b. Chances (%) for child that is carrier for cystic fibrosis trait c. Chances (%) for child with cystic fibrosis Fill out/adapt Punnett Square: ___C___ __c___ ___C___ CC Cc ___c___ Cc cc a. Chances (%) for healthy child, not a carrier: 25% (CC) b. % for child that is carrier for cystic fibrosis trait: 50% (Cc) c. % for child with cystic fibrosis: 25% (cc) Part III: Essay How do both meiosis and sexual reproduction (fertilization) produce offspring that differ genetically from the parents? Include steps in meiosis that increase variability Include the process of fertilization. Explanation: Crossing over, or the exchange of genetic material, which takes place during meiosis is responsible for the variation that may show up in the offspring. Prophase I of meiosis is the one responsible for crossing over. The result of this particular process is the production of chromosomes, some of which have maternal and some have paternal traits. During metaphase I, there is another method of variation and this is known as the independent assortment of homologous chromosome pairs. In anaphase I, there is also variation as there is random mixed variation of maternal and paternal chromosomes. Variation is also produced through fertilization because sex cells from both parents combine in many different ways in order to form a new individual. The chromosomes of the father

Dynamics of Hospitality Industry Management report Assignment

Dynamics of Hospitality Industry Management report - Assignment Example The industry has had major the negative impact on environment. The impacts have revolved around the usage of water, electricity, non-renewable energy and food wastage. Some hotels have been accused of spilling industrial refuse into rivers affecting the aquatic ecosystems. The hotel industry is embarking on training and equipment to ensure that employees make conscious decisions that encourage sustainability. This includes formulation institutional policies that enhance sustainability. The hotel industry hopes to reduce the waste output, energy consumption, water consumption and carbon dioxide emissions through adopting renewable energy. 1.1 Purpose of the report The purpose of the report is to analysis the sustainable development issues that the hospitality industry should focus on to ensure the quality of the future generations is not compromised. The report shall recommend solutions that could positively impact the sustainability management programs and unique additional solutions . PART II (SPECIFIC) 2.0 Westin Hotel Macau The Westin Hotel Macau is part of the Starwood Hotels Group. The Hotel focuses on creating a better world experience by placing special attention to communities and environment. 2.1 Brief Background Westin Hotel Macau is a leading luxury resort located in the Greater China. The 208 room hotel is placed in scenic sites to give the guests lasting experiences. The facility is situated on the south Eastern tip of Coloane Island near the Macau international airport. The facility is part of the 185 Westin hotels and resorts worldwide. The hotel has world class facility that aims at giving guests experiences and not just services. Therefore, the management of the hotel has invested in the qualified manpower and new environmental and financial energy management programs. This is likely to make the hotel globally competitive, high in demand and established. 2.2 Mission statement The Hotel has a mission of helping individuals and communities to atta in their maximum potential through strategic perspectives. 2.3 Environmental impact analysis The hotel industry has had a negative impact in the environment. Hotel in the past did not have a comprehensive energy conservation policy leading to the usage of high levels of energy. The equipments used were doubled the energy needs of the hotel. The hotel had little control of the energy consumption and regulation among the employees. This included failure of basic strategies for electricity and water conservation. Most of the energy conservation opportunities were not captured. The negative impacts were seen in the food wastage, unnecessary use of electricity and weak sewerage systems within the entire facility. Most of these negative impacts were propagated by the employees. However, the hotel has developed a comprehensive environmental and energy resource management. This is based on the needs to sustainability. The Westin Hotel managed to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions by over 3 kilograms in 1998. This happened through performing industry specific energy audits and training hotel staff on the need to conserve energy. The facility uses water from treated sewerage in its main golf course. The employees have been trained to minimize electricity usage i.e. using natural light, eliminating unnecessary usage of the cooling systems and enhancing the efficiency. The hotel is investing in employees to ensure that a minimization of physical wastage. Many hotels are

Case Study WA 6 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Case Study WA 6 - Essay Example Potter can avoid potential liability from the customers and Aker by issuing a written notice to all customers in regard to the termination of Potter-Aker agency relationship. Certified customer mails could be used in this pursuit. Failure to do so could leave Potter liable for any unauthorized acts that Aker may undertake even though he has already been terminated. A principal-agent relationship exists between Pete and Al. This relationship is characterized by employer-employee aspects, where Al is the employee. The principal requires that the agent pursues the goals and objectives of the principal prior to the terms and conditions of employment (Goldman &Sigismond 410). Pete instructs Al to repossess some of Ted Turner’s property, but this activity is illegal. However, Al performs the duty as instructed. Al performs this task as part of his duties and responsibilities as an employee. Following the directives of the principal, the illegal repossession is conducted within employment scope. In this regard, the principal, Pete, is therefore fully liable for the illegal repossession of some of Ted Turner’s property. The principal confers authority upon the agent, but within the scope of

Dynamics of Hospitality Industry Management report Assignment

Dynamics of Hospitality Industry Management report - Assignment Example The industry has had major the negative impact on environment. The impacts have revolved around the usage of water, electricity, non-renewable energy and food wastage. Some hotels have been accused of spilling industrial refuse into rivers affecting the aquatic ecosystems. The hotel industry is embarking on training and equipment to ensure that employees make conscious decisions that encourage sustainability. This includes formulation institutional policies that enhance sustainability. The hotel industry hopes to reduce the waste output, energy consumption, water consumption and carbon dioxide emissions through adopting renewable energy. 1.1 Purpose of the report The purpose of the report is to analysis the sustainable development issues that the hospitality industry should focus on to ensure the quality of the future generations is not compromised. The report shall recommend solutions that could positively impact the sustainability management programs and unique additional solutions . PART II (SPECIFIC) 2.0 Westin Hotel Macau The Westin Hotel Macau is part of the Starwood Hotels Group. The Hotel focuses on creating a better world experience by placing special attention to communities and environment. 2.1 Brief Background Westin Hotel Macau is a leading luxury resort located in the Greater China. The 208 room hotel is placed in scenic sites to give the guests lasting experiences. The facility is situated on the south Eastern tip of Coloane Island near the Macau international airport. The facility is part of the 185 Westin hotels and resorts worldwide. The hotel has world class facility that aims at giving guests experiences and not just services. Therefore, the management of the hotel has invested in the qualified manpower and new environmental and financial energy management programs. This is likely to make the hotel globally competitive, high in demand and established. 2.2 Mission statement The Hotel has a mission of helping individuals and communities to atta in their maximum potential through strategic perspectives. 2.3 Environmental impact analysis The hotel industry has had a negative impact in the environment. Hotel in the past did not have a comprehensive energy conservation policy leading to the usage of high levels of energy. The equipments used were doubled the energy needs of the hotel. The hotel had little control of the energy consumption and regulation among the employees. This included failure of basic strategies for electricity and water conservation. Most of the energy conservation opportunities were not captured. The negative impacts were seen in the food wastage, unnecessary use of electricity and weak sewerage systems within the entire facility. Most of these negative impacts were propagated by the employees. However, the hotel has developed a comprehensive environmental and energy resource management. This is based on the needs to sustainability. The Westin Hotel managed to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions by over 3 kilograms in 1998. This happened through performing industry specific energy audits and training hotel staff on the need to conserve energy. The facility uses water from treated sewerage in its main golf course. The employees have been trained to minimize electricity usage i.e. using natural light, eliminating unnecessary usage of the cooling systems and enhancing the efficiency. The hotel is investing in employees to ensure that a minimization of physical wastage. Many hotels are