Seven Wonders of the World

Seven Wonders of the World Centuries ago one man dreamed, designed and constructed a breathtaking monument and then, it went on to become a wonder. Wonders of the world are so many. No list can comprehend everything. But why they are actually the wonders and what are the factors which make them to call a wonders? Every wonder has its own history and importance, and they have some interesting facts related with them. However, the original seven wonders of the world are the most worthy of our praise and appreciation as they were constructed in an era that was devoid of any building machinery and done mostly by hand.The true wonder we can say is artistic, mysterious, magnificent, stunning or in other words it is really a master piece, and due to these qualities it attracts everyone towards itself. The most remarkable or amazing creations by mankind are included in the list of Seven Wonders of the World. The number 7 is said to symbolize perfection and hence is used to list the wonders. There are number of different lists of the Seven Wonders of the World: the seven wonders of the ancient world, seven natural wonders of the world, the new Seven Wonders of the World and the modern wonders.A campaign to name the new Seven Wonders of the World, launched in 1999, has just reached to its climax. Originally, there were nearly 200 nominations which were shortlisted and finally, in the largest ever poll of its kind, 100 million people voted across the world for the final seven. Voting was done through the internet, as well as by phone and text. The popularity poll was led by Canadian-Swiss Bernard Weber and organized by the new seven wonders foundation based in Zurich, Switzerland, with winners announced on July 7, 2007 in Lisbon.The New seven wonders foundation is regulated by the Swiss Federal Foundation Authority. 1. Seven Wonders of the Ancient World: In the recent past, people across the world were asked to vote for their favorite seven wonders of the world. The ancie nt Greeks loved art and architecture. They were the first people to compile the seven wonders of the ancient world list. These wonders were built-in the marvels of the 4th century BC. The Greeks had conquered much of the world and traveled far and wide.As they were patrons of beauty, they took fancy to the landmarks and unique architecture of various lands. 1. 1 Great Pyramid of Giza: The Great Pyramid of Giza is the only surviving member of the seven wonders of the ancient world list, which was built in 2584 BC. It is located at Giza Necropolis, Egypt. This pyramid is about 800 feet long, 450 feet high and is build from 2 million blocks of stone. It is said to have been built as the tomb of the 4th dynasty Egyptian Pharaoh Khufu. (Baxamusa) 1. 2 Hanging Gardens of Babylon: Hanging Gardens of Babylon is built around 600BC.It was built by King Nebuchandnezzar. He built the garden for his wife Amytis of Media to enjoy a private, terrace garden without any disturbance. It was built in Al-Hillah, Babil Province, Iraq. These gardens were said to be about 400 feet wide, 400 feet long and were over 80 feet in height. The garden is supposed to have been destroyed by a massive earthquake. 1. 3 Temple of Artemesium: The temple of Artemesium, at Ephesus, was one of great temple built by Croesus, king of Lydia, about 550 BC and was rebuilt after being burned by a madman named Herostratus in 356 BC.The Artemesium was famous not only for its great size over 350 by 180 feet but also for the magnificent works of art that adorned it. The temple was destroyed by invading Goths in 262 AD and was never rebuilt. 1. 4 Statue of Zeus at Olympia: Statue of Zeus at Olympia was built in 435 BC. The Greeks completed this building. The statue of Zeus was built in the temple to honor the Greek Olympic Game. The statue was a gigantic structure that occupied the whole width of the aisle of the temple. It was about 40 feet tall and was destroyed in a fire during the 5th and 6th century AD. B axamusa) 1. 5 Mausoleum of Halicarnassus: Mausoleum of Halicarnassus was built in 351 BC. King Mausolus ruled a small kingdom in Asia Minor. His queen Artemisia was a beautiful woman who loved the king a lot. After the death of King Mausolus, she got the most beautiful mausoleum built in the memory of her loving husband. It was known as the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus and people from far and wide came to visit it. By the year 1494 AD, it was destroyed by a flood. It was rebuilt but was damaged by an earthquake. 1. 6 Collosus of Rhodes: Collosus of Rhodes was built in 290 BC.Collosus of Rhodes was the colossal statue of the sun god Helios that stood in the ancient Greek city of Rhodes and was one of the Seven Wonders of the World. After about 56 years it was built, the statue was destroyed by an earthquake. It fell into the harbor and just the thumb of the statue was visible over the water surface. The king of Egypt offered to rebuild the statue, but the people of Rhodes refused. This is because they believed Helios himself threw the statue in water in a fit of rage. 1. 7 Lighthouse of Alexandria: Lighthouse of Alexandria was built in 280 BC.The Island of Pharos was a harbor in Alexandria, Egypt. This lighthouse was built in this harbor and helped ships enter the harbor safely. This lighthouse is said to have survived for 1500 long years and finally destroyed by an earthquake in the 1300's. During its era, it was the tallest man-made structure at about 380 to 440 feet high. So, these were some interesting facts about the 7 wonders of the ancient world. Just imagine, what an impact they may have created in the minds of the people of that age. Except the Pyramid of Giza, all the other wonders have long gone.We can just imagine more about these magnificent structures based on the writings by people of ancient Greece. These seven ancient wonders have something special thing in it, which creates curiosity between us to watch and study these wonders. Although, only on e ancient wonder is left today, but still they have attraction and by this force of attraction these wonders attract everyone towards itself. We can just imagine more about these magnificent structures based on the writings by people of ancient Greece. 2. New Seven Wonders of the World:The list of New Seven Wonders consists of man-made monuments from all over the world. These Seven Wonders of the World are spread across continents and were selected by people throughout the world using a voting method. The organizers thought that this will promote global harmony, along with increasing people's knowledge about these historical monuments some of which are not in their own continent. In 2001 an initiative was started by the Swiss corporation New Seven Wonders Foundation to choose the New Seven Wonders of the World from a selection of 200 existing monuments.Twenty-one finalists were announced January 1, 2006. Egyptians were not happy that the only surviving original wonder, the Great Pyr amid of Giza, would have to compete with the likes of the Statue of Liberty, the Sydney Opera House, and other landmarks. In response, Giza was named an honorary Candidate. The results were announced on July 7, 2007, in Lisbon, Portugal. Figure [ 1 ]: New seven Wonders of the World, Source: New7Wonders of the World,en. wikipedia. org/wiki/New7Wonders_of_the_World. 2. 1 Chichen Itza: The name ‘Chichen Itza' means ‘At the mouth of the well of Itza'.Here, Itza refers to a political clan of people, who were at their political and economical best in the northern peninsula (Saxena. Chaitra Suraj). Chichen Itza was the political focal point for a long time in the Mayan history. This winner of the seven wonders list is located in Yucatan, Mexico. The historical site consists of many stone buildings which are connected by a network of paved roads called Sacbeob. Most of these buildings have been restored and some are still under the process. These buildings have been grouped into sets of architectonic series (based on their architecture).And these sets are believed to be once separated by walls. The three famous sets out of them are, Great North Platform, the Osaario Group and the Central Group. These sets individually consist of various buildings, which are wonders in themselves. Chichen Itza consists of numerous temples, pyramids, and some interesting monuments like Steam Bath and the Great Ball Court. Each of the building had its own importance and was used for some specific purpose. One particular area of Chechen Itza is open to archeologists only, in a way it is still under observation and research. 2. 2 Christ the Redeemer:Christ the Redeemer is the statue of Jesus Christ, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It is situated at a height of 700 meters on the Carcovado Mountain, in the Tijuca forest National Park. It weighs 635 tons and stands at a height of 39. 6 meters. It is built of reinforced concrete and soapstone and is the symbol of Christianity, as well a s Rio de Janeiro. The construction of a historical monument on Corcovado was suggested first in 1850, then again in 1921. A lot many designs were considered for the religious monument, which included, the representation of the Christian cross and the tatue of Jesus with a globe in his hand. The Christ the Redeemer was finalized and the construction began in 1922 and continued till 1931. The cost of construction is estimated to be $250,000. The statue was opened to public on 12th of October, 1931 and in 2007 it became a part of the Seven Wonders of the World. In February 2008, the statue was struck by lightning, during a storm but was saved because of the outer layer made of soapstone, which acted as an insulator. This particular storm is known to have caused a lot of damage in the city of Rio, but the statue stood unhurt. . 3 Colosseum: Colosseum, also known as the Roman Coliseum is situated in the city of Rome, Italy. Coming from such a strong background, it was a really strong con tender for a position in Seven Wonders of the World list. It is an elliptical amphitheater and was originally known as Flavian Amphitheater. It is said to be one of the largest buildings of the Roman Empire. Construction of this amphitheater took around 10 years, starting from 70 AD and once ready the Colosseum was used for various public events and fights between gladiators.Gladiatorial fights were the major source of entertainment during those times and the public events consisted of mock sea battles, animal hunts, executions, reenactments of famous battles, etc. The amphitheater was capable of seating a total of 50,000 spectators. It is estimated that some 500,000 people and over a million animals died in the events held at Colosseum. In the early medieval era, the building was stopped being used as a place of entertainment and then on, it is believed to have been used for various other purposes. The ancient building now stands partially ruined by earthquakes. . 4 Great Wall of C hina: The Great Wall of China was built between the 5th and 16th centuries BC. This wall was designed to protect the northern border from attacks. The Great Wall is over 4,000 miles long. The Great Wall of China also has the distinction of being one of the Wonders of the middle Ages as well. The Great Wall of China is a stone wall built from Shanhaiguan in the east to Lop Nur in the west of China and it stretches over a distance of 8,851. 8 kms. On land, the walls were made using earth or wood, but with the beginning of the Ming Dynasty, the walls were made using bricks.Other materials like lime, tiles and stones were also widely used. With the use of bricks the construction is believed to have fastened and the brick walls were much stronger. The wall is now in ruins at most of the places and only a few parts remain in good condition. Parts of it have sustained years of erosion, human attacks, modern-day construction and even graffiti at a lot of places, in order to find a place in the 7 wonders of the world. (Saxena) 2. 5 Machu Picchu: Machu Picchu is a pre Columbian Inca site in Cuzco, Peru.It is located at a height of 8000 feet above the sea level on the crest of the mountain Machu Picchu. The name Machu Picchu means ‘Old Peak' and is often referred to as ‘The Lost City of the Incas'. Its construction started in AD 1430 and the city was abandoned a hundred years later. It remained hidden from the outside world for hundreds of years, until it was discovered by Hiram Bingham, an American historian in the year 1911. Because of its location, Machu Picchu remained hidden from most of the world, including the Spanish conquerors.But now that it is in the seven wonders list, it is a famous tourist attraction and is visited by people from all across the world. Machu Picchu is believed to have been built at the peak of the Inca Empire and is the proof of their royalty and religious beliefs. Incas were basically sun worshipers. Inti in Peruvian means the S un and hence, it can be easily understood that one of its primary buildings is â€Å"The Temple of the Sun†. The other main buildings are the Intihuatana and the Room of the Three Windows. Most of the buildings in Machu Picchu are in some or the other way related and dedicated to their God, ‘The Sun'.Machu Picchu is on the list of endangered ‘World Heritage Sites'. And that is why tourism in Machu Picchu is of great concern. Scientists believe that more the People, more will be the damage. 2. 6 Petra: Petra is a historical and archaeological city in the Jordanian governorate of Ma'an that is famous for its rock cut architecture and water conduit system. Established sometime around the 6th century BC as the capital city of the Nabataeans, it is a symbol of Jordan as well as its most visited tourist attraction.It lies on the slope of Mount Hor in a basin among the mountains which form the eastern flank of Arabah (Wadi Araba), the large valley running from the Dead S ea to the Gulf of Aqaba. Petra has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1985. The downfall of Petra began under the Roman Empire. The basic reason being was the change of trade routes. Most of the Petra was destroyed by earthquakes, which damaged buildings and fractured the lifeline of Petra; the water management system. 2. 7 Taj Mahal: Taj Mahal famously known as the ‘Symbol of Love' is a mausoleum, built by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan for his wife Mumtaz Mahal.It is located in Agra, India. Taj Mahal's construction began around 1632 and it took around 21 years to be completed. It was constructed according to the Mughal architecture, which is a combination of Persian, Indian and Islamic architectural styles. The mausoleum was built solely in marble, while other buildings in the complex were made of red stone. For the decoration purposes, 28 types of precious and semi precious stones were used and the raw material is believed to be ordered from as far as Afghanistan in the North and Sri Lanka in the South.It is said that nearly 20,000 workers were employed from all across the country for the construction work. These include skilled artisans, carvers, sculptors and stone cutters of excellent rapport. All in all, 37 people formed the creative unit of the project. Some of them were from foreign countries too. The approximate cost of construction is estimated to some 32 million rupees (Indian currency). It is considered as one of the master pieces of Mughal Empire and attracts tourism from all over the world. Statistics suggest that approximately 2 to 4 million people visit Taj Mahal annually.So, according to the above discussion we can say that every wonder has its own importance in the present world according to their historical background and their construction. People from all over the world visit these wonders to satiate their curiosity. Now a day’s architectures are in the constant struggle to make the new wonders which are better than the a ncient and present wonders, but still the present wonders have great importance at the present time and architectures have to work very hard to defeat these wonders.Work Cited: 1. â€Å"Temple of Artemis. † Encyclopedia Britannica. Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica Inc. , 2012. Web. 27 Mar. 2012. <britannica. com/EBchecked/topic/36816/Temple-of-Artemis> 2. â€Å"Colossus of Rhodes. † Encyclopedia Britannica. Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica Inc. , 2012. Web. 28 Mar. 2012. <britannica. com/EBchecked/topic/501620/Colossus-of-Rhodes. > 3. Mish, Frederick C. , Editor in Chief. â€Å"Petra. † Webster’s Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary. 9th ed.Springfield, Massachusetts: Merriam-Webster Inc. , 1985 4. Graham Hancock and Robert Bauval, The Message of the Sphinx, Pyramidology, 4 volume, 1957-1972, Web. 5. Nakate. Shashank. Seven Wonders of the World. Web 3/16/2010. Buzzle. com 6. Baxamusa. Batul Nafisa. 7 Wo nders of the Ancient World List. Web. 2/25/2011. Buzzle. com 7. Marian K, Original Seven Wonders of the World. Web. 10/3/2011. Buzzle. com 8. Saxena. Chaitra Suraj, New 7 Wonders: What are the Seven Wonders of the World?. Web. 9/30/2011. Buzzle. com Seven Wonders of the World Seven Wonders of the Ancient World While the ancient world left little written record, the evidence that we do have depicts it as far more advanced and culturally rich than many would expect. From the Phoenicians in Mesopotamia to the Mayans in Central America, technological advancements and complex theories drove the ancient civilizations ahead. Great thinkers from that period like Socrates left huge marks on the literary world. Great scientists like Copernicus developed theories that provided the foundations for more modern thought. Juxtaposing their technology with our own, we find their accomplishments truly amazing.Their buildings, remarkably built without cranes, bulldozers, or assembly lines, rival our greatest and create great wonder among our culture. Chief among their architectural feats, the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World remind us constantly of the ancient cultures’ splendors and advancements. These landmarks, the Great Pyramid of Giza, the Hanging Gardens of B abylon, the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, the Statue of Zeus at Olympia, the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus, the Colossus of Rhodes, and the Lighthouse of Alexandria or the Walls of Babylon according to the list, left evidence of the magnificence of the ancient world.Understanding the history of the whole group as well as the history of the individual places creates a gratitude and reverence for our ancient ancestors. Herodotus created the first list of wonders in the fifth century BC but gained little notoriety for the feat and inspired few subsequent lists. His written record, a list mirroring that above with the exception of substituting the Pharos of Alexandria for the Lighthouse, was destroyed with the exception of references in the burning of the Library of Alexandria (History Reference Center). In following centuries, however, Herodotus’s ideas began to catch on.Conquering vast empires in the name of Macedonia, Alexander the Great led a strategic military campaign througho ut the Balkans and much of the ancient world. Through these fourth century BC annexations, Alexander stimulated travel in the area, which in turn led to the Greeks gaining immense cultural knowledge about peoples like the Persians, Egyptians, and Babylonians. Alexander truly opened their world. With the influx of travel, the Greeks began and compile oral lists of ‘theamatas,’ a word translated to mean ‘the must-sees’. The lists, though they varied from person to person, lways contained a constant number of seven sites. Being neither a product nor factor of any number less than ten, seven is hard to separate into subdivisions and therefore provides an excellent number for indivisible things like the Seven Wonders, the Seven Deadly Sins, and the Seven Sages. After Herodotus, the next well-known list is that of Callimachus of Cyrene, a worker at the Library of Alexandria. He wrote a work entitled ‘A Collection of Wonders in Lands throughout the World,â⠂¬â„¢ but destroyed early on, the contents of the list remain unknown.De Septem Mundi Miraculous, or Of the Seven Wonders of the World, was written in 200 BC. Attributed to and supposedly written by Philo of Byzantium, many argue that it was actually written in the sixth century AD (Infoplease). Regardless, this work gives an excellent description of Seven Wonders, including the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, the Pyramids of Giza, the Statue of Zeus at Olympia, the Colossus at Rhodes, the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus, the Temple of Artemis and Ephesus, and the Lighthouse of Alexandria.While most lists agree on at least six of the seven wonders, some ancient and modern lists substitute the walls of Babylon for the Lighthouse of Alexandria. The most renowned ancient list, coming around 80 years later, belongs to Antipater of Sidon and does exactly this. A citizen of Alexandria, Egypt, Antipater compiled his list in a poem during the second century BC, saying   I have gazed on the walls o f impregnable Babylon, along which chariots may race, and on the Zeus by the banks of Alpheus.I have seen the Hanging Gardens and the Colossus of Helios, the great man-made mountains of the lofty pyramids, and the gigantic tomb of Maussollos. But when I saw the sacred house of Artemis that towers to the clouds, the others were placed in the shade, for the sun himself has never looked upon its equal outside of Olympus (History Reference Center)   These lists inspired others to not only explore but to tell of their explorations.After the works of Herodotus, Callimachus, Philo, and Antipater, people strove to make their own lists of wonders, almost always including the eight documented by Philo and Antipater. The oldest and only remaining of these eight wonders, the Pyramids of Giza took ancient Egypt by storm in 2560 BC. A remarkable architectural feat, they remained the tallest structures in the world until the nineteenth century. They originally stood at 481 feet tall but have shr unk to around 450 feet.Khufu’s pyramid, also known as the Great Pyramid, contains 2,300,000 blocks weighing around two and a half tons each. Every side of that pyramid is 756 feet long (Infoplease). Fourth-Dynasty Pharaoh Khufu, also known as Cheops, ordered the pyramids built as tombs for Pharaohs Khufu, Khafra, and Menkaure. Their splendor begins with their location. Cheops chose a plateau made of white limestone located southwest of Cairo. Surrounded by the Nile River, spacious green plains, astounding palm groves, and the magnificent skyline of Memphis, the area itself is a wonder.Originator of the concept of Seven Wonders, Herodotus became the first to describe the Pyramids when he visited Egypt around 450 BC. His account of the pyramids begins with an insult of Cheops, saying claiming â€Å"Cheops, who reigned over them, plunged the country into deep calamities† (History Reference Center). In Herodotus’s books, he asserts that Cheops employed over 100,000 slaves at a time, switching the men out every three months, but ancient historian Diodorus Siculus alleged that the pyramids actually required 360,000 slaves.Recent discoveries, however, have pinned the number of workers between 5,500 and 8,000 and declared that they worked willingly, not as slaves. Herodotus goes on to describe a magnificent causeway used to transport stones and marvelous underground rooms that took approximately ten years to build. With information gathered from his Egyptian guide, Herodotus chronicled the process used to build the pyramids, writing   This pyramid was constructed on the following plan.They began by building it in the shape of steps, having first made it in this form, they drew up the stones for the rest of the work by means of machines, consisting of short pieces of wood, when they had lifted them from the ground to the first tier of the steps; as soon as stone had reached so far, it was laid on another machine, placed on the first range; from t hence it was hauled up to the second [and from the second to the third,] by means of another machine, for as many as the tiers of the steps there were, there was the same amount of machines. This passage shows the technological advancements employed by the Egyptians.The architecture behind the underground rooms proved extremely innovative; Cheops used a canal from the Nile to create an insulation system (Books). Summing up his Egyptian encounter, he gives a brief account of the lesser two pyramids, built as tombs for Khafra and Menkaure, and moves on to new things. Though many people doubt its existence, the alleged regality of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon stupefies many. Herodotus, previously mentioned as the first big traveler of the era, gave a full description of the city of Babylon, making no mention of the Hanging Gardens.This causes speculation among many historians today (History Reference Center). For those who do believe, however, the Hanging Gardens stood in Mesopotamia , near the present location of Baghdad, Iraq. Berossus, a Babylonian priest, wrote the first account of the Gardens in 3rd century BC, but since then, the works have been lost. Strabo and Philo gave the next ancient descriptions. Philo wrote, The Hanging Garden has plants cultivated above ground level, and the roots of the trees are embedded in an upper terrace rather than in the earth. The whole mass is supported on stone columns.Streams of water emerging from elevated sources flow down sloping channels. These waters irrigate the whole garden saturating the roots of plants and keeping the whole area moist. Hence the grass is permanently green and the leaves of trees grow firmly attached to supple branches. This is a work of art of royal luxury and its most striking feature is that the labor of cultivation is suspended above the heads of the spectators. (Books)   While most of Mesopotamia lived up to its appellation the Fertile Crescent, Babylon differed, having a desert-like clim ate.According to ancient writers like Berossus, Philo of Byzantium, and Diodorus Siculus, King Nebuchadnezzar II ordered the Gardens built for his wife around sixth century BC (Infoplease). Amyitis, a native of the luscious green Persia, greatly missed the beautiful landscape of her home, and as any affectionate husband would do, Nebuchadnezzar built the Gardens to appease her. The King filled the Gardens with pears, plums, grapes, and many other colorful plants. Providing great shade among the sandy landscape, the Gardens served as a retreat for the royal family.For the scholars that believe that the Hanging Gardens actually existed, another argument arises over whether or not the Gardens actually â€Å"hang. † In their Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, Michael and Mary B. Woods argue that the description of the Gardens as â€Å"hanging† comes from a translation issue. They assert that the original Greek word can be translated into â€Å"hanging† or â€Å"ov erhanging† and claim that the original authors meant â€Å"overhanging†. Because its very existence remains disputed, no evidence of the date or method of destruction endures.Built in 560 BC, the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus paid homage to the Greek goddess Artemis, goddess of the hunt, childbirth, and virginity (History Reference Center). King Croesus of Lydia ordered the Temple built on a marshland in present-day Turkey, and one hundred and twenty years later it opened for worship. Towering above other structures in the land, the Temple, made of marble, stood 300 long by 150 wide and massive columns (Infoplease). Croesus chose the location in hopes of protecting it from volatile earthquakes.That natural disaster, however, would not cause the destruction of the Temple; instead, it would fall victim to arson committed by a power-hungry Herostratus in 356 BC, on the birthday of Alexander the Great. Greek legend holds that Artemis, busy assisting with Alexander’s c hildbirth, found herself too preoccupied to protect her Temple. Alexander, sympathetic to this story, offered to pay for the restoration of the Temple, but the Ephesian leaders rejected the request claiming it was â€Å"inappropriate for a god to dedicate offerings to the gods† (Books).Despite Alexander’s dismissal, the Ephesians, led by sculptor Scopas of Paros, rebuilt the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, beginning almost immediately after the original’s destruction. The new Temple, the first made purely of marble, laid the foundation for extravagant building. Bigger than the original, it had 27 columns stretching 60 feet into the sky, spanning 425 feet long and 225 feet wide. Athens’s pride and joy, the Parthenon is believed to have only been a quarter of the size of the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus.Pliny the Elder provided a base ancient description of the Temple, along with many other Grecian works, in his Natural History, written in the 1st century AD. Of the Temple, he wrote, â€Å"The most wonderful monument of Grecian magnificence, and one that merits our genuine admiration, is the Temple of Diana at Ephesus† (Books). Some, like Pliny, referred to the Temple as the Temple of Diana, Artemis’s Roman form. As Christianity spread through the ancient world, the Temple slowly became obsolete and eventually met its demise through raids from the Goths in 268 AD.Dedicated Ephesians made a final attempt to rebuild the Temple after its destruction, but Roman Emperor Theodosius the Great’s decision to outlaw Christianity, eradicating the Temple’s purpose. Site of the earliest Olympics, Olympia wished to honor its supreme god, also patron of their games, for their prosperity and success. To do this, they commissioned Phidias, chief sculptor behind the Parthenon, to build a statue paying homage to this god, Zeus. Using an innovative method designed by Phidias himself, he built a wooden skeleton in the intended sh ape of the statue and ordered workers to adorn it.Sheets of iron and gold were cut and fashioned to cover the wooden structure. Looming over the Temple of Zeus, the statue rose 40 feet into the air and was a massive 22 feet wide. Zeus’s Statue features him sitting on a magnificent throne, with his head brushing the ceiling. The ancient historian Strabo criticized the proportions of the statue, claiming that Phidias â€Å"depicted Zeus seated, but with the head almost touching the ceiling, so that we have the impression that if Zeus moved to stand up he would unroof the temple. (History Reference Center). Citation Page 1. Scarre, Chris. â€Å"The Seven Wonders Of The Ancient World. † (2004): 125-127. History Reference Center. Web. 13 Nov. 2012. 2. Infoplease. Infoplease, n. d. Web. 13 Nov. 2012. . 3. â€Å"Books. † Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. N. p. , n. d. Web. 13 Nov. 2012. .

Moral Responsibility

Naina Navni Professor Adams UCWR 110 21 October 2010 Moral Responsibility America would not be where it is without the laws that have been placed and the citizens who follow the laws. In order for this to happen the knowledge and acceptance of the laws are needed to establish order. African Americans had been secluded in the past through harsh laws of segregation.Although many believe disobeying the law is morally wrong and if disobeyed a punishment should follow, Martin Luther King’s profound statement, â€Å"One has the moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws† (King 420) leads to greater justice for all which is also supported by King’s â€Å"Letter from Birmingham Jail,† Jefferson’s â€Å" The Declaration of Independence,† and Lincoln’s â€Å"Second Inaugural Address. † â€Å"I am in Birmingham because injustice is here,† wrote Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. , in his â€Å"Letter from Birmingham Jail† (King 416 ).Eight Alabama clergymen composed a statement urging restraint in the Civil Rights movement and the discontinuance of demonstrations in Birmingham. The clergymen explained that progress could best be achieved through negotiation and through the court system and suggested that direct action would only make the situation worse. In response to this statement, Martin Luther King, Jr. composed his famous â€Å"Letter from Birmingham Jail† to explain why he was active in civil rights demonstrations, primarily because of the failure of the courts and negotiation to address the issue of civil rights effectively.One of King's most important and most extended arguments begins with the  distinction between just and unjust laws. He begins by stating one has a legal and a moral responsibility to obey just laws. Conversely, one has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws. â€Å"I would agree with St. Augustine that an unjust law is no law at all† (King 420). A distinction i s made that an unjust law is a human law that is not rooted in eternal law and natural law and by contrast, any law that uplifts human personality is just.Through these definition King can elaborate on his claim he developed earlier, â€Å"Segregation distorts the soul and damages the personality,† to draw a central conclusion which condemns segregation statutes as unjust (King 420). Any law that degrades human personality is unjust and all segregation statutes are unjust because segregation distorts the soul and damages the personality. Therefore this supports his conclusion, â€Å"Segregation gives the segregator a false sense of superiority and the segregated a false sense of inferiority† (King 420).Segregation is morally wrong and sinful, therefore action was needed to be taken to prevent it. In the second phase of this argument, King redefines â€Å"unjust law† in such a way as to intersect the democratic argument seen developed in Jefferson’s Declar ation of Independence. King begins his argument by stating what defines an unjust versus just law. â€Å"An unjust law is a code that a numerical or power majority group compels a minority group to obey but does not make binding on itself. This is difference made legal . . . a just law is a code that a majority compels a minority to follow and that it is willing to follow itself.This is sameness made legal . . . a law is unjust if it is inflicted on a minority that, as a result of being denied the right to vote, had no part in enacting or devising the law† (King 421). The segregation laws were enacted by the Alabama legislature, representatives to which Negroes did not vote for because they were denied the right to vote brings up a question â€Å"Can any law enacted under such circumstances be considered democratically structured? † (King 421). Such laws are not democratically structured, therefore such laws are unjust.After King clearly demonstrated that segregation l aws are unjust, it follows the immediate opening premise, â€Å"One has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws† that we are obliged to disobey segregation laws (King 420). King shines a new light on the disobedience of the law by expressing his belief that â€Å"An individual who breaks a law that conscience tells him is unjust, and who willingly accepts the penalty of imprisonment in order to arouse the conscience of the community over its injustice, is in reality expressing the highest respect for the law† (King 421).This therefore means that conscientious disobedience of an unjust law, especially with the intention of overturning injustice, shows the highest respect for the law, where just law is supposed to derive from natural law and God's moral order. King's language here echoes Jefferson, but particularly in the Declaration of Independence where Jefferson argues that governments exist to protect basic human rights, â€Å"Deriving their just powers from t he consent of the governed† (Jefferson 437).At time it appears that the letter might even surpass the Declaration of Independence in its importance and value, as the letter speaks on behalf of all Americans as a unified â€Å"we† (Ess). Lincoln’s famous â€Å"Second Inaugural Address† given in 1865, exemplifies what King tries to explain in his letter. The main message gained is that all men are created equal, therefore segregation laws should not exist (Ess). Lincoln’s speech laid the foundation for others, such as King, to continue to work hard to abolish segregation and discriminative treatment.King’s use of logos, appeals to our logic or reasoning and gives his own example of how segregation affected his life. Once, he was randomly arrested for walking around without a walking permit. Another example, an elderly black woman states, â€Å"My feets is tired but my soul is at rest† (King 430). He mentions that the old woman’s s tatement is grammatically incorrect, and emphasizes her lack of education and his awareness of it. He draws attention to this fact to point out that even the uneducated know and sense the magnitude of the injustice of segregation.Also, in quoting this elderly woman, King's appeal includes an appeal to the emotions. His use of imagery of this elderly woman with tired feet, we feel for her in that she is old and must endure this march to fight for something she should already have. The laws denied the rights of the elderly woman because of her race, hence the law being unjust, which King believes is fair not to follow. The main problem that was occurring in society was segregation. Similarities between King’s letter to the â€Å"The Declaration of Independence† and â€Å"Second Inaugural Address† are visible as both documents strive for the same goal: equality.If a law is morally wrong and unjust, then it is our responsibility to disobey it. King argues his point in a variety of ways, particularly the example of the elderly black woman complaining about the pain in her feet from the march and how King points out the grammatical errors in her speech which show her lack of education, yet still understands that segregation happening, knows it is wrong, and wants it to end.Works Cited Danner, Natalie, and Mary Kate. Paris. â€Å"King’s Letter from Birmingham Jail. † Mercury Reader: a Custom Publication. New York: Pearson Custom Pub. , 2009. 412-31. Print. Danner, Natalie, and Mary Kate. Paris. â€Å"Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address. † Mercury Reader: a Custom Publication. New York: Pearson Custom Pub. , 2009. 434-35. Print. Danner, Natalie, and Mary Kate. Paris. â€Å"Jefferson’s The Declaration of Independence. † Mercury Reader: a Custom Publication. New York: Pearson Custom Pub. , 2009. 436-40. Print. Ess, Dr. Charles. â€Å"King's Letter from the Birmingham Jail. † Drury University, Springfie ld, Missouri. Web. 16 Oct. 2010. .

Competition in Healthcare

In the U. S. economy, when companies or organizations compete for consumers’ business, consumers usually win with lower prices and better quality product (Stossel, 2007). This idea has spread to the healthcare industry and is being encouraged as a way to increase value for patients (Rivers, 2008). With the healthcare industry being a very diverse industry, there are many different forms of competitions as well as benefits and shortfalls for competition in the healthcare market.Traditional competition in healthcare involves one more elements of price, quality, convenience, superior products or services, new technology and innovations (Rivers, 2008). There are different forms of healthcare competition. One form of healthcare competition is the competition that exists between individuals who provide healthcare such as physicians and other healthcare practitioners (Rivers, 2008). These entities compete for patients who are able to pay on their own, or who have their own health ins urance (Rivers, 2008). They also compete off of a non-price basis (Rivers, 2008).This means they are competing with their location, their colleague referrals, and their reputations (Rivers, 2008). Physicians and other healthcare practitioners may also compete in the medical market by reducing competition from non-physicians like psychologist (Rivers, 2008). The benefits for this type of competition are that it forces the healthcare practitioner and physicians to be more patient-orientated. It also encourages prices to competitive since some of these individuals are paying for the services out of their own pocket and is price conscious (Stossel, 2007).Another form of competition in the healthcare industry is healthcare organizations, such as hospitals (Rivers, 2008). These entities compete for physicians, third-party payers and patients (Rivers, 2008). They compete for patients by providing more services, better amenities and discounted prices (Rivers, 2008). They also compete for ph ysicians by trying to maintain a cutting edge of competition with their technology and new medical discoveries (Rivers, 2008). The final form of competition in the healthcare industry is between organizations that provide healthcare financing, insurance and plans.These entities compete with access, premiums, benefits, quality and different degrees of freedom in choosing a provider and the benefits or coverage services. The pitfall for this type of competition is that it can often be confusing for consumers who are comparing different insurance or financing plan. Competition in the healthcare industry is being encouraged to help better the quality of care patients receive as well as reduce medical costs. When patients have the choice of where they receive medical care, competition and having a competitive edge on opponents is important.Since the healthcare industry is so large and diverse, there are different forms of competition between healthcare entities. Ultimately competition is supposed to benefit the consumer and patients. resources: Rivers, P. (2008). Healthcare competition, strategic mission and patietn satisfaction:research models and propositions. Retrieved on October 13, 2012 from www. ncbi. nlm. nib/gov/pmc/articles/PMC2865678 Stossel, J (2007). The Competitive Advantage. http://abcnews. go. com/2020/story? id=36026262&page=1

Art Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 15

Art - Essay Example The roofs of churches were vaulted and supported by thick stone walls, rounded arches and massive pillars. The creation of large churches during the Romanesque period was propagated by the strong devotion to Christianity and the church. There was a common belief among the Christians that the world was going to end a thousand years after Christ’s birth. This made people to have more commitment and devotion to church and so the churches had to be increased in size so that they could accommodate the large masses. The increase in size was also caused by political and cultural reasons. Flying buttresses is a masonry structure which typically consists of an inclined bar on an arch that extends from the top part of the wall to the pier which is some distance from the wall. Its main function is to carry the thrust of the vault. The pier is often crowned by a pinnacle which adds weight and enhances stability. The buttresses evolved during the gothic era as they allowed the building of high ceilinged churches (Kleiner 267). This changed the Notre-dame in Paris church architecture in general; it made the churches to have high vaults as they were strongly supported by the buttresses and pinnacles. They made churches to be bigger with high

The ideas and practices associated with marketing emerged in response Essay

The ideas and practices associated with marketing emerged in response to the challenges posed by mass production, and these idea - Essay Example In addition, the adoption of marketing strategies in the face of increasing competition is discussed. The evolution of marketing On the advent of the factory, new products began to emerge while old products appeared in strikingly new forms. With the flooding of the market with uniformly mass produced products that were virtually indistinguishable from one another, branding was introduced to differentiate the products. Competitive branding evolved to compensate for the product similarity, thereby, achieving image based difference. Essentially, advertising changed from delivering product news to developing an image around a branded version of a product. Design theorists assert that logos were introduced to evoke familiarity in an effort to address the new and unsettling similarity of packaged goods. Brand names replaced small shop keepers as the interface between the consumer and the product (Klein, 2001, p.12). In recent years, marketing has gone into an overdrive with increasing numb ers of ads and aggressive new formulas for reaching customers. The astronomical growth rate of the advertising industry is well reflected by the 1998 projection which set the total ad spending at $196.5 billion while the global estimate was $435 billion. This figure outpaces the growth of the global economy by a third. This trend is attributed to the firmly held belief that brands need to continuously and constantly increase advertising in response to increased competition. According to the law of diminishing returns, as more firms increase their ads firms are under increasing pressure to aggressively market their brands (Arvisdsson, 2006, p.178). As a result of the competition, marketers invented more strategies to attract customers. This caused marketers to introduce more clever and intrusive selling techniques. For instance, Calvin Klein stuck CK Be perfume strips on the back of Ticketmaster concert envelopes to attract customers to the CK Be brand. Proponents of branding claim t hat markets where producers compete based only on price, promotions and trade deals are susceptible to product duplication leading to decreased profits. Some companies have over time integrated their respective brands in the fabric of their companies. Such companies mould a corporate culture around the brand. Everything within such organizations is an ad for the brand; this includes branding employees with such tags as partners, superstar CEOs and design consistencies (Brownlie, et al, 1999, p.379). New media has revolutionised the interaction between consumers and organizations characterized by a shift in power where consumers have more influence on the product. The rise of consumer generated content has turned consumers into content producers. Consumers now possess greater control over what is provided in corporate communications. The shifts in power have not only changed consumer expectations but also have changed purchasing decisions (Bob, 2005, p.285). There is extensive eviden ce of a decline in traditional media usage among advertisers. In response to changes in technology, marketers are shifting expenditure to new media options. New media has transformed many aspects of brand marketing such as segmentation and targeting through positioning, distribution and customer relation management (Bob, 2005, p.285). Marketing strategies Marketing strategies evolved as a result of the need by marketers to deal

Dannon Company Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Dannon Company - Research Paper Example Dannon has since become the yoghurt founding company in America. Dannon is one of the leading producers of beverages, packaged foods and top selling yoghurt brands globally. The main value of the company is Health and Nutrition. The mission of the company is towards the provision of health through the food supply to the largest number of people possible (Dannon’s CSR 2009 Overview). The vision of the company is health for all people. The company is always looking for different ways of encouraging people to eat healthier and delightful tasting dairy products. Dannon produces and sells over 100 different products across the globe which varies in different sizes, styles and flavors of cultured dairy products. Transparency 1. Level of public disclosure. The company has a high level of public disclosure. That is, Dannon Company makes the information about its company public and makes it open to investors and shareholders. In every financial year, the company makes public its CSR re port, events and all annual reports. The company gives a press release of all activities taking place including company awards and all nutrition grants. All this is done with the aim of enhancing investor and shareholder confidence on the company. 2. Responsibility for environment/sustainable development. Dannon Company engages in Corporate Social Responsibility activities. ... nt, company has also increased its health and nutrition and nature of its produces which include packaging, energy consumption and manufacturing (Dannon’s CSR 2009 Overview). The company has also cut by 10% on its overall carbon footprint during the 2009 financial year. As part of its responsibility towards sustainable development, Dannon Company helps people in making informed food choices in order to improve their health and nutrition. Dannon Company also supports initiatives which encourage nutrition education, supports research and education which help in exploration of the relationship between better health and nutrition. To Dannon Company, its responsibility goes beyond the usual business of just producing yogurt products as it the company’s privilege to be an active partner in the provision of families with information and tools required for health lives. Dannon Company is committed to three core values in its corporate social responsibility activities, and they include health and nutrition, nature and people. The company is highly committed in the production of those products which are quite useful to the consumer (Laszlo, 2003). The company strives to makes nutritious products, engages families and children at the community level, and makes use of Dannon Next Generation Nutrition to help children in understanding the usefulness of healthy eating habits. The company also limits the kind of products to advertise to children and engages in childhood nutrition education programs. When it comes to nature, the company is highly committed to environmental sustainability as it has been saving on its carbon foot print, has reduced the quantity of its primary packaging and also saves fuel by re-inventing different ways of making energy saving bottles and cups. The

Will special programs for reconvicts reduce recidivism Essay

Will special programs for reconvicts reduce recidivism - Essay Example The study will focus on the area covered by the Metropolitan Police force and the State of Colorado in the U. S. A. it will compare and contrast the statistics relevant to the study. The convicts who have been reconvicted and those who have not been will also be compared and contrasted to study whether there is a class of persons more likely to reoffend than others. The histories of both the classes of convicts will be studied to determine the necessary steps to be taken for the prevention of recidivism. The results of this study will be utilized to identify the most representative of reconvicts will be formed. Experimental groups of the classes will be identified. The experimental groups will be given correctional lectures, incentives for good behavior including the shortening of the period of notification and a role in social aid for police forces (volunteering for traffic police duties etc.) apart from psychotherapy and counseling. Persons in each group will be selected randomly. The study will be done with the aid of secondary data in the form of the records maintained in the form of Violent and Sexual Crimes Register, Offenders Index and the National Police Register in the United Kingdom and the similar records in the U. S. A.