Race and class in New York Conspiracy Trials of 1741 Essay

Race and class in New York Conspiracy Trials of 1741 - Essay Example This further has led a presumption that the blacks are revolting against the whites. The main reason for this conclusion appears to be the threat perception of whites due to the fact that Black population steadily increased to make up for â€Å"one sixth of the population† by 1741 (Parrillo 45). The people allegedly involved in this purported conspiracy have mainly been blacks and poor whites. The court that heard the trials bas been biased against the black race and poor class, due to which it interpreted a case involving â€Å"common theft and arson† as an â€Å"enormous conspiracy† (Zabin 3). Thus, it transpires that racial and class supremacy of the dominant white people of higher social echelon has resulted in poor judgment and prejudice in the New York Conspiracy, due to which many blacks and some lower class white men have been executed in the aftermath of the trial. All the men involved in the alleged theft and subsequent developments have either been bla cks or white people of poor social standing. Another major member of the accused party has been a â€Å"papist priest and Spanish spy† which attributed a conspiracy angle to the episode (3). It can be evidenced from relevant sources that when the city of New York expanded, the affluent have moved away from the docks leaving it open for soldiers, sailors and the blacks to mingle and Hughson’s tavern, by virtue of its location within the close proximity of Hudson River has been ideal for catering the needs of the â€Å"transient residents as well as to the slaves† (7). During this time, the â€Å"religious revival movement† of the 1740s also becomes relevant, which has also caused bitterness among different segments of people (Parrillo 53). The 1741 winter had been very harsh and many witnesses have testified acute shortage of food and fuel but Burton as well as some other witnesses deposed that Hughson hosted â€Å"great feasts† (Zabin 9). Some stat ements even went to the extent that after the coup Hughson aspired to become â€Å"king† and John Gwin the â€Å"governor† while others pointed to the resentment about the disparity between the rich and the poor (10). Thus, the court, despite the absence of solid evidence, concluded that there indeed had been a conspiracy and executed the blacks and poor whites on racial and class prejudice. Evidence also suggests that during the trials, a â€Å"carefully calibrated† social rank system has been apparent, which determined the â€Å"authority and credibility of speeches and interactions† (11). The prevailing system in the early eighteenth century decided the social rank in terms of â€Å"gender, race and economic status† (11). Thus, it becomes obvious that the black people on the basis of race and some white men on the basis of lower economic status have been discriminated in the trials due to which the judges have awarded them the punishment of exec ution. Therefore, many believe that Horsmanden’s account, as one of the city’s elite, can only be seen as a version of the prosecution rather than a record of the actual events. Similarly, religion also has had an upper hand in Colonial America and the religious leaders also favored the higher echelons of the society rather than the poor man. In addition, a designated â€Å"civil government of its own† was absent and thus religion assumed additional power, which it could be used for favoring the elite white people (Godbeer 19). Thus, it

Art history - compare and contrast Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Art history - compare and contrast - Essay Example and Khafre’s Pyramid bear much similarity in terms of form and construction, they are actually quite different in terms of the function and context in which they were constructed. A major similarity between the Nanna Ziggurat and Khafre’s Pyramid lies in the fact that they are basically large pyramid structures. The Nanna Ziggurat has a stepped pyramid form with a rectangular base of 205 feet by 141 feet and rising an imposing 70 feet high. It was constructed of mud bricks and bore three staircases that all led to an entrance at the top. Its platform walls sloped outwards and it is thought that the Sumerian architects behind the idea designed it this way to prevent erosion of the pavement that was also constructed of mud bricks (Stokstad and Cothren 36). Khafre’s Pyramid was a large construction, with a square base of about 704 feet and rising to about 471 feet. It had a slant height of about 568 feet at an angle of 53Â °. This is of particular note since the architects had to get each angle and length measurement correctly for each stone to fit properly. The building blocks themselves were cut out of stone and weighed about 2.5 tons each. Whil e it would have been quite difficult to raise the stones to the pyramid’s height, the Egyptians adeptly used roller logs to place each piece in its place (Stokstad and Cothren 57). The other similarity between the two monuments is that they were both constructed during periods of great influence and civilization among the peoples of each kingdom. The people of the Old Egyptian Kingdom had developed systems of writing and schools, architecture, farming, labor practice and law and Khafre’s Pyramid was built during a period of social and political stability and prosperity. The kingdom’s Kings at the time were deemed half-gods who were mummified in the pyramids after death. In a similar fashion, the Sumerians had developed farming practice, writing, medicine, sailing, governance and religion. Although the