The News Corporation Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5250 words

The News Corporation - Case Study Example Especially, in this year TNC acquired the film company Twentieth Century Fox. The acquisition was drawn attention since it provided the company with access to studios for making films and television programmes, to a film library and to a distribution platform which created opportunities for TNC develop and expand its businesses to a multinational, multimedia company at the forefront of global marketing. From then on, TNC became a citizen of the global village. On Feb 5th 1989 TNC launched Sky Television in the UK, a direct-to-home (DTH) satellite broadcasting television network. Satellite broadcasting provided the opportunity for broadcaster to increase the footprint (distribution) of any channel, allowing the distribution of programs to more than one country for the first time. It was seen of great importance for the media industry in term of distribution channel. In the 1990's the economy was slowing down and banks worldwide experienced a liquidity crisis. TNC experienced a bad performance from Ansett Airlines and Twentieth Century Fox. The investment of new printing equipment for the UK resulted in a financial gap. Due to that fact, it was realized that the company needed restructuring to repay all loans. There were a number of key issues with regard to recovering the company: After experiencing Strengthening the company's balance sheet Improving and expanding existing businesses Building new businesses Nurturing and guiding of company's products Strategic planning, examining opportunities around the world After experiencing bad performance in its business and restructuring of the company, TNC has endlessly expanded its business throughout the world and notably as early as 1993,TNC moved into Asia with the acquisition of the Hong Kong-based satellite TV company Star TV, which broadcasts free-to-air over China, India and other 51 other countries. These markets were seen potential for TNC in a long run as they cover around 2/3 of the world's population. 1995 TNC joined with 3 other television, programming, and distribution groups to create a satellite service covering Latin America. This showed joint venture and alliances are in strategic choices of TNC which can help the company be better off in a long run and a beneficial for the parties involved and can offer more values for the customer. 2000 TNC restructured all its satellite interests into a new entity named Sky Global so as to enable the management team to build on the successes of BSkyB and to migrate those to the other satellite platforms of Sky Global.With regard to parenting, TNC was the creation of one man. Rupert Murdoch has been the chief executive since 1953. He is the driving force and most major decisions are made by him. His management style was supplemented by an extremely efficient reporting system. The business is built on Rupert Murdoch's Empire and his vision, ruthlessness and daring. He maintains control of his businesses by looking outside of the business to the regulatory environment that might constrain his activities. Besides that, Murdoch was affected by national regulatory systems and his political friendships have brought him influence in this area. In addition, his personal politics are right

Criminal investigation Term Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Criminal investigation Term - Essay Example Despite the benefits of fire, the disadvantages include atmospheric pollution, hazard to living organisms, soil erosion, and water contamination among others. Fire can obliterate one’s house and the entire belongings within an hour or even destroy a large forest and thus, reducing it to a pile of cinders as well as charred wood. Owing to the magnitude of the effects of a fire, there is a need for a thorough analysis and enlightenment on the causes of such destructive fires, the burn indicators, fire setting, and mechanisms of initiating fire, establishing the motives of the arsonists as well as means of locating the suspects. One of the first steps in an arson investigation is to determine not only where the fire originated but also how it started. The importance of pin pointing the origin of the fire allows investigators to more accurately determine whether foul play was involved or if the fire simply started by accident. A certain level of heat and some type of combustible material, which will combust at a given temperature, is needed to create a fire (Swanson, Chamelin, Territo, & Taylor, 2009). If the fire is accidental it could have started for many reasons to include a faulty electrical system, negligent smokers who fall asleep or leave their cigarette burning unattended, and the ever popular space heaters that are normally electrically powered will create enough heat or short out, thus creating a fire. In addition, an accidental fire could occur due to spontaneous combustion. Take for example, linseed oil. This oil is normally purchased as a widely used stain and sealant and can be quite combustible. If in a concentrated form, on something as basic as a rag that was used for staining some furniture, the evaporation caused by the oxidation of the oil creates enough heat to spontaneously combust (William, 2003). This could happen over the course of a couple hours, days, or even weeks

What Is Realist Criminology Criminology Essay

What Is Realist Criminology Criminology Essay Realist criminology is a phenomenon which has appeared, under different names, in Britain and the USA during the 1980s. 230 The criminologist had been making many various claims that crime is something when the poor getting their own back; that rising crime figures are only a result of different counting techniques; and that society should not forget the importance of business crime. However, the victims in deprived inner-city areas were facing a different reality every day, with their lives blighted by muggings, sexual assaults and burglaries. 230 The genesis of realism lies essentially in the perception that crime rates have tended to rise remorselessly in advanced societies, and that established policies for dealing with crime have failed to stem this increase. 402 The previous theories and policies indicated that they cannot fully explain the rising crime rates, therefore the two new theories were introduced: right and left realism. Realism of both types was introduced as an acceptance of a fact that a crime is a real problem; a recognition that it has destructive effects on communities; that there is a need to discover realistic policies to counter the crime problem; and recognition that no miraculous solutions will ever be found.404 Both approaches recognise the need to monitor the success of interventions so as to guarantee their cost-effectiveness and are critical of the present approach of the police. James Q. Wilson is one of the most significant proponents of the right realism. The right realists do not challenge the criminal law of the State and their goal is to attack street crime excluding all the others offences. 404 The aim of the right realism is to reduce the problem via pragmatic intervention, accepting that this can be of only limited benefit, but stressing that it is feasible and ought to work.405 Wilson suggested that the role of the police should be the one which creates an atmosphere within the society in which the crime is unable to prosper. 233 The most effectively the police could be used not as law enforcers but as a body which keeps order within society.405 The police should be allowed to deal with potentially disruptive behaviour giving cause for concern, which perhaps has not been regarded as criminal in a strict sense. 233 The right realism states that the areas which are beyond saving should be left away in order to devote the money and resources to the are as which are not completely broken down, but appears in danger of doing so. Wilson and Herrenstein considered that an interaction between constitutional factors and social conditioning can affect the way in which certain people balance on the one hand, the attraction of rewards and, on the other hand, the pull of their conditioned conscience. Furthermore, they were disapproving of single parent families. 232 They believed that police should be concentrated on the first time drug users rather than on drug dealers or hopeless drug addicts. The right realism theory was criticized for being too limited in the street crime. They exclude any considerations of corporate or white collar offences as well as all others powerful offenders. 407 Wilson was more interested in more visible crimes. The analysis of Right Realists ignores virtually all socio economic influences on the way people live and, in particular, the high levels of inequality found in most industrial societies. Furthermore, issues of power, class, gender and race are overlooked. 234 Wilson and Kelling admit that there a particular areas where crime is thriving therefore the areas became hopeless, they propose to move the offending into those areas and away from the areas where the situation is under control but at risk.. 407Thus, the worst areas and people living in those areas are left aside, marginalised and disadvantaged. Finally, the central part of the solution is based in the policing not crime. The most worrying thing about this it, is that police are allowed on such a loose mandate to control all manner of activities it is very difficult to make them accountable, to control them and insure they act with integrity.408 These policies might reduce crime and fear of crime in some areas, but in other areas might end up in chaos. In the abandoned areas constraints towards being law abiding are reduced still further and the inhabitants, even if law abiding, will be subjected to ever increasing levels of crime and victimisation. 408 Left realism is mostly associated with British criminologists such as Jock Young, John Lea, Richard Kinsey and Roger Matthews. Left realism considers crime as it would be perceived by many, either through their own experiences or through those of family and friends and through media images. It then tests these feelings about criminality and tries to include them in its explanations. Young claimed that the central tenet of left realism is to reflect the reality of crime, that is in its origins, its nature and it impact 80. The left realism accepts that crime exists and it is a huge problem which must be taken seriously, and that there is a rational core to peoples fears of it. Left realism recognizes four main elements which must be examined: victims; offenders; formal control (the police and other agencies of social control); and informal control (the public). The essence is to study the interrelationship between them: the approach is sometimes characterised as the square of the crime.409 Left realists believed that the fundamental cause of crime is feeling of relative deprivation (where people feel themselves to be deprived in relation to others with whom they compare themselves). Left realist also state that relative deprivation can explain non-economic crime, as it can lead to violence by people of all social classes. Generally, it happens, where people believe that recourses have been distributed unfairly, and take action to go against the perceived injustice.237 Left realists are particularly concerned with conveying the impact of crime and stresses the importance to predicate this on peoples experiences. Left realists argue that steps should be taken to establish why the crime has a tendency to be committed against women, the poor and ethnic minorities living in certain inner city areas. Such people have difficulties (usually financial) to deal with their loss or harm. Left realism has been criticised for its uncritical and conventional definition of crime, which is said merely reflect media, political and public concepts, and leads to a focus on street crime. The theory was also criticized for failing to explain the causes of street crime. Left realists spend most of their time focusing on asking people if they were victims of street crime, but forgot to ask the offenders why they actually committed the crime in the first place. The theory regurgitates subcultural theory that generated its own criticisms in the first place. The whole notion that society has a set of shared values can be questioned. White-collar crime cannot be understood in terms of this approach, especially not corporate crime. It focuses too much on street crime and ignores the fact the police can be selective in the areas they police. Another problem with left realism is that their theories are largely based on small-scale victim surveys conducted in inner city areas. Mugford a nd OMalley (1991) stated: Arguably, the advocacy of inner-city victims, and an ill concealed contempt shown for suburban souls, constitutes a narrow platform for a socialist strategy dealing with crime 241 Left realism significantly contributed to criminology. Left realists demonstrated that there are real problems of crime in working class communities, which hitherto had not been revealed by traditional forms of measurement. Left realism has been applauded for reviving key concepts such as relative deprivation and for highlighting the problem of street crime that can affect the weaker members of society. Right realist criminology has received little academic support in Britain, where the greater attention has been paid to Left Realism. Realist criminology represents a shift from ideology to a pragmatic concern for dealing with the problem of crime. What can be defined as the problem depends on political views. For Right realist such as Wilson, it is the breakdown of public order on the streets. For left realists such as Young, the problem is also found in poor inner city areas. This time the focus switches to the poor as victims.244

Essay --

The Band and Its Placement in American Music The Band has come to be known as one of the top one hundred greatest group of performers in the twentieth century. At the height of their popularity in the late 1960s, America was drawing a harsh divide between generations, races, genders, and political ideologies. Rock and Roll at this point had become a defining feature of the counterculture (the younger generations were disillusioned with the then upheld principles of American society) and as such was seen as a menace which often voiced harsh criticisms against figures and institutions of authority really long sentence. Amidst the chaos between music and society, a humbly talented group of performers released what some have called the purest most honest music of the generation. The Band had its influences rooted in the country, rock’ n’ roll, and rhythm and blues music of the early 1950s. To more than a few members of the group, performers such as Little Richard, Elvis Presley, Conway Twitty, Johnny Cash, and Jerry Lee Lewis inspired them to pursue music with the passionate zeal that usually accompanies talented musicians. The members: Robbie Robertson, Levon Helm, Rick Danko, Garth Hudson, and Richard Manuel were all multi-instrumentalists and as such got their start as musicians from early ages, Levon Helm for example started playing guitar at the age of nine. In 1958, Helm began touring with an established band known as Ronnie Hawkins and the Hawks throughout Ontario, Canada. This pre-incarnation of the Band earned fame throughout Canada before finally deciding to settle in Toronto where their most profitable gigs occurred at. Homesickness, however prevented the Hawks from remaining together for very long. As members of ... ... seems to highlight all of the genres that the group was influenced by and in turn showcases their progressive sound. Not only does the song recant a folk-tale in the form of a ballad but also shows the complexities of characters as archetypes of mankind and alludes to the biblical wanderings of the disciples. The song was also featured in the 1978 documentary of The Band, The Last Waltz, directed by Martin Scorsese. As a final hoorah, the Band concluded their touring in 1976 with a cadre of other influential artists such as Paul McCartney, Neil Young, Eric Clapton, Van Morrison and others. The film the Last Waltz has also lived on as an inspiration to current artists and has been acclaimed as a must see for musicians. The film not only captures the performances of The Band but also presents them in the context of the culture, amidst famous aspects of rock and roll.

As the best form of American Democracy Essay

The world of media is known to be the most important branch of the society which has the ability to influence different types of people due to the immediate access of technologies present in the current world. Individuals have different view points and priorities in which they believe that must be well represented to show the people that such topic must be addressed and given the proper acknowledgement. More and more people are able to show their view points through the use of the television, internet and the likes. There are individuals who only blog and write different articles but their impact has immense to the view points of individuals who are concern are also the same. In the past the media had created its own type of criteria of what not and what should not be. As we, the views see the former and veteran news anchors we often reflect that they are mostly stiff and very limited in the manner of their reporting. In the news broadcasting we often see veteran news anchors that have gained a lot of awards and confidence due to the credibility and long lived career they have. Thus, most of these anchors have entailed the importance of media from the old perspective which had been acknowledged many decades ago. However, due to the technological advancements of internet, computers, mobile phones and the likes, there had been a new trend in adding up information for people the conservatism and rules which must be adhered are now gone. Thus, the media had created a change been the Old Media and the New Media. Old Media and New Media The Old Media is known as the types of media which had been utilized by different personalities such as newspapers, television, radios, movies, books and the likes. These mediums are utilized in order to disseminate to people the current events, criticisms, issues which are in the trend during a certain amount of time. Therefore, the old media are types of materials which are utilized without the use of the latest technologies. The old technologies which use papers, radios and television are the old and classic style of presenting audiences what they want and need to hear from the government and other events which is up to date and certified as accurate. (Agincourt Computing, 2005) The New Media one the other hand is the latest innovation which is utilized by the any individual who is in the entertainment or media industry. The type of media which is mostly utilized by the new media is the internet which is sometimes described as unreliable, and could be effortlessly manipulated by anyone. However, due to the availability of the new media, sometimes the old media is already neglected by the people most especially the youth. The youth are currently much exposed to the effortless access of information in the internet rather than browsing swiftly to every page of the book and absorbing all possible concepts which the author would want to discuss. Most students would want to see a summarized article or a book which they could easily understand without even much analysis from their part. Some people that are on the go prefer some medium that they could put all their information in one single gadget and they could view it whenever they want. Some of these are the main reason for the great interest of people with the new media. However, we must take note that the new media and the old media have its own strengths and weaknesses due to the different aspect that each type of media has. (Vaina, 2008) Almost every individual in the world has their own website and blogsites which they proclaim various types of qualms and experiences during the day or an event. Every one also have Facebook, Twitter, Myspace and the likes that encourages online activities such as gaming, blogging, chatting and etc. as the main activities that individuals with accounts there could use for entertainment. Therefore people all around the world is able to express their emotions through their creativity in arts, and writing, and music while other people has the ability to see such works without even paying a single cent thus, making the internet world a world of different possibilities for those that are actively using it through different means. Though the secrecy and privacy provided by the internet many are capable of doing anything and everything they could possibly want without any types of limitation except for some few which is regulated by some countries. Matt Drugger, New Media and Democracy: In the world of new media, there is one of the many individuals who had became popular is Matt Drudger. He is a media personality who is very controversial in terms of the issues he is raising in terms of the democratic political party in his website. As on article stated he â€Å"is a self-styled seeker of truth, specifically of hidden and obscure truths. If there’s a Drudge brand he’s like to convey, it’s of the relentless, rumpled, ever-vigilant newsman—always connected and plugged into his network of operative (Pachter, 2003). During the controversy of the Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky was the epitome of the popularity of his website. As the more controversial he has gotten the type of issues he had been racing are being deeper and deeper compared before. Honestly, we know that nasty kinds of news makes some people interested and sometimes crave for more of it. Many individuals would want something that would ruin the clean slate individuals who are known as the goody-two-shoes and an issue would immediately turn them into vulnerable beasts. This is the action being done by Matt Drudge. Although his work is not as easy as they think it is, Drudge takes his work seriously that he has all the channels in the world that would be able to make him see issues in different parts of the country and the world. Thus, such old news sources will be his secondary sources for his new media business (Pachter, 2003). The internet personality has his website called, www. drudgereport. com which is very much notorious for all the news it publishes online. If the content of the website will be seen links of various types of news website if provided together with the list of the most controversial individuals we could possibly think in politics most especially in the world of Hollywood. In addition to this, he also has the news for the latest technologies, medical improvements, international news and the likes. Any individual who would like to have the latest news could be putting this website in his or her favorite or bookmarked page due to the up to the minute live updates the internet is providing. Although the updates that Drudge is providing are very beneficial for everyone however, the issues that he is creating sometimes disrupt the peacefulness of the American society. It is already a given that many issues will arise within the different aspects of life such as political, environmental, medical and etc. However, there must be a concept of media responsibility in the side of www. drudgesreports. com. Although the new media is not restricted of conservative with regards to information dissemination, it is important that every type of media will become responsible of the power that is given to them. Due to the fact that internet is a location where in anything is possible moral responsibility must be taken into consideration as a part of the rights provided to citizens in the United States. These types of websites are truly the expression of the democratic right of any citizen of the United States. Americans have the power to question and replicate their president in anyway they can. One good example is the Saturday Night Live (SNL) show which incorporates political personalities in their comedic scenes. Most of the time, political leaders are not treated as kindly as they are some political figures who had been part of the many skits the show had done are former President George Bush, President Barack Obama, and many others more. Most of the time, the most controversial individuals are those that are impersonated by great actors. Thus, such show expresses a strong democratic power which is actively exercised by many Americans. If television shows could easy perform such skits inform of millions of people how could a single webpage be stopped by the government. In addition to this, there are too many Americans in the United States and not everyone could be given an immediate response by the government. Through the internet access and web pages such as these the democratic power of Americans is exercised without question. Thus, such type of internet website enhances the ability of Americans to express their views without realizing that they are limited and needing a massive attention from big media corporations such as National Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) and the likes that needed the very unconventional and timely news to be aired in their channels. Through the use such internet websites, any individual could pasture the attention of anyone who is able to connect to the internet and type expound on any topic relevant for their own view point. Thus, the internet have created an a small community where in individuals are not hesitant of proclaiming their views for the reason that they are known to the public and afraid of the scrutiny they will be getting if they would present themselves. In addition, the life threatening possibilities could be done to anyone who contradicts any powerful individual. Although there are no publicized actions which truly contradicts the democracy of media personalities that could be near any human rights violations similar to other countries therefore; the reason for using the new media as a form of expression is also a protection against those who has violent tendencies with regards to this kinds of situation. In conclusion, the old media and the new media are currently the different types of mediums which is utilized and appreciated by all types of people. The old media views the television, books, news papers and the people behind them as the most important entities of media. Moreover the usage of lesser enhanced technology and the classic modes of communication with viewers are categorized as the old media. On the other hand, the new media uses the internet and the continuing technological development build after such as the main medium of its communication with its audience. The internet through blogging, podcasting, Youtube, various internet sites and etc. different information are provided to the various readers that have searched the link of the website. There is easier access, freedom but a great responsibility in publishing anything in the internet. Every sentence that is connected to any type of current issues should be proven and reflected before publishing the article. It is the right of any individual to state anything that is on his or her mind because it is the duty of the people to exercise checking and balancing any activities of any political party or political leader. This responsibility is under the democracy of any citizen of the state. It must be taken into consideration that there are many people in the world who are not able to go in front of a government office to rally and shout out loud against the policies that had been made. Some people chose to write, blog, Myspace, Facebook or Twitter their emotions to make the people understand them or pay attention to their view points. Given that technology is present, why not use it for the greater good? One of those is to exercise democracy and freedom of speech which is provided by the United States of America to all their citizens. Therefore, the website of Matt Drudge is only one of the many internet sites that launch different issues (true or not) that affects different communities most especially the political side of the state. Although some might say that he is very explicit and irresponsible with the news he is presenting but is could not be hindered that this is his right to apply his democratic rights an American Citizen. Taking into consideration the personal lives of the people who are being discussed in this kind of website, individuals who are actively participating must take away the concept of taking matters too personally. Providing too much democracy for people also steps on other people’s rights such as privacy. Therefore, the democracy is rights provided to everyone but a responsibility that must be seriously understand. References Patcher, R. (1 September 2003). â€Å"By linking news sites, Matt Drudge created an Internet success. † Retrieved on 1 April 2009 from http://www. wordsonwords. com/reviews/Drudge903. html. Vaina, D. (15 April 2008) â€Å"New Media Versus Old Media. † Retrieved on 1 April 2009 from http://www. america. gov/st/freepress-english/2008/April/20080513173802WRybakcuH0. 6948358. html Agincourt Computing. (15 December 2004). â€Å"Old Media, New Media. † Retrieved on 1 April 2009 from http://www. aginc. net/media. htm.

Minor Parties

Impact of Minor Parties In this paper, I will be discussing the impact of minor parties. Minor parties are political parties who have little to no impact on elections due to the amount of supporters and/or money is put into the party. However, in the United States, minor parties sometimes have a huge impact on politics and elections, whether it’s just getting their word out there and the major parties actually listen and discuss their issues, or they can even change which major party wins the election. Whatever the case may be, it shows that minor parties are just as effective as the major parties, although they have never come out on top.Just because they are minor, does not mean they have no say or no impact in government. They are just as important as the major parties, and they should always be taken into consideration during election time. In my opinion, I think minor parties are great for this country. They bring in different views and ideas, and I like to hear what some of them have to say. The United States is a free country, and in the first amendment of the Constitution, it allows us the right of free speech. This means anyone can express their thoughts and views on just about anything, and the minor parties do just that.They have gotten a say in politics, and the major parties sometimes bring the minor parties’ issues into discussion because they agree that their issue is a serious problem, and it needs to be fixed. I think it’s good that we don’t always have to hear the same boring stuff about issues we already know about. Even though they may never win a presidential election, at least there is some party out there that understands the issues that the major parties nor the majority of the United States citizens never really thought about.There has been a long history of minor party candidates running for President, starting with the Anti-Masonic Party led by William Whit in 1832, and ending with the Reformist Party led b y Ross Perot in 1996. There have even been very successful minor parties. Some examples are Theodore Roosevelt’s Bull Moose Party in 1912, John Breckenridge’s Southern Democrat Party in 1860, and the most successful and recent one of our time Ross Perot’s Independent Party in 1992. All of these parties I mentioned made an impact on their respected elections, and because of them, they brought in new ideas and have shaped our current government.In this paragraph, I am going to discuss the 1992 election, and how a minor party greatly effected this election. In 1992, the Independent Party led by Ross Perot was running up against George W. Bush Sr. of the Republican Party and Bill Clinton of the Democratic Party. Perot was a member of the Republican Party prior to the election, but because of his disagreements with both of the parties’ issues, he decided to run as an independent. Bush Sr. was the current President, and was a shoe in for this election, but beca use of Perot’s switching of parties and how vocal he was, Bush lost supporters, while Perot gained a lot.Because of this, Clinton won with only 43% of the popular vote, while Bush had about 37%, and Perot had about 20%. This was one of the only times a President was elected into office without the majority vote. This became the turning point on how the people viewed minor parties, and ever since, the government has started to listen to their views more often. There are even two independents in the Senate right now, taking the impact of minor parties another step further. With these minor parties there are supporters of them and there are people who are against them.The supporters of minor parties in the United States are obviously the minor parties themselves and the people who support them because they want a say in politics so the current government can discuss them, and possibly change things around a little to their benefit if necessary. Another supporter would be the maj or party who got into office in an election because of the minor parties because if it weren’t for the minor parties and their popularity at the time, the major party’s candidate may have not gotten into office.The people who oppose them would probably be the major parties who lose an election due to the minor parties because the minor parties screwed them over from winning a presidential election. For example, the Republican Party was more than likely very angry at Perot for not only leaving their party, but also costing them the 1992 election. The Democrats were obviously very happy because if it weren’t for Perot, Clinton would have never been President that year. In conclusion, minor parties are great for our country. Even though they never win, they still have an impact on politics and sometimes the elections.The only alternative I would suggest would be for the major parties to listen more to the minor parties because as of right now, nothing good is being done for this country to be turned around. There is a great deal of partisanship in the government right now, and no one is willing to work with one another because they are only concerned with their views and their party’s views, without taking others’ views into consideration. A minor party may have a good idea that both parties like, and it may be able to bring some bipartisanship back in the government and even help our economy a little bit.There is nothing wrong with minor parties in this country, and I hope the major parties listen to more of their ideas in the future. Works Cited Leip, David. â€Å"1992 Presidential General Election Results. † US Selection Atlas. N. p. , n. d. Web. 18 Mar. 2013. Lightman, Max. â€Å"The Role of Minor Parties in Politics. † Slideshare. N. p. , 30 Apr. 2008. Web. 18 Mar. 2013. Salka, William M. â€Å"The Impact of Minor Parties on Electoral Competition: An Examination of US. † N. p. , n. d. Web. 18 Mar. 2013.

The sumerian civilization Essays

The sumerian civilization Essays The sumerian civilization Paper The sumerian civilization Paper The world without its greatest invention-the wheel-is a world that does not exist. Imagine what it would be like if such an important invention as the wheel did not come into being? Or, just think how it would be if the concept of writing had not been introduced? I believe that such integral inventions make much of our lives today. The Sumerian civilization was not just a civilization, but also a foundation for many civilizations that followed, which adopted and implemented many of its developments and inventions. What I find ironic is that being one of the first civilizations ever, having existed from 4000 BC to 2000 BC1, it was also the innovative catalyst that first introduced certain inventions, such as those mentioned above, that are used in the everyday life of almost every human being today. It was one that had to struggle for its existence owing to the many floods that often overwhelmed the city of Sumer, which was located between the Tigris River and Euphrates River. However, regardless, life did not cease to exist owing to these deluges for they brought vegetation and agricultural abundance, which attracted its many inhabitants. 2 The skills of the Sumerian-speaking farmers also rouse awe in me for they formed small communities to drain the swamps, and direct the water from floods into irrigation canals. Each community culture had its protector god who supposedly would favor them, and also each community was dominated by the gods rectangular brick temple. A special class of priests conducted rituals and controlled agriculture, crafts, and trade, which was carried on in sailing vessels on the rivers. Gradually, the Sumerians expanded to different regions of Mesopotamia. 3 As time passed, the Sumerians innovative developments also furthered. They began to organize irrigation and flood control on a much larger scale and to use wood plows. This proved to be a smart idea for they extended the area of their cultivated land and increased their production. Such an organization lead to larger units of government. Simultaneously, with the abundance of food, population also became larger. The Sumerians experienced a revolution in urban areas, in which their small farm villages became great cities of specialized workers. Although floods perpetually destroyed many cities, they were rebuilt and flourished for many hundreds of years. That period shaped the Sumerian civilization. 4 Not much has changed from the time of the Sumerians to this day regarding the composition of the cities since the Sumerians lived in a number of city-states that were each composed of a main city with its own towns, villages, and farmlands surrounding it. The only difference, I think, is just that each city-state was thought to belong to a god, who supposedly owned all property that was headed by a hierarchy of priests. Many men formed an assembly that conducted several local affairs. The assembly was guided by a council of richer, older men. In times of crisis like war over water rights or against invaders, a powerful individual had command as a kind of temporary king. He might be the chief priest, a man chosen by the assembly, or one who took over power by military force. This temporary king was believed to be chosen by the city god to represent him. At different times different kings were recognized as lords of all of Sumer according to what was interpreted as the changing will of the gods. 5.