Desert Pavement Theories

When you decide to visit the desert, you usually have to go off the pavement, onto a dirt road. Sooner or later you arrive in the brightness and space that you came for. And if you turn your eyes from the distant landmarks around you, you may see another kind of pavement at your feet, called desert pavement. A Street of Varnished Stones Its not at all like the drifting sand that people often picture when they think of the desert. Desert pavement is a stony surface without sand or vegetation that covers large parts of the worlds drylands. Its not photogenic, like the twisted shapes of hoodoos or the eerie forms of dunes, but seeing its presence on a wide desert vista, dark with age, gives a hint of the delicate balance of slow, gentle forces that create desert pavement. It is a sign that the land has been undisturbed, perhaps for thousands—hundreds of thousands of years. What makes desert pavement dark is rock varnish, a peculiar coating built up over many decades by windblown clay particles and the tough bacteria that live on them. Varnish has been found on fuel cans left in the Sahara during World War II, so we know that it can form fairly fast, geologically speaking. What Creates Desert Pavement What makes desert pavement stony is not always so clear. There are three traditional explanations for bringing stones to the surface, plus a much newer one claiming that the stones started out at the surface. The first theory is that the pavement is a lag deposit, made of rocks left behind after the wind blew away all the fine-grained material. (Wind-blown erosion is called deflation.) This is clearly so in many places, but in many other places, a thin crust created by minerals or soil organisms binds the surface together. That would prevent deflation. The second explanation relies on moving water, during the occasional rains, to winnow out the fine material. Once the finest material is splashed loose by raindrops, a thin layer of rainwater, or sheet flow, sweeps it away efficiently. Both wind and water could work on the same surface at different times. The third theory is that processes in the soil move stones to the top. Repeated cycles of wetting and drying have been shown to do that. Two other soil processes involve the formation of ice crystals in the soil (frost heave) and salt crystals (salt heave) in places with the right temperature or chemistry. In most deserts, these three mechanisms—deflation, sheet flow, and heave—can work together in various combinations to explain desert pavements. But where there are exceptions, we have a new, fourth mechanism. The Born at the Surface Theory The newest theory of pavement formation comes from careful studies of places like Cima Dome, in the Mojave Desert of California, by Stephen Wells and his coworkers. Cima Dome is a place where lava flows of recent age, geologically speaking, are partly covered by younger soil layers that have desert pavement on top of them, made of rubble from the same lava. The soil has been built up, not blown away, and yet it still has stones on top. In fact, there are no stones in the soil, not even gravel. There are ways to tell how many years stone has been exposed on the ground. Wells used a method based on cosmogenic helium-3, which forms by cosmic ray bombardment at the ground surface. Helium-3 is retained inside grains of olivine and pyroxene in the lava flows, building up with exposure time. The helium-3 dates show that the lava stones in the desert pavement at Cima Dome have all been at the surface the same amount of time as the solid lava flows right next to them. Its inescapable that in some places, as he put it in a July 1995 article in Geology, stone pavements are born at the surface. While the stones remain on the surface due to heave, deposition of windblown dust must build up the soil beneath that pavement. For the geologist, this discovery means that some desert pavements preserve a long history of dust deposition beneath them. The dust is a record of ancient climate, just as it is on the deep sea floor and in the worlds ice caps. To those well-read volumes of Earth history, we may be able to add a new geologic book whose pages are desert dust.

Odysseus By Homer s The Odyssey - 891 Words

In Homer’s The Odyssey, Odysseus endures an arduous voyage filled with countless dangers. Although he is praised by comrades and countrymen as a wise, heroic king, Odysseus does not actually live up to his name as he begins this trip back to Ithaka. Through his journey though, Odysseus corrects his reckless, undisciplined, and arrogant actions, learning responsibility, restraint, and humility in the process. Although Odysseus is the captain of a fleet, he initially takes no responsibility for the welfare of his crew. When exploring unknown lands, he often â€Å"sent out two picked men and a runner to learn what race of men that land sustained.† *(147) The king delegates the task solely to fulfill his own curiosity, without consideration of any dangers his men might face, such as intoxication in the land of the Lotus Eaters and cannibalism in the land of the Laistrygonians. Due to his indiscretion, Odysseus puts his men in unnecessary peril. Not only does Odysseusâ€℠¢ decisions lead to the death of crewmates, his choices also brutalize innocent people. He lacks the control to restrain himself and his crew from pointless violence. At the first stop on the journey, the land of the Kikones, the king and his crew â€Å"stormed that place and killed the men who fought.† (146) Extending their barbarism, they plundered and â€Å"enslaved the women, to make division, equal share to all†. (146) Odysseus has no control of reason, causing irrational bloodshed and atrocities upon mere strangers.Show MoreRelatedSimilarities Between Katniss And Odysseus And Homer s The Odyssey1867 Words   |  8 Pagesend, are similar. Katniss and Odysseus both experienced the epic hero cycle and display similar characteristics. In the Hunger Games, Katniss Everdeen was a girl whose purpose was to find a way to support her mother and younger sister. That is until she took the place of her sister as a tribute in the Hunger Games, an annual game held by the ruli ng Capitol as punishment for previous rebellions. The only way out of the games was to kill. In Homer’s The Odyssey, Odysseus was a war hero who was tryingRead MoreAnalysis Of Homer s Odyssey : Odysseus And His Son Telemachus1434 Words   |  6 Pagesspiritual growth brought about that freedom. Homer, as little as we know about him, seemed to want to tell a great story of adventure, spiritual growth and triumph. It is said that â€Å"the Greek view offers humankind the greatest hope for change, growth, and freedom, because it claims that there are no restrictions upon our growth. Humans choose their particular fate and are therefore free to see their limitations and transcend them† (Apatow 81). Homer s story explains just that, in order to experienceRead MoreCharacter Traits of Odysseus in Homer ´s Odyssey Essay508 Words   |  3 Pages Odysseus, king of Ithaca, was probably on of the greatest warriors in the history of Ancient Greece. It is said that the poet, Homer, wrote the story of the Odyssey. In this story, Odysseus and his crew are trying to make their voyage back home to Ithaca after they have fought with the Trojans. During the long journey, Odysseus will show some of his character traits which include his bravery, cleverness, and wisdom that will assist him with the situations he encounters on his journey home. Read MoreOdysseus And His Throne : A Hero Of Homer s Odyssey995 Words   |  4 PagesOdysseus and His Throne Known as a hero of Homer’s epic poem the Odyssey, Odysseus was king of Ithaca and a legend amongst men. He was also an important figure in Homer’s Iliad. In Latin, he was known as Ulysses or Ulixes in Roman mythology hence there may originally have been two separate figures, one called something like Odysseus, the other something like Ulixes, who were combined into one complex personality.[1] Son of Laertes and Anticleia, Odysseus was renowned for being cunning and cleverRead MoreAnalysis Of Homer s Odyssey, The Story Of Odysseus And His Son1341 Words   |  6 PagesIn The Odyssey, the stories of Odysseus and his son, Telemachus, are explained to the reader in ways that create contrasts between the two characters. These contrasts provide an opportunity to observe how the young Telemachus developed a stronger sense of self confidence and traits that form the foundation for heroism, which is likely part of the reason why he was included in the story in the first place. The following discussion compares and contrasts Telemachus with his father, the hero OdysseusRead MoreOdyssey Death and Rebirth in the Odyssey1402 Words   |  6 PagesThe Odyssey, by Homer, is a classical piece of Greek literature. Throughout The Odyssey, the Blind Bard makes use of many literary techniques in order to lend meaning to the poem beyond its existence as a work of historic fiction and aid his readers in the comprehension of the tale. One of these techniques is the use of motifs. A motif is a recurring theme that is used throughout the work. In The Odyssey, Homer makes use of many motifs including eating/drinking, Odysseus sRead MoreHistory, Symbolism, and Characters in Homer’s The Odyssey 1118 Words   |  5 Pages In The Odyssey, it takes Odysseus twenty years to make it home from the Trojan War. On his journey home, he runs into many obstacles and creatures that he must overcome. He encounters the sirens, the Cyclops, and others. Each event in this epic poem has a symbolic meaning behind it. Homer writes about the history, symbolism, and the characters in The Odyssey. The Odyssey is about the Greek gods and heroes and their adventures (Makman). Odysseus is the main character, and he is going on a questRead MoreEssay on Archetypes in the Odessey718 Words   |  3 PagesArchetypes in The Odyssey In Homers epic poem â€Å"The Odyssey† there are many archetypes, many of which were the origin of the archetype. An archetype is a character type, place, or symbol, every culture shares. In â€Å"The Odyssey† Homer uses archetypes to evoke meaning to the story. Some examples of archetypes in â€Å"The Odyssey† are the temptress, and the father-son conflict. In the story â€Å"The Odyssey† there are a couple temptress’. Two examples are Calypso and the sirens. In â€Å"The Odyssey† Calypso keepsRead MoreWomen in the Odyssey1646 Words   |  7 Pagesimportant positions and purposes within it`s routine were filled by males. This societal organization is often times reflected in many pieces of literature of various time periods, however there are texts in which contrary to the patriarchal society models, women are given substantial importance within the plot. Homer`s The Odyssey, Heart of Darnkness by Joseph Conrad and Aeschylus`s Oresteia each demonstrate or conceal female importance in a given society. The Odyssey was written in a time when men playedRead MoreThe Odyssey By Homer s Odyssey1267 Words   |  6 PagesLife in The Odyssey In The Odyssey, Odysseus is constantly being challenged. He is being challenged, so Homer can show us the standards for life in The Odyssey. There is no doubt that Odysseus is a great man, Homer even says so in the beginning lines of the text. Although Odysseus is a great man, he also makes mistakes but not any that he doesn t pay for. We learn the representation of life in The Odyssey through Odysseus challenges. Throughout the book, Odysseus specifically struggles with arrogance

Black Women and the Abolition of Slavery Free Essays

â€Å"Rachel Weeping for Her Children†: Black Women and the Abolition of Slavery by Margaret Washington Photograph of Sojourner Truth, 1864. (Gilder Lehrman Collection) During the period leading up to the Civil War, black women all over the North comprised a stalwart but now largely forgotten abolitionist army. In myriad ways, these race-conscious women worked to bring immediate emancipation to the South. We will write a custom essay sample on Black Women and the Abolition of Slavery or any similar topic only for you Order Now Anti-slavery Northern black women felt the sting of oppression personally. Like the slaves, they too were victims of color prejudice; some had been born in Northern bondage; others had family members still enslaved; and many interacted daily with self-emancipated people who constantly feared being returned south. Anti-slavery women such as Sojourner Truth and Harriet Tubman were only the most famous of the abolitionists. Before either of these heroines came on the scene and before anti-slavery was an organized movement, black women in local Northern communities had quietly turned to activism through their church work, literary societies, and benevolent organizations. These women found time for political activism in between managing households, raising children, and working. In the late 1820s, Zion’s African Methodist Episcopal Church in New York City, Bethel Methodist Episcopal Church in Philadelphia, and the African Meetinghouse in Boston were centers of female anti-slavery activity. Black women proclaimed that their cause was â€Å"let the oppressed go free. † They organized bazaars to promote the purchase of goods made from free labor, met in sewing circles to make clothing for those fleeing bondage, and raised money for Freedom’s Journal, the nation’s first black newspaper. In 1830, when Boston editor William Lloyd Garrison proposed his idea of publishing a newspaper devoted solely to immediate emancipation, a committee of black women began raising funds for it. The first copy of the Liberator appeared on January 1, 1831, with strong financial backing from black women. At their literary-society meetings, black women switched from reading European classics to discussing the Liberator and anti-slavery pamphlets, and inviting male speakers to expound on the evils of slavery. Throughout the 1830s, black women engaged heavily in activism. They vowed to â€Å"heed the enslaved mothers’ cry for children torn away† and designated their dwellings as â€Å"free homes† for those fleeing bondage. For example, Hester Lane of New York City, a successful black entrepreneur, used her home as an Underground Railroad station. Lane also traveled south to purchase enslaved children whom she freed and educated. Mary Marshall’s Colored Sailors’ Boarding Home was another busy sanctuary. Marshall kept a vigilant eye out for refugees from bondage, and was determined that â€Å"No one who had the courage to start should fail to reach the goal. † Other black women organized petition drives, wrote anti-slavery poetry, hosted traveling abolitionists, and organized fairs. By 1832, black women had formed the first female anti-slavery society in Salem, Massachusetts. They also held executive offices in biracial female anti-slavery societies in Philadelphia, Boston, and elsewhere. Anti-slavery black men insisted that black women work only behind the scenes, but women sometimes refused to do so. In New York City, a group of black women confronted white authorities in a courtroom where several self-emancipated women were about to be returned to bondage. Black men accused the female protesters of bringing â€Å"everlasting shame and remorse† upon the black community and upon themselves. In 1831, black women in Boston organized the African American Female Intelligence Society. This organization became a forum for Maria Stewart, the first woman to speak publicly against slavery. Stewart proclaimed that she was called by God to address the issues of black emancipation and the rights of black women. â€Å"We claim our rights,† she asserted, â€Å"as women and men,† and â€Å"we are not afraid of them that kill the body. † Stewart also published a pamphlet in the Liberator on behalf of black women and the enslaved, but Boston’s black male community censored Stewart for her public expressions and forced her into silence. She soon left the city. Although she never again spoke publicly, she remained active through women’s organizations and conventions. She joined other black women who held office, served as delegates, and otherwise participated in the biracial women’s anti-slavery conventions in 1837, 1838, and 1839. The anti-slavery movement took a more progressive turn in the 1840s, when the American Anti-Slavery Society (Garrisonians) welcomed women as officeholders and speakers. Most black women continued their quiet anti-slavery work, but some were outspoken. The first black woman to take the public stage for the American Anti-Slavery Society was Sojourner Truth. Born into slavery in 1797 among the Hudson Valley Dutch and emancipated in adulthood, Truth was already known as a preacher when she joined the Garrisonians in 1844. She made anti-slavery speeches throughout New England, and in 1845, gave her first address at the American Anti-Slavery Society’s annual convention. Sojourner Truth became known from Maine to Michigan as a popular and featured anti-slavery speaker. Truth published a Narrative of her life and used the proceeds to purchase a home and finance her abolitionist work. Another surge of radicalism occurred in 1850 with the passage of the Fugitive Slave Law. It decreed that any citizen could be enlisted in the service of a slaveholder to capture an enslaved person, and it nullified the individual civil rights that a state guaranteed its citizens, including those formerly enslaved. That same year, Harriet Tubman, a thirty-year-old self-emancipated Marylander, began defying the Fugitive Slave Law by leading enslaved men, women, and children out of the South. With slave catchers lurking everywhere and a price on her head, Tubman safely conducted her charges through the Northern states and on to Canada. Mary Ann Shadd (Cary) was a twenty-five-year-old freeborn schoolteacher when the Fugitive Slave Law was passed. Inspired by her father, whom she described as a â€Å"chief breakman† on the Delaware Underground Railroad, Shadd soon moved to Canada and established herself as a militant abolitionist, influential emigrationist, and the first black woman newspaper editor (of the Provincial Freeman). In 1854, twenty-eight-year-old Frances Ellen Watkins (Harper) joined Sojourner Truth on the Garrisonian lecture circuit. Born into a well-connected Baltimore family, Watkins was a poet and teacher. She was drawn into the abolitionist struggle by the Kansas-Nebraska Act, which rescinded the restrictions on slavery in the remaining territories acquired under the Louisiana Purchase. Watkins traveled throughout the Midwest, sometimes with Sojourner Truth. Watkins spoke eloquently of the wrongs inflicted upon her people; she sold her books of poetry at anti-slavery lectures and used the proceeds to support the Underground Railroad. In 1858, Watkins joined black male leaders in Detroit and led a large group of angry citizens in storming the jailhouse. The group attempted to remove from protective custody a black â€Å"traitor† to their cause, who had intended to expose the operations of the Underground Railroad. Despite the Fugitive Slave Law, the Underground Railroad remained the â€Å"heart’s blood† of black resistance. Black woman abolitionists played a vital role in this work. They were often the ones who intercepted refugees; who provided them with food, clothing, shelter, health care, and spiritual and psychological comfort; and who directed them to the next station. Women sometimes confronted slave catchers and kidnappers, who were often right on the heels of the â€Å"fugitives. Caroline Loguen, the wife of Syracuse, New York, abolitionist the Reverend Jermain Loguen, answered many a midnight knock during her husband’s frequent absences. Once she and her sister successfully fought off slave catchers attempting to enter her home in pursuit of â€Å"fugitives. † In 1858, Anna Murray Dougla ss, wife of black leader Frederick Douglass, hosted John Brown, the famous white abolitionist, for a month. Brown was in hiding after having been charged with murdering pro-slavery farmers in Missouri. In the Douglass home, Brown perfected his plans for the raid on Harpers Ferry. In an 1859 meeting with Brown in Maryland just before the assault on Harpers Ferry, Douglass gave him ten dollars from the wife of a Brooklyn couple, the J. N. Gloucesters, who like Douglass himself were close to Brown. Along with the money, Mrs. Gloucester â€Å"sent her best wishes. † When Brown was captured, tried, and sentenced to death, black woman abolitionists sent money to his wife, Mary, and wrote letters expressing their deep regard for her husband. Frances Ellen Watkins also sent gifts as well as one of her poems, â€Å"Bury Me in a Free Land,† to Brown’s condemned men. During the antebellum era, black woman abolitionists moved, in keeping with the urgency of the times, from quiet activism to militancy. By 1858, even Sojourner Truth, the archpacifist, recognized that war with the South was inevitable if black people were to obtain their freedom. Black women furthered the goal of emancipation during the Civil War by continuing their abolition work. Harriet Tubman offered her services to the Union Army. Sojourner Truth lectured throughout the Midwest, where she confronted threatening pro-slavery (so-called â€Å"Copperhead†) mobs. Black women organized petition campaigns to Congress and the president; they sent food and clothing to the Union front lines for destitute blacks; and they went into Union-occupied areas to provide education for black refugees. After the Emancipation Proclamation was signed on January 1, 1863, black women immediately began working on the next phase of their mission—the task of uplifting their race as a free people. Margaret Washington is a professor of history at Cornell University. Her publications include Sojourner Truth’s America (2009) and A Peculiar People: Slave Religion and Community-Culture among the Gullahs (1998) How to cite Black Women and the Abolition of Slavery, Essay examples