Contemporary Documentaries Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Contemporary Documentaries - Essay Example Ð ¡ontemporary documentaries inherently present a national identity. Such national identity indicated through the films depicts shared values including collective identity and instilling communal sense. For instance, The Two Escobars reflects effects of class stratification on imperative economic activities including sports. Sporting activities such as football can spur unity in a given nation when citizens initiate loyalty in supporting their national team. However, the documentaries may also reflect inherent challenges faced by the society in relation to leadership and economic disparities effects. Though band members in Metallica: Some Kind of Monster documentary can overcome financial challenges by recruiting a performance team, they face struggles in leadership, especially between Ulrich and Hetfield. The leadership struggles greatly affects their performance and Towles has to mediate. The aforementioned personal differences in the documentary reflect a modern society where specific organizations fail to deliver their mandate due to leadership issues mainly resulting from personal differences. Similarly, This is Spinal Tap struggles to promote their newly produced album under less innovative leadership that also faces financial challenges. The plight of poor marketing strategies and financial problems presents many challenges to the contemporary society especially corporate organizations. Various contemporary films including sports , mock, investigative, and rock documentaries possess various similar primary features that include informative and influential nature.

Why Did the United States Enter World War One Essay Example for Free

Why Did the United States Enter World War One Essay The industrial era had many effects, not the least of which was plunging the world into world war. One must consider the relationship between eras and events as a student of history. The industrial era created a perceived need in America for raw materials and markets for goods. The United States was not alone in this desire for expansion. All the industrial nations were in open competition to develop vast empires that would provide them with the fuel to run the factories of industrialism. This imperialist competition led to tension and the creation of vast armies. The willingness to use these armies was known as militarism. In order to feel safe (there was a pretty fair degree of paranoia as you can imagine) nations began to sign secret treaties formingalliances and Europe was divided into an armed camp. Tension was high, the subjugation (taking over) of other nations led to feelings of nationalism that would eventually light the spark that would explode Europe into the flames of conflict. The causes of World War One as discussed above can be summarized by the following acronym as a mnemonic device: A- Alliance: European nations signed secret treaties that created a system of alliances pitting nation versus nation. N Nationalism: There were intense feelings of nationalism on the part of subjugated nationalities. These feelings would eventually lead to rash acts. I Imperialism: Competition to develop vast empires caused tension and conflict. M Militarism: Nations built huge armies to defend themselves and help to gain these empires. It was a natural feeling for them to want to use these militaries. A Anarchy: There was no international organization to help them deal with their problems. L Leadership: It was poor. Just look at the system they set upquite poor indeed. These were the conditions facing Europe as a crisis emerged in the Balkans. The Archduke of Austria Hungary, a traditional power, was touring the nation of Serbia. Meanwhile Bosnian nationalists desiring freedom from Serbia plotted to assassinate the Archduke. Gabriel Principe, a member of the Black Hand, the aforementioned Bosnian nationalist group, shot and killed Franz Ferdinand on June 28th 1914. Austria Hungary blamed the Serbian government for the assassination of the  Archduke and issued an ultimatum (demands). The Serbians agreed to all but two of the demands, one of which was the placement of Austro Hungarian troops within Serbia. The Serbians appealed to Russia for support and Russia as the protector of the Slavs agreed to support Serbia. Meanwhile the Austro Hungarians still wanting revenge and fearing Russia secured the support of their traditional ally, Germany. In a famous decision Germany issued what has become know as Carte Blanche, of blank check, to Austria Hungary. This unqualified military support from Germany made Austria Hungary rather confident that Russia would not attack. At this point the Austro Hungarians declared war on Serbia. In response to the declaration of war Russia mobilized her military forces. Perhaps it was a bit of saber rattling, perhaps not. Regardless Germany demanded Russia demobilize its army. When Russia refused Germany attacked Russia. The effect of the war on the Russian front were devastating. The Russians were ill prepared for war and lost millions of men. In the end the Czars refusal to exit the war cost him his throne as the Bolsheviks (Communists) revolted in 1917 overthrowing Czar Nicholas II. When the Russians were attacked by Germany, France was obligated to declare war on Germany as a result of a treaty she had signed with Russia. The Germans attacked France by marching through Belgium. The Belgians who did not give Germany permission to do this now were in a state of war with Germany as well. The most important byproduct of this was the fact that England had a treaty with Belgium! Now England was obligated to declare war on Germany as well. Italy, which had a treaty with Germany switched sides so that she might gain territory from Austria Hungary (A gamble that more or less worked) and the Ottoman Empire entered the war on behalf to the Austro Hungarians (they wanted to gain territory from the Russians and gain control in the Balkan region). Now most of Europe was engulfed in war. In the end the Triple Entente (England, France and Russia later to be joined by Italy, the United States and Japan) defeated the Triple Alliance (Germany, Austria Hungary and the Ottoman Empire). The conflict which was long and bloody was marked by trench warfare and the use of chemical weapons. It was fought mostly in French territory. At the conclusion of  hostilities Germany was still in French territory but it was relatively clear that the combined industrial might of the Triple Entente would prevail. In actuality the influence of the United States is questionable. Germany hoped to negotiate a favorable treaty but as we shall see this was not to be the case. The Treaty of Versailles was signed ending the war and blaming Germany for the entire conflict. This blame and the consequent punishment set the stage for years of resentment and another world war, something American President Woodrow Wilson had hoped to avoid. So, what did all this have to do with America and why did we enter World War One? Most Americans favored staying out of the conflict and President Wilson publicly and formally stated that the United States would follow a policy of neutrality. In three short years, however, the United States would find itself in the middle of what later became known as the first World War. As the war in Europe raged on America sympathies were clearly on the side of the allies. American propaganda posters urged citizens to buy war bonds and support the allies. The Kaiser and Germans were painted as the aggressors in the war. True or not Americans came to see Germany as vicious and blood thirsty. The poster below was used by the US Army in 1917 to recruit soldiers. Notice how the Germans are pictured? This is a clear example of anti German propaganda. When the war began England enforced a naval blockade of Germany in the hopes of cutting off supplies. Germany responded by unleashing the U Boats. U Boats were submarines capable of staying submerged for long periods of time. They would sneak up upon their victims, often at night, an torpedo them. The Germans did not limit their attacks to military vessels. Any ship sailing in the war zone was considered an enemy. This became known as unrestricted submarine warfare. On May 7th 1915 the British cruise ship Lusitania was sunk off the coast of England. Over 1,198 passengers including 128 Americans were killed. America was furious at the brutality and demanded a stop to this type of attack. In 1916, after the sinking of the passenger liner Sussex, Germany agreed to end unrestricted submarine warfare in the Sussex pledge. The Sussex pledge only put off the inevitable American entry into the war. America shared acultural bond with England and France. Woodrow Wilson began to actively campaign for Americans to support the allies. Besides being culturally similar England and France  were our trade partners. From 1914 to 1916 trade with the Allies grew from 825 million dollars to 3.2 billion dollars. If the Allies were to lose the war our trade would be threatened. American increasingly saw Germany as the enemy. Germany was a dictatorship fighting against the great democracies of the world and America as a democratic nation felt an obligation to support them. As America became increasingly less neutral, the British government intercepted a message from the German ambassador Zimmerman to the Mexican government. This message termed the Zimmerman Note asked Mexico to attack the United States if war broke out between the U.S. and Germany. The note was turned over to American government a short time later and eventually published in the newspapers. Americans were outraged. Then the Kaiser announced that Germany was going to re initiate the practice of unrestricted submarine warfare violating the Sussex Pledge. Wilson had campaigned for office promising to protect freedom of the seas and now it seemed he had little choice. He had to ask Congress to declare war. Many Americans still wanted to stay out of Europes war and there was much debate in Congress. Wilson closed his speech to Congress by saying it is a fearful thing to lead this great peaceful people into war But the right is more precious then peace and we shall fight for the things which we have always carried in our hearts. On April 6, 1917, by a vote of 82 to 6 in the Senate and 373 to 50 in the House of Representatives, the United States of America declared war on Germany. Wilson strongly believed that the American system would save the world, meaning: 1. American economic goods 2. Americas democratic political structure 3. Americas blend of morality and Christianity Wilson stated: When properly directed, there are no people in the world not fitted for self-government. Note the caveat, when properly directed. Wilson saw the U.S. as the rightful and natural director. He was determined to provide that direction in a framework where morality, democracy and economics were closely related. Wilson believed that other nations of the world had to look to the U.S. as an example, at the same time America was dependent on the rest of the world, mostly for economic markets. The world market must act as the new frontier for the American system. Wilson was determined to direct the affairs of other nations so that they could eventually achieve self-government, as long as this government was based on the American model, and he was even more willing to intervene in other countries than Roosevelt. For instance, he sent U.S. troops to Mexico to intervene in their civil war (1913-1917). When World War I broke out in Europe in 1914, Wilson tried to keep the U.S. neutral, but Germany repeatedly violated Americas neutral status. When America finally entered the war in 1917 it was because, as Wilson stated, The world must be made safe for democracy.

Role of ETCs in Directing First Responders to Disaster

Role of ETCs in Directing First Responders to Disaster Vishesh Sudhir Emergency Telecommunications professionals (ETCs) play a vital role in the quality of care of the residents in the communities in which they serve. This includes preservation of life, property and equipment during critical incidents which may involve unfavourable outcomes. Critical incidents are events of an unfavourable nature that include deaths in the normal course of work, multiple casualty incidents, natural disasters, power outages, and emergency events involving a large number of people. Critical Incident Stress is the ETC’s reaction to these events which could interfere with one’s ability to function normally during or after the event. The reactions could be physical stress on the body, cognitive impairments in thinking and emotional change in behavioural patterns, feelings, and personality. Immediate reactions include nausea, dizziness, increased heart rate, muscle pains, confusion, memory loss, difficulty in problem solving and making decisions, anxiety, fear, guilt, and hopelessness. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is a mental conditions which is caused by distressing events such as rape, assault, murder, kidnapping, automobile collision, or serious injury to oneself or others. These are the triggering events for PTSD which includes symptoms such as re-experiencing the event, nightmares, flashbacks, and anniversary of the triggering event could cause it. Later severe symptoms can include becoming withdrawn from family and friends, losing interest in activities previously enjoyed, or have difficulty feeling emotions, and being intimate with one’s partner. Treatments exist for both CIS and PTSD and there are services available in one’s area of residence to manage the onset of these conditions. The First Responder in the video was an experienced ETC professional who was able to help as many people as he possibly could with the severity of the natural disaster that struck the town being a tornado which required a mass response on the part of the town. He went to each victim that he was able to help with their injuries, bruises, and abrasions all the while keeping in constant communication with coworkers on helping the victims, superiors on calling in additional units and supplies, and the general public on staying safe. The survivors were in a traumatic event and had feelings of being scared, anxious, in fear of their safety and security of themselves and their loved ones. The First Responders felt the same way but with more control and experience since they work as ETC’s for a living, and if I were one during a tornado I would also feel scared, anxious and want to keep all of the victims in the area safe and treat their injuries using the established guidelines. The crisis that occurred in the video could be classified as a natural disaster, which living in Southern Ontario have not had any personal involvement in since tornados, hurricanes, and tsunamis are rare occurrence here. There was the Toronto snowstorm in 1998 caused by La Nina weather patterns which brought record snowfall. My family and I were driving back from my uncle’s house and our car kept getting stuck in position in the road which then required me to get out of the car to shovel near the snow tires in order for my mom to get the car moving further down because they didn’t plow the smaller neighbourhood roads that that time which was late at night and it required constant shovelling of the roads just to get the car moving closer to our house which we eventually got to as the snow dissipated. Personal approaches I would use to overcome the lasting effects a First Responder might suffer include getting CIS Debriefings and PTSD treatments. The debriefing is a regular series of meetings done by the organization the ETC is employed for, other coworkers, superiors and experts in the conditions of CIS with the purpose of the meetings being to get the ETC professionals to express their feelings on the events they were involved in, what impact it made on them physically in the form of injuries, psychologically in their cognitive patterns, emotionally in their relationships with others, and general behaviour both at home and in public. These meetings are a good approach for First Responders as it allows them to get more information about how to deal with their reactions to the above listed traumatic events, utilize support services that are available, and talking to trained experts such as social workers, psychologists, and therapists. For survivors the approach would be to use PT SD treatment that is provided through government services such as CMHA, services provided by their employer if they are employed such as a helpline, and services provided by private organizations such as Canadian Red Cross. The treatments these services offer include a combination of individual discussion, group discussion similar to the CIS Debriefings, and medication. Methods I would use to increase awareness of CIS and PTSD to coworkers, family, and the public include through word of mouth such as discussion with these interested individuals who inquire about it what CIS and PTSD are, provide them examples of each so they have an idea of the types of events surrounding them such as using the videos watched in class or finding a similar event to it on the Internet. I would use social media websites to educate the general public on CIS and PTSD with information pages about the conditions including what they are, symptoms, and treatment options available and contact information of the organizations that offer assistance to those who have CIS and PTSD. Other approaches include starting an outreach company which provides informational sessions to the general public in places such as malls, parks, schools, libraries, and community centres and provide the public brochures, pamphlets, booklets and contact information to organizations which offer assistan ce. I can also use media sources such as the local newspaper, radio station, and popular Internet destinations and present to these media sources information on CIS and PTSD in a presentation style that can accommodate their schedule. The complexity of CIS and PTSD means there is much research to be done on these conditions by the established medical community and so for those with these conditions the chance to increase awareness about it doing their own research, being more proactive and by being an advocate for finding cures for these conditions. The best method is the method the individual uses in their own personal circumstance. (Reference for CISD: Emergency Medical Responder 3rd Canadian Edition; Pearson Canada; Limmer, Karren, et. Al.; 2010 Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Ch. 2 pg. 16-17 in textbook) PTSD from CMHA: http://www.cmha.ca/mental_health/post-traumatic-stress-disorder/ CISD: http://www.info-trauma.org/flash/media-e/mitchellCriticalIncidentStressDebriefing.pdf https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Critical_incident_stress_management

Bontsha And Gimpel :: essays research papers

Faith is believed to be one of the most important elements attached to the life of a human being. Faith brings meaning to life. It is the essence that ties a person to life no matter the struggle encountered. Whenever some one looses faith in the people of their society, all he has felt is a religious believe which can be translated into “faith in God(s)';. In the stories “Bontsha the Silent'; and “Gimpel the Fool'; by Isaac Loeb Peretz and Isaac Bashevis Singer respectively, the protagonists are victims of tremendous sufferings, where faith is the only way out. However, the faith focused by both authors differ somewhat. Peretz prioritizes faith in the divine, while Singer elaborates faith in man around their protagonists. First, in his tale “Bontsha the Silent';, Peretz seems to suggest that a person who has lost faith in man ought to have, at least, faith God. One must not go without faith just because he had run into some sort of difficulty or been victim of injustice during his life. Peretz expresses his believe through the main character, Bontsha. He describes Bontsha as the most unfortunate imaginable human being on earth and yet never complaining about his adversity. Ever since the first day Bontsha was born, no one has cared of him. He was born with silence and passed away with silence. During his lifetime, he had to haul heavy loads stumbling at each step and begged for the pennies that were rightfully his, and even then, sometimes he did not get paid. Further, he knew he had been taken advantage of, and still, he remained silent. Once he had run into luck by saving a man’s life who then made him a coachman and married him off. But his luck did not last for long, as his great benef actor and philanthropist went into bankruptcy and never got what he had earned. Peretz develops his character in such way implying that perhaps Bontsha had so much faith in God that he did not care any of his sufferings; he lost hope with mankind. When all faith for man is lost, one should at least believe in God for he might be rewarded in “the other world';. Indeed, when Bontsha dies, he rewarded for having maintained his faith in God and never complained to him. Second, in “Gimpel the Fool';, Singer demonstrates the importance of faith in man one must have.

Internet Activities 9.1 and 10.2 Essay

1. What are the key benefits of implementing a supply chain solution such as SAP? The key benefits that any company would achieve from using systems typically like the SAP supply chain solutions include the following: †¢ A quicker response for changes occurring in the market †¢ Having higher margins than the competitors by saving on operational costs †¢ Transparency of information in the business which would lead to a smaller cash recover cycle †¢ Increased synchronization in the business and its operation. The business will be able to set it priorities in an organized fashion †¢ The ultimate result of using such systems would be an increase in the satisfaction of the customers as the system can provide for customization. †¢ The company will also be able to track and monitor the compliance of the company with the regulations in the markets it is operating in. In short the business is able to synchronize the supply of the company with the demand in the market, be more responsive to the changes in the market pertaining to price and supply/ demand fluctuations as well as have a reliable and efficient network which can monitor the supply chain 2. What are the likely challenges in implementing a supply chain solution? The biggest challenge faced by the company in implementing a supply chain solution is to integrate it with the existing business processes at the company. All business tend to be somewhat different in their operation and the business language, but when using a software solution for the supply chain, then the business processes relating to the supply chain activities have to be exactly the same as required by the software. Otherwise the business would have discrepancies existing between the supply chain activities and the supply chain reporting and records stored by the software. In this case the efficiency of the system and the process is sacrificed. Exercise 10. 2: 1. In what ways does Volkswagen’s website illustrate the characteristics of integrated marketing communications? The characteristics of an integrated marketing communication are that it is coherent, consistent, has continuity and is complementary. The website for Volkswagen shows that the different methods of communication like, getting a quote online, emailing the company, registering for a certified car, finding the nearest show room etc, all is integrated on the website and communicated to the customer. Similarly all the messages on the website about the uniqueness of the cars are not contradictory and therefore supporting consistency in communications. The WebPages are continues in their format and play on the same message again and again which is â€Å"when you are in a Volkswagen, it is in you†. The color scheming, the format of the WebPages and the messages and content displayed on the site supports each other and is complementary in nature 2. How does Volkswagen go beyond its own communications to create its unique identity? Volkswagen has been able to differentiate itself from its competitors by handing the design board over to the customer. Using the website the customers can design their own personalized VW and Beetle cars. This provides for extensive customization to the products. The company also invested in a transparent manufacturing plant in Dresden to show the customers how their automobiles are made. The company has also advanced in the R&D function by inviting customers to come to the factory and design the car they want. This interactive and two way communication through the website as well as on location has enabled the country to establish its unique spirit while going beyond the scopes of an automobile manufacturer. References 1. SAP Supply Chain Benefits, available at: http://www.marketing-online.co.uk/ch8.pdf

Responding to Social, Economic and Political Systems Essay

Social, economic and political systems greatly vary across nations, with the minor and major differences dependent on the very foundations of the social, economic and political structures of these nations. For instance, a third-world country with a predominantly Muslim population has various social, economic and political systems to a first-world nation largely composed of Christians, or the opposite can also be true as well. To a certain extent, these systems develop from the most fundamental needs of the people from their collective experience. Since there is a great deal of differences from among the collective experiences among people, there are also corresponding differences in the way in which these people address these experiences, which is why there has been varieties in the social, economic and political systems worldwide.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Moreover, these systems do not remain in a stagnant stage. Rather, social, economic and political systems also undergo certain changes through certain times, whether periodic or constant change. It can also be said that because of these developments in these systems, there has also been a seeming overlap among them inasmuch as terms such as socio-political and socio-economic systems have emerged. In more recent times, changes in the social systems have taken place largely because of the improvements in the economic status of the nation. Changes in the social systems were also likely the results of the recent events which took place in a particular state. For example, the emergence of India as an economic powerhouse in terms of its capability to produce a large number of outsourcing employees has corresponded to a shift in the social status of the Indians, making those employed as outsourcing agents more informed and well-aware of the latest technological advancements.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   China, on the other hand, has been a growing market in the international economy precisely because of its continuous development in international trade due to its cheap goods from cheap labor. China’s cheap labor stems from the fact that the large population of that nation easily provides available manpower in the production lines. The cases of India and China are only some of the many examples which illustrate the idea that social and economic developments oftentimes comes hand-in-hand. Thus, it can be safe to assume that social, economic and political systems may intertwine with one another, bringing about consequent changes to the other while having a direct impact on the status of that system.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   These systems, for the most part, cast direct and indirect influences on the performances of certain organization or agencies operating within a specific location or across several parts from around the world. Direct influences may include but is not entirely limited to political, economic or social systems of a specific nation. The same can also be said of indirect influences although it can further be considered that indirect influences may come from sources external to the regional location where the organization is operating.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   For example, political systems can give either stringent or loose regulations on the operations of an agency depending on the context in which the agency is operating. A profit-oriented agency can directly be influenced by political regulations which limit the target market and the employment policies of that agency for instance. Social systems, too, hold a great deal of influence on the overall performance of an agency profiting from the sales of a certain product. In the case of a populated community, chances of marketing a certain product may be relatively higher than marketing goods within a less populated community.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Yet it should also be noted that agencies which are non-profit by nature are equally influenced by social, political and economic systems as well. Since the existence of non-profit agencies do not depend largely on the financing that they can derive from their operations, it can nevertheless be argued that the social, economic and political systems of a specific state can have a different bearing to agencies which are primarily profit-oriented.   A certain state regulation on marketing goods may very well apply to profit agencies. However, non-profit agencies may experience no impact by these state enforced marketing regulations. What largely influences the operating of non-profit agencies in terms of social, economic and political systems can be observed from the very way in which these systems restrict the activities of these non-profit agencies. These non-profiting related restrictions may come in many forms such as restrictions on the scope of the agency’s operation as well as the extent of the agency’s behavior with respect to the existing state laws.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A country under a liberal democratic system will essentially enforce limited regulations on agencies such as non-profit ones so as to give these agencies an organizational type of civil liberties, giving more freedom for these non-profit agencies to exercise their functions and purposes. With these things in mind, the social and political systems of a liberal democratic state will significantly increase the participation of non-profit agencies in exercising their functions, thus giving way to servicing more clients or individuals with the services the agency provides. On the other hand, a nation under an authoritarian regime will most likely restrict the operations of a non-profit agency, placing its activities under close scrutiny of the authorities.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   From the examples given, it can be seen that the socio-political composition of a nation or, more specifically, of a government greatly affects a non-profit agency be it in terms of its capability to exercise its functions or its capacity to provide certain services to the people not even as a marketing scheme but as a servicing scheme.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Further, the economic system of a specific country can also influence both the internal and external decisions and actions of a non-profit agency. Japan was once a nation which isolated itself from the rest of the world, making any financial aid from foreign agencies less likely to penetrate the funds of the non-profit agencies within Japan. Although to a certain extent these external financial aids from foreign organization may reach the funds of the non-profit agency in Japan, there could have been difficult obstacles prior to that. More recently, the economic prosperity of Japan and its opening of its borders to the world have nonetheless become contributive events to the welfare of several Japanese non-profit agencies which can make the most out of foreign financial assistance.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Moreover, non-profit agencies in third-world countries such as the Philippines can encounter the difficulty of mobilizing its services across communities precisely because these communities come in a large number. The necessity to address the needs of a specific number of constituents in a certain community should first be established. Otherwise it becomes more difficult for the non-profit agency to materialize its goals given the limited amount of resources. In general, the economic system of any given country or community greatly affects the manner in which a non-profit agency addresses this factor and in which the agency allocates its resources.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In essence, political, social and economic systems affect non-profit agencies and that these agencies would have to make the most of what is available in terms of resources. Certain restrictions may be present, yet these things test the integrity of any non-profit agency. Reference Reiner, T. A., & Wolpert, J. (1991). The Non-Profit Sector in the Metropolitan Economy. Economic Geography, 57(1), 23-33.

Mary of Burgundy, Duchess of Burgundy

Mary of Burgundy, Duchess of Burgundy ​Known for:  signing the Great Privilege and, by her marriage, bringing her dominions under Habsburg control Dates:  February 13, 1457 - March 27, 1482 About Mary of Burgundy The only child of Charles the Bold of Burgundy and Isabella of Bourbon, Mary of Burgundy became ruler of his lands after her fathers death in 1477. Louis XI of France attempted to force her to marry the Dauphin Charles, thus bringing under French control her lands, including the Netherlands, Franche-Comte, Artois, and Picardy (the Low Countries). Mary, however, did not want to marry Charles, who was 13 years younger than she was. In order to win support for her refusal among her own people, she signed the Great Privilege which returned significant control and rights to localities in the Netherlands. This agreement required the approval of the States to raise taxes, declare war or make peace. She signed this agreement on February 10, 1477. Mary of Burgundy had many other suitors, including Duke Clarence of England. Mary chose Maximilian, Archduke of Austria, of the Habsburg  family, who later became emperor Maximilian I. They married on August 18, 1477. As a result, her lands became part of the Habsburg empire. Mary and Maximilian had three children. Mary of Burgundy died in a fall from a horse on March 27, 1482. Their son Philip, later called Philip the Handsome, was held as virtually a prisoner until Maximilian freed him in 1492. Artois and Franche-Comte became his to rule; Burgundy and Picardy returned to French control. Philip, called Philip the Handsome, married Joanna, sometimes called Juana the Mad, heiress to Castile and Aragon, and thus Spain also joined the Habsburg empire. The daughter of Mary of Burgundy and Maximilian was Margaret of Austria, who served as governor of the Netherlands after her mothers death and before her nephew (the future Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor) was old enough to rule. A painter is known as the  Master of Mary of Burgundy  for an illuminated Book of Hours he created for Mary of Burgundy. Mary of Burgundy Facts Title:  Duchess of Burgundy Father:  Charles the Bold of Burgundy, son of Philip the Good of Burgundy and Isabella of Portugal. Mother:  Isabella of Bourbon (Isabelle de Bourbon), daughter of Charles I, Duke of Bourbon, and Agnes of Burgundy. Family Connections:  Marys father and mother were first cousins: Agnes of Burgundy, her maternal grandmother, and Philip the Good, her paternal grandfather, were both children of Margaret of Bavaria and her husband John the Fearless of Burgundy. Marys great-grandfather John the Fearless of Bavaria was a grandson of John II of France and Bonne of Bohemia; so was another great-grandmother, her mothers paternal grandmother Marie of Auvergne. Also known as:  Mary, Duchess of Burgundy; Marie Places: Netherlands, Habsburg Empire, Hapsburg Empire, Low Countries, Austria.