...Leroy Davis In 1755, Lisbon was one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. The Lisbon, Portugal earth quake occurred along the Azores-Gilbratar fracture zone. This is an active seismic region where large earthquakes occur with frequency. At the time of the earthquake, Lisbon was preparing for one of the biggest celebrations in the religious calendar and the city was alive with activity in preparation for the forthcoming commemoration. A strange frightful noise underground was first heard, it sounded like distant rumbling of thunder. The first three shocks were over a ten minute period followed by an even more powerful second shock which sent buildings toppling down. There were two major aftershocks that caused added agony and despair to survivors. The Lisbon earthquakes caused considerable damage not only in Portugal but in Spain, Madrid and Seville. The shock waves were felt throughout Europe and North Africa, over an area of about 1,300,000 square miles. Moe than 18,000 buildings representing about 85% of the total were completely demolished. Over 30,000 people lost their lives in the first two minutes. The total death toll in Lisbon, a city of 230,000, was estimated to be about 90,000. Another 10, 000 people were killed in Morocco. The earthquake had wide-ranging effects on the lives of the populace and intelligentsia. The earthquake had struck on an important church holiday and had destroyed almost every important church in the city, causing anxiety and confusion amongst...
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...The Galveston Hurricane of 1900 Case Studies John Williams Columbia Southern University May 18, 2013 The Galveston Hurricane of 1900 Case Studies This case study converses about one of the most historically known natural disasters that has ever occurred within the 50 United States in the 1900. The hurricane that started out as a tropical storm was one of the most deadly events that have ever taken place during that time. As everyone prepared for the common tropical storm they did not realize it was becoming stronger and stronger during September 3rd and 4th. The hurricane increased and made its way through different parts of Florida, and landed on the coast of Texas. It was predicted by a local weatherman that the island of Galveston would suffer a great loss to the large city. This prediction was on the way he observed the rough seas and high waves that became more active by the hour. This weatherman who was known as Dr. Isaac M. Cline took it upon himself, rode out in the danger of the weather to worn people to seek high ground. When the hurricane touched down on the island of Galveston the wind matured to 120 miles per hour, and the sea rose more than 15 feet. The Category 4 hurricane of the Saffir-Simpson scale took many lives by drowning. It was estimated that more than 9,000 residents lost their lives. After leaving the island the hurricane maintained a strong tropical storm passing through many of the central states and weakened once it made it through the Great...
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...The Storm On September 8, 1900, the greatest natural disaster to ever strike the United States occurred at Galveston, Texas. In the early evening hours of September 8, a hurricane came ashore at Galveston bringing with it a great storm surge that destroyed most of Galveston Island and the city of Galveston. As a result, much of the city was destroyed and at least 6,000 people were killed in a few hours’ time. The wind during the forenoon of the 8th was generally north, but oscillated, at intervals of from five to ten minutes, between northwest and northeast, and continued so up to 1 p.m. After 1 p.m. the wind was mostly northeast, although as late as 6:30 p.m. it would occasionally back to the northwest for one or two minutes at a time. The prevailing wind was from the northeast...
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...Disaster in Galveston: The Hurricane of 1900 At the turn of the 20th Century Galveston, Texas was a prospering city that many considered to be ahead in the race for economic dominance in the state. It had a population of 37,000, a thriving business district, and an extremely active port which made it the center of trade in Texas. However on September 8, 1900 a hurricane swept the island, devastating its population, destroying many homes and businesses, and cutting it off from the rest of the world. Galveston is an island 30 miles long and at many points no more than one mile from north to south. Located off the south-eastern coast of Texas, it lies in between the Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. Its location, while making it conducive to the sort of economic and social growth that came at the end of the 19th Century, also makes it dangerously prone to hurricanes. Warm waters, like those in the Gulf of Mexico, are a source of energy for storm systems. On top of sitting in warm ocean water, Galveston has a max elevation of only 8.7 feet (and an average much lower than that), making it susceptible to the dangers of storm surges and flooding. Since most of Galveston is at or only slightly above sea level, high waters pushed ashore by heavy winds were able to flood over the entire island, washing people and property away with it. Galveston’s societal conditions further exacerbated the destruction. In the late 19th and early 20th Century, the island was a thriving port and...
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...ultimately leads to poor decisions after a horrific disaster in 1900 [Larson]. In addition, well-researched essays by Henry Demarest Lloyd and Emma Goldman back up Larson’s theory that the Gilded Age was actually a very dark time for the United States. Isaac’s Storm describes the historical aspects of the national weather service, weather forecasting, and hurricane predictions. Larson gives insight into the personal tragedy of a destructive storm in September of 1900 and how it affected Galveston, Texas and its position as a major city in the United States. Teemed with devastation and arrogance, the book follows Isaac Cline who was one of the first meteorologists at a time when there really was not a true science connected to weather predictions. He showed a real aptitude in this new field and eventually found himself assigned to the weather bureau in Galveston, Texas [Larson]. At the beginning of the 20th Century, a great confidence pervaded the United States. Isaac Cline was one of the era’s new men, a scientist who believed he knew all there was to know about the motion of clouds and the behavior of storms. This type of confidence was matched with the wealth and power of industry leaders acting as robber barons and not captains of industry [Foner]. According to Larson and essayists Lloyd and Goldman, there was an imbalance between the rich and the poor and the United States felt bigger and stronger than ever before. The Galveston Hurricane of September 1900 will...
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...Many people don’t really know what happen on the morning of April 16, 1947. The Texas City disaster of 1947 was one of the deadliest days in Texas history, but many still don’t know what happened on that dark day. The morning of the blast was very calm, a slight rain and mild temperatures in Texas City. Texas City was a small town located right in between Galveston and Houston. The town began to thrive in the late 1940’s due to the production of oil and special chemicals. Open jobs were everywhere in the small city which led to the increase of the population. Dockworkers were loading a special fertilizer called Ammonium Nitrate on board the “Grandcamp.” Ammonium Nitrate was used in World War Two by the U.S. Army. The special fertilizer was...
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...seventy-five, she assisted Armenians who were under attack in Turkey. She provided shelter, medicine, food and clothing for the Spanish-American War. In 1899, she published The Red Cross in Peace and War which is an outstanding seven hundred pages. The Texas disaster occurred in 1900, many people were stranded in the sea and dead bodies were disposed in funeral pyres. Barton created an orphanage, homeless shelter, and homeless kitchen in Galveston, Texas. She was purchased over 1.5 million strawberry plants to give out to farmers in Galveston. Since she neglected financial records, an investigation was held on her finances and it was demanded that Barton resign in 1902. The American Red Cross groups were split into supporters and critics. Due to all the criticism, Barton resigned from the American Red Cross on May 14, 1904. Mabel Boardman took over the American Red Cross since she was as dedicated to the Red Cross as Clara Barton. A Story of the Red Cross was published in 1904. After she retired, she lectured about what she learned in her life. She lived in Glen Echo, Maryland after her retirement. In 1905, she established the National First Aid Association. The NFAA helped individual families who needed help because of personal disaster. In 1907, she published The Story of My Childhood. The reason, she wrote a book about her childhood was because many children sent her letters asking about her life. On April 12, 1912, Clara passes away because of tuberculosis. Her last words were “Let...
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...Steve Morales October 15, 2013 Ms. Becker AP Language and Composition Humans make the World Without humans this planet would never be how it is today. “I saw science as being in harmony with humanity.”- Joseph Rotblat . Science is nature, without humans science will never been put to a test and nothing would have been brought to be true in the world . By using science humanity can go on and prevent natural disasters. Even if nature is a really powerful source in this world humanity can modify its environments to be secure from everything nature wants or decides to put in humanities way. As humanity makes this world possible nature gives them the resources to make it possible. this world could not be made if a human does not make errors. “He concealed the car as best he could…” Krakauer says in page 29. Chris McCandless uses natures sources in the forest to the best of his ability to hide the van and other objects he has with him. McCandless is making his life keep going by using his knowledge about nature and knowing when a flood is going to happen so he can get rid of everything he needs to get rid of as he continues to make his life possible. “Our life is frittered away by detail.” Henry David Thoreau says in the second paragraph. Life is a gift and people take it for granted most of the time. By taking your life as nature brings it to you you will make more of your life instead of cutting it off. The world would be a way better place to be in if people take life...
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...Progressive Era through the Great Depression Joana Lewis Joel Goldstein, PhD. Contemporary U.S. History August 2, 2012 Although women spear headed many significant Progressive era reforms, they were still denied the right to vote. This became increasingly problematic once more and more women understood that individuals in the Industrial Age were buffeted by social and economic forces that were beyond their control and that required the involvement of the federal government. The denial of suffrage changed during the Progressive era, beginning in the western states. To main groups furthered the cause of women’s suffrage: the National American Women Suffrage Association, founded in 1890, and the National Women’s Party, founded in 1913 and led by Alice Paul. The NAWSA worked state to state to convince opponents that were valuable assets to society and deserved to vote. Paul and the NWP, on the other hand, pursued a more aggressive national strategy. On the eve of President Woodrow Wilson’s inauguration in 1913, Alice Paul organized a rally of 5,000 women to demand a federal constitutional amendment giving women the right to vote. She also held a six-month vigil outside the White House to protest restrictions of women suffrage. The combined efforts of these two groups ultimately led to victory. In 1920 just after the end of World War 1, the Nineteenth amendment was passed, and women won the right to vote. Woodrow Wilson became president in...
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...After the recent disaster of Hurricane Katrina, there have been many opportunities to examine the multiple sides of the story. Many of these sides have been released to the public, but told with conflicting viewpoints. The most common conflict brought up again and again is between FEMA and the relief victims. Relief victims and FEMA argue over humanitarian aid issues such as evacuation, supplies, and housing. Evacuation was the most important humanitarian effort that FEMA could provide. Getting residents out of the disaster area was the primary goal of FEMA. Evacuation by bus was the initial form of evacuation. The bus evacuation plan that FEMA provided allowed the whole city to evacuate in a reasonable amount of time. Then evacuation by plane was added as another way for FEMA to get relief victims out of the city in large numbers. The plane evacuation was very efficient once it got under way. The conditions at the airport allowed only outbound aircraft. The last form of humanitarian aid shown through evacuation was the creation of emergency shelters. FEMA, in conjunction with surrounding states, had set up shelters where the evacuees could go. Then states further away volunteered to house evacuees. The shelters provided a place for evacuees to stay after the hurricane and provided time for them to look for more permanent housing. FEMA provided basic humanitarian aid by evacuating Katrina survivors. Supplies were a form of humanitarian aid that FEMA provided. The most basic...
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...read to them, listen to their stories and all they had to say, and even pray for them. Clara also offered food, bedding, and clothing to the wounded soldiers. They weren’t able to get reach of any of these resources while in the battlefield. Clara didn’t just provide emotional support and important supplies, she also brought them back to health and nurture them. She performed many medical transactions to save each in everyone’s lives. Clara Barton’s biggest life accomplishment was the founding of the American Red Cross society in 1881. Without her today, the Red Cross wouldn’t exist and do all the good it has done generations ago. During the disasters of the 1889 Johnstown Flood and the 1900 Galveston Flood, the leader of the Red Cross, Clara Barton saw an opportunity for assistance and relief work. She helped the victims of these disasters by giving them needed supplies and medication. When she oversaw opportunities to help anyone in the world, she was there. In 1892 Clara Barton helped the Russians from suffering from famine. By doing this she shipped over 500 railroad cars of Iowa cornmeal and flour. Also, she helped when a hurricane and tidal wave occurred on the Sea Islands of South Carolina in 1893. The Red Cross worked for 10 months to help the African-Americans population recover their agricultural economy. The Red Cross became a big organization and many people wanted to be apart of it to help save many lives, one person at a time. Barton maintained many other...
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...COUNTRIES AFFECTED BY NATURAL CALAMITIES Natural disasters such as earthquakes, tsunamis, and floods can often come at the least expected time. Others, such as hurricanes and cyclones are increasing in severity and destruction. Typically, the poor are the worst hit for they have the least resources to cope and rebuild. As the 2011 Great Eastern Japan Earthquake has made all too clear, natural disasters can be very difficult to predict and fully prepare against, and have incredibly far-reaching consequences for the safety and wellbeing of individuals and communities. As in previous natural disasters such as the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the Australian bushfires in 2009, the 2010 Haiti earthquake and the 2010 Pakistan floods, the impacts on people and society in affected areas are immediate and overwhelming. Such catastrophes tend to worsen pre-existing problems and inequalities, with vulnerable parts of the population often disproportionately impacted. For instance, initial estimates suggest that 65% of the deaths from the recent disaster in Japan were of people aged 60 or over. The consequences can be felt for many years, with people suffering as refugees or being displaced within their own country, their livelihoods destroyed, and facing long-term health issues. Over the past two years, 700 natural disasters were registered worldwide affecting more than 450 million people, according to a new IMF study. Damages have risen from an estimated...
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... Within river catchments and watersheds, activities such as river damming and diversion affect the coast. Offshore events affect beaches as well. Dredging and sand mining are just a few examples of harmful offshore processes. Each of these things, combined with natural forces, put the coasts in dire need(Coastal Managment). It jeopardizes coastal cities and environments’ health. People normally flock to coastal areas to inhabit, and developers now have to deal with the problems of erosion. A strong push has been made by the administration in the areas affected to manage the coastal problems and restore the beaches, as well as make steps to accommodate the short and long-term changes brought along by human activities, environmental disasters and events, and sea level changes. There are many reasons why the coasts have to be protected. Coast lines tend to be heavily populated and are areas of high economic value due to tourism. Damages to these areas affect millions of people, as well as...
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...and settled along the Brazos River in what would become Fort Bend County. William Little built on the west bank of the river a one room log cabin called a “fort” by the settlers. The cabin eventually became known as Fort Bend. Many of these early settlers and others who joined them made up the ‘Old 300’, the first families brought to Texas by Stephen F. Austin, one of the first empresarios to receive land grants from the Mexican government to start a colony in Texas. This paper will provide an appropriate description with substantial detail of community of Fort Bend County, Texas. Data will be gathered and interpreted using concepts of epidemiology that include population/economic status; cultural; neighborhood/community safety and disaster assessment and planning. An appropriate community genogram to present the data collected in the assessment will be created. Provide a short interpretation of the genogram, including the health indicators for Fort Bend County. In addition, this paper will formulate a community diagnosis based on the data collected. A1. Community Description Fort Bend County is located in the Houston metropolitan area of southeast Texas. Harris County is direct border of Fort Bend County and is located on the southwest side of Houston. On Gulf Coastal Plain; drained by Brazos, San Bernard rivers; Smithers Lake; level to rolling; rich alluvial soils. Fort Bend County terrain has an average elevation of 85 feet and varies from level to gently...
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...Water Control: Flooding Issues in Houston, Texas The purpose of this paper is to analyze and discuss the flooding problems in Houston, Texas. As a part of this analysis, this paper will assess the economical, political, and legal implications of Houston’s flooding. It will also explain the relationship that psychology has to environmental preservation, and will create a solution to the issue at hand. In the process of proposing a conceivable solution, this paper will discuss the economic, political, and legal barriers of the solution, how they can be overcome, and why this solution will be successful. Flooding Issues in Houston, Texas Houston, Texas is home to over two million individuals, and is the fourth largest city within the United States of America. It is located in the Southeastern part of the state of Texas, and sits roughly 50 feet above sea level. Houston is known for its famous nickname of the Bayou City, as it is home to over 2,500 miles of manmade rivers. These manmade rivers (bayous) are the city of Houston’s way of containing and channeling rain water to the ocean. This alternative drainage system was a much needed installation because of the city’s position, as compared to the sea level (Bayou Preservation, 2012). Currently, Houston suffers from severe flooding issues (i.e. flash floods, urban floods, river and bayou floods), and depending upon the area of town, the probability of high and slow moving floodwaters increase. As the city’s population...
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