The Eruption of Mount Tambora in 1815

The tremendous eruption of Mount Tambora in April 1815 was the most powerful volcanic eruption of the 19th century. The eruption and the tsunamis it triggered killed tens of thousands of people. The magnitude of the explosion itself is difficult to fathom. It has been estimated that Mount Tambora stood approximately 12,000 feet tall before the 1815 eruption when the top third of the mountain was completely obliterated. Adding to the disasters massive scale, the huge amount of dust blasted into the upper atmosphere by the Tambora eruption contributed to a bizarre and highly destructive weather event the following year. The year 1816 became known as ​the year without a summer. The disaster on the remote island of Sumbawa in the Indian Ocean has been overshadowed by the eruption of the volcano at Krakatoa decades later, partly because the news of Krakatoa traveled quickly via telegraph. Accounts of the Tambora eruption were considerably rarer, yet some vivid ones do exist. An administrator of the East India Company, Sir Thomas Stamford Bingley Raffles, who was serving as governor of Java at the time, published a striking account of the disaster based on written reports he had collected from English traders and military personnel. Beginnings of the Mount Tambora Disaster The island of Sumbawa, home to Mount Tambora, is located in present-day Indonesia. When the island was first discovered by Europeans, the mountain was thought to be an extinct volcano. However, about three years before the 1815 eruption, the mountain seemed to come to life. Rumblings were felt, and a dark smoky cloud appeared atop the summit. On April 5, 1815, the volcano began to erupt. British traders and explorers heard the sound and at first thought it to be the firing of cannon. There was a fear that a sea battle was being fought nearby. The Massive Eruption of Mount Tambora On the evening of April 10, 1815, the eruptions intensified, and a massive major eruption began to blow the volcano apart. Viewed from a settlement about 15 miles to the east, it seemed that three columns of flames shot into the sky. According to a witness on an island about 10 miles to the south, the entire mountain appeared to turn into liquid fire. Stones of pumice more than six inches in diameter began to rain down on neighboring islands. Violent winds propelled by the eruptions struck settlements like ​hurricanes, and some reports claimed that the wind and sound-triggered small earthquakes. Tsunamis emanating from the island of Tambora destroyed settlements on other islands, killing tens of thousands of people. Investigations by modern-day archaeologists have determined that an island culture on Sumbawa was completely wiped out by the Mount Tambora eruption. Written Reports of Mount Tamboras Eruption As the eruption of Mount Tambora occurred before communication by telegraph, accounts of the cataclysm were slow to reach Europe and North America. The British governor of Java, Sir Thomas Stamford Bingley Raffles, who was learning an enormous amount about the native inhabitants of the local islands while writing his 1817 book History of Java, collected accounts of the eruption. Raffles began his account of the Mount Tambora eruption by noting the confusion about the source of the initial sounds: The first explosions were heard on this Island in the evening of the 5th of April, they were noticed in every quarter, and continued at intervals until the following day. The noise was in the first instance almost universally attributed to distant cannon; so much so, that a detachment of troops were marched from Djocjocarta [a nearby province] in the expectation that a neighboring post was attacked. And along the coast boats were in two instances dispatched in quest of a supposed ship in distress. After the initial explosion was heard, Raffles said it was supposed that the eruption was no greater than other volcanic eruptions in that region. But he noted that on the evening of April 10 extremely loud explosions were heard and large amounts of dust began to fall from the sky. Other employees of the East India Company in the region were directed by Raffles to submit reports about the aftermath of the eruption. The accounts are chilling. One letter submitted to Raffles describes how, on the morning of April 12, 1815, no sunlight was visible at 9 a.m. on a nearby island. The sun had been entirely obscured by volcanic dust in the atmosphere. A letter from an Englishman on the island of Sumanap described how, on the afternoon of April 11, 1815, by four oclock it was necessary to light candles. It remained dark until the next afternoon. About two weeks after the eruption, a British officer sent to deliver rice to the island of Sumbawa made an inspection of the island. He reported seeing numerous corpses and widespread destruction. Local inhabitants were becoming ill, and many had already died of hunger. A local ruler, the Rajah of Saugar, gave his account of the cataclysm to British officer Lieutenant Owen Phillips. He described three columns of flames arising from the mountain when it erupted on April 10, 1815. Apparently describing the lava flow, the Rajah said the mountain started to appear like a body of liquid fire, extending itself in every direction. The Rajah also described the effect of the wind unleashed by the eruption: Between nine and ten p.m. ashes began to fall, and soon after a violent whirlwind ensued, which blew down nearly every house in the village of Saugar, carrying the tops and light parts along with it. I n the part of Saugar adjoining [Mount Tambora] its effects were much more violent, tearing up by the roots the largest trees and carrying them into the air together with men, houses, cattle, and whatever else came within its influence. This will account for the immense number of floating trees seen at sea. The sea rose nearly twelve feet higher than it had ever been known to be before, and completely spoiled the only small spots of rice lands in Saugar, sweeping away houses and every thing within its reach. Worldwide Effects of the Mount Tambora Eruption Though it would not be apparent for more than a century, the eruption of Mount Tambora contributed to one of the worst weather-related disasters of the 19th century. The following year, 1816, became known as the Year Without a Summer. The dust particles blasted into the upper atmosphere from Mount Tambora were carried by air currents and spread across the world. By the fall of 1815, eerily colored sunsets were being observed in London. And the following year the weather patterns in Europe and North America changed drastically. While the winter of 1815 and 1816 was fairly ordinary, the spring of 1816 turned odd. Temperatures did not rise as expected, and very cold temperatures persisted in some places well into the summer months. Widespread crop failures caused hunger and even famine in some places. The eruption of Mount Tambora thus may have caused widespread casualties on the opposite side of the world.

Mary B. Shelleys Frankenstein Essay - 1347 Words

Many people believe, in the modern American society, that the purpose of an author is to provide society with deep, enthralling tales that capture the history, actions, or fantasies of humans. While this common conception maybe somewhat true, in reality, an author’s primary purpose is to write a tale that communicates a message of morals and beliefs for society to acknowledge. Born in the year of 1797, Mary Shelley proves to be one of the latter as she becomes a revered pioneer in the creation of artificial life. This is because, as an author, Mary Shelley’s book Frankenstein brings to society a question that many scientist even now continue to withhold from answering: the endless possibilities and imposing dangers in the creation of†¦show more content†¦Frankenstein and Modern bioethical concerns and dangers Another equally as important factor of Shelley’s scientific impact on society is how her novel, Frankenstein, innovated the ideas of biotechnology from the early 19th century to even now. This is because her novels displayed way to create a new creature under the premise of galvanism and succeeded, but now, scientist still continue to falter to find a true answer for this single, recurring question; how far are humans willing to go in their quest to create, altar, and clone animated life? This challenging question have long been debated by many prominent members of society and the people themselves, as it has been displayed by the main character ,Victor, in the novel Frankenstein of a young, brilliant man who steps over the bounds of natural order by creating a new life form and because of it, he and his loved ones lose their lives. This glimpse of Victor’s fate is an example of someone who pushed too far into the realms of the unknown and suffered because of it. Yet, various scientists have argued that Viktor’s fate is completely avoidable and something society should not be concerned with. However, many people today still fear of a similar situation that this time will not only stop at theShow MoreRelatedMary Shelley and Flannery OConnor: Gothic Isolationists1724 Words   |  7 Pagesdeveloped into a 19th century phenomenon. The success of this dominant genre in England is frequently attributed to Mary Shelley. Despite its success during this time period, gothic fiction ceased to be a dominant genre by the Victorian Era. However, in many ways it had now begun to enter into its most ingenious phase. This paper will analyze the influence of Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein on Flannery O’Connor’s work, specifically her novel Wise Blood. Flannery O’Connor emerged as a crucial and contemporaryRead MoreFrankenstein, By Mary Shelley1727 Words   |  7 Pages Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is one of the most well known gothic horror novels ever written. It was written during the Industrial Revolution, which explains why it explores the dangers of too much knowledge. This book serves as an ominous warning that warns us that the power of science, if not properly limited, will cause misfortune and unhappiness. Frankenstein s monster, although an incredible feat of science, quickly leads to one tragedy after the next, before ultimately leading to Frankenstein’sRead MoreMARY SHELLEY’S FRANKENSTEIN: A PSYCHOLOGICAL REPRESENTATION OF HER FEAR OF CHILDBIRTH1694 Words   |  7 Pages HUMN 303 Week 7 Assignment Frankenstein, a novel first published in the year 1818, stands as the most talked about work of Mary Shelley’s literary career. She was just nineteen years old when she penned this novel, and throughout her lifetime she could not produce any other work that surpasses this novel in terms of creativity and vision. In this novel, Shelley found an outlet for her own intense sense of victimization, and her desperate struggle for love. Traumatized by her failed childbirthRead MoreThe Impact of Mary Shelley ´s Literature1543 Words   |  6 PagesThe Impact of Mary Shelley Frankenstein, who has not heard of this timeless creature or at least seen one of the many movies created in his honor? Many of our favorite science fiction novels were due to the brilliance of a writer named Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley. Mary Shelley lived during the romantic period and had parents who were well educated and excellent writers. As a result, Mary began to write and become involved in her father’s literary discussions at a young age. She continued to writeRead MoreDiscuss the Significance of Father Figures in Frankenstein1703 Words   |  7 PagesDiscuss the significance of father-figures in Frankenstein Frankenstein is a story of science gone dreadfully amiss. Shelley offers depth and meaning to Frankenstein by presenting (sometimes covertly so) insinuations of failed father and son relationships littered throughout the story. The most obvious relationship in this story is that between Victor Frankenstein and his monster, however, there are other characters in the story that present themselves as father-figures. In this essay, I will endeavourRead MoreFeminism in Frankenstein Essay examples1745 Words   |  7 PagesOver the years, the monster in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein has become universally portrayed in one way: a tall, green-skinned, dumb brute with no language or reasoning abilities. Society has turned the story of Frankenstein into a mere horror story, dehumanizing the monster more than was intended in Shelley’s novel. However, the message of Frankenstein is a far cry from the freak show displayed by the media. While many people may only see Frankenstein as a grotesque story meant to thrill its audienceRead MoreMetamorphoses Within Frankenstein14861 Words   |  60 PagesThe Critical Metamorphoses of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein You must excuse a trif ling d eviation, From Mrs. Shelley’s marvellous narration — from th e musical Frankenstein; or, The Vamp ire’s Victim (1849) Like Coleridge’ s Ancient Mariner , who erupts into Mary Sh elley’s text as o ccasionally and inev itably as th e Monster into Victor Frankenstein’s lif e, Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometh eus passes, like night, from land to land and w ith stang ely ad aptable powers of speech Read MoreFrankenstein: Appearance and Acceptance1412 Words   |  6 PagescenterbReliance on Appearance and Dependency upon Acceptance in Mary Shelleys Frankenstein and Todays Modern World./b/center br brOne of the main themes in Mary Shelleys Frankenstein is the importance of appearance and acceptance in modern society. In todays society, and also in the society of Frankenstein, people judge one often solely on their looks. Social prejudice is often based on looks, whether it be the color of someones skin, the clothes that a person wears, the facial featuresRead MoreAnalysis Of Mutability By Percy Bysshe Shelley Essay1551 Words   |  7 PagesPortfolio Part B ‘Mutability’ (Greenblatt 752-753) is a poem written by the Romantic poet Percy Bysshe Shelley in 1816. The Oxford English Dictionary defines the word ‘Mutability’ as: Liability or tendency to change. (OED Online) ‘Mutability’ was most probably written in order to portray Shelley’s own views that humans do not have control over changes which occur in their own lives. However, it asserts Shelley’s belief that, â€Å"Nought may endure but Mutability.† Shelley demonstrates this idea by usingRead More Comparing the Intelligence of Women in Shelleys Frankenstein and Goulds Womens Brains1193 Words   |  5 PagesIntelligence of Women in Shelleys Frankenstein and Goulds Womens Brains      Ã‚   Throughout history, women have always aimed for a recognized place in society. Centuries ago, people looked at the role of women in society as being sociologically inferior. Seeing the revival of the Feminist movement, which boldly opposes the stereotypical characteristics of women in society, on one hand, and promotes the elevation of womens status in society, on the other, one would not find it hard to

The Correlation Between Mental Health And Child Development

According to NithyaPoornima, Hirisave, and Subbakrishna (2014), In most countries children are considered a vulnerable group with special mental health needs (p. 194); the correlation between mental health and child development is crucial to raising happy and healthy children. Children aged 0-5 years old will begin to and/or master developmental skills; these skills will include initiative vs. guilt, gross and fine motor skills, explore and test boundaries, and autonomy vs. doubt and shame. The three categories of child development include cognitive, social-emotional, and physical development; each domain utilizes activities to produce results for healthy child development. Jean Piaget would classify these toddlers in the cognitive development stage he defined as pre-operational. Learning by this group is mainly achieved by symbolic thought. â€Å"Symbolic thought is the ability to mentally or symbolically represent concrete objects, actions, and events† (Seefeldt Wasik, 2010, para. 1). Development of this nature is all about expanding and using thinking skills, not about getting information, therefore an activity such as ‘I Spy’, which directs the child by saying â€Å"I spy something yellow and round† and asks them to find what the adult is referring to, will cause the child to use symbolic thought to find that object. In their mind, the child must then analyze ‘what do I see that is yellow and round’; even if they do not know the name of the object, they can point to it,Show MoreRelatedCorrelation Between Parietal And Adolescent Drug Abuse1578 Words   |  7 PagesSarah Tischbein Gd3423 Psych Extra Credit Ye In Oh Correlation Between Parietal and Adolescent Drug Abuse In today s society substance abuse is a common problem throughout the United States of America. The objective of the experiment is to show the correlation between substance use behaviors of parents and their children’s substance use initiation and other risky behaviors. The experiment is focused on the role of mothers and fathers as a separate study. The surveys that take place through a seriesRead MoreThe Role Of Play Therapy On Trauma Victims1274 Words   |  6 PagesChildren often face various mental health issues when they are growing up. These issues include anxiety, trauma, depression and now even autistic children. Treating young children of these conditions has been a great challenge over time. Therapy can help give children the opportunity to express their feelings through play. According to the Association for Play Therapy (2002), play therapy is a systematic use of a theoretical model to establish an interpersonal process in which trained play therapistsRead MoreS ocioeconomic Status Affects Development During All Stages Essay959 Words   |  4 PagesSocioeconomic status affects development during all stages, but the infancy stage is affected dramatically because the effects on health and wellbeing are at a crucial stage of life that affects an individual throughout life. Infants born into higher socioeconomic status’ needs are met more adequately than those of its counterpart infants of the low socioeconomic status. Infants needs being unmet due to lack of resources have been linked to growth restrictions, as well as failure to thrive. AccordingRead MoreThe Positive Effect of High Quality Childcare on Childrens Cognitive Development1452 Words   |  6 PagesCognitive development is defined as the growth and change in a person’s ability to perform mental tasks including thinking, understanding and reasoning (California Department of Education, 2014). Cognitive development is a process involving a complex interaction between bi ological and environmental factors (Feinstein, 2003, as cited in Wong, Edwards, 2013). There are multiple factors that occur in early childhood including breastfeeding, parental intelligence and obstetric complications that haveRead MoreMaternal Depression On Child Wellbeing And Development1415 Words   |  6 Pageswhen the paternal postpartum depression was associated with maternal postpartum depression. The literature review and studies asserted the detrimental consequences of paternal perinatal depression on child wellbeing and development (Children, C. on D., Parenting Practices, and the Heaslthy Development of, Medicine, I. of, Education, D. of B. and S. S. and, Council, N. R., 2009) such as hyperactivity, emotional deregulations, behavioral problems (Davis, Davis, Freed, Clark, 2011, van den Berg etRead MoreThe Effects Of Obesity On Children And Non Minority Children1490 Words   |  6 Pagescan influence whether a child becomes obese or not. These influential factors, sp ecifically to minorities in America, include ethnic cultures, socioeconomic status, and psychological factors. Ethnicities that are heavily influenced by culture can have an effect on the outlook of their children’s weight. It is evident that there is a certain aesthetic that some ethnicities tend to lean towards when it comes to body image. They may not feel concerned with an overweight child because their culture prefersRead MoreHow Infant Attachment Is Affected By Mother Infant Relationship1427 Words   |  6 PagesINTRO It is no surprise that a parent’s mental health and behavior can have an effect on a developing infant’s ability to grow an attachment and a bond with said parent. This holds especially true for the bond between the mother and the infant, be it that on average the mother-infant dyad spends the most one-on-one time together comparatively. According to Raval and colleagues (2001), a parent’s state of mind influences their sensitivity in caregiving behavior, which then has an effect on the child’sRead MoreSpanking Child Into A Problematic Life?1295 Words   |  6 PagesSpanking your Child into a Problematic Life? In 2014 UNICEF reported that 80% of parents in the world support spanking (Holeman and Wire). Another study conducted in 2012 exposed that 70% of parents that live in America, also, support the use of spanking (Perry). Despite the majority in favor of spanking, there are numerous debates about whether spanking is an effective way to discipline your child or not. In result of the debates, many researchers have conducted studies based solely on the outcomesRead MoreSpanking And Its Negative Effects On Children s Behavior1284 Words   |  6 PagesDespite the majority in favor of spanking, there are numerous debates about whether spanking is an effective way to discipline your child or not. In result of the debates many researchers have conducted studies based solely on the outcomes of spanking. A great number of the studies have concluded that there is a positive correlation between spanking and aggression, mental illness, and antisocial behaviors in the future. Despite the current vie w on spanking, researches have conducted many experimentsRead MoreAn Attachment For Successful Emotional And Social Development Essay1089 Words   |  5 Pages Attachment is a strong emotional connection between two people, often a bond between a child and caregiver. Since Bowlby’s (1969) theory, describing the importance of developing an attachment for successful emotional and social development, other researchers have theorised that not forming attachments affects individuals, including their possible development of mental health issues. Researchers have replicated Ainworths and Wittig’s (1969) Strange Situation experiment, using the results for

Galielo Essay Example For Students

Galielo Essay Galileo GalileiMany individuals in history have been accredited for numerous accomplishments like Galileo Galilei, the first known physicist. Although he was not considered a physicist in his time, he provided procedures and results that lie at the heart of what is known today as physics. In Galileo Galilei, James MacLachlan explores the personality, thought processes, scientific discoveries, and life of an important figure who helped to shape our understanding of the natural world. As a youth, Galileo was engaged into mathematics even though his father, Vincenzio, intended for him to become a doctor to support his family off his fortunes. Regardless of his fathers opinion, Galileo had no inspiration in the medical field, but was motivated in the field of mathematics where he thought he could improve on the theorems of levers proposed by the Greek mathematician Archimedes. Growing up with curiosity and determination integrated in his mind, Galileo was unsatisfied with the boring view s of philosophers like Aristotle. MacLachlan gives an example. Natural philosophers taught a set of precepts about the causes of all earthly actions and the nature of the whole universe. They did no measuring, performed no experiments, and made few calculations. Galileo found their explanations of motion unconvincing. He was particularly dissatisfied because Aristotle had concentrated on why objects move. Galileo wanted to know how they move (9). As one could see then, how keen this savant individual could work his mind to evaluate and explore anything that appeals to him. His work in physics helped remarkably to make experimental measurements and mathematical calculations more significant in all the sciences today. Although he was censored and imprisoned for his radical ideas about the motion of the earth, he continued in his pursuit of scientific truths to offer upon future generations the inspiration to challenge conventional views. As Galileo continued on with his work, the reader senses his problems with the church relating to his theories on the motions of the earth. After being condemned by the Inquisition for suspicion of heresy, to a friend, Galileo quoted, The purpose of the Holy Scriptures is to tell us how to go to heaven, not how the heavens go (81). While he was in custody, the Inquisition managed to find something to which Galileo would confess. He admitted to having asserted for the earths motions stronger tha n he had intended. My error was one of vain ambition, pure ignorance, and inadvertence, he confessed (94). However, Cardinal Roberto Bellarmino, a leading Jesuit theologian, cautioned Galileo against stating that the earth moves and refused to support any scientific evidence that appeared to contradict the bible. At this point, the reader may feel a sense of anger when they read about his trial, since in his lifetime, the bible was very sacred to the Christians, and anyone that debated or said anything that contradicted it was in for a lot of trouble with the inquisition. As the reader turns the pages of the book, he or she will find illustrations and diagrams of Galileos work that the authors uses to defend Galileos ideas against other philosophers. Galileo, on the other hand, had too low of a status to be able to contradict the other philosophers successfully. Unfortunately, after Galileo was condemned by the inquisition, few people paid attention to his physics and read his books. In addition to his low popularity, the books he wrote that contradicted the bible were forbidden for anyone to read. Readers find themselves going through Galileos problems and achievements with him. They see what he sees and feel what he feel. Galileos biography of achievements and his life in the mid 1500s and 1600s provides readers with actual details and real events that they experience as they read. After readers close this autobiography, they will perceive the acomplishments of Galileo and appreciate what he has done to bring physics to the fullest extent as it is today.